christie johnstone-第22节

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said；　'What　gars　ye　glower　at　me　that　way；　ye　ignorant　woman？'　ye　would
na　think　it；　she　answered　like　honey　itsel'。　'I'm　askin'　your　paarrdon；'
says　she；　and　her　mon　by　her　side　said；　'Gang　hame　to　your　ain　hoose；　my
woman；　and　Gude　help　ye；　and　help　us　a'　at　our　need；'　the　decent　mon。
'It's　just　there　I'm　for；'　said　I；　'to　get　my　mon　his　breakfast。'〃

All　who　heard　her　drew　their　breath　with　difficulty。

The　woman　then　made　for　her　own　house；　but　in　going　up　the　street　she
passed　the　wet　coat　hanging　on　the　line。

She　stopped　directly。

They　all　trembledthey　had　forgotten　the　coatit　was　all　over；　the　coat
would　tell　the　tale。

〃Aweel；〃　said　she；　〃I　could　sweer　that's　Liston　Carnie's　coat；　a　droukit
wi'　the　rain；　then　she　looked　again　at　it；　and　added；　slowly；　〃if　I　did
na　ken　he　has　his　away　wi'　him　at　the　piloting。〃　And　in　another　moment
she　was　in　her　own　house；　leaving　them　all　standing　there　half　stupefied。

Christie　had　indeed　endeavored　to　speak；　but　her　tongue　had　cloven　to　her
mouth。

While　they　stood　looking　at　one　another；　and　at　Beeny　Liston's　door；　a
voice　that　seemed　incredibly　rough；　loud　and　harsh；　jarred　upon　them；　it
was　Sandy　Liston；　who　came　in　from　Leith；　shouting：

〃Fifty　pounds　for　salvage；　lasses！　is　na　thaat　better　than　staying
cooard…like　aside　the　women？〃

〃Whisht！　whisht！〃　cried　Christie。

〃We　are　in　heavy　sorrow；　puir　Liston　Cairnie　and　his　son　Willy　lie　deed
at　the　bottom　o'　the　Firrth。〃

〃Gude　help　us！〃　said　Sandy；　and　his　voice　sank。

〃An'；　oh；　Sandy；　the　wife　does　na　ken；　and　it's　hairt…breaking　to　see
her；　and　hear　her；　we　canna　get　her　tell't；　ye're　the　auldest　mon　here；
ye'll　tell　her；　will　ye　no；　Sandy？〃

〃No；　me；　that'　I　will　not！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　ye　are　kenned　for　your　stoot　heart；　an'　courage；　ye　come　fra'
facing　the　sea　an'　wind　in　a　bit　yawl。〃

〃The　sea　and　the　wind；〃　cried　he；　contemptuously；　〃they　be　；　I'm　used
wi'　them；　but　to　look　a　woman　i'　the　face；　an'　tell　her　her　mon　and　her
son　are　drowned　since　yestreen；　I　hae　na　coorage　for　that。〃

All　further　debate　was　cut　short　by　the　entrance　of　one　who　came
expressly　to　discharge　the　sad　duty　all　had　found　so　difficult。　It　was
the　Presbyterian　clergyman　of　the　place；　he　waved　them　back。　〃I　know；　I
know；〃　said　he；　solemnly。　〃Where　is　the　wife？〃

She　came　out　of　her　house　at　this　moment；　as　it　happened；　to　purchase
something　at　Drysale's　shop；　which　was　opposite。

〃Beeny；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃I　have　sorrowful　tidings。〃

〃Tell　me　them；　sir；〃　said　she；　unmoved。　〃Is　it　a　deeth？〃　added　she；
quietly。

〃It　is！death；　sudden　and　terrible；　in　your　own　house　I　must　tell　it
you（and　may　God　show　me　how　to　break　it　to　her）。〃

He　entered　her　house。

〃Aweel；〃　said　the　woman　to　the　others；　〃it　maun　be　some　far…awa　cousin；
or　the　like；　for　Liston　an'　me　hae　nae　near　freends。　Meg；　ye　idle　fuzzy；〃
screamed　she　to　her　servant；　who　was　one　of　the　spectators；　〃your　pat　is
no　on　yet；　div　ye　think　the　men　will　no　be　hungry　when　they　come　in　fra'
the　sea？〃

〃They　will　never　hunger　nor　thirst　ony　mair；〃　said　Jean；　solemnly；　as　the
bereaved　woman　entered　her　own　door。

There　ensued　a　listless　and　fearful　silence。

Every　moment　some　sign　of　bitter　sorrow　was　expected　to　break　forth　from
the　house；　but　none　came；　and　amid　the　expectation　and　silence　the　waves
dashed　louder　and　louder；　as　it　seemed；　against　the　dike；　conscious　of
what　they　had　done。

At　last；　in　a　moment；　a　cry　of　agony　arose；　so　terrible　that　all　who
heard　it　trembled；　and　more　than　one　woman　shrieked　in　return；　and　fled
from　the　door；　at　which；　the　next　moment；　the　clergyman　stood　alone；
collected；　but　pale；　and　beckoned。　Several　women　advanced。

〃One　woman；〃　said　he。

Jean　Carnie　was　admitted；　and　after　a　while　returned。

〃She　is　come　to　hersel'；〃　whispered　she；　〃I　am　no　weel　mysel'。〃　And　she
passed　into　her　own　house。

Then　Flucker　crept　to　the　door　to　see。

〃Oh；　dinna　spy　on　her；〃　cried　Christie。

〃Oh；　yes；　Flucker；〃　said　many　voices。

〃He　is　kneelin'；〃　said　Flucker。　〃He　has　her　hand；　to　gar　her　kneel
taeshe　winnashe　does　na　see　him；　nor　hear　him；　he　will　hae　her。　He
has　won　her　to　kneelhe　is　prayin；　an'　greetin　aside　her。　I　canna　see
noo；　my　een's　blinded。〃

〃He's　a　gude　mon；〃　said　Christie。　〃Oh；　what　wad　we　do　without　the
ministers？〃

Sandy　Liston　had　been　leaning　sorrowfully　against　the　wall　of　the　next
house；　he　now　broke　out：

〃An　auld　shipmate　at　the　whale…fishing！！！　an'　noow　we'll　never　lift　the
dredging　sang　thegither　again；　in　yon　dirty　detch　that's　droowned　him；　I
maun　hae　whisky；　an'　forget　it　a'。〃

He　made　for　the　spirit…shop　like　a　madman；　but　ere　he　could　reach　the
door　a　hand　was　laid　on　him　like　a　vise。　Christie　Johnstone　had　literally
sprung　on　him。　She　hated　this　horrible　vicehad　often　checked　him；　and
now　it　seemed　so　awful　a　moment　for　such　a　sin；　that　she　forgot　the　wild
and　savage　nature　of　the　man；　who　had　struck　his　own　sister；　and
seriously　hurt　her；　a　month　beforeshe　saw　nothing　but　the　vice　and　its
victim；　and　she　seized　him　by　the　collar；　with　a　grasp　from　which　he　in
vain　attempted　to　shake　himself　loose。

〃No！　ye'll　no　gang　there　at　siccan　a　time。〃

〃Hands　off；　ye　daft　jaud；〃　roared　he；　〃or　there'll　be　another　deeth　i'
the　toon。〃

At　the　noise　Jean　Carnie　ran　in。

〃Let　the　ruffian　go；〃　cried　she；　in　dismay。　〃Oh；　Christie；　dinna　put　your
hand　on　a　lion's　mane。〃

〃Yes；　I'll　put　my　hand　on　his　mane；　ere　I'll　let　him　mak　a　beast　o'
himsel'。〃

〃Sandy；　if　ye　hurt　her；　I'll　find　twenty　lads　that　will　lay　ye　deed　at
her　feet。〃

〃Haud　your　whisht；〃　said　Christie；　very　sharply；　〃he's　no　to　be
threetened。〃

Sandy　Liston；　black　and　white　with　rage；　ground　his　teeth　together；　and
said；　lifting　his　hand；　〃Wull　ye　let　me　go；　or　must　I　tak　my　hand　till
ye？〃

〃No！〃　said　Christie；　〃I'll　no　let　ye　go；　_sae　look　me　i'　the　face；
Flucker's　dochter；　your　auld　comrade；　that　saved　your　life　at　Holy　Isle；
think　o'　his　facean'　look　in　minesan'　strike　me！！！〃_

They　glared　on　one　anotherhe　fiercely　and　unsteadily；　she　firmly　and
proudly。

Jean　Carnie　said　afterward；　〃Her　eyes　were　like　coals　of　fire。〃

〃Ye　are　doing　what　nae　mon　i'　the　toon　daur；　ye　are　a　bauld；　unwise
lassy。〃

〃It's　you　mak　me　bauld；〃　was　the　instant　reply。　〃I　saw　ye　face　the　mad
sea；　to　save　a　ship　fra'　the　rocks；　an'　will　I　fear　a　mon's　hand；　when　I
can　save〃　_（rising　to　double　her　height）_　〃my　feyther's　auld　freend　fra'
the　puir　mon's　enemy；　the　enemy　o'　mankind；　the　cursed；　cursed　drink？　Oh；
Sandy　Liston；　hoow　could　ye　think　to　put　an　enemy　in　your　mooth　to　steal
awa　your　brains！〃

〃This　's　no　Newhaven　chat；　wha　lairns　ye　sic　words　o'　power？〃

〃A　deed　mon！〃

〃I　would　na　wonder；　y'　are　no　canny；　she's　ta'en　a'　the　poower　oot　o'　my
body；　I　think。〃　Then　suddenly　descending　to　a　tone　of　abject　submission；
〃What's　your　pleesure；　Flucker　Johnstone's　dochter？〃

She　instantly　withdrew　the　offending　grasp；　and；　leaning　affectionately
on　his　shoulder；　she　melted　into　her　rich　Ionic　tones。

〃It's　no　a　time　for　sin；　ye'll　sit　by　my　fire；　an'　get　your　dinner；　a
bonny　haggis　hae　I　for　you　an'　Flucker；　an'　we'll　improve　this　sorrowfu'
judgment；　an'　ye'll　tell　me　o'　auld　timeso'　my　feyther　dear；　that
likeit　ye　weel；　Sandyo'　the　storrms　ye　hae　weathered；　side　by　sideo'
the　muckle　whales　ye　killed　Greenland　wayan'　abune　a'；　o'　the　lives　ye
hae　saved　at　sea；　by　your　daurin　an'　your　skell；　an'；　oh；　Sandy；　will　na
that　be　better　as　sit　an'　poor　leequid　damnation　doown　your　throat；　an'
gie　awa　the　sense　an'　feeling　o'　a　mon　for　a　sair　heed　and　an　ill　name？〃

〃I'se　gang；　my　lamb；〃　said　the　rough　man；　quite　subdued；　〃I　daur　say
whisky　will　no　pass　my　teeth　the　day。〃

And　so　he　went　quietly　away；　and　sat　by　Christie's　fireside。

Jean　and　Christie　went　toward　the　boats。

Jean；　after　taking　it　philosophically　for　half　a　minute；　began　to
whimper。

〃What's　wrang？〃　said　Christie。

〃Div　ye　think　my　hairt's　no　in　my　mooth　wi'　you　gripping　yon　fierce
robber？〃

Here　a　young　fishwife；　with　a　box　in　her　hand；　who　had　followed　them；
pulled　Jean　by　the　coats。

〃Hets；〃　said　Jean；　pulling　herself　free。

The　child　then；　with　a　pertinacity　these　little　animals　have；　pulled
Christie's　coats。

〃Hets；〃　said　Christie；　freeing　herself　more　gently。

〃Ye　suld　mairry　Van　Amburgh；〃　continued　Jean；　〃ye　are　just　such　a　lass　as
he　is　a　lad。〃

Christie　smiled　proudly；　was　silent；　but　did　not　disown　the　comparison。

The　little　fishwife；　unable　to　attract　attention　by　pulling；　opened　her
box；　and　saying；　〃Lasses；　I'll　let　ye　see　my　presoner。　Hech！　he's
boenny！〃　pulled　out　a　mouse　by　a　string　fastened　to　his　tail　and　set　him
in　the　midst　for　friendly　admiration。

〃I　dinna　like　itI　dinna　like　it！〃　screamed　Christie。　〃Jean；　put　it
awayit　fears　me；　Jean！〃　This　she　uttered　（her　eyes　almost　starting　from
her　head　with　unaffected　terror）　at　the　distance　of　about　eight　yards；
whither　she　had　arrived　in　two　bounds　that　would　have　done　no　discredit
to　an　antelope。

〃Het；〃　said　Jean；　uneasily；　〃hae　ye　coowed　you　savage；　to　be　scared　at
the　wee　beastie？〃

Christie；　looking　askant　at　the　animal；　explained：　〃A　moose　is　an　awesome
beastit's　no　like　a　mon！〃　and　still　her　eye　was