david elginbrod-第22部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

excess　of　mental　labouran　excess　which　is　as　injurious　as　any
other　kind　of　intemperance；　the　moral　degradation　alone　kept　out　of
view。　　Proud　of　his　success；　he　sat　down　and　wrote　a　short　note；
with　a　simple　statement　of　it；　to　David；　hoping；　in　his　secret　mind；
that　he　would　attribute　his　previous　silence　to　an　absorption　in
study　which　had　not　existed　before　the　end　of　the　session　was　quite
at　hand。　　Now　that　he　had　more　time　for　reflection；　he　could　not
bear　the　idea　that　that　noble　rustic　face　should　look　disapprovingly
or；　still　worse；　coldly　upon　him；　and　he　could　not　help　feeling　as
if　the　old　ploughman　had　taken　the　place　of　his　father；　as　the　only
man　of　whom　he　must　stand　in　awe；　and　who　had　a　right　to　reprove
him。　　He　did　reprove　him　now；　though　unintentionally。　　For　David　was
delighted　at　having　such　good　news　from　him；　and　the　uneasiness
which　he　had　felt；　but　never　quite　expressed；　was　almost　swept　away
in　the　conclusion；　that　it　was　unreasonable　to　expect　the　young　man
to　give　his　time　to　them　both　absent　and　present；　especially　when　he
had　been　occupied　to　such　good　purpose　as　this　letter　signified。　　So
he　was　nearly　at　peace　about　himthough　not　quite。　　Hugh　received
from　him　the　following　letter　in　reply　to　his；　dictated；　as　usual；
to　his　secretary；　Margaret：

〃MY　DEAR　SIR；

〃Ye'll　be　a　great　man　some　day；　gin　ye　haud　at　it。　　But　things
maunna　be　gotten　at　the　outlay　o'　mair　than　they're　worth。　　Ye'll
ken　what　I　mean。　　An'　there's　better　things　nor　bein'　a　great　man；
efter　a'。　　Forgie　the　liberty　I　tak'　in　remin'in'　ye　o'　sic　like。
I'm　only　remin'in'　ye　o'　what　ye　ken　weel　aneuch。　　But　ye're　a
brave　lad；　an'　ye　hae　been　an　unco　frien'　to　me　an'　mine；　an'　I　pray
the　Lord　to　thank　ye　for　me；　for　ye　hae　dune　muckle　guid　to　his
bairnsmeanin'　me　an'　mine。　　It's　verra　kin'　o'　ye　to　vrite　till's
in　the　verra　moment　o'　victory；　but　weel　ye　kent　that　amid　a'　yer
frien'san'　ye　canna　fail　to　hae　mony　a　ane；　wi'　a　head　an'　a　face
like　yoursthere　was　na　anena；　no　ane；　that　wad　rejoice　mair　ower
your　success　than　Janet；　or　my　doo；　Maggie；　or　yer　ain　auld　obleeged
frien'　an'　servant；

〃DAVID　ELGINBROD。

〃P。S。We're　a'　weel；　an'　unco　blythe　at　your　letter。

Maggy

〃P。S。　2。Dear　Mr。　Sutherland；I　wrote　all　the　above　at　my　father's
dictation；　and　just　as　he　said　it；　for　I　thought　you　would　like　his
Scotch　better　than　my　English。　　My　mother　and　I　myself　are　rejoiced
at　the　good　news。　　My　mother　fairly　grat　outright。　　I　gaed　out　to
the　tree　where　I　met　you　first。　　I　wonder　sair　sometimes　if　you　was
the　angel　I　was　to　meet　in　the　fir…wood。　　I　am；

〃Your　obedient　servant；

〃MARGARET　ELGINBROD。〃

This　letter　certainly　touched　Hugh。　But　he　could　not　help　feeling
rather　offended　that　David　should　write　to　him　in　such　a　warning
tone。　　He　had　never　addressed　him　in　this　fashion　when　he　saw　him
every　day。　　Indeed；　David　could　not　very　easily　have　spoken　to　him
thus。　　But　writing　is　a　different　thing；　and　men　who　are　not　much
accustomed　to　use　a　pen；　often　assume　a　more　solemn　tone　in　doing
so；　as　if　it　were　a　ceremony　that　required　state。　　As　for　David；
having　been　a　little　uneasy　about　Hugh；　and　not　much　afraid　of
offending　himfor　he　did　not　know　his　weaknesses　very　thoroughly；
and　did　not　take　into　account　the　effect　of　the　very　falling　away
which　he　dreaded；　in　increasing　in　him　pride；　and　that　impatience　of
the　gentlest　reproof　natural　to　every　manhe　felt　considerably
relieved　after　he　had　discharged　his　duty　in　this　memento　vivere。
But　one　of　the　results；　and　a　very　unexpected　one；　was；　that　a　yet
longer　period　elapsed　before　Hugh　wrote　again　to　David。　　He　meant　to
do　so；　and　meant　to　do　so；　but；　as　often　as　the　thought　occurred　to
him；　was　checked　both　by　consciousness　and　by　pride。　　So　much
contributes；　not　the　evil　alone　that　is　in　us；　but　the　good　also
sometimes；　to　hold　us　back　from　doing　the　thing　we　ought　to　do。

It　now　remained　for　Hugh　to　look　about　for　some　occupation。　　The
state　of　his　funds　rendered　immediate　employment　absolutely
necessary；　and　as　there　was　only　one　way　in　which　he　could　earn
money　without　yet　further　preparation；　he　must　betake　himself　to
that　way；　as　he　had　done　before；　in　the　hope　that　it　would　lead　to
something　better。　　At　all　events；　it　would　give　him　time　to　look
about　him；　and　make　up　his　mind　for　the　future。　　Many　a　one；　to　whom
the　occupation　of　a　tutor　is　far　more　irksome　than　it　was　to　Hugh；
is　compelled　to　turn　his　acquirements　to　this　immediate　account；
and；　once　going　in　this　groove；　can　never　get　out　of　it　again。　　But
Hugh　was　hopeful　enough　to　think；　that　his　reputation　at　the
university　would　stand　him　in　some　stead；　and；　however　much　he　would
have　disliked　the　thought　of　being　a　tutor　all　his　days；　occupying　a
kind　of　neutral　territory　between　the　position　of　a　gentleman　and
that　of　a　menial；　he　had　enough　of　strong　Saxon　good　sense　to
prevent　him；　despite　his　Highland　pride；　from　seeing　any　great
hardship　in　labouring　still　for　a　little　while；　as　he　had　laboured
hitherto。　　But　he　hoped　to　find　a　situation　more　desirable　than
either　of　those　he　had　occupied　before；　and；　with　this　expectation；
looked　towards　the　South；　as　most　Scotchmen　do；　indulging　the
national　impulse　to　spoil　the　Egyptians。　　Nor　did　he　look　long；
sending　his　tentacles　afloat　in　every　direction；　before　he　heard；
through　means　of　a　college　friend；　of　just　such　a　situation　as　he
wanted；　in　the　family　of　a　gentleman　of　fortune　in　the　county　of
Surrey；　not　much　more　than　twenty　miles　from　London。　　This　he　was
fortunate　enough　to　obtain　without　difficulty。

Margaret　was　likewise　on　the　eve　of　a　change。　　She　stood　like　a
young　fledged　bird　on　the　edge　of　the　nest；　ready　to　take　its　first
long　flight。　　It　was　necessary　that　she　should　do　something　for
herself；　not　so　much　from　the　compulsion　of　immediate　circumstances；
as　in　prospect　of　the　future。　　Her　father　was　not　an　old　man；　but　at
best　he　could　leave　only　a　trifle　at　his　death；　and　if　Janet
outlived　him；　she　would　probably　require　all　that；　and　what　labour
she　would　then　be　capable　of　as　well；　to　support　herself。　　Margaret
was　anxious；　too；　though　not　to　be　independent；　yet；　not　to　be
burdensome。　　Both　David　and　Janet　saw　that；　by　her　peculiar　tastes
and　habits；　she　had　separated　herself　so　far　from　the　circle　around
her；　that　she　could　never　hope　to　be　quite　comfortable　in　that
neighbourhood。　　It　was　not　that　by　any　means　she　despised　or　refused
the　labours　common　to　the　young　women　of　the　country；　but；　all
things　considered；　they　thought　that　something　more　suitable　for　her
might　be　procured。

The　laird's　lady　continued　to　behave　to　her　in　the　most　supercilious
fashion。　　The　very　day　of　Hugh's　departure；　she　had　chanced　to　meet
Margaret　walking　alone　with　a　book；　this　time　unopened；　in　her　hand。
Mrs。　Glasford　stopped。　　Margaret　stopped　too；　expecting　to　be
addressed。　　The　lady　looked　at　her；　all　over；　from　head　to　foot；　as
if　critically　examining　the　appearance　of　an　animal　she　thought　of
purchasing；　then；　without　a　word；　but　with　a　contemptuous　toss　of
the　head；　passed　on；　leaving　poor　Margaret　both　angry　and　ashamed。

But　David　was　much　respected　by　the　gentry　of　the　neighbourhood；
with　whom　his　position；　as　the　laird's　steward；　brought　him　not
unfrequently　into　contact；　and　to　several　of　them　he　mentioned　his
desire　of　finding　some　situation　for　Margaret。　　Janet　could　not　bear
the　idea　of　her　lady…bairn　leaving　them；　to　encounter　the　world
alone；　but　David；　though　he　could　not　help　sometimes　feeling　a
similar　pang；　was　able　to　take　to　himself　hearty　comfort　from　the
thought；　that　if　there　was　any　safety　for　her　in　her　father's　house；
there　could　not　be　less　in　her　heavenly　Father's；　in　any　nook　of
which　she　was　as　full　in　His　eye；　and　as　near　His　heart；　as　in　their
own　cottage。　　He　felt　that　anxiety　in　this　case；　as　in　every　other；
would　just　be　a　lack　of　confidence　in　God；　to　suppose　which
justifiable　would　be　equivalent　to　saying　that　He　had　not　fixed　the
foundations　of　the　earth　that　it　should　not　be　moved；　that　He　was
not　the　Lord　of　Life；　nor　the　Father　of　His　children；　in　short；　that
a　sparrow　could　fall　to　the　ground　without　Him；　and　that　the　hairs
of　our　head　are　not　numbered。　　Janet　admitted　all　this；　but　sighed
nevertheless。　　So　did　David　too；　at　times；　for　he　knew　that　the
sparrow　must　fall；　that　many　a　divine　truth　is　hard　to　learn；
all…blessed　as　it　is　when　learned；　and　that　sorrow　and　suffering
must　come　to　Margaret；　ere　she　could　be　fashioned　into　the
perfection　of　a　child　of　the　kingdom。　　Still；　she　was　as　safe　abroad
as　at　home。

An　elderly　lady　of　fortune　was　on　a　visit　to　one　of　the　families　in
the　neighbourhood。　　She　was　in　want　of　a　lady's…maid；　and　it
occurred　to　the　housekeeper　that　Margaret　might　suit　her。　　This　was
not　quite　what　her　parents　would　have　chosen；　but　they　allowed　her
to　go　and　see　the　lady。　　Margaret　was　delighted　with　the
benevolent…looking　gentlewoman；　and　she；　on　her　part；　was　quite
charmed　with　Margaret。　　It　was　true　she　knew　nothing　of　the　duties
of　the　office；　but　the　present　maid；　who　was　leaving　on　the　best　of
terms；　would　soon　initiate　her　into　its　mysteries。　　And　David　and