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in the white and green of a little boat； as we lay； one bright
morning； on the banks of the Thames between Richmond and Twickenham；
led to such a description of the bleachfield that I can write about
it as if I had known it myself。
One Saturday afternoon in the end of July； when the westering sun
was hotter than at midday； he went down to the lower end of the
field； where the river was confined by a dam； and plunged from the
bank into deep water。 After a swim of half…an…hour； he ascended the
higher part of the field； and lay down upon a broad web to bask in
the sun。 In his ears was the hush rather than rush of the water
over the dam； the occasional murmur of a belt of trees that skirted
the border of the field； and the dull continuous sound of the
beatles at their work below； like a persistent growl of thunder on
the horizon。
Had Robert possessed a copy of Robinson Crusoe； or had his
grandmother not cast The Lady of the Lake； mistaking it for an idol；
if not to the moles and the bats； yet to the mice and the
black…beetles； he might have been lying reading it； blind and deaf
to the face and the voice of Nature； and years might have passed
before a response awoke in his heart。 It is good that children of
faculty； as distinguished from capacity； should not have too many
books to read； or too much of early lessoning。 The increase of
examinations in our country will increase its capacity and diminish
its faculty。 We shall have more compilers and reducers and fewer
thinkers； more modifiers and completers； and fewer inventors。
He lay gazing up into the depth of the sky； rendered deeper and
bluer by the masses of white cloud that hung almost motionless below
it； until he felt a kind of bodily fear lest he should fall off the
face of the round earth into the abyss。 A gentle wind； laden with
pine odours from the sun…heated trees behind him； flapped its light
wing in his face： the humanity of the world smote his heart； the
great sky towered up over him； and its divinity entered his soul； a
strange longing after something 'he knew not nor could name' awoke
within him； followed by the pang of a sudden fear that there was no
such thing as that which he sought； that it was all a fancy of his
own spirit； and then the voice of Shargar broke the spell； calling
to him from afar to come and see a great salmon that lay by a stone
in the water。 But once aroused； the feeling was never stilled； the
desire never left him； sometimes growing even to a passion that was
relieved only by a flood of tears。
Strange as it may sound to those who have never thought of such
things save in connection with Sundays and Bibles and churches and
sermons； that which was now working in Falconer's mind was the first
dull and faint movement of the greatest need that the human heart
possessesthe need of the God…Man。 There must be truth in the scent
of that pine…wood： some one must mean it。 There must be a glory in
those heavens that depends not upon our imagination： some power
greater than they must dwell in them。 Some spirit must move in that
wind that haunts us with a kind of human sorrow； some soul must look
up to us from the eye of that starry flower。 It must be something
human； else not to us divine。
Little did Robert think that such was his needthat his soul was
searching after One whose form was constantly presented to him； but
as constantly obscured and made unlovely by the words without
knowledge spoken in the religious assemblies of the land； that he
was longing without knowing it on the Saturday for that from which
on the Sunday he would be repelled without knowing it。 Years passed
before he drew nigh to the knowledge of what he sought。
For weeks the mood broken by the voice of his companion did not
return； though the forms of Nature were henceforth full of a
pleasure he had never known before。 He loved the grass； the water
was more gracious to him； he would leave his bed early； that he
might gaze on the clouds of the east； with their borders
gold…blasted with sunrise； he would linger in the fields that the
amber and purple； and green and red； of the sunset； might not escape
after the sun unseen。 And as long as he felt the mystery； the
revelation of the mystery lay before and not behind him。
And Shargarhad he any soul for such things？ Doubtless； but how
could he be other than lives behind Robert？ For the latter had
ancestorsthat is； he came of people with a mental and spiritual
history； while the former had been born the birth of an animal； of a
noble sire； whose family had for generations filled the earth with
fire； famine； slaughter； and licentiousness； and of a wandering
outcast mother； who blindly loved the fields and woods； but retained
her affection for her offspring scarcely beyond the period while she
suckled them。 The love of freedom and of wild animals that she had
given him； however； was far more precious than any share his male
ancestor had borne in his mental constitution。 After his fashion he
as well as Robert enjoyed the sun and the wind and the water and the
sky； but he had sympathies with the salmon and the rooks and the
wild rabbits even stronger than those of Robert。
CHAPTER XIX。
ROBERT STEALS HIS OWN。
The period of the hairst…play； that is； of the harvest holiday time；
drew near； and over the north of Scotland thousands of half…grown
hearts were beating with glad anticipation。 Of the usual devices of
boys to cheat themselves into the half…belief of expediting a
blessed approach by marking its rate； Robert knew nothing： even the
notching of sticks was unknown at Rothieden； but he had a mode
notwithstanding。 Although indifferent to the games of his
school…fellows； there was one amusement； a solitary one nearly； and
therein not so good as most amusements； into which he entered with
the whole energy of his nature： it was kite…flying。 The moment that
the hairst…play approached near enough to strike its image through
the eyes of his mind； Robert proceeded to make his kite； or draigon；
as he called it。 Of how many pleasures does pocket…money deprive
the unfortunate possessor！ What is the going into a shop and buying
what you want； compared with the gentle delight of hours and days
filled with gaining effort after the attainment of your end？ Never
boy that bought his kite； even if the adornment thereafter lay in
his own hands； and the pictures were gorgeous with colour and
gilding； could have half the enjoyment of Robert from the moment he
went to the cooper's to ask for an old gird or hoop； to the moment
when he said 'Noo； Shargar！' and the kite rose slowly from the depth
of the a？rial flood。 The hoop was carefully examined； the best
portion cut away from it； that pared to a light strength； its ends
confined to the proper curve by a string； and then away went Robert
to the wright's shop。 There a slip of wood； of proper length and
thickness； was readily granted to his request； free as the daisies
of the field。 Oh！ those horrid town conditions； where nothing is
given for the asking； but all sold for money！ In Robert's kite the
only thing that cost money was the string to fly it with； and that
the grandmother willingly provided； for not even her ingenuity could
discover any evil； direct or implicated； in kite…flying。 Indeed； I
believe the old lady felt not a little sympathy with the exultation
of the boy when he saw his kite far aloft； diminished to a speck in
the vast blue； a sympathy； it may be； rooted in the religious
aspirations which she did so much at once to rouse and to suppress
in the bosom of her grandchild。 But I have not yet reached the
kite…flying； for I have said nothing of the kite's tail； for the
sake of which principally I began to describe the process of its
growth。
As soon as the body of the dragon was completed； Robert attached to
its spine the string which was to take the place of its caudal
elongation； and at a proper distance from the body joined to the
string the first of the cross…pieces of folded paper which in this
animal represent the continued vertebral processes。 Every morning；
the moment he issued from his chamber； he proceeded to the garret
where the monster lay； to add yet another joint to his tail； until
at length the day should arrive when； the lessons over for a blessed
eternity of five or six weeks； he would tip the whole with a piece
of wood； to which grass； quantum suff。； might be added from the
happy fields。
Upon this occasion the dragon was a monster one。 With a little help
from Shargar； he had laid the skeleton of a six…foot specimen； and
had carried the body to a satisfactory completion。
The tail was still growing； having as yet only sixteen joints； when
Mr。 Lammie called with an invitation for the boys to spend their
holidays with him。 It was fortunate for Robert that he was in the
room when Mr。 Lammie presented his