the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第2节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
inexorable in obliging them to retain； for the credit of the house。 As to
mine own part； I may well say； that he never refused me that modicum of
refreshment with which I am wont to recruit nature after the fatigues of
my school。 It is true； I taught his five sons English and Latin； writing；
book…keeping； with a tincture of mathematics； and that I instructed his
daughter in psalmody。 Nor do I remember me of any fee or
HONORARIUM received from him on account of these my labours；
except the compotations aforesaid。 Nevertheless this compensation
suited my humour well； since it is a hard sentence to bid a dry throat wait
till quarter…day。
But； truly； were I to speak my simple conceit and belief； I think my
Landlord was chiefly moved to waive in my behalf the usual requisition of
a symbol； or reckoning； from the pleasure he was wont to take in my
conversation； which； though solid and edifying in the main； was； like a
well…built palace； decorated with facetious narratives and devices； tending
much to the enhancement and ornament thereof。 And so pleased was my
Landlord of the Wallace in his replies during such colloquies； that there
was no district in Scotland； yea； and no peculiar； and； as it were；
distinctive custom therein practised； but was discussed betwixt us；
insomuch； that those who stood by were wont to say； it was worth a bottle
of ale to hear us communicate with each other。 And not a few travellers；
from distant parts； as well as from the remote districts of our kingdom；
were wont to mingle in the conversation； and to tell news that had been
gathered in foreign lands； or preserved from oblivion in this our own。
Now I chanced to have contracted for teaching the lower classes with a
young person called Peter； or Patrick； Pattieson； who had been educated
for our Holy Kirk； yea； had； by the license of presbytery； his voice opened
therein as a preacher； who delighted in the collection of olden tales and
5
… Page 6…
THE BLACK DWARF
legends； and in garnishing them with the flowers of poesy； whereof he was
a vain and frivolous professor。 For he followed not the example of those
strong poets whom I preposed to him as a pattern； but formed versification
of a flimsy and modern texture； to the compounding whereof was
necessary small pains and less thought。 And hence I have chid him as
being one of those who bring forward the fatal revolution prophesied by
Mr。 Robert Carey； in his Vaticination on the Death of the celebrated Dr。
John Donne：
Now thou art gone； and thy strict laws will be Too hard for
libertines in poetry； Till verse （by thee refined） in this last age Turn
ballad rhyme。
I had also disputations with him touching his indulging rather a
flowing and redundant than a concise and stately diction in his prose
exercitations。 But notwithstanding these symptoms of inferior taste； and
a humour of contradicting his betters upon passages of dubious
construction in Latin authors； I did grievously lament when Peter Pattieson
was removed from me by death； even as if he had been the offspring of my
own loins。 And in respect his papers had been left in my care （to answer
funeral and death…bed expenses）； I conceived myself entitled to dispose of
one parcel thereof； entitled； 〃Tales of my Landlord；〃 to one cunning in the
trade （as it is called） of bookselling。 He was a mirthful man； of small
stature； cunning in counterfeiting of voices； and in making facetious tales
and responses； and whom I have to laud for the truth of his dealings
towards me。
Now； therefore； the world may see the injustice that charges me with
incapacity to write these narratives； seeing； that though I have proved that
I could have written them if I would； yet； not having done so； the censure
will deservedly fall； if at all due； upon the memory of Mr。 Peter Pattieson；
whereas I must be justly entitled to the praise； when any is due； seeing that；
as the Dean of St。 Patrick's wittily and logically expresseth it；
That without which a thing is not； Is CAUSA SINE QUA NON。
The work； therefore； is unto me as a child is to a parent； in the which
child； if it proveth worthy； the parent hath honour and praise； but； if
otherwise； the disgrace will deservedly attach to itself alone。
6
… Page 7…
THE BLACK DWARF
I have only further to intimate； that Mr。 Peter Pattieson； in arranging
these Tales for the press； hath more consulted his own fancy than the
accuracy of the narrative； nay； that he hath sometimes blended two or
three stories together for the mere grace of his plots。 Of which infidelity；
although I disapprove and enter my testimony against it； yet I have not
taken upon me to correct the same； in respect it was the will of the
deceased； that his manuscript should be submitted to the press without
diminution or alteration。 A fanciful nicety it was on the part of my
deceased friend； who； if thinking wisely； ought rather to have conjured me；
by all the tender ties of our friendship and common pursuits； to have
carefully revised； altered； and augmented； at my judgment and discretion。
But the will of the dead must be scrupulously obeyed； even when we weep
over their pertinacity and self…delusion。 So； gentle reader； I bid you
farewell； recommending you to such fare as the mountains of your own
country produce； and I will only farther premise； that each Tale is
preceded by a short introduction； mentioning the persons by whom； and
the circumstances under which； the materials thereof were collected。
JEDEDIAH CLEISHBOTHAM。
*
II。 INTRODUCTION to THE
BLACK DWARF。
The ideal being who is here presented as residing in solitude； and
haunted by a consciousness of his own deformity； and a suspicion of his
being generally subjected to the scorn of his fellow…men； is not altogether
imaginary。 An individual existed many years since； under the author's
observation； which suggested such a character。 This poor unfortunate
man's name was David Ritchie； a native of Tweeddale。 He was the son
of a labourer in the slate…quarries of Stobo； and must have been born in the
misshapen form which he exhibited； though he sometimes imputed it to
ill…usage when in infancy。 He was bred a brush…maker at Edinburgh； and
had wandered to several places； working at his trade； from all which he
was chased by the disagreeable attention which his hideous singularity of
7
… Page 8…
THE BLACK DWARF
form and face attracted wherever he came。 The author understood him to
say he had even been in Dublin。
Tired at length of being the object of shouts； laughter； and derision；
David Ritchie resolved； like a deer hunted from the herd； to retreat to
some wilderness； where he might have the least possible communication
with the world which scoffed at him。 He settled himself； with this view；
upon a patch of wild moorland at the bottom of a bank on the farm of
Woodhouse； in the sequestered vale of the small river Manor； in
Peeblesshire。 The few people who had occasion to pass that way were
much surprised； and some superstitious persons a little alarmed； to see so
strange a figure as Bow'd Davie （i。e。 Crooked David） employed in a task；
for which he seemed so totally unfit； as that of erecting a house。 The
cottage which he built was extremely small； but the walls； as well as those
of a little garden that
