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words entirely disappeared from a forehead which might with especial
justice be called the sky of her face。
Meantime David emerged upon the more open road； and bent his course；
still through fir…trees； towards a house for whose sake alone the
road seemed to have been constructed。
CHAPTER II。
DAVID ELGINBROD AND THE NEW TUTOR。
Concord between our wit and will
Where highest notes to godliness are raised；
And lowest sink not down to jot of ill。
What Languetus taught Sir Philip Sidney。
THE ARCADIAThird Eclogue。
The House of Turriepuffit stood about a furlong from David's
cottage。 It was the abode of the Laird； or landed proprietor； in
whose employment David filled several offices ordinarily distinct。
The estate was a small one； and almost entirely farmed by the owner
himself； who； with David's help； managed to turn it to good account。
Upon week…days； he appeared on horseback in a costume more fitted
for following the plough； but he did not work with his own hands；
and on Sundays was at once recognizable as a country gentleman。
David was his bailiff or grieve； to overlook the labourers on the
estate； his steward to pay them； and keep the farm accounts； his
head gardenerfor little labour was expended in that direction；
there being only one lady； the mistress of the house； and she no
patroness of useless flowers： David was in fact the laird's general
adviser and executor。
The laird's family； besides the lady already mentioned； consisted
only of two boys； of the ages of eleven and fourteen； whom he wished
to enjoy the same privileges he had himself possessed； and to whom；
therefore； he was giving a classical and mathematical education； in
view of the University； by means of private tutors； the last of
whomfor the changes were not few； seeing the salary was of the
smallestwas Hugh Sutherland； the young man concerning whom David
Elginbrod has already given his opinion。 But notwithstanding the
freedom he always granted his daughter； and his good opinion of Hugh
as well； David could not help feeling a little anxious； in his walk
along the road towards the house； as to what the apparent
acquaintance between her and the new tutor might evolve； but he got
rid of all the difficulty； as far as he was concerned； by saying at
last：
〃What richt hae I to interfere？ even supposin' I wanted to
interfere。 But I can lippen weel to my bonny doo； an' for the rest；
she maun tak' her chance like the lave o's。 An' wha' kens but it
micht jist be stan'in' afore Him； i' the very get that He meant to
gang。 The Lord forgie me for speakin' o' chance； as gin I believed
in ony sic havers。 There's no fear o' the lassie。 Gude mornin'
t'ye； Maister Sutherlan'。 That's a braw beuk o' ballants ye gae the
len' o' to my Maggy； this mornin'； sir。〃
Sutherland was just entering a side…door of the house when David
accosted him。 He was not old enough to keep from blushing at
David's words； but； having a good conscience； he was ready with a
good answer。
〃It's a good book； Mr。 Elginbrod。 It will do her no harm； though it
be ballads。〃
〃I'm in no dreed o' that； sir。 Bairns maun hae ballants。 An'； to
tell the truth； sir； I'm no muckle mair nor a bairn in that respeck
mysel'。 In fac； this verra mornin'； at the beuk； I jist thocht I
was readin' a gran' godly ballant； an' it soundet nane the waur for
the notion o't。〃
〃You should have been a poet yourself； Mr。 Elginbrod。〃
〃Na； na； I ken naething aboot yer poetry。 I hae read auld John
Milton ower an' ower； though I dinna believe the half o't； but； oh！
weel I like some o' the bonny bitties at the en' o't。〃
〃Il Penseroso； for instance？〃
〃Is that hoo ye ca't？ I ken't weel by the sicht； but hardly by the
soun'。 I aye missed the name o't； an' took to the thing itsel'。
Eh； man！I beg yer pardon； sirbut its wonnerfu' bonny！〃
〃I'll come in some evening； and we'll have a chat about it；〃 replied
Sutherland。 〃I must go to my work now。〃
〃We'll a' be verra happy to see you； sir。 Good mornin'； sir。〃
〃Good morning。〃
David went to the garden； where there was not much to be done in the
way of education at this season of the year； and Sutherland to the
school…room； where he was busy； all the rest of the morning and part
of the afternoon； with Caesar and Virgil； Algebra and Euclid； food
upon which intellectual babes are reared to the stature of college
youths。
Sutherland was himself only a youth； for he had gone early to
college； and had not yet quite completed the curriculum。 He was now
filling up with teaching； the recess between his third and his
fourth winter at one of the Aberdeen Universities。 He was the son
of an officer； belonging to the younger branch of a family of some
historic distinction and considerable wealth。 This officer； though
not far removed from the estate and title as well； had nothing to
live upon but his half…pay； for； to the disgust of his family； he
had married a Welsh girl of ancient descent； in whose line the
poverty must have been at least coeval with the history； to judge
from the perfection of its development in the case of her father；
and his relations made this the excuse for quarrelling with him； so
relieving themselves from any obligations they might have been
supposed to lie under； of rendering him assistance of some sort or
other。 This； however； rather suited the temperament of Major Robert
Sutherland； who was prouder in his poverty than they in their
riches。 So he disowned them for ever； and accommodated himself；
with the best grace in the world； to his yet more straitened
circumstances。 He resolved； however； cost what it might in pinching
and squeezing； to send his son to college before turning him out to
shift for himself。 In this Mrs。 Sutherland was ready to support him
to the utmost； and so they had managed to keep their boy at college
for three sessions； after the last of which； instead of returning
home； as he had done on previous occasions； he had looked about him
for a temporary engagement as tutor； and soon found the situation he
now occupied in the family of William Glasford； Esq。； of
Turriepuffit； where he intended to remain no longer than the
commencement of the session； which would be his fourth and last。 To
what he should afterwards devote himself he had by no means made up
his mind； except that it must of necessity be hard work of some kind
or other。 So he had at least the virtue of desiring to be
independent。 His other goods and bads must come out in the course
of the story。 His pupils were rather stupid and rather
good…natured； so that their temperament operated to confirm their
intellectual condition； and to render the labour of teaching them
considerably irksome。 But he did his work tolerably well； and was
not so much interested in the result as to be pained at the moderate
degree of his success。 At the time of which I write； however； the
probability as to his success was scarcely ascertained； for he had
been only a fortnight at the task。
It was the middle of the month of April； in a rather backward
season。 The weather had been stormy； with frequent showers of sleet
and snow。 Old winter was doing his best to hold young Spring back
by the skirts of her garment； and very few of the wild flowers had
yet ventured to look out of their warm beds in the mould。
Sutherland； therefore； had made but few discoveries in the
neighbourhood。 Not that the weather would have kept him to the
house； had he had any particular desire to go out； but； like many
other students； he had no predilection for objectless exertion； and
preferred the choice of his own weather indoors； namely； from books
and his own imaginings； to an encounter with the keen blasts of the
North； charged as they often were with sharp bullets of hail。 When
the sun did shine out between the showers； his cold glitter upon the
pools of rain or melted snow； and on the wet evergreens and gravel
walks； always drove him back from the window with a shiver。 The
house； which was of very moderate size and comfort； stood in the
midst of plantations； principally of Scotch firs and larches； some
of the former old and of great growth； so that they had arrived at
the true condition of the tree； which seems to require old age for
the perfection of its idea。 There was very little to be seen from
the windows except this wood； which； somewhat gloomy at almost any
season； was at the present cheerless enough； and Sutherland found it
very dreary indeed； as exchanged for the wide view from his own home
on the side of an open hill in the Highlands。
In the midst of circumstances so uninteresting； it is not to be
wondered at； that the glimpse of a pretty maiden should； one
morning； occasion him some welcome excitement。 Passing downstairs
to breakfast； he observed the drawing…room door ajar； and looked in
to see what sort of a room it was； for so seldom was it used that he
had never yet entered it。 There stood a young girl； peeping； with
mingled curiosity and reverence； into a small gilt…leaved volume；
which she had lifted from the table by which she stood。 He watched
her for a moment with some interest； when she； seeming to become
mesmerically