redgauntlet-第99节

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with　fair　warning　not　to　come　back　on　such　an　errand；　lest　worse　come　of　it。'

The　manner　and　language　of　Ewart　were　such　that　Joshua　Geddes　resolved　to　keep　cautious　silence；　till　he　could　more　plainly　discover　whether　he　was　likely　to　aid　or　impede　him　in　his　researches　after　Darsie　Latimer。　　He　therefore　determined　to　listen　attentively　to　what　should　pass　between　Peter　and　the　seaman；　and　to　watch　for　an　opportunity　of　questioning　the　former；　so　soon　as　he　should　be　separated　from　his　new　acquaintance。

'I　wad　by　no　means；'　said　Peter　Peebles；　'do　any　substantial　harm　to　the　poor　lad　Fairford；　who　has　had　mony　a　gowd　guinea　of　mine；　as　weel　as　his　father　before　him；　but　I　wad　hae　him　brought　back　to　the　minding　of　my　business　and　his　ain；　and　maybe　I　wadna　insist　further　in　my　action　of　damages　against　him；　than　for　refunding　the　fees；　and　for　some　annual　rent　on　the　principal　sum　due　frae　the　day　on　which　he　should　have　recovered　it　for　me；　plack　and　bawbee；　at　the　great　advising　；　for　ye　are　aware；　that　is　the　least　that　I　can　ask　NOMINE　DAMNI；　and　I　have　nae　thought　to　break　down　the　lad　bodily　a'thegitherwe　maun　live　and　let　liveforgie　and　forget。'

'The　deuce　take　me；　friend　Broadbrim；'　said　Nanty　Ewart；　looking　to　the　Quaker；　'if　I　can　make　out　what　this　old　scarecrow　means。　If　I　thought　it　was　fitting　that　Master　Fairford　should　see　him；　why　perhaps　it　is　a　matter　that　could　be　managed。　　Do　you　know　anything　about　the　old　fellow？you　seemed　to　take　some　charge　of　him　just　now。'

'No　more　than　I　should　have　done　by　any　one　in　distress；'　said　Geddes；　not　sorry　to　be　appealed　to；　'but　I　will　try　what　I　can　do　to　find　out　who　he　is；　and　what　he　is　about　in　this　country。　But　are　we　not　a　little　too　public　in　this　open　room？'

'It's　well　thought　of；'　said　Nanty；　and　at　his　command　the　barmaid　ushered　the　party　into　a　side…booth；　Peter　attending　them　in　the　instinctive　hope　that　there　would　be　more　liquor　drunk　among　them　before　parting。　　They　had　scarce　sat　down　in　their　new　apartment；　when　the　sound　of　a　violin　was　heard　in　the　room　which　they　had　just　left。

'I'll　awa　back　yonder；'　said　Peter；　rising　up　again；　'yon's　the　sound　of　a　fiddle；　and　when　there　is　music；　there's　ay　something　ganging　to　eat　or　drink。'

'I　am　just　going　to　order　something　here；'　said　the　Quaker；　'but　in　the　meantime；　have　you　any　objection；　my　good　friend；　to　tell　us　your　name？'

'None　in　the　world；　if　you　are　wanting　to　drink　to　me　by　name　and　surname；'　answered　Peebles；　'but；　otherwise；　I　would　rather　evite　your　interrogatories。'

'Friend；'　said　the　Quaker；　'it　is　not　for　thine　own　health；　seeing　thou　hast　drunk　enough　alreadyhoweverhere；　handmaiden　bring　me　a　gill　of　sherry。'

'Sherry's　but　shilpit　drink；　and　a　gill's　a　sma'　measure　for　twa　gentlemen　to　crack　ower　at　their　first　acquaintance。　　But　let　us　see　your　sneaking　gill　of　sherry；'　said　Poor　Peter；　thrusting　forth　his　huge　hand　to　seize　on　the　diminutive　pewter　measure；　which；　according　to　the　fashion　of　the　time；　contained　the　generous　liquor　freshly　drawn　from　the　butt。

'Nay；　hold；　friend；'　said　Joshua；　'thou　hast　not　yet　told　me　what　name　and　surname　I　am　to　call　thee　by。'

'Dd　sly　in　the　Quaker；'　said　Nanty；　apart；　'to　make　him　pay　for　his　liquor　before　he　gives　it　him。　　Now；　I　am　such　a　fool；　that　I　should　have　let　him　get　too　drunk　to　open　his　mouth；　before　I　thought　of　asking　him　a　question。'

'My　name　is　Peter　Peebles；　then；'　said　the　litigant；　rather　sulkily；　as　one　who　thought　his　liquor　too　sparingly　meted　out　to　him；　'and　what　have　you　to　say　to　that？'

'Peter　Peebles？'　　repeated　Nanty　Ewart　and　seemed　to　muse　upon　something　which　the　words　brought　to　his　remembrance；　while　the　Quaker　pursued　his　examination。

'But　I　prithee；　Peter　Peebles；　what　is　thy　further　designation？　Thou　knowest；　in　our　country；　that　some　men　are　distinguished　by　their　craft　and　calling；　as　cordwainers；　fishers；　weavers；　or　the　like；　and　some　by　their　titles　as　proprietors　of　land　（which　savours　of　vanity）now；　how　may　you　be　distinguished　from　others　of　the　same　name？'

'As　Peter　Peebles　of　the　great　plea　of　Poor　Peter　Peebles　against　Plainstanes；　ET　PER　CONTRAif　I　am　laird　of　naething　else；　I　am　ay　a　DOMINUS　LITIS。'

'It's　but　a　poor　lairdship；　I　doubt；'　said　Joshua。

'Pray；　Mr；　Peebles；'　said　Nanty；　interrupting　the　conversation　abruptly；　'were　not　you　once　a　burgess　of　Edinburgh？'

'WAS　I　a　burgess！'　　said　Peter　indignantly；　'and　AM　I　not　a　burgess　even　now？　　I　have　done　nothing　to　forfeit　my　right；　I　trowonce　provost　and　ay　my　lord。'

'Well；　Mr。　Burgess；　tell　me　further；　have　you　not　some　property　in　the　Gude　Town？'　　continued　Ewart。

'Troth　have　Ithat　is；　before　my　misfortunes；　I　had　twa　or　three　bonny　bits　of　mailings　amang　the　closes　and　wynds；　forby　the　shop　and　the　story　abune　it。　　But　Plainstanes　has　put　me　to　the　causeway　now。　　Never　mind　though；　I　will　be　upsides　with　him　yet。'

'Had　not　you　once　a　tenement　in　the　Covenant　Close？'　　again　demanded　Nanty。

'You　have　hit　it；　lad；　though　ye　look　not　like　a　Covenanter；'　said　Peter；　'we'll　drink　to　its　memory（Hout！　　the　heart's　at　the　mouth　o'　that　ill…faur'd　bit　stoup　already！）it　brought　a　rent；　reckoning　from　the　crawstep　to　the　groundsill；　that　ye　might　ca'　fourteen　punds　a　year；　forby　the　laigh　cellar　that　was　let　to　Lucky　Littleworth。'

'And　do　you　not　remember　that　you　had　a　poor　old　lady　for　your　tenant；　Mrs。　Cantrips　of　Kittlebasket？'　　said　Nanty；　suppressing　his　emotion　with　difficulty。

'Remember！　　Gd；　I　have　gude　cause　to　remember　her；'　said　Peter；　'for　she　turned　a　dyvour　on　my　hands；　the　auld　besom！　　and　after　a'　that　the　law　could　do　to　make　me　satisfied　and　paid；　in　the　way　of　poinding　and　distrenzieing　and　sae　forth；　as　the　law　will；　she　ran　awa　to　the　charity　workhouse；　a　matter　of　twenty　punds　Scots　in　my　debtit's　a　great　shame　and　oppression　that　charity　workhouse；　taking　in　bankrupt　dyvours　that　canna；　pay　their　honest　creditors。'

'Methinks；　friend；'　said　the　Quaker；　'thine　own　rags　might　teach　thee　compassion　for　other　people's　nakedness。'

'Rags！'　　said　Peter；　taking　Joshua's　words　literally；　'does　ony　wise　body　put　on　their　best　coat　when　they　are　travelling；　and　keeping　company　with　Quakers；　and　such　other　cattle　as　the　road　affords？'

'The　old　lady　DIED；　I　have　heard；'　said　Nanty；　affecting　a　moderation　which　was　belied　by　accents　that　faltered　with　passion。

'She　might　live　or　die；　for　what　I　care；'　answered　Peter　the　Cruel；　'what　business　have　folk　to　do　to　live　that　canna　live　as　law　will；　and　satisfy　their　just　and　lawful　creditors？'

'And　youyou　that　are　now　yourself　trodden　down　in　the　very　kennel；　are　you　not　sorry　for　what　you　have　done？　　Do　you　not　repent　having　occasioned　the　poor　widow　woman's　death？'

'What　for　should　I　repent？'　　said　Peter；　'the　law　was　on　my　side　a　decreet　of　the　bailies；　followed　by　poinding；　and　an　act　of　wardinga　suspension　intented；　and　the　letters　found　orderly　proceeded。　　I　followed　the　auld　rudas　through　twa　courtsshe　cost　me　mair　money　than　her　lugs　were　worth。'

'Now；　by　Heaven！'　　said　Nanty；　'I　would　give　a　thousand　guineas；　if　I　had　them；　to　have　you　worth　my　beating！　　Had　you　said　you　repented；　it　had　been　between　God　and　your　conscience；　but　to　hear　you　boast　of　your　villanyDo　you　think　it　little　to　have　reduced　the　aged　to　famine；　and　the　young　to　infamyto　have　caused　the　death　of　one　woman；　the　ruin　of　another；　and　to　have　driven　a　man　to　exile　and　despair？　　By　Him　that　made　me；　I　can　scarce　keep　hands　off　you！

'Off　me？　　I　defy　ye！'　　said　Peter。　　'I　take　this　honest　man　to　witness　that　if　ye　stir　the　neck　of　my　collar；　I　will　have　my　action　for　stouthreif；　spulzie；　oppression；　assault　and　battery。　Here's　a　bra'　din；　indeed；　about　an　auld　wife　gaun　to　the　grave；　a　young　limmer　to　the　close…heads　and　causeway；　and　a　sticket　stibbler　＇A　student　of　divinity　who　has　not　been　able　to　complete　his　studies　on　theology。＇　　to　the　sea　instead　of　the　gallows！'

'Now；　by　my　soul；'　said　Nanty；　'this　is　too　much！　　and　since　you　can　feel　no　otherwise；　I　will　try　if　I　cannot　beat　some　humanity　into　your　head　and　shoulders。'

He　drew　his　hanger　as　he　spoke；　and　although　Joshua；　who　had　in　vain　endeavoured　to　interrupt　the　dialogue　to　which　he　foresaw　a　violent　termination；　now　threw　himself　between　Nanty　and　the　old　litigant；　he　could　not　prevent　the　latter　from　receiving　two　or　three　sound　slaps　over　the　shoulder　with　the　flat　side　of　the　weapon。

Poor　Peter　Peebles；　as　inglorious　in　his　extremity　as　he　had　been　presumptuous　in　bringing　it　on；　now　ran　and　roared；　and　bolted　out　of　the　apartment　and　house　itself；　pursued　by　Nanty；　whose　passion　became　high　in　proportion　to　his　giving　way　to　its　dictates；　and　by　Joshua；　who　still　interfered　at　every　risk；　calling　upon　Nanty　to　reflect　on　the　age　and　miserable　circumstances　of　the　offender；　and　upon　Poor　Peter　to　stand　and　place　himself　under　his　protection。　　In　front　of　the　house；　however；　Peter　Peebles　found　a　more　efficient　protector　than　the　worthy　Quaker。




CHAPTER　XXI

NARRATIVE　OF　ALAN　FAIRFORD

Our　readers　may　recollect　that　Fairford　had　been　conducted　by　Dick　Gardener　from　the　house　of　Fairladies　to　the　inn　of　old　Father　Crackenthorp；　in　order；　as　he　had　been　info