redgauntlet-第3节

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REDGAUNTLET

LETTER　I

DARSIE　LATIMER　TO　ALAN　FAIRFORD

DUMFRIES。

CUR　ME　EXANIMAS　QUERELIS　TUIS？　　In　plain　English；　Why　do　you　deafen　me　with　your　croaking？　　The　disconsolate　tone　in　which　you　bade　me　farewell　at　Noble　House；　＇The　first　stage　on　the　road　from　Edinburgh　to　Dumfries　via　Moffat。＇　and　mounted　your　miserable　hack　to　return　to　your　law　drudgery；　still　sounds　in　my　ears。　　It　seemed　to　say；　'Happy　dog！　　you　can　ramble　at　pleasure　over　hill　and　dale；　pursue　every　object　of　curiosity　that　presents　itself；　and　relinquish　the　chase　when　it　loses　interest；　while　I；　your　senior　and　your　better；　must；　in　this　brilliant　season；　return　to　my　narrow　chamber　and　my　musty　books。'

Such　was　the　import　of　the　reflections　with　which　you　saddened　our　parting　bottle　of　claret；　and　thus　I　must　needs　interpret　the　terms　of　your　melancholy　adieu。

And　why　should　this　be　so；　Alan？　　Why　the　deuce　should　you　not　be　sitting　precisely　opposite　to　me　at　this　moment；　in　the　same　comfortable　George　Inn；　thy　heels　on　the　fender；　and　thy　juridical　brow　expanding　its　plications　as　a　pun　rose　in　your　fancy？　　Above　all；　why；　when　I　fill　this　very　glass　of　wine；　cannot　I　push　the　bottle　to　you；　and　say；　'Fairford；　you　are　chased！'　　Why；　I　say；　should　not　all　this　be；　except　because　Alan　Fairford　has　not　the　same　true　sense　of　friendship　as　Darsie　Latimer；　and　will　not　regard　our　purses　as　common；　as　well　as　our　sentiments？

I　am　alone　in　the　world；　my　only　guardian　writes　to　me　of　a　large　fortune　which　will　be　mine　when　I　reach　the　age　of　twenty…five　complete；　my　present　income　is；　thou　knowest；　more　than　sufficient　for　all　my　wants；　and　yet　thoutraitor　as　thou　art　to　the　cause　of　friendshipdost　deprive　me　of　the　pleasure　of　thy　society；　and　submittest；　besides；　to　self…denial　on　thine　own　part；　rather　than　my　wanderings　should　cost　me　a　few　guineas　more！　　Is　this　regard　for　my　purse；　or　for　thine　own　pride？　　Is　it　not　equally　absurd　and　unreasonable；　whichever　source　it　springs　from？　　For　myself；　I　tell　thee；　I　have；　and　shall　have；　more　than　enough　for　both。　　This　same　methodical　Samuel　Griffiths；　of　Ironmonger　Lane；　Guildhall；　London；　whose　letter　arrives　as　duly　as　quarter…day；　has　sent　me；　as　I　told　thee；　double　allowance　for　this　my　twenty…first　birthday；　and　an　assurance；　in　his　brief　fashion；　that　it　will　be　again　doubled　for　the　succeeding　years；　until　I　enter　into　possession　of　my　own　property。　　Still　I　am　to　refrain　from　visiting　England　until　my　twenty…fifth　year　expires；　and　it　is　recommended　that　I　shall　forbear　all　inquiries　concerning　my　family；　and　so　forth；　for　the　present。

Were　it　not　that　I　recollect　my　poor　mother　in　her　deep　widow's　weeds；　with　a　countenance　that　never　smiled　but　when　she　looked　on　meand　then；　in　such　wan　and　woful　sort；　as　the　sun　when　he　glances　through　an　April　cloud；were　it　not；　I　say；　that　her　mild　and　matron…like　form　and　countenance　forbid　such　a　suspicion；　I　might　think　myself　the　son　of　some　Indian　director；　or　rich　citizen；　who　had　more　wealth　than　grace；　and　a　handful　of　hypocrisy　to　boot；　and　who　was　breeding　up　privately；　and　obscurely　enriching；　one　of　whose　existence　he　had　some　reason　to　be　ashamed。　　But；　as　I　said　before；　I　think　on　my　mother；　and　am　convinced　as　much　as　of　the　existence　of　my　own　soul；　that　no　touch　of　shame　could　arise　from　aught　in　which　she　was　implicated。　　Meantime；　I　am　wealthy；　and　I　am　alone；　and　why　does　my　friend　scruple　to　share　my　wealth？

Are　you　not　my　only　friend？　　and　have　you　not　acquired　a　right　to　share　my　wealth？　　Answer　me　that；　Alan　Fairford。　　When　I　was　brought　from　the　solitude　of　my　mother's　dwelling　into　the　tumult　of　the　Gaits'　Class　at　the　High　Schoolwhen　I　was　mocked　for　my　English　accentsalted　with　snow　as　a　Southernrolled　in　the　gutter　for　a　Saxon　pock…pudding；who；　with　stout　arguments　and　stouter　blows；　stood　forth　my　defender？why；　Alan　Fairford。　　Who　beat　me　soundly　when　I　brought　the　arrogance　of　an　only　son；　and　of　course　a　spoiled　urchin；　to　the　forms　of　the　little　republic？　why；　Alan。　　And　who　taught　me　to　smoke　a　cobbler；　pin　a　losen；　head　a　bicker；　and　hold　the　bannets？＇Break　a　window；　head　a　skirmish　with　stones；　and　hold　the　bonnet；　or　handkerchief；　which　used　to　divide　High　School　boys　when　fighting。＇　　Alan；　once　more。　If　I　became　the　pride　of　the　Yards；　and　the　dread　of　the　hucksters　in　the　High　School　Wynd；　it　was　under　thy　patronage；　and；　but　for　thee；　I　had　been　contented　with　humbly　passing　through　the　Cowgate　Port；　without　climbing　over　the　top　of　it；　and　had　never　seen　the　KITTLE　NINE…STEPS　nearer　than　from　Bareford's　Parks。　　＇A　pass　on　the　very　brink　of　the　Castle　rock　to　the　north；　by　which　it　is　just　possible　for　a　goat；　or　a　High　School　boy；　to　turn　the　corner　of　the　building　where　it　rises　from　the　edge　of　the　precipice。　　This　was　so　favourite　a　feat　with　the　'hell　and　neck　boys'　of　the　higher　classes；　that　at　one　time　sentinels　were　posted　to　prevent　its　repetition。　　One　of　the　nine…steps　was　rendered　more　secure　because　the　climber　could　take　hold　of　the　root　of　a　nettle；　so　precarious　were　the　means　of　passing　this　celebrated　spot。　　The　manning　the　Cowgate　Port；　especially　in　snowball　time；　was　also　a　choice　amusement；　as　it　offered　an　inaccessible　station　for　the　boys　who　used　these　missiles　to　the　annoyance　of　the　passengers。　　The　gateway　is　now　demolished；　and　probably　most　of　its　garrison　lie　as　low　as　the　fortress。　　To　recollect　that　the　author　himself；　however　naturally　disqualified；　was　one　of　those　juvenile　dreadnoughts；　is　a　sad　reflection　to　one　who　cannot　now　step　over　a　brook　without　assistance。＇

You　taught　me　to　keep　my　fingers　off　the　weak；　and　to　clench　my　fist　against　the　strongto　carry　no　tales　out　of　schoolto　stand　forth　like　a　true　manobey　the　stern　order　of　a　PANDE　MANUM；　and　endure　my　pawmies　without　wincing；　like　one　that　is　determined　not　to　be　the　better　for　them。　　In　a　word；　before　I　knew　thee；　I　knew　nothing。

At　college　it　was　the　same。　　When　I　was　incorrigibly　idle；　your　example　and　encouragement　roused　me　to　mental　exertion；　and　showed　me　the　way　to　intellectual　enjoyment。　　You　made　me　an　historian；　a　metaphysician　（INVITA　MINERVA）nay；　by　Heaven！　　you　had　almost　made　an　advocate　of　me；　as　well　as　of　yourself。　　Yes；　rather　than　part　with　you；　Alan；　I　attended　a　weary　season　at　the　Scotch　Law　Class；　a　wearier　at　the　Civil；　and　with　what　excellent　advantage；　my　notebook；　filled　with　caricatures　of　the　professors　and　my　fellow　students；　is　it　not　yet　extant　to　testify？

　　　Thus　far　have　I　held　on　with　thee　untired；

and；　to　say　truth；　purely　and　solely　that　I　might　travel　the　same　road　with　thee。　　But　it　will　not　do；　Alan。　　By　my　faith；　man；　I　could　as　soon　think　of　being　one　of　those　ingenious　traders　who　cheat　little　Master　Jackies　on　the　outside　of　the　partition　with　tops；　balls；　bats；　and　battledores；　as　a　member　of　the　long…robed　fraternity　within；　who　impose　on　grown　country　gentlemen　with　bouncing　brocards　of　law。　　＇The　Hall　of　the　Parliament　House　of　Edinburgh　was；　in　former　days；　divided　into　two　unequal　portions　by　a　partition；　the　inner　side　of　which　was　consecrated　to　the　use　of　the　Courts　of　Justice　and　the　gentlemen　of　the　law；　while　the　outer　division　was　occupied　by　the　stalls　of　stationers；　toymen；　and　the　like；　as　in　a　modern　bazaar。　　From　the　old　play　of　THE　PLAIN　DEALER；　it　seems　such　was　formerly　the　case　with　Westminster　Hall。　　Minos　has　now　purified　his　courts　in　both　cities　from　all　traffic　but　his　own。＇　　Now；　don't　you　read　this　to　your　worthy　father；　Alanhe　loves　me　well　enough；　I　know；　of　a　Saturday　night；　but　he　thinks　me　but　idle　company　for　any　other　day　of　the　week。　　And　here；　I　suspect；　lies　your　real　objection　to　taking　a　ramble　with　me　through　the　southern　counties　in　this　delicious　weather。　　I　know　the　good　gentleman　has　hard　thoughts　of　me　for　being　so　unsettled　as　to　leave　Edinburgh　before　the　Session　rises；　perhaps；　too；　he　quarrels　a　littleI　will　not　say　with　my　want　of　ancestry；　but　with　my　want　of　connexions。　　He　reckons　me　a　lone　thing　in　this　world；　Alan；　and　so；　in　good　truth；　I　am；　and　it　seems　a　reason　to　him　why　you　should　not　attach　yourself　to　me；　that　I　can　claim　no　interest　in　the　general　herd。

Do　not　suppose　I　forget　what　I　owe　him；　for　permitting　me　to　shelter　for　four　years　under　his　roof：　　My　obligations　to　him　are　not　the　less；　but　the　greater；　if　he　never　heartily　loved　me。　　He　is　angry；　too；　that　I　will　not；　or　cannot；　be　a　lawyer；　and；　with　reference　to　you；　considers　my　disinclination　that　way　as　PESSIMI　EXEMPLI；　as　he　might　say。

But　he　need　not　be　afraid　that　a　lad　of　your　steadiness　will　be　influenced　by　such　a　reed　shaken　by　the　winds　as　I　am。　　You　will　go　on　doubting　with　Dirleton；　and　resolving　those　doubts　with　Stewart；　＇'Sir　John　Nisbett　of　Dirleton's　DOUBTS　AND　QUESTIONS　UPON　THE　LAW；　ESPECIALLLY　OF　SCOTLAND；'　and　'Sir　James　Stewart's　DIRLETON'S　DOUBTS　AND　QUESTIONS　ON　THE　LAW　OF　SCOTLAND　RESOLVED　AND　ANSWERED；'　are　works　of　authority　in　Scottish　jurisprudence。　As　is　generally　the　case；　the　doubts　are　held　more　in　respect　than　the　solution。＇　　until　the　cramp　speech　　＇Till　of　late　years；　every　advocate　who　catered　at　the　Scottish　bar　made　a　Latin　address　to　the　Court；　faculty；　and　audience；　in　set　te