按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
indignation ere he had said his say； now made haste。
'She's been a servant wi' Dr。 Anderson for four year noo； an' he's
sair pleased wi' her。 She's a fine woman。 But her bairnie's deid；
an' that was a sair blow till her。'
He heard a sob from the mother； but still John made no sign。
'It was a bonnie bairnie as ever ye saw。 It luikit in her face； she
says； as gin it kent a' aboot it； and had only come to help her
throu the warst o' 't； for it gaed hame 'maist as sune's ever she
was richt able to thank God for sen'in' her sic an angel to lead her
to repentance。'
'John；' said his wife； coming behind his chair； and laying her hand
on his shoulder； 'what for dinna ye speyk？ Ye hear what Maister
Faukner says。Ye dinna think a thing's clean useless 'cause there
may be a spot upo' 't？' she added； wiping her eyes with her apron。
'A spot upo' 't？' cried John； starting to his feet。 'What ca' ye a
spot？Wuman； dinna drive me mad to hear ye lichtlie the glory o'
virginity。'
'That's a' verra weel； John；' interposed Robert quietly； 'but there
was ane thocht as muckle o' 't as ye do； an' wad hae been ashamed to
hear ye speak that gait aboot yer ain dauchter'
'I dinna unnerstan' ye；' returned Hewson； looking raised…like at
him。
'Dinna ye ken； man； that amo' them 'at kent the Lord best whan he
cam frae haiven to luik efter his ainto seek and to save； ye
kenamo' them 'at cam roon aboot him to hearken till 'im； was
lasses 'at had gane the wrang gait a'thegither；no like your bonnie
Jessie 'at fell but ance。 Man； ye're jist like Simon the Pharisee；
'at was sae scunnert at oor Lord 'cause he loot the wuman 'at was a
sinner tak her wull o' 's feetthe feet 'at they war gaein' to tak
their wull o' efter anither fashion afore lang。 He wad hae shawn
her the doorSimon wadlike you； John； but the Lord tuik her
pairt。 An' lat me tell you； Johnan' I winna beg yer pardon for
sayin' 't； for it's God's trowthlat me tell you； 'at gin ye gang
on that gait ye'll be sidin' wi' the Pharisee； an' no wi' oor Lord。
Ye may lippen to yer wife； ay； an' to Jessie hersel'； that kens
better nor eyther o' ye； no to mak little o' virginity。 Faith！ they
think mair o' 't than ye do； I'm thinkin'； efter a'； only it's no a
thing to say muckle aboot。 An' it's no to stan' for a'thing； efter
a'。'
Silence followed。 John sat down again； and buried his face in his
hands。 At length he murmured from between them；
'The lassie's weel？'
'Ay；' answered Robert； and silence followed again。
'What wad ye hae me do？' asked John； lifting his head a little。
'I wad hae ye sen' a kin' word till her。 The lassie's hert's jist
longin' efter ye。 That's a'。 And that's no ower muckle。'
''Deed no；' assented the mother。
John said nothing。 But when his visitor rose he bade him a warm
good…night。
When Robert returned to Aberdeen he was the bearer of such a message
as made poor Jessie glad at heart。 This was his first experience of
the sort。
When he left the cottage； he did not return to the house； but
threaded the little forest of pines； climbing the hill till he came
out on its bare crown； where nothing grew but heather and
blaeberries。 There he threw himself down； and gazed into the
heavens。 The sun was below the horizon； all the dazzle was gone out
of the gold； and the roses were fast fading； the downy blue of the
sky was trembling into stars over his head； the brown dusk was
gathering in the air； and a wind full of gentleness and peace came
to him from the west。 He let his thoughts go where they would； and
they went up into the abyss over his head。
'Lord； come to me；' he cried in his heart； 'for I cannot go to thee。
If I were to go up and up through that awful space for ages and
ages； I should never find thee。 Yet there thou art。 The tenderness
of thy infinitude looks upon me from those heavens。 Thou art in
them and in me。 Because thou thinkest； I think。 I am thineall
thine。 I abandon myself to thee。 Fill me with thyself。 When I am
full of thee； my griefs themselves will grow golden in thy sunlight。
Thou holdest them and their cause； and wilt find some nobler
atonement between them than vile forgetfulness and the death of
love。 Lord； let me help those that are wretched because they do not
know thee。 Let me tell them that thou； the Life； must needs suffer
for and with them； that they may be partakers of thy ineffable
peace。 My life is hid in thine： take me in thy hand as Gideon bore
the pitcher to the battle。 Let me be broken if need be； that thy
light may shine upon the lies which men tell them in thy name； and
which eat away their hearts。'
Having persuaded Shargar to remain with Mrs。 Falconer for a few
days； and thus remove the feeling of offence she still cherished
because of his 'munelicht flittin'；' he returned to Dr。 Anderson；
who now unfolded his plans for him。 These were； that he should
attend the medical classes common to the two universities； and at
the same time accompany him in his visits to the poor。 He did not
at all mean； he said； to determine Robert's life as that of a
medical man； but from what he had learned of his feelings； he was
confident that a knowledge of medicine would be invaluable to him。
I think the good doctor must have foreseen the kind of life which
Falconer would at length choose to lead； and with true and admirable
wisdom； sought to prepare him for it。 However this may be； Robert
entertained the proposal gladly； went into the scheme with his whole
heart； and began to widen that knowledge of and sympathy with the
poor which were the foundation of all his influence over them。
For a time； therefore； he gave a diligent and careful attendance
upon lectures； read sufficiently； took his rounds with Dr。 Anderson；
and performed such duties as he delegated to his greater strength。
Had the healing art been far less of an enjoyment to him than it
was； he could yet hardly have failed of great progress therein； but
seeing that it accorded with his best feelings； profoundest
theories； and loftiest hopes； and that he received it as a work
given him to do； it is not surprising that a certain faculty of
cure； almost partaking of the instinctive； should have been rapidly
developed in him； to the wonder and delight of his friend and
master。
In this labour he again spent about four years； during which time he
gathered much knowledge of human nature； learning especially to
judge it from no stand…point of his own； but in every individual
case to take a new position whence the nature and history of the man
should appear in true relation to the yet uncompleted result。 He
who cannot feel the humanity of his neighbour because he is
different from himself in education； habits； opinions； morals；
circumstances； objects； is unfit； if not unworthy； to aid him。
Within this period Shargar had gone out to India； where he had
distinguished himself particularly on