robert falconer-第108章

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and　as　long　as　the　dying　man　was　able　to　listen　to　him；　he　read　from

the　glad　news　just　the　words　of　the　Lord。　As　he　read　thus；　one

fading　afternoon；　the　doctor　broke　out　with；



'Eh；　Robert；　the　patience　o'　him！　　He　didna　quench　the　smokin'　flax。

There's　little　fire　aboot　me；　but　surely　I　ken　in　my　ain　hert　some

o'　the　risin'　smoke　o'　the　sacrifice。　　Eh！　sic　words　as　they　are！

An'　he　was　gaein'　doon　to　the　grave　himsel'；　no　half　my　age；　as

peacefu'；　though　the　road　was　sae　rouch；　as　gin　he　had　been　gaein'

hame　till　's　father。'



'Sae　he　was；'　returned　Robert。



'Ay；　but　here　am　I　lyin'　upo'　my　bed；　slippin'　easy　awa。　　An'　there

was　he'



The　old　man　ceased。　　The　sacred　story　was　too　sacred　for　speech。

Robert　sat　with　the　New　Testament　open　before　him　on　the　bed。



'The　mair　the　words　o'　Jesus　come　into　me；'　the　doctor　began　again；

'the　surer　I　am　o'　seein'　my　auld　Brahmin　frien'；　Robert。　　It's　true

I　thought　his　religion　not　only　began　but　ended　inside　him。　　It　was

a'　a　booin'　doon　afore　and　an　aspirin'　up　into　the　bosom　o'　the

infinite　God。　I　dinna　mean　to　say　'at　he　wasna　honourable　to　them

aboot　him。　　And　I　never　saw　in　him　muckle　o'　that　pride　to　the　lave

（rest）　that　belangs　to　the　Brahmin。　　It　was　raither　a　stately

kin'ness　than　that　condescension　which　is　the　vice　o'　Christians。

But　he　had　naething　to　do　wi'　them。　　The　first　comman'ment　was　a'

he　kent。　　He　loved　Godnae　a　God　like　Jesus　Christ；　but　the　God　he

kentand　that　was　a'　he　could。　　The　second　comman'mentthat

glorious　recognition　o'　the　divine　in　humanity　makin'　't　fit　and

needfu'　to　be　loved；　that　claim　o'　God　upon　and　for　his　ain　bairns；

that　love　o'　the　neebour　as　yer'selhe　didna　ken。　　Still　there　was

religion　in　him；　and　he　who　died　for　the　sins　o'　the　whole　world　has

surely　been　revealed　to　him　lang　er'　noo；　and　throu　the　knowledge　o'

him；　he　noo　dwalls　in　that　God　efter　whom　he　aspired。'



Here　was　the　outcome　of　many　talks　which　Robert　and　the　doctor　had

had　together；　as　they　laboured　amongst　the　poor。



'Did　ye　never　try；'　Robert　asked；　'to　lat　him　ken　aboot　the　comin'

o'　God　to　his　world　in　Jesus　Christ？'



'I　couldna　do　muckle　that　way　honestly；　my　ain　faith　was　sae　poor

and　sma'。　　But　I　tellt　him　what　Christians　believed。　　I　tellt　him

aboot　the　character　and　history　o'　Christ。　　But　it　didna　seem　to　tak

muckle　hauld　o'　him。　　It　wasna　interesstin'　till　him。　　Just　ance

whan　I　tellt　him　some　things　he　had　said　aboot　his　relation　to

Godsic　as；　〃I　and　my　Father　are　one；〃and　aboot　the　relation　o'

a'　his　disciples　to　God　and　himsel'〃I　in　them；　and　thou　in　me；

that　they　may　be　made　perfect　in　one；〃　he　said；　wi'　a　smile；　〃The

man　was　a　good　Brahmin。〃



'It's　little；'　said　Robert；　'the　one　great　commandment　can　do

withoot　the　other。　　It's　little　we　can　ken　what　God　to　love；　or　hoo

to　love　him；　withoot　〃thy　neighbour　as　thyself。〃　　Ony　ane　o'　them

withoot　the　ither　stan's　like　the　ae　factor　o'　a　multiplication；　or

ae　wing　upo'　a　laverock　（lark）。'



Towards　the　close　of　the　week；　he　grew　much　feebler。　　Falconer

scarcely　left　his　room。　　He　woke　one　midnight；　and　murmured　as

follows；　with　many　pauses　for　breath　and　strength：



'Robert；　my　time's　near；　I'm　thinkin'；　for；　wakin'　an'　sleepin'；　I'm

a　bairn　again。　　I　can　hardly　believe　whiles　'at　my　father　hasna　a

grup　o'　my　han'。　　A　meenute　ago　I　was　traivellin'　throu　a　terrible

driftin'　o'　snaweh；　hoo　it　whustled　and　sang！　and　the　cauld　o'　't

was　stingin'；　but　my　father　had　a　grup　o'　me；　an'　I　jist　despised

it；　an'　was　stampin'　't　doon　wi'　my　wee　bit　feet；　for　I　was　like

saven　year　auld　or　thereaboots。　　An'　syne　I　thocht　I　heard　my　mither

singin'；　and　kent　by　that　that　the　ither　was　a　dream。　　I'm　thinkin'

a　hantle　'ill　luik　dreamy　afore　lang。　　Eh！　　I　wonner　what　the　final

waukin'　'ill　be　like。'



After　a　pause　he　resumed；



'Robert；　my　dear　boy；　ye're　i'　the　richt　gait。　　Haud　on　an'　lat

naething　turn　ye　aside。　　Man；　it's　a　great　comfort　to　me　to　think

that　ye're　my　ain　flesh　and　blude；　an'　nae　that　far　aff。　　My　father

an'　your　great…gran'father　upo'　the　gran'mither's　side　war　ain

brithers。　　I　wonner　hoo　far　doon　it　wad　gang。　　Ye're　the　only　ane

upo'　my　father's　side；　you　and　yer　father；　gin　he　be　alive；　that　I

hae　sib　to　me。　　My　will's　i'　the　bottom　drawer　upo'　the　left　han'　i'

my　writin'　table　i'　the　leebrary：I　hae　left　ye　ilka　plack　'at　I

possess。　　Only　there's　ae　thing　that　I　want　ye　to　do。　　First　o'　a'；

ye　maun　gang　on　as　yer　doin'　in　London　for　ten　year　mair。　　Gin

deein'　men　hae　ony　o'　that　foresicht　that's　been　attreebuted　to　them

in　a'　ages；　it's　borne　in　upo'　me　that　ye　wull　see　yer　father　again。

At　a'　events；　ye'll　be　helpin'　some　ill…faured　sowls　to　a　clean

face　and　a　bonny。　　But　gin　ye　dinna　fa'　in　wi'　yer　father　within　ten

year；　ye　maun　behaud　a　wee；　an'　jist　pack　up　yer　box；　an'　gang　awa'

ower　the　sea　to　Calcutta；　an'　du　what　I　hae　tellt　ye　to　do　i'　that

wull。　　I　bind　ye　by　nae　promise；　Robert；　an'　I　winna　hae　nane。

Things　micht　happen　to　put　ye　in　a　terrible　difficulty　wi'　a

promise。　　I'm　only　tellin'　ye　what　I　wad　like。　　Especially　gin　ye

hae　fund　yer　father；　ye　maun　gang　by　yer　ain　jeedgment　aboot　it；　for

there　'll　be　a　hantle　to　do　wi'　him　efter　ye　hae　gotten　a　grup　o'

'im。　　An'　noo；　I　maun　lie　still；　an'　maybe　sleep　again；　for　I　hae

spoken　ower　muckle。'



Hoping　that　he　would　sleep　and　wake　yet　again；　Robert　sat　still。

After　an　hour；　he　looked；　and　saw　that；　although　hitherto　much

oppressed；　he　was　now　breathing　like　a　child。　　There　was　no　sign

save　of　past　suffering：　his　countenance　was　peaceful　as　if　he　had

already　entered　into　his　rest。　　Robert　withdrew；　and　again　seated

himself。　　And　the　great　universe　became　to　him　as　a　bird　brooding

over　the　breaking　shell　of　the　dying　man。



On　either　hand　we　behold　a　birth；　of　which；　as　of　the　moon；　we　see

but　half。　　We　are　outside　the　one；　waiting　for　a　life　from　the

unknown；　we　are　inside　the　other；　watching　the　departure　of　a　spirit

from　the　womb　of　the　world　into　the　unknown。　　To　the　region　whither

he　goes；　the　man　enters　newly　born。　　We　forget　that　it　is　a　birth；

and　call　it　a　death。　　The　body　he　leaves　behind　is　but　the　placenta

by　which　he　drew　his　nourishment　from　his　mother　Earth。　　And　as　the

child…bed　is　watched　on　earth　with　anxious　expectancy；　so　the　couch

of　the　dying；　as　we　call　them；　may　be　surrounded　by　the

birth…watchers　of　the　other　world；　waiting　like　anxious　servants　to

open　the　door　to　which　this　world　is　but　the　wind…blown　porch。



Extremes　meet。　　As　a　man　draws　nigh　to　his　second　birth；　his　heart

looks　back　to　his　childhood。　　When　Dr。　Anderson　knew　that　he　was

dying；　he　retired　into　the　simulacrum　of　his　father's　benn　end。



As　Falconer　sat　thinking；　the　doctor　spoke。　　They　were　low；　faint；

murmurous　sounds；　for　the　lips　were　nearly　at　rest。　　Wanted　no　more

for　utterance；　they　were　going　back　to　the　holy　dust；　which　is　God's

yet。



'Father；　father！'　he　cried　quickly；　in　the　tone　and　speech　of　a

Scotch　laddie；　'I'm　gaein'　doon。　　Haud　a　grup　o'　my　han'。'



When　Robert　hurried　to　the　bedside；　he　found　that　the　last　breath

had　gone　in　the　words。　　The　thin　right　hand　lay　partly　closed；　as　if

it　had　been　grasping　a　larger　hand。　　On　the　face　lay　confidence　just

ruffled　with　apprehension：　the　latter　melted　away；　and　nothing

remained　but　that　awful　and　beautiful　peace　which　is　the　farewell　of

the　soul　to　its　servant。



Robert　knelt　and　thanked　God　for　the　noble　man。









CHAPTER　V。



A　TALK　WITH　GRANNIE。



Dr。　Anderson's　body　was；　according　to　the　fine　custom　of　many　of　the

people　of　Aberdeen；　borne　to　the　grave　by　twelve　stalwart　men　in

black；　with　broad　round　bonnets　on　their　heads；　the　one…half

relieving　the　othera　privilege　of　the　company　of　shore…porters。

Their　exequies　are　thus　freed　from　the　artificial；　grotesque；　and

pagan　horror　given　by　obscene　mutes；　frightful　hearse；　horses；　and

feathers。　　As　soon　as；　in　the　beau