david elginbrod-第19部分

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ponds　and　streams；　were　changed　to　whiteness。　　But　most　wonderful
looked　the　treesevery　bough　and　every　twig　thickened；　and　bent
earthward　with　its　own　individual　load　of　the　fairy　ghost…birds。
Each　retained　the　semblance　of　its　own　form；　wonderfully；　magically
altered　by　its　thick　garment　of　radiant　whiteness；　shining
gloriously　in　the　sunlight。　　It　was　the　shroud　of　dead　nature；　but　a
shroud　that　seemed　to　prefigure　a　lovely　resurrection；　for　the　very
death…robe　was　unspeakably；　witchingly　beautiful。　　Again　at　night
the　snow　fell；　and　again　and　again；　with　intervening　days　of　bright
sunshine。　　Every　morning；　the　first　fresh　footprints　were　a　new
wonder　to　the　living　creatures；　the　young…hearted　amongst　them　at
least；　who　lived　and　moved　in　this　death…world；　this　sepulchral
planet；　buried　in　the　shining　air　before　the　eyes　of　its
sister…stars　in　the　blue；　deathless　heavens。　　Paths　had　to　be
cleared　in　every　direction　towards　the　out…houses；　and　again　cleared
every　morning；　till　at　last　the　walls　of　solid　rain　stood　higher
than　the　head　of　little　Johnnie；　as　he　was　still　called；　though　he
was　twelve　years　old。　　It　was　a　great　delight　to　him　to　wander
through　the　snow…avenues　in　every　direction；　and　great　fun　it　was；
both　to　him　and　his　brother；　when　they　were　tired　of　snowballing
each　other　and　every　living　thing　about　the　place　except　their
parents　and　tutor；　to　hollow　out　mysterious　caves　and　vaulted
passages。　　Sometimes　they　would　carry　these　passages　on　from　one
path　to　within　an　inch　or　two　of　another；　and　there　lie　in　wait　till
some　passer…by；　unweeting　of　harm；　was　just　opposite　their　lurking
cave；　when　they　would　dash　through　the　solid　wall　of　snow　with　a
hideous　yell；　almost　endangering　the　wits　of　the　maids；　and　causing
a　recoil　and　startled　ejaculation　even　of　the　strong　man　on　whom
they　chanced　to　try　their　powers　of　alarm。　　Hugh　himself　was　once
glad　to　cover　the　confusion　of　his　own　fright　with　the　hearty　fit　of
laughter　into　which　the　perturbation　of　the　boys；　upon　discovering
whom　they　had　startled；　threw　him。　　It　was　rare　fun　to　them；　but　not
to　the　women　about　the　house；　who　moved　from　place　to　place　in　a
state　of　chronic　alarm；　scared　by　the　fear　of　being　scared；　till　one
of　them　going　into　hysterics；　real　or　pretended；　it　was　found
necessary　to　put　a　stop　to　the　practice；　not；　however；　before
Margaret　had　had　her　share　of　the　jest。　　Hugh　happened　to　be　looking
out　of　his　window　at　the　momentwatching　her；　indeed；　as　she　passed
towards　the　kitchen　with　some　message　from　her　mother；　when　an
indescribable　monster；　a　chaotic　mass　of　legs　and　snow；　burst；　as　if
out　of　the　earth；　upon　her。　　She　turned　pale　as　the　snow　around　her
（and　Hugh　had　never　observed　before　how　dark　her　eyes　were）；　as　she
sprang　back　with　the　grace　of　a　startled　deer。　　She　uttered　no　cry；
however；　perceiving　in　a　moment　who　it　was；　gave　a　troubled　little
smile；　and　passed　on　her　way　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　　Hugh　was
not　sorry　when　maternal　orders　were　issued　against　the　practical
joke。　　The　boys　did　not　respect　their　mother　very　much；　but　they
dared　not　disobey　her；　when　she　spoke　in　a　certain　tone。

There　was　no　pathway　cut　to　David's　cottage；　and　no　track　trodden；
except　what　David；　coming　to　the　house　sometimes；　and　Hugh　going
every　afternoon　to　the　cottage；　made　between　them。　　Hugh　often　went
to　the　knees　in　snow；　but　was　well　dried　and　warmed　by　Janet's　care
when　he　arrived。　　She　had　always　a　pair　of　stockings　and　slippers
ready　for　him　at　the　fire；　to　be　put　on　the　moment　of　his　arrival；
and　exchanged　again　for　his　own；　dry　and　warm；　before　he　footed　once
more　the　ghostly　waste。　　When　neither　moon　was　up　nor　stars　were
out；　there　was　a　strange　eerie　glimmer　from　the　snow　that　lighted
the　way　home；　and　he　thought　there　must　be　more　light　from　it　than
could　be　accounted　for　merely　by　the　reflection　of　every　particle　of
light　that　might　fall　upon　it　from　other　sources。

Margaret　was　not　kept　to　the　house　by　the　snow；　even　when　it　was
falling。　　She　went　out　as　usualnot　of　course　wandering　far；　for
walking　was　difficult　now。　　But　she　was　in　little　danger　of　losing
her　way；　for　she　knew　the　country　as　well　as　any　one；　and　although
its　face　was　greatly　altered　by　the　filling　up　of　its　features；　and
the　uniformity　of　the　colour；　yet　those　features　were　discernible　to
her　experienced　eye　through　the　sheet　that　covered　them。　　It　was
only　necessary　to　walk　on　the　tops　of　dykes；　and　other　elevated
ridges；　to　keep　clear　of　the　deep　snow。

There　were　many　paths　between　the　cottages　and　the　farms　in　the
neighbourhood；　in　which　she　could　walk　with　comparative　ease　and
comfort。　　But　she　preferred　wandering　away　through　the　fields　and
toward　the　hills。　　Sometimes　she　would　come　home　like　a　creature　of
the　snow；　born　of　it；　and　living　in　it；　so　covered　was　she　from　head
to　foot　with　its　flakes。　　David　used　to　smile　at　her　with　peculiar
complacency　on　such　occasions。　　It　was　evident　that　it　pleased　him
she　should　be　the　playmate　of　Nature。　　Janet　was　not　altogether
indulgent　to　these　freaks；　as　she　considered　them；　of　Margetshe
had　quite　given　up　calling　her　Meg；　〃sin'　she　took　to　the　beuk　so
eident。〃　　But　whatever　her　mother　might　think　of　it；　Margaret　was　in
this　way　laying　up　a　store　not　only　of　bodily　and　mental　health；　but
of　resources　for　thought　and　feeling；　of　secret　understandings　and
communions　with　Nature；　and　everything　simple；　and　strong；　and　pure
through　Nature；　than　which　she　could　have　accumulated　nothing　more
precious。

This　kind　of　weather　continued　for　some　time；　till　the　people
declared　they　had　never　known　a　storm　last　so　long　〃ohn　ever
devallt；〃　that　is；　without　intermission。　　But　the　frost　grew　harder；
and　then　the　snow；　instead　of　falling　in　large　adhesive　flakes；　fell
in　small　dry　flakes；　of　which　the　boys　could　make　no　snaw…ba's。　　All
the　time；　however；　there　was　no　wind；　and　this　not　being　a　sheep
country；　there　was　little　uneasiness　or　suffering　occasioned　by　the
severity　of　the　weather；　beyond　what　must　befall　the　poorer　classes
in　every　northern　country　during　the　winter。

One　day；　David　heard　that　a　poor　old　man　of　his　acquaintance　was
dying；　and　immediately　set　out　to　visit　him；　at　a　distance　of　two　or
three　miles。　　He　returned　in　the　evening；　only　in　time　for　his
studies；　for　there　was　of　course　little　or　nothing　to　be　done　at
present　in　the　way　of　labour。　　As　he　sat　down　to　the　table；　he　said：

〃I　hae　seen　a　wonnerfu'　sicht　sin'　I　saw　you；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　I
gaed　to　see　an　auld　Christian；　whase　body　an'　brain　are　nigh　worn
oot。　　He　was　never　onything　remarkable　for　intellec；　and　jist　took
what　the　minister　tellt　him　for　true；　an'　keepit　the　guid　o't；　for
his　hert　was　aye　richt；　an'　his　faith　a　hantle　stronger　than　maybe
it　had　ony　richt　to　be；　accordin'　to　his　ain　opingans；　but；　hech！
there's　something　far　better　nor　his　opingans　i'　the　hert　o'　ilka
God…fearin'　body。　　Whan　I　gaed　butt　the　hoose；　he　was　sittin'　in's
auld　arm…chair　by　the　side　o'　the　fire；　an'　his　face　luikit　dazed
like。　　There　was　no　licht　in't　but　what　cam'　noo　an'　than　frae　a　low
i'　the　fire。　　The　snaw　was　driftin'　a　wee　aboot　the　bit　winnock；　an'
his　auld　een　was　fixed　upo't；　an'　a'　'at　he　said；　takin'　no　notice
o'　me；　was　jist；　'The　birdies　is　flutterin'；　the　birdies　is
flutterin'。'　　I　spak'　till　him；　an'　tried　to　roose　him；　wi'　ae　thing
after　anither；　bit　I　micht　as　weel　hae　spoken　to　the　door…cheek；　for
a'　the　notice　that　he　took。　　Never　a　word　he　spak'；　but　aye　'The
birdies　is　flutterin'。'　　At　last；　it　cam'　to　my　min'　'at　the　body
was　aye　fu'　o'　ane　o'　the　psalms　in　particler；　an'　sae　I　jist　said
till　him　at　last：　'John；　hae　ye　forgotten　the　twenty…third　psalm？'
'Forgotten　the　twenty…third　psalm！'　quo'　he；　an'　his　face　lighted　up
in　a　moment　frae　the　inside：　'The　Lord's　my　shepherd；an'　I　hae
followed　Him　through　a'　the　smorin'　drift　o'　the　warl'；　an'　he'll
bring　me　to　the　green　pastures　an'　the　still　waters　o'　His
summer…kingdom　at　the　lang　last。　　I　shall　not　want。　　An'　I　hae
wanted　for　naething；　naething。'　　He　had　been　a　shepherd　himsel'　in's
young　days。　　And　so　on　he　gaed；　wi'　a　kin'　o'　a　personal　commentary
on　the　haill　psalm　frae　beginnin'　to　en'；　and　syne　he　jist　fell　back
into　the　auld　croonin'　sang；　'The　birdies　is　flutterin'；　the　birdies
is　flutterin'。'　　The　licht　deed　oot　o'　his　face；　an'　a'　that　I　could
say　could　na'　bring　back　the　licht　to　his　face；　nor　the　sense　to　his
tongue。　　He'll　sune　be　in　a　better　warl'。　　Sae　I　was　jist　forced　to
leave　him。　　But　I　promised　his　dochter；　puir　body；　that　I　would　ca'
again　an'　see　him　the　morn's　afternoon。　　It's　unco　dowie　wark　for
her；　for　they　hae　scarce　a　neebor　within　reach　o'　them；　in　case　o'　a
change；　an'　there　had　hardly　been　a　creatur'　inside　o'　their　door
for　a　week。〃

The　following　afternoon；　David　set　out　according　to　his　promise。
Before　his　return；　the　wind；　which　had　been　threatening　to　wake　all
day；　had　risen　rapidly；　and　now　blew　a　snowstorm　of　its　own。　　When
Hugh　opened　the　door　to　take　his　usual　walk　to　the　cottage；　just　as
darkness　was　beginning　to　fall；　the　sight　he　saw　made　his　young
strong　heart　dance　with　delight。　　The　snow　that　fell　made　but