david elginbrod-第9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！

gather　up；　in　a　perfect　being；　youth　and　age　at　once。

One　morning；　about　six　o'clock；　Hugh；　who　had　never　been　so　early　in
the　wood　since　the　day　he　had　met　Margaret　there；　was　standing　under
a　beech…tree；　looking　up　through　its　multitudinous　leaves；
illuminated；　as　I　have　attempted　to　describe；　with　the　sidelong　rays
of　the　brilliant　sun。　　He　was　feeling　young；　and　observing　the　forms
of　nature　with　a　keen　discriminating　gaze：　that　was　all。　　Fond　of
writing　verses；　he　was　studying　nature；　not　as　a　true　lover；　but　as
one　who　would　hereafter　turn　his　discoveries　to　use。　　For　it　must　be
confessed　that　nature　affected　him　chiefly　through　the　medium　of
poetry；　and　that　he　was　far　more　ambitious　of　writing　beautiful
things　about　nature　than　of　discovering　and　understanding；　for　their
own　sakes；　any　of　her　hidden　yet　patent　meanings。　　Changing　his
attitude　after　a　few　moments；　he　descried；　under　another　beech…tree；
not　far　from　him；　Margaret；　standing　and　looking　up　fixedly　as　he
had　been　doing　a　moment　before。　　He　approached　her；　and　she；　hearing
his　advance；　looked；　and　saw　him；　but　did　not　move。　　He　thought　he
saw　the　glimmer　of　tears　in　her　eyes。　　She　was　the　first　to　speak；
however。

〃What　were　you　seeing　up　there；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃I　was　only　looking　at　the　bright　leaves；　and　the　shadows　upon
them。〃

〃Ah！　　I　thocht　maybe　ye　had　seen　something。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Margaret？〃

〃I　dinna　richtly　ken　mysel'。　　But　I　aye　expeck　to　see　something　in
this　fir…wood。　　I'm　here　maist　mornin's　as　the　day　dawns；　but　I'm
later　the　day。〃

〃We　were　later　than　usual　at　our　work　last　night。　　But　what　kind　of
thing　do　you　expect　to　see？〃

〃That's　jist　what　I　dinna　ken。　　An'　I　canna　min'　whan　I　began　to
come　here　first；　luikin'　for　something。　　I've　tried　mony　a　time；　but
I　canna　min'；　do　what　I　like。〃

Margaret　had　never　said　so　much　about　herself　before。　　I　can　account
for　it　only　on　the　supposition　that　Hugh　had　gradually　assumed　in
her　mind　a　kind　of　pastoral　superiority；　which；　at　a　favourable
moment；　inclined　her　to　impart　her　thoughts　to　him。　　But　he　did　not
know　what　to　say　to　this　strange　fact　in　her　history。　　She　went　on；
however；　as　if；　having　broken　the　ice；　she　must　sweep　it　away　as
well。

〃The　only　thing　'at　helps　me　to　account　for't；　is　a　picter　in　our
auld　Bible；　o'　an　angel　sittin'　aneth　a　tree；　and　haudin'　up　his
han'　as　gin　he　were　speakin'　to　a　woman　'at's　stan'in'　afore　him。
Ilka　time　'at　I　come　across　that　picter；　I　feel　direckly　as　gin　I
war　my　lane　in　this　fir…wood　here；　sae　I　suppose　that　when　I　was　a
wee　bairn；　I　maun　hae　come　oot　some　mornin'　my　lane；　wi'　the
expectation　o'　seein'　an　angel　here　waitin'　for　me；　to　speak　to　me
like　the　ane　i'　the　Bible。　　But　never　an　angel　hae　I　seen。　　Yet　I
aye　hae　an　expectation　like　o'　seein'　something；　I　kenna　what；　for
the　whole　place　aye　seems　fu'　o'　a　presence；　an'　it's　a　hantle　mair
to　me　nor　the　kirk　an'　the　sermon　forby；　an'　for　the　singin'；　the
soun'　i'　the　fir…taps　is　far　mair　solemn　and　sweet　at　the　same　time；
an'　muckle　mair　like　praisin'　o'　God　than　a'　the　psalms　thegither。
But　I　aye　think　'at　gin　I　could　hear　Milton　playin'　on's　organ；　it
would　be　mair　like　that　soun'　o'　mony　waters；　than　onything　else　'at
I　can　think　o'。〃

Hugh　stood　and　gazed　at　her　in　astonishment。　　To　his　more　refined
ear；　there　was　a　strange　incongruity　between　the　somewhat　coarse
dialect　in　which　she　spoke；　and　the　things　she　uttered　in　it。　　Not
that　he　was　capable　of　entering　into　her　feelings；　much　less　of
explaining　them　to　her。　　He　felt　that　there　was　something　remarkable
in　them；　but　attributed　both　the　thoughts　themselves　and　their
influence　on　him；　to　an　uncommon　and　weird　imagination。　　As　of　such
origin；　however；　he　was　just　the　one　to　value　them　highly。

〃Those　are　very　strange　ideas；〃　he　said。

〃But　what　can　there　be　about　the　wood？　　The　very　primrosesye
brocht　me　the　first　this　spring　yersel'；　Mr。　Sutherlandcome　out　at
the　fit　o'　the　trees；　and　look　at　me　as　if　they　said；　'We　kenwe
ken　a'　aboot　it；'　but　never　a　word　mair　they　say。　　There's　something
by　ordinar'　in't。〃

〃Do　you　like　no　other　place　besides？〃　said　Hugh；　for　the　sake　of
saying　something。

〃Ou　ay；　mony　ane；　but　nane　like　this。〃

〃What　kind　of　place　do　you　like　best？〃

〃I　like　places　wi'　green　grass　an'　flowers　amo't。〃

〃You　like　flowers　then？〃

〃Like　them！　whiles　they　gar　me　greet　an'　whiles　they　gar　me　lauch；
but　there's　mair　i'　them　than　that；　an'　i'　the　wood　too。　　I　canna
richtly　say　my　prayers　in　ony　ither　place。〃

The　Scotch　dialect；　especially　to　one　brought　up　in　the　Highlands；
was　a　considerable　antidote　to　the　effect　of　the　beauty　of　what
Margaret　said。

Suddenly　it　struck　Hugh；　that　if　Margaret　were　such　an　admirer　of
nature；　possibly　she　might　enjoy　Wordsworth。　　He　himself　was　as　yet
incapable　of　doing　him　anything　like　justice；　and；　with　the
arrogance　of　youth；　did　not　hesitate　to　smile　at　the　Excursion；
picking　out　an　awkward　line　here　and　there　as　especial　food　for
laughter　even。　　But　many　of　his　smaller　pieces　he　enjoyed　very
heartily；　although　not　thoroughlythe　element　of　Christian
Pantheism；　which　is　their　soul；　being　beyond　his　comprehension；
almost　perception；　as　yet。　　So　he　made　up　his　mind；　after　a　moment's
reflection；　that　this　should　be　the　next　author　he　recommended　to
his　pupil。　　He　hoped　likewise　so　to　end　an　interview；　in　which　he
might　otherwise　be　compelled　to　confess　that　he　could　render
Margaret　no　assistance　in　her　search　after　the　something　in　the
wood；　and　he　was　unwilling　to　say　he　could　not　understand　her；　for　a
power　of　universal　sympathy　was　one　of　those　mental　gifts　which　Hugh
was　most　anxious　to　believe　he　possessed。

〃I　will　bring　you　another　book　to…night；〃　said　he　〃which　I　think　you
will　like；　and　which　may　perhaps　help　you　to　find　out　what　is　in　the
wood。〃

He　said　this　smiling；　half　in　playful　jest；　and　without　any　idea　of
the　degree　of　likelihood　that　there　was　notwithstanding　in　what　he
said。　　For；　certainly；　Wordsworth；　the　high…priest　of　nature；　though
perhaps　hardly　the　apostle　of　nature；　was　more　likely　than　any　other
writer　to　contain　something　of　the　secret　after　which　Margaret　was
searching。　　Whether　she　can　find　it　there；　may　seem　questionable。

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Margaret；　gratefully；　but　her　whole
countenance　looked　troubled；　as　she　turned　towards　her　home。
Doubtless；　however；　the　trouble　vanished　before　she　reached　it；　for
hers　was　not　a　nature　to　cherish　disquietude。　　Hugh　too　went　home；
rather　thoughtful。

In　the　evening；　he　took　a　volume　of　Wordsworth；　and　repaired；
according　to　his　wont；　to　David's　cottage。　　It　was　Saturday；　and　he
would　stay　to　supper。　　After　they　had　given　the　usual　time　to　their
studies；　Hugh；　setting　Margaret　some　exercises　in　English　to　write
on　her　slate；　while　he　helped　David　with　some　of　the　elements　of
Trigonometry；　and　again　going　over　those　elements　with　her；　while
David　worked　out　a　calculationafter　these　were　over；　and　while
Janet　was　putting　the　supper　on　the　table；　Hugh　pulled　out　his
volume；　and；　without　any　preface；　read　them　the　Leech…Gatherer。　　All
listened　very　intently；　Janet　included；　who　delayed　several　of　the
operations；　that　she　might　lose　no　word　of　the　verses；　David　nodding
assent　every　now　and　then；　and　ejaculating　ay！　ay！　or　eh；　man！　or
producing　that　strange　muffled　sound　at　once　common　and　peculiar　to
Scotchmen；　which　cannot　be　expressed　in　letters　by　a　nearer　approach
than　hmhm；　uttered；　if　that　can　be　called　uttering；　with　closed
lips　and　open　nasal　passage；　and　Margaret　sitting　motionless　on　her
creepie；　with　upturned　pale　face；　and　eyes　fixed　upon　the　lips　of
the　reader。　　When　he　had　ceased；　all　were　silent　for　a　moment；　when
Janet　made　some　little　sign　of　anxiety　about　her　supper；　which
certainly　had　suffered　by　the　delay。　　Then；　without　a　word；　David
turned　towards　the　table　and　gave　thanks。　　Turning　again　to　Hugh；
who　had　risen　to　place　his　chair；　he　said；

〃That　maun　be　the　wark　o'　a　great　poet；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。〃

〃It's　Wordsworth's；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Ay！　ay！　　That's　Wordsworth's！　　Ay！　　Weel；　I　hae　jist　heard　him　made
mention　o'；　but　I　never　read　word　o'　his　afore。　　An'　he　never
repentit　o'　that　same　resolution；　I'se　warrant；　'at　he　eynds　aff
wi'。　　Hoo　does　it　gang；　Mr。　Sutherlan'？〃

Sutherland　read：

　　　　　〃'God；'　said　I；　'be　my　help　and　stay　secure！
　　　　　　I'll　think　of　the　leech…gatherer　on　the　lonely　moor；'〃

and　added；　〃It　is　said　Wordsworth　never　knew　what　it　was　to　be　in
want　of　money　all　his　life。〃

〃Nae　doubt；　nae　doubt：　he　trusted　in　Him。〃

It　was　for　the　sake　of　the　minute　notices　of　nature；　and　not　for　the
religious　lesson；　which　he　now　seemed　to　see　for　the　first　time；
that　Hugh　had　read　the　poem。　　He　could　not　help　being　greatly
impressed　by　the　confidence　with　which　David　received　the　statement
he　had　just　made　on　the　authority　of　De　Quincey　in　his　unpleasant
article　about　Wordsworth。　　David　resumed：

〃He　maun　hae　had　a　gleg　'ee　o'　his　ain；　that　Maister　Wordsworth；　to
notice　a'thing　that　get。　　Weel　he　maun　hae　likit　leevin'　things；
puir　maukin　an'　a'jist　like　our　Robbie　Burns　for　that。　　An'　see
hoo　they　a'　ken　ane　anither；　thae