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！
hae dune weel eneuch gin they wad only hae latten him be。 What for
maun men be aye drink…drinkin' at something or ither？ I never want
it。 Eh！ gin I war as young as whan he was born； I wad be up an'
awa' this verra nicht to luik for him。 But it's no use me tryin'
't。 O God！ ance mair I pray thee to turn him frae the error o' 's
ways afore he goes hence an' isna more。 And O dinna lat Robert gang
efter him； as he's like eneuch to do。 Gie me grace to haud him
ticht； that he may be to the praise o' thy glory for ever an' ever。
Amen。'
Whether it was that the weary woman here fell asleep； or that she
was too exhausted for further speech； Robert heard no more； though
he remained there frozen with horror for some minutes after his
grandmother had ceased。 This； then； was the reason why she would
never speak about his father！ She kept all her thoughts about him
for the silence of the night； and loneliness with the God who never
sleeps； but watches the wicked all through the dark。 And his father
was one of the wicked！ And God was against him！ And when he died
he would go to hell！ But he was not dead yet： Robert was sure of
that。 And when he grew a man； he would go and seek him； and beg him
on his knees to repent and come back to God； who would forgive him
then； and take him to heaven when he died。 And there he would be
good； and good people would love him。
Something like this passed through the boy's mind ere he moved to
creep from the room； for his was one of those natures which are
active in the generation of hope。 He had almost forgotten what he
came there for； and had it not been that he had promised Shargar； he
would have crept back to his bed and left him to bear his hunger as
best he could。 But now； first his right hand； then his left knee；
like any other quadruped； he crawled to the door； rose only to his
knees to open it； took almost a minute to the operation； then
dropped and crawled again； till he had passed out； turned； and drawn
the door to； leaving it slightly ajar。 Then it struck him awfully
that the same terrible passage must be gone through again。 But he
rose to his feet； for he had no shoes on； and there was little
danger of making any noise； although it was pitch darkhe knew the
house so well。 With gathering courage； he felt his way to the
kitchen； and there groped about； but he could find nothing beyond a
few quarters of oat…cake； which； with a mug of water； he proceeded
to carry up to Shargar in the garret。
When he reached the kitchen door； he was struck with amazement and
for a moment with fresh fear。 A light was shining into the transe
from the stair which went up at right angles from the end of it。 He
knew it could not be grannie； and he heard Betty snoring in her own
den； which opened from the kitchen。 He thought it must be Shargar
who had grown impatient； but how he had got hold of a light he could
not think。 As soon as he turned the corner； however； the doubt was
changed into mystery。 At the top of the broad low stair stood a
woman…form with a candle in her hand； gazing about her as if
wondering which way to go。 The light fell full upon her face； the
beauty of which was such that； with her dress； which was
whitebeing； in fact； a nightgownand her hair； which was hanging
loose about her shoulders and down to her waist； it led Robert at
once to the conclusion （his reasoning faculties already shaken by
the events of the night） that she was an angel come down to comfort
his grannie； and he kneeled involuntarily at the foot of the stair；
and gazed up at her； with the cakes in one hand； and the mug of
water in the other； like a meat…and…drink offering。 Whether he had
closed his eyes or bowed his head； he could not say； but he became
suddenly aware that the angel had vanishedhe knew not when； how；
or whither。 This for a time confirmed his assurance that it was an
angel。 And although he was undeceived before long； the impression
made upon him that night was never effaced。 But； indeed； whatever
Falconer heard or saw was something more to him than it would have
been to anybody else。
Elated； though awed； by the vision； he felt his way up the stair in
the new darkness； as if walking in a holy dream； trod as if upon
sacred ground as he crossed the landing where the angel had
stoodwent up and up； and found Shargar wide awake with expectant
hunger。 He； too； had caught a glimmer of the light。 But Robert did
not tell him what he had seen。 That was too sacred a subject to
enter upon with Shargar； and he was intent enough upon his supper
not to be inquisitive。
Robert left him to finish it at his leisure； and returned to cross
his grandmother's room once more； half expecting to find the angel
standing by her bedside。 But all was dark and still。 Creeping back
as he had come； he heard her quiet； though deep； breathing； and his
mind was at ease about her for the night。 What if the angel he had
surprised had only come to appear to grannie in her sleep？ Why not？
There were such stories in the Bible； and grannie was certainly as
good as some of the people in the Bible that saw angelsSarah； for
instance。 And if the angels came to see grannie； why should they
not have some care over his father as well？ It might bewho could
tell？
It is perhaps necessary to explain Robert's vision。 The angel was
the owner of the boxes he had seen at The Bear's Head。 Looking
around her room before going to bed； she had seen a trap in the
floor near the wall； and raising it； had discovered a few steps of a
stair leading down to a door。 Curiosity naturally led her to
examine it。 The key was in the lock。 It opened outwards； and there
she found herself； to her surprise； in the heart of another
dwelling； of lowlier aspect。 She never saw Robert； for while he
approached with shoeless feet； she had been glancing through the
open door of the gable…room； and when he knelt； the light which she
held in her hand had； I presume； hidden him from her。 He； on his
part； had not observed that the moveless door stood open at last。
I have already said that the house adjoining had been built by
Robert's father。 The lady's room was that which he had occupied
with his wife； and in it Robert had been born。 The door； with its
trap…stair； was a natural invention for uniting the levels of the
two houses； and a desirable one in not a few of the forms which the
weather assumed in that region。 When the larger house passed into
other hands； it had never entered the minds of the simple people who
occupied the contiguous dwellings； to build up the doorway between。
CHAPTER IX。
A DISCOVERY。
The friendship of Robert had gained Shargar the favourable notice of
others of the school…public。 These were chiefly of those who came
from the country； ready to follow an example set them by a town boy。
When his desertion was known； moved both by their compassion for
him； and their respect for Robert； they began to give him some
portion of the dinner they brought with them； and never in his life
had Shargar fared so well as for the first week after he had been
cast upon the world。 But in proportion as their interest faded with
the novelty； so their appetites reasserted former claims of use and
wont； and Shargar began once more to feel the pangs of hunger。 For
all that Robert could manage to procure for him without attracting
the attention he was so anxious to avoid； was little more than
sufficient to keep his hunger alive； Shargar being gifted with a
great appetite； and Robert having no allowance of pocket…money from
his grandmother。 The threepence he had been able to spend on him
were what remained of sixpence Mr。 Innes had given him for an
exercise which he wrote in blank verse instead of in prosean
achievement of which the school…master was proud； both from his
reverence for Milton； and from his inability to compose a metrical
line himself。 And how and when he should ever possess another penny
was even unimaginable。 Shargar's shilling was likewise spent。 So
Robert could but go on pocketing instead of eating all that he
dared； watching anxiously for opportunity of evading the eyes of his
grandmother。 On her dimness of sight； however； he depended too
confidently after all； for either she was not so blind as he thought
she was； or she made up for the defect of her vision by the keenness
of her observation。 She saw enough to cause her considerable
annoyance； though it suggested nothing inconsistent with rectitude
on the part of the boy； further than that there was something
underhand going on。 One supposition after another arose in the old
lady's brain； and one after another was dismissed as improbable。
First； she tried to persuade herself that he wanted to take the
provisions to school with him； and eat them therea proceeding of
which she certainly did not approve； but for the reproof of which
she was