This lack of presence in the face is quite common in pretty
school…girls and rustic beauties； but it was manifest to an unusual
degree in the case of Margaret。 Yet most of the forms and lines in
her face were lovely； and when the light did shine through them for
a passing moment； her countenance seemed absolutely beautiful。
Hence it grew into an almost haunting temptation with Hugh； to try
to produce this expression； to unveil the coy light of the beautiful
soul。 Often he tried； often he failed； and sometimes he succeeded。
Had they been alone it might have become dangerousI mean for
Hugh； I cannot tell for Margaret。
When they first met； she had just completed her seventeenth year；
but； at an age when a town…bred girl is all but a woman； her manners
were those of a child。 This childishness； however； soon began to
disappear； and the peculiar stillness of her face； of which I have
already said so much； made her seem older than she was。
It was now early summer； and all the other trees in the woodof
which there were not many besides the firs of various kindshad put
on their fresh leaves； heaped up in green clouds between the
wanderer and the heavens。 In the morning the sun shone so clear
upon these； that； to the eyes of one standing beneath； the light
seemed to dissolve them away to the most ethereal forms of glorified
foliage。 They were to be claimed for earth only by the shadows that
the one cast upon the other； visible from below through the
transparent leaf。 This effect is very lovely in the young season of
the year； when the leaves are more delicate and less crowded； and
especially in the early morning； when the light is most clear and
penetrating。 By the way； I do not think any man is compelled to bid
good…bye to his childhood： every man may feel young in the morning；
middle…aged in the afternoon； and old at night。 A day corresponds
to a life； and the portions of the one are 〃pictures in little〃 of
the seasons of the other。 Thus far man may rule even time； and
gather up； in a perfect being； youth and age at once。
One morning； about six o'clock； Hugh； who had never been so early in
the wood since the day he had met Margaret there； was standing under
a beech…tree； looking up through its multitudinous leaves；
illuminated； as I have attempted to describe； with the sidelong rays
of the brilliant sun。 He was feeling young； and observing the forms
of nature with a keen discriminating gaze： that was all。 Fond of
writing verses； he was studying nature； not as a true lover； but as
one who would hereafter turn his discoveries to use。 For it must be
confessed that nature affected him chiefly through the medium of
poetry； and that he was far more ambitious of writing beautiful
things about nature than of discovering and understanding； for their
own sakes； any of her hidden yet patent meanings。 Changing his
attitude after a few moments； he descried； under another beech…tree；
not far from him； Margaret； standing and looking up fixedly as he
had been doing a moment before。 He approached her； and she； hearing
his advance； looked； and saw him； but did not move。 He thought he
saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes。 She was the first to speak；
however。
〃What were you seeing up there； Mr。 Sutherland？〃
〃I was only looking at the bright leaves； and the shadows upon
them。〃
〃Ah！ I thocht maybe ye had seen something。〃
〃What do you mean； Margaret？〃
〃I dinna richtly ken mysel'。 But I aye expeck to see something in
this fir…wood。 I'm here maist mornin's as the day dawns； but I'm
later the day。〃
〃We were later than usual at our work last night。 But what kind of
thing do you expect to see？〃
〃That's jist what I dinna ken。 An' I canna min' whan I began to
come here first； luikin' for something。 I've tried mony a time； but
I canna min'； do what I like。〃
Margaret had never said so much about herself before。 I can account
for it only on the supposition that Hugh had gradually assumed in
her mind a kind of pastoral superiority； which； at a favourable
moment； inclined her to impart her thoughts to him。 But he did not
know what to say to this strange fact in her history。 She went on；
however； as if； having broken the ice； she must sweep it away as
well。
〃The only thing 'at helps me to account for't； is a picter in our
auld Bible； o' an angel sittin' aneth a tree； and haudin' up his
han' as gin he were speakin' to a woman 'at's stan'in' afore him。
Ilka time 'at I come across that picter； I feel direckly as gin I
war my lane in this fir…wood here； sae I suppose that when I was a
wee bairn； I maun hae come oot some mornin' my lane； wi' the
expectation o' seein' an angel here waitin' for me； to speak to me
like the ane i' the Bible。 But never an angel hae I seen。 Yet I
aye hae an expectation like o' seein' something； I kenna what； for
the whole place aye seems fu' o' a presence； an' it's a hantle mair
to me nor the kirk an' the sermon forby； an' for the singin'； the
soun' i' the fir…taps is far mair solemn and sweet at the same time；
an' muckle mair like praisin' o' God than a' the psalms thegither。
But I aye think 'at gin I could hear Milton playin' on's organ； it
would be mair like that soun' o' mony waters； than onything else 'at
I can think o'。〃
Hugh stood and gazed at her in astonishment。 To his more refined
ear； there was a strange incongruity between the somewhat coarse
dialect in which she spoke； and the things she uttered in it。 Not
that he was capable of entering into her feelings； much less of
explaining them to her。 He felt that there was something remarkable
in them； but attributed both the thoughts themselves and their
influence on him； to an uncommon and weird imagination。 As of such
origin； however； he was just the one to value them highly。
〃Those are very strange ideas；〃 he said。
〃But what can there be about the wood？ The very primrosesye
brocht me the first this spring yersel'； Mr。 Sutherlandcome out at
the fit o' the trees； and look at me as if they said； 'We kenwe
ken a' aboot it；' but never a word mair they say。 There's something
by ordinar' in't。〃
〃Do you like no other place besides？〃 said Hugh； for the sake of
saying something。
〃Ou ay； mony ane； but nane like this。〃
〃What kind of place do you like best？〃
〃I like places wi' green grass an' flowers amo't。〃
〃You like flowers then？〃
〃Like them！ whiles they gar me greet an' whiles they gar me lauch；
but there's mair i' them than that； an' i' the wood too。 I canna
richtly say my prayers in ony ither place。〃
The Scotch dialect； especially to one brought up in the Highlands；
was a considerable antidote to the effect of the beauty of what
Margaret said。
Suddenly it struck Hugh； that if Margaret were such an admirer of
nature； possibly she might enjoy Wordsworth。 He himself was as yet
incapable of doing him anything like justice； and； with the
arrogance of youth； did not hesitate to smile at the Excursion；
picking out an awkward line here and there as especial food for
laughter even。 But many of his smaller pieces he enjoyed very
heartily； although not thoroughlythe element of Christian
Pantheism； which is their soul； being beyond his comprehension；
almost perception； as yet。 So he made up his mind； after a moment's
reflection； that this should be the next author he recommended to
his pupil。 He hoped likewise so to end an interview； in which he
might otherwise be compelled to confess that he could render
Margaret no assistance in her search after the something in the
wood； and he was unwilling to say he could not understand her； for a
power of universal sympathy was one of those mental gifts which Hugh
was most anxious to believe he possessed。
〃I will bring you another book to…night；〃 said he 〃which I think you
will like； and which may perhaps help you to find out what is in the
wood。〃
He said this smiling； half in playful jest； and without any idea of
the degree of likelihood that there was notwithstanding in what he
said。 For； certainly； Wordsworth； the high…priest of nature； though
perhaps hardly the apostle of nature； was more likely than any other
writer to contain something of the secret after which Margaret was
searching。 Whether she can find it there； may seem questionable。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said Margaret； gratefully； but her whole
countenance looked troubled； as she turned towards her home。
Doubtless； however； the trouble vanished before she reached it； for
hers was not a nature to cherish disquietude。 Hugh too went home；
rather thoughtful。
In the evening； he took a volume of Wordsworth； and repaired；
according to his wont； to David's cottage。 It was Saturday； and he
would stay to supper。 After they had given the usual time to their
studies； Hugh； setting Margaret some exercises in English to write
on her slate； while he helped David with some of the elements of
Trigonometry； and again going over those elements with her； while
David worked out a calculationafter these were over； and while
Janet was putting the supper on the table； Hugh pulled out his
volume； and； without any preface； read them the Leech…Gatherer。 All
listened very intently； Janet included； who delayed several of the
operations； that she might lose no word of the verses； David nodding
assent every now and then； and ejaculating ay！ ay！ or eh； man！ or
producing that strange muffled sound at once common and peculiar to
Scotchmen； which cannot be expressed in letters by a nearer approach
than hmhm； uttered； if that can be called uttering； with closed
lips and open nasal passage； and Margaret sitting motionless on her
creepie； with upturned pale face； and eyes fixed upon the lips of
the reader。 When he had ceased； all were silent for a moment； when
Janet made some little sign of anxiety about her supper； which
certainly had suffered by the delay。 Then； without a word； David
turned towards the table and gave thanks。 Turning again to Hugh；
who had risen to place his chair； he said；
〃That maun be the wark o' a great poet； Mr。 Sutherlan'。〃
〃It's Wordsworth's；〃 said Hugh。
〃Ay！ ay！ That's Wordsworth's！ Ay！ Weel； I hae jist heard him made
mention o'； but I never read word o' his afore。 A