david elginbrod-第6部分

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to　the　eager　recipient。　　What　made　Hugh's　tutor…life　irksome；　was
partly　the　excess　of　his　desire　to　communicate；　over　the　desire　of
his　pupils　to　partake。　　But　here　there　was　no　labour。　　All　the
questions　were　asked　by　the　scholars。　　A　single　lesson　had　not
passed；　however；　before　David　put　questions　which　Hugh　was　unable　to
answer；　and　concerning　which　he　was　obliged　to　confess　his
ignorance。　　Instead　of　being　discouraged；　as　eager　questioners　are
very　ready　to　be　when　they　receive　no　answer；　David　merely　said；
〃Weel；　weel；　we　maun　bide　a　wee；〃　and　went　on　with　what　he　was　able
to　master。　　Meantime　Margaret；　though　forced　to　lag　a　good　way
behind　her　father；　and　to　apply　much　more　frequently　to　their　tutor
for　help；　yet　secured　all　she　got；　and　that　is　great　praise　for　any
student。　　She　was　not　by　any　means　remarkably　quick；　but　she　knew
when　she　did　not　understand；　and　that　is　a　sure　and　indispensable
step　towards　understanding。　　It　is　indeed　a　rarer　gift　than　the
power　of　understanding　itself。

The　gratitude　of　David　was　too　deep　to　be　expressed　in　any　formal
thanks。　　It　broke　out　at　times　in　two　or　three　simple　words　when　the
conversation　presented　an　opportunity；　or　in　the　midst　of　their
work；　as　by　its　own　self…birth；　ungenerated　by　association。

During　the　lesson；　which　often　lasted　more　than　two　hours；　Janet
would　be　busy　about　the　room；　and　in　and　out　of　it；　with　a　manifest
care　to　suppress　all　unnecessary　bustle。　　As　soon　as　Hugh　made　his
appearance；　she　would　put　off　the　stout　shoesman's　shoes；　as　we
should　consider　themwhich　she　always　wore　at　other　times；　and　put
on　a　pair　of　bauchles；　that　is；　an　old　pair　of　her　Sunday　shoes；　put
down　at　heel；　and　so　converted　into　slippers；　with　which　she　could
move　about　less　noisily。　　At　times　her　remarks　would　seem　to　imply
that　she　considered　it　rather　absurd　in　her　husband　to　trouble
himself　with　book…learning；　but　evidently　on　the　ground　that　he　knew
everything　already　that　was　worthy　of　the　honour　of　his
acquaintance；　whereas；　with　regard　to　Margaret；　her　heart　was　as
evidently　full　of　pride　at　the　idea　of　the　education　her　daughter
was　getting　from　the　laird's　own　tutor。

Now　and　then　she　would　stand　still　for　a　moment；　and　gaze　at　them；
with　her　bright　black　eyes；　from　under　the　white　frills　of　her
mutch；　her　bare　brown　arms　akimbo；　and　a　look　of　pride　upon　her
equally　brown　honest　face。

Her　dress　consisted　of　a　wrapper；　or　short　loose　jacket；　of　printed
calico；　and　a　blue　winsey　petticoat；　which　she　had　a　habit　of
tucking　between　her　knees；　to　keep　it　out　of　harm's　way；　as　often　as
she　stooped　to　any　wet　work；　or；　more　especially；　when　doing
anything　by　the　fire。　　Margaret's　dress　was；　in　ordinary；　like　her
mother's；　with　the　exception　of　the　cap；　but；　every　evening；　when
their　master　was　expected；　she　put　off　her　wrapper；　and　substituted
a　gown　of　the　same　material；　a　cotton　print；　and　so；　with　her
plentiful　dark　hair　gathered　neatly　under　a　net　of　brown　silk；　the
usual　head…dress　of　girls　in　her　position；　both　in　and　out　of　doors；
sat　down　dressed　for　the　sacrament　of　wisdom。　　David　made　no　other
preparation　than　the　usual　evening　washing　of　his　large　well…wrought
hands；　and　bathing　of　his　head；　covered　with　thick　dark　hair；
plentifully　lined　with　grey；　in　a　tub　of　cold　water；　from　which　his
face；　which　was　〃cremsin　dyed　ingrayne〃　by　the　weather；　emerged
glowing。　　He　sat　down　at　the　table　in　his　usual　rough　blue　coat　and
plain　brass　buttons；　with　his　breeches　of　broad…striped　corduroy；
his　blue…ribbed　stockings；　and　leather　gaiters；　or　cuiticans；
disposed　under　the　table；　and　his　shoes；　with　five　rows　of
broad…headed　nails　in　the　soles；　projecting　from　beneath　it　on　the
other　side；　for　he　was　a　tall　mansix　feet　still；　although
five…and…fifty；　and　considerably　bent　in　the　shoulders　with　hard
work。　　Sutherland's　style　was　that　of　a　gentleman　who　must　wear　out
his　dress…coat。

Such　was　the　group　which；　three　or　four　evenings　in　the　week；　might
be　seen　in　David　Elginbrod's　cottage；　seated　around　the　white　deal
table；　with　their　books　and　slates　upon　it；　and　searching；　by　the
light　of　a　tallow　candle；　substituted　as　more　convenient；　for　the
ordinary　lamp；　after　the　mysteries　of　the　universe。

The　influences　of　reviving　nature　and　of　genial　companionship
operated　very　favourably　upon　Hugh's　spirits；　and　consequently　upon
his　whole　powers。　　For　some　time　he　had；　as　I　have　already　hinted；
succeeded　in　interesting　his　boy…pupils　in　their　studies；　and　now
the　progress　they　made　began　to　be　appreciable　to　themselves　as　well
as　to　their　tutor。　　This　of　course　made　them　more　happy　and　more
diligent。　　There　were　no　attempts　now　to　work　upon　their　parents　for
a　holiday；　no　real　or　pretended　head　or　tooth…aches；　whose
disability　was　urged　against　the　greater　torture　of　ill…conceded
mental　labour。　　They　began　in　fact　to　understand；　and；　in　proportion
to　the　beauty　and　value　of　the　thing　understood；　to　understand　is　to
enjoy。　　Therefore　the　laird　and　his　lady　could　not　help　seeing　that
the　boys　were　doing　well；　far　better　in　fact　than　they　had　ever　done
before；　and　consequently　began　not　only　to　prize　Hugh's　services；
but　to　think　more　highly　of　his　office　than　had　been　their　wont。
The　laird　would　now　and　then　invite　him　to　join　him　in　a　tumbler　of
toddy　after　dinner；　or　in　a　ride　round　the　farm　after　school　hours。
But　it　must　be　confessed　that　these　approaches　to　friendliness　were
rather　irksome　to　Hugh；　for　whatever　the　laird　might　have　been　as　a
collegian；　he　was　certainly　now　nothing　more　than　a　farmer。　　Where
David　Elginbrod　would　have　described　many　a　〃bonny　sicht；〃　the　laird
only　saw　the　probable　results　of　harvest；　in　the　shape　of　figures　in
his　banking　book。　　On　one　occasion；　Hugh　roused　his　indignation　by
venturing　to　express　his　admiration　of　the　delightful　mingling　of
colours　in　a　field　where　a　good　many　scarlet　poppies　grew　among　the
green　blades　of　the　corn；　indicating；　to　the　agricultural　eye；　the
poverty　of　the　soil　where　they　were　found。　　This　fault　in　the　soil；
the　laird；　like　a　child；　resented　upon　the　poppies　themselves。

〃Nasty；　ugly　weyds！　　We'll　hae　ye　admirin'　the　smut　neist；〃　said　he；
contemptuously；　〃'cause　the　bairns　can　bleck　ane　anither's　faces
wi't。〃

〃But　surely；〃　said　Hugh；　〃putting　other　considerations　aside；　you
must　allow　that　the　colour；　especially　when　mingled　with　that　of　the
corn；　is　beautiful。〃

〃Deil　hae't！　　It's　jist　there　'at　I　canna　bide　the　sicht　o't。
Beauty　ye　may　ca'　't！　　I　see　nane　o't。　　I'd　as　sune　hae　a
reid…heedit　bairn；　as　see　thae　reid…coatit　rascals　i'　my　corn。　　I
houp　ye're　no　gaen　to　cram　stuff　like　that　into　the　heeds　o'　the　twa
laddies。　　Faith！　we'll　hae　them　sawin'　thae　ill…faured　weyds　amang
the　wheyt　neist。　　Poapies　ca'　ye　them？　　Weel　I　wat　they're　the
Popp's　ain　bairns；　an'　the　scarlet　wumman　to　the　mither　o'　them。
Ha！　ha！　ha！〃

Having　manifested　both　wit　and　Protestantism　in　the　closing　sentence
of　his　objurgation；　the　laird　relapsed　into　good　humour　and
stupidity。　　Hugh　would　gladly　have　spent　such　hours　in　David's
cottage　instead；　but　he　was　hardly　prepared　to　refuse　his　company　to
Mr。　Glasford。




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　LAIRD'S　LADY。

Ye　archewyves；　standith　at　defence；
Sin　ye　been　strong；　as　is　a　great　camayle；
Ne　suffer　not　that　men　you　don　offence。
And　slender　wives；　fell　as　in　battaile；
Beth　eager；　as　is　a　tiger；　yond　in　Inde；
Aye　clappith　as　a　mill；　I　you　counsaile。

CHAUCER。The　Clerk's　Tale。


The　length　and　frequency　of　Hugh's　absences；　careless　as　she　was　of
his　presence；　had　already　attracted　the　attention　of　Mrs。　Glasford；
and　very　little　trouble　had　to　be　expended　on　the　discovery　of　his
haunt。　　For　the　servants　knew　well　enough　where　he　went；　and　of
course　had　come　to　their　own　conclusions　as　to　the　object　of　his
visits。　　So　the　lady　chose　to　think　it　her　duty　to　expostulate　with
Hugh　on　the　subject。　　Accordingly；　one　morning　after　breakfast；　the
laird　having　gone　to　mount　his　horse；　and　the　boys　to　have　a　few
minutes'　play　before　lessons；　Mrs。　Glasford；　who　had　kept　her　seat
at　the　head　of　the　table；　waiting　for　the　opportunity；　turned
towards　Hugh　who　sat　reading　the　week's　news；　folded　her　hands　on
the　tablecloth；　drew　herself　up　yet　a　little　more　stiffly　in　her
chair；　and　thus　addressed　him：

〃It's　my　duty；　Mr。　Sutherland；　seein'　ye　have　no　mother　to　look
after　ye〃

Hugh　expected　something　matronly　about　his　linen　or　his　socks；　and
put　down　his　newspaper　with　a　smile；　but；　to　his　astonishment；　she
went　on

〃To　remonstrate　wi'　ye；　on　the　impropriety　of　going　so　often　to
David　Elginbrod's。　　They're　not　company　for　a　young　gentleman　like
you；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃They're　good　enough　company　for　a　poor　tutor；　Mrs。　Glasford；〃
replied　Hugh；　foolishly　enough。

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all；〃　insisted　the　lady。　〃With　your
connexions〃

〃Good　gracious！　who　ever　said　anything　about　my　connexions？　　I　never
pretended　to　have　any。〃　　Hugh　was　getting　angry　already。

Mrs。　Glasford　nodded　her　head　significantly；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃I
know　more　about　you　than　you　imagine；〃　and　then　went　on：

〃Your　mother　will　never　forgive　me　if　you　get　into　a　scrape　with
that　smooth…