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invention of humanity in its loftiest development。 In this
development； then； he must have considered humanity as farthest from
its origin； and God as the creator of savages； caring nothing for
poets or their work。
They turned； as by common consent； to go down the hill together。
〃Shall I take charge of the offending volume？ You will not care to
finish it； I fear；〃 said Hugh。
〃No； sir； if you please。 I never like to leave onything unfinished。
I'll read ilka word in't。 I fancy the thing 'at sets me against
it； is mostly this； that； readin' it alang wi' Euclid； I canna help
aye thinkin' o' my ain min' as gin it were in some geometrical shape
or ither； whiles ane an' whiles anither； and syne I try to draw
lines an' separate this power frae that power； the memory frae the
jeedgement； an' the imagination frae the rizzon； an' syne I try to
pit them a' thegither again in their relations to ane anither。 And
this aye takes the shape o' some proposition or ither； generally i'
the second beuk。 It near…han' dazes me whiles。 I fancy gin' I
understood the pairts o' the sphere； it would be mair to the
purpose； but I wat I wish I were clear o't a'thegither。〃
Hugh had had some experiences of a similar kind himself； though not
at all to the same extent。 He could therefore understand her。
〃You must just try to keep the things altogether apart；〃 said he；
〃and not think of the two sciences at once。〃
〃But I canna help it；〃 she replied。 〃I suppose you can； sir； because
ye're a man。 My father can understan' things ten times better nor
me an' my mother。 But nae sooner do I begin to read and think about
it； than up comes ane o' thae parallelograms； an' nothing will
driv't oot o' my head again； but a verse or twa o' Coleridge or
Wordsworth。〃
Hugh immediately began to repeat the first poem of the latter that
occurred to him：
〃I wandered lonely as a cloud。〃
She listened； walking along with her eyes fixed on the ground； and
when he had finished； gave a sigh of delight and reliefall the
comment she uttered。 She seemed never to find it necessary to say
what she felt； least of all when the feeling was a pleasant one； for
then it was enough for itself。 This was only the second time since
their acquaintance； that she had spoken of her feelings at all； and
in this case they were of a purely intellectual origin。 It is to be
observed； however； that in both cases she had taken pains to explain
thoroughly what she meant； as far as she was able。
It was dark before they reached home； at least as dark as it ever is
at this season of the year in the north。 They found David looking
out with some slight anxiety for his daughter's return； for she was
seldom out so late as this。 In nothing could the true relation
between them have been more evident than in the entire absence from
her manner of any embarrassment when she met her father。 She went
up to him and told him all about finding Mr。 Sutherland asleep on
the hill； and waiting beside him till he woke； that she might walk
home with him。 Her father seemed perfectly content with an
explanation which he had not sought； and； turning to Hugh； said；
smiling：
〃Weel； no to be troublesome； Mr。 Sutherlan'； ye maun gie the auld
man a turn as weel as the young lass。 We didna expec ye the nicht；
but I'm sair puzzled wi' a sma' eneuch matter on my sklet in there。
Will you no come in and gie me a lift？〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said Sutherland。 So there were five lessons in
that week。
When Hugh entered the cottage he had a fine sprig of heather in his
hand； which he laid on the table。
He had the weakness of being proud of small discoveriesthe tinier
the better； and was always sharpening his senses； as well as his
intellect； to a fine point； in order to make them。 I fear that by
these means he shut out some great ones； which could not enter
during such a concentration of the faculties。 He would stand
listening to the sound of goose…feet upon the road； and watch how
those webs laid hold of the earth like a hand。 He would struggle to
enter into their feelings in folding their wings properly on their
backs。 He would calculate； on chemical and arithmetical grounds；
whether one might not hear the nocturnal growth of plants in the
tropics。 He was quite elated by the discovery； as he considered it；
that Shakspeare named his two officers of the watch； Dogberry and
Verjuice； the poisonous Dogberry； and the acid liquor of green
fruits； affording suitable names for the stupidly innocuous
constables； in a play the very essence of which is Much Ado About
Nothing。 Another of his discoveries he had； during their last
lesson； unfolded to David； who had certainly contemplated it with
interest。 It was； that the original forms of the Arabic numerals
were these：
1。2。3。4。5。6。7。8。9。 ｛original text has a picture｝
the number for which each figure stands being indicated by the
number of straight lines employed in forming that numeral。 I fear
the comparative anatomy of figures gives no countenance to the
discovery which Hugh flattered himself he had made。
After he had helped David out of his difficulty； he took up the
heather； and stripping off the bells； shook them in his hand at
Margaret's ear。 A half smile； like the moonlight of laughter；
dawned on her face； and she listened with something of the same
expression with which a child listens to the message from the sea；
inclosed in a twisted shell。 He did the same at David's ear next。
〃Eh； man！ that's a bonny wee soun'！ It's jist like sma'
sheep…bellsfairy…sheep； I reckon； Maggy； my doo。〃
〃Lat me hearken as weel；〃 said Janet。
Hugh obeyed。 She laughed。
〃It's naething but a reestlin'。 I wad raither hear the sheep
baain'； or the kye routin'。〃
〃Eh； Mr。 Sutherlan'！ but； ye hae a gleg ee an' a sharp lug。 Weel；
the warld's fu' o' bonny sichts and souns； doon to the verra
sma'est。 The Lord lats naething gang。 I wadna wonner noo but there
micht be thousands sic like； ower sma' a'thegither for human ears；
jist as we ken there are creatures as perfect in beowty as ony we
see； but far ower sma' for our een wintin' the glass。 But for my
pairt； I aye like to see a heap o' things at ance； an' tak' them a'
in thegither； an' see them playin' into ane anither's han' like。 I
was jist thinkin'； as I came hame the nicht in the sinset； hoo it
wad hae been naewise sae complete； wi' a' its red an' gowd an'
green； gin it hadna been for the cauld blue east ahint it； wi' the
twa…three shiverin' starnies leukin' through't。 An' doubtless the
warld to come 'ill be a' the warmer to them 'at hadna ower muckle
happin here。 But I'm jist haverin'； clean haverin'； Mr。
Sutherlan'；〃 concluded David； with a smile of apologetic humour。
〃I suppose you could easily believe with Plato； David； that the
planets make a grand choral music as they roll about the heavens；
only that as some sounds are too small； so that is too loud for us
to hear。〃
〃I cud weel believe that；〃 was David's unhesitating answer。
Margaret looked as if she not only could believe it； but would be
delighted to know that it was true。 Neither Janet nor Hugh gave any
indication of feeling on the matter。
CHAPTER X。
HARVEST。
So a small seed that in the earth lies hid
And dies； reviving bursts her cloddy side；
Adorned with yellow locks； of new is born；
And doth become a mother great with corn；
Of grains brings hundreds with it； which when old
Enrich the furrows with a sea of gold。
SIR WILLIAM DRUMMOND。Hymn of the Resurrection。
Hugh had watched the green corn grow； and ear； and turn dim； then
brighten to yellow； and ripen at last under the declining autumn
sun； and the low skirting moon of the harvest； which seems too full
and heavy with mellow and bountiful light to rise high above the
fields which it comes to bless with perfection。 The long threads；
on each of which hung an oat…grainthe harvest here was mostly of
oatshad got dry and brittle； and the grains began to spread out
their chaff…wings； as if ready to fly； and rustled with sweet sounds
against each other； as the wind； which used to billow the fields
like the waves of the sea； now swept gently and tenderly over it；
helping the sun and moon in the drying and ripening of the joy to be
laid up for the dreary winter。 Most graceful of all hung those
delicate oats； next bowed the bearded barley； and stately and
wealthy and strong stood the few fields of wheat； of a rich； ruddy；
golden hue。 Above the yellow harvest rose the purple hills； and
above the hills the pale…blue autumnal sky； full of light and heat；
but fading somewhat from the colour with which it deepened above the
vanished days of summer。 For the harvest here is much later than in
England。
At length the day arrived when the sickle must be put into the
barley； soon to be followed by the scythe in the oats。 And now came
the joy of labour。 Everything else was abandoned for the harvest
field。 Books were thrown utterly aside； for； even when there was no
fear of a change of weather to urge to labour prolonged beyond the
natural hours； there was weariness enough in the work of the day to
prevent even David from reading； in the hou