christie johnstone-第20节

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_Christie。_　〃If　it's　your　pleasure；　sir。　I'm　seekin'　twenty…five
schellin。〃

_Miller　（pretending　not　to　hear）。_　〃As　you　are　a　beginner；　I　must　offer
fair；　twenty　schellin　you　shall　have；　and　that's　three　shillings　above
Dunbar。〃

_Christie。_　〃Wad　ye　even　carted　herrin　with　my　fish　caller　fra'　the　sea？
and　Dunbaroh；　fine！　ye　ken　there's　nae　herrin　at　Dunbar　the　morn；　this
is　the　Dunbar　schule　that　slipped　westward。　I'm　the　matirket；　ye'll　hae
to　buy　o'　me　or　gang　to　your　bed〃　_（here　she　signaled　to　Flucker）。_　〃I'll
no　be　oot　o'　mine　lang。〃

_Enter　Flucker　hastily；　crying：_　〃Cirsty；　the　Irishman　will　gie　ye
twenty…two　schellin。〃

〃I'll　no　tak　it；〃　said　Christie。

〃They　are　keen　to　hae　them；〃　said　Flucker；　and　hastily　retired；　as　if　to
treat　further　with　the　small　merchants。

On　this；　Mr。　Miller；　pretending　to　make　for　Leith；　said；　carelessly；
〃Twenty…three　shillings；　or　they　are　not　for　me。〃

〃Tak　the　cutter's　freight　at　a　hundre'　cran；　an'　I'm　no　caring；〃　said
Christie。

〃They　are　mine！〃　said　Mr。　Miller；　very　sharply。　〃How　much　shall　I　give
you　the　day？〃

〃Auchty　pund；　sir；　if　you　pleasethe　lave　when　you　like；　I　ken　ye；　Mr。
Miller。〃

While　counting　her　the　notes；　the　purchaser　said　slyly　to　her：

〃There's　more　than　a　hundred　cran　in　the　cutter；　my　woman。〃

〃A　little；　sir；〃　replied　the　vender；　〃but；　ere　I　could　count　them　till　ye
by　baskets；　they　would　lose　seven　or　eight　cran　in　book；*　your　gain；　my
loss。〃

*Bulk。

〃You　are　a　vara　intelligent　young　person；〃　said　Mr。　Miller；　gravely。

〃Ye　had　measured　them　wi'　your　walking…stick；　sir；　there's　just　ae　scale
ye　didna　wipe　off；　though　ye　are　a　carefu'　mon；　Mr。　Miller；　sae　I　laid
the　bait　for　ye　an'　fine　ye　took　it。〃

Miller　took　out　his　snuff…box；　and　tapping　it　said：

〃Will　ye　go　into　partnership　with　me；　my　dear？〃

〃Ay；　sir！〃　was　the　reply。　〃When　I'm　aulder　an'　ye're　younger。〃

At　this　moment　the　four　merchants；　believing　it　useless　to　disguise　their
co…operation；　returned　to　see　what　could　be　done。

〃We　shall　give　you　a　guinea　a　barrel。〃

〃Why；　ye　offered　her　twenty…two　shillings　before。〃

〃That　we　never　did；　Mr。　Miller。〃

〃Haw！　haw！〃　went　Flucker。

Christie　looked　down　and　blushed。

Eyes　met　eyes；　and　without　a　word　spoken　all　was　comprehended　and
silently　approved。　There　was　no　nonsense　uttered　about　morality　in
connection　with　dealing。

Mr。　Miller　took　an　enormous　pinch　of　snuff；　and　drew　for　the　benefit　of
all　present　the　following　inference：

MR。　MILLER'S　APOTHEGM。

〃Friends　and　neighbors！　when　a　man's　heed　is　gray　with　age　and　thoucht
_（pause）_　he's　just　fit　to　go　to　schule　to　a　young　lass　o'　twenty。〃

There　was　a　certain　middle…aged　fishwife；　called　Beeny　Liston；　a　tenant
of　Christie　Johnstone's；　she　had　not　paid　her　rent　for　some　time；　and　she
had　not　been　pressed　for　it；　whether　this；　or　the　whisky　she　was　in　the
habit　of　taking；　rankled　in　her　mind；　certain　it　is　she　had　always　an　ill
word　for　her　landlady。

She　now　met　her；　envied　her　success；　and　called　out　in　a　coarse　tone：

〃Oh；　ye're　a　gallant　quean；　ye'll　be　waur　than　ever　the　noo。〃

〃What's　wrang；　if　ye　please？〃　said　the　Johnstone；　sharply。

Reader；　did　you　ever　see　two　fallow　bucks　commence　a　duel？

They　strut　round；　eight　yards　apart；　tails　up；　look　carefully　another　way
to　make　the　other　think　it　all　means　nothing；　and；　being　both　equally
sly；　their　horns　come　together　as　if　by　concert。

Even　so　commenced　this　duel　of　tongues　between　these　two　heroines。

Beeny　Liston；　looking　at　everybody　but　Christie；　addressed　the　natives
who　were　congregating　thus：

〃Did　ever　ye　hear　o'　a　decent　lass　taking　the　herrin'　oot　o'　the　men's
mooths？is　yon　a　woman's　pairt；　I'm　asking　ye？〃

On　this；　Christie；　looking　carefully　at　all　the　others　except　Beeny；
inquired　with　an　air　of　simple　curiosity：

〃Can　onybody　tell　me　wha　Liston　Carnie's　drunken　wife　is　speakin'　till？
no　to　ony　decent　lass；　though。　Na！　ye　ken　she　wad　na　hae　th'　impudence！〃

〃Oh；　ye　ken　fine　I'm　speakin'　till　yoursel'。〃

Here　the　horns　clashed　together。

〃To　me；　woman？〃　_（with　admirably　acted　surprise。）_　〃Oo；　ay！　it　will　be
for　the　twa　years'　rent　you're　awin　me。　Giest！〃

_Beeny　Liston。_　〃Ye're　just　the　impudentest　girrl　i'　the　toon；　an'　ye　hae
proved　it　the　day〃　（her　arms　akimbo）。

_Christie　（arms　akimbo）。_　〃Me；　impudent？　how　daur　ye　speak　against　my
charackter；　that's　kenned　for　decency　o'　baith　sides　the　Firrth。〃

_Beeny　（contemptuously）。_　〃Oh；　ye're　sly　enough　to　beguile　the　men；　but
we　ken　ye。〃

_Christie。_　〃I'm　no　sly；　and〃　_（drawing　near　and　hissing　the　words）_　〃I'm
no　like　the　woman　Jean　an'　I　saw　in　Rose　Street；　dead　drunk　on　the
causeway；　while　her　mon　was　working　for　her　at　sea。　If　ye're　no　ben　your
hoose　in　ae　minute；　I'll　say　that　will　gar　Liston　Carnie　fling　ye　ower
the　pier…head；　ye　fool…moothed　drunken　leearScairt！〃*

*A　local　word；　a　corruption　from　the　French　_Sortez。_

If　my　reader　has　seen　and　heard　Mademoiselle　Rachel　utter　her　famous
_Sortez；_　in　〃Virginie；〃　he　knows　exactly　with　what　a　gesture　and　tone
the　Johnstone　uttered　this　word。

_Beeny　（in　a　voice　of　whining　surprise）。_　〃Hech！　what　a　spite　Flucker
Johnstone's　dochter　has　taen　against　us。〃

_Christie。_　〃Scairt！〃

_Beeny　（in　a　coaxing　voice；　and　moving　a　step）。_　〃Aweel！　what's　a'　your
paession；　my　boenny　woman？〃

_Christie。_　〃Scairt！〃

Beeny　retired　before　the　thunder　and　lightning　of　indignant　virtue。

Then　all　the　fishboys　struck　up　a　dismal　chant　of　victory。

〃Yoo…hooCusty's　won　the　dayBeeny's　scair_tit；〃_　going　up　on　the　last
syllable。

Christie　moved　slowly　away　toward　her　own　house；　but　before　she　could
reach　the　door　she　began　to　whimperlittle　fool。

Thereat　chorus　of　young　Athenians　chanted：

〃Yu…hoo！　come　back；　Beeny；　ye'll　maybe　win　yet。　Custy's　away　gree_tin〃_
_（going　up　on　the　last　syllable）。_

〃I'm　no　greetin；　ye　rude　bairns；〃　said　Christie；　bursting　into　tears；　and
retiring　as　soon　as　she　had　effected　that　proof　of　her　philosophy。

It　was　about　four　hours　later；　Christie　had　snatched　some　repose。　The
wind；　as　Flucker　prognosticated；　had　grown　into　a　very　heavy　gale；　and
the　Firth　was　brown　and　boiling。

Suddenly　a　clamor　was　heard　on　the　shore；　and　soon　after　a　fishwife　made
her　appearance；　with　rather　a　singular　burden。

Her　husband；　ladies；　_rien　que　cela。_

She　had　him　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck；　he　was　_dos…'a…dos；_　with　his
booted　legs　kicking　in　the　air；　and　his　fists　making　warlike　but　idle
demonstrations　and　his　mouth　uttering　ineffectual　bad　language。

This　worthy　had　been　called　a　coward　by　Sandy　Liston；　and　being　about　to
fight　with　him；　and　get　thrashed；　his　wife　had　whipped　him　up　and　carried
him　away；　she　now　flung　him　down；　at　some　risk　of　his　equilibrium。

〃Ye　are　not　fit　to　feicht　wi'　Sandy　Liston；〃　said　she；　〃if　ye　are　for
feichtin；　here's　for　ye。〃

As　a　comment　to　this　proposal；　she　tucked　up　the　sleeves　of　her　short
gown。　He　tried　to　run　by　her；　she　caught　him　by　the　bosom；　and　gave　him　a
violent　push；　that　sent　him　several　paces　backward；　he　looked　half
fierce；　half　astounded；　ere　he　could　quite　recover　himself；　his　little
servant　forced　a　pipe　into　his　hand；　and　he　smoked　contented　and
peaceable。

Before　tobacco　the　evil　passions　fall；　they　tell　me。

The　cause　of　this　quarrel　soon　explained　itself；　up　came　Sandy　Liston；
cursing　and　swearing。

〃What！　ye　hae　gotten　till　your　wife's；　that's　the　place　for　ye；　to　say
there's　a　brig　in　distress；　and　ye'll　let　her　go　on　the　rocks　under　your
noses。　But　what　are　ye　afraid　o'？　there's　na　danger？〃

〃Nae　danger！〃　said　one　of　the　reproached；　〃are　ye　fou？〃

〃Ye　are　fou　wi'　fear　yoursel'；　of　a'　the　beasts　that　crawl　the　airth；　a
cooward　is　the　ugliest；　I　think。〃

〃The　wifes　will　no　let　us；〃　said　one；　sulkily。

〃It's　the　woman　in　your　hairts　that　keeps　ye；〃　roared　Sandy　hoarsely；
〃curse　ye；　ye　are　sure　to　dee　ane　day；　and　ye　are　sure　to　be！〃　（a
past　participle）　〃soon　or　late；　what　signifies　when？　Oh！　curse　the　hour
ever　I　was　born　amang　sic　a　cooardly　crew。〃　_（Gun　at　sea。）_

〃There！〃

〃She　speaks　till　ye；　hersel'；　she　cries　for　maircy；　to　think　that；　of　a'
that　hear　ye　cry；　Alexander　Liston　is　the　only　mon　mon　enough　to　answer。〃
_（Gun。）_

〃You　are　mistaken；　Mr。　Alexander　Liston；〃　said　a　clear；　smart　voice；
whose　owner　had　mingled　unobserved　with　the　throng；　〃there　are　always　men
to　answer　such　occasions；　now；　my　lads；　your　boats　have　plenty　of　beam；
and；　well　handled；　should　live　in　any　sea；　who　volunteers　with　Alexander
Liston　and　me？〃

The　speaker　was　Lord　Ipsden。

The　fishwives　of　Newhaven；　more　accustomed　to　measure　men　than　poor
little　Lady　Barbara　Sinclair；　saw　in　this　man　what　in　point　of　fact　he
wasa　cool；　daring　devil；　than　whom　none　more　likely　to　lead　men　into
mortal　danger；　or　pull　them　through　it；　for　that　matter。

They　recognized　their　natural　enemy；　and　collected　together　against　him；
like　hens　at　the　sight　of　a　hawk。

〃And　would　you　really　entice　our　men　till　their　death？〃

〃My　life's　worth　as　much　as　theirs；　I　suppose。

〃Nae！　your　life！　it's　na　worth　a　button；　when　you　dee；　your　next　kin　will
dance；　and　wha'll　greet？　but　our　men　hae　wife　and　bairns　to　look　till。〃
_（Gun