redgauntlet-第19节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



'Vanity　of　vanities；　saith　the　Preacher；'　thus　harangued　Joshua　Gleddes　of　Mount　Sharon；　'if　we　ourselves　are　nothing　in　the　sight　of　Heaven；　how　much　less　than　nothing　must　be　our　derivation　from　rotten　bones　and　mouldering　dust；　whose　immortal　spirits　have　long　since　gone　to　their　private　account？　　Yes；　friend　Latimer；　my　ancestors　were　renowned　among　the　ravenous　and　bloodthirsty　men　who　then　dwelt　in　this　vexed　country；　and　so　much　were　they　famed　for　successful　freebooting；　robbery；　and　bloodshed；　that　they　are　said　to　have　been　called　Geddes；　as　likening　them　to　the　fish　called　a　Jack；　Pike；　or　Luce；　and　in　our　country　tongue；　a　GEDa；　goodly　distinction　truly　for　Christian　men！　　Yet　did　they　paint　this　shark　of　the　fresh　waters　upon　their　shields；　and　these　profane　priests　of　a　wicked　idolatry；　the　empty　boasters　called　heralds；　who　make　engraven　images　of　fishes；　fowls；　and　four…footed　beasts；　that　men　may　fall　down　and　worship　them；　assigned　the　ged　for　the　device　and　escutcheon　of　my　fathers；　and　hewed　it　over　their　chimneys；　and　placed　it　above　their　tombs；　and　the　men　were　elated　in　mind；　and　became　yet　more　ged…like；　slaying；　leading　into　captivity；　and　dividing　the　spoil；　until　the　place　where　they　dwelt　obtained　the　name　of　Sharing…Knowe；　from　the　booty　which　was　there　divided　amongst　them　and　their　accomplices。　　But　a　better　judgement　was　given　to　my　father's　father；　Philip　Geddes；　who；　after　trying　to　light　his　candle　at　some　of　the　vain　wildfires　then　held　aloft　at　different　meetings　and　steeple…houses；　at　length　obtained　a　spark　from　the　lamp　of　the　blessed　George　Fox；　who　came　into　Scotland　spreading　light　among　darkness；　as　he　himself　hath　written；　as　plentifully　as　fly　the　sparkles　from　the　hoof　of　the　horse　which　gallops　swiftly　along　the　stony　road。'Here　the　good　Quaker　interrupted　himself　with；　'And　that　is　very　true；　I　must　go　speedily　to　see　after　the　condition　of　Solomon。'

A　Quaker　servant　here　entered　the　room　with　a　tray；　and　inclining　his　head　towards　his　master；　but　not　after　the　manner　of　one　who　bows；　said　composedly；　'Thou　art　welcome　home；　friend　Joshua；　we　expected　thee　not　so　early；　but　what　hath　befallen　Solomon　thy　horse？'

'What　hath　befallen　him；　indeed？'　　said　my　friend；　'hath　he　not　been　returned　hither　by　the　child　whom　they　call　Benjie？'

'He　hath；'　said　his　domestic；　'but　it　was　after　a　strange　fashion；　for　he　came　hither　at　a　swift　and　furious　pace；　and　flung　the　child　Benjie　from　his　back；　upon　the　heap　of　dung　which　is　in　the　stable…yard。'

'I　am　glad　of　it；'　said　Joshua；　hastily；'glad　of　it；　with　all　my　heart　and　spirit！　　But　stay；　he　is　the　child　of　the　widow　hath　the　boy　any　hurt？'

'Not　so'　answered　the　servant；　'for　he　rose　and　fled　swiftly。'

Joshua　muttered　something　about　a　scourge；　and　then　inquired　after　Solomon's　present　condition。

'He　seetheth　like　a　steaming　cauldron；'　answered　the　servant；　'and　Bauldie；　the　lad；　walketh　him　about　the　yard　with　a　halter；　lest　he　take　cold。'

Mr。　Geddes　hastened　to　the　stable…yard　to　view　personally　the　condition　of　his　favourite；　and　I　followed　to　offer　my　counsel　as　a　jockey。　　Don't　laugh；　Alan；　sure　I　have　jockeyship　enough　to　assist　a　Quakerin　this　unpleasing　predicament。

The　lad　who　was　leading　the　horse　seemed　to　be　no　Quaker；　though　his　intercourse　with　the　family　had　given　him　a　touch　of　their　prim　sobriety　of　look　and　manner。　　He　assured　Joshua　that　his　horse　had　received　no　injury；　and　I　even　hinted　that　the　exercise　would　be　of　service　to　him。　　Solomon　himself　neighed　towards　his　master；　and　rubbed　his　head　against　the　good　Quaker's　shoulder；　as　if　to　assure　him　of　his　being　quite　well；　so　that　Joshua　returned　in　comfort　to　his　parlour；　where　breakfast　was　now　about　to　be　displayed。

I　have　since　learned　that　the　affection　of　Joshua　for　his　pony　is　considered　as　inordinate　by　some　of　his　own　sect；　and　that　he　has　been　much　blamed　for　permitting　it　to　be　called　by　the　name　of　Solomon；　or　any　other　name　whatever；　but　he　has　gained　so　much　respect　and　influence　among　them　that　they　overlook　these　foibles。

I　learned　from　him　（whilst　the　old　servant；　Jehoiachim；　entering　and　re…entering；　seemed　to　make　no　end　of　the　materials　which　he　brought　in　for　breakfast）　that　his　grandfather　Philip；　the　convert　of　George　Fox；　had　suffered　much　from　the　persecution　to　which　these　harmless　devotees　were　subjected　on　all　sides　during　that　intolerant　period；　and　much　of　their　family　estate　had　been　dilapidated。　　But　better　days　dawned　on　Joshua's　father；　who；　connecting　himself　by　marriage　with　a　wealthy　family　of　Quakers　in　Lancashire；　engaged　successfully　in　various　branches　of　commerce；　and　redeemed　the　remnants　of　the　property；　changing　its　name　in　sense；　without　much　alteration　of　sound；　from　the　Border　appellation　of　Sharing…Knowe；　to　the　evangelical　appellation　of　Mount　Sharon。

This　Philip　Geddes；　as　I　before　hinted；　had　imbibed　the　taste　for　horticulture　and　the　pursuits　of　the　florist；　which　are　not　uncommon　among　the　peaceful　sect　he　belonged　to。　　He　had　destroyed　the　remnants　of　the　old　peel…house；　substituting　the　modern　mansion　in　its　place；　and　while　he　reserved　the　hearth　of　his　ancestors；　in　memory　of　their　hospitality；　as　also　the；　pious　motto　which　they　had　chanced　to　assume；　he　failed　not　to　obliterate　the　worldly　and　military　emblems　displayed　upon　the　shield　and　helmet；　together　with　all　their　blazonry。

In　a　few　minutes　after　Mr。　Geddes　had　concluded　the　account；　of　himself　and　his　family；　his　sister　Rachel；　the　only　surviving　member　of　it；　entered　the　room。　　Her　appearance　is　remarkably　pleasing；　and　although　her　age　is　certainly　thirty　at　least；　she　still　retains　the　shape　and　motion　of　an　earlier　period。　　The　absence　of　everything　like　fashion　or　ornament　was；　as　usual；　atoned　for　by　the　most　perfect　neatness　and　cleanliness　of　her　dress；　and　her　simple　close　cap　was　perticularly　suited　to　eyes　which　had　the　softness　and　simplicity　of　the　dove's。　　Her　features　were　also　extremely　agreeable；　but　had　suffered　a　little　through　the　ravages　of　that　professed　enemy　to　beauty；　the　small…　pox；　a　disadvantage　which　was　in　part　counterbalanced　by　a　well…　formed　mouth；　teeth　like　pearls；　and　a　pleasing　sobriety　of　smile；　that　seemed　to　wish　good　here　and　hereafter　to　every　one　she　spoke　to。　　You　cannot　make　any　of　your　vile　inferences　here；　Alan；　for　I　have　given　a　full…length　picture　of　Rachel　Geddes；　so　that；　you　cannot　say；　in　this　case；　as　in　the　letter　I　have　just　received；　that　she　was　passed　over　as　a　subject　on　which　I　feared　to　dilate。　　More　of　this　anon。

Well；　we　settled　to　our　breakfast　after　a　blessing；　or　rather　an　extempore　prayer；　which　Joshua　made　upon　the　occasion；　and　which　the　spirit　moved　him　to　prolong　rather　more　than　I　felt　altogether　agreeable。　　Then；　Alan；　there　was　such　a　dispatching　of　the　good　things　of　the　morning　as　you　have　not　witnessed　since　you　have　seen　Darsie　Latimer　at　breakfast。　　Tea　and　chocolate；　eggs；　ham；　and　pastry；　not　forgetting　the　broiled　fish；　disappeared　with　a　celerity　which　seemed　to　astonish　the　good…　humoured　Quakers；　who　kept　loading　my　plate　with　supplies；　as　if　desirous　of　seeing　whether　they　could；　by　any　possibility；　tire　me　out。　　One　hint；　however；　I　received；　which　put　me　in　mind　where　I　was。　　Miss　Geddes　had　offered　me　some　sweet…cake；　which；　at　the　moment；　I　declined；　but　presently　afterwards；　seeing　it　within　my　reach；　I　naturally　enough　helped　myself　to　a　slice；　and　had　just；　deposited　it　beside　my　plate；　when　Joshua；　mine　host；　not　with　the　authoritative　air　of　Sancho's　doctor；　Tirteafuera；　but　in　a　very　calm　and　quiet　manner；　lifted　it　away　and　replaced　it　on　the　dish；　observing　only；　'Thou　didst　refuse　it　before；　friend　Latimer。'

These　good　folks；　Alan；　make　no　allowance　for　what　your　good　father　calls　the　Aberdeen…man's　privilege；　of　'taking　his　word　again；'　or　what　the　wise　call　second　thoughts。

Bating　this　slight　hint　that　I　was　among　a　precise　generation；　there　was　nothing　in　my　reception　that　was　peculiarunless；　indeed；　I　were　to　notice　the　solicitous　and　uniform　kindness　with　which　all　the　attentions　of　my　new　friends　were　seasoned；　as　if　they　were　anxious　to　assure　me　that　the　neglect　of　worldly　compliments　interdicted　by　their　sect；　only　served　to　render　their　hospitality　more　sincere。　　At　length　my　hunger　was　satisfied；　and　the　worthy　Quaker；　who；　with　looks　of　great　good　nature；　had　watched　my　progress；　thus　addressed　his　sister：

'This　young　man；　Rachel；　hath　last　night　sojourned　in　the　tents　of　our　neighbour　whom　men　call　the　laird。　　I　am　sorry　I　had　not　met　him　the　evening　before；　for　our　neighbour's　hospitality　is　too　unfrequently　exercised　to　be　well　prepared　with　the　means　of　welcome。'

'Nay；　but；　Joshua；'　said　Rachel；　'if　our　neighbour　hath　done　a　kindness；　thou　shouldst　not　grudge　him　the　opportunity；　and　if　our　young　friend　hath　fared　ill　for　a　night；　he　will　the　better　relish　what　Providence　may　send　him　of　better　provisions。'

'And　that　he　may　do　so　at　leisure；'　said　Joshua；　'we　will　pray　him；　Rachel；　to　tarry　a　day　or　twain　with　us：　　he　is　young；　and　is　but　now　entering　upon　the　world；　and　our　habitation　may；　if　he　will；　be　like　a　resting…place；　from　which　he　may　look　abroad　upon　the　pilgrimage　which　he　mu