robert falconer-第105章

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Had　the　healing　art　been　far　less　of　an　enjoyment　to　him　than　it

was；　he　could　yet　hardly　have　failed　of　great　progress　therein；　but

seeing　that　it　accorded　with　his　best　feelings；　profoundest

theories；　and　loftiest　hopes；　and　that　he　received　it　as　a　work

given　him　to　do；　it　is　not　surprising　that　a　certain　faculty　of

cure；　almost　partaking　of　the　instinctive；　should　have　been　rapidly

developed　in　him；　to　the　wonder　and　delight　of　his　friend　and

master。



In　this　labour　he　again　spent　about　four　years；　during　which　time　he

gathered　much　knowledge　of　human　nature；　learning　especially　to

judge　it　from　no　stand…point　of　his　own；　but　in　every　individual

case　to　take　a　new　position　whence　the　nature　and　history　of　the　man

should　appear　in　true　relation　to　the　yet　uncompleted　result。　　He

who　cannot　feel　the　humanity　of　his　neighbour　because　he　is

different　from　himself　in　education；　habits；　opinions；　morals；

circumstances；　objects；　is　unfit；　if　not　unworthy；　to　aid　him。



Within　this　period　Shargar　had　gone　out　to　India；　where　he　had

distinguished　himself　particularly　on　a　certain　harassing　march。

Towards　the　close　of　the　four　years　he　had　leave　of　absence；　and

was　on　his　way　home。　　About　the　same　time　Robert；　in　consequence　of

a　fever　brought　on　by　over…fatigue；　was　in　much　need　of　a　holiday；

and　Dr。　Anderson　proposed　that　he　should　meet　Moray　at　Southampton。



Shargar　had　no　expectation　of　seeing　him；　and　his　delight；　not

greater　on　that　account；　broke　out　more　wildly。　　No　thinnest　film

had　grown　over　his　heart；　though　in　all　else　he　was　considerably

changed。　　The　army　had　done　everything　that　was　wanted　for　his

outward　show　of　man。　　The　drawling　walk　had　vanished；　and　a　firm

step　and　soldierly　stride　had　taken　its　place；　his　bearing　was　free；

yet　dignified；　his　high　descent　came　out　in　the　ease　of　his　carriage

and　manners：　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　at　last　Shargar　was　a

gentleman。　　His　hair　had　changed　to　a　kind　of　red　chestnut。　　His

complexion　was　much　darkened　with　the　Indian　sun。　　His　eyes；　too；

were　darker；　and　no　longer　rolled　slowly　from　one　object　to　another；

but　indicated　by　their　quick　glances　a　mind　ready　to　observe　and　as

ready　to　resolve。　　His　whole　appearance　was　more　than

prepossessingit　was　even　striking。



Robert　was　greatly　delighted　with　the　improvement　in　him；　and　far

more　when　he　found　that　his　mind's　growth　had　at　least　kept　pace

with　his　body's　change。　　It　would　be　more　correct　to　say　that　it　had

preceded　and　occasioned　it；　for　however　much　the　army　may　be　able　to

do　in　that　way；　it　had　certainly；　in　Moray's　case；　only　seconded　the

law　of　inward　growth　working　outward　show。



The　young　men　went　up　to　London　together；　and　great　was　the　pleasure

they　had　in　each　other's　society；　after　so　long　a　separation　in

which　their　hearts　had　remained　unchanged　while　their　natures　had

grown　both　worthy　and　capable　of　more　honour　and　affection。　　They

had　both　much　to　tell；　for　Robert　was　naturally　open　save　in　regard

to　his　grief；　and　Shargar　was　proud　of　being　able　to　communicate

with　Robert　from　a　nearer　level；　in　virtue　of　now　knowing　many

things　that　Robert　could　not　know。　　They　went　together　to　a　hotel　in

St。　Paul's　Churchyard。









CHAPTER　III。



A　MERE　GLIMPSE。



At　the　close　of　a　fortnight；　Falconer　thought　it　time　to　return　to

his　duties　in　Aberdeen。　　The　day　before　the　steamer　sailed；　they

found　themselves；　about　six　o'clock；　in　Gracechurch　Street。　　It　was

a　fine　summer　evening。　　The　street　was　less　crowded　than　earlier　in

the　afternoon；　although　there　was　a　continuous　stream　of　waggons；

omnibuses；　and　cabs　both　ways。　　As　they　stood　on　the　curbstone；　a

little　way　north　of　Lombard　Street；　waiting　to　cross



'You　see；　Shargar；'　said　Robert；　'Nature　will　have　her　way。　　Not　all

the　hurry　and　confusion　and　roar　can　keep　the　shadows　out。　　Look：

wherever　a　space　is　for　a　moment　vacant；　there　falls　a　shadow；　as

grotesque；　as　strange；　as　full　of　unutterable　things　as　any　shadow

on　a　field　of　grass　and　daisies。'



'I　remember　feeling　the　same　kind　of　thing　in　India；'　returned

Shargar；　'where　nothing　looked　as　if　it　belonged　to　the　world　I　was

born　in；　but　my　own　shadow。　　In　such　a　street　as　this；　however；　all

the　shadows　look　as　if　they　belonged　to　another　world；　and　had　no

business　here。'



'I　quite　feel　that；'　returned　Falconer。　'They　come　like　angels　from

the　lovely　west　and　the　pure　air；　to　show　that　London　cannot　hurt

them；　for　it　too　is　within　the　Kingdom　of　Godto　teach　the　lovers

of　nature；　like　the　old　orthodox　Jew；　St。　Peter；　that　they　must　not

call　anything　common　or　unclean。'



Shargar　made　no　reply；　and　Robert　glanced　round　at　him。　　He　was

staring　with　wide　eyes　into；　not　at　the　crowd　of　vehicles　that

filled　the　street。　　His　face　was　pale；　and　strangely　like　the

Shargar　of　old　days。



'What's　the　matter　with　you？'　　Robert　asked　in　some　bewilderment。



Receiving　no　answer；　he　followed　Shargar's　gaze；　and　saw　a　strange

sight　for　London　city。



In　the　middle　of　the　crowd　of　vehicles；　with　an　omnibus　before　them；

and　a　brewer's　dray　behind　them；　came　a　line　of　three　donkey…carts；

heaped　high　with　bundles　and　articles　of　gipsy…gear。　　The　foremost

was　conducted　by　a　middle…aged　woman　of　tall；　commanding　aspect；　and

expression　both　cunning　and　fierce。　　She　walked　by　the　donkey's　head

carrying　a　short　stick；　with　which　she　struck　him　now　and　then；　but

which　she　oftener　waved　over　his　head　like　the　truncheon　of　an

excited　marshal　on　the　battle…field；　accompanying　its　movements　now

with　loud　cries　to　the　animal；　now　with　loud　response　to　the　chaff

of　the　omnibus　conductor；　the　dray　driver；　and　the　tradesmen　in

carts　about　her。　　She　was　followed　by　a　very　handsome；

olive…complexioned；　wild…looking　young　woman；　with　her　black　hair

done　up　in　a　red　handkerchief；　who　conducted　her　donkey　more

quietly。　　Both　seemed　as　much　at　home　in　the　roar　of　Gracechurch

Street　as　if　they　had　been　crossing　a　wild　common。　　A

loutish…looking　young　man　brought　up　the　rear　with　the　third　donkey。

》From　the　bundles　on　the　foremost　cart　peeped　a　lovely；　fair…haired；

English…looking　child。



Robert　took　all　this　in　in　a　moment。　　The　same　moment　Shargar's

spell　was　broken。



'Lord；　it　is　my　mither！'　he　cried；　and　darted　under　a　horse's　neck

into　the　middle　of　the　ruck。



He　needled　his　way　through　till　he　reached　the　woman。　　She　was

swearing　at　a　cabman　whose　wheel　had　caught　the　point　of　her

donkey's　shaft；　and　was　hauling　him　round。　　Heedless　of　everything；

Shargar　threw　his　arms　about　her；　crying；



'Mither！　mither！'



'Nane　o'　yer　blastit　humbug！'　she　exclaimed；　as；　with　a　vigorous

throw　and　a　wriggle；　she　freed　herself　from　his　embrace　and　pushed

him　away。



The　moment　she　had　him　at　arm's　length；　however；　her　hand　closed

upon　his　arm；　and　her　other　hand　went　up　to　her　brow。　　From

underneath　it　her　eyes　shot　up　and　down　him　from　head　to　foot；　and

he　could　feel　her　hand　closing　and　relaxing　and　closing　again；　as　if

she　were　trying　to　force　her　long　nails　into　his　flesh。　　He　stood

motionless；　waiting　the　result　of　her　scrutiny；　utterly　unconscious

that　he　caused　a　congestion　in　the　veins　of　London；　for　every

vehicle　within　sight　of　the　pair　had　stopped。　　Falconer　said　a

strange　silence　fell　upon　the　street；　as　if　all　the　things　in　it　had

been　turned　into　shadows。



A　rough　voice；　which　sounded　as　if　all　London　must　have　heard　it；

broke　the　silence。　　It　was　the　voice　of　the　cabman　who　had　been　in

altercation　with　the　woman。　　Bursting　into　an　insulting　laugh；　he

used　words　with　regard　to　her　which　it　is　better　to　leave

unrecorded。　　The　same　instant　Shargar　freed　himself　from　her　grasp；

and　stood　by　the　fore　wheel　of　the　cab。



'Get　down！'　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　not　the　less　impressive

that　it　was　low　and　hoarse。



The　fellow　saw　what　he　meant；　and　whipped　his　horse。　　Shargar　sprung

on　the　box；　and　drag