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！
his handy…work。' I used； whan I was a lad； to study astronomy a wee；
i' the houp o' better hearin' what the h'avens declared aboot the
glory o' God： I wud fain un'erstan' the speech ae day cried across
the nicht to the ither。 But I was sair disapp'intit。 The things the
astronomer tellt semple fowk war verra won'erfu'； but I couldna fin'
i' my hert 'at they made me think ony mair o' God nor I did afore。 I
dinna mean to say they michtna be competent to work that in anither；
but it wasna my experrience o' them。 My hert was some sair at this；
for ye see I was set upo' winnin' intil the presence o' him I
couldna bide frae； an' at that time I hadna learnt to gang straucht
to him wha's the express image o' 's person； but； aye soucht him
throuw the philosophyeh； but it was bairnly philosophy！o' the
guid buiks 'at dwall upo' the natur' o' God an' a' that； an' his
hatred o' sin an' a' thatpairt an' pairt true； nae doobt！ but I
wantit God great an' near； an' they made him oot sma'； sma'； an'
unco' far awa'。 Ae nicht I was oot by mysel' upo' the shore； jist as
the stars war teetin' oot。 An' it wasna as gien they war feart o'
the sun； an' pleast 'at he was gane； but as gien they war a' teetin'
oot to see what had come o' their Father o' Lichts。 A' at ance I cam
to mysel'； like oot o' some blin' delusion。 Up I cuist my e'en
aboonan' eh； there was the h'aven as God made itawfu'！big an'
deep； ay faddomless deep； an' fu' o' the wan'erin' yet steady lichts
'at naething can blaw oot； but the breath o' his mooth！ Awa' up an'
up it gaed； an' deeper an' deeper！ an' my e'en gaed traivellin' awa'
an' awa'； till it seemed as though they never could win back to me。
A' at ance they drappit frae the lift like a laverock； an' lichtit
upo' the horizon； whaur the sea an' the sky met like richteousness
an' peace kissin' ane anither； as the psalm says。 Noo I canna tell
what it was； but jist there whaur the earth an' the sky cam
thegither； was the meetin' o' my earthly sowl wi' God's h'avenly
sowl！ There was bonny colours； an' bonny lichts； an' a bonny grit
star hingin' ower 't a'； but it was nane o' a' thae things； it was
something deeper nor a'； an' heicher nor a'！ Frae that moment I
sawno hoo the h'avens declare the glory o' God； but I saw them
declarin' 't； an' I wantit nae mair。 Astronomy for me micht sit an'
wait for a better warl'； whaur fowk didna weir oot their shune； an'
ither fowk hadna to men' them。 For what is the great glory o' God
but that； though no man can comprehen' him； he comes doon； an' lays
his cheek til his man's； an' says til him； 'Eh； my cratur！'〃
While the cobbler was thus talking； they had gone the length of the
avenue； and were within less than two trees of the door of the
fruit…garden； when it opened； and was hurriedly shut againnot；
however； before Donal had caught sight； as he believed； of the form
of Eppy。 He called her by name； and ran to the door； followed by
Andrew： the same suspicion had struck both of them at once！ Donal
lifted the latch； and would have opened the door； but some one held
it against him； and he heard the noise of an attempt to push the
rusty bolt into the staple。 He set his strength to it； and forced
the door open。 Lord Forgue was on the other side of it； and a little
way off stood Eppy trembling。 Donal turned away from his lordship；
and said to the girl；
〃Eppy； here's your grandfather come to see you！〃
The cobbler； however； went up to lord Forgue。
〃You're a young man； my lord；〃 he said； 〃an' may regard it as folly
in an auld man to interfere between you an' your wull； but I warn
ye； my lord； excep' you cease to carry yourself thus towards my
granddaughter； his lordship； your father； shall be informed of the
matter。 Eppy； you come home with me。〃
〃I will not；〃 said Eppy； her voice trembling with passion； though
which passion it were hard to say； 〃I am a free woman。 I make my own
living。 I will not be treated like a child！〃
〃I will speak to mistress Brookes；〃 said the old man； with sad
dignity。
〃And make her turn me away！〃 said Eppy。
She seemed quite changedbold and determinedwas probably relieved
that she could no more play a false part。 His lordship stood and
said nothing。
〃But don't you think； grandfather；〃 continued Eppy； 〃that whatever
mistress Brookes says or does； I'll go home with you！ I've saved
money； and； as I can't get another place here when you've taken away
my character； I'll leave the country。〃
His lordship advanced； and with strained composure said；
〃I confess； Mr。 Comin； things do look against us。 It is awkward you
should have found us together； but you know〃and here he attempted
a laugh〃we are told not to judge by appearances！〃
〃We may be forced to act by them； though； my lord！〃 said Andrew。 〃I
should be sorry to judge aither of you by them。 Eppy must come home
with me； or it will be more awkward yet for both of you！〃
〃Oh； if you threaten us；〃 said Forgue contemptuously； 〃then of
course we are very frightened！ But you had better beware！ You will
only make it the more difficult for me to do your granddaughter the
justice I always intended。〃
〃What your lordship's notion o' justice may be； I wull not trouble
you to explain；〃 said the old man。 〃All I desire for the present is；
that she come home with me。〃
〃Let us leave the matter to mistress Brookes！〃 said Forgue。 〃I shall
easily satisfy her that there is no occasion for any hurry。 Believe
me； you will only bring trouble on the innocent！〃
〃Then it canna be on you； my lord！ for in this thing you have not
behaved as a gentleman ought！〃 said the cobbler。
〃You dare tell me so！〃 cried Forgue； striding up to the little old
man； as if he would sweep him away with the very wind of his
approach。
〃Yes； for else how should I say it to another； an' that may soon be
necessar'！〃 answered the cobbler。 〃Didna yer lordship promise an en'
to the haill meeserable affair？〃
〃I remember nothing of the sort。〃
〃You did to me！〃 said Donal。
〃Do hold your tongue； Grant； and don't make things worse。 To you I
can easily explain it。 Besides； you have nothing to do with it now
this good fellow has taken it up。 It is quite possible； besides； to
break one's word to the ear and yet keep it to the sense。〃
〃The only thing to justify that suggestion；〃 said Donal； 〃would be
that you had married Eppy； or were about to marry her！〃
Eppy would have spoken； but she only gave a little cry； for Forgue
put his hand over her mouth。
〃You hold your tongue！〃 he said； 〃you will only complicate matters！〃
〃And there's another point； my lord；〃 resumed Donal： 〃you say I have
nothing to do now with the affair： if not for my friend's sake； I
have for my own。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃That I am in the house a paid servant； and must not allow anything
mischievous to go on in it without acquainting my master。〃
〃You acknowledge； Mr。 Grant； that you are neither more nor less than
a paid servant； but you mistake your duty as such： I shall be happy
to explain it to you。You have nothing whatever to do with what
goes on in the house； you have but to mind your work。 I told you
before； you are my brother's tutor； not mine！ To interfere with what
I do； is nothing less than a piece of damned impertinence！〃
〃That impertinence； however； I intend to be guilty of the moment I
can get audience of your father。〃
〃You will not； if I give you such explanation as satisfies you I
have done the girl no harm； and mean honestly by her！〃 said Forgue
in a confident； yet somewhat conciliatory tone。
〃In any case；〃 returned Donal； 〃you having once promised； and then
broken your promise； I shall without fail tell your father all I
know。〃
〃And ruin her； and perhaps me too； for life？〃
〃The truth will ruin only those that ought to be ruined！〃 said
Donal。
Forgue sprang upon him； and struck him a heavy blow between the
eyes。 He had been having lessons in boxing while in Edinburgh； and
had confidence in himself。 It was a well…planted blow； and Donal
unprepared for it。 He staggered against the wall； and for a moment
could neither see nor think： all he knew was that there was
something or other he had to attend to。 His lordship； excusing
himself perhaps on the ground of necessity； there being a girl in
the case； would have struck him again； but Andrew threw himself
between； and received the blow for him。
As Donal came to himself； he heard a groan from the ground； and
looking； saw Andrew at his feet； and understood。
〃Dear old man！〃 he said； 〃he dared to strike you！〃
〃He didna mean 't；〃 returned Andrew feebly。 〃Are ye winnin' ower 't；
sir？ He gae ye a terrible ane！ Ye micht hae h'ard it across the
street！〃
〃I shall be all right in a minute！〃 answered Donal； wiping the blood
out of his eyes。 〃I've a good hard head； thank God！But what has
become of them？〃
〃Ye didna think he wud be waitin' to see 's come to oorsel's！〃 said
the cobbler。
With Donal's help； and great difficulty； he rose； and they stood
looking at each other through the starlight； bewildered and
uncertain。 The cobbler was the first to recover his wits。
〃It's o' no mainner of use；〃 he said； 〃to rouse the castel wi' hue
an' cry！ What hae we to say but 'at we faund the t