robert falconer-第57章

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simply　come　to　the　conclusion　that　for　him　there　was　no　approach　to

the　fountain　of　his　being。



In　the　course　of　a　fortnight　or　so；　when　his　system　had　covered　over

its　craving　after　whisky；　the　irritability　of　the　shoemaker　almost

vanished。　　It　might　have　been　feared　that　his　conscience　would　then

likewise　relax　its　activity；　but　it　was　not　so：　it　grew　yet　more

tender。　　He　now　began　to　give　Robert　some　praise；　and　make

allowances　for　his　faults；　and　Robert　dared　more　in　consequence；　and

played　with　more　spirit。　　I　do　not　say　that　his　style　could　have

grown　fine　under　such　a　master；　but　at　least　he　learned　the

difference　between　slovenliness　and　accuracy；　and　between　accuracy

and　expression；　which　last　is　all　of　original　that　the　best　mere

performer　can　claim。



One　evening　he　was　scraping　away　at　Tullochgorum　when　Mr。　Maccleary

walked　in。　　Robert　ceased。　　The　minister　gave　him　one　searching

glance；　and　sat　down　by　the　bedside。　　Robert　would　have　left　the

room。



'Dinna　gang；　Robert；'　said　Sandy；　and　Robert　remained。



The　clergyman　talked　very　faithfully　as　far　as　the　shoemaker　was

concerned；　though　whether　he　was　equally　faithful　towards　God　might

be　questioned。　　He　was　one　of　those　prudent　men；　who　are　afraid　of

dealing　out　the　truth　freely　lest　it　should　fall　on　thorns　or　stony

places。　　Hence　of　course　the　good　ground　came　in　for　a　scanty　share

too。　　Believing　that　a　certain　precise　condition　of　mind　was

necessary　for　its　proper　reception；　he　would　endeavour　to　bring

about　that　condition　first。　　He　did　not　know　that　the　truth　makes

its　own　nest　in　the　ready　heart；　and　that　the　heart　may　be　ready　for

it　before　the　priest　can　perceive　the　fact；　seeing　that　the

imposition　of　hands　confers；　now…a…days　at　least；　neither　love　nor

common…sense。　　He　therefore　dwelt　upon　the　sins　of　the　soutar；

magnifying　them　and　making　them　hideous；　in　the　idea　that　thus　he

magnified　the　law；　and　made　it　honourable；　while　of　the　special

tenderness　of　God　to　the　sinner　he　said　not　a　word。　　Robert　was

offended；　he　scarcely　knew　why；　with　the　minister's　mode　of　treating

his　friend；　and　after　Mr。　Maccleary　had　taken　a　far　kinder　leave　of

them　than　God　could　approve；　if　he　resembled　his　representation；

Robert　sat　still；　oppressed　with　darkness。



'It's　a'　true；'　said　the　soutar；　'but；　man　Robert；　dinna　ye　think

the　minister　was　some　sair　upo'　me？'



'I　duv　think　it；'　answered　Robert。



'Something　beirs　't　in　upo'　me　'at　he　wadna　be　sae　sair　upo'　me

himsel'。　　There's　something　i'　the　New　Testament；　some　gait；　'at's

pitten　't　into　my　heid；　though；　faith；　I　dinna　ken　whaur　to　luik　for

't。　　Canna　ye　help　me　oot　wi'　't；　man？'



Robert　could　think　of　nothing　but　the　parable　of　the　prodigal　son。

Mrs。　Alexander　got　him　the　New　Testament；　and　he　read　it。　　She　sat

at　the　foot　of　the　bed　listening。



'There！'　cried　the　soutar；　triumphantly；　'I　telled　ye　sae！　　Not　ae

word　aboot　the　puir　lad's　sins！　　It　was　a'　a　hurry　an'　a　scurry　to

get　the　new　shune　upo'　'im；　an'　win　at　the　calfie　an'　the　fiddlin'

an'　the　dancin'。O　Lord；'　he　broke　out；　'I'm　comin'　hame　as　fest　's

I　can；　but　my　sins　are　jist　like　muckle　bauchles　（shoes　down　at

heel）　upo'　my　feet　and　winna　lat　me。　　I　expec'　nae　ring　and　nae

robe；　but　I　wad　fain　hae　a　fiddle　i'　my　grup　when　the　neist　prodigal

comes　hame；　an'　gin　I　dinna　fiddle　weel；　it　s'　no　be　my　wyte。Eh；

man！　but　that　is　what　I　ca'　gude；　an'　a'　the　minister　saidhonest

man's　jist　blether　till　't。O　Lord；　I　sweir　gin　ever　I　win　up

again；　I'll　put　in　ilka　steek　（stitch）　as　gin　the　shune　war　for　the

feet　o'　the　prodigal　himsel'。　　It　sall　be　gude　wark；　O　Lord。　An'

I'll　never　lat　taste　o'　whusky　intil　my　mou'nor　smell　o'　whusky

intil　my　nose；　gin　sae　be　'at　I　can　help　itI　sweir　't；　O　Lord。　An'

gin　I　binna　raised　up　again'



Here　his　voice　trembled　and　ceased；　and　silence　endured　for　a　short

minute。　　Then　he　called　his　wife。



'Come　here；　Bell。　Gie　me　a　kiss；　my　bonny　lass。　　I　hae　been　an　ill

man　to　you。'



'Na；　na；　Sandy。　　Ye　hae　aye　been　gude　to　mebetter　nor　I　deserved。

Ye　hae　been　naebody's　enemy　but　yer　ain。'



'Haud　yer　tongue。　　Ye're　speykin'　waur　blethers　nor　the　minister；

honest　man！　　I　tell　ye　I　hae　been　a　damned　scoon'rel　to　ye。　　I　haena

even　hauden　my　han's　aff　o'　ye。　　And　eh！　ye　war　a　bonny　lass　whan　I

merried　ye。　　I　hae　blaudit　（spoiled）　ye　a'thegither。　　But　gin　I　war

up；　see　gin　I　wadna　gie　ye　a　new　goon；　an'　that　wad　be　something　to

make　ye　like　yersel'　again。　　I'm　affrontet　wi'　mysel'　'at　I　had　been

sic　a　brute　o'　a　man　to　ye。　　But　ye　maun　forgie　me　noo；　for　I　do

believe　i'　my　hert　'at　the　Lord's　forgien　me。　　Gie　me　anither　kiss；

lass。　　God　be　praised；　and　mony　thanks　to　you！　　Ye　micht　hae　run

awa'　frae　me　lang　or　noo；　an'　a'body　wad　hae　said　ye　did

richt。Robert；　play　a　spring。'



Absorbed　in　his　own　thoughts；　Robert　began　to　play　The　Ewie　wi'　the

Crookit　Horn。



'Hoots！　hoots！'　cried　Sandy　angrily。　'What　are　ye　aboot？　　Nae　mair

o'　that。　　I　hae　dune　wi'　that。　　What's　i'　the　heid　o'　ye；　man？'



'What'll　I　play　than；　Sandy？'　asked　Robert　meekly。



'Play　The　Lan'　o'　the　Leal；　or　My　Nannie's　awa；'；　or　something　o'

that　kin'。　　I'll　be　leal　to　ye　noo；　Bell。　An'　we　winna　pree　o'　the

whusky　nae　mair；　lass。'



'I　canna　bide　the　smell　o'　't；'　cried　Bell；　sobbing。



Robert　struck　in　with　The　Lan'　o'　the　Leal。　When　he　had　played　it

over　two　or　three　times；　he　laid　the　fiddle　in　its　place；　and

departedable　just　to　see；　by　the　light　of　the　neglected　candle；

that　Bell　sat　on　the　bedside　stroking　the　rosiny　hand　of　her

husband；　the　rhinoceros…hide　of　which　was　yet　delicate　enough　to　let

the　love　through　to　his　heart。



After　this　the　soutar　never　called　his　fiddle　his　auld　wife。



Robert　walked　home　with　his　head　sunk　on　his　breast。　　Dooble　Sanny；

the　drinking；　ranting；　swearing　soutar；　was　inside　the　wicket…gate；

and　he　was　left　outside　for　all　his　prayers；　with　the　arrows　from

the　castle　of　Beelzebub　sticking　in　his　back。　　He　would　have　another

try　some　daybut　not　yethe　dared　not　yet。



Henceforth　Robert　had　more　to　do　in　reading　the　New　Testament　than

in　the　fiddle　to　the　soutar；　though　they　never　parted　without　an　air

or　two。　　Sandy　continued　hopeful　and　generally　cheerful；　with

alternations　which　the　reading　generally　fixed　on　the　right　side　for

the　night。　　Robert　never　attempted　any　comments；　but　left　him　to

take　from　the　word　what　nourishment　he　could。　　There　was　no　return

of　strength　to　the　helpless　arm；　and　his　constitution　was　gradually

yielding。



The　rumour　got　abroad　that　he　was　a　'changed　character；'how　is　not

far　to　seek；　for　Mr。　Maccleary　fancied　himself　the　honoured

instrument　of　his　conversion；　whereas　paralysis　and　the　New

Testament　were　the　chief　agents；　and　even　the　violin　had　more　share

in　it　than　the　minister。　　For　the　spirit　of　God　lies　all　about　the

spirit　of　man　like　a　mighty　sea；　ready　to　rush　in　at　the　smallest

chink　in　the　walls　that　shut　him　out　from　his　ownwalls　which　even

the　tone　of　a　violin　afloat　on　the　wind　of　that　spirit　is　sometimes

enough　to　rend　from　battlement　to　base；　as　the　blast　of　the　rams'

horns　rent　the　walls　of　Jericho。　　And　now　to　the　day　of　his　death；

the　shoemaker　had　need　of　nothing。　　Food；　wine；　and　delicacies　were

sent　him　by　many　who；　while　they　considered　him　outside　of　the

kingdom；　would　have　troubled　themselves　in　no　way　about　him。　　What

with　visits　of　condolence　and　flattery；　inquiries　into　his

experience；　and　long　prayers　by　his　bedside；　they　now　did　their　best

to　send　him　back　among　the　swine。　　The　soutar's　humour；　however；

aided　by　his　violin；　was　a　strong　antidote　against　these　evil

influences。



'I　doobt　I'm　gaein'　to　dee；　Robert；'　he　said　at　length　one　evening

as　the　lad　sat　by　his　bedside。



'Weel；　that　winna　do　ye　nae　ill；'　answered　Robert；　adding　with　just

a　touch　of　bitterness'ye　needna　care　aboot　that。'



'I　do　not　care　aboot　the　deein'　o'　't。　　But　I　jist　w