FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151  
152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   >>   >|  
nd sank a little, just enough to rock the sleeping children a little deeper into their sleep: Malcolm thought all slept. He did not see how Clementina's eyes shone back to the heavens, no star in them to be named beside those eyes. She knew that Malcolm was near her, but she would not speak, she would not break the peace of the presence. A minute or two passed. Then softly woke a murmur of sound that strengthened and grew, and swelled at last into a song. She feared to stir lest she should interrupt its flow. And thus it flowed: The stars are steady abune; I' the water they flichter an' flee; But steady aye luikin' doon, They ken themsel's i' the sea. A' licht, an' clear, an' free, God, Thou shinest abune: Yet luik an' see Thysel' in me, God, whan Thou luikest doon. A silence followed, but a silence that seemed about to be broken. And again Malcolm sang: There was an auld fisher--he sat by the wa', An' luikit oot ower the sea: The bairnies war playin'; he smilit on them a', But the tear stude in his e'e. An' it's oh to win awa', awa'! An' its oh to win awa' Whaur the bairns come hame, an' the wives they bide, An' God is the Father o' a'! Jocky an' Jeamy an' Tammy oot there, A' i' the boatie gaed doon; An' I'm ower auld to fish ony mair, An' I hinna the chance to droon. An' it's oh to win awa', awa'! etc. An' Jeanie she grat to ease her hert, An' she easit hersel' awa'; But I'm ower auld for the tears to stert, An' sae the sighs maun blaw. An' it's oh to win awa', awa'! etc. Lord, steer me hame whaur my Lord has steerit, For I'm tired o' life's rockin' sea; An' dinna be lang, for I'm nearhan' fearit 'At I'm 'maist ower auld to dee. An' it's oh to win awa', awa'! etc. Again the stars and the sky were all, and there was no sound but the slight murmurous lipping of the slow swell against the edges of the planks. Then Clementina said, "Did you make that song, Malcolm?" "Whilk o' them, my leddy? But it's a' ane: they're baith mine, sic as they are." "Thank you," she returned. "What for, my leddy?" "For speaking Scotch to me." "I beg your pardon, my lady. I forgot your ladyship was English." "Please forget it," she said. "But I thank you for your songs too. It was t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151  
152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Malcolm
 

steady

 

silence

 

Clementina

 
Jeanie
 

Father

 
boatie
 

hersel

 
chance
 
returned

speaking

 

Scotch

 

pardon

 

forget

 

Please

 
forgot
 
ladyship
 

English

 

fearit

 
nearhan

steerit

 

rockin

 

planks

 

slight

 

murmurous

 

lipping

 

minute

 

passed

 
presence
 
softly

feared

 
swelled
 

murmur

 

strengthened

 

sleeping

 

children

 

deeper

 
thought
 

heavens

 
interrupt

luikit

 

fisher

 

broken

 
bairnies
 
bairns
 

playin

 

smilit

 

luikin

 

flichter

 

flowed