redgauntlet-第76节

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milated　them　to　their　conductors。'Ibidem；　p。　19。＇　　That　is　what　I　call　plain　speaking　on　the　part　of　the　old　Roman；　Mr。　Fairford。　　By　the　way；　that　is　a　capital　name　for　a　lawyer。

'Lawyer　as　I　am；'　said　Fairford；　'I　do　not　understand　your　innuendo。'

'Nay；　then；'　said　Ewart；　'I　can　try　it　another　way；　as　well　as　the　hypocritical　old　rascal　Turnpenny　himself　could　do。　　I　would　have　you　to　know　that　I　am　well　acquainted　with　my　Bible…book；　as　well　as　with　my　friend　Sallust。'　　He　then；　in　a　snuffling　and　canting　tone；　began　to　repeat　the　Scriptural　text'〃DAVID　THEREFORE　DEPARTED　THENCE；　AND　WENT　TO　THE　CAVE　OF　ADULLAM。　　AND　EVERY　ONE　THAT　WAS　IN　DISTRESS；　AND　EVERY　ONE　THAT　WAS　IN　DEBT；　AND　EVERY　ONE　THAT　WAS　DISCONTENTED；　GATHERED　THEMSELVES　TOGETHER　UNTO　HIM；　AND　HE　BECAME　A　CAPTAIN　OVER　THEM。〃　　What　think　you　of　that？'　　he　said；　suddenly　changing　his　manner。　　'Have　I　touched　you　now；　sir？'

'You　are　as　far　off　as　ever；'　replied　Fairford。

'What　the　devil！　　and　you　a　repeating　frigate　between　Summertrees　and　the　laird！　　Tell　that　to　the　marinesthe　sailors　won't　believe　it。　　But　you　are　right　to　be　cautious；　since　you　can't　say　who　are　right；　who　not。　　But　you　look　ill；　it's　but　the　cold　morning　air。　　Will　you　have　a　can　of　flip；　or　a　jorum　of　hot　rumbo？　　or　will　you　splice　the　mainbrace'　（showing　a　spirit…　flask）。　　'Will　you　have　a　quidor　a　pipeor　a　cigar？a　pinch　of　snuff；　at　least；　to　clear　your　brains　and　sharpen　your　apprehension？'

Fairford　rejected　all　these　friendly　propositions。

'Why；　then；'　continued　Ewart；　'if　you　will　do　nothing　for　the　free　trade；　I　must　patronize　it　myself。'

So　saying；　he　took　a　large　glass　of　brandy。

'A　hair　of　the　dog　that　bit　me；'　he　continued；'of　the　dog　that　will　worry　me　one　day　soon；　and　yet；　and　be　dd　to　me　for　an　idiot；　I　must　always　have　hint　at　my　throat。　　But；　says　the　old　catch'Here　he　sang；　and　sang　well

　　'Let's　drinklet's　drinkwhile　life　we　have；　　　　We'll　find　but　cold　drinking；　cold　drinking　in　the　grave。

All　this；'　he　continued；　'is　no　charm　against　the　headache。　　I　wish　I　had　anything　that　could　do　you　good。　　Faith；　and　we　have　tea　and　coffee　aboard！　　I'll　open　a　chest　or　a　bag；　and　let　you　have　some　in　an　instant。　　You　are　at　the　age　to　like　such　catlap　better　than　better　stuff。'

Fairford　thanked　him；　and　accepted　his　offer　of　tea。

Nanty　Ewart　was　soon　heard　calling　about；　'Break　open　yon　chest　take　out　your　capful；　you　bastard　of　a　powder…monkey；　we　may　want　it　again。　　No　sugar？　　all　used　up　for　grog；　say　you？　　knock　another　loaf　to　pieces；　can't　ye？　　and　get　the　kettle　boiling；　ye　hell's　baby；　in　no　time　at　all！'

By　dint　of　these　energetic　proceedings　he　was　in　a　short　time　able　to　return　to　the　place　where　his　passenger　lay　sick　and　exhausted；　with　a　cup；　or　rather　a　canful；　of　tea；　for　everything　was　on　a　large　scale　on　board　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY。　　Alan　drank　it　eagerly；　and　with　so　much　appearance　of　being　refreshed　that　Nanty　Ewart　swore　he　would　have　some　too；　and　only　laced　it；　as　his　phrase　went；　with　a　single　glass　of　brandy。　　＇See　Note　8。＇




CHAPTER　XIV

NARRATIVE　OF　ALAN　FAIRFORD；　CONTINUED

We　left　Alan　Fairford　on　the　deck　of　the　little　smuggling　brig；　in　that　disconsolate　situation；　when　sickness　and　nausea；　attack　a　heated　and　fevered　frame；　and　an　anxious　mind。　　His　share　of　sea…sickness；　however；　was　not　so　great　as　to　engross　his　sensations　entirely；　or　altogether　to　divert　his　attention　from　what　was　passing　around。　　If　he　could　not　delight　in　the　swiftness　and　agility　with　which　the　'little　frigate'　walked　the　waves；　or　amuse　himself　by　noticing　the　beauty　of　the　sea…views　around　him；　where　the　distant　Skiddaw　raised　his　brow；　as　if　in　defiance　of　the　clouded　eminence　of　Criffel；　which　lorded　it　over　the　Scottish　side　of　the　estuary；　he　had　spirits　and　composure　enough　to　pay　particular　attention　to　the　master　of　the　vessel；　on　whose　character　his　own　safety　in　all　probability　was　dependent。

Nanty　Ewart　had　now　given　the　helm　to　one　of　his　people；　a　bald…pated；　grizzled　old　fellow；　whose　whole　life　had　been　spent　in　evading　the　revenue　laws；　with　now　and　then　the　relaxation　of　a　few　months'　imprisonment；　for　deforcing　officers；　resisting　seizures；　and　the　like　offences。

Nanty　himself　sat　down　by　Fairford；　helped　him　to　his　tea；　with　such　other　refreshments　as　he　could　think　of；　and　seemed　in　his　way　sincerely　desirous　to　make　his　situation　as　comfortable　as　things　admitted。　　Fairford　had　thus　an　opportunity　to　study　his　countenance　and　manners　more　closely。

It　was　plain；　Ewart；　though　a　good　seaman；　had　not　been　bred　upon　that　element。　　He　was　a　reasonably　good　scholar；　and　seemed　fond　of　showing　it　by　recurring　to　the　subject　of　Sallust　and　Juvenal；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　sea…phrases　seldom　chequered　his　conversation。　　He　had　been　in　person　what　is　called　a　smart　little　man；　but　the　tropical　sun　had　burnt　his　originally　fair　complexion　to　a　dusty　red；　and　the　bile　which　was　diffused　through　his　system；　had　stained　it　with　a　yellowish　blackwhat　ought　to　have　been　the　white　part　of　his　eyes；　in　particular；　had　a　hue　as　deep　as　the　topaz。　　He　was　very　thin；　or　rather　emaciated；　and　his　countenance；　though　still　indicating　alertness　and　activity；　showed　a　constitution　exhausted　with　excessive　use　of　his　favourite　stimulus。

'I　see　you　look　at　me　hard；'　said　he　to　Fairford。　　'Had　you　been　an　officer　of　the　dd　customs；　my　terriers'　backs　would　have　been　up。　　He　opened　his　breast；　and　showed　Alan　a　pair　of　pistols　disposed　between　his　waistcoat　and　jacket；　placing　his　finger　at　the　same　time　upon　the　cock　of　one　of　them。　　'But　come；　you　are　an　honest　fellow；　though　you're　a　close　one。　　I　dare　say　you　think　me　a　queer　customer；　but　I　can　tell　you；　they　that　see　the　ship　leave　harbour　know　little　of　the　seas　she　is　to　sail　through。　　My　father；　honest　old　gentleman；　never　would　have　thought　to　see　me　master　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY。'

Fairford　said；　it　seemed　very　clear　indeed　that　Mr。　Ewart's　education　was　far　superior　to　the　line　he　at　present　occupied。

'Oh；　Criffel　to　Solway　Moss！'　　said　the　other。　　Why；　man；　I　should　have　been　an　expounder　of　the　word；　with　a　wig　like　a　snow…wreath；　and　a　stipend　likelikelike　a　hundred　pounds　a　year；　I　suppose。　　I　can　spend　thrice　as　much　as　that；　though；　being　such　as　I　am。　　Here　he　sang　a　scrap　of　an　old　Northumbrian　ditty；　mimicking　the　burr　of　the　natives　of　that　county：

　　'Willy　Foster's　gone　to　sea；　　　　Siller　buckles　at　his　knee；　　　　He'll　come　back　and　marry　me　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Canny　Willy　Foster。'

'I　have　no　doubt；'　said　Fairford；　'your　present　occupation　is　more　lucrative；　'but　I　should　have　thought　the　Church　might　have　been　more'

He　stopped；　recollecting　that　it　was　not　his　business　to　say　anything　disagreeable。

'More　respectable；　you　mean；　I　suppose？'　　said　Ewart；　with　a　sneer；　and　squirting　the　tobacco…juice　through　his　front　teeth；　then　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　proceeded　in　a　tone　of　candour　which　some　internal　touch　of　conscience　dictated。　　'And　so　it　would；　Mr。　Fairfordand　happier；　too；　by　a　thousand　degrees　though　I　have　had　my　pleasures　too。　　But　there　was　my　father　（God　bless　the　old　man！）　a　true　chip　of　the　old　Presbyterian　block；　walked　his　parish　like　a　captain　on　the　quarterdeck；　and　was　always　ready　to　do　good　to　rich　and　poorOff　went　the　laird's　hat　to　the　minister；　as　fast　as　the　poor　man's　bonnet。　　When　the　eye　saw　himPshaw！　　what　have　I　to　do　with　that　now？Yes；　he　was；　as　Virgil　hath　it；　〃VIR　SAPIENTIA　ET　PIETATE　GRAVIS。〃　But　he　might　have　been　the　wiser　man；　had　he　kept　me　at　home；　when　he　sent　me　at　nineteen　to　study　Divinity　at　the　head　of　the　highest　stair　in　the　Covenant　Close。　　It　was　a　cursed　mistake　in　the　old　gentleman。　　What　though　Mrs。　Cantrips　of　Kittlebasket　（for　she　wrote　herself　no　less）　was　our　cousin　five　times　removed；　and　took　me　on　that　account　to　board　and　lodging　at　six　shillings　instead　of　seven　shillings　a　week？　　it　was　a　dd　bad　saving；　as　the　case　proved。　　Yet　her　very　dignity　might　have　kept　me　in　order；　for　she　never　read　a　chapter　excepting　out　of　a　Cambridge　Bible；　printed　by　Daniel；　and　bound　in　embroidered　velvet。　　I　think　I　see　it　at　this　moment！　　And　on　Sundays；　when　we　had　a　quart　of　twopenny　ale；　instead　of　butter…milk；　to　our　porridge；　it　was　always　served　up　in　a　silver　posset…dish。　　Also　she　used　silver…mounted　spectacles；　whereas　even　my　father's　were　cased　in　mere　horn。　　These　things　had　their　impression　at　first；　but　we　get　used　to　grandeur　by　degrees。　　Well；　sir！Gad；　I　can　scarce　get　on　with　my　storyit　sticks　in　my　throatmust　take　a　trifle　to　wash　it　down。　　Well；　this　dame　had　a　daughterJess　Cantrips；　a　black…eyed；　bouncing　wenchand；　as　the　devil　would　have　it；　there　was　the　dd　five…story　stairher　foot　was　never　from　it；　whether　I　went　out　or　came　home　from　the　Divinity　Hall。　I　would　have　eschewed　her；　sirI　would；　on　my　soul；　for　I　was　as　innocent　a　lad　as　ever　came　from　Lammermuir；　but　there　was　no　possibility　of　escape；　retreat；　or　flight；　unless　I　could　have　got　a　pair　of　wings；　or　made　use　of　a　ladder　seven　stories　high；　to　scale　the　window　of　my　attic。　　It　signifies　little　talking　you　may　suppose　how　all　this　was　to　endI　would　have　married　the　girl；　and　taken　my　chanceI　would；　by　Heaven！　　for　she