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第13节

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and something like quiet returns upon the town。  But 

think; in these piled LANDS; of all the senseless 

snorers; all the broken heads and empty pockets!



Of old; Edinburgh University was the scene of heroic 

snowballing; and one riot obtained the epic honours of 

military intervention。  But the great generation; I am 

afraid; is at an end; and even during my own college 

days; the spirit appreciably declined。  Skating and 

sliding; on the other hand; are honoured more and more; 

and curling; being a creature of the national genius; is 

little likely to be disregarded。  The patriotism that 

leads a man to eat Scotch bun will scarce desert him at 

the curling…pond。  Edinburgh; with its long; steep 

pavements; is the proper home of sliders; many a happy 

urchin can slide the whole way to school; and the 

profession of errand…boy is transformed into a holiday 

amusement。  As for skating; there is scarce any city so 

handsomely provided。  Duddingstone Loch lies under the 

abrupt southern side of Arthur's Seat; in summer a shield 

of blue; with swans sailing from the reeds; in winter; a 

field of ringing ice。  The village church sits above it 

on a green promontory; and the village smoke rises from 

among goodly trees。  At the church gates; is the 

historical JOUG; a place of penance for the neck of 

detected sinners; and the historical LOUPING…ON STANE; 

from which Dutch…built lairds and farmers climbed into 

the saddle。  Here Prince Charlie slept before the battle 

of Prestonpans; and here Deacon Brodie; or one of his 

gang; stole a plough coulter before the burglary in 

Chessel's Court。  On the opposite side of the loch; the 

ground rises to Craigmillar Castle; a place friendly to 

Stuart Mariolaters。  It is worth a climb; even in summer; 

to look down upon the loch from Arthur's Seat; but it is 

tenfold more so on a day of skating。  The surface is 

thick with people moving easily and swiftly and leaning 

over at a thousand graceful inclinations; the crowd opens 

and closes; and keeps moving through itself like water; 

and the ice rings to half a mile away; with the flying 

steel。  As night draws on; the single figures melt into 

the dusk; until only an obscure stir; and coming and 

going of black clusters; is visible upon the loch。  A 

little longer; and the first torch is kindled and begins 

to flit rapidly across the ice in a ring of yellow 

reflection; and this is followed by another and another; 

until the whole field is full of skimming lights。







CHAPTER X。

TO THE PENTLAND HILLS。





ON three sides of Edinburgh; the country slopes 

downward from the city; here to the sea; there to the fat 

farms of Haddington; there to the mineral fields of 

Linlithgow。  On the south alone; it keeps rising until it 

not only out…tops the Castle but looks down on Arthur's 

Seat。  The character of the neighbourhood is pretty 

strongly marked by a scarcity of hedges; by many stone 

walls of varying height; by a fair amount of timber; some 

of it well grown; but apt to be of a bushy; northern 

profile and poor in foliage; by here and there a little 

river; Esk or Leith or Almond; busily journeying in the 

bottom of its glen; and from almost every point; by a 

peep of the sea or the hills。  There is no lack of 

variety; and yet most of the elements are common to all 

parts; and the southern district is alone distinguished 

by considerable summits and a wide view。



From Boroughmuirhead; where the Scottish army 

encamped before Flodden; the road descends a long hill; 

at the bottom of which and just as it is preparing to 

mount upon the other side; it passes a toll…bar and 

issues at once into the open country。  Even as I write 

these words; they are being antiquated in the progress of 

events; and the chisels are tinkling on a new row of 

houses。  The builders have at length adventured beyond 

the toll which held them in respect so long; and proceed 

to career in these fresh pastures like a herd of colts 

turned loose。  As Lord Beaconsfield proposed to hang an 

architect by way of stimulation; a man; looking on these 

doomed meads; imagines a similar example to deter the 

builders; for it seems as if it must come to an open 

fight at last to preserve a corner of green country 

unbedevilled。  And here; appropriately enough; there 

stood in old days a crow…haunted gibbet; with two bodies 

hanged in chains。  I used to be shown; when a child; a 

flat stone in the roadway to which the gibbet had been 

fixed。  People of a willing fancy were persuaded; and 

sought to persuade others; that this stone was never dry。  

And no wonder; they would add; for the two men had only 

stolen fourpence between them。



For about two miles the road climbs upwards; a long 

hot walk in summer time。  You reach the summit at a place 

where four ways meet; beside the toll of Fairmilehead。  

The spot is breezy and agreeable both in name and aspect。  

The hills are close by across a valley: Kirk Yetton; with 

its long; upright scars visible as far as Fife; and 

Allermuir the tallest on this side with wood and tilled 

field running high upon their borders; and haunches all 

moulded into innumerable glens and shelvings and 

variegated with heather and fern。  The air comes briskly 

and sweetly off the hills; pure from the elevation and 

rustically scented by the upland plants; and even at the 

toll; you may hear the curlew calling on its mate。  At 

certain seasons; when the gulls desert their surfy 

forelands; the birds of sea and mountain hunt and scream 

together in the same field by Fairmilehead。  The winged; 

wild things intermix their wheelings; the sea…birds skim 

the tree…tops and fish among the furrows of the plough。  

These little craft of air are at home in all the world; 

so long as they cruise in their own element; and; like 

sailors; ask but food and water from the shores they 

coast。



Below; over a stream; the road passes Bow Bridge; 

now a dairy…farm; but once a distillery of whisky。  It 

chanced; some time in the past century; that the 

distiller was on terms of good…fellowship with the 

visiting officer of excise。  The latter was of an easy; 

friendly disposition; and a master of convivial arts。  

Now and again; he had to walk out of Edinburgh to measure 

the distiller's stock; and although it was agreeable to 

find his business lead him in a friend's direction; it 

was unfortunate that the friend should be a loser by his 

visits。  Accordingly; when he got about the level of 

Fairmilehead; the gauger would take his flute; without 

which he never travelled; from his pocket; fit it 

together; and set manfully to playing; as if for his own 

delectation and inspired by the beauty of the scene。  His 

favourite air; it seems; was 'Over the hills and far 

away。'  At the first note; the distiller pricked his 

ears。  A flute at Fairmilehead? and playing 'Over the 

hills and far away?'  This must be his friendly enemy; 

the gauger。  Instantly horses were harnessed; and sundry 

barrels of whisky were got upon a cart; driven at a 

gallop round Hill End; and buried in the mossy glen 

behind Kirk Yetton。  In the same breath; you may be sure; 

a fat fowl was put to the fire; and the whitest napery 

prepared for the back parlour。  A little after; the 

gauger; having had his fill of music for the moment; came 

strolling down with the most innocent air imaginable; and 

found the good people at Bow Bridge taken entirely 

unawares by his arrival; but none the less glad to see 

him。  The distiller's liquor and the gauger's flute would 

combine to speed the moments of digestion; and when both 

were somewhat mellow; they would wind up the evening with 

'Over the hills and far away' to an accompaniment of 

knowing glances。  And at least; there is a smuggling 

story; with original and half…idyllic features。



A little further; the road to the right passes an 

upright stone in a field。  The country people call it 

General Kay's monument。  According to them; an officer of 

that name had perished there in battle at some indistinct 

period before the beginning of history。  The date is 

reassuring; for I think cautious writers are silent on 

the General's exploits。  But the stone is connected with 

one of those remarkable tenures of land which linger on 

into the modern world from Feudalism。  Whenever the 

reigning sovereign passes by; a certain landed proprietor 

is held bound to climb on to the top; trumpet in hand; 

and sound a flourish according to the measure of his 

knowledge in that art。  Happily for a respectable family; 

crowned heads have no great business in the Pentland 

Hills。  But the story lends a character of comicality to 

the stone; and the passer…by will sometimes chuckle to 

himself。



The district is dear to the superstitious。  Hard by; 

at the back…gate of Comiston; a belated 

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