David　Elginbrod
  by　George　MacDonald
  And　gladly　wolde　he　lerne　and　gladly　teche。
  CHAUCER。
  TO　THE　MEMORY　OF
  LADY　NOEL　BYRON；
  THIS　BOOK　IS　DEDICATED；
  WITH　A　LOVE　STRONGER　THAN　DEATH。
  BOOK　I。
  TURRIEPUFFIT。
  With　him　there　was　a　Ploughman；　was　his　brother。
  A　trew？swinker；　and　a　good　was　he；
  Living　in　peace　and　perfect　charity。
  God　loved　he　best　with　all　his　trew？heart；
  At　all？tim閟；　were　it　gain　or　smart；
  And　then　his　neigh閎our　right　as　himselve。
  CHAUCER。Prologue　to　the　Canterbury　Tales。
  CHAPTER　I。
  THE　FIR…WOOD。
  Of　all　the　flowers　in　the　mead；
  Then　love　I　roost　these　flowers　white　and　rede；
  Such　that　men　callen　daisies　in　our　town。
  I　renne　blithe
  As　soon　as　ever　the　sun　ginneth　west；
  To　see　this　flower；　how　it　will　go　to　rest；
  For　fear　of　night；　so　hateth　she　darkness；
  Her　cheer　is　plainly　spread　in　the　brightness
  Of　the　sunne；　for　there　it　will　unclose。
  CHAUCERPrologue　to　the　Legend　of　Good　Women。
  〃Meg！　whaur　are　ye　gaein'　that　get；　like　a　wull　shuttle？　　Come　in　to
  the　beuk。〃
  Meg's　mother　stood　at　the　cottage　door；　with　arms　akimbo　and　clouded
  brow；　calling　through　the　boles　of　a　little　forest　of　fir…trees
  after　her　daughter。　　One　would　naturally　presume　that　the　phrase　she
  employed；　comparing　her　daughter's　motions　to　those　of　a　shuttle
  that　had　〃gane　wull；〃　or　lost　its　way；　implied　that　she　was　watching
  her　as　she　threaded　her　way　through　the　trees。　　But　although　she
  could　not　see　her；　the　fir…wood　was　certainly　the　likeliest　place
  for　her　daughter　to　be　in；　and　the　figure　she　employed　was　not　in
  the　least　inapplicable　to　Meg's　usual　mode　of　wandering　through　the
  trees；　that　operation　being　commonly　performed　in　the　most　erratic
  manner　possible。　　It　was　the　ordinary　occupation　of　the　first　hour
  of　almost　every　day　of　Margaret's　life。　　As　soon　as　she　woke　in　the
  morning；　the　fir…wood　drew　her　towards　it；　and　she　rose　and　went。
  Through　its　crowd　of　slender　pillars；　she　strayed　hither　and
  thither；　in　an　aimless　manner；　as　if　resignedly　haunting　the
  neighbourhood　of　something　she　had　lost；　or；　hopefully；　that　of　a
  treasure　she　expected　one　day　to　find。
  It　did　not　seem　that　she　had　heard　her　mother's　call；　for　no
  response　followed；　and　Janet　Elginbrod　returned　into　the　cottage；
  where　David　of　the　same　surname；　who　was　already　seated　at　the　white
  deal　table　with　〃the　beuk；〃　or　large　family　bible　before　him；
  straightway　commenced　reading　a　chapter　in　the　usual　routine　from
  the　Old　Testament；　the　New　being　reserved　for　the　evening　devotions。
  The　chapter　was　the　fortieth　of　the　prophet　Isaiah；　and　as　the
  voice　of　the　reader　re…uttered　the　words　of　old　inspiration；　one
  might　have　thought　that　it　was　the　voice　of　the　ancient　prophet
  himself；　pouring　forth　the　expression　of　his　own　faith　in　his
  expostulations　with　the　unbelief　of　his　brethren。　　The　chapter
  finishedit　is　none　of　the　shortest；　and　Meg　had　not　yet
  returnedthe　two　knelt；　and　David　prayed　thus：
  〃O　Thou　who　holdest　the　waters　in　the　hollow　of　ae　han'；　and
  carriest　the　lambs　o'　thy　own　making　in　thy　bosom　with　the　other
  han'；　it　would　be　altogether　unworthy　o'　thee；　and　o'　thy　Maijesty
  o'　love；　to　require　o'　us　that　which　thou　knowest　we　cannot　bring
  unto　thee；　until　thou　enrich　us　with　that　same。　　Therefore；　like
  thine　own　bairns；　we　boo　doon　afore　thee；　an'　pray　that　thou　wouldst
  tak'　thy　wull　o'　us；　thy　holy　an'　perfect　an'　blessed　wull　o'　us；
  for；　O　God；　we　are　a'　thine　ain。　　An'　for　oor　lassie；　wha's　oot　amo'
  thy　trees；　an'　wha'　we　dinna　think　forgets　her　Maker；　though　she　may
  whiles　forget　her　prayers；　Lord；　keep　her　a　bonnie　lassie　in　thy
  sicht；　as　white　and　clean　in　thy　een　as　she　is　fair　an'　halesome　in
  oors；　an'　oh！　we　thank　thee；　Father　in　heaven；　for　giein'　her　to　us。
  An'　noo；　for　a'　oor　wrang…duins　an'　ill…min'ins；　for　a'　oor　sins
  and　trespasses　o'　mony　sorts；　dinna　forget　them；　O　God；　till　thou
  pits　them　a'　richt；　an'　syne　exerceese　thy　michty　power　e'en　ower
  thine　ain　sel；　an'　clean　forget　them　a'thegither；　cast　them　ahint
  thy　back；　whaur　e'en　thine　ain　een　shall　ne'er　see　them　again；　that
  we　may　walk　bold　an'　upricht　afore　thee　for　evermore；　an'　see　the
  face　o'　Him　wha　was　as　muckle　God　in　doin'　thy　biddin'；　as　gin　he
  had　been　ordering'　a'　thing　Himsel。　　For　his　sake；　Ahmen。〃
  I　hope　my　readers　will　not　suppose　that　I　give　this　as　a　specimen　of
  Scotch　prayers。　　I　know　better　than　that。　　David　was　an　unusual　man；
  and　his　prayers　were　unusual　prayers。　　The　present　was　a　little　more
  so　in　its　style；　from　the　fact　that　one　of　the　subjects　of　it　was
  absent；　a　circumstance　that　rarely　happened。　　But　the　degree　of
  difference　was　too　small　to　be　detected　by　any　but　those　who　were
  quite　accustomed　to　his　forms　of　thought　and　expression。　　How　much
  of　it　Janet　understood　or　sympathized　with；　it　is　difficult　to　say；
  for　anything　that　could　be　called　a　thought　rarely　crossed　the
  threshold　of　her　utterance。　　On　this　occasion；　the　moment　the　prayer
  was　ended；　she　rose　from　her　knees；　smoothed　down　her　check　apron；
  and　went　to　the　door；　where；　shading　her　eyes　from　the　sun　with　her
  hand；　she　peered　from　under　its　penthouse　into　the　fir…wood；　and
  said　in　a　voice　softened　apparently　by　the　exercise　in　which　she　had
  taken　a　silent　share；
  〃Whaur　can　the　lassie　be？〃
  And　where　was　the　lassie？　　In　the　fir…wood；　to　be　sure；　with　the
  thousand　shadows；　and　the　sunlight　through　it　all；　for　at　this
  moment　the　light　fell　upon　her　far　in　its　depths；　and　revealed　her
  hastening　towards　the　cottage　in　as　straight　a　line　as　the　trees
  would　permit；　now　blotted　out　by　a　crossing　shadow；　and　anon　radiant
  in　the　sunlight；　appearing　and　vanishing　as　she　threaded　the　upright
  warp　of　the　fir…wood。　　It　was　morning　all　around　her；　and　one　might
  see　that　it　was　morning　within　her　too；　as；　emerging　at　last　in　the
  small　open　space　around　the　cottage；　MargaretI　cannot　call　her
  Meg；　although　her　mother　doesher　father　always　called　her　〃Maggy；
  my　doo；〃　Anglic？　doveMargaret　approached　her　mother　with　a　bright
  healthful　face；　and　the　least　possible　expression　of　uneasiness　on
  her　fair　forehead。　　She　carried　a　book　in　her　hand。
  〃What　gars　ye　gang　stravaguin'　that　get；　Meg；　whan　ye　ken　weel
  eneuch　ye　sud　a'　been　in　to　worship　lang　syne？　　An　sae　we　maun　hae
  worship　our　lanes　for　want　o'　you；　ye　hizzy！〃
  〃I　didna　ken　it　was　sae　late；　mither；〃　replied　Margaret；　in　a
  submissive　tone；　musical　in　spite　of　the　rugged　dialect　into　which
  the　sounds　were　fashioned。
  〃Nae　dout！　　Ye　had　yer　brakfast；　an'　ye　warna　that　hungry　for　the
  word。　　But　here　comes　yer　father；　and　ye'll　no　mend　for　his　flytin'；
  I'se　promise。〃
  〃Hoots！　lat　the　bairn　alane；　Janet；　my　woman。　　The　word'll　be　mair
  to　her　afore　lang。〃
  〃I　wat　she　has　a　word　o'　her　nain　there。　　What　beuk　hae　ye　gotten
  there；　Meg？　　Whaur　got　ye't？〃
  Had　it　not　been　for　the　handsome　binding　of　the　book　in　her
  daughter's　hand；　it　would　neither　have　caught　the　eye；　nor　roused
  the　suspicions　of　Janet。　　David　glanced　at　the　book　in　his　turn；　and
  a　faint　expression　of　surprise；　embodied　chiefly　in　the　opening　of
  his　eyelids　a　little　wider　than　usual；　crossed　his　face。　　But　he
  only　said　with　a　smile：
  〃I　didna　ken　that　the　tree　o'　knowledge；　wi'　sic　fair　fruit；　grew　in
  our　wud；　Maggy；　my　doo。〃
  〃Whaur　gat　ye　the　beuk？〃　reiterated　Janet。
  Margaret's　face　was　by　this　time　the　colour　of　the　crimson　boards　of
  the　volume　in　her　hand；　but　she　replied　at　once：
  〃I　got　it　frae　Maister　Sutherlan'；　I　reckon。〃
  Janet's　first　response　was　an　inverted　whistle；　her　next；　another
  question：
  〃Maister　Sutherlan'！　wha's　that　o't？〃
  〃Hoot；　lass！〃　interposed　David；　〃ye　ken　weel　aneuch。　　It's　the　new
  tutor　lad；　up　at　the　hoose；　a　fine；　douce；　honest　chield；　an'
  weel…faured；　forby。　　Lat's　see　the　bit　beuky；　lassie。〃
  Margaret　handed　it　to　her　father。
  〃Col…e…ridge's　Poems；〃　read　David；　with　some　difficulty。
  〃Tak'　it　hame　direckly；〃　said　Janet。
  〃Na；　na；〃　said　David；　〃a'　the　apples　o'　the　tree　o'　knowledge　are　no
  stappit　wi　sut　an　stew；　an'　gin　this　ane　be；　she'll　sune　ken　by　the
  taste　o't　what's　comin'。　　It's　no　muckle　o'　an　ill　beuk　'at　ye'll
  read；　Maggy；　my　doo。〃
  〃Guid　preserve's；　man！　　I'm　no　sayin'　it's　an　ill　beuk。　　But　it's　no
  richt　to　mak　appintments　wi'　stranger　lads　i'　the　wud　sae　ear'　i'
  the　mornin'。　　Is't　noo；　yersel；　Meg？〃
  〃Mither！　mither！〃　said　Margaret；　and　her　eyes　flashed　through　the
  watery　veil　that　tried　to　hide　them；　〃hoo　can　ye？　　Ye　ken　yersel　I
  had　nae　appintment　wi'　him　or　ony　man。〃
  〃Weel；　weel！〃　said　Janet；　and；　apparently　either　satisfied　with　or
  overcome　by　the　emotion　she　had　excited；　she　turned　and　went　in　to
  pursue　her　usual　house…avocations；　while　David；　handing　the　book　to
  his　daughter；　went　away　down　the　path　that　led　from　the　cottage
  door；　in　the　direction　of　a　road　to　be　seen　at　a　little　distance
  through　the　trees；　which　surrounded　the　cottage　on　all　sides。
  Margaret　followed　her　mother　into　the　cottage；　and　was　soon　as　busy
  as　she　with　her　share　of　the　duties　of　the　household；　but　it　was　a
  good　many　minutes　before　the　cloud　caused　by　her　mother's　hasty
  words　entirely　disappeared　from　a　forehead　which　might　with　espec