christie johnstone-第6章
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return； I will beg of you （if it does not bore you too much） to make me
acquainted with any little troubles you may have encountered in the
course of your life。〃
His lordship； receiving no answer； was about to go； after bowing to her；
and smiling gracefully upon her。
His hand was on the latch； when Jess Rutherford burst into a passion of
tears。
He turned with surprise。
〃My _troubles；_ laddie；〃 cried she； trembling all over。 〃The sun wad set；
and rise； and set again； ere I could tell ye a' the trouble I hae come
through。
〃Oh； ye need na vex yourself for an auld wife's tears； tears are a
blessin'； lad； I shall assure ye。 Mony's the time I hae prayed for them；
and could na hae them Sit ye doon！ sit ye doon！ I'll no let ye gang fra
my door till I hae thankit yebut gie me time； gie me time。 I canna
greet a' the days of the week。〃
Flucker； _aetat。_ 14； opened his eyes； unable to connect ten shillings
and tears。
Lord Ipsden sat down； and felt very sorry for her。
And she cried at her ease。
If one touch of nature make the whole world kin； methinks that sweet and
wonderful thing； sympathy； is not less powerful。 What frozen barriers；
what ice of centuries； it can melt in a moment！
His bare mention of her troubles had surprised the widowed woman's heart；
and now she looked up and examined his countenance； it was soon done。
A woman； young or old； high or low； can discern and appreciate
sensibility in a man's face； at a single glance。
What she saw there was enough。 She was sure of sympathy。 She recalled her
resolve； and the tale of her sorrows burst from her like a flood。
Then the old fishwife told the young aristocrat how she had borne twelve
children； and buried six as bairns； how her man was always unlucky； how a
mast fell on him； and disabled him a whole season； how they could but
just keep the pot boiling by the deep…sea fishing； and he was not allowed
to dredge for oysters； because his father was not a Newhaven man。 How；
when the herring fishing came； to make all right； he never had another
man's luck； how his boat's crew would draw empty nets； and a boat
alongside him would be gunwale down in the water with the fish。 How； at
last； one morning； the 20th day of November； his boat came in to Newhaven
Pier without him； and when he was inquired for； his crew said； 〃He had
stayed at home； like a lazy loon； and not sailed with them the night
before。〃 How she was anxious； and had all the public houses searched。
〃For he took a drop now and then； nae wonder； and him aye in the
weather。〃 Poor thing！ when he was alive she used to call him a drunken
scoundrel to his face。 How； when the tide went down； a mad wife； whose
husband had been drowned twenty years ago； pointed out something under
the pier that the rest took for sea…weed floatinghow it was the hair of
her man's head； washed about by the water； and he was there； drowned
without a cry or a struggle； by his enormous boots； that kept him in an
upright position； though he was dead； there he stooddeaddrowned by
slipping from the slippery pier； close to his comrades' hands； in a dark
and gusty night； how her daughter married； and was well to do； and
assisted her； how she fell into a rapid decline； and died； a picture of
health to inexperienced eyes。 How she； the mother； saw and knew； and
watched the treacherous advance of disease and death； how others said
gayly； 〃Her daughter was better；〃 and she was obliged to say； 〃Yes。〃 How
she had worked； eighteen hours a day； at making nets； how； when she let
out her nets to the other men at the herring fishing； they always cheated
her； because her man was gone。 How she had many times had to choose
between begging her meal and going to bed without it； but； thank Heaven！
she had always chosen the latter。
She told him of hunger； cold； and anguish。 As she spoke they became real
things to him； up to that moment they had been things in a story…book。
And as she spoke she rocked herself from side to side。
Indeed； she was a woman 〃acquainted with grief。〃 She might have said；
〃Here I and sorrow sit。 This is my throne； bid kings come and bow to it！〃
Her hearer felt this； and therefore this woman； poor； old； and ugly；
became sacred in his eye； it was with a strange sort of respect that he
tried to console her。 He spoke to her in tones gentle and sweet as the
south wind on a summer evening。
〃Madam；〃 said he； 〃let me be so happy as to bring you some comfort。 The
sorrows of the heart I cannot heal； they are for a mightier hand； but a
part of your distress appears to have been positive need； that we can at
least dispose of； and I entreat you to believe that from this hour want
shall never enter that door again。 Never！ upon my honor！〃
The Scotch are icebergs； with volcanoes underneath； thaw the Scotch ice；
which is very cold； and you shall get to the Scotch fire； warmer than any
sun of Italy or Spain。
His lordship had risen to go。 The old wife had seemed absorbed in her own
grief； she now dried her tears。
〃Bide ye； sirr；〃 said she； 〃till I thank ye。〃
So she began to thank him； rather coldly and stiffly。
〃He says ye are a lord；〃 said she； 〃I dinna ken； an' I dinna care； but
ye're a gentleman； I daur say； and a kind heart ye hae。〃
Then she began to warm。
〃And ye'll never be a grain the poorer for the siller ye hae gien me； for
he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord。〃
Then she began to glow。
〃But it's no your siller； dinna think itna； lad； na！ Oh； fine！ I ken
there's mony a supper for the bairns and me in yon bits metal； but I
canna feel your siller as I feel your winsome smilethe drop in your
young eenan' the sweet words ye gied me； in the sweet music o' your
Soothern tongue； Gude bless ye！〃 （Where was her ice by this time？） 〃Gude
bless ye！ and I bless ye！〃
And she did bless him； and what a blessing it was； not a melodious
generality； like a stage parent's； or papa's in a damsel's novel。 It was
like the son of Barak on Zophim。
She blessed him； as one who had the power and the right to bless or
curse。
She stood on the high ground of her low estate； and her afflictionsand
demanded of their Creator to bless the fellow…creature that had come to
her aid and consolation。
This woman had suffered to the limits of endurance； yesterday she had
said； 〃Surely the Almighty does na _see_ me a' these years！〃
So now she blessed him； and her heart's blood seemed to gush into words。
She blessed him by land and water。
She knew most mortal griefs； for she had felt them。
She warned them away from him one by one。
She knew the joys of life； for she had felt their want。
She summoned them one by one to his side。
〃And a fair wind to your ship；〃 cried she； 〃and the storms aye ten miles
to leeward o' her。〃
Many happy days； 〃an' weel spent；〃 she wished him。
〃His love should love him dearly； or a better take her place。〃
〃Health to his side by day； sleep to his pillow by night。〃
A thousand good wishes came； like a torrent of fire； from her lips； with
a power that eclipsed his dreams of human eloquence； and then； changing
in a moment from the thunder of a Pythoness to the tender music of some
poetess mother； she ended：
〃An' oh； my boenny； boenny lad； may ye be wi' the rich upon the airth a'
your daysAND WI' THE PUIR IN THE WARLD TO COME！〃
His lordship's tongue refused him the thin phrases of society。
〃Farewell for the present；〃 said he； and he went quietly away。
He paced thoughtfully home。
He had drunk a fact with every sentence； and an idea with every fact。
For the knowledge we have never realized is not knowledge to usonly
knowledge's shadow。
With the banished duke； he now began to feel； 〃we are not alone unhappy。〃
This universal world contains other guess sorrows than yours；
viscount_scilicet_ than unvarying health； unbroken leisure； and
incalculable income。
Then this woman's eloquence！ bless me！ he had seen folk murmur politely
in the Upper House； and drone or hammer away at the Speaker down below；
with more heat than warmth。
He had seen nine hundred wild beasts fed with peppered tongue； in a
menagerie called _L'Assemble' Nationale。_
His ears had rung often enough； for
