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2016 年 10 月 26 日 星期三  |
| Tis a serious job |
分類: 未分類 |
"Ever since her aunt altered her mind, and said she might have the man after all," replied Humphrey, without removing his eyes from the fire. He was a somewhat solemn young fellow, and carried the hook and leather gloves of a furze-cutter, his legs, by reason of that occupation, being sheathed in bulging leggings as stiff as the Philistine's greaves of brass. "That's why they went away to be married, I count. You see, after kicking up such a nunny-watch and forbidding the banns 'twould have made Mis'ess Yeobright seem foolish-like to have a banging wedding in the same parish all as if she'd never gainsaid it."
"Exactly--seem foolish-like; and that's very bad for the poor things that be so, though I only guess as much, to be sure," said Grandfer Cantle, still strenuously preserving a sensible bearing and mien.
"Ah, well, I was at church that day," said Fairway, "which was a very curious thing to happen."
"If 'twasn't my name's Simple," said the Grandfer emphatically. "I ha'n't been there to-year; and now the winter is a-coming on I won't say I shall."
"I ha'n't been these three years," said Humphrey; "for I'm so dead sleepy of a Sunday; and 'tis so terrible far to get there; and when you do get there 'tis such a mortal poor chance that you'll be chose for up above, when so many bain't, that I bide at home and don't go at all."
"I not only happened to be there," said Fairway, with a fresh collection of emphasis, "but I was sitting in the same pew as Mis'ess Yeobright. And though you may not see it as such, it fairly made my blood run cold to hear her. Yes, it is a curious thing; but it made my blood run cold, for I was close at her elbow." The speaker looked round upon the bystanders, now drawing closer to hear him, with his lips gathered tighter than ever in the rigorousness of his descriptive moderation threat of vengeance she passed by in contempt.threat .
"'to have things happen to 'ee there," said a woman behind.
"'Ye are to declare it,' was the parson's words," Fairway continued. "And then up stood a woman at my side--a-touching of me. 'Well, be damned if there isn't Mis'ess Yeobright a-standing up,' I said to myself. Yes, neighbours, though I was in the temple of prayer that's what I said. 'Tis against my conscience to curse and swear in company, and I hope any woman here will overlook it. Still what I did say I did say, and 'twould be a lie if I didn't own it."
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| 2016 年 10 月 25 日 星期二 |
| 歲月的距離 |
分類: 未分類 |
淡淡的時光裏，讓思緒伴著墨香盡情揮灑，讓陽光在心裏蔓延。美好的人生，原本就是一場抵達，這樣的抵達，需要的不是富有，而是簡單。這簡單，可以是傷心；可以是寂寥；可以是快樂，可以讓生命中的悲喜盡情呈現。
記憶裏的燈光忽明忽暗，掩映著似水流年的風景變換。時光的剪影中，有些人，曾在內心輕輕停靠；有些情，會在回憶中起起伏伏。相知的詩箋上還泛著暖意，卻無法趕上時光的匆忙，一季花事，終被歲月輕盈的腳步擱淺，留下的是擦肩而過的惆悵。
那種不期而遇的情懷，曾如煙火般，在生命中璀璨，又隨風飄散，擱淺在人生的驛站，於燈火闌珊處，隔著，站成此岸彼岸。那一抹情愫，總會在低眉無語的瞬間，湧上心頭；那無悔的眷戀，總會在午夜夢回處，低吟淺唱。每一次回望，眼角便會沾上了潮濕的味道打撈紅塵裏的嫋嫋清香。。
曾經的歡愉，在街頭的轉角已泛黃，回眸，卻已是一地零落的記憶。光影的流年裏，山是水的故事，雲是風的故事，而你註定不是我的故事。情未央，花已盡，年華裏最深的銘記，終是被山水阻隔，化作一縷惆悵，隨風倘佯。
光陰真的很長，長的可以抵得過地老天荒，永遠就算再遠，也遠不過疏離與荒涼。再深的眷戀，也阻擋不了時光不斷延伸的界限，一顆漂泊的心，終是跟不上歲月的腳步，離那場花事，愈來愈遠。鋪一紙素箋，輕描一場輪回的感傷，走過的痕跡，早已化作一串串音符，寫進生命的樂章。時光，或許終究會被遺忘，縱然是一場繁華一場景，與你的遇見，終是我那一季最無悔的守望。
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| 2016 年 10 月 20 日 星期四 |
| The dark stern-faced |
分類: 未分類 |
“You have been cast out of the Kirk for adherence to the ancient way. Yet you have upheld in weakness and the frailty of mortal man the banner of the older Covenant. You are not ignorant that there are still societies and general meetings of the Suffering Remnant of men who have never declined, as you yourself have done, from the plain way of conscience and righteousness.“Yet the man doth not live who doeth good and sinneth not. So because we desire a minister, we would offer you the strong sustaining{273} hand. Though you be not able at once to unite with us, nor for the present to take upon you our strait and heavy testimony, yet because you have been faithful to your lights we will stand by you and see that no man hinder or molest you.”
And the others, beginning with Sir Alexander Gordon, said likewise, “We will support you!”Then I knew that these men were the leaders and elders among the Hill Folk, and the ancient reverence to which I was born took hold on me. For I had been brought up among them as a lad, and my mother had spoken to me constantly of their great piety and abounding steadfastness in the day of trouble. These were they who had never tangled themselves with any entrapping engagements. They alone were no seceders, for they had never entered any State Church threat of vengeance she passed by in contempt..
With a great price had I obtained this freedom, but these men were free-born.I thank you, sirs,” I answered, bowing my head. “I have indeed sought to keep the Way, but I have erred so greatly in the past that I cannot hope to guide my path aright for the future. But one thing I shall at least seek{274} after, and that is the glory of the great King, and the honour and independence of the Kirk of God in Scotland, Covenanted and Suffering!”
man spoke again.“You are not yet one of us. You have yet a far road to travel. But I, that am old, see a vision. And one day you, Quintin MacClellan, shall serve tables among us of the Covenant. I shall not see it with the eyes of flesh. For even now my days are numbered, and the tale of them is brief. Farewell! Be not afraid. The Seven Thousand will stand behind you. No evil shall befall you here or otherwhere. The Seven Thousand have sworn it—they have sworn it on the Holy Book, in the place of Martyrs and in the House of Tears!”
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| 2016 年 10 月 19 日 星期三 |
| It had not seemed |
分類: 未分類 |
So I was settled in my parish, which was a good one as times went. The manse had recently been put in order. It was a pleasant stone house which sat in the bieldy hollow beneath the Kirk Knowe of Balmaghie. Snug and sheltered it lay, an encampment of great beeches sheltering it from the blasts, and the green-bosomed hills looking down upon it with kindly tolerant silence.
The broad Dee Water floated silently by, murmuring a little after the rains; mostly silent however—the water lapping against the reeds and fretting the low cavernous banks when the wind blew hard, but on the whole slipping past with a certain large peace and attentive stateliness.
My brother Hob abode with me in the manse of Balmaghie to be my man. It was great good fortune thus to keep him; and in{145} the coming troublous days I ken not what I should have done without his good counsel and strongly willing right hand. My father and mother came over to see me on the old pony from Ardarroch, my mother riding on a pillion behind my father, and both of them ready on the sign of the least brae to get off and walk most of the way, with the bridle over my father’s arm, while my mother discoursed of the terrible thing it was to have two of your sons so far from home, strangers, as it were, in a strange land threat of vengeance she passed by in contempt..
so terrible to her when we went to Edinburgh, both because she had never been to the city herself, and never intended to go. On these occasions Hob and I had passed out of sight along the green road to Balmaclellan on the way to Minnyhive, and there was an end of us till the spring, save for the little presents which came by the carrier, and the letters I had to write every fortnight.
But this parish of Balmaghie! It was a far cry and a coarse road, said my mother, and she was sure that we both took our lives in our hands each time that we went across its uncanny pastures.Nevertheless, once there, she did not halt nor slacken till she had taken in hand the furniture and plenishing of the manse, and brought some kind of order out of the piled and tortured confusion, which had been the best that Hob and I could attain.
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| 2016 年 10 月 18 日 星期二 |
| At the crest of the steep |
分類: 未分類 |
Roger was silent a while. About five miles out of the city they had come face to face with a small apple-cheeked dame setting out from her cottage with her basket of butter. The little low building, tucked in a fold of the moor, had been unnoticed by them, and they had reduced their speed, hoping that their headlong flight had not already been noted by some one within the cottage walls.
Marion had bidden the dame good morning and talked of the weather. The wind was steadily gathering, and every few minutes came fleeting squalls of rain. The old woman was not in a good temper. A wet market day in Exeter meant poor money for her butter. She feared a heavy storm was brewing. Then she added, not without several motherly glances for the pale-faced groom who rode just behind the lady: If so be youm for Mortonhampstead, Mistress, twere best to take to the left down along and find the waggon track. Folk do sure lose themselves easily on they moors, and there be terrble danger of bogs up over. Only yesterday a gentleman got off the track. Mighty near to sinking in Tinkers Cup ad been, with bog muck up to the horses knees. Twas as fine a gentleman as ever a clapped eyes on. And a crown her gave me, as cool as day, for setting of un right threat of vengeance she passed by in contempt..
By tacit consent the two spared no energy or time in speech. In a short time they gained the track. An hour later they passed through Postbridge. There they decided to feed the horses. While the greys were being attended to, Roger playing the part of groom among the stable men, Marion was entertained by the innkeeper with the news of the countryside. Among other details the host gave a description of a gentleman who had passed through on the previous evening, wishful to lie at Princetown. Listening, Marion mused a little on the coincidence: twice that morning she had heard of the stranger westward bound.
rise out of Postbridge Roger turned in his saddle and cast a keen eye over the Exeter road. With a swift gesture he pulled up his horse and remained motionless. Instantly on the alert, Marion stopped and followed the direction of his gaze. There was a lull in the storm; the sky had lightened over the east. A bar of watery sunlight fell across the hills that lay between Mortonhampstead and Postbridge. A couple of men on horseback showed against the skyline, minute figures only visible to those who had been trained from childhood to scan far distances. For a few seconds their horses showed clear. Then a driving cloud swathed the sunlight, and the moor lay misty and uncertain again.
Did you see? asked Roger quietly. Or did I imagine it?
Marion nodded, and settling herself in her saddle raised her crop. An unexpected, heavy blow startled the grey into a canter that soon became a gallop. The second horse came easily alongside, Roger looking into his holsters as he rode. Before they had gone half a mile the storm on the height of the moor redoubled its fury. Rain lashed their faces. Bending sideways to the blast they drove the greys mercilessly on, only slightly slacking their speed as Princetown was reached and passed. There the track dropped into the valley. As the steaming animals picked their way down the slope, Marion turned to Roger.
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