robert falconer-第79章

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'There　was　no　weapon　at　hand；　and　if　there　had　been；　his　inborn

chivalry　would　never　have　allowed　him　to　harm　a　woman　even　under　the

guise　of　a　wolf。　　Instinctively；　he　set　himself　firm；　leaning　a

little　forward；　with　half　outstretched　arms；　and　hands　curved　ready

to　clutch　again　at　the　throat　upon　which　he　had　left　those　pitiful

marks。　　But　the　creature　as　she　sprang　eluded　his　grasp；　and　just　as

he　expected　to　feel　her　fangs；　he　found　a　woman　weeping　on　his

bosom；　with　her　arms　around　his　neck。　　The　next　instant；　the　gray

wolf　broke　from　him；　and　bounded　howling　up　the　cliff。　　Recovering

himself　as　he　best　might；　the　youth　followed；　for　it　was　the　only

way　to　the　moor　above；　across　which　he　must　now　make　his　way　to　find

his　companions。



'All　at　once　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　crunching　of　bonesnot　as　if　a

creature　was　eating　them；　but　as　if　they　were　ground　by　the　teeth　of

rage　and　disappointment：　looking　up；　he　saw　close　above　him　the

mouth　of　the　little　cavern　in　which　he　had　taken　refuge　the　day

before。　　Summoning　all　his　resolution；　he　passed　it　slowly　and

softly。　　From　within　came　the　sounds　of　a　mingled　moaning　and

growling。



'Having　reached　the　top；　he　ran　at　full　speed　for　some　distance

across　the　moor　before　venturing　to　look　behind　him。　　When　at　length

he　did　so　he　saw；　against　the　sky；　the　girl　standing　on　the　edge　of

the　cliff；　wringing　her　hands。　　One　solitary　wail　crossed　the　space

between。　　She　made　no　attempt　to　follow　him；　and　he　reached　the

opposite　shore　in　safety。'



Mysie　tried　to　laugh；　but　succeeded　badly。　　Robert　took　his　violin；

and　its　tones　had　soon　swept　all　the　fear　from　her　face；　leaving　in

its　stead　a　trouble　that　has　no　namethe　trouble　of　wanting　one

knows　not　whator　how　to　seek　it。



It　was　now　time　to　go　home。　　Mysie　gave　each　an　equally　warm

good…night　and　thanks；　Mr。　Lindsay　accompanied　them　to　the　door；　and

the　students　stepped　into　the　moonlight。　　Across　the　links　the　sound

of　the　sea　came　with　a　swell。



As　they　went　down　the　garden；　Ericson　stopped。　　Robert　thought　he

was　looking　back　to　the　house；　and　went　on。　　When　Ericson　joined

him；　he　was　pale　as　death。



'What　is　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　Mr。　Ericson？'　he　asked　in　terror。



'Look　there！'　said　Ericson；　pointing；　not　to　the　house；　but　to　the

sky。



Robert　looked　up。　　Close　about　the　moon　were　a　few　white　clouds。

Upon　these　white　clouds；　right　over　the　moon；　and　near　as　the

eyebrow　to　an　eye；　hung　part　of　an　opalescent　halo；　bent　into　the

rude；　but　unavoidable　suggestion　of　an　eyebrow；　while；　close　around

the　edge　of　the　moon；　clung　another；　a　pale　storm…halo。　　To　this

pale　iris　and　faint…hued　eyebrow　the　full　moon　itself　formed　the

white　pupil：　the　whole　was　a　perfect　eye　of　ghastly　death；　staring

out　of　the　winter　heaven。　　The　vision　may　never　have　been　before；

may　never　have　been　again；　but　this　Ericson　and　Robert　saw　that

night。









CHAPTER　XV。



THE　LAST　OF　THE　COALS。



The　next　Sunday　Robert　went　with　Ericson　to　the　episcopal　chapel；

and　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　heard　the　epic　music　of　the

organ。　　It　was　a　new　starting…point　in　his　life。　　The　worshipping

instrument　flooded　his　soul　with　sound；　and　he　stooped　beneath　it　as

a　bather　on　the　shore　stoops　beneath　the　broad　wave　rushing　up　the

land。　　But　I　will　not　linger　over　this　portion　of　his　history。　　It

is　enough　to　say　that　he　sought　the　friendship　of　the　organist；　was

admitted　to　the　instrument；　touched；　trembled；　exulted；　grew

dissatisfied；　fastidious；　despairing；　gathered　hope　and　tried　again；

and　yet　again；　till　at　last；　with　constantly…recurring　fits　of

self…despite；　he　could　not　leave　the　grand　creature　alone。　　It

became　a　rival　even　to　his　violin。　　And　once　before　the　end　of

March；　when　the　organist　was　ill；　and　another　was　not　to　be　had；　he

ventured　to　occupy　his　place　both　at　morning　and　evening　service。



Dr。　Anderson　kept　George　Moray　in　bed　for　a　few　days；　after　which　he

went　about　for　a　while　with　his　arm　in　a　sling。　　But　the　season　of

bearing　material　burdens　was　over　for　him　now。　　Dr。　Anderson　had　an

interview　with　the　master　of　the　grammar…school；　a　class　was

assigned　to　Moray；　and　with　a　delight；　resting　chiefly　on　his　social

approximation　to　Robert；　which　in　one　week　elevated　the　whole

character　of　his　person　and　countenance　and　bearing；　George　Moray

bent　himself　to　the　task　of　mental　growth。　　Having　good　helpers　at

home；　and　his　late…developed　energy　turning　itself　entirely　into　the

new　channel；　he　got　on　admirably。　　As　there　was　no　other　room　to　be

had　in　Mrs。　Fyvie's　house；　he　continued　for　the　rest　of　the　session

to　sleep　upon　the　rug；　for　he　would　not　hear　of　going　to　another

house。　　The　doctor　had　advised　Robert　to　drop　the　nickname　as　much

as　possible；　but　the　first　time　he　called　him　Moray；　Shargar

threatened　to　cut　his　throat；　and　so　between　the　two　the　name

remained。



I　presume　that　by　this　time　Doctor　Anderson　had　made　up　his　mind　to

leave　his　money　to　Robert；　but　thought　it　better　to　say　nothing

about　it；　and　let　the　boy　mature　his　independence。　　He　had　him　often

to　his　house。　　Ericson　frequently　accompanied　him；　and　as　there　was

a　good　deal　of　original　similarity　between　the　doctor　and　Ericson；

the　latter　soon　felt　his　obligation　no　longer　a　burden。　　Shargar

likewise；　though　more　occasionally；　made　one　of　the　party；　and　soon

began；　in　his　new　circumstances；　to　develop　the　manners　of　a

gentleman。　　I　say　develop　advisedly；　for　Shargar　had　a　deep　humanity

in　him；　as　abundantly　testified　by　his　devotion　to　Robert；　and

humanity　is　the　body　of　which　true　manners　is　the　skin　and　ordinary

manifestation：　true　manners　are　the　polish　which　lets　the　internal

humanity　shine　through；　just　as　the　polish　on　marble　reveals　its

veined　beauty。　　Many　talks　did　the　elderly　man　hold　with　the　three

youths；　and　his　experience　of　life　taught　Ericson　and　Robert　much；

especially　what　he　told　them　about　his　Brahmin　friend　in　India。

Moray；　on　the　other　hand；　was　chiefly　interested　in　his　tales　of

adventure　when　on　service　in　the　Indian　army；　or　engaged　in　the

field　sports　of　that　region　so　prolific　in　monsters。　　His　gipsy

blood　and　lawless　childhood；　spent　in　wandering　familiarity　with

houseless　nature；　rendered　him　more　responsive　to　these　than　the

others；　and　his　kindled　eye　and　pertinent　remarks　raised　in　the

doctor's　mind　an　early　question　whether　a　commission　in　India　might

not　be　his　best　start　in　life。



Between　Ericson　and　Robert；　as　the　former　recovered　his　health；

communication　from　the　deeper　strata　of　human　need　became　less

frequent。　　Ericson　had　to　work　hard　to　recover　something　of　his

leeway；　Robert　had　to　work　hard　that　prizes　might　witness　for　him　to

his　grandmother　and　Miss　St。　John。　To　the　latter　especially；　as　I

think　I　have　said　before；　he　was　anxious　to　show　well；　wiping　out

the　blot；　as　he　considered　it；　of　his　all　but　failure　in　the　matter

of　a　bursary。　　For　he　looked　up　to　her　as　to　a　goddess　who　just　came

near　enough　to　the　earth　to　be　worshipped　by　him　who　dwelt　upon　it。



The　end　of　the　session　came　nigh。　　Ericson　passed　his　examinations

with　honour。　　Robert　gained　the　first　Greek　and　third　Latin　prize。

The　evening　of　the　last　day　arrived；　and　on　the　morrow　the　students

would　be　gonesome　to　their　homes　of　comfort　and　idleness；　others

to　hard　labour　in　the　fields；　some　to　steady　reading；　perhaps　to

school　again　to　prepare　for　the　next　session；　and　others　to　be

tutors　all　the　summer　months；　and　return　to　the　wintry　city　as　to

freedom　and　life。　　Shargar　was　to　remain　at　the　grammar…school。



That　last　evening　Robert　sat　with　Ericson　in　his　room。　　It　was　a

cold　nightthe　night　of　the　last　day　of　March。　　A　bitter　wind　blew

about　the　house；　and　dropped　spiky　hailstones　upon　the　skylight。

The　friends　were　to　leave　on　the　morrow；　but　to　leave　together；　for

they　had　already　sent　their　boxes；　one　by　the　carrier　to　Rothieden；

the　other　by　a　saili