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！
'Na； na。 There's the schuilin'what's to be dune wi' that？'
'They can gang i' the mornin'； and get their denner wi' Betty here；
and syne come hame to their fower…hoors （four o'clock tea） whan the
schule's ower i' the efternune。 'Deed； mem； ye maun jist come for
the sake o' the auld frien'ship atween the faimilies。'
'Weel； gin it maun be sae； it maun be sae；' yielded Mrs。 Falconer；
with a sigh。
She had not left her own house for a single night for ten years。
Nor is it likely she would have now given in； for immovableness was
one of the most marked of her characteristics； had she not been so
broken by mental suffering； that she did not care much about
anything； least of all about herself。
Innumerable were the instructions in propriety of behaviour which
she gave the boys in prospect of this visit。 The probability being
that they would behave just as well as at home； these instructions
were considerably unnecessary； for Mrs。 Falconer was a strict
enforcer of all social rules。 Scarcely less unnecessary were the
directions she gave as to the conduct of Betty； who received them
all in erect submission； with her hands under her apron。 She ought
to have been a young girl instead of an elderly woman； if there was
any propriety in the way her mistress spoke to her。 It proved at
least her own belief in the description she had given of her to Miss
Lammie。
'Noo； Betty； ye maun be dooce。 An' dinna stan' at the door i' the
gloamin'。 An' dinna stan' claikin' an' jawin' wi' the ither lasses
whan ye gang to the wall for watter。 An' whan ye gang intil a chop；
dinna hae them sayin' ahint yer back； as sune's yer oot again；
〃She's her ain mistress by way o'；〃 or sic like。 An' min' ye hae
worship wi' yersel'； whan I'm nae here to hae 't wi' ye。 Ye can
come benn to the parlour gin ye like。 An' there's my muckle
Testament。 And dinna gie the lads a' thing they want。 Gie them
plenty to ait； but no ower muckle。 Fowk suld aye lea' aff wi' an
eppiteet。'
Mr。 Lammie brought his gig at last； and took grannie away to
Bodyfauld。 When the boys returned from school at the dinner…hour；
it was to exult in a freedom which Robert had never imagined before。
But even he could not know what a relief it was to Shargar to eat
without the awfully calm eyes of Mrs。 Falconer watching； as it
seemed to him； the progress of every mouthful down that capacious
throat of his。 The old lady would have been shocked to learn how
the imagination of the ill…mothered lad interpreted her care over
him； but she would not have been surprised to know that the two were
merry in her absence。 She knew that； in some of her own moods； it
would be a relief to think that that awful eye of God was not upon
her。 But she little thought that even in the lawless proceedings
about to follow； her Robert； who now felt such a relief in her
absence； would be walking straight on； though blindly； towards a
sunrise of faith； in which he would know that for the eye of his God
to turn away from him for one moment would be the horror of the
outer darkness。
Merriment； however； was not in Robert's thoughts； and still less was
mischief。 For the latter； whatever his grandmother might think； he
had no capacity。 The world was already too serious； and was soon to
be too beautiful for mischief。 After that； it would be too sad； and
then； finally； until death； too solemn glad。 The moment he heard of
his grandmother's intended visit； one wild hope and desire and
intent had arisen within him。
When Betty came to the parlour door to lay the cloth for their
dinner； she found it locked。
'Open the door！' she cried； but cried in vain。 From impatience she
passed to passion； but it was of no avail： there came no more
response than from the shrine of the deaf Baal。 For to the boys it
was an opportunity not at any risk to be lost。 Dull Betty never
suspected what they were about。 They were ranging the place like
two tiger…cats whose whelps had been carried off in their
absencequesting； with nose to earth and tail in air； for the scent
of their enemy。 My simile has carried me too far： it was only a
dead old gentleman's violin that a couple of boys was afterbut
with what eagerness； and； on the part of Robert； what alternations
of hope and fear！ And Shargar was always the reflex of Robert； so
far as Shargar could reflect Robert。 Sometimes Robert would stop；
stand still in the middle of the room； cast a mathematical glance of
survey over its cubic contents； and then dart off in another
inwardly suggested direction of search。 Shargar； on the other hand；
appeared to rummage blindly without a notion of casting the
illumination of thought upon the field of search。 Yet to him fell
the success。 When hope was growing dim； after an hour and a half of
vain endeavour； a scream of utter discordance heralded the
resurrection of the lady of harmony。 Taught by his experience of
his wild mother's habits to guess at those of douce Mrs。 Falconer；
Shargar had found the instrument in her bed at the foot； between the
feathers and the mattress。 For one happy moment Shargar was the
benefactor； and Robert the grateful recipient of favour。 Nor； I do
believe； was this thread of the still thickening cable that bound
them ever forgotten： broken it could not be。
Robert drew the recovered treasure from its concealment； opened the
case with trembling eagerness； and was stooping； with one hand on
the neck of the violin； and the other on the bow； to lift them from
it； when Shargar stopped him。
His success had given him such dignity； that for once he dared to
act from himself。
'Betty 'll hear ye；' he said。
'What care I for Betty？ She daurna tell。 I ken hoo to manage her。'
'But wadna 't be better 'at she didna ken？'
'She's sure to fin' oot whan she mak's the bed。 She turns 't ower
and ower jist like a muckle tyke （dog） worryin' a rottan （rat）。'
'De'il a bit o' her s' be a hair wiser！ Ye dinna play tunes upo'
the boxie； man。'
Robert caught at the idea。 He lifted the 'bonny leddy' from her
coffin； and while he was absorbed in the contemplation of her risen
beauty； Shargar laid his hands on Boston's Four…fold State； the
torment of his life on the Sunday evenings which it was his turn to
spend with Mrs。 Falconer； and threw it as an offering to the powers
of Hades into the case； which he then buried carefully； with the
feather…bed for mould； the blankets for sod； and the counterpane
studiously arranged for stone； over it。 He took heed； however； not
to let Robert know of the substitution of Boston for the fiddle；
because he knew Robert could not tell a lie。 Therefore； when he
murmured over the volume some of its own words which he had read the
preceding Sunday； it was in a quite inaudible whisper： 'Now is it
good for nothing but to cumber the ground； and furnish fuel for
Tophet。'
Robert must now hide the violin better than his grannie had done；
while at the same time it was a more delicate necessity； seeing it
had lost its shell； and he shrunk from putting her in the power of
the shoemaker again。 It cost him much trouble to fix on the place
that was least unsuitable。 First he put it into the well of the
clock…case； but instantly bethought him what the awful consequence
would be if one of the weights should fall from the gradual decay of
its cord。 He had heard of such a thing happening。 Then he would
put it into his own place of dreams and meditations。 But what if
Betty should take a fancy to change her bed？ or some friend of his
grannie's should come to spend the night？ How would the bonny leddy
like it？ What a risk she would run！ If he put her under the bed；
the mice would get at her stringsnay； perhaps； knaw a hole right
through her beautiful body。 On the top of the clock； the brass
eagle with outspread wings might scratch her； and there was not
space to conceal her。 At length he concludedwrapped her in a
piece of paper； and placed her on the top of the chintz tester of
his bed； where there was just room between it and the ceiling： that
would serve till he bore her to some better sanctuary。 In the
meantime she was safe； and the boy was the blessedest boy in
creation。
These things done； they were just in the humour to have a lark with
Betty。 So they unbolted the door； rang the bell； and when Betty
appeared； red…faced and wrathful； asked her very gravely and
politely whether they were not going to have some dinner before they
went back to school： they had now but twenty minutes left。 Betty
was so dumfoundered with their impudence that she could not say a
word。 She did make haste with the dinner； though； and revealed her
indignation only in her manner of putting the things on the table。
As the boys left her； Robert contented himself with the single
hint：
'Betty； Bodyfauld 's i' the perris o' Kettledrum。 Min' ye that。'
Betty gl