redgauntlet-第5节

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　opened　for　the　acolytes　of　the　Muses。VALE　SIS　MEMOR　MEI。　　D。　L。

PS。　Direct　to　the　Post　Office　here。　　I　shall　leave　orders　to　forward　your　letters　wherever　I　may　travel。




LETTER　II

ALAN　FAIRFORD　TO　DARSIE　LATIMER

NEGATUR；　my　dear　Darsieyou　have　logic　and　law　enough　to　understand　the　word　of　denial。　　I　deny　your　conclusion。　　The　premises　I　admit；　namely；　that　when　I　mounted　on　that　infernal　hack；　I　might　utter　what　seemed　a　sigh；　although　I　deemed　it　lost　amid　the　puffs　and　groans　of　the　broken…winded　brute；　matchless　in　the　complication　of　her　complaints　by　any　save　she；　the　poor　man's　mare；　renowned　in　song；　that　died

　　A　mile　aboon　Dundee。

＇Alluding；　as　all　Scotsmen　know；　to　the　humorous　old　song：　　'The　auld　man's　mare's　dead；　　　The　puir　man's　mare's　dead；　　　The　auld　man's　mare's　dead；　　　A　mile　aboon　Dundee。'＇

But　credit　me；　Darsie；　the　sigh　which　escaped　me；　concerned　thee　more　than　myself；　and　regarded　neither　the　superior　mettle　of　your　cavalry；　nor　your　greater　command　of　the　means　of　travelling。　　I　could　certainly　have　cheerfully　ridden　with　you　for　a　few　days；　and　assure　yourself　I　would　not　have　hesitated　to　tax　your　better　filled　purse　for　our　joint　expenses。　　But　you　know　my　father　considers　every　moment　taken　from　the　law　as　a　step　down　hill；　and　I　owe　much　to　his　anxiety　on　my　account；　although　its　effects　are　sometimes　troublesome。　　For　example：

I　found；　on　my　arrival　at　the　shop　in　Brown's　Square；　that　the　old　gentleman　had　returned　that　very　evening；　impatient；　it　seems；　of　remaining　a　night　out　of　the　guardianship　of　the　domestic　Lares。　　Having　this　information　from　James；　whose　brow　wore　rather　an　anxious　look　on　the　occasion；　I　dispatched　a　Highland　chairman　to　the　livery　stable　with　my　Bucephalus；　and　slunk；　with　as　little　noise　as　might　be；　into　my　own　den；　where　I　began　to　mumble　certain　half…gnawed　and　not　half…digested　doctrines　of　our　municipal　code。　　I　was　not　long　seated；　when　my　father's　visage　was　thrust；　in　a　peering　sort　of　way；　through　the　half…opened　door；　and　withdrawn；　on　seeing　my　occupation；　with　a　half…articulated　HUMPH！　which　seemed　to　convey　a　doubt　of　the　seriousness　of　my　application。　　If　it　were　so；　I　cannot　condemn　him；　for　recollection　of　thee　occupied　me　so　entirely　during　an　hour's　reading；　that　although　Stair　lay　before　me；　and　notwithstanding　that　I　turned　over　three　or　four　pages；　the　sense　of　his　lordship's　clear　and　perspicuous　style　so　far　escaped　me；　that　I　had　the　mortification　to　find　my　labour　was　utterly　in　vain。

Ere　I　had　brought　up　my　lee…way；　James　appeared　with　his　summons　to　our　frugal　supperradishes；　cheese；　and　a　bottle　of　the　old　ale…only　two　plates　thoughand　no　chair　set　for　Mr。　Darsie；　by　the　attentive　James　Wilkinson。　　Said　James；　with　his　long　face；　lank　hair；　and　very　long　pig…tail　in　its　leathern　strap；　was　placed；　as　usual；　at　the　back　of　my　father's　chair；　upright　as　a　wooden　sentinel　at　the　door　of　a　puppet…show。　　'You　may　go　down；　James；'　said　my　father；　and　exit　Wilkinson。What　is　to　come　next？　　thought　I；　for　the　weather　is　not　clear　on　the　paternal　brow。

My　boots　encountered　his　first　glance　of　displeasure；　and　he　asked　me；　with　a　sneer；　which　way　I　had　been　riding。　　He　expected　me　to　answer；　'Nowhere；'　and　would　then　have　been　at　me　with　his　usual　sarcasm；　touching　the　humour　of　walking　in　shoes　at　twenty　shillings　a　pair。　　But　I　answered　with　composure；　that　I　had　ridden　out　to　dinner　as　far　as　Noble　House。　　He　started　（you　know　his　way）　as　if　I　had　said　that　I　had　dined　at　Jericho；　and　as　I　did　not　choose　to　seem　to　observe　his　surprise；　but　continued　munching　my　radishes　in　tranquillity；　he　broke　forth　in　ire。

'To　Noble　House；　sir！　and　what　had　you　to　do　at　Noble　House；　sir？　Do　you　remember　you　are　studying　law；　sir？that　your　Scots　law　trials　are　coming　on；　sir？that　every　moment　of　your　time　just　now　is　worth　hours　at　another　time？and　have　you　leisure　to　go　to　Noble　House；　sir？and　to　throw　your　books　behind　you　for　so　many　hours？Had　it　been　a　turn　in　the　meadows；　or　even　a　game　at　golfbut　Noble　House；　sir！'

'I　went　so　far　with　Darsie　Latimer；　sir；　to　see　him　begin　his　journey。'

'Darsie　Latimer？'　　he　replied　in　a　softened　tone'Humph！Well；　I　do　not　blame　you　for　being　kind　to　Darsie　Latimer；　but　it　would　have　done　as　much　good　if　you　had　walked　with　him　as　far　as　the　toll…bar；　and　then　made　your　farewellsit　would　have　saved　horse…hireand　your　reckoning；　too；　at　dinner。'

'Latimer　paid　that；　sir；'　I　replied；　thinking　to　soften　the　matter；　but　I　had　much　better　have　left　it　unspoken。

'The　reckoning；　sir！'　　replied　my　father。　　'And　did　you　sponge　upon　any　man　for　a　reckoning？　　Sir；　no　man　should　enter　the　door　of　a　public…house　without　paying　his　lawing。'

'I　admit　the　general　rule；　sir；'　I　replied；　'but　this　was　a　parting…cup　between　Darsie　and　me；　and　I　should　conceive　it　fell　under　the　exception　of　DOCH　AN　DORROCH。'

'You　think　yourself　a　wit；'　said　my　father；　with　as　near　an　approach　to　a　smile　as　ever　he　permits　to　gild　the　solemnity　of　his　features；　'but　I　reckon　you　did　not　eat　your　dinner　standing；　like　the　Jews　at　their　Passover？　　and　it　was　decided　in　a　case　before　the　town…bailies　of　Cupar…Angus；　when　Luckie　Simpson's　cow　had　drunk　up　Luckie　Jamieson's　browst　of　ale　while　it　stood　in　the　door　to　cool；　that　there　was　no　damage　to　pay；　because　the　crummie　drank　without　sitting　down；　such　being　the　very　circumstance　constituting　DOCH　AN　DORROCH；　which　is　a　standing　drink；　for　which　no　reckoning　is　paid。　　Ha；　sir！　what　says　your　advocateship　（FIERI）　to　that？　　EXEPTIO　FIRMAT　REGULAMBut　come；　fill　your　glass；　Alan；　I　am　not　sorry　ye　have　shown　this　attention　to　Darsie　Latimer；　who　is　a　good　lad；　as　times　go；　and　having　now　lived　under　my　roof　since　he　left　the　school；　why；　there　is　really　no　great　matter　in　coming　under　this　small　obligation　to　him。'

As　I　saw　my　father's　scruples　were　much　softened　by　the　consciousness　of　his　superiority　in　the　legal　argument；　I　took　care　to　accept　my　pardon　as　a　matter　of　grace；　rather　than　of　justice；　and　only　replied；　we　should　feel　ourselves　duller　of　an　evening；　now　that　you　were　absent。　　I　will　give　you　my　father's　exact　words　in　reply；　Darsie。　　You　know　him　so　well；　that　they　will　not　offend　you；　and　you　are　also　aware；　that　there　mingles　with　the　good　man's　preciseness　and　formality；　a　fund　of　shrewd　observation　and　practical　good　sense。

'It　is　very　true；'　he　said；　'Darsie　was　a　pleasant　companion…but　over　waggish；　over　waggish；　Alan；　and　somewhat　scatter…brained。　By　the　way；　Wilkinson　must　get　our　ale　bottled　in　English　pints　now；　for　a　quart　bottle　is　too　much；　night　after　night；　for　you　and　me；　without　his　assistance。But　Darsie；　as　I　was　saying；　is　an　arch　lad；　and　somewhat　light　in　the　upper　storyI　wish　him　well　through　the　world；　but　he　has　little　solidity；　Alan；　little　solidity。'

I　scorn　to　desert　an　absent　friend；　Darsie；　so　I　said　for　you　a　little　more　than　my　conscience　warranted：　　but　your　defection　from　your　legal　studies　had　driven　you　far　to　leeward　in　my　father's　good　opinion。

'Unstable　as　water；　he　shall　not　excel；'　said　my　father；　'or；　as　the　Septuagint　hath　it；　EFUSA　EST　SICUT　AQUANON　CRESCAT。　　He　goeth　to　dancing…houses；　and　readeth　novelsSAT　EST。'

I　endeavoured　to　parry　these　texts　by　observing；　that　the　dancing…houses　amounted　only　to　one　night　at　La　Pique's　ballthe　novels　（so　far　as　matter　of　notoriety；　Darsie）　to　an　odd　volume　of　TOM　JONES。

'But　he　danced　from　night　to　morning；'　replied　my　father；　'and　he　read　the　idle　trash；　which　the　author　should　have　been　scourged　for；　at　least　twenty　times　over。　　It　was　never　out　of　his　hand。'

I　then　hinted；　that　in　all　probability　your　fortune　was　now　so　easy　as　to　dispense　with　your　prosecuting　the　law　any　further　than　you　had　done；　and　therefore　you　might　think　you　had　some　title　to　amuse　yourself。　　This　was　the　least　palatable　argument　of　all。

'If　he　cannot　amuse　himself　with　the　law；'　said　my　father；　snappishly　'it　is　the　worse　for　him。　　If　he　needs　not　law　to　teach　him　to　make　a　fortune；　I　am　sure　he　needs　it　to　teach　him　how　to　keep　one；　and　it　would　better　become　him　to　be　learning　this；　than　to　be　scouring　the　country　like　a　land…louper；　going　he　knows　not　where；　to　see　he　knows　not　what；　and　giving　treats　at　Noble　House　to　fools　like　himself'　（an　angry　glance　at　poor　me）；　'Noble　House；　indeed！'　　he　repeated；　with　elevated　voice　and　sneering　tone；　as　if　there　were　something　offensive　to　him　in　the　name；　though　I　will　venture　to　say　that　any　place　in　which　you　had　been　extravagant　enough　to　spend　five　shillings；　would　have　stood　as　deep　in　his　reprobation。

Mindful　of　your　idea；　that　my　father　knows　more　of　your　real　situation　than　he　thinks　proper　to　mention；　I　thought　I　would　hazard　a　fishing　observation。　　'I　did　not　see；'　I　said；　'how　the　Scottish　law　would　be　useful　to　a　young　gentleman　whose　fortune　would　seem　to　be　vested　in　England。'I　really　thought　my　father　would　have　beat　me。

'D'ye　mean　to　come　round　me；　sir；　PER　AMBAGES；　as　Counsellor　Pest　says？　　What　is　it　to　you　where　Darsie　Latimer's　fortune　is　vested；　or　whether　he　hath　any　fortune；　aye　or　no？　　And　what　ill　would　the　Scottish　law　do　to　him；　though　he　had　as　much　of　it　as　either　Stair　or　Bankton；　sir？　　Is