redgauntlet-第27节

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The　female　replied　in　his　stead；　'O　aye；　sirtroth　we　have　a　partnera　gangrel　body　like　oursells。　　No　but　my　hinny　might　have　been　better　if　he　had　liked；　for　mony　a　bein　nook　in　mony　a　braw　house　has　been　offered　to　my　hinny　Willie；　if　he　wad　but　just　bide　still　and　play　to　the　gentles。'

'Whisht；　woman！　　whisht！'　　said　the　blind　man；　angrily；　shaking　his　locks；　'dinna　deave　the　gentleman　wi'　your　havers。　　Stay　in　a　house　and　play　to　the　gentles！strike　up　when　my　leddy　pleases；　and　lay　down　the　bow　when　my　lord　bids！　　Na；　na；　that's　nae　life　for　Willie。　　Look　out；　Maggiepeer　out；　woman；　and　see　if　ye　can　see　Robin　coming。　　Deil　be　in　him！　　He　has　got　to　the　lee…side　of　some　smuggler's　punch…bowl；　and　he　wunna　budge　the　night；　I　doubt。'

'That　is　your　consort's　instrument；'　said　I'　Will　you　give　me　leave　to　try　my　skill？'　　I　slipped　at　the　same　time　a　shilling　into　the　woman's　hand。

'I　dinna　ken　whether　I　dare　trust　Robin's　fiddle　to　ye；'　said　Willie；　bluntly。　　His　wife　gave　him　a　twitch。　　'Hout　awa；　Maggie；'　he　said　in　contempt　of　the　hint；　'though　the　gentleman　may　hae　gien　ye　siller；　he　may　have　nae　bowhand　for　a'　that；　and　I'll　no　trust　Robin's　fiddle　wi'　an　ignoramus。　　But　that's　no　sae　muckle　amiss；'　he　added；　as　I　began　to　touch　the　instrument；　'I　am　thinking　ye　have　some　skill　o'　the　craft。'

To　confirm　him　in　this　favourable　opinion；　I　began　to　execute　such　a　complicated　flourish　as　I　thought　must　have　turned　Crowdero　into　a　pillar　of　stone　with　envy　and　wonder。　　I　scaled　the　top　of　the　finger…board；　to　dive　at　once　to　the　bottom　skipped　with　flying　fingers；　like　Timotheus；　from　shift　to　shift　struck　arpeggios　and　harmonic　tones；　but　without　exciting　any　of　the　astonishment　which　I　had　expected。

Willie　indeed　listened　to　me　with　considerable　attention；　but　I　was　no　sooner　finished；　than　he　immediately　mimicked　on　his　own　instrument　the　fantastic　complication　of　tones　which　I　had　produced；　and　made　so　whimsical　a　parody　of　my　performance；　that；　although　somewhat　angry；　I　could　not　help　laughing　heartily；　in　which　I　was　joined　by　Benjie；　whose　reverence　for　me　held　him　under　no　restraint；　while　the　poor　dame；　fearful；　doubtless；　of　my　taking　offence　at　this　familiarity；　seemed　divided　betwixt　her　conjugal　reverence　for　her　Willie；　and　her　desire　to　give　him　a　hint　for　his　guidance。

At　length　the　old　man　stopped　of　his　own　accord；　and；　as　if　he　had　sufficiently　rebuked　me　by　his　mimicry；　he　said；　'But　for　a'　that；　ye　will　play　very　weel　wi'　a　little　practice　and　some　gude　teaching。　　But　ye　maun　learn　to　put　the　heart　into　it；　manto　put　the　heart　into　it。'

I　played　an　air　in　simpler　taste；　and　received　more　decided　approbation。

'That's　something　like　it　man。　　Od；　ye　are　a　clever　birkie！'

The　woman　touched　his　coat　again。　　'The　gentleman　is　a　gentleman；　Willieye　maunna　speak　that　gate　to　him；　hinnie。'

'The　deevil　I　maunna！'　　said　Willie；　'and　what　for　maunna　I？If　he　was　ten　gentles；　he　canna　draw　a　bow　like　me；　can　he？'

'Indeed　I　cannot；　my　honest　friend；'　said　I；　'and　if　you　will　go　with　me　to　a　house　hard　by；　I　would　be　glad　to　have　a　night　with　you。'

Here　I　looked　round；　and　observed　Benjie　smothering　a　laugh；　which　I　was　sure　had　mischief　in　it。　　I　seized　him　suddenly　by　the　ear；　and　made　him　confess　that　he　was　laughing　at　the　thoughts　of　the　reception　which　a　fiddler　was　likely　to　get　from　the　Quakers　at　Mount　Sharon。　　I　chucked　him　from　me；　not　sorry　that　his　mirth　had　reminded　me　in　time　of　what　I　had　for　the　moment　forgotten；　and　invited　the　itinerant　to　go　with　me　to　Shepherd's　Bush；　from　which　I　proposed　to　send　word　to　Mr。　Geddes　that　I　should　not　return　home　that　evening。　　But　the　minstrel　declined　this　invitation　also。　　He　was　engaged　for　the　night；　he　said；　to　a　dance　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　vented　a　round　execration　on　the　laziness　or　drunkenness　of　his　comrade；　who　had　not　appeared　at　the　place　of　rendezvous。

'I　will　go　with　you　instead　of　him；'　said　I；　in　a　sudden　whim；　'and　I　will　give　you　a　crown　to　introduce　me　as　your　comrade。'

'YOU　gang　instead　of　Rob　the　Rambler！　　My　certie；　freend；　ye　are　no　blate！'　　answered　Wandering　Willie；　in　a　tone　which　announced　death　to　my　frolic。

But　Maggie；　whom　the　offer　of　the　crown　had　not　escaped；　began　to　open　on　that　scent　with　a　maundering　sort　of　lecture。　　'Oh　Willie！　　hinny　Willie；　whan　will　ye　learn　to　be　wise？　　There's　a　crown　to　be　win　for　naething　but　saying　ae　man's　name　instead　of　anither。　　And；　wae's　me！　　I　hae　just　a　shilling　of　this　gentleman's　gieing；　and　a　boddle　of　my　ain；　and　ye　wunna；　bend　your　will　sae　muckle　as　to　take　up　the　siller　that's　flung　at　your　feet！　　Ye　will　die　the　death　of　a　cadger's　powney；　in　a　wreath　of　drift！　　and　what　can　I　do　better　than　lie　doun　and　die　wi'　you？　　for　ye　winna　let　me　win　siller　to　keep　either　you　or　mysell　leevin。'

'Haud　your　nonsense　tongue；　woman；'　said　Willie；　but　less　absolutely　than　before。　　'Is　he　a　real　gentleman；　or　ane　of　the　player…men？'

'I'se　uphaud　him　a　real　gentleman；'　said　the　woman。

'I'se　uphaud　ye　ken　little　of　the　matter；'　said　Willie；　'let　us　see　haud　of　your　hand；　neebor；　gin　ye　like。

I　gave　him　my　hand。　　He　said　to　himself；　'Aye；　aye；　here　are　fingers　that　have　seen　canny　service。'　　Then　running　his　hand　over　my　hair；　my　face；　and　my　dress；　he　went　on　with　his　soliloquy；　'Aye；　aye；　muisted　hair；　braidclaith　o'　the　best；　and　seenteen　hundred　linen　on　his　back；　at　the　least　o'　it。　　And　how　do　you　think；　my　braw　birkie；　that　you　are　to　pass　for　a　tramping　fiddler？'

'My　dress　is　plain；'　said　I；indeed　I　had　chosen　my　most　ordinary　suit；　out　of　compliment　to　my　Quaker　friends；'and　I　can　easily　pass　for　a　young　farmer　out　upon　a　frolic。　　Come；　I　will　double　the　crown　I　promised　you。'

'Damn　your　crowns！'　　said　the　disinterested　man　of　music。　　'I　would　like　to　have　a　round　wi'　you；　that's　certain；but　a　farmer；　and　with　a　hand　that　never　held　pleugh…stilt　or　pettle；　that　will　never　do。　　Ye　may　pass　for　a　trades…lad　from　Dumfries；　or　a　student　upon　the　ramble；　or　the　like　o'　that。　　But　hark　ye；　lad；　if　ye　expect　to　be　ranting　among　the　queans　o'　lasses　where　ye　are　gaun；　ye　will　come　by　the　waur；　I　can　tell　ye；　for　the　fishers　are　wild　chaps；　and　will　bide　nae　taunts。'

I　promised　to　be　civil　and　cautious；　and；　to　smooth　the　good　woman；　I　slipped　the　promised　piece　into　her　hand。　　The　acute　organs　of　the　blind　man　detected　this　little　manoeuvre。

'Are　ye　at　it　again　wi'　the　siller；　ye　jaud？　　I'll　be　sworn　ye　wad　rather　hear　ae　twalpenny　clink　against　another；　than　have　a　spring　from　Rory　Dall；　＇Blind　Rorie；　a　famous　musician　according　to　tradition。＇　　if　he　was…coming　alive　again　anes　errand。　　Gang　doun　the　gate　to　Lucky　Gregson's　and　get　the　things　ye　want；　and　bide　there　till　ele'en　hours　in　the　morn；　and　if　you　see　Robin；　send　him　on　to　me。'

'Am　I　no　gaun　to　the　ploy；　then？'　　said　Maggie；　in　a　disappointed　tone。

'And　what　for　should　ye？'　　said　her　lord　and　master；　'to　dance　a'　night；　I'se　warrant；　and　no　to　be　fit　to　walk　your　tae's…length　the　morn；　and　we　have　ten　Scots　miles　afore　us？　　Na；　na。　　Stable　the　steed；　and　pit　your　wife　to　bed；　when　there's　night　wark　to　do。'

'Aweel；　aweel；　Willie　hinnie；　ye　ken　best；　but　oh；　take　an　unco　care　o'　yoursell；　and　mind　ye　haena　the　blessing　o'　sight。'

'Your　tongue　gars　me　whiles　tire　of　the　blessing　of　hearing；　woman；'　replied　'Willie；　in　answer　to　this　tender　exhortation。

But　I　now　put　in　for　my　interest。　　'Hollo；　good　folks；　remember　that　I　am　to　send　the　boy　to　Mount　Sharon；　and　if　you　go　to　the　Shepherd's　Bush；　honest　woman；　how　the　deuce　am　I　to　guide　the　blind　man　where　he　is　going？　　I　know　little　or　nothing　of　the　country。'

'And　ye　ken　mickle　less　of　my　hinnie；　sir；'　replied　Maggie；　'that　think　he　needs　ony　guiding；　he's　the　best　guide　himsell　that　ye'll　find　between　Criffell　and　Carlisle。　　Horse…road　and　foot…　path；　parish…road　and　kirk…road；　high…road　and　cross…road；　he　kens　ilka　foot　of　ground　in　Nithsdale。'

'Aye；　ye　might　have　said　in　braid　Scotland；　gudewife；'　added　the　fiddler。　　'But　gang　your　ways；　Maggie；　that's　the　first　wise　word　ye　hae　spoke　the　day。　　I　wish　it　was　dark　night；　and　rain；　and　wind；　for　the　gentleman's　sake；　that　I　might　show　him　there　is　whiles　when　ane　had　better　want　een　than　have　them；　for　I　am　as　true　a　guide　by　darkness　as　by　daylight。'

Internally　as　well　pleased　that　my　companion　was　not　put　to　give　me　this　last　proof　of　his　skill；　I　wrote　a　note　with　a　pencil；　desiring　Samuel　to　bring　my　horses　at　midnight；　when　I　thought　my　frolic　would　be　wellnigh　over；　to　the　place　to　which　the　bearer　should　direct　him；　and　I　sent　little　Benjie　with　an　apology　to　the　worthy　Quakers。

As　we　parted　in　different　directions；　the　good　woman　said；　'Oh；　sir；　if　ye　wad　but　ask　Willie　to　tell　ye　ane　of　his　tales　to　shorten　the　gate！　　He　can　speak　like　ony　minister　frae　the　pu'pit；　and　he　might　have　been　a　minister　himsell；　but'

'Haud　your　tongue；　ye　fule！'　　said　Willie；'But　stay；　Meggie　me　a　kiss；　ne　maunna　part　in　anger；　neither。'And　thus　our　society　separated。

＇It　is　certain　that　in　many　cases　the　blind　have；　by　constant　exercise　of　their　other　organs；　learned　to　overcome　a　defect　which　one　would　think　incapable　of　being　supplied。　　Every　reader　must　rememb