redgauntlet-第33节

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ancy　creature；　the　major；　capering　on　the　coffin；　and　that；　as　to　the　blawing　on　the　laird's　whistle　that　was　heard　after　he　was　dead；　the　filthy　brute　could　do　that　as　weel　as　the　laird　himsell；　if　no　better。　　But　Heaven　kens　the　truth；　whilk　first　came　out　by　the　minister's　wife；　after　Sir　John　and　her　ain　gudeman　were　baith　in　the　moulds。　　And　then　my　gudesire；　wha　was　failed　in　his　limbs；　but　not　in　his　judgement　or　memoryat　least　nothing　to　speak　ofwas　obliged　to　tell　the　real　narrative　to　his　friends；　for　the　credit　of　his　good　name。　　He　might　else　have　been　charged　for　a　warlock。　　＇See　Note　3。＇

The　shades　of　evening　were　growing　thicker　around　us　as　my　conductor　finished　his　long　narrative　with　this　moral'Ye　see；　birkie；　it　is　nae　chancy　thing　to　tak　a　stranger　traveller　for　a　guide；　when　you　are　in　an　uncouth　land。'

'I　should　not　have　made　that　inference；'　said　I。　　'Your　grandfather's　adventure　was　fortunate　for　himself；　whom　it　saved　from　ruin　and　distress；　and　fortunate　for　his　landlord　also；　whom　it　prevented　from　committing　a　gross　act　of　injustice。'

'Aye；　but　they　had　baith　to　sup　the　sauce　o't　sooner　or　later；'　said　Wandering　Willie'what　was　fristed　wasna　forgiven。　　Sir　John　died　before　he　was　much　over　three…score；　and　it　was　just　like　of　a　moment's　illness。　　And　for　my　gudesire；　though　he　departed　in　fullness　of　life；　yet　there　was　my　father；　a　yauld　man　of　forty…five；　fell　down　betwixt　the　stilts　of　his　pleugh；　and　rase　never　again；　and　left　nae　bairn　but　me；　a　puir　sightless；　fatherless；　motherless　creature；　could　neither　work　nor　want。　　Things　gaed　weel　aneugh　at　first；　for　Sir　Redwald　Redgauntlet；　the　only　son　of　Sir　John；　and　the　oye　of　auld　Sir　Robert；　and；　waes　me！　　the　last　of　the　honourable　house；　took　the　farm　aff　our　hands；　and　brought　me　into　his　household　to　have　care　of　me。　　He　liked　music；　and　I　had　the　best　teachers　baith　England　and　Scotland　could　gie　me。　　Mony　a　merry　year　was　I　wi'　him；　but　waes　me！　　he　gaed　out　with　other　pretty　men　in　the　Forty…fiveI'll　say　nae　mair　about　itMy　head　never　settled　weel　since　I　lost　him；　and　if　I　say　another　word　about　it；　deil　a　bar　will　I　have　the　heart　to　play　the　night。Look　out；　my　gentle　chap；'　he　resumed　in　a　different　tone；　'ye　should　see　the　lights　at　Brokenburn　glen　by　this　time。'




LETTER　XII

THE　SAME　TO　THE　SAME

　　Tam　Luter　was　their　minstrel　meet；　　　　　Gude　Lord　as　he　could　lance；　　　He　play'd　sae　shrill；　and　sang　sae　sweet；　　　　　Till　Towsie　took　a　trance。　　　Auld　Lightfoot　there　he　did　forleet；　　　　　And　counterfeited　France；　　　He　used　himself　as　man　discreet；　　　　　And　up　took　Morrice　danse　sae　loud；　　　At　Christ's　Kirk　on　the　Green　that　day。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　KING　JAMES　I。

I　continue　to　scribble　at　length；　though　the　subject　may　seem　somewhat　deficient　in　interest。　　Let　the　grace　of　the　narrative；　therefore；　and　the　concern　we　take　in　each　other's　matters；　make　amends　for　its　tenuity。　　We　fools　of　fancy　who　suffer　ourselves；　like　Malvolio；　to　be　cheated　with　our　own　visions；　have；　nevertheless；　this　advantage　over　the　wise　ones　of　the　earth；　that　we　have　our　whole　stock　of　enjoyments　under　our　own　command；　and　can　dish　for　ourselves　an　intellectual　banquet　with　most　moderate　assistance　from　external　objects。　　It　is；　to　be　sure；　something　like　the　feast　which　the　Barmecide　served　up　to　Alnaschar；　and　we　cannot　expect　to　get　fat　upon　such　diet。　　But　then；　neither　is　there　repletion　nor　nausea；　which　often　succeed　the　grosser　and　more　material　revel。　　On　the　whole；　I　still　pray；　with　the　Ode　to　Castle　Building

　　Give　me　thy　hope　which　sickens　not　the　heart；　　　　　Give　me　thy　wealth　which　has　no　wings　to　fly；　　　Give　me　the　bliss　thy　visions　can　impart：　　　　　Thy　friendship　give　me；　warm　in　poverty！

And　so；　despite　thy　solemn　smile　and　sapient　shake　of　the　head；　I　will　go　on　picking　such　interest　as　I　can　out　of　my　trivial　adventures；　even　though　that　interest　should　be　the　creation　of　my　own　fancy；　nor　will　I　cease　to　indict　on　thy　devoted　eyes　the　labour　of　perusing　the　scrolls　in　which　I　shall　record　my　narrative。

My　last　broke　off　as　we　were　on　the　point　of　descending　into　the　glen　at　Brokenburn；　by　the　dangerous　track　which　I　had　first　travelled　EN　CROUPE；　behind　a　furious　horseman；　and　was　now　again　to　brave　under　the　precarious　guidance　of　a　blind　man。

It　was　now　getting　dark；　but　this　was　no　inconvenience　to　my　guide；　who　moved　on；　as　formerly；　with　instinctive　security　of　step；　so　that　we　soon　reached　the　bottom；　and　I　could　see　lights　twinkling　in　the　cottage　which　had　been　my　place　of　refuge　on　a　former　occasion。　　It　was　not　thither；　however；　that　our　course　was　directed。　　We　left　the　habitation　of　the　laird　to　the　left；　and　turning　down　the　brook；　soon　approached　the　small　hamlet　which　had　been　erected　at　the　mouth　of　the　stream；　probably　on　account　of　the　convenience　which　it　afforded　as　a　harbour　to　the　fishing…boats。　　A　large；　low　cottage；　full　in　our　front；　seemed　highly　illuminated；　for　the　light　not　only　glanced　from　every　window　and　aperture　in　its　frail　walls；　but　was　even　visible　from　rents　and　fractures　in　the　roof；　composed　of　tarred　shingles；　repaired　in　part　by　thatch　and　divot。

While　these　appearances　engaged　my　attention；　that　of　my　companion　was　attracted　by　a　regular　succession　of　sounds；　like　a　bouncing　on　the　floor；　mixed　with　a　very　faint　noise　of　music；　which　Willie's　acute　organs　at　once　recognized　and　accounted　for；　while　to　me　it　was　almost　inaudible。　　The　old　man　struck　the　earth　with　his　staff　in　a　violent　passion。　　'The　whoreson　fisher　rabble！　　They　have　brought　another　violer　upon　my　walk！　　They　are　such　smuggling　blackguards；　that　they　must　run　in　their　very　music；　but　I'll　sort　them　waur　than　ony　gauger　in　the　country。　Stayharkit　's　no　a　fiddle　neitherit's　the　pipe　and　tabor　bastard；　Simon　of　Sowport；　frae　the　Nicol　Forest；　but　I'll　pipe　and　tabor　him！Let　me　hae　ance　my　left　hand　on　his　cravat；　and　ye　shall　see　what　my　right　will　do。　　Come　away；　chapcome　away；　gentle　chapnae　time　to　be　picking　and　waling　your　steps。'　　And　on　he　passed　with　long　and　determined　strides；　dragging　me　along　with　him。

I　was　not　quite　easy　in　his　company；　for；　now　that　his　minstrel　pride　was　hurt；　the　man　had　changed　from　the　quiet；　decorous；　I　might　almost　say　respectable　person；　which　he　seemed　while　he　told　his　tale；　into　the　appearance　of　a　fierce；　brawling；　dissolute　stroller。　　So　that　when　he　entered　the　large　hut；　where　a　great　number　of　fishers；　with　their　wives　and　daughters；　were　engaged　in　eating；　drinking；　and　dancing；　I　was　somewhat　afraid　that　the　impatient　violence　of　my　companion　might　procure　us　an　indifferent　reception。

But　the　universal　shout　of　welcome　with　which　Wandering　Willie　was　receivedthe　hearty　congratulationsthe　repeated　'Here's　t'　ye；　Willie！''Where　hae　ya　been；　ye　blind　deevil？'　　and　the　call　upon　him　to　pledge　themabove　all；　the　speed　with　which　the　obnoxious　pipe　and　tabor　were　put　to　silence；　gave　the　old　man　such　effectual　assurance　of　undiminished　popularity　and　importance；　as　at　once　put　his　jealousy　to　rest；　and　changed　his　tone　of　offended　dignity　into　one　better　fitted　to　receive　such　cordial　greetings。　　Young　men　and　women　crowded　round；　to　tell　how　much　they　were　afraid　some　mischance　had　detained　him；　and　how　two　or　three　young　fellows　had　set　out　in　quest　of　him。

'It　was　nae　mischance；　praised　be　Heaven；'　said　Willie；　'but　the　absence　of　the　lazy　loon　Rob　the　Rambler；　my　comrade；　that　didna　come　to　meet　me　on　the　Links；　but　I　hae　gotten　a　braw　consort　in　his　stead；　worth　a　dozen　of　him；　the　unhanged　blackguard。'

'And　wha　is't　tou's　gotten；　Wullie；　lad？'　　said　half　a　score　of　voices；　while　all　eyes　were　turned　on　your　humble　servant；　who　kept　the　best　countenance　he　could；　though　not　quite　easy　at　becoming　the　centre　to　which　all　eyes　were　pointed。

'I　ken　him　by　his　hemmed　cravat；'　said　one　fellow；　'it's　Gil　Hobson；　the　souple　tailor　frae　Burgh。　　Ye　are　welcome　to　Scotland；　ye　prick…the…clout　loon；'　he　said；　thrusting　forth　a　paw；　much　the　colour　of　a　badger's　back；　and　of　most　portentous　dimensions。

'Gil　Hobson？　　Gil　whoreson！'　　exclaimed　Wandering　Willie；　'it's　a　gentle　chap　that　I　judge　to　be　an　apprentice　wi'　auld　Joshua　Geddes；　to　the　quaker…trade。'

'What　trade　be's　that；　man？'　　said　he　of　the　badger…coloured　fist。

'Canting　and　lying；'said　Willie；　which　produced　a　thundering　laugh；　'but　I　am　teaching　the　callant　a　better　trade；　and　that　is；　feasting　and　fiddling。'

Willie's　conduct　in　thus　announcing　something　like　my　real　character；　was　contrary　to　compact；　and　yet　I　was　rather　glad　he　did　so；　for　the　consequence　of　putting　a　trick　upon　these　rude　and　ferocious　men；　might；　in　case　of　discovery；　have　been　dangerous　to　us　both；　and　I　was　at　the　same　time　delivered　from　the　painful　effort　to　support　a　fictitious　character。　　The　good　company；　except　perhaps　one　or　two　of　the　young　women　whose　looks　expressed　some　desire　for　better　acquaintance；　gave　themselves　no　further　trouble　about　me；　but；　while　the　seniors　resumed　their　places　near　an　immense　bowl　or　rather　reeking　cauldron　of　brandy…　punch；　the　younger　arranged　themselves　on　the　floor　and　called　loudly　on　Willie　to　strike　up。

With　a　brief　caution　to　me；　to　'mind　my　credi