guy mannering-第107节

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t　of　Lord　Douglas；　besides　the　points　of　blunt　honesty；　personal　strength；　and　hardihood；　designed　to　he　expressed　in　the　character　of　Dandie　Dinmont；　had　the　humour　of　naming　a　celebrated　race　of　terriers　which　he；　possessed；　by　the　generic　names　of　Mustard　and　Pepper　（according　as　their　colour　was　yellow；　or　grayish…black）；　without　any　other　individual　distinction；　except　as　according　to　the　nomenclature　in　the　text。　Mr。　Davidson　resided　at　Hindlee；　a　wild　farm；　on　the　very　edge　of　the　Teviotdale　mountains；　and　bordering　close　an　Liddesdale；　where　the　rivers　and　brooks　divide　as　they　take　their　course　to　the　Eastern　and　Western　seas。　His　passion　for　the　chase；　in　all　its　forms；　but　especially　for　fox…hunting；　as　followed　in　the　fashion　described　in　the　next　chapter；　in　conducting　which　he　was　skilful　beyond　most　men　in　the　South　Highlands；　was　the　distinguishing　point　in　his　character。

When　the　tale　on　which　these　comments　are　written　became　rather　popular；　the　name　of　Dandie　Dinmont　was　generally　given　to　him；　which　Mr。　Davidson　received　with　great　good　humour；　only　saying；　while　he　distinguished　the　author　by　the　name　applied　to　him　in　the　country；　where　his　own　is　so　common〃that　the　Sheriff　had　not　written　about　him　mair　than　about　other　folk；　but　only　about　his　dogs。〃　An　English　lady　of　high　rank　and　fashion　being　desirous　to　possess　a　brace　of　the　celebrated　Mustard　and　Pepper　terriers；　expressed　her　wishes　in　a　letter；　which　was　literally　addressed　to　Dandie　Dinmont；　under　which　very　general　direction　it　reached　Mr。　Davidson；　who　was　justly　proud　of　the　application；　and　failed　not　to　comply　with　a　request　which　did　him　and　his　favourite　attend　ants　so　much　honour。

〃I　trust　I　shall　not　he　considered　as　offending　the　memory　of　a　kind　and　worthy　man；　if　I　mention　a　little　trait　of　character　which　occurred　in　Mr。　Davidson's　last　illness。　I　use　the　words　of　the　excellent　clergyman　who　attended　him；　who　gave　the　account　to　a　reverend　gentleman　of　the　same　persuasion　：

〃I　read　to　Mr。　Davidson　the　very　suitable　and　interesting　truths　you　addressed　to　him。　He　listened　to　them　with　great　seriousness；　and　has　uniformly　displayed　a　deep　concern　about　his　soul's　salvation。　He　died　on　the　first　Sabbath　of　the　year　（1820）；　an　apoplectic　stroke　deprived　him　in　an　instant　of　all　sensation；　but　happily　his　brother　was　at　his　bed…side；　for　he　had　detained　him　from　the　meeting…house　that　day　to　be　near　him；　although　he　felt　himself　not　much　worse　than　usual。So　you　have　got　the　last　little　Mustard　that　the　hand　of　Dandie　Dinmont　bestowed。

〃His　ruling　passion　was　strong　even　on　the　eve　of　death。　Mr。　Baillie's　fox…bounds　had　started　a　fox　opposite　to　his　window　a　few　weeks　ago；　and　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　dogs；　his　eyes　glistened；　he　insisted　on　getting　out　of　bed；　and　with　much　difficulty　got　to　the　window；　and　there　enjoyed　the　fun；　as　he　called　it。　When　I　came　down　to　ask　for　him；　he　said；　'he　had　seen　Reynard；　but　had　not　seen　his　death。　If　it　had　been　the　will　of　Providence；'　he　added；　'I　would　have　liked　to　have　been　after　him；　but　I　am　glad　that　I　got　to　the　window；　and　am　thankful　for　what　I　saw；　for　it　has　done　me　a　great　deal　of　good。'　Notwithstanding　these　eccentricities　（adds　the　sensible　and　liberal　clergyman）；　I　sincerely　hope　and　believe　he　has　gone　to　a　better　world；　and　better　company　and　enjoyments。〃

If　some　part　of　this　little　narrative　may　excite　a　smile；　it　is　one　which　is　consistent　with　the　most　perfect　respect　for　the　simple…minded　invalid；　and　his　kind　and　judicious　religious　instructor；　who；　we　hope；　will　not　he　displeased　with　our　giving　we　trust；　a　correct　edition　of　an　anecdote　which　has　been　pretty　generally　circulated。　The　race　of　Pepper　and　Mustard　are　in　the　highest　estimation　at　this　day；　not　only　for　vermin…killing；　but　for　intelligence　and　fidelity。　Those　who；　like　the　author；　possess　a　brace　of　them；　consider　them　as　very　desirable　companions。

Note　III。Lum　Cleeks。

The　cleek　here　intimated　is　the　iron　book；　or　hooks；　depending　from　the　chimney　of　a　Scottish　cottage；　on　which　the　pot　is　suspended　when　boiling。　The　same　appendage　is　often　called　the　crook。　The　salmon　is　usually　dried　by　hanging　it　up；　after　being　split　and　rubbed　with　salt；　in　the　smoke　of　the　turf　fire　above　the　cleeks；　where　it　is　said　to　reist；　that　preparation　being　so　termed。　The　salmon　thus　preserved　is　eaten　as　a　delicacy；　under　the　name　of　kipper；　a　luxury　to　which　Dr。　Redgill　has　given　his　sanction　as　an　ingredient　of　the　Scottish　breakfast。See　the　excellent　novel　entitled　Marriage。

Note　IV。CLAN　SURNAMES。

The　distinction　of　individuals　by　nicknames　when　they　possess　no　property；　is　still　common　on　the　Border；　and　indeed　necessary；　from　the　number　of　persons　having　the　same　name。　In　the　small　village　of　Lustruther；　in　Roxhurghshire；　there　dwelt；　in　the　memory　of　man；　four　inhabitants；　called　Andrew；　or　Dandie　Oliver。　They　were　distinguished　as　Dandie　Eassil…gate；　Dandie　Wassil…gate；　Dandie　Thumbie；　and　Dandie　Dumbie。　The　two　first　had　their　names　from　living　eastward　and　westward　in　the　street　of　the　village；　the　third　for　something　peculiar　in　the　conformation　of　his　thumb；　the　fourth　from　his　taciturn　habits。

It　is　told　as　a　well…known　jest；　that　a　beggar　woman；　repulsed　from　door　to　door　as　she　solicited　quarters　through　a　village　of　Annandale；　asked；　in　her　despair；　if　there　were　no　Christians　in　the　place。　To　which　the　hearers；　concluding　that　she　inquired　for　some　persons　so　surnamed；　answered；　〃Na；　na；　there　are　nae　Christians　here；　we　are　a'　Johnston　and　Jardines。〃

Note　V。GIPSY　SUPERSTITIONS。

The　mysterious　rites　in　which　Meg　Merrilies　is　described　as　engaging；　belong　to　her　character　as　a　queen　of　her　race。　All　know　that　gipsies　in　every　country　claim　acquaintance　with　the　gift　of　fortune…telling；　but；　as　is　often　the　case；　they　are　liable　to　the　superstitions　of　which　they　avail　themselves　in　others。　The　correspondent　of　Blackwood；　quoted　in　the：　Introduction　to　this　tale；　gives　us　some　information　on　the　subject　of　their　credulity。

〃I　have　ever　understood；〃　he　says；　speaking　of　the　Yetholm　gipsies；　〃that　they　are　extremely　superstitiouscarefully　noticing　the　formation　of　the　clouds；　the　flight　of　particular　birds；　and　the　soughing　of　the　winds；　before　attempting　any　enterprise。　They　have　been　known　for　several　successive　days　to　turn　back　with　their　loaded　carts；　asses；　and　children；　on　meeting　with　persons　whom　they　considered　of　unlucky　aspect；　nor　do　they　ever　proceed　on　their　summer　peregrinations　without　some　propitious　omen　of　their　fortunate　return。

〃They　also　burn　the　clothes　of　their　dead；　not　so　much　from　any　apprehension　of　infection　being　communicated　by　them；　as　the　conviction　that　the　very　circumstance　of　wearing　them　would　shorten　the　days　of　their　living。　They　likewise　carefully　watch　the　corpse　by　night　and　day　till　the　time　of　interment；　and　conceive　that　'the　deil　tinkles　at　the　lykewake'　of　those　who　felt　in　their　dead…thraw　the　agonies　and　terrors　of　remorse。〃

These　notions　are　not　peculiar　to　the　gipsies；　but　having　been　once　generally　entertained　among　the　Scottish　common　people；　are　now　only　found　among　those　who　are　the　most　rude　in　their　habits；　and　most　devoid　of　instruction。　The　popular　idea；　that　the　protracted　struggle　between　life　and　death　is　painfully　prolonged　by　keeping　the　door　of　the　apartment　shut；　was　received　as　certain　by　the　superstitious　eld　of　Scotland。　But　neither　was　it　to　be　thrown　wide　open。　To　leave　the　door　ajar；　was　the　plan　adopted　by　the　old　crones　who　understood　the　mysteries　of　deathbeds　and　lykewakes。　In　that　case；　there　was　room　for　the　imprisoned　spirit　to　escape；　and　yet　an　obstacle；　we　have　been　assured；　was　offered　to　the　entrance　of　any　frightful　form　which　might　otherwise　intrude　itself。　The　threshold　of　a　habitation　was　in　some　sort　a　sacred　limit；　and　the　subject　of　much　superstition。　A　bride；　even　to　this　day；　is　always　lifted　over　it；　a　rule　derived　apparently　from　the　Romans。


Note　VI。TAPPIT　HEN。

The　Tappit　Hen　contained　three　quarts　of　claret

Weel　she　loed　a　Hawick　gill；　And　leugh　to　see　a　Tappit　Hen。

I　have　seen　one　of　these　formidable　stoups　at　Provost　Haswell's；　at　Jedburgh；　in　the　days　of　yore。　It　was　a　pewter　measure；　the　claret　being　in　ancient　days　served　from　the　tap；　and　had　the　figure　of　a　hen　upon　the　lid。　In　later　times；　the　name　was　given　to　a　glass　bottle　of　the　same　dimensions。　These　are　rare　apparitions　among　the　degenerate　topers　of　modern　days。

Note　VII。CONVIVIAL　HABITS　OF　THE　SCOTTISH　BAR。

The　account　given　by　Mr。　Pleydell；　of　his　sitting　down　in　the　midst　of　a　revel　to　draw　an　appeal　case；　was　taken　from　a　story　told　me　by　an　aged　gentleman；　of　the　elder　President　Dundas　of　Arniston　（father　of　the　younger　President；　and　of　Lord　Melville）。　It　had　been　thought　very　desirable；　while　that　distinguished　lawyer　was　King's　counsel；　that　his　assistance　should　be　obtained　in　drawing　an　appeal　case；　which；　as　occasion　for　such　writings　then　rarely　occurred；　was　held　to　be　matter　of　great　nicety。　The　solicitor　employed　for　the　appellant；　attended　by　my　informant　acting　as　his　clerk；　went　to　the　Lord　Advocate's　chambers　in　the　Fishmarket　Close；　as　I　think。　It　was　Saturday　at　noon；　th