redgauntlet-第55节

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drums　of　his　advancing　ally；　without　whose　help　the　battle　must　have　been　lost。

I　did　not　suffer　myself　to　be　startled　by　this　joyous　surprise；　but　continued　to　bend　my　strictest　attention　to　what　followed　among　this　singular　party。　　That　Poor　Peter　Peebles　had　been　put　on　this　wildgoose　chase　by　some　of　his　juvenile　advisers　in　the　Parliament　House；　he　himself　had　intimated；　but　he　spoke　with　much　confidence；　and　the　Justice；　who　seemed　to　have　some　secret　apprehension　of　being　put　to　trouble　in　the　matter；　and；　as　sometimes　occurs　on　the　English　frontier；　a　jealousy　lest　the　superior　acuteness　of　their　northern　neighbours　might　overreach　their　own　simplicity；　turned　to　his　clerk　with　a　perplexed　countenance。

'EhohNickdn　theeHast　thou　got　nothing　to　say？　　This　is　more　Scots　law；　I　take　it；　and　more　Scotsmen。'　　（Here　he　cast　a　side…glance　at　the　owner　of　the　mansion；　and　winked　to　his　clerk。）　　'I　would　Solway　were　as　deep　as　it　is　wide；　and　we　had　then　some　chance　of　keeping　of　them　out。'

Nicholas　conversed　an　instant　aside　with　the　supplicant；　and　then　reported：

'The　man　wants　a　border…warrant；　I　think；　but　they　are　only　granted　for　debtnow　he　wants　one　to　catch　a　lawyer。'

'And　what　for　no？'　　answered　Peter　Peebles；　doggedly；　'what　for　no；　I　would　be　glad　to　ken？　　If　a　day's　labourer　refuse　to　work；　ye'll　grant　a　warrant　to　gar　him　do　out　his　daurgif　a　wench　quean　rin　away　from　her　hairst；　ye'll　send　her　back　to　her　heuck　againif　sae　mickle　as　a　collier　or　a　salter　make　a　moonlight　flitting；　ye　will　cleek　him　by　the　back…spaul　in　a　minute　of　timeand　yet　the　damage　canna　amount　to　mair　than　a　creelfu'　of　coals；　and　a　forpit　or　twa　of　saut；　and　here　is　a　chield　taks　leg　from　his　engagement；　and　damages　me　to　the　tune　of　sax　thousand　punds　sterling；　that　is；　three　thousand　that　I　should　win；　and　three　thousand　mair　that　I　am　like　to　lose；　and　you　that　ca'　yourself　a　justice　canna　help　a　poor　man　to　catch　the　rinaway？　　A　bonny　like　justice　I　am　like　to　get　amang　ye！'

'The　fellow　must　be　drunk；'　said　the　clerk。

'Black　fasting　from　all　but　sin；'　replied　the　supplicant；　'I　havena　had　mair　than　a　mouthful　of　cauld　water　since　I　passed　the　Border；　and　deil　a　ane　of　ye　is　like　to　say　to　me；　〃Dog；　will　ye　drink？〃'

The　Justice　seemed　moved　by　this　appeal。　　'Hem…tush；　man；'　replied　he；　'thou　speak'st　to　us　as　if　thou　wert　in　presence　of　one　of　thine　own　beggarly　justicesget　downstairsget　something　to　eat；　man　（with　permission　of　my　friend　to　make　so　free　in　his　house）；　and　a　mouthful　to　drink；　and　I　warrant　we　get　ye　such　justice　as　will　please　ye。'

'I　winna　refuse　your　neighbourly　offer；'　said　Poor　Peter　Peebles；　making　his　bow；　'muckle　grace　be　wi'　your　honour；　and　wisdom　to　guide　you　in　this　extraordinary　cause。'

When　I　saw　Peter　Peebles　about　to　retire　from　the　room；　I　could　not　forbear　an　effort　to　obtain　from　him　such　evidence　as　might　give　me　some　credit　with　the　Justice。　　I　stepped　forward；　therefore；　and；　saluting　him；　asked　him　if　he　remembered　me？

After　a　stare　or　two；　and　a　long　pinch　of　snuff；　recollection　seemed　suddenly　to　dawn　on　Peter　Peebles。　　'Recollect　ye！'　　he　said；　'by　my　troth　do　I。…Haud　him　a　grip；　gentlemen！　constables；　keep　him　fast！　　where　that　ill…deedie　hempy　is；　ye　are　sure　that　Alan　Fairford　is　not　far　off。　　Haud　him　fast；　Master　Constable；　I　charge　ye　wi'　him；　for　I　am　mista'en　if　he　is　not　at　the　bottom　of　this　rinaway　business。　　He　was　aye　getting　the　silly　callant　Alan　awa　wi'　gigs；　and　horse；　and　the　like　of　that；　to　Roslin；　and　Prestonpans；　and　a'　the　idle　gates　he　could　think　of。　　He's　a　rinaway　apprentice；　that　ane。'

'Mr。　Peebles；'　I　said；　'do　not　do　me　wrong。　　I　am　sure　you　can　say　no　harm　of　me　justly；　but　can　satisfy　these　gentlemen；　if　you　will；　that　I　am　a　student　of　law　in　EdinburghDarsie　Latimer　by　name。'

'Me　satisfy！　　how　can　I　satisfy　the　gentlemen；'　answered　Peter；　'that　am　sae　far　from　being　satisfied　mysell？　　I　ken　naething　about　your　name；　and　can　only　testify；　NIHIL　NOVIT　IN　CAUSA。'

'A　pretty　witness　you　have　brought　forward　in　your　favour；'　said　Mr。　Foxley。　　'Buthaaye…I'll　ask　him　a　question　or　two。　Pray；　friend；　will　you　take　your　oath　to　this　youth　being　a　runaway　apprentice？'

'Sir；'　said　Peter；　'I　will　make　oath　to　onything　in　reason；　when　a　case　comes　to　my　oath　it's　a　won　cause：　　But　I　am　in　some　haste　to　prie　your　worship's　good　cheer；'　for　Peter　had　become　much　more　respectful　in　his　demeanour　towards　the　Justice　since　he　had　heard　some　intimation　of　dinner。

'You　shall　haveehhumayea　bellyful；　if　it　be　possible　to　fill　it。　　First　let　me　know　if　this　young　man　be　really　what　he　pretends。　　Nick；　make　his　affidavit。'

'Ow；　he　is　just　a　wud　harum…scarum　creature；　that　wad　never　take　to　his　studies；　daft；　sir；　clean　daft。'

'Deft！'　　said　the　Justice；　'what　d'ye　mean　by　defteh？'

'Just　Fifish；'　replied　Peter；　'wowfa　wee　bit　by　the　East　Nook　or　sae；　it's　a　common　casethe　ae　half　of　the　warld　thinks　the　tither　daft。　　I　have　met　with　folk　in　my　day　that　thought　I　was　daft　mysell；　and；　for　my　part；　I　think　our　Court　of　Session　clean　daft；　that　have　had　the　great　cause　of　Peebles　against　Plainstanes　before　them　for　this　score　of　years；　and　have　never　been　able　to　ding　the　bottom　out　of　it　yet。'

'I　cannot　make　out　a　word　of　his　cursed　brogue；'　said　the　Cumbrian　justice；　'can　you；　neighboureh？　　What　can　he　mean　by　DEFT？'

'He　means　MAD；'　said　the　party　appealed　to；　thrown　off　his　guard　by　impatience　of　this　protracted　discussion。

'Ye　have　itye　have　it；'　said　Peter；　'that　is；　not　clean　skivie；　but'

Here　he　stopped；　and　fixed　his　eye　on　the　person　he　addressed　with　an　air　of　joyful　recognition。'Aye；　aye；　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　is　this　your　ainsell　in　blood　and　bane？　　I　thought　ye　had　been　hanged　at　Kennington　Common；　or　Hairiebie；　or　some　of　these　places；　after　the　bonny　ploy　ye　made　in　the　Forty…five。'

'I　believe　you　are　mistaken；　friend；'　said　Herries；　sternly；　with　whose　name　and　designation　I　was　thus　made　unexpectedly　acquainted。

'The　deil　a　bit；'　answered　the　undaunted　Peter　Peebles；　I　mind　ye　weel；　for　ye　lodged　in　my　house　the　great　year　of　Forty…five；　for　a　great　year　it　was；　the　Grand　Rebellion　broke　out；　and　my　cause　the　great　causePeebles　against　Plainstanes；　ET　PER　CONTRA　was　called　in　the　beginning　of　the　winter　session；　and　would　have　been　heard；　but　that　there　was　a　surcease　of　justice；　with　your　plaids；　and　your　piping；　and　your　nonsense。'

'I　tell　you；　fellow；'　said　Herries；　yet　more　fiercely；　'you　have　confused　me　with　some　of　the　other　furniture　of　your　crazy　pate。'

'Speak　like　a　gentleman；　sir；'　answered　Peebles；　'these　are　not　legal　phrases；　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork。　　Speak　in　form　of　law；　or　I　sall　bid　ye　gude　day；　sir。　　I　have　nae　pleasure　in　speaking　to　proud　folk；　though　I　am　willing　to　answer　onything　in　a　legal　way；　so　if　you　are　for　a　crack　about　auld　langsyne；　and　the　splores　that　you　and　Captain　Redgimlet　used　to　breed　in　my　house；　and　the　girded　cask　of　brandy　that　ye　drank　and　ne'er　thought　of　paying　for　it　（not　that　I　minded　it　muckle　in　thae　days；　though　I　have　felt　a　lack　of　it　sin　syne）；　why　I　will　waste　an　hour　on　ye　at　ony　time。and　where　is　Captain　Redgimlet　now？　　he　was　a　wild　chap；　like　yoursell；　though　they　arena　sae　keen　after　you　poor　bodies　for　these　some　years　bygane；　the　heading　and　hanging　is　weel　ower　nowawful　jobawful　jobwill　ye　try　my　sneeshing？'

He　concluded　his　desultory　speech　by　thrusting　out　his　large　bony　paw；　filled　with　a　Scottish　mull　of　huge　dimensions；　which　Herries；　who　had　been　standing　like　one　petrified　by　the　assurance　of　this　unexpected　address；　rejected　with　a　contemptuous　motion　of　his　hand；　which　spilled　some　of　the　contents　of　the　box。

'Aweel；　aweel；'　said　Peter　Peebles；　totally　unabashed　by　the　repulse；　'e'en　as　ye　like；　a　wilful　man　maun　hae　his　way；　but；'　he　added；　stooping　down　and　endeavouring　to　gather　the　spilled　snuff　from　the　polished　floor；　'I　canna　afford　to　lose　my　sneeshing　for　a'　that　ye　are　gumple…foisted　wi'　me。'

My　attention　had　been　keenly　awakened；　during　this　extraordinary　and　unexpected　scene。　　I　watched；　with　as　much　attention　as　my　own　agitation　permitted　me　to　command；　the　effect　produced　on　the　parties　concerned。　　It　was　evident　that　our　friend；　Peter　Peebles；　had　unwarily　let　out　something　which　altered　the　sentiments　of　Justice　Foxley　and　his　clerk　towards　Mr。　Herries；　with　whom；　until　he　was　known　and　acknowledged　under　that　name；　they　had　appeared　to　be　so　intimate。　　They　talked　with　each　other　aside；　looked　at　a　paper　or　two　which　the　clerk　selected　from　the　contents　of　a　huge　black　pocket…book；　and　seemed；　under　the　influence　of　fear　and　uncertainty；　totally　at　a　loss　what　line　of　conduct　to　adopt。

Herries　made　a　different；　and　far　more　interesting　figure。　However　little　Peter　Peebles　might　resemble　the　angel　Ithuriel；　the　appearance　of　Herries；　his　high　and　scornful　demeanour；　vexed　at　what　seemed　detection　yet　fearless　of　the　consequences；　and　regarding　the　whispering　magistrate　and　his　clerk　with　looks　in　which　contempt　predominated　over　anger　or　anxiety；　bore；　in　my　opinion；　no　slight　resemblance　to

　　　　　the　regal　port　　　And　faded　splendour　wan

with　which　the　poet　has　invested　the　detected　King　of　the