“Noo, Donald,” said Souter briskly, “play us something lively.”
“Aye, I’ll play ye the Highland6 Fling, Souter Johnny, an’ ye can dance. Come alang noo,” and he started to play vigorously, keeping time with his foot.
“Aye, get out on the floor, Souter,” said Gilbert, pulling him out of his chair.
“Go alang wi’ ye, mon,” retorted Mrs. Burns encouragingly; “a Scotsman, and a Highlander8 besides, is ne’er too old to——”
“To learn,” interrupted Gilbert brightly, swinging the old man to the middle of the floor. “Let her go.”
“I havena danced for years,” said Souter apologetically. Carefully knocking the ashes out of his pipe he deposited it in the pocket of his capacious[122] waistcoat and proceeded to divest9 himself of his coat. “Ye ken10 I was the champion dancer of my clan11, Clan McDougal, when I was a young lad,” he announced boastingly. “An’ mony a time I have cheered an’ amused the lads, while tentin’ on the fields of Culloden, before the big battle. An’ that reminds me o’ a guid——”
“Never mind the story,” said Gilbert impatiently. “Gie us a dance.”
After a few preliminary movements Souter caught the swinging measure of the dance, and once started he limbered up surprisingly. On he danced nimbly, and untiringly, soon ably proving to his delighted audience that he had not forgotten his old-time accomplishment12. “I’ll show these Lowlanders what a Highlander can do,” thought the old man proudly. Panting with excitement and eagerness he failed to hear the metallic13 patter of horses’ hoofs14 drawing near the cottage. Nearer and nearer they came unheeded by all save one.
From his seat by the fireplace, where he sat in melancholy16 silence, Robert heard the sound, but gave it no heed15. Suddenly it ceased. He raised his head to listen. Someone had surely stopped at the gate, he thought, straining his ears eagerly, but the noise of the fiddle and the dancing drowned all sound from without. He glanced quickly at the smiling faces of the others as they good-naturally watched the dancer. “I must hae been mistaken,” he muttered[123] uneasily. Suddenly he leaned forward, grasping his chair hard; surely he had heard his name faintly called. He listened intently. Yes, there it was again; this time the voice was nearer. A woman’s voice, too. What could it mean? He rose to his feet, his heart thumping18 fiercely, his muscles alert and tense, his eyes fixed19 on the door, his mind filled with gloomy presentiment20.
At that moment an imperative21 knock sounded loudly through the room, and almost at the same time the door flew open violently, and Jean Armour22 impetuously dashed in. Closing the door quickly behind her she leaned back against it, pale and exhausted23. Her riding habit of green and gold was splashed and discolored with mud. The large hat with its gleaming white plume24 hung limply over her shoulder, while her black disheveled hair streamed over her face and down her back in bewildering confusion. She had evidently ridden fast and furious, for she stood there with her eyes closed, her hand on her heart, gasping25 for breath.
Quickly Mrs. Burns led the exhausted girl to a seat. In a few moments she raised her drooping26 head and with wild frightened eyes searched the room till her gaze fell on Robert, who was leaning white and speechless against the fireplace, a great fear in his heart.
She rose quickly and going to him said in a tense, rapid whisper, “Robert, my father knows all, but[124] through no fault of mine. Some idle gossip reached his ear to-day, and when he returned home and learned my condition his rage was terrible. He cursed you like a madman, and would have done me bodily harm had I remained within sight. But I feared for my life, and fled before I had explained the truth to him. I have come to you to protect me.”
He listened to her in stony27 silence. The blow had fallen so suddenly, so unexpectedly, it found him totally unprepared to ward17 off its paralyzing effects. He tried to speak, but the words refused to leave his parched28 tongue. He felt benumbed and cold, all the blood in his body seeming to have suddenly congealed29. As he stood there with the eyes of all riveted30 upon him he felt like the veriest criminal that walked the earth.
For a moment there was a tense silence. Jean stood there anxiously gazing into Robert’s stricken face, as he vainly strove to utter a sound. Mary had watched the little scene before her in growing wonder and alarm and now leaned back against the wall, her heart beating with some unknown, nameless fear. What did this highborn lady want with her laddie? she asked herself jealously.
“‘She is my wife, mither.’”
Mrs. Burns stood grimly waiting for some explanation of the scene she had just witnessed, but had not heard nor understood. “Robert, my son,” she said finally, her voice cold and firm, “what does Squire31 Armour’s daughter want of ye?” There[125] was no answer. “What is she to ye, Robert?” she sternly insisted. Slowly he raised his head. As she saw his wild and haggard face, from which all the life and youth had fled, she started back in horror, a startled exclamation32 on her lips.
With a despairing, heart-broken look at Mary’s wondering face, he bowed his head and falteringly33 uttered the fatal words, “She is my wife, mither.”
Had a thunderbolt from a clear sky unroofed the humble34 cot, it would not have created the consternation35, the terror which those few words struck to those loving hearts.
Mrs. Burns was the first to rally from the shock. “Your wife?” she repeated incredulously, looking from one to the other.
With a cry of grief and pain Mary sank weak and trembling into a chair, like a deer wounded unto death. She gazed at them heart-brokenly, while her little hands nervously36 fluttered about her face. No, no, he could not mean it. They were only joking, surely. “Not that, Robbie, ye dinna mean that, dearie?” she gasped37 piteously, holding out a beseeching38 hand to him. His bowed head bent39 lower.
“Do ye mean ye have legally married this lass?” asked Gilbert eagerly. Mary would be free then, he thought wildly. Free to be wooed and won.
“We were married a few weeks ago,” answered Robert dully. “I had not the courage to tell ye before.”
[126]
“Besides,” interposed Jean, arranging her disordered toilet, “I wished to keep the marriage from my father for a—a time.” She blushed crimson40.
“I willna believe my son ever married ye of his own free will,” cried Mrs. Burns bitterly, “fine rich lady that ye are. He loves only that sweet lass, Mary Campbell.” Quickly she reached Mary’s side, and, raising the stricken child in her motherly arms, she kissed her tenderly and pressed the golden head gently against her loving heart.
Jean looked at them, a look of resentment41 in her flashing eyes. “I know that full well,” she answered sullenly42. “I know Robert hasn’t married me because he wanted to, but because——” she looked down shame-faced. “Because there was no alternative. Now you know the truth,” she concluded bitterly.
“Ye shameless creature!” cried Mrs. Burns, her eyes blazing with indignation. “Ye have trapped him into this marriage, but ye shall na stay beneath this roof, ye limmer,” and she glared at the flushed defiant43 girl in righteous anger.
“Mither, mither!” cried Robert distractedly, “dinna, for God’s sake; she is my wife in truth, an’ she must stay wi’ me noo till I can prepare anither hame for her. Dinna make it harder for me.” He gazed pleadingly in his mother’s stern and angry face.
Mary pressed her lips to the quivering cheek. “Mistress Burns,” she said softly, “what is to be,[127] will be. I forgive them both wi’ all my heart.” She paused and sighed with gentle resignation. Then she continued, “An’—an’ I hope they will both find peace in their new life.” She turned quietly to Jean, who was nervously tapping her whip against her skirt. “I ken ye’ll make Robert a good wife,” she said earnestly. “So dinna let any thought o’ me sadden your heart, or—or yours, Robert.” She turned and looked at him tenderly. “I—I forgive ye,” she whispered. Turning to Mrs. Burns again, she continued pleadingly, “Ye must welcome Robert’s wife to her new hame, Mistress Burns. We all maun make this a merry hame-comin’ for—the—bride.” Her plaintive44 voice broke abruptly45, and the burning tears welled up to her eyes, but she dashed them quickly away and continued bravely, a pathetic little smile hovering46 about her trembling lips, “I’ll go out noo an’ make some fresh tea for ye, and ye’ll all stay right here, till I come back, an’ Donald shall play for ye again—an’ we’ll—all—be—sae merry—won’t w-we? I’ll bring it w-when—it’s quite—ready.” She smiled at them through her tears. Then she took the teapot from the dresser and softly left the room.
“God bless her brave and noble heart,” breathed Robert brokenly.
As she left the room Mrs. Burns drew herself sternly erect47, and after a moment’s hesitation48 turned slowly to Jean. “I bid ye welcome to Mossgiel Farm,” she said coldly. “I am sorry I spoke49 so[128] bitterly to ye just noo. I—I will try to love ye as Robert’s wife, but noo I—I can only think o’ Mary an’ her sorrow. I’ll leave ye for a bit; Mary may need me.” Her voice faltered50 and broke, and with a sob51 of grief she hurriedly left the room.
[129]
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1
meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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discordantly
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| adv.不一致地，不和谐地 | |
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tuned
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| adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调 | |
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5
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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highlander
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| n.高地的人，苏格兰高地地区的人 | |
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9
divest
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| v.脱去，剥除 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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14
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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25
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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26
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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27
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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29
congealed
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| v.使凝结，冻结( congeal的过去式和过去分词 )；（指血）凝结 | |
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30
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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31
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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32
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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falteringly
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| 口吃地，支吾地 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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38
beseeching
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| adj.恳求似的v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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41
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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42
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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43
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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45
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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46
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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47
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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48
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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49
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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50
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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51
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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