redgauntlet-第24节

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om　the　text；　which　it　is　so　necessary　you　should　know。

Combine　this　warning；　so　strangely　conveyed；　with　the　caution　impressed　on　you　by　your　London　correspondent；　Griffiths；　against　your　visiting　Englandwith　the　character　of　your　Laird　of　the　Solway　Lakeswith　the　lawless　habits　of　the　people　on　that　frontier　country；　where　warrants　are　not　easily　executed　owing　to　the　jealousy　entertained　by　either　country　of　the　legal　interference　of　the　other；　remember；　that　even　Sir　John　Fielding　said　to　my　father　that　he　could　never　trace　a　rogue　beyond　the　Briggend　of　Dumfriesthink　that　the　distinctions　of　Whig　and　Tory；　Papist　and　Protestant；　still　keep　that　country　in　a　loose　and　comparatively　lawless　statethink　of　all　this；　my　dearest　Darsie；　and　remember　that；　while　at　this　Mount　Sharon　of　yours；　you　are　residing　with　a　family　actually　menaced　with　forcible　interference；　and　who；　while　their　obstinacy　provokes　violence；　are　by　principle　bound　to　abstain　from　resistance。

Nay；　let　me　tell　you；　professionally；　that　the　legality　of　the　mode　of　fishing　practised　by　your　friend　Joshua　is　greatly　doubted　by　our　best　lawyers；　and　that；　if　the　stake…nets　be　considered　as　actually　an　unlawful　obstruction　raised　in　the　channel　of　the　estuary；　an　assembly　of　persons　who　shall　proceed；　VIA　FACTI；　to　pull　dawn　and　destroy　them；　would　not；　in　the　eye　of　the　law；　be　esteemed　guilty　of　a　riot。　　So；　by　remaining　where　you　are；　YOU　are　likely　to　be　engaged　in　a　quarrel　with　which　you　have　nothing　to　do；　and　thus　to　enable　your　enemies；　whoever　these　may　be；　to　execute；　amid　the　confusion　of　a　general　hubbub；　whatever　designs　they　may　have　against　your　personal　safety。　Black…fishers；　poachers；　and　smugglers　are　a　sort　of　gentry　that　will　not　be　much　checked；　either　by　your　Quaker's　texts；　or　by　your　chivalry。　　If　you　are　Don　Quixote　enough　to　lay　lance　in　rest；　in　defence　of　those　of　the　stake…net；　and　of　the　sad…　coloured　garment；　I　pronounce　you　but　a　lost　knight；　for；　as　I　said　before；　I　doubt　if　these　potent　redressers　of　wrongs；　the　justices　and　constables；　will　hold　themselves　warranted　to　interfere。　　In　a　word；　return；　my　dear　Amadis；　the　adventure　of　the　Solway…nets　is　not　reserved　for　your　worship。　　Come　back；　and　I　will　be　your　faithful　Sancho　Panza　upon　a　more　hopeful　quest。　We　will　beat　about　together；　in　search　of　this　Urganda；　the　Unknown　She　of　the　Green　Mantle；　who　can　read　this；　the　riddle　of　thy　fate；　better　than　wise　Eppie　of　Buckhaven；　＇Well　known　in　the　Chap…Book；　called　the　History　of　Buckhaven。＇　　or　Cassandra　herself。

I　would　fain　trifle；　Darsie；　for；　in　debating　with　you；　jests　will　sometimes　go　farther　than　arguments；　but　I　am　sick　at　heart　and　cannot　keep　the　ball　up。　　If　you　have　a　moment's　regard　for　the　friendship　we　have　so　often　vowed　to　each　other；　let　my　wishes　for　once　prevail　over　your　own　venturous　and　romantic　temper。　　I　am　quite　serious　in　thinking　that　the　information　communicated　to　my　father　by　this　Mr。　Herries；　and　the　admonitory　letter　of　the　young　lady；　bear　upon　each　other；　and　that；　were　you　here；　you　might　learn　something　from　one　or　other；　or　from　both；　that；　might　throw　light　on　your　birth　and　parentage。　　You　will　not；　surely；　prefer　an　idle　whim　to　the　prospect　which　is　thus　held　out　to　you？

I　would；　agreeably　to　the　hint　I　have　received　in　the　young　lady's　letter　（for　I　am　confident　that　such　is　her　condition）；　have　ere　now　been　with　you　to　urge　these　things；　instead　of　pouring　them　out　upon　paper。　　But　you　know　that　the　day　for　my　trials　is　appointed；　I　have　already　gone　through　the　form　of　being　introduced　to　the　examinators；　and　have　gotten　my　titles　assigned　me。　　All　this　should　not　keep　me　at　home；　but　my　father　would　view　any　irregularity　upon　this　occasion　as　a　mortal　blow　to　the　hopes　which　he　has　cherished　most　fondly　during　his　life；　viz。　my　being　called　to　the　bar　with　some　credit。　　For　my　own　part；　I　know　there　is　no　great　difficulty　in　passing　these　formal　examinations；　else　how　have　some　of　our　acquaintance　got　through　them？　　But；　to　my　father；　these　formalities　compose　an　august　and　serious　solemnity；　to　which　he　has　long　looked　forward；　and　my　absenting　myself　at　this　moment　would　wellnigh　drive　him　distracted。　　Yet　I　shall　go　altogether　distracted　myself；　if　I　have　not　an　instant　assurance　from　you　that　you　are　hastening　hither。　　Meanwhile　I　have　desired　Hannah　to　get　your　little　crib　into　the　best　order　possible。　　I　cannot　learn　that　my　father　has　yet　written　to　you；　nor　has　he　spoken　more　of　his　communication　with　Birrenswork；　but　when　I　let　him　have　some　inkling　of　the　dangers　you　are　at　present　incurring；　I　know　my　request　that　you　will　return　immediately　will　have　his　cordial　support。

Another　reason　yetI　must　give　a　dinner；　as　usual；　upon　my　admission；　to　our　friends；　and　my　father；　laying　aside　all　his　usual　considerations　of　economy；　has　desired　it　may　be　in　the　best　style　possible。　　Come　hither　then；　dear　Darsie！　　or；　I　protest　to　you；　I　shall　send　examination；　admission…dinner；　and　guests　to　the　devil；　and　come；　in　person；　to　fetch　you　with　a　vengeance。　　Thine；　in　much　anxiety；　　　　A。　F。




LETTER　IX

ALEXANDER　FAIRFORD；　W。S。；　TO　MR。　DARSIE　LATIMER

DEAR　MR。　DARSIE；　Having　been　your　FACTOR　LOCO　TUTORIS　or　rather；　I　ought　to　say；　in　correctness　（since　I　acted　without　warrant　from　the　court）；　your　NEGOTIORUM　GESTOR；　that　connexion　occasions　my　present　writing。　　And　although　having　rendered　an　account　of　my　intromissions；　which　have　been　regularly　approved　of；　not　only　by　yourself　（whom　I　could　not　prevail　upon　to　look　at　more　than　the　docket　and　sum　total）；　but　also　by　the　worthy　Mr。　Samuel　Griffiths　of　London；　being　the　hand　through　whom　the　remittances　were　made；　I　may；　in　some　sense；　be　considered　as　to　you　FUNCTUS　OFFICIO；　yet　to　speak　facetiously；　I　trust　you　will　not　hold　me　accountable　as　a　vicious　intromitter；　should　I　still　consider　myself　as　occasionally　interested　in　your　welfare。　　My　motives　for　writing；　at　this　time；　are　twofold。

I　have　met　with　a　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　a　gentleman　of　very　ancient　descent；　but　who　hath　in　time　past　been　in　difficulties；　nor　do　I　know　if　his　affairs　are　yet　well　redd。　　Birrenswork　says　that　he　believes　he　was　very　familiar　with　your　father；　whom　he　states　to　have　been　called　Ralph　Latimer　of　Langcote　Hall；　in　Westmoreland；　and　he　mentioned　family　affairs；　which　it　may　be　of　the　highest　importance　to　you　to　be　acquainted　with；　but　as　he　seemed　to　decline　communicating　them　to　me；　I　could　not　civilly　urge　him　thereanent。　　Thus　much　I　know；　that　Mr。　Herries　had　his　own　share　in　the　late　desperate　and　unhappy　matter　of　1745；　and　was　in　trouble　about　it；　although　that　is　probably　now　over。　Moreover；　although　he　did　not　profess　the　Popish　religion　openly；　he　had　an　eye　that　way。　　And　both　of　these　are　reasons　why　I　have　hesitated　to　recommend　him　to　a　youth　who　maybe　hath　not　altogether　so　well　founded　his　opinions　concerning　Kirk　and　State；　that　they　might　not　be　changed　by　some　sudden　wind　of　doctrine。　　For　I　have　observed　ye；　Master　Darsie；　to　be　rather　tinctured　with　the　old　leaven　of　prelacythis　under　your　leave；　and　although　God　forbid　that　you　should　be　in　any　manner　disaffected　to　the　Protestant　Hanoverian　line；　yet　ye　have　ever　loved　to　hear　the　blawing；　blazing　stories　which　the　Hieland　gentlemen　tell　of　those　troublous　times；　which；　if　it　were　their　will；　they　had　better　pretermit；　as　tending　rather　to　shame　than　to　honour。　　It　is　come　to　me　also　by　a　sidewind；　as　I　may　say；　that　you　have　been　neighbouring　more　than　was　needful　among　some　of　the　pestilent　sect　of　Quakersa　people　who　own　neither　priest　nor　king；　nor　civil　magistrate；　nor　the　fabric　of　our　law；　and　will　not　depone　either　IN　CIVILIBUS　or　CRIMINALIBUS；　be　the　loss　to　the　lieges　what　it　may。　　Anent　which　heresies；　it　were　good　ye　read　'The　Snake　in　the　Grass'　or　'The　Foot　out　of　the　Snare；'　being　both　well…approved　tracts；　touching　these　doctrines。

Now；　Mr。　Darsie；　ye　are　to　judge　for　yourself　whether　ye　can　safely　to　your　soul's　weal　remain　longer　among　these　Papists　and　Quakersthese　defections　on　the　right　hand；　and　failings　away　on　the　left；　and　truly　if　you　can　confidently　resist　these　evil　examples　of　doctrine；　I　think　ye　may　as　well　tarry　in　the　bounds　where　ye　are；　until　you　see　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　who　does　assuredly　know　more　of　your　matters　than　I　thought　had　been　communicated　to　any　man　in　Scotland。　　I　would　fain　have　precognosced　him　myself　on　these　affairs；　but　found　him　unwilling　to　speak　out；　as　I　have　partly　intimated　before。

To　call　a　new　causeI　have　the　pleasure　to　tell　you；　that　Alan　has　passed　his　private　Scots　Law　examinations　with　good　approbationa　great　relief　to　my　mind；　especially　as　worthy　Mr。　Pest　told　me　in　my　ear　there　was　no　fear　of　'the　callant'；　as　he　familiarly　called　him；　which　gives　me　great　heart。　　His　public　trials；　which　are　nothing　in　comparison　save　a　mere　form；　are　to　take　place；　by　order　of　the　Honourable　Dean　of　Faculty；　on　Wednesday　first；　and　on　Friday　he　puts　on　the　gown；　and　gives　a　bit　chack　of　dinner　to　his　friends　and　acquaintances；　as　is；　you　know；　the　custom。　　Your　company　will　be　wished　for　there；　Master　Darsie；　by　more　than　him；　which　I　regret　to　think　is　impossible　to　have；　as　well