redgauntlet-第31节

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was　wanchancie　aneugh　to　abuse　Lapraik's　doctrine　as　weel　as　the　man；　ond　said　things　that　garr'd　folks'　flesh　grue　that　heard　them；he　wasna　just　himsell；　and　he　had　lived　wi'　a　wild　set　in　his　day。

At　last　they　parted；　and　my　gudesire　was　to　ride　hame　through　the　wood　of　Pitmurkie；　that　is　a'　fou　of　black　firs；　as　they　say。I　ken　the　wood；　but　the　firs　may　be　black　or　white　for　what　I　can　tell。At　the　entry　of　the　wood　there　is　a　wild　common；　and　on　the　edge　of　the　common；　a　little　lonely　change…house；　that　was　keepit　then　by　an　ostler…wife；　they　suld　hae　caa'd　her　Tibbie　Faw；　and　there　puir　Steenie　cried　for　a　mutchkin　of　brandy；　for　he　had　had　no　refreshment　the　haill　day。　　Tibbie　was　earnest　wi'　him　to　take　a　bite　of　meat；　but　he　couldna　think　o't；　nor　would　he　take　his　foot　out　of　the　stirrup；　and　took　off　the　brandy　wholely　at　twa　draughts；　and　named　a　toast　at　each：the　first　was　the　memory　of　Sir　Robert　Redgauntlet；　and　might　he　never　lie　quiet　in　his　grave　till　he　had　righted　his　poor　bond…tenant；　and　the　second　was　a　health　to　Man's　Enemy；　if　he　would　but　get　him　back　the　pock　of　siller　or　tell　him　what　came　o't；　for　he　saw　the　haill　world　was　like　to　regard　him　as　a　thief　and　a　cheat；　and　he　took　that　waur　than　even　the　ruin　of　his　house　and　hauld。

On　he　rode；　little　caring　where。　　It　was　a　dark　night　turned；　and　the　trees　made　it　yet　darker；　and　he　let　the　beast　take　its　ain　road　through　the　wood；　when　all　of　a　sudden；　from　tired　and　wearied　that　it　was　before；　the　nag　began　to　spring　and　flee；　and　stend；　that　my　gudesire　could　hardly　keep　the　saddle。　　Upon　the　whilk；　a　horseman；　suddenly　riding　up　beside　him；　said；　'That's　a　mettle　beast　of　yours；　freend；　will　you　sell　him？'　　So　saying；　he　touched　the　horse's　neck　with　his　riding…wand；　and　it　fell　into　its　auld　heigh…ho　of　a　stumbling　trot。　　'But　his　spunk's　soon　out　of　him；　I　think；'　continued　the　stranger；　'and　that　is　like　mony　a　man's　courage；　that　thinks　he　wad　do　great　things　till　he　come　to　the　proof。'

My　gudesire　scarce　listened　to　this；　but　spurred　his　horse；　with　'Gude　e'en　to　you；　freend。'

But　it's　like　the　stranger　was　ane　that　doesna　lightly　yield　his　point；　for；　ride　as　Steenie　liked；　be　was　ay　beside　him　at　the　selfsame　pace。　　At　last　my　gudesire；　Steenie　Steenson；　grew　half　angry；　and；　to　say　the　truth；　half　feared。

'What　is　it　that　ye　want　with　me；　freend？'　　he　said。　　'If　ye　be　a　robber；　I　have　nae　money；　if　ye　be　a　leal　man；　wanting　company；　I　have　nae　heart　to　mirth　or　speaking；　and　if　ye　want　to　ken　the　road；　I　scarce　ken　it　mysell。'

'If　you　will　tell　me　your　grief；'　said　the　stranger；　'I　am　one　that；　though　I　have　been　sair　miscaa'd　in　the　world；　am　the　only　hand　for　helping　my　freends。'

So　my　gudesire；　to　ease　his　ain　heart；　mair　than　from　any　hope　of　help；　told　him　the　story　from　beginning　to　end。

'It's　a　hard　pinch；'　said　the　stranger；　'but　I　think　I　can　help　you。'

'If　you　could　lend　the　money；　sir；　and　take　a　lang　dayI　ken　nae　other　help　on　earth；'　said　my　gudesire。

'But　there　may　be　some　under　the　earth；'　said　the　stranger。　'Come；　I'll　be　frank　wi'　you；　I　could　lend　you　the　money　on　bond；　but　you　would　maybe　scruple　my　terms。　　Now；　I　can　tell　you；　that　your　auld　laird　is　disturbed　in　his　grave　by　your　curses；　and　the　wailing　of　your　family；　and　if　ye　daur　venture　to　go　to　see　him；　he　will　give　you　the　receipt。'

My　gudesire's　hair　stood　on　end　at　this　proposal；　but　he　thought　his　companion　might　be　some　humoursome　chield　that　was　trying　to　frighten　him；　and　might　end　with　lending　him　the　money。　　Besides；　he　was　bauld　wi'　brandy；　and　desperate　wi'　distress；　and　he　said　he　had　courage　to　go　to　the　gate　of　hell；　and　a　step　farther；　for　that　receipt。　　The　stranger　laughed。

Weel；　they　rode　on　through　the　thickest　of　the　wood；　when；　all　of　a　sudden；　the　horse　stopped　at　the　door　of　a　great　house；　and；　but　that　he　knew　the　place　was　ten　miles　off；　my　father　would　have　thought　he　was　at　Redgauntlet　Castle。　　They　rode　into　the　outer　courtyard；　through　the　muckle　faulding　yetts　and　aneath　the　auld　portcullis；　and　the　whole　front　of　the　house　was　lighted；　and　there　were　pipes　and　fiddles；　and　as　much　dancing　and　deray　within　as　used　to　be　at　Sir　Robert's　house　at　Pace　and　Yule；　and　such　high　seasons。　　They　lap　off；　and　my　gudesire；　as　seemed　to　him；　fastened　his　horse　to　the　very　ring　he　had　tied　him　to　that　morning；　when　he　gaed　to　wait　on　the　young　Sir　John。

'God！'　　said　my　gudesire；　'if　Sir　Robert's　death　be　but　a　dream！'

He　knocked　at　the　ha'　door　just　as　he　was　wont；　and　his　auld　acquaintance；　Dougal　MacCallumjust　after　his　wont；　too；came　to　open　the　door；　and　said；　'Piper　Steenie；　are　ye　there；　lad？　Sir　Robert　has　been　crying　for　you。'

My　gudesire　was　like　a　man　in　a　dreamhe　looked　for　the　stranger；　but　he　was　gane　for　the　time。　　At　last　he　just　tried　to　say；　'Ha！　　Dougal　Driveower；　are　ye　living？　　I　thought　ye　had　been　dead。'


'Never　fash　yoursell　wi'　me；'　said　Dougal；　'but　look　to　yoursell；　and　see　ye　tak　naethlng　frae　ony　body　here；　neither　meat；　drink；　or　siller；　except　just　the　receipt　that　is　your　ain。'

So　saying；　he　led　the　way　out　through　halls　and　trances　that　were　weel　kend　to　my　gudesire；　and　into　the　auld　oak　parlour；　and　there　was　as　much　singing　of　profane　sangs；　and　birling　of　red　wine；　and　speaking　blasphemy　and　sculduddry；　as　had　ever　been　in　Redgauntlet　Castle　when　it　was　at　the　blithest。

But；　Lord　take　us　in　keeping；　what　a　set　of　ghastly　revellers　they　were　that　sat　around　that　table！　　My　gudesire　kend　mony　that　had　long　before　gane　to　their　place；　for　often　had　he　piped　to　the　most　part　in　the　hall　of　Redgauntlet。　　There　was　the　fierce　Middleton；　and　the　dissolute　Rothes；　and　the　crafty　Lauderdale；　and　Dalyell；　with　his　bald　head　and　a　beard　to　his　girdle；　and　Earlshall；　with　Cameron's　blude　on　his　hand；　and　wild　Bonshaw；　that　tied　blessed　Mr。　Cargill's　limbs　till　the　blude　sprung；　and　Dunbarton　Douglas；　the　twice…turned　traitor　baith　to　country　and　king。　　There　was　the　Bluidy　Advocate　MacKenyie；　who；　for　his　worldly　wit　and　wisdom　had　been　to　the　rest　as　a　god。　　And　there　was　Claverhouse；　as　beautiful　as　when　he　lived；　with　his　long；　dark；　curled　locks　streaming　down　over　his　laced　buff…coat；　and　his　left　hand　always　on　his　right　spule…blade；　to　hide　the　wound　that　the　silver　bullet　had　made。　　＇See　Note　2。＇　　He　sat　apart　from　them　all；　and　looked　at　them　with　a　melancholy；　haughty　countenance；　while　the　rest　hallooed；　and　sang；　and　laughed；　that　the　room　rang。　　But　their　smiles　were　fearfully　contorted　from　time　to　time；　and　their　laugh　passed　into　such　wild　sounds　as　made　my　gudesire's　very　nails　grow　blue；　and　chilled　the　marrow　in　his　banes。

They　that　waited　at　the　table　were　just　the　wicked　serving…men　and　troopers；　that　had　done　their　work　and　cruel　bidding　on　earth。　　There　was　the　Lang　Lad　of　the　Nethertown；　that　helped　to　take　Argyle；　and　the　bishop's　summoner；　that　they　called　the　Deil's　Rattle…bag；　and　the　wicked　guardsmen　in　their　laced　coats；　and　the　savage　Highland　Amorites；　that　shed　blood　like　water；　and　many　a　proud　serving…man；　haughty　of　heart　and　bloody　of　hand；　cringing　to　the　rich；　and　making　them　wickeder　than　they　would　be；　grinding　the　poor　to　powder；　when　the　rich　had　broken　them　to　fragments。　　And　mony；　mony　mair　were　coming　and　ganging；　a'　as　busy　in　their　vocation　as　if　they　had　been　alive。

Sir　Robert　Redgauntlet；　in　the　midst　of　a'　this　fearful　riot；　cried；　wi'　a　voice　like　thunder；　on　Steenie　Piper　to　come　to　the　board…head　where　he　was　sitting；　his　legs　stretched　out　before　him；　and　swathed　up　with　flannel；　with　his　holster　pistols　aside　him；　while　the　great　broadsword　rested　against　his　chair；　just　as　my　gudesire　had　seen　him　the　last　time　upon　earththe　very　cushion　for　the　jackanape　was　close　to　him；　but　the　creature　itself　was　not　thereit　wasna　its　hour；　it's　likely；　for　he　heard　them　say　as　he　came　forward；　'Is　not　the　major　come　yet？'　And　another　answered；　'The　jackanape　will　be　here　betimes　the　morn。'　　And　when　my　gudesire　came　forward；　Sir　Robert；　or　his　ghaist；　or　the　deevil　in　his　likeness；　said；　'Weel；　piper；　hae　ye　settled　wi'　my　son　for　the　year's　rent？'

With　much　ado　my　father　gat　breath　to　say　that　Sir　John　would　not　settle　without　his　honour's　receipt。

'Ye　shall　hae　that　for　a　tune　of　the　pipes；　Steenie；'　said　the　appearance　of　Sir　Robert'Play　us　up　〃Weel　hoddled；　Luckie〃。'

Now　this　was　a　tune　my　gudesire　learned　frae　a　warlock；　that　heard　it　when　they　were　worshipping　Satan　at　their　meetings；　and　my　gudesire　had　sometimes　played　it　at　the　ranting　suppers　in　Redgauntlet　Castle；　but　never　very　willingly；　and　now　he　grew　cauld　at　the　very　name　of　it；　and　said；　for　excuse；　he　hadna　his　pipes　wi'　him。

'MacCallum；　ye　limb　of　Beelzebub；'　said　the　fearfu'　Sir　Robert；　'bring　Steenie　the　pipes　that　I　am　keeping　for　him！'

MacCallum　brought　a　pair　of　pipes　might　have　served　the　piper　of　Donald　of　the　Isles。　　But　he　gave　my　gudesire　a　nudge　as　he　offered　them；　and　looking　secretly　and　closely；　Steenie　saw　that　the　chanter　was　of　steel；　and　heated　to　a　white　heat；　so　he　had　fair　warning　not　to　trust　his　fingers　with　it。　　So　he　excused　himself　again；　and　said　he　was　faint　and　frightened；　and　had　not　wind　aneugh　to　fill　the　bag。

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