donal grant-第7章

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days？　　They　wad　fain　tak　it　frae　the　Son　o'　Man；　wha's　the　lord　o'
't；　but　they　canna！〃

He　looked　up　over　the　old　shoe　with　eyes　that　flashed。

〃But　thenexcuse　me；〃　said　Donal；　〃why　shouldna　ye　haud　yer　face
til　't；　an'　work　openly；　i'　the　name　o'　God？〃

〃We're　telt　naither　to　du　oor　gude　warks　afore　men　to　be　seen　o'
them；　nor　yet　to　cast　oor　pearls　afore　swine。　　I　coont　cobblin'　your
shoes；　sir；　a　far　better　wark　nor　gaein'　to　the　kirk；　an'　I　wadna
hae't　seen　o'　men。　　Gien　I　war　warkin'　for　poverty；　it　wad　be
anither　thing。〃

This　last　Donal　did　not　understand；　but　learned　afterwards　what　the
cobbler　meant：　the　day　being　for　rest；　the　next　duty　to　helping
another　was　to　rest　himself。　　To　work　for　fear　of　starving　would　be
to　distrust　the　Father；　and　act　as　if　man　lived　by　bread　alone。

〃Whan　I　think　o'　't；〃　he　resumed　after　a　pause；　〃bein'　Sunday；　I'll
tak　them　hame　to　ye。　　Whaur　wull　ye　be？〃

〃That's　what　I　wad　fain　hae　ye　tell　me；〃　answered　Donal。　〃I　had
thoucht　to　put　up　at　the　Morven　Airms；　but　there's　something　I　dinna
like　aboot　the　lan'lord。　　Ken　ye　ony　dacent；　clean　place；　whaur　they
wad　gie　me　a　room　to　mysel'；　an'　no　seek　mair　nor　I　could　pey　them？〃

〃We　hae　a　bit　roomie　oorsel's；〃　said　the　cobbler；　〃at　the　service　o'
ony　dacent　wayfarin'　man　that　can　stan'　the　smell；　an'　put　up　wi'
oor　w'ys。　　For　peyment；　ye　can　pey　what　ye　think　it's　worth。　　We're
never　varra　partic'lar。〃

〃I　tak　yer　offer　wi'　thankfu'ness；〃　answered　Donal。

〃Weel；　gang　ye　in　at　that　door　jist　'afore　ye；　an'　ye'll　see　the
guidwifethere's　nane　ither　til　see。　　I　wad　gang　wi'　ye　mysel'；　but
I　canna；　wi'　this　shue　o'　yours　to　turn　intil　a　Sunday　ane！〃

Donal　went　to　the　door　indicated。　　It　stood　wide　open；　for　while　the
cobbler　sat　outside　at　his　work；　his　wife　would　never　shut　the　door。
He　knocked；　but　there　came　no　answer。

〃She's　some　dull　o'　hearin'；〃　said　the　cobbler；　and　called　her　by
his　own　name　for　her。

〃Doory！　　Doory！〃　he　said。

〃She　canna　be　that　deif　gien　she　hears　ye！〃　said　Donal；　for　he　spoke
hardly　louder　than　usual。

〃Whan　God　gies　you　a　wife；　may　she　be　ane　to　hear　yer　lichtest
word！〃　answered　the　cobbler。

Sure　enough；　he　had　scarcely　finished　the　sentence；　when　Doory
appeared　at　the　door。

〃Did　ye　cry；　guidman？〃　she　said。

〃Na；　Doory：　I　canna　say　I　cried；　but　I　spak；　an'　ye；　as　is　yer
custom；　hearkent　til　my　word！Here's　a　believin'　ladI'm　thinkin'
he　maun　be　a　gentleman；　but　I'm　no　sure；　it's　hard　for　a　cobbler　to
ken　a　gentleman　'at　comes　til　him　wantin'　shune；　but　he　may　be　a
gentleman　for　a'　that；　an'　there's　nae　hurry　to　ken。　　He's　welcome
to　me；　gien　he　be　welcome　to　you。　　Can　ye　gie　him　a　nicht's
lodgin'？〃

〃Weel　that！　an'　wi'　a'　my　hert！〃　said　Doory。　〃He's　welcome　to　what
we　hae。〃

Turning；　she　led　the　way　into　the　house。




CHAPTER　VI。

DOORY。

She　was　a　very　small；　spare　woman；　in　a　blue　print　with　little　white
spotsstraight；　not　bowed　like　her　husband。　　Otherwise　she　seemed
at　first　exactly　like　him。　　But　ere　the　evening　was　over；　Donal　saw
there　was　no　featural　resemblance　between　the　two　faces；　and　was
puzzled　to　understand　how　the　two　expressions　came　to　be　so　like：　as
they　sat　it　seemed　in　the　silence　as　if　they　were　the　same　person
thinking　in　two　shapes　and　two　places。

Following　the　old　woman；　Donal　ascended　a　steep　and　narrow　stair；
which　soon　brought　him　to　a　landing　where　was　light；　coming　mainly
through　green　leaves；　for　the　window　in　the　little　passage　was
filled　with　plants。　　His　guide　led　him　into　what　seemed　to　him　an
enchanting　roomhomely　enough　it　was；　but　luxurious　compared　to
what　he　had　been　accustomed　to。　　He　saw　white　walls　and　a　brown…hued
but　clean…swept　wooden　floor；　on　which　shone　a　keen…eyed　little　fire
from　a　low　grate。　　Two　easy　chairs；　covered　with　some　party…coloured
striped　stuff；　stood　one　on　each　side　of　the　fire。　　A　kettle　was
singing　on　the　hob。　　The　white　deal…table　was　set　for　teawith　a
fat　brown　teapot；　and　cups　of　a　gorgeous　pattern　in　bronze；　that
shone　in　the　firelight　like　red　gold。　　In　one　of　the　walls　was　a
box…bed。

〃I'll　lat　ye　see　what　accommodation　we　hae　at　yer　service；　sir；〃
said　Doory；　〃an'　gien　that'll　shuit　ye；　ye　s'　be　welcome。〃

So　saying；　she　opened　what　looked　like　the　door　of　a　cupboard　at　the
side　of　the　fireplace。　　It　disclosed　a　neat　little　parlour；　with　a
sweet　air　in　it。　　The　floor　was　sanded；　and　so　much　the　cleaner　than
if　it　had　been　carpeted。　　A　small　mahogany　table；　black　with　age；
stood　in　the　middle。　　On　a　side…table　covered　with　a　cloth　of　faded
green；　lay　a　large　family　bible；　behind　it　were　a　few　books　and　a
tea…caddy。　　In　the　side　of　the　wall　opposite　the　window；　was　again　a
box…bed。　　To　the　eyes　of　the　shepherd…born　lad；　it　looked　the　most
desirable　shelter　he　had　ever　seen。　　He　turned　to　his　hostess　and
said；

〃I'm　feart　it's　ower　guid　for　me。　　What　could　ye　lat　me　hae't　for　by
the　week？　　I　wad　fain　bide　wi'　ye；　but　whaur　an'　whan　I　may　get　wark
I　canna　tell；　sae　I　maunna　tak　it　ony　gait　for　mair　nor　a　week。〃

〃Mak　yersel'　at　ease　till　the　morn　be　by；〃　said　the　old　woman。　〃Ye
canna　du　naething　till　that　be　ower。　　Upo'　the　Mononday　mornin'　we
s'　haud　a　cooncil　thegitheryou　an'　me　an'　my　man：　I　can　du
naething　wantin'　my　man；　we　aye　pu'　thegither　or　no　at　a'。〃

Well　content；　and　with　hearty　thanks；　Donal　committed　his　present
fate　into　the　hands　of　the　humble　pair；　his　heaven…sent　helpers；　and
after　much　washing　and　brushing；　all　that　was　possible　to　him　in　the
way　of　dressing；　reappeared　in　the　kitchen。　　Their　tea　was　ready；
and　the　cobbler　seated　in　the　window　with　a　book　in　his　hand；
leaving　for　Donal　his　easy　chair。

〃I　canna　tak　yer　ain　cheir　frae　ye；〃　said　Donal。

〃Hoots！〃　returned　the　cobbler；　〃what's　onything　oors　for　but　to　gie
the　neeper　'at　stan's　i'　need　o'　't。〃

〃But　ye　hae　had　a　sair　day's　wark！〃

〃An'　you　a　sair　day's　traivel！〃

〃But　I'm　yoong！〃

〃An'　I'm　auld；　an'　my　labour　the　nearer　ower。〃

〃But　I'm　strong！〃

〃There's　nane　the　less　need　ye　sud　be　hauden　sae。　　Sit　ye　doon；　an'
wastena　yer　backbane。　　My　business　is　to　luik　to　the　bodies　o'　men；
an'　specially　to　their　puir　feet　'at　has　to　bide　the　weicht；　an'　get
sair　pressed　therein。　　Life　's　as　hard　upo'　the　feet　o'　a　man　as
upo'　ony　pairt　o'　'm！　　Whan　they　gang　wrang；　there　isna　muckle　to　be
dune　till　they　be　set　richt　again。　　I'm　sair　honourt；　I　say　to
mysel'　whiles；　to　be　set　ower　the　feet　o'　men。　　It's　a　fine
ministration！full　better　than　bein'　a　door…keeper　i'　the　hoose　o'
the　Lord！　　For　the　feet　'at　gang　oot　an'　in　at　it　's　mair　nor　the
door！〃

〃The　Lord　be　praist！〃　said　Donal　to　himself；　〃there's　mair　i'　the
warl'　like　my　father　an'　mither！〃

He　took　the　seat　appointed　him。

〃Come　to　the　table；　Anerew；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃gien　sae　be　ye　can
pairt　wi'　that　buik　o'　yours；　an'　lat　yer　sowl　gie　place　to　yer
boady's　richts。I　doobt；　sir；　gien　he　wad　ait　or　drink　gien　I　wasna
at　his　elbuck。〃

〃Doory；〃　returned　her　husband；　〃ye　canna　deny　I　gie　ye　a　bit　noo　an'
than；　specially　whan　I　come　upo'　onything　by　ord'nar'　tasty！〃

〃That　ye　du；　Anerew；　or　I　dinna　ken　what　wud　come　o'　my　sowl　ony
mair　nor　o'　your　boady！　　Sae　ye　see；　sir；　we're　like　John　Sprat　an'
his　wife：ye'll　ken　the　bairns'　say　aboot　them？〃

〃Ay；　fine　that；〃　replied　Donal。　〃Ye　couldna　weel　be　better　fittit。〃

〃God　grant　it！〃　she　said。　〃But　we　wad　fit　better　yet　gien　I　had　but
a　wheen　mair　brains。〃

〃The　Lord　kenned　what　brains　ye　had　whan　he　broucht　ye　thegither；〃
said　Donal。

〃Ye　never　uttert　a　truer　word；〃　replied　the　cobbler。　〃Gien　the　Lord
be　content　wi'　the　brains　he's　gien　ye；　an'　I　be　content　wi'　the
brains　ye　gie　me；　what　richt　hae　ye　to　be　discontentit　wi'　the
brains　ye　hae；　Doory？answer　me　that。　　But　I　s'　come　to　the
table。Wud　ye　alloo　me　to　speir　efter　yer　name；　sir？〃

〃My　name　's　Donal　Grant；〃　replied　Donal。

〃I　thank　ye；　sir；　an'　I'll　haud　it　in　respec'；〃　returned　the
cobbler。　〃Maister　Grant；　wull　ye　ask　a　blessin'？〃

〃I　wad　raither　j'in　i'　your　askin'；〃　replied　Donal。

The　cobbler　said　a　little　prayer；　and　then　they　began　to　eatfirst
of　oat…cakes；　baked　by　the　old　woman；　then　of　loaf…breid；　as　they
called　it。

〃I'm　so