the lady of the lake-第33节
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I should have been apt to question this fact； had I not frequently seen them wet from morning to night； and； even at the beginning of the rain； not so much as stir a few yards to shelter； but continue in it without necessity； till they were； as we say； wet through and through。 And that is soon effected by the looseness and spunginess of the plaiding； but the bonnet is frequently taken off； and wrung like a dishclout； and then put on again。 They have been accustomed from their infancy to be often wet； and to take the water like spaniels； and this is become a second nature； and can scarcely be called a hardship to them； insomuch that I used to say； they seemed to be of the duck kind； and to love water as well。 Though I never saw this preparation for sleep in windy weather； yet； setting out early in a morning from one of the huts； I have seen the marks of their lodging； where the ground has been free from rime or snow； which remained all round the spot where they had lain' （Letters from Scotland； Lond。 1754； 8vo； ii。 p。 108）。〃
809。 His henchman。 Scott quotes again the Letters from Scotland （ii。 159）： 〃This officer is a sort of secretary； and is to be ready； upon all occasions； to venture his life in defence of his master； and at drinking…bouts he stands behind his seat； at his haunch； from whence his title is derived； and watches the conversation； to see if any one offends his patron。 An English officer being in company with a certain chieftain； and several other Highland gentlemen； near Killichumen； had an argument with the great man； and both being well warmed with usky ＇whisky＇； at last the dispute grew very hot。 A youth who was henchman； not understanding one word of English； imagined his chief was insulted； and thereupon drew his pistol from his side； and snapped it at the officer's head； but the pistol missed fire； otherwise it is more than probable he might have suffered death from the hand of that little vermin。 But it is very disagreeable to an Englishman over a bottle with the Highlanders； to see every one of them have his gilly； that is； his servant； standing behind him all the while； let what will be the subject of conversation。〃
829。 On the morn。 Modifying should circle； not the nearer verb had sworn。
831。 The Fiery Cross。 See on iii。 18 below。
846。 Point。 Point out； appoint。 Cf。 Shakespeare； Sonn。 14。 6：
〃Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell； Pointing to each his thunder； rain； and wind。〃
The word in this and similar passages is generally printed 〃'point〃 by modern editors； but it is not a contraction of appoint。
860。 Then plunged； etc。 The MS。 has 〃He spoke； and plunged into the tide。〃
862。 Steered him。 See on i。 142 above。
865； 866。 Darkening 。。。 gave。 In the 1st ed。 these lines are joined to what precedes； as they evidently should be； in all the more recent eds。 they are joined to what follows。
Canto Third。
3。 Store。 See on i。 548 above。
5。 That be。 in old English； besides the present tense am； etc。； there was also this form be； from the Anglo…Saxon beon。 The 2d person singular was beest。 The 1st and 3d person plural be is often found in Shakespeare and the Bible。
10。 Yet live there still； etc。 See on ii。 692 above。
15。 What time。 Cf。 ii。 307 above。
17。 The gathering sound。 The sound； or signal； for the gathering。 The phrase illustrates the difference between the participle and the verbal noun （or whatever it may be called） in …ing。 Cf。 〃a laboring man〃 and 〃a laboring day〃 （Julius Caesar； i。 1。 4）； and see our ed。 of J。 C。 p。 126。
18。 The Fiery Cross。 Scott says here： 〃When a chieftain designed to summon his clan； upon any sudden or important emergency； he slew a goat； and making a cross of any light wood； seared its extremities in the fire； and extinguished them in the blood of the animal。 This was called the Fiery Cross； also Crean Tarigh； or the Cross of Shame； because disobedience to what the symbol implied； inferred infamy。 It was delivered to a swift and trusty messenger； who ran full speed with it to the next hamlet； where he presented it to the principal person； with a single word； implying the place of rendezvous。 He who received the symbol was bound to send it forward； with equal despatch； to the next village； and thus it passed with incredible celerity through all the district which owed allegiance to the chief； and also among his allies and neighbours； if the danger was common to them。 At sight of the Fiery Cross； every man； from sixteen years old to sixty； capable of bearing arms； was obliged instantly to repair； in his best arms and accoutrements； to the place of rendezvous。 He who failed to appear suffered the extremities of fire and sword； which were emblematically denounced to the disobedient by the bloody and burnt marks upon this warlike signal。 During the civil war of 1745…6； the Fiery Cross often made its circuit； and upon one occasion it passed through the whole district of Breadalbane； a tract of thirty…two miles； in three hours。 The late Alexander Stewart； Esq。； of Invernahyle； described to me his having sent round the Fiery Cross through the district of Appine； during the same commotion。 The coast was threatened by a descent from two English trigates； and the flower of the young men were with the army of Prince Charles Edward； then in England； yet the summons was so effectual that even old age and childhood obeyed it； and a force was collected in a few hours； so numerous and so enthusiastic； that all attempt at the intended diversion upon the country of the absent warriors was in prudence abandoned； as desperate。〃
19。 The Summer dawn's reflected hue； etc。 Mr。 Ruskin says （Modern Painters； iii。 278）： 〃And thus Nature becomes dear to Scott in a threefold way： dear to him； first； as containing those remains or memories of the past； which he cannot find in cities； and giving hope of Praetorian mound or knight's grave in every green slope and shade of its desolate places； dear； secondly； in its moorland liberty； which has for him just as high a charm as the fenced garden had for the mediaeval； 。。。 and dear to him； finally； in that perfect beauty； denied alike in cities and in men； for which every modern heart had begun at last to thirst； and Scott's； in its freshness and power； of all men's most earnestly。
〃And in this love of beauty； observe that the love of colour is a leading element； his healthy mind being incapable of losing； under any modern false teaching； its joy in brilliancy of hue。 。。。 In general； if he does not mean to say much about things； the one character which he will give is colour； using it with the most perfect mastery and faithfulness。〃
After giving many illustrations of Scott's use of colour in his poetry； Ruskin quotes the present passage； which he says is 〃still more interesting； because it has no form in it at all except in one word （chalice）； but wholly composes its imagery either of colour； or of that delicate half…believed life which we have seen to be so important an element in modern landscape。〃
〃Two more considerations；〃 he adds； 〃are； however； suggested by the above passage。 The first； that the love of natural history； excited by the continual attention now given to all wild landscape； heightens reciprocally the interest of that landscape； and becomes an important element in Scott's description； leading him to finish； down to the minutest speckling of breast； and slightest shade of attributed emotion； the portraiture of birds and animals； in strange opposition to Homer's slightly named 'sea…crows； who have care of the works of the sea；' and Dante's singing…birds； of undefined species。 Compare carefully the 2d and 3d stanzas of Rokeby。
〃The second point I have to note is Scott's habit of drawing a slight moral from every scene； 。。。 and that this slight moral is almost always melancholy。 Here he has stopped short without entirely expressing it：
〃The mountain…shadows 。。 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 lie Like future joys to Fancy's eye。'
His completed thought would be； that these future joys； like the mountain…shadows； were never to be attained。 It occurs fully uttered in many other places。 He seems to have been constantly rebuking his own worldly pride and vanity； but never purposefully：
'The foam…globes on her eddies ride； Thick as the schemes of human pride That down life's current drive amain； As frail； as frothy； and as vain。'〃
Ruskin adds； among other illustrations； the reference to 〃foxglove and nightshade〃 in i。 218； 219 above。
28。 Like future joys； etc。 This passage； quoted by Ruskin above； also illustrates what is comparatively rare in figurative language taking the immaterial to exemplify the material。 The latter is constantly used to symbolize or elucidate the former； but one would have to search long in our modern poetry to find a dozen instances where； as here； the relation is reversed。 Cf。 639 below。 We have another example in the second passage quoted by Ruskin。 Cf。 also Tennyson's
〃thousand wreaths of dangling water…smoke； That like a broken purpose waste in air；〃
and Shelly's
〃Our boat is asleep on Serchio's stream； Its sails
