The first few weeks of the Sudberrys’ residence in their Highland1 home were of an April cast—alternate sunshine and shower. Sometimes they had a day of beaming light from morning till night; at other times they had a day of unmitigated rain, or, as Mr Sudberry called it, “a day of cats and dogs;” and occasionally they had a day which embraced within its own circuit both conditions of weather—glorious bursts of sunshine alternating with sudden plumps of rain.
“Did I not tell you, my love, that the climate was charming?” was Mr Sudberry’s triumphant4 remark when a dazzling blaze of light would roll over flood and fell, and chase the clouds away.
“There, didn’t I say so?” was the withering5 rejoinder of Mrs Sudberry, when a black cloud rolled over the sky and darkened the landscape as with a wipe of ink.
Hitherto victory leaned decidedly to neither side, the smile of triumph and the humbled7 aspect of defeat rested alternate on either countenance8, so that both faces taken together formed a sort of contradictory9 human barometer10, which was not a bad one—at all events it was infinitely11 superior to that instrument of the banjo type, which Mr Sudberry was perpetually tapping in order to ascertain12 whether or not its tendencies were dropsical.
When father was up at “set fair,” mother was certain to be depressed13, inclining to much rain; yet, strangely enough, it was on such occasions very dry! When mother was “fair,” (barometrically speaking, of course), father was naturally down at “changeable”! Yet there was wonderful contradiction in the readings of this barometer; for, when mother’s countenance indicated “much rain,” father sometimes went down to “stormy,” and the tails of his coat became altogether unmanageable.
But, towards the middle of the holidays, father gained a decided6 victory. For three weeks together they had not a drop of rain—scarcely a cloud in the sky; and mother, although fairly beaten and obliged to confess that it was indeed splendid weather, met her discomfiture14 with a good grace, and enjoyed herself extremely, in a quiet way.
During this bright period the Sudberry Family, one and all, went ahead, as George said, “at a tremendous pace.” The compasses having arrived, Mr Sudberry no longer laid restrictions15 on the wandering propensities16 of his flock but, having given a compass to each, and taught them all the use of it, sent them abroad upon the unexplored ocean of hills without fear. Even Jacky received a compass, with strict injunctions to take good care of it. Being naturally of an inquiring disposition17, he at once took it to pieces, and this so effectually that he succeeded in analysing it into a good many more pieces than its fabricator had ever dreamed of. To put it together again would have taxed the ingenuity18 of the same fabricator—no wonder that it was beyond the power of Jacky altogether. But this mattered nothing to the “little darling,” as he did not understand his father’s learned explanation of the uses of the instrument. To do Mr Sudberry justice, he had not expected that his boy could understand him; but he was aware that if he, Jacky, did not get a compass as well as the rest of them, there would be no peace in the White House during that season. Moreover, Jacky did not care whether he should get lost or not. In fact, he rather relished19 it; for he knew that it would create a pleasant excitement for a time in the household, and he entertained the firm belief that McAllister and his men could find any creature on the hills, man or beast, no matter how hopelessly it should be lost.
There being, then, no limit to the wanderings of the Sudberrys, they one and all gave themselves over deliberately20 to a spirit of riotous21 rambling22. Of course they all, on various occasions, lost themselves, despite the compasses; but, having become experienced mountaineers, they always took good care to find themselves again before sunset. George and Fred candidly23 declared that they preferred to steer24 by “dead reckoning,” and left their compasses at home. Lucy always carried hers, and frequently consulted it, especially when in her father’s presence, for she was afflicted25, poor girl, with that unfashionable weakness, an earnest desire to please her father even in trifles. Nevertheless, she privately26 confided27 to Fred one day that she was often extremely puzzled by her compass, and that she had grave doubts as to whether, on a certain occasion, when she had gone for a long ramble28 with Hector and Flora29 Macdonald, and been lost, the blame of that disaster was not due to her compass. Fred said he thought it was, and believed that it would be the means of compassing her final disappearance30 from the face of the earth if she trusted to it so much.
As for Mr Sudberry himself; his faith in the compass was equal to that of any mariner31. The worthy32 man was, or believed himself to be, (which is the same thing, you know!) of profoundly scientific tendencies. He was aware, of course, that he had never really studied any science whatever; but he had dabbled33 in a number of them, and he felt that he had immense capacity for deep thought and subtle investigation34. His mind was powerfully analytical—that’s what it was. One consequence of this peculiarity36 of mind was that he “took his bearings” on short and known distances, as well as on long venturesome rambles37; he tested himself and his compass, as it were.
One day he had walked out alone in the direction of the village, four miles distant from the White House, whence the family derived38 their supplies. He had set out with his rod, (he never walked near the river without his rod), intending to take a cast in what he styled the “lower pools.” By degrees he fished so near to the village that he resolved to push forward and purchase a few books. Depositing rod and basket among the bushes, he walked smartly along the road, having previously39, as a matter of course, taken his bearings from the village by compass. A flock of sheep met him, gazed at him in evident surprise, and passed on. At their heels came the collie dog, with his tongue out. It bestowed40 a mild, intelligent glance on the stranger, and also passed on. Close behind the dog came the shepherd, with plaid bonnet41 and thick stick.
“A fine day, friend,” said Mr Sudberry.
“Oo, ay, it is a fine day.”
He also passed on.
Another turn in the road, and Mr Sudberry met a drove of shaggy cattle, each cow of which looked sturdy and fierce enough for any ordinary bull; while the bull himself was something awful to look upon. There is nothing ladylike or at all feminine in the aspect of a Highland cow!
Mr Sudberry politely stepped to one side, and made way for them. Many of the animals paused for an instant, and gazed at the Englishman with profound gravity, and then went on their way with an air that showed they evidently could make nothing of him. The drover thought otherwise, for he stopped.
“Coot-tay to you, sir.”
“Good-day, friend, good-day. Splendid weather for the—for the—”
Mr Sudberry did not know exactly for which department of agriculture the weather was most favourable42, so he said—“for the cattle.”
“Oo, ay, the w’ather’s no that ill. Can she tell the time o’ day?”
Out came the compass.
“West-nor’-west, and by—Oh! I beg your pardon,” (pulling out his watch and replacing the compass), “a quarter-past two.”
The drover passed on, and Mr Sudberry, chuckling43 at his mistake, took the bearings of a tall pine that grew on a distant knoll44.
On gaining the outskirts45 of the village, Mr Sudberry felt a sensation of hunger, and instantly resolved to purchase a bun, which article he had now learned to call by its native name of “cookie.” At the same instant a bright idea struck him—he would steer for the baker’s shop by compass! He knew the position of the shop exactly—the milestone46 gave him the distance—he would lay his course for it. He would walk conscientiously47 with his eyes on the ground, except when it was necessary to refer to the compass, and he would not raise them until he stood within the shop. It would be a triumphant exhibition of the practical purposes, in a small way, to which the instrument might be applied48.
Full of this idea, he took a careful observation of the compass, the sun, and surrounding nature; laid his course for the baker’s shop, which was on the right side of the village, and walked straight into the butcher’s, which lay on its left extremity49. He was so much put out on lifting his eyes to those of the butcher, that he ordered a leg of mutton and six pounds of beefsteaks on the spot. The moment after, he recollected50 that two legs of mutton and a round of beef had been forwarded to the White House by coach the day before, and that there was a poached brace2 of moor-fowl in the larder51 at that moment; but, having given the order in a prompt, business tone of voice, he felt that he lacked moral courage to rescind52 it.
“Ye’ll ha’e frien’s comin’ to veesit ye,” observed the butcher, who was gifted with a peculiar35 and far-sighted faculty53 of “putting that and that together.”
“Ay? Hum! it’s wonderfu’ what an appeteet the hill air gives to strangers.”
“A tremendous appetite! Good-day, friend.”
Mr Sudberry said this heartily56, and went off to the baker’s—by dead reckoning—discomfited but chuckling.
The butcher pondered and philosophised over the subject the remainder of the afternoon with much curiosity, but with no success. Had the wisdom of Plato been mingled57 with his Scotch58 philosophy, the compound reduced to an essential oil of investigative profundity59, and brought to bear on the subject in question, he would have signally failed to discover the reason of the Sudberrys’ larder being crammed60 that week with an unreasonable61 quantity of butcher-meat.
Yes! during these three weeks of sunshine the Sudberrys made hay of their time as diligently62 as the McAllisters made hay of their grass, and the compasses played a prominent part in all their doings, and led them into many scrapes. Among other things, they led them to Glen Ogle63. More of this in the next chapter.
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1
highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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2
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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3
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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4
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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6
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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7
humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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8
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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9
contradictory
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| adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立 | |
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10
barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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11
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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12
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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13
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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14
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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15
restrictions
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| 约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则） | |
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16
propensities
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| n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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19
relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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21
riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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22
rambling
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| adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的 | |
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candidly
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| adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地 | |
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24
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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25
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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28
ramble
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| v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延 | |
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29
flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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30
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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31
mariner
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| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
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32
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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33
dabbled
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| v.涉猎( dabble的过去式和过去分词 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资 | |
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34
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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35
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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rambles
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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38
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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40
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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42
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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43
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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44
knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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45
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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46
milestone
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| n.里程碑；划时代的事件 | |
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47
conscientiously
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| adv.凭良心地；认真地，负责尽职地；老老实实 | |
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48
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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49
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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50
recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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52
rescind
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| v.废除，取消 | |
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53
faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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54
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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55
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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56
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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57
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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58
scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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profundity
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| n.渊博；深奥，深刻 | |
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60
crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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61
unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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62
diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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63
ogle
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| v.看；送秋波；n.秋波，媚眼 | |
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