robert falconer-第6部分

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！





'No；　no。　　Nothing　of　the　sort；　Miss　Lizzie。　　Only　I　heard　that　she

was　bonnie；　and　I　wanted　to　see　her。　　You　know　I　like　to　look　at　a

pretty　girl。'



'That's　ower　weel　kent；　my　lord。'



'Well；　there's　no　harm　in　that；　Miss　Lizzie。'



'There's　no　harm　in　that；　my　lord；　though　yer　lordship　says　't。'



The　facts　were　that　his　lordship　had　been　to　the　county…town；　some

forty　miles　off；　and　Black　Geordie　had　been　sent　to　Hillknow　to　meet

him；　for　in　any　weather　that　would　let　him　sit；　he　preferred

horseback　to　every　other　mode　of　travelling；　though　he　seldom　would

be　followed　by　a　groom。　　He　had　posted　to　Hillknow；　and　had　dined

with　a　friend　at　the　inn。　　The　coach　stopping　to　change　horses；　he

had　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　pretty　face；　as　he　thought；　from　its

window；　and　had　hoped　to　overtake　the　coach　before　it　reached

Rothieden。　　But　stopping　to　drink　another　bottle；　he　had　failed；　and

it　was　on　the　merest　chance　of　seeing　that　pretty　face　that　he

stopped　at　The　Boar's　Head。　In　all　probability；　had　the　Marquis　seen

the　lady；　he　would　not　have　thought　her　at　all　such　a　beauty　as　she

appeared　in　the　eyes　of　Dooble　Sanny；　nor；　I　venture　to　think；　had

he　thought　as　the　shoemaker　did；　would　he　yet　have　dared　to　address

her　in　other　than　the　words　of　such　respect　as　he　could　still　feel

in　the　presence　of　that　which　was　more　noble　than　himself。



Whether　or　not　on　his　visit　to　the　stable　he　found　anything　amiss

with　Black　Geordie；　I　cannot　tell；　but　he　now　begged　Miss　Lizzie　to

have　a　bedroom　prepared　for　him。



It　happened　to　be　the　evening　of　Friday；　one　devoted　by　some　of　the

townspeople　to　a　symposium。　　To　this；　knowing　that　the　talk　will

throw　a　glimmer　on　several　matters；　I　will　now　introduce　my　reader；

as　a　spectator　through　the　reversed　telescope　of　my　history。



A　few　of　the　more　influential　of　the　inhabitants　had　grown；　rather

than　formed　themselves；　into　a　kind　of　club；　which　met　weekly　at　The

Boar's　Head。　Although　they　had　no　exclusive　right　to　the　room　in

which　they　sat；　they　generally　managed　to　retain　exclusive

possession　of　it；　for　if　any　supposed　objectionable　person　entered；

they　always　got　rid　of　him；　sometimes　without　his　being　aware　of　how

they　had　contrived　to　make　him　so　uncomfortable。　　They　began　to

gather　about　seven　o'clock；　when　it　was　expected　that　boiling　water

would　be　in　readiness　for　the　compound　generally　called　toddy；

sometimes　punch。　　As　soon　as　six　were　assembled；　one　was　always

voted　into　the　chair。



On　the　present　occasion；　Mr。　Innes；　the　school…master；　was

unanimously　elected　to　that　honour。　　He　was　a　hard…featured；

sententious；　snuffy　individual；　of　some　learning；　and　great

respectability。



I　omit　the　political　talk　with　which　their　intercommunications

began；　for　however　interesting　at　the　time　is　the　scaffolding　by

which　existing　institutions　arise；　the　poles　and　beams　when　gathered

again　in　the　builder's　yard　are　scarcely　a　subject　for　the　artist。



The　first　to　lead　the　way　towards　matters　of　nearer　personality　was

William　MacGregor；　the　linen　manufacturer；　a　man　who　possessed　a

score　of　hand…looms　or　sohalf　of　which；　from　the　advance　of　cotton

and　the　decline　of　linen…wear；　now　stood　idlebut　who　had　already　a

sufficient　deposit　in　the　hands　of　Mr。　Thomson　the　bankeragent；

that　is；　for　the　county…bankto　secure　him　against　any　necessity

for　taking　to　cotton　shirts　himself；　which　were　an　abomination　and

offence　unpardonable　in　his　eyes。



'Can　ye　tell　me；　Mr。　Cocker；'　he　said；　'what　mak's　Sandy；　Lord

Rothie；　or　Wrathy；　or　what　suld　he　be　ca'd？tak'　to　The　Bothie　at　a

time　like　this；　whan　there's　neither　huntin'；　nor　fishin'；　nor

shutin'；　nor　onything　o'　the　kin'　aboot　han'　to　be　playacks　till

him；　the　bonnie　bairn'cep'　it　be　otters　an'　sic　like？'



William　was　a　shrunken　old　man；　with　white　whiskers　and　a　black　wig；

a　keen　black　eye；　always　in　search　of　the　ludicrous　in　other　people；

and　a　mouth　ever　on　the　move；　as　if　masticating　something　comical。



'You　know　just　as　well　as　I　do；'　answered　Mr。　Cocker；　the　Marquis　of

Boarshead's　factor　for　the　surrounding　estate。　'He　never　was　in　the

way　of　giving　a　reason　for　anything；　least　of　all　for　his　own

movements。'



'Somebody　was　sayin'　to　me；'　resumed　MacGregor；　who；　in　all

probability；　invented　the　story　at　the　moment；　'that　the　prince　took

him　kissin'　ane　o'　his　servan'　lasses；　and　kickit　him　oot　o'　Carlton

Hoose　into　the　street；　and　he　canna　win'　ower　the　disgrace　o'　't。'



''Deed　for　the　kissin'；'　said　Mr。　Thomson；　a　portly；

comfortable…looking　man；　'that's　neither　here　nor　there；　though　it

micht　hae　been　a　duchess　or　twa；　but　for　the　kickin'；　my　word！　but

Lord　Sandy　was　mair　likly　to　kick　oot　the　prince。　　Do　ye　min'　hoo　he

did　whan　the　Markis　taxed　him　wi'？'



'Haud　a　quaiet　sough；'　interposed　Mr。　Cruickshank；　the　solicitor；

'there's　a　drap　i'　the　hoose。'



This　was　a　phrase　well　understood　by　the　company；　indicating　the

presence　of　some　one　unknown；　or　unfit　to　be　trusted。



As　he　spoke　he　looked　towards　the　farther　end　of　the　room；　which　lay

in　obscurity；　for　it　was　a　large　room；　lighted　only　by　the　four

candles　on　the　table　at　which　the　company　sat。



'Whaur；　Mr。　Cruickshank？'　asked　the　dominie　in　a　whisper。



'There；'　answered　Sampson　Peddie；　the　bookseller；　who　seized　the

opportunity　of　saying　something；　and　pointed　furtively　where　the

solicitor　had　only　looked。



A　dim　figure　was　descried　at　a　table　in　the　farthest　corner　of　the

room；　and　they　proceeded　to　carry　out　the　plan　they　generally

adopted　to　get　rid　of　a　stranger。



'Ye　made　use　o'　a　curious　auld　Scots　phrase　this　moment；　Mr。

Curshank：　can　ye　explain　hoo　it　comes　to　beir　the　meanin'　that　it's

weel　kent　to　beir？'　said　the　manufacturer。



'Not　I；　Mr。　MacGregor；'　answered　the　solicitor。　'I'm　no　philologist

or　antiquarian。　　Ask　the　chairman。'



'Gentlemen；'　responded　Mr。　Innes；　taking　a　huge　pinch　of　snuff　after

the　word；　and　then；　passing　the　box　to　Mr。　Cocker；　a　sip　from　his

glass　before　he　went　on：　'the　phrase；　gentlemen；　〃a　drap　i'　the

hoose；〃　no　doobt　refers　to　an　undesirable　presence；　for　ye're　weel

awaur　that　it's　a　most　unpleasin'　discovery；　in　winter　especially；

to　find　a　drop　o'　water　hangin'　from　yer　ceiling；　a　something；　in

short；　whaur　it　has　no　business　to　be；　and　is　not　accordingly　looked

for；　or　prepared　against。'



'It　seems　to　me；　Mr。　Innes；'　said　MacGregor；　'that　ye　hae　hit　the

nail；　but　no　upo'　the　heid。　　What　mak'　ye　o'　the　phrase；　no　confined

to　the　Scots　tongue；　I　believe；　o'　an　eaves…drapper？　　The　whilk；　no

doobt；　represents　a　body　that　hings　aboot　yer　winnock；　like　a　drap

hangin'　ower　abune　it　frae　the　eavestherefore　called　an　eaves

drapper。　　But　the　sort　of　whilk　we　noo　speak；　are　a　waur　sort

a'thegither；　for　they　come　to　the　inside　o'　yer　hoose；　o'　yer　verra

chaumer；　an'　hing　oot　their　lang　lugs　to　hear　what　ye　carena　to　be

hard　save　by　a　dooce　frien'　or　twa　ower　a　het　tum'ler。'



At　the　same　moment　the　door　opened；　and　a　man　entered；　who　was

received　with　unusual　welcome。



'Bless　my　sowl！'　said　the　president；　rising；　'it's　Mr。　Lammie！Come

awa'；　Mr。　Lammie。　　Sit　doon；　sit　doon。　　Whaur　hae　ye　been　this　mony

a　day；　like　a　pelican　o'　the　wilderness？'



Mr。　Lammie　was　a　large；　mild　man；　with　florid　cheeks；　no　whiskers；

and　a　prominent　black　eye。　　He　was　characterized　by　a　certain　simple

alacrity；　a　gentle；　but　outspeaking　readiness；　which　made　him　a

favourite。



'I　dinna　richtly　mak'　oot　wha　ye　are；'　he　answered。　'Ye　hae　unco

little　licht　here！　　Hoo　are　ye　a'；　gentlemen？　　I　s'　discover　ye　by

degrees；　and　pay　my　respecks　accordin'。'



And　he　drew　a　chair　to　the　table。



''Deed　I　wuss　ye　wad；'　returned　MacGregor；　in　a　voice　pretentiously

hushed；　but　none　the　less　audible。　'There's　a　drap　in　yon　en'　o'　the

hoose；　Mr。　Lammie。'



'Hoot！　never　min'　the　man；'　said　Lammie；　looking　round　in　the

direction　indicated。　'I　s'　warran'　he　cares　as　little　aboot　hiz　as

we　care　aboot　him。　　There's　nae　treason　noo　a…days。　　I　carena　wha

hears　what　I　say。'



'For　my　pairt；'　said　Mr。　Peddie；　'I　canna　help　wonnerin'　gin　it　cud

be　oor　auld　frien'　Mr。　Faukener。'



'Speyk　o'　the　de'il'　said　Mr。　Lammie。



'Hoot！　na；'　returned　Peddie；　interrupting。　'He　wasna　a'thegither　the

de'il。'



'Haud　the　tongue　o'　ye；'　retorted　Lammie。　'Dinna　ye　ken　a　proverb

whan　ye　hear　't？　　De'il　hae　ye！　ye're　as　sharpset　as　a　missionar'。

I　was　only　gaun　to　say　that　I'm　doobtin'　Andrew's　deid。'



'Ay！　ay！'　commenced　a　chorus　of　questioning。



'Mhm！'



'Aaay！'



'What　gars　ye　think　that？'



'And　sae　he's　deid！'



'He　was　a　great　favourite；　Anerew！'



'Whaur　dee'd　he？'



'Aye　some　upsettin'　though！'



'Ay。　He　was　aye　to　be　somebody　wi'　his　tale。'



'A　gude…hertit　crater；　but　ye　cudna　lippen　till　him。'



'Speyk　nae　ill　o'　the　deid。　　Maybe　they'll　hear　ye；　and　turn　roon'

i'　their　coffins；　and　that'll　whumle　you　i'　your　beds；'　said

MacGregor；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。



'Ring　the　bell　for　anither　tum'ler；　Sampson；'　said　the　chairman。



'What'll　be　dune　wi'　that　factory　place；　noo？　　It'll　be　i'　the

market？'



'It's　been　i'　the　market　for　mony　a　year。　　But　it's　no　his　ava。　　It

belangs　to　the　auld　leddy；　his　mither；'　said　the　weaver。



'Why　don't　you　buy　it；　Mr。　MacGregor；　and　set　up　a　cotton　mill？

There's　not　much　doing　with　the　linen　now；'　said　Mr。　Cocker。



'Me！'　returned　MacGregor；　with　indignation。　'The　Lord　forgie　ye　for

mintin'　（hinting）　at　sic　a　thing；　Mr。　Cocker！　　Me　tak'　to　coaton！　　I

wad　as　sune　spin　the　hair　frae　Sawtan's　hurdies。　　Short　fushionless

dirt；　that　canna　grow　straucht　oot　o'　the　halesome　yird；　like　the

bonnie　lint…bells；　but　maun　stick　itsel'　upo'　a　buss！set　it　up！

Coorse　vulgar　stuff；　'at　naebody　wad　weir　but　loup…coonter　lads

that　wad　fain　luik　like　gentlemen　by　means　o'　the　collars　and

rufflesan'　a'　comin'　frae