christie johnstone-第27节

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Richard。　Oh！　oh！　oh！〃　（A　perfect　flood　of　tears。）

〃Barbara！　I　regret　nothing；　this　moment　pays　for　all。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will！　since　you　keep　pressing　me。　There；　let　me　go；　I　must
be　alone；　I　must　tell　the　sea　how　unjust　I　was；　and　how　happy　I　am；　and
when　you　see　me　again　you　shall　see　the　better　side　of　your　cousin
Barbara。〃

She　was　peremptory。　〃She　had　her　folly　and　his　merits　to　think　over；〃　she
said；　but　she　promised　to　pass　through　Newhaven；　and　he　should　put　her
into　her　pony…phaeton；　which　would　meet　her　there。

Lady　Barbara　was　only　a　fool　by　the　excess　of　her　wit　over　her
experience；　and　Lord　Ipsden's　love　was　not　misplaced；　for　she　had　a　great
heart　which　she　hid　from　little　people。　I　forgive　her！

The　resolutions　she　formed　in　company　with　the　sea；　having　dismissed
Ipsden；　and　ordered　her　flunky　into　the　horizon；　will　probably　give　our
viscount　just　half　a　century　of　conjugal　bliss。

As　he　was　going　she　stopped　him　and　said：　〃Your　friend　had　browner　hands
than　I　have　hitherto　conceived　possible。　_To　tell　the　truth；_　I　took　them
for　the　claws　of　a　mahogany　table　when　he　grappled　youis　that　the　term？
_C'est　e'gal_I　like　him〃

She　stopped　him　again。　〃Ipsden；　in　the　midst　of　all　this　that　poor　man's
ship　is　broken。　I　feel　it　is！　You　will　buy　him　another；　if　you　really
love　mefor　I　like　him。〃

And　so　these　lovers　parted　for　a　time；　and　Lord　Ipsden　with　a　bounding
heart　returned　to　Newhaven。　He　went　to　entertain　his　late　_vis…'a…vis_　at
the　〃Peacock。〃

Meantime　a　shorter　and　less　pleasant　_rencontre_　had　taken　place　between
Leith　and　that　village。

Gatty　felt　he　should　meet　his　lost　sweetheart；　and　sure　enough；　at　a　turn
of　the　road　Christie　and　Jean　came　suddenly　upon　him。

Jean　nodded；　but　Christie　took　no　notice　of　him；　they　passed　him；　he
turned　and　followed　them；　and　said；　〃Christie！〃

〃What　is　your　will　wi'　me？〃　said　she；　coldly。

〃II　How　pale　you　are！〃

〃I　am　no　very　weel。〃

〃She　has　been　watching　over　muckle　wi'　Flucker；〃　said　Jean。

Christie　thanked　her　with　a　look。

〃I　hope　it　is　notnot〃

〃Nae　fears；　lad；〃　said　she；　briskly；　〃I　dinna　think　that　muckle　o'　ye。〃

〃And　I　think　of　nothing　but　you；〃　said　he。

A　deep　flush　crimsoned　the　young　woman's　brow；　but　she　restrained
herself；　and　said　icily：　〃Thaat's　very　gude　o'　ye；　I'm　sure。〃

Gatty　felt　all　the　contempt　her　manners　and　words　expressed。　He　bit　his
lips。　The　tear　started　to　his　eye。　〃You　will　forget　me；〃　said　he。　〃I　do
not　deserve　to　be　remembered；　but　I　shall　never　forget　you。　I　leave　for
England。　I　leave　Newhaven　forever；　where　I　have　been　so　happy。　I　am　going
at　three　o'clock　by　the　steamboat。　Won't　you　bid　me　good…by？〃　He
approached　her　timidly。

〃Ay！　that　wull　do；〃　cried　she；　〃Gude　be　wi'　ye；　lad；　I　wish　ye　nae　ill。〃
She　gave　a　commanding　gesture　of　dismissal；　he　turned　away；　and　went
sadly　from　her。　She　watched　every　motion　when　his　back　was　turned。

〃That　is　you；　Christie；〃　said　Jean；　〃use　the　lads　like　dirt；　an'　they
think　a'　the　mair　o'　ye。〃

〃Oh；　Jean；　my　hairt's　broken。　I'm　just　deeing　for　him。〃

〃Let　me　speak　till　him　then；〃　said　Jean；　〃I'll　sune　bring　him　till　his
marrow…banes；〃　and　she　took　a　hasty　step　to　follow　him。

Christie　held　her　fast。　〃I'd　dee　ere　I'd　give　in　till　them。　Oh；　Jean！　I'm
a　lassie　clean　flung　awa；　he　has　neither　hairt　nor　spunk　ava；　yon　lad！〃

Jean　began　to　make　excuses　for　him。　Christie　inveighed　against　him。　Jean
spoke　up　for　him　with　more　earnestness。

Now　observe；　Jean　despised　the　poor　boy。

Christie　adored　him。

So　Jean　spoke　for　him；　because　women　of　every　degree　are　often　one　solid
mass　of　tact；　and　Christie　abused　him；　because　she　wanted　to　hear　him
defended。




CHAPTER　XVI。


RICHARD；　LORD　VISCOUNT　IPSDEN；　having　dotted　the　seashore　with　sentinels；
to　tell　him　of　Lady　Barbara's　approach；　awaited　his　guest　in　the
〃Peacock〃；　but；　as　Gatty　was　a　little　behind　time；　he　placed　Saunders
sentinel　over　the　〃Peacock；〃　and　strolled　eastward；　as　he　came　out　of　the
〃Peacock；〃　Mrs。　Gatty　came　down　the　little　hill　in　front；　and　also
proceeded　eastward；　meantime　Lady　Barbara　and　her　escort　were　not　far
from　the　New　Town　of　Newhaven；　on　their　way　from　Leith。

Mrs。　Gatty　came　down；　merely　with　a　vague　fear。　She　had　no　reason　to
suppose　her　son's　alliance　with　Christie　either　would　or　could　be
renewed；　but　she　was　a　careful　player　and　would　not　give　a　chance　away；
she　found　he　was　gone　out　unusually　early；　so　she　came　straight　to　the
only　place　she　dreaded；　it　was　her　son's　last　day　in　Scotland。　She　had
packed　his　clothes；　and　he　had　inspired　her　with　confidence　by　arranging
pictures；　etc。；　himself；　she　had　no　idea　he　was　packing　for　his　departure
from　this　life；　not　Edinburgh　only。

She　came　then　to　Newhaven　with　no　serious　misgivings；　for；　even　if　her
son　had　again　vacillated；　she　saw　that；　with　Christie's　pride　and　her　own
firmness；　the　game　must　be　hers　in　the　end；　but；　as　I　said　before；　she
was　one　who　played　her　cards　closely；　and　such　seldom　lose。

But　my　story　is　with　the　two　young　fishwives；　who；　on　their　return　from
Leith；　found　themselves　at　the　foot　of　the　New　Town；　Newhaven；　some
minutes　before　any　of　the　other　persons　who；　it　is　to　be　observed；　were
approaching　it　from　different　points；　they　came　slowly　in；　Christie　in
particular；　with　a　listlessness　she　had　never；　known　till　this　last　week；
for　some　days　her　strength　had　failed　herit　was　Jean　that　carried　the
creel　nowbefore；　Christie；　in　the　pride　of　her　strength；　would　always
do　more　than　her　share　of　their　joint　labor。　Then　she　could　hardly　be
forced　to　eat；　and　what　she　did　eat　was　quite　tasteless　to　her；　and　sleep
left　her；　and　in　its　stead　came　uneasy　slumbers；　from　which　she　awoke
quivering　from　head　to　foot。

Oh！　perilous　venture　of　those　who　love　one　object　with　the　whole　heart。

This　great　but　tender　heart　was　breaking　day　by　day。

Well；　Christie　and　Jean；　strolling　slowly　into　the　New　Town　of　Newhaven；
found　an　assemblage　of　the　natives　all　looking　seaward；　the　fishermen；
except　Sandy　Liston；　were　away　at　the　herring　fishery；　but　all　the　boys
and　women　of　the　New　Town　were　collected；　the　girls　felt　a　momentary
curiosity；　it　proved；　however；　to　be　only　an　individual　swimming　in
toward　shore　from　a　greater　distance　than　usual。

A　little　matter　excites　curiosity　in　such　places。

The　man's　head　looked　like　a　spot　of　ink。

Sandy　Liston　was　minding　his　own　business；　lazily　mending　a　skait…net；
which　he　had　attached　to　a　crazy　old　herring…boat　hauled　up　to　rot。

Christie　sat　down；　pale　and　languid；　by　him；　on　a　creepie　that　a　lass　who
had　been　baiting　a　line　with　mussels　had　just　vacated；　suddenly　she
seized　Jean's　arm　with　a　convulsive　motion；　Jean　looked　upit　was　the
London　steamboat　running　out　from　Leith　to　Granton　Pier　to　take　up　her
passengers　for　London。　Charles　Gatty　was　going　by　that　boat；　the　look　of
mute　despair　the　poor　girl　gave　went　to　Jean's　heart；　she　ran　hastily
from　the　group；　and　cried　out　of　sight　for　poor　Christie。

A　fishwife；　looking　through　a　telescope　at　the　swimmer；　remarked：　〃He's
coming　in　fast；　he's　a　gallant　swimmer；　yon

〃Can　he　dee't？〃　inquired　Christie　of　Sandy　Liston。

〃Fine　thaat；〃　was　the　reply；　〃he　does　it　aye　o'　Sundays　when　ye　are　at
the　kirk。〃

〃It's　no　oot　o'　the　kirk　window　ye'll　hae　seen　him；　Sandy；　my　mon；〃　said
a　young　fishwife。

〃Rin　for　my　glass　ony　way；　Flucker；〃　said　Christie；　forcing　herself　to
take　some　little　interest。

Flucker　brought　it　to　her；　she　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder；　got　slowly
up；　and　stood　on　the　creepie　and　adjusted　the　focus　of　her　glass；　after　a
short　view；　she　said　to　Flucker：

〃Rin　and　see　the　nook。〃　She　then　leveled　her　glass　again　at　the　swimmer。

Flucker　informed　her　the　nook　said　〃half　eleven〃Scotch　for　〃half　past
ten。〃

Christie　whipped　out　a　well…thumbed　almanac。

〃Yon　nook's　aye　ahint；〃　said　she。　She　swept　the　sea　once　more　with　her
glass；　then　brought　it　together　with　a　click；　and　jumped　off　the　stool。
Her　quick　intelligence　viewed　the　matter　differently　from　all　the　others。

〃Noow；〃　cried　she；　smartly；　〃wha'll　lend　me　his　yawl？〃

〃Hets！　dinna　be　sae　interferin'；　lassie；〃　said　a　fishwife。

〃Hae　nane　o'　ye　ony　spunk？〃　said　Christie；　taking　no　notice　of　the　woman。
〃Speak；　laddies！〃

〃M'　uncle's　yawl　is　at　the　pier…head；　ye'll　get　her；　my　woman；〃　said　a
boy。

〃A　schell'n　for　wha's　first　on　board；〃　said　Christie；　holding　up　the
coin。

〃Come　awa'；　Flucker；　we'll　hae　her　schell'n；〃　and　these　two　worthies
instantly　effected　a　false　start。

〃It's　no　under　your　jackets；〃　said　Christie；　as　she　dashed　after　them
like　the　wind。

〃Haw！　haw！　haw！〃　laughed　Sandy。

〃What's　her　business　picking　up　a　mon　against　his　will？〃　said　a　woman。

〃She's　an　awfu'　lassie；〃　whined　another。　The　examination　of　the　swimmer
was　then　continued；　and　the　crowd　increased；　some　would　have　it　he　was
rapidly　approaching；　others　that　he　made　little　or　no　way。

〃Wha　est？〃　said　another。

〃It's　a　lummy；〃　said　a　girl。

〃Na！　it's　no　a　lummy；〃　said　another。

Christie's　boat　was　now　seen　standing　out　from　the　pier。　Sandy　Liston；
casting　a　contemptuous　look　on　all　the　rest；　lifted　himself　lazily　into
the　herring…boat　and　lo