robert falconer-第74章

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doctrine　that　Jesus　was　the　incarnate　God；　come　to　visit　his

peoplea　very　unlikely　thing　to　man's　wisdom；　yet　an　idea　that　has

notwithstanding　ascended　above　man's　horizon；　and　shown　itself　the

grandest　idea　in　his　firmament？



In　the　evening　Ericson　asked　again　for　his　papers；　from　which　he

handed　Robert　the　following　poem：



WORDS　IN　THE　NIGHT。



I　woke　at　midnight；　and　my　heart；

My　beating　heart　said　this　to　me：

Thou　seest　the　moon　how　calm　and　bright

The　world　is　fair　by　day　and　night；

But　what　is　that　to　thee？

One　touch　to　medown　dips　the　light

Over　the　land　and　sea。

All　is　mine；　all　is　my　own！

Toss　the　purple　fountain　high！

The　breast　of　man　is　a　vat　of　stone；

I　am　alive；　I；　only　I！



One　little　touch　and　all　is　dark；

The　winter　with　its　sparkling　moons

The　spring　with　all　her　violets；

The　crimson　dawns　and　rich　sunsets；

The　autumn's　yellowing　noons。

I　only　toss　my　purple　jets；

And　thou　art　one　that　swoons

Upon　a　night　of　gust　and　roar；

Shipwrecked　among　the　waves；　and　seems

Across　the　purple　hills　to　roam；

Sweet　odours　touch　him　from　the　foam；

And　downward　sinking　still　he　dreams

He　walks　the　clover　field　at　home；

And　hears　the　rattling　teams。

All　is　mine；　all　is　my　own！

Toss　the　purple　fountain　high！

The　breast　of　man　is　a　vat　of　stone；

I　am　alive；　I；　only　I！



Thou　hast　beheld　a　throated　fountain　spout

Full　in　the　air；　and　in　the　downward　spray

A　hovering　Iris　span　the　marble　tank；

Which　as　the　wind　came；　ever　rose　and　sank

Violet　and　red；　so　my　continual　play

Makes　beauty　for　the　Gods　with　many　a　prank

Of　human　excellence；　while　they；

Weary　of　all　the　noon；　in　shadows　sweet

Supine　and　heavy…eyed　rest　in　the　boundless　heat：

Let　the　world's　fountain　play！

Beauty　is　pleasant　in　the　eyes　of　Jove；

Betwixt　the　wavering　shadows　where　he　lies

He　marks　the　dancing　column　with　his　eyes

Celestial；　and　amid　his　inmost　grove

Upgathers　all　his　limbs；　serenely　blest；

Lulled　by　the　mellow　noise　of　the　great　world's　unrest。



One　heart　beats　in　all　nature；　differing

But　in　the　work　it　works；　its　doubts　and　clamours

Are　but　the　waste　and　brunt　of　instruments

Wherewith　a　work　is　done；　or　as　the　hammers

On　forge　Cyclopean　plied　beneath　the　rents

Of　lowest　Etna；　conquering　into　shape

The　hard　and　scattered　ore：

Choose　thou　narcotics；　and　the　dizzy　grape

Outworking　passion；　lest　with　horrid　crash

Thy　life　go　from　thee　in　a　night　of　pain。

So　tutoring　thy　vision；　shall　the　flash

Of　dove　white…breasted　be　to　thee　no　more

Than　a　white　stone　heavy　upon　the　plain。



Hark　the　cock　crows　loud！

And　without；　all　ghastly　and　ill；

Like　a　man　uplift　in　his　shroud；

The　white　white　morn　is　propped　on　the　hill；

And　adown　from　the　eaves；　pointed　and　chill；

The　icicles　'gin　to　glitter；

And　the　birds　with　a　warble　short　and　shrill；

Pass　by　the　chamber…window　still

With　a　quick　uneasy　twitter。

Let　me　pump　warm　blood；　for　the　cold　is　bitter；

And　wearily；　wearily；　one　by　one；

Men　awake　with　the　weary　sun。



Life　is　a　phantom　shut　in　thee；

I　am　the　master　and　keep　the　key；

So　let　me　toss　thee　the　days　of　old；

Crimson　and　orange　and　green　and　gold；

So　let　me　fill　thee　yet　again

With　a　rush　of　dreams　from　my　spout　amain；

For　all　is　mine；　all　is　my　own；

Toss　the　purple　fountain　high！

The　breast　of　man　is　a　vat　of　stone；

And　I　am　alive；　I；　only　I。



Robert　having　read；　sat　and　wept　in　silence。　　Ericson　saw　him；　and

said　tenderly；



'Robert；　my　boy；　I'm　not　always　so　bad　as　that。　　Read　this

onethough　I　never　feel　like　it　now。　　Perhaps　it　may　come　again

some　day；　though。　　I　may　once　more　deceive　myself　and　be　happy。'



'Dinna　say　that；　Mr。　Ericson。　　That's　waur　than　despair。　　That's

flat　unbelief。　　Ye　no　more　ken　that　ye're　deceivin'　yersel'　than　ye

ken　that　ye're　no　doin'　't。'



Ericson　did　not　reply；　and　Robert　read　the　following　sonnet　aloud；

feeling　his　way　delicately　through　its　mazes：



Lie　down　upon　the　ground；　thou　hopeless　one！

Press　thy　face　in　the　grass；　and　do　not　speak。

Dost　feel　the　green　globe　whirl？　　Seven　times　a　week

Climbeth　she　out　of　darkness　to　the　sun；

Which　is　her　god；　seven　times　she　doth　not　shun

Awful　eclipse；　laying　her　patient　cheek

Upon　a　pillow　ghost…beset　with　shriek

Of　voices　utterless　which　rave　and　run

Through　all　the　star…penumbra；　craving　light

And　tidings　of　the　dawn　from　East　and　West。

Calmly　she　sleepeth；　and　her　sleep　is　blest

With　heavenly　visions；　and　the　joy　of　Night

Treading　aloft　with　moons。　　Nor　hath　she　fright

Though　cloudy　tempests　beat　upon　her　breast。



Ericson　turned　his　face　to　the　wall；　and　Robert　withdrew　to　his　own

chamber。









CHAPTER　XIII。



SHARGAR'S　ARM。



Not　many　weeks　passed　before　Shargar　knew　Aberdeen　better　than　most

Aberdonians。　　From　the　Pier…head　to　the　Rubislaw　Road；　he　knew；　if

not　every　court；　yet　every　thoroughfare　and　short　cut。　　And　Aberdeen

began　to　know　him。　　He　was　very　soon　recognized　as　trustworthy；　and

had　pretty　nearly　as　much　to　do　as　he　could　manage。　　Shargar；

therefore；　was　all　over　the　city　like　a　cracker；　and　could　have　told

at　almost　any　hour　where　Dr。　Anderson　was　to　be　foundgenerally　in

the　lower　parts　of　it；　for　the　good　man　visited　much　among　the　poor；

giving　them　almost　exclusively　the　benefit　of　his　large　experience。

Shargar　delighted　in　keeping　an　eye　upon　the　doctor；　carefully

avoiding　to　show　himself。



One　day　as　he　was　hurrying　through　the　Green　（a　non　virendo）　on　a

mission　from　the　Rothieden　carrier；　he　came　upon　the　doctor's

chariot　standing　in　one　of　the　narrowest　streets；　and；　as　usual；

paused　to　contemplate　the　equipage　and　get　a　peep　of　the　owner。　　The

morning　was　very　sharp。　　There　was　no　snow；　but　a　cold　fog；　like

vaporized　hoar…frost；　filled　the　air。　　It　was　weather　in　which　the

East　Indian　could　not　venture　out　on　foot；　else　he　could　have

reached　the　place　by　a　stair　from　Union　Street　far　sooner　than　he

could　drive　thither。　　His　horses　apparently　liked　the　cold　as　little

as　himself。　　They　had　been　moving　about　restlessly　for　some　time

before　the　doctor　made　his　appearance。　　The　moment　he　got　in　and

shut　the　door；　one　of　them　reared；　while　the　other　began　to　haul　on

his　traces；　eager　for　a　gallop。　　Something　about　the　chain　gave　way；

the　pole　swerved　round　under　the　rearing　horse；　and　great　confusion

and　danger　would　have　ensued；　had　not　Shargar　rushed　from　his　coign

of　vantage；　sprung　at　the　bit　of　the　rearing　horse；　and　dragged　him

off　the　pole；　over　which　he　was　just　casting　his　near　leg。　　As　soon

as　his　feet　touched　the　ground　he　too　pulled；　and　away　went　the

chariot　and　down　went　Shargar。　　But　in　a　moment　more　several　men　had

laid　hold　of　the　horses'　heads；　and　stopped　them。



'Oh　Lord！'　cried　Shargar；　as　he　rose　with　his　arm　dangling　by　his

side；　'what　will　Donal'　Joss　say？　　I'm　like　to　swarf　（faint）。　　Haud

awa'　frae　that　basket；　ye　wuddyfous　（withy…fowls；　gallows…birds）；'

he　cried；　darting　towards　the　hamper　he　had　left　in　the　entry　of　a

court；　round　which　a　few　ragged　urchins　had　gathered；　but　just　as　he

reached　it　he　staggered　and　fell。　　Nor　did　he　know　anything　more

till　he　found　the　carriage　stopping　with　himself　and　the　hamper

inside　it。



As　soon　as　the　coachman　had　got　his　harness　put　to　rights；　the

doctor　had　driven　back　to　see　how　the　lad　had　fared；　for　he　had　felt

the　carriage　go　over　something。　　They　had　found　him　lying　beside　his

hamper；　had　secured　both；　and　as　a　preliminary　measure　were

proceeding　to　deliver　the　latter。



'Whaur　am　I？　whaur　the　deevil　am　I？'　cried　Shargar；　jumping　up　and

falling　back　again。



'Don't　you　know　me；　Moray？'　said　the　doctor；　for　he　felt　shy　of

calling　the　poor　boy　by　his　nickname：　he　had　no　right　to　do　so。



'Na；　I　dinna　ken　ye。　　Lat　me　awa'。I　beg　yer　pardon；　doctor：　I

thocht　ye　was　ane　o'　thae　wuddyfous　rinnin'　awa'　wi'　Donal'　Joss's

basket。　　Eh　me！　sic　a　stoun'　i'　my　airm！　　B