redgauntlet-第14节

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'Have　you　forgot　Herries　of　Birrenswork？'　　said　the　gentleman；　and　my　father　bowed　even　more　profoundly　than　before；　though　I　think　his　reception　of　his　old　friend　seemed　to　lose　some　of　the　respectful　civility　which　he　bestowed　on　him　while　his　name　was　yet　unknown。　　It　now　seemed　to　be　something　like　the　lip…courtesy　which　the　heart　would　have　denied　had　ceremony　permitted。

My　father；　however；　again　bowed　low；　and　hoped　he　saw　him　well。

'So　well；　my　good　Mr。　Fairford；　that　I　come　hither　determined　to　renew　my　acquaintance　with　one　or　two　old　friends；　and　with　you　in　the　first　place。　　I　halt　at　my　old　resting　placeyou　must　dine　with　me　to…day；　at　Paterson's；　at　the　head　of　the　Horse　Wyndit　is　near　your　new　fashionable　dwelling；　and　I　have　business　with　you。'

My　father　excused　himself　respectfully；　and　not　without　embarrassment'he　was　particularly　engaged　at　home。'

'Then　I　will　dine　with　you；　man；'　said　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　'the　few　minutes　you　can　spare　me　after　dinner　will　suffice　for　my　business；　and　I　will　not　prevent　you　a　moment　from　minding　your　ownI　am　no　bottle…man。'

You　have　often　remarked　that　my　father；　though　a　scrupulous　ohserver　of　the　rites　of　hospitality；　seems　to　exercise　them　rather　as　a　duty　than　as　a　pleasure；　indeed；　but　for　a　conscientious　wish　to　feed　the　hungry　and　receive　the　stranger；　his　doors　would　open　to　guests　much　seldomer　than　is　the　case。　　I　never　saw　so　strong　an　example　of　this　peculiarity　（which　I　should　otherwise　have　said　is　caricatured　in　your　description）　as　in　his　mode　of　homologating　the　self…given　invitation　of　Mr。　Herries。　　The　embarsassed　brow；　and　the　attempt　at　a　smile　which　accompanied　his　'We　will　expect　the　honour　of　seeing　you　in　Brown　Square　at　three　o'clock；'　could　not　deceive　any　one；　and　did　not　impose　upon　the　old　laird。　　It　was　with　a　look　of　scorn　that　he　replied；　'I　will　relieve　you　then　till　that　hour；　Mr。　Fairford；'　and　his　whole　manner　seemed　to　say；　'It　is　my　pleasure　to　dine　with　you；　and　I　care　not　whether　I　am　welcome　or　no。'

When　he　turned　away；　I　asked　my　father　who　he　was。

'An　unfortunate　gentleman；'　was　the　reply。

'He　looks　pretty　well　on　his　misfortunes；'　replied　I。　　'I　should　not　have　suspected　that　so　gay　an　outside　was　lacking　a　dinner。'

'Who　told　you　that　he　does？'　　replied　my　father；　'he　is　OMNI　SUSPICIONE　MAJOR；　so　far　as　worldly　circumstances　are　concerned。　It　is　to　be　hoped　he　makes　a　good　use　of　them；　though；　if　he　does；　it　will　be　for　the　first　time　in　his　life。'

'He　has　then　been　an　irregular　liver？'　　insinuated　I。

My　father　replied　by　that　famous　brocard　with　which　he　silences　all　unacceptable　queries　turning　in　the　slightest　degree　upon　the　failings　of　our　neighbours；'If　we　mend　our　own　faults；　Alan；　we　shall　all　of　us　have　enough　to　do；　without　sitting　in　judgement　upon　other　folks。'

Here　I　was　again　at　fault；　but　rallying　once　more；　I　observed；　he　had　the　air　of　a　man　of　high　rank　and　family。

'He　is　well　entitled；'　said　my　father；　'representing　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　a　branch　of　that　great　and　once　powerful　family　of　Herries；　the　elder　branch　whereof　merged　in　the　house　of　Nithesdale　at　the　death　of　Lord　Robin　the　Philosopher；　Anno　Domini　sixteen　hundred　and　sixty…seven。'

'Has　he　still；'　said　I；　'his　patrimonial　estate　of　Birrenswork？'

'No；'　replied　my　father；　'so　far　back　as　his　father's　time；　it　was　a　mere　designationthe　property　being　forfeited　by　Herbert　Herries　following　his　kinsman　the　Earl　of　Derwentwater　to　the　Preston　affair　in　1715。　　But　they　keep　up　the　designation；　thinking；　doubtless；　that　their　claims　may　be　revived　in　more　favourable　times　for　Jacobites　and　for　popery；　and　folks　who　in　no　way　partake　of　their　fantastic　capriccios　do　yet　allow　it　to　pass　unchallenged；　EX　COMITATE；　if　not　EX　MISERICORDIA。But　were　he　the　Pope　and　the　Pretender　both；　we　must　get　some　dinner　ready　for　him；　since　he　has　thought　fit　to　offer　himself。　　So　hasten　home；　my　lad；　and　tell　Hannah；　Cook　Epps；　and　James　Wilkinson；　to　do　their　best；　and　do　thou　look　out　a　pint　or　two　of　Maxwell's　bestit　is　in　the　fifth　binthere　are　the　keys　of　the　wine…　cellar。　　Do　not　leave　them　in　the　lockyou　know　poor　James's　failing；　though　he　is　an　honest　creature　under　all　other　temptationsand　I　have　but　two　bottles　of　the　old　brandy　left　we　must　keep　it　for　medicine；　Alan。'

Away　went　Imade　my　preparationsthe　hour　of　dinner　came；　and　so　did　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork。

If　I　had　thy　power　of　imagination　and　description；　Darsie；　I　could　make　out　a　fine；　dark；　mysterious；　Rembrandt…looking　portrait　of　this　same　stranger；　which　should　be　as　far　superior　to　thy　fisherman　as　a　shirt　of　chain…mail　is　to　a　herring…net。　　I　can　assure　you　there　is　some　matter　for　description　about　him；　but　knowing　my　own　imperfections；　I　can　only　say；　I　thought　him　eminently　disagreeable　and　ill…bred。No；　ILL…BRED　is　not　the　proper　word　on　the　contrary；　he　appeared　to　know　the　rules　of　good…breeding　perfectly；　and　only　to　think　that　the　rank　of　the　company　did　not　require　that　he　should　attend　to　thema　view　of　the　matter　infinitely　more　offensive　than　if　his　behaviour　had　been　that　of　uneducated　and　proper　rudeness。　　While　my　father　said　grace；　the　laird　did　all　but　whistle　aloud；　and　when　I；　at　my　father's　desire；　returned　thanks；　he　used　his　toothpick；　as　if　he　had　waited　that　moment　for　its　exercise。

So　much　for　Kirkwith　King；　matters　went　even　worse。　　My　father；　thou　knowest；　is　particularly　full　of　deference　to　his　guests；　and　in　the　present　care；　he　seemed　more　than　usually　desirous　to　escape　every　cause　of　dispute。　　He　so　far　compromised　his　loyalty　as　to　announce　merely　'The　King'　as　his　first　toast　after　dinner；　instead　of　the　emphatic　'King　George'；　which　is　his　usual　formula。　　Our　guest　made　a　motion　with　his　glass；　so　as　to　pass　it　over　the　water…decanter　which　stood　beside　him；　and　added；　'Over　the　water。'

My　father　coloured；　but　would　not　seem　to　hear　this。　　Much　more　there　was　of　careless　and　disrespectful　in　the　stranger's　manner　and　tone　of　conversation；　so　that；　though　I　know　my　father's　prejudices　in　favour　of　rank　and　birth；　and　though　I　am　aware　his　otherwise　masculine　understanding　has　never　entirely　shaken　off　the　slavish　awe　of　the　great　which　in　his　earlier　days　they　had　so　many　modes　of　commanding；　still　I　could　hardly　excuse　him　for　enduring　so　much　insolencesuch　it　seemed　to　be　as　this　self…　invited　guest　was　disposed　to　offer　to　him　at　his　own　table。

One　can　endure　a　traveller　in　the　same　carriage；　if　he　treads　upon　your　toes　by　accident；　or　even　through　negligence；　but　it　is　very　different　when；　knowing　that　they　are　rather　of　a　tender　description；　he　continues　to　pound　away　at　them　with　his　hoofs。　In　my　poor　opinionand　I　am　a　man　of　peaceyou　can；　in　that　case；　hardly　avoid　a　declaration　of　war。

I　believe　my　father　read　my　thoughts　in　my　eye；　for；　pulling　out　his　watch；　he　said；　'Half…past　four；　Alanyou　should　be　in　your　own　room　by　this　timeBirrenswork　will　excuse　you。'

Our　visitor　nodded　carelessly；　and　I　had　no　longer　any　pretence　to　remain。　　But　as　I　left　the　room；　I　heard　this　magnate　of　Nithesdale　distinctly　mention　the　name　of　Latimer。　　I　lingered；　but　at　length　a　direct　hint　from　my　father　obliged　me　to　withdraw；　and　when；　an　hour　afterwards；　I　was　summoned　to　partake　of　a　cup　of　tea；　our　guest　had　departed。　　He　had　business　that　evening　in　the　High　Street；　and　could　not　spare　time　even　to　drink　tea。　　I　could　not　help　saying；　I　considered　his　departure　as　a　relief　from　incivility。　　'What　business　has　he　to　upbraid　us；'　I　said；　'with　the　change　of　our　dwelling　from　a　more　inconvenient　to　a　better　quarter　of　the　town？　　What　was　it　to　him　if　we　chose　to　imitate　some　of　the　conveniences　or　luxuries　of　an　English　dwelling…house；　instead　of　living　piled　up　above　each　other　in　flats？　　Have　his　patrician　birth　and　aristocratic　fortunes　given　him　any　right　to　censure　those　who　dispose　of　the　fruits　of　their　own　industry；　according　to　their　own　pleasure？'

My　father　took　a　long　pinch　of　snuff；　and　replied；　'Very　well；　Alan；　very　well　indeed。　　I　wish　Mr。　Crossbite　or　Counsellor　Pest　had　heard　you；　they　must　have　acknowledged　that　you　have　a　talent　for　forensic　elocution；　and　it　may　not　be　amiss　to　try　a　little　declamation　at　home　now　and　then；　to　gather　audacity　and　keep　yourself　in　breath。　　But　touching　the　subject　of　this　paraffle　of　words；　it's　not　worth　a　pinch　of　tobacco。　　D'ye　think　that　I　care　for　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork　more　than　any　other　gentleman　who　comes　here　about　business；　although　I　do　not　care　to　go　tilting　at　his　throat；　because　he　speaks　like　a　grey　goose；　as　he　is？　But　to　say　no　more　about　him；　I　want　to　have　Darsie　Latimer's　present　direction；　for　it　is　possible　I　may　have　to　write　the　lad　a　line　with　my　own　handand　yet　I　do　not　well　knowbut　give　me　the　direction　at　all　events。'

I　did　so；　and　if　you　have　heard　from　my　father　accordingly；　you　know　more；　probably；　about　the　subject　of　this　letter　than　I　who　write　it。　　But　if　you　have　not；　then　shall　I　have　discharged　a　friend's　duty；　in　letting　you　know　that　there　certainly　is　something　afloat　between　this　disagreeable　laird　and　my　father；　in　which　you　are　considerably　interested。

Adieu！　　and　although　I　have　given　thee　a　subject