robert falconer-第61章

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

passed　like　minutes；　the　others　as　if　each　minute　had　been　an　hour；

went　by；　and　Robert；　in　a　kind　of　desperation；　after　a　final　reading

of　the　Latin；　gave　in　his　paper；　and　left　the　room。　　When　he　got

home；　he　asked　his　landlady　to　get　him　some　tea。　　Till　it　was　ready

he　would　take　his　violin。　　But　even　the　violin　had　grown　dull；　and

would　not　speak　freely。　　He　returned　to　the　torturetook　out　his

first　copy；　and　went　over　it　once　more。　　Horror　of　horrors！　a

maxie！that　is　a　maximus　error。　　Mary　Queen　of　Scots　had　been　left

so　far　behind　in　the　beginning　of　the　paper；　that　she　forgot　the

rights　of　her　sex　in　the　middle　of　it；　and　in　the　accusative　of　a

future　participle　passiveI　do　not　know　if　more　modern　grammarians

have　a　different　name　for　the　growthhad　submitted　to　be　dum；　and

her　rightful　dam　was　henceforth　and　for　ever　debarred。



He　rose；　rushed　out　of　the　house；　down　through　the　garden；　across

two　fields　and　a　wide　road；　across　the　links；　and　so　to　the　moaning

lip　of　the　seafor　it　was　moaning　that　night。　　From　the　last

bulwark　of　the　sandhills　he　dropped　upon　the　wet　sands；　and　there　he

paced　up　and　downhow　long；　God　only；　who　was　watching　him；

knewwith　the　low　limitless　form　of　the　murmuring　lip　lying　out　and

out　into　the　sinking　sky　like　the　life　that　lay　low　and　hopeless

before　him；　for　the　want　at　most　of　twenty　pounds　a　year　（that　was

the　highest　bursary　then）　to　lift　him　into　a　region　of　possible

well…being。　　Suddenly　a　strange　phenomenon　appeared　within　him。　　The

subject　hitherto　became　the　object　to　a　new　birth　of　consciousness。

He　began　to　look　at　himself。　'There's　a　sair　bit　in　there；'　he

said；　as　if　his　own　bosom　had　been　that　of　another　mortal。　'What's

to　be　dune　wi'　't？　　I　doobt　it　maun　bide　it。　　Weel；　the　crater　had

better　bide　it　quaietly；　and　no　cry　oot。　　Lie　doon；　an'　hand　yer

tongue。　　Soror　tua　haud　meretrix　est；　ye　brute！'　　He　burst　out

laughing；　after　a　doubtful　and　ululant　fashion；　I　dare　say；　but　he

went　home；　took　up　his　auld　wife；　and　played　'Tullochgorum'　some

fifty　times　over；　with　extemporized　variations。



The　next　day　he　had　to　translate　a　passage　from　Tacitus；　after

executing　which　somewhat　heartlessly；　he　did　not　open　a　Latin　book

for　a　whole　week。　　The　very　sight　of　one　was　disgusting　to　him。　　He

wandered　about　the　New　Town；　along　Union　Street；　and　up　and　down　the

stairs　that　led　to　the　lower　parts；　haunted　the　quay；　watched　the

vessels；　learned　their　forms；　their　parts　and　capacities；　made

friends　with　a　certain　Dutch　captain　whom　he　heard　playing　the

violin　in　his　cabin；　and　on　the　whole；　notwithstanding　the　wretched

prospect　before　him；　contrived　to　spend　the　week　with　considerable

enjoyment。　　Nor　does　an　occasional　episode　of　lounging　hurt　a　life

with　any　true　claims　to　the　epic　form。



The　day　of　decision　at　length　arrived。　　Again　the　black…robed　powers

assembled；　and　again　the　hoping；　fearing　ladssome　of　them　not

lads；　men；　and　mere　boysgathered　to　hear　their　fate。　　Name　after

name　was　called　out；a　twenty　pound　bursary　to　the　first；　one　of

seventeen　to　the　next；　three　or　four　of　fifteen　and　fourteen；　and　so

on；　for　about　twenty；　and　still　no　Robert　Falconer。　　At　last；

lagging　wearily　in　the　rear；　he　heard　his　name；　went　up　listlessly；

and　was　awarded　five　pounds。　　He　crept　home；　wrote　to　his

grandmother；　and　awaited　her　reply。　　It　was　not　long　in　coming；　for

although　the　carrier　was　generally　the　medium　of　communication；　Miss

Letty　had　contrived　to　send　the　answer　by　coach。　　It　was　to　the

effect　that　his　grandmother　was　sorry　that　he　had　not　been　more

successful；　but　that　Mr。　Innes　thought　it　would　be　quite　worth　while

to　try　again；　and　he　must　therefore　come　home　for　another　year。



This　was　mortifying　enough；　though　not　so　bad　as　it　might　have　been。

Robert　began　to　pack　his　box。　　But　before　he　had　finished　it　he

shut　the　lid　and　sat　upon　it。　　To　meet　Miss　St。　John　thus　disgraced；

was　more　than　he　could　bear。　　If　he　remained；　he　had　a　chance　of

winning　prizes　at　the　end　of　the　session；　and　that　would　more　than

repair　his　honour。　　The　five　pound　bursars　were　privileged　in　paying

half　fees；　and　if　he　could　only　get　some　teaching；　he　could　manage。

But　who　would　employ　a　bejan　when　a　magistrand　might　be　had　for

next　to　nothing？　　Besides；　who　would　recommend　him？　　The　thought　of

Dr。　Anderson　flashed　into　his　mind；　and　he　rushed　from　the　house

without　even　knowing　where　he　lived。









CHAPTER　VI。



DR。　　ANDERSON　AGAIN。



At　the　Post…office　he　procured　the　desired　information　at　once。　　Dr。

Anderson　lived　in　Union　Street；　towards　the　western　end　of　it。



Away　went　Robert　to　find　the　house。　　That　was　easy。　　What　a　grand

house　of　smooth　granite　and　wide　approach　it　was！　　The　great　door

was　opened　by　a　man…servant；　who　looked　at　the　country　boy　from　head

to　foot。



'Is　the　doctor　in？'　asked　Robert。



'Yes。'



'I　wad　like　to　see　him。'



'Wha　will　I　say　wants　him？'



'Say　the　laddie　he　saw　at　Bodyfauld。'



The　man　left　Robert　in　the　hall；　which　was　spread　with　tiger　and

leopard　skins；　and　had　a　bright　fire　burning　in　a　large　stove。

Returning　presently；　he　led　him　through　noiseless　swing…doors

covered　with　cloth　into　a　large　library。　　Never　had　Robert　conceived

such　luxury。　　What　with　Turkey　carpet；　crimson　curtains；

easy…chairs；　grandly…bound　books　and　morocco…covered　writing…table；

it　seemed　the　very　ideal　of　comfort。　　But　Robert　liked　the　grandeur

too　much　to　be　abashed　by　it。



'Sit　ye　doon　there；'　said　the　servant；　'and　the　doctor　'ill　be　wi'

ye　in　ae　minute。'



He　was　hardly　out　of　the　room　before　a　door　opened　in　the　middle　of

the　books；　and　the　doctor　appeared　in　a　long　dressing…gown。　　He

looked　inquiringly　at　Robert　for　one　moment；　then　made　two　long

strides　like　a　pair　of　eager　compasses；　holding　out　his　hand。



'I'm　Robert　Faukner；'　said　the　boy。　'Ye'll　min'；　maybe；　doctor；　'at

ye　war　verra　kin'　to　me　ance；　and　tellt　me　lots　o'　storiesat

Bodyfauld；　ye　ken。'



'I'm　very　glad　to　see　you；　Robert；'　said　Dr。　Anderson。　'Of　course　I

remember　you　perfectly；　but　my　servant　did　not　bring　your　name；　and

I　did　not　know　but　it　might　be　the　other　boyI　forget　his　name。'



'Ye　mean　Shargar；　sir。　　It's　no　him。'



'I　can　see　that；'　said　the　doctor；　laughing；　'although　you　are

altered。　　You　have　grown　quite　a　man！　　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；'

he　repeated；　shaking　hands　with　him　again。　'When　did　you　come　to

town？'



'I　hae　been　at　the　grammer　school　i'　the　auld　toon　for　the　last

three　months；'　said　Robert。



'Three　months！'　exclaimed　Dr。　Anderson。　'And　never　came　to　see　me

till　now！　　That　was　too　bad　of　you；　Robert。'



'Weel；　ye　see；　sir；　I　didna　ken　better。　　An'　I　had　a　heap　to　do；　an'

a'　for　naething；　efter　a'。　　But　gin　I　had　kent　'at　ye　wad　like　to

see　me；　I　wad　hae　likit　weel　to　come　to　ye。'



'I　have　been　away　most　of　the　summer；'　said　the　doctor；　'but　I　have

been　at　home　for　the　last　month。　　You　haven't　had　your　dinner；　have

you？'



'Weel；　I　dinna　exackly　ken　what　to　say；　sir。　　Ye　see；　I　wasna　that

sharp…set　the　day；　sae　I　had　jist　a　mou'fu'　o'　breid　and　cheese。

I'm　turnin'　hungry；　noo；　I　maun　confess。'



The　doctor　rang　the　bell。



'You　must　stop　and　dine　with　me。Johnston；'　he　continued；　as　his

servant　entered；　'tell　the　cook　that　I　have　a　gentleman　to　dinner

with　me　to…day；　and　she　must　be　liberal。'



'Guidsake；　sir！'　said　Robert；　'dinna　set　the　woman　agen　me。'



He　had　no　intention　of　saying　anything　humorous；　but　Dr。　Anderson

laughed　heartily。



'Come　into　my　room　till　dinner…time；'　he　said；　opening　the　door　by

which　he　had　entered。



To　Robert's　astonishment；　he　found　himself　in　a　room　bare　as　that　of

the　poorest　cottage。　　A　small　square　window；　small　as　the　window　in

John　Hewson's；　looked　out　upon　a　garden　neatly　kept；　but　now　'having

no　adorning　but　cleanliness。'　　The　place　w