twilight stories-第10部分

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pretty；　delicate　little　English　woman：　and　Donald　took　after　his

father；　a　big；　brawny　Scotsman；　certainly　not　pretty；　and　not

always　sweet。　　Poor　man！　　he　had　of　late　years　had　only　too　much

to　make　him　sour。



Though　she　tried　to　smile　and　succeeded；　the　tears　were　in　Mrs。

Boyd's　eyes；　and　her　mouth　was　quivering。　　But　she　set　it　tightly

together；　and　then　she　looked　more　than　ever　like　her　son；　or

rather；　her　son　looked　like　her。



He　was　too　eager　in　his　delight　to　notice　her　much。　　〃It　is

jolly；　isn't　it；　mother？　　I　never　thought　I'd　get　to　the　top　of

the　school　at　all；　for　I'm　not　near　so　clever　as　some　of　the

fellows。　　But　now　I've　got　my　place；　and　I　like　it；　and　I　mean　to

keep　it；　you'll　be　pleased　at　that；　mother？〃



〃I　should　have　been　ifif〃　Mrs。　Boyd　tried　to　get　the　words

out　and　failed；　closed　her　eyes　as　tight　as　her　mouth　for　a

minute；　then　opened　them　and　looked　her　boy　in　the　face　gravely

and　sadly。



〃It　goes　to　my　heart　to　tell　youI　have　been　waiting　to　say　it

all　morning；　but；　Donald；　my　dear；　you　will　never　go　back　to

school　at　all。〃



〃Not　go　back；　when　I'm　captain！　　why；　you　and　father　both　said

that　if　I　got　to　be　that；　I　should　not　stop　till　I　was

seventeenand　now　I'm　only　fifteen　and　a　half。　　O；　mother；　you

don't　mean　it！　　Father　couldn't　break　his　word！　　I　may　go　back！〃



Mrs。　Boyd　shook　her　head　sadly；　and　then　explained　as　briefly　and

calmly　as　she　could　the　heavy　blow　which　had　fallen　upon　the

father；　and；　indeed；　upon　the　whole　family。　　Mr。　Boyd　had　long

been　troubled　with　his　eyes；　about　as　serious　a　trouble　as　could

have　befallen　a　man　in　his　professionan　accountantas　they

call　it　in　Scotland。　　Lately　he　had　made　some　serious　blunders　in

his　arithmetic；　and　his　eyesight　was　so　weak　that　his　wife

persuaded　him　to　consult　a　first…rate　Edinburgh　oculist；　whose

opinion；　given　only　yesterday；　after　many　days　of　anxious

suspense；　was　that　in　a　few　months　he　would　become　incurably

blind。



〃Blind；　poor　father　blind！〃　Donald　put　his　hand　before　his　own

eyes。　　He　was　too　big　a　boy　to　cry；　or　at　any　rate；　to　be　seen

crying；　but　it　was　with　a　choking　voice　that　he　spoke　next：　〃I'll

be　his　eyes；　I'm　old　enough。〃



〃Yes；　in　many　ways　you　are；　my　son；〃　said　Mrs。　Boyd；　who　had　had

a　day　and　a　night　to　face　her　sorrow；　and　knew　she　must　do　so

calmly。　　〃But　you　are　not　old　enough　to　manage　the　business；　your

father　will　require　to　take　a　partner　immediately；　which　will

reduce　our　income　one…half。　　Therefore　we　cannot　possibly　afford

to　send　you　to　school　again。　　The　little　ones　must　go；　they　are

not　nearly　educated　yet；　but　you　are。　　You　will　have　to　face　the

world　and　earn　your　own　living；　as　soon　as　ever　you　can。　　My　poor

boy！〃



〃Don't　call　me　poor；　mother。　　I've　got　you　and　father　and　the

rest。　　And；　as　you　say；　I've　had　a　good　education　so　far。　　And

I'm　fifteen　and　a　half；　no；　fifteen　and　three…quarters　almost　a

man。　　I'm　not　afraid。〃



〃Nor　I；〃　said　his　mother；　who　had　waited　a　full　minute　before

Donald　could　find　voice　to　say　all　this；　and　it　was　at　last

stammered　out　awkwardly　and　at　random。　　〃No；　I　am　not　afraid

because　my　boy　has　to　earn　his　bread；　I　had　earned　mine　for　years

as　a　governess　when　father　married　me。　　I　began　work　before　I　was

sixteen。　　My　son　will　have　to　do　the　same；　that　is　all。〃



That　day　the　mother　and　son　spoke　no　more　together。　　It　was　as

much　as　they　could　do　to　bear　their　trouble；　without　talking

about　it；　and　besides；　Donald　was　not　a　boy　to　〃make　a　fuss〃　over

things。　　He　could　meet　sorrow　when　it　came；　that　is；　the　little

of　it　he　had　ever　known；　but　he　disliked　speaking　of　it；　and

perhaps　he　was　right。



So　he　just　〃made　himself　scarce〃　till　bedtime；　and　never　said　a

word　to　anybody　until　his　mother　came　into　the　boys'　room　to　bid

them　good…night。　　There　were　three　of　them；　but　all　were　asleep

except　Donald。　　As　his　mother　bent　down　to　kiss　him；　he　put　both

arms　round　her　neck。



〃Mother；　I'm　going　to　begin　to…morrow。〃



〃Begin　what；　my　son？〃



〃Facing　the　world；　as　you　said　I　must。　　I　can't　go　to　school

again；　so　I　mean　to　try　and　earn　my　own　living。〃



〃How？〃



〃I　don't　quite　know；　but　I'll　try。　　There　are　several　things　I

could　be；　a　clerkor　even　a　message…boy。　　I　shouldn't　like　it；

but　I'd　do　anything　rather　than　do　nothing。〃



Mrs。　Boyd　sat　down　on　the　side　of　the　bed。　　If　she　felt　inclined

to　cry　she　had　too　much　sense　to　show　it。　　She　only　took　firm

hold　of　her　boy's　hand；　and　waited　for　him　to　speak　on。



〃I've　been　thinking；　mother；　I　was　to　have　a　new　suit　at

Christmas；　will　you　give　it　now？　　And　let　it　be　a　coat；　not　a

jacket。　　I'm　tall　enoughfive　feet　seven　last　month；　and　growing

still；　I　should　look　almost　a　man。　　Then　I　would　go　round　to

every　office　in　Edinburgh　and　ask　if　they　wanted　a　clerk。　　I

wouldn't　mind　taking　anything　to　begin　with。　　And　I　can　write　a

decent　hand；　and　I'm　not　bad　at　figures；　as　for　my　Latin　and

Greek〃



Here　Donald　gulped　down　a　sigh；　for　he　was　a　capital　classic；　and

it　had　been　suggested　that　he　should　go　to　Glasgow　University　and

try　for　〃the　Snell〃　which　has　sent　so　many　clever　young　Scotsmen

to　Balliol　College；　Oxford；　and　thence　on　to　fame　and　prosperity。　

But　alas！　　no　college　career　was　now　possible　to　Donald　Boyd。　

The　best　he　could　hope　for　was　to　earn　a　few　shillings　a　week　as

a　common　clerk。　　He　knew　this；　and　so　did　his　mother。　　But　they

never　complained。　　It　was　no　fault　of　theirs；　nor　of　anybody's。　

It　was　just　as　they　devoutly　called　it；　〃The　will　of　God。〃



〃Your　Latin　and　Greek　may　come　in　some　day；　my　boy；〃　said　Mrs。

Boyd　cheerfully。　　〃Good　work　is　never　lost。　　In　the　meantime；

your　plan　is　a　good　one；　and　you　shall　have　your　new　clothes　at

once。　　Then；　do　as　you　think　best。〃



〃All　right；　good…night；　mother；〃　said　Donald；　and　in　five　minutes

more　was　fast　asleep。



But；　though　he　was　much　given　to　sleeping　of　nightsindeed；　he

never　remembered　lying　awake　for　a　single　hour　in　his　

lifeduring　daytime　there　never　was　a　more　〃wide　awake〃　boy　than

Donald　Boyd。　　He　kept　his　eyes　open　to　everything；　and　never　let

the　〃golden　minute〃　slip　by　him。　　He　never　idled　aboutplay　he

didn't　consider　idling　（nor　do　I）。　　And　I　am　bound　to　confess

that　every　day　until　the　new　clothes　came　home　was　scrupulously

spent　in　cricket；　football；　and　all　the　other　amusements　which　he

was　as　good　at　as　he　was　at　his　lessons。　　He　wanted　〃to　make　the

best　of　his　holidays；〃　he　said；　knowing　well　that　for　him　holiday

time　as　well　as　school　time　was　now　done；　and　the　work　of　the

world　had　begun　in　earnest。



The　clothes　came　home　on　Saturday　night；　and　he　went　to　church　in

them　on　Sunday；　to　his　little　sister's　great　admiration。　　Still

greater　was　their　wonder　when；　on　Monday　morning；　he　appeared　in

the　same　suit；　looking　quite　a　man；　as　they　unanimously　agreed；

and　almost　before　breakfast　was　done；　started　off；　not　saying　a

word　of　where　he　was　going。



He　did　not　come　back　till　the　younger　ones　were　all　away　to　bed；

so　there　was　no　one　to　question　him；　which　was　fortunate；　for

they　might　not　have　got　very　smooth　answers。　　His　mother　saw

this；　and　she　also　forbore。　　She　was　not　surprised　that　the

bright；　brave　face　of　the　morning　looked　dull　and　tired；　and　that

evidently　Donald　had　no　good　news　of　the　day　to　tell　her。



〃I　think　I'll　go　to　bed；〃　was　all　he　said。　　〃Mother；　will　you

give　me　a　'piece'　in　my　pocket　to…morrow？　　One　can　walk　better

when　one　isn't　so　desperately　hungry。〃



〃Yes；　my　boy。〃　　She　kissed　him；　saw　that　he　was　warmed　and

fedhe　had　evidently　been　on　his　legs　the　whole　daythen　sent

him　off　to　his　bed；　where　she　soon　heard　him　delightfully

snoring；　oblivious　of　all　his　cares。



The　same　thing　went　on　day　after　day；　for　seven　days。　　Sometimes

he　told　his　mother　what　had　happened　to　him　and　where　he　had

been；　sometimes　not；　what　was　the　good　of　telling？　　It　was　always

the　same　story。　　Nobody　wanted　a　boy　or　a　man；　for　Donald；

trusting　to　his　inches　and　his　coat；　had　applied　for　man's　work

also；　but　in　vain。　　Mrs。　Boyd　was　not　astonished。　　She　knew　how

hard　it　is　to　get　one's　foot　into　ever　so　small　a　corner　in　this

busy　world；　where　ten　are　always　struggling　for　the　place　of　one。　

Still；　she　also　knew　that　it　never　does　to　give　in；　that　one　must

leave　no　stone　unturned　if　one　wishes　to　get　work　at　all。　　Also

she　believed　firmly　in　an　axiom　of　her　youth〃Nothing　is　denied

to　well…directed　labor。〃　But　it　must　be　real　hard　〃labor；〃　and　it

must　also　be　〃well　directed。〃　So；　though　her　heart　ached　sorely；

as　only　a　mother's　can；　she　never　betrayed　it；　but　each　morning

sent　her　boy　away　with　a　cheerful　face；　and　each　evening　received

him　with　one；　which；　if　less　cheerful；　was　not　less　sympathetic；

but　she　never　said　a　word。



At　the　week's　end；　in　fact；　on　Sunday　morning；　as　they　were

walking　to　church；　Donald　said　to　her：　〃Mother；　my　new　clothes

haven't　been　of　the　slightest　good。　　I've　been　all　over

Edinburgh；　to　every　place　I　could　think　ofwriters'　offices；

merchants'　offices；　wharves；　railway…stationsbut　it's　no　use。　

Everybody　wants　to　know　where　I've　been　before；　and　I've　been

nowhere　except　to　school。　　I　said　I　was　willing　to　learn；　but

nobody　will　teach　me；　they　say　they　can't　afford　it。　　It　is　like

keeping　a　dog；　and　barking　yourself。　　Which　is　only　too　true；〃

added　Donald；　with　a　heavy　sigh。



〃May　be；〃　said　Mrs。　Boyd。　　Yet　as　she　looked　up　at　her　sonshe

really　did　look　up　at　him；　he　was　so　tallshe　felt　that　if　his

honest；　intelligent　face　and　manly　bearing　did　not　win　something

at　last；　what　was　the　world　coming　to？　　〃My　boy；〃　she　said；

〃things　are　very　hard　for　you；　but　not　harder　than　for　others。　　I

remember　once；　when　I　was　only　a　few　years　older　than　you；

finding　myself　with　only　half　a　crown　in　my　pocket。　　To　be　sure

it　was　a　whole　half…crown；　for　I　had　paid　every　half…penny　I　owed