robert falconer-第60章

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The　gig　and　the　cart　reached　the　road　together。　　One　of　the　men　who

had　accompanied　the　cart　took　the　gig；　and　they　were　left　on　the

road…side　with　Robert's　trunk　and　boxthe　latter　a　present　from

Miss　Lammie。



Their　places　had　been　secured；　and　the　guard　knew　where　he　had　to

take　them　up。　　Long　before　the　coach　appeared；　the　notes　of　his

horn；　as　like　the　colour　of　his　red　coat　as　the　blindest　of　men

could　imagine；　came　echoing　from　the　side　of　the　heathery；　stony

hill　under　which　they　stood；　so　that　Robert　turned　wondering；　as　if

the　chariot　of　his　desires　had　been　coming　over　the　top　of

Drumsnaig；　to　carry　him　into　a　heaven　where　all　labour　was　delight。

But　round　the　corner　in　front　came　the　four…in…hand　red　mail

instead。　　She　pulled　up　gallantly；　the　wheelers　lay　on　their　hind

quarters；　and　the　leaders　parted　theirs　from　the　pole；　the　boxes

were　hoisted　up；　Mr。　Lammie　climbed；　and　Robert　scrambled　to　his

seat；　the　horn　blew；　the　coachman　spake　oracularly；　the　horses

obeyed；　and　away　went　the　gorgeous　symbol　of　sovereignty　careering

through　the　submissive　region。　　Nor　did　Robert's　delight　abate

during　the　journeycertainly　not　when　he　saw　the　blue　line　of　the

sea　in　the　distance；　a　marvel　and　yet　a　fact。



Mrs。　Falconer　had　consulted　the　Misses　Napier；　who　had　many

acquaintances　in　Aberdeen；　as　to　a　place　proper　for　Robert；　and

suitable　to　her　means。　　Upon　this　point　Miss　Letty；　not　without　a

certain　touch　of　design；　as　may　appear　in　the　course　of　my　story；

had　been　able　to　satisfy　her。　　In　a　small　house　of　two　floors　and　a

garret；　in　the　old　town；　Mr。　Lammie　took　leave　of　Robert。



It　was　from　a　garret　window　still；　but　a　storm…window　now　that

Robert　lookedeastward　across　fields　and　sand…hills；　to　the　blue

expanse　of　watersnot　blue　like　southern　seas；　but　slaty　blue；　like

the　eyes　of　northmen。　　It　was　rather　dreary；　the　sun　was　shining

from　overhead　now；　casting　short　shadows　and　much　heat；　the　dew　was

gone　up；　and　the　lark　had　come　down；　he　was　alone；　the　end　of　his

journey　was　come；　and　was　not　anything　very　remarkable。　　His

landlady　interrupted　his　gaze　to　know　what　he　would　have　for　dinner；

but　he　declined　to　use　any　discretion　in　the　matter。　　When　she　left

the　room　he　did　not　return　to　the　window；　but　sat　down　upon　his　box。

His　eye　fell　upon　the　other；　a　big　wooden　cube。　　Of　its　contents　he

knew　nothing。　　He　would　amuse　himself　by　making　inquisition。　　It　was

nailed　up。　　He　borrowed　a　screwdriver　and　opened　it。　　At　the　top　lay

a　linen　bag　full　of　oatmeal；　underneath　that　was　a　thick　layer　of

oat…cake；　underneath　that　two　cheeses；　a　pound　of　butter；　and　six

pots　of　jam；　which　ought　to　have　tasted　of　roses；　for　it　came　from

the　old　garden　where　the　roses　lived　in　such　sweet　companionship

with　the　currant　bushes；　underneath　that；　&c。；　and　underneath；　&c。；

a　box　which　strangely　recalled　Shargar's　garret；　and　one　of　the

closets　therein。　　With　beating　heart　he　opened　it；　and　lo；　to　his

marvel；　and　the　restoration　of　all　the　fair　day；　there　was　the

violin　which　Dooble　Sanny　had　left　him　when　he　forsook　her　forsome

one　or　other　of　the　queer　instruments　of　Fra　Angelico's　angels？



In　a　flutter　of　delight　he　sat　down　on　his　trunk　again　and　played

the　most　mournful　of　tunes。　　Two　white　pigeons；　which　had　been

talking　to　each　other　in　the　heat　on　the　roof；　came　one　on　each　side

of　the　window　and　peeped　into　the　room；　and　out　between　them；　as　he

played；　Robert　saw　the　sea；　and　the　blue　sky　above　it。　　Is　it　any

wonder　that；　instead　of　turning　to　the　lying　pages　and　contorted

sentences　of　the　Livy　which　he　had　already　unpacked　from　his　box；　he

forgot　all　about　school；　and　college；　and　bursary；　and　went　on

playing　till　his　landlady　brought　up　his　dinner；　which　he　swallowed

hastily　that　he　might　return　to　the　spells　of　his　enchantress！









CHAPTER　V。



THE　COMPETITION。



I　could　linger　with　gladness　even　over　this　part　of　my　hero's

history。　　If　the　school　work；　was　dry　it　was　thorough。　　If　that

academy　had　no　sweetly　shadowing　trees；　if　it　did　stand　within　a

parallelogram　of　low　stone　walls；　containing　a　roughly…gravelled

court；　if　all　the　region　about　suggested　hot　stones　and　sandbeyond

still　was　the　sea　and　the　sky；　and　that　court；　morning　and

afternoon；　was　filled　with　the　shouts　of　eager　boys；　kicking　the

football　with　mad　rushings　to　and　fro；　and　sometimes　with　wounds　and

faintingsfit　symbol　of　the　equally　resultless　ambition　with　which

many　of　them　would　follow　the　game　of　life　in　the　years　to　come。

Shock…headed　Highland　colts；　and　rough　Lowland　steers　as　many　of

them　were；　out　of　that　group；　out　of　the　roughest　of　them；　would

emerge　in　time　a　few　gentlemennot　of　the　type　of　your　trim；

self…contained；　clerical　exquisitebut　large…hearted；　courteous

gentlemen；　for　whom　a　man　may　thank　God。　And　if　the　master　was　stern

and　hard；　he　was　true；　if　the　pupils　feared　him；　they　yet　cared　to

please　him；　if　there　might　be　found　not　a　few　more　widely…read

scholars　than　he；　it　would　be　hard　to　find　a　better　teacher。



Robert　leaned　to　the　collar　and　laboured；　not　greatly　moved　by

ambition；　but　much　by　the　hope　of　the　bursary　and　the　college　life

in　the　near　distance。　　Not　unfrequently　he　would　rush　into　the　thick

of　the　football　game；　fight　like　a　maniac　for　one　short　burst；　and

then　retire　and　look　on。　　He　oftener　regarded　than　mingled。　　He

seldom　joined　his　fellows　after　school　hours；　for　his　work　lay　both

upon　his　conscience　and　his　hopes；　but　if　he　formed　no　very　deep

friendships　amongst　them；　at　least　he　made　no　enemies；　for　he　was

not　selfish；　and　in　virtue　of　the　Celtic　blood　in　him　was　invariably

courteous。　　His　habits　were　in　some　things　altogether　irregular。　　He

never　went　out　for　a　walk；　but　sometimes；　looking　up　from　his　Virgil

or　his　Latin　version；　and　seeing　the　blue　expanse　in　the　distance

breaking　into　white　under　the　viewless　wing　of　the　summer　wind；　he

would　fling　down　his　dictionary　or　his　pen；　rush　from　his　garret；

and　fly　in　a　straight　line；　like　a　sea…gull　weary　of　lake　and　river；

down　to　the　waste　shore　of　the　great　deep。　　This　was　all　that　stood

for　the　Arabian　Nights　of　moon…blossomed　marvel；　all　the　rest　was

Aberdeen　days　of　Latin　and　labour。



Slowly　the　hours　went；　and　yet　the　dreaded；　hoped…for　day　came

quickly。　　The　quadrangle　of　the　stone…crowned　college　grew　more

awful　in　its　silence　and　emptiness　every　time　Robert　passed　it；　and

the　professors'　houses　looked　like　the　sentry…boxes　of　the　angels　of

learning；　soon　to　come　forth　and　judge　the　feeble　mortals　who　dared

present　a　claim　to　their　recognition。　　October　faded　softly　by；　with

its　keen　fresh　mornings；　and　cold　memorial　green…horizoned　evenings；

whose　stars　fell　like　the　stray　blossoms　of　a　more　heavenly　world；

from　some　ghostly　wind　of　space　that　had　caught　them　up　on　its　awful

shoreless　sweep。　　November　came；　'chill　and　drear；'　with　its

heartless；　hopeless　nothingness；　but　as　if　to　mock　the　poor

competitors；　rose；　after　three　days　of　Scotch　mist；　in　a　lovely

'halcyon　day'　of　'St。　Martin's　summer；'　through　whose　long　shadows

anxious　young　faces　gathered　in　the　quadrangle；　or　under　the　arcade；

each　with　his　Ainsworth's　Dictionary；　the　sole　book　allowed；　under

his　arm。　　But　when　the　sacrist　appeared　and　unlocked　the　public

school；　and　the　black…gowned　professors　walked　into　the　room；　and

the　door　was　left　open　for　the　candidates　to　follow；　then　indeed　a

great　awe　fell　upon　the　assembly；　and　the　lads　crept　into　their

seats　as　if　to　a　trial　for　life　before　a　bench　of　the　incorruptible。

They　took　their　places；　a　portion　of　Robertson's　History　of

Scotland　was　given　them　to　turn　into　Latin；　and　soon　there　was

nothing　to　be　heard　in　the　assembly　but　the　turning　of　the　leaves　of

dictionaries；　and　the　scratching　of　pens　constructing　the　first

rough　copy　of　the　Latinized　theme。



It　was　done。　　Four　weary　hours；　nearly　five；　one　or　two　of　which

passed　like　minutes；　the　others　as　i