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!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
her for a moment with some interest; when she; seeming to become
mesmerically aware that she was not alone; looked up; blushed
deeply; put down the book in confusion; and proceeded to dust some
of the furniture。 It was his first sight of Margaret。 Some of the
neighbours were expected to dinner; and her aid was in requisition
to get the grand room of the house prepared for the occasion。 He
supposed her to belong to the household; till; one day; feeling
compelled to go out for a stroll; he caught sight of her so occupied
at the door of her father's cottage; that he perceived at once that
must be her home: she was; in fact; seated upon a stool; paring
potatoes。 She saw him as well; and; apparently ashamed at the
recollection of having been discovered idling in the drawing…room;
rose and went in。 He had met David once or twice about the house;
and; attracted by his appearance; had had some conversation with
him; but he did not know where he lived; nor that he was the father
of the girl whom he had seen。
CHAPTER III。
THE DAISY AND THE PRIMROSE。
Dear secret Greenness; nursed below
Tempests and winds and winter nights!
Vex not that but one sees thee grow;
That One made all these lesser lights。
HENRY VAUGHAN。
It was; of course; quite by accident that Sutherland had met
Margaret in the fir…wood。 The wind had changed during the night;
and swept all the clouds from the face of the sky; and when he
looked out in the morning; he saw the fir…tops waving in the
sunlight; and heard the sound of a south…west wind sweeping through
them with the tune of running waters in its course。 It is a
well…practised ear that can tell whether the sound it hears be that
of gently falling waters; or of wind flowing through the branches of
firs。 Sutherland's heart; reviving like a dormouse in its hole;
began to be joyful at the sight of the genial motions of Nature;
telling of warmth and blessedness at hand。 Some goal of life; vague
but sure; seemed to glimmer through the appearances around him; and
to stimulate him to action。 Be dressed in haste; and went out to
meet the Spring。 He wandered into the heart of the wood。 The
sunlight shone like a sunset upon the red trunks and boughs of the
old fir…trees; but like the first sunrise of the world upon the new
green fringes that edged the young shoots of the larches。 High up;
hung the memorials of past summers in the rich brown tassels of the
clustering cones; while the ground under foot was dappled with
sunshine on the fallen fir…needles; and the great fallen cones which
had opened to scatter their autumnal seed; and now lay waiting for
decay。 Overhead; the tops whence they had fallen; waved in the
wind; as in welcome of the Spring; with that peculiar swinging
motion which made the poets of the sixteenth century call them
〃sailing pines。〃 The wind blew cool; but not cold; and was filled
with a delicious odour from the earth; which Sutherland took as a
sign that she was coming alive at last。 And the Spring he went out
to meet; met him。 For; first; at the foot of a tree; he spied a
tiny primrose; peeping out of its rough; careful leaves; and he
wondered how; by any metamorphosis; such leaves could pass into such
a flower。 Had he seen the mother of the next spring…messenger he
was about to meet; the same thought would have returned in another
form。 For; next; as he passed on with the primrose in his hand;
thinking it was almost cruel to pluck it; the Spring met him; as if
in her own shape; in the person of Margaret; whom he spied a little
way off; leaning against the stem of a Scotch fir; and looking up to
its top swaying overhead in the first billows of the outburst ocean
of life。 He went up to her with some shyness; for the presence of
even a child…maiden was enough to make Sutherland shypartly from
the fear of startling her shyness; as one feels when drawing near a
couching fawn。 But she; when she heard his footsteps; dropped her
eyes slowly from the tree…top; and; as if she were in her own
sanctuary; waited his approach。 He said nothing at first; but
offered her; instead of speech; the primrose he had just plucked;
which she received with a smile of the eyes only; and the sweetest
〃thank you; sir;〃 he had ever heard。 But while she held the
primrose in her hand; her eyes wandered to the book which; according
to his custom; Sutherland had caught up as he left the house。 It
was the only well…bound book in his possession; and the eyes of
Margaret; not yet tutored by experience; naturally expected an
entrancing page within such beautiful boards; for the gayest
bindings she had seen; were those of a few old annuals up at the
houseand were they not full of the most lovely tales and pictures?
In this case; however; her expectation was not vain; for the volume
was; as I have already disclosed; Coleridge's Poems。
Seeing her eyes fixed upon the book〃Would you like to read it?〃
said he。
〃If you please; sir;〃 answered Margaret; her eyes brightening with
the expectation of deliglit。
〃Are you fond of poetry?〃
Her face fell。 The only poetry she knew was the Scotch Psalms and
Paraphrases; and such last…century verses as formed the chief part
of the selections in her school…books; for this was a very retired
parish; and the newer books had not yet reached its school。 She had
hoped chiefly for tales。
〃I dinna ken much about poetry;〃 she answered; trying to speak
English。 〃There's an old book o't on my father's shelf; but the
letters o't are auld…fashioned; an' I dinna care aboot it。〃
〃But this is quite easy to read; and very beautiful;〃 said Hugh。
The girl's eyes glistened for a moment; and this was all her reply。
〃Would you like to read it?〃 resumed Hugh; seeing no further answer
was on the road。
She held out her hand towards the volume。 When he; in his turn;
held the volume towards her hand; she almost snatched it from him;
and ran towards the house; without a word of thanks or
leave…takingwhether from eagerness; or doubt of the propriety of
accepting the offer; Hugh could not conjecture。 He stood for some
moments looking after her; and then retraced his steps towards the
house。
It would have been something; in the monotony of one of the most
trying of positions; to meet one who snatched at the offered means
of spiritual growth; even if that disciple had not been a lovely
girl; with the woman waking in her eyes。 He commenced the duties of
the day with considerably more of energy than he had yet brought to
bear on his uninteresting pupils; and this energy did not flag
before its effects upon the boys began to react in fresh impulse
upon itself。
CHAPTER IV。
THE COTTAGE。
O little Bethlem! poor in walls;
But rich in furniture。
JOHN MASON'S Spiritual Songs。
There was one great alleviation to the various discomforts of
Sutherland's tutor…life。 It was; that; except during school…hours;
he was expected to take no charge whatever of his pupils。 They ran
wild all other times; which was far better; in every way; both for
them and for him。 Consequently; he was entirely his own master
beyond the fixed margin of scholastic duties; and he soon found that
his absence; even from the table; was a matter of no interest to the
family。 To be sure; it involved his own fasting till the next
meal…time came roundfor the lady was quite a household martinet;
but that was his own concern。
That very evening; he made his way to David's cottage; about the
country supper…time; when he thought he should most likely find him
at home。 It was a clear; still; moonlit night; with just an air of
frost。 There was light enough for him to see that the cottage was
very neat and tidy; looking; in the midst of its little forest; more
like an English than a Scotch habitation。 He had had the advantage
of a few months' residence in a leafy region on the other side of
the Tweed; and so was able to make the comparison。 But what a
different leafage that was from this! That was soft; floating;
billowy; this hard; stiff; and straight…lined; interfering so little
with the skeleton form; that it needed not to be put off in the
wintry season of death; to make the trees in harmony with the
landscape。 A light was burning in the cottage; visible through the
inner curtain of muslin; and the outer one of frost。 As he
approached the door; he heard the sound of a voice; and from the
even pitch of the tone; he concluded at once that its owner was
reading aloud。 The measured cadence soon convinced him that it was
verse that was being read; and the voice was evidently that of
David; and not of Margaret。 He knocked at the door。 The voice
ceased; chairs were pushed back; and a heavy step approached。 David
opened the door himself。
〃Eh! Maister Sutherlan';〃 said he; 〃I thocht it micht aiblins be
yersel。 Ye're welcome; sir。 Come butt the hoose。 Our place is but
sma'; but ye'll no min' sitttin' doon wi' our ain sels。 Janet;
ooman; this is Maister Sutherlan'。 Maggy; my doo; he's a frien' o'
yours; o' a day auld; already。 Ye're kindly welcome; Maister
Sutherlan'。 I'm sure it's verra kin' o' you to come an' see the
like o' huz。〃
As Hugh entered; h