robert falconer-第7部分

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

rufflesan'　a'　comin'　frae　the　auld　loom！　　They　may　weel　affoord

se'enteen　hunner　linen　to　set　it　aff　wi'　'at　has　naething　but　coaton

inside　the　breeks　o'　them。'



'But　Dr。　Wagstaff　says　it's　healthier；'　interposed　Peddie。



'I'll　wag　a　staff　till　him。　　De'il　a　bit　o'　't　's　healthier！　an'

that　he　kens。　　It's　nae　sae　healthy；　an'　sae　it　mak's　him　mair　wark

wi'　's　poothers　an'　his　drauchts；　an'　ither　stinkin'　stuff。

Healthier！　　What　neist？'



'Somebody　tellt　me；'　said　the　bookseller；　inwardly　conscious　of

offence；　''at　hoo　Lord　Sandy　himsel'　weirs　cotton。'



'Ow　'deed；　maybe。　　And　he　sets　mony　a　worthy　example　furbye。　　Hoo

mony；　can　ye　tell　me；　Mr。　Peddie；　has　he　pulled　doon　frae　honest；　if

no　frae　high　estate；　and　sent　oot　to　seek　their　livin'　as　he　taucht

them？　　Hoo　mony？'



'Hoot；　hoot！　　Mr。　MacGregor；　his　lordship　hasn't　a　cotton　shirt　in

his　possession；　I'll　be　bound；'　said　Mr。　Cocker。　'And；　besides；　you

have　not　to　wash　his　dirty　linenor　cotton　either。'



'That's　as　muckle　as　to　say；　accordin'　to　Cocker；　that　I'm　no　to

speik　a　word　against　him。　　But　I'll　say　what　I　like。　　He's　no　my

maister；'　said　MacGregor；　who　could　drink　very　little　without

suffering　in　his　temper　and　manners；　and　who；　besides；　had　a　certain

shrewd　suspicion　as　to　the　person　who　still　sat　in　the　dark　end　of

the　room；　possibly　because　the　entrance　of　Mr。　Lammie　had

interrupted　the　exorcism。



The　chairman　interposed　with　soothing　words；　and　the　whole　company；

Cocker　included；　did　its　best　to　pacify　the　manufacturer；　for　they

all　knew　what　would　be　the　penalty　if　they　failed。



A　good　deal　of　talk　followed；　and　a　good　deal　of　whisky　was　drunk。

They　were　waited　upon　by　Meg；　who；　without　their　being　aware　of　it；

cast　a　keen　parting　glance　at　them　every　time　she　left　the　room。　　At

length　the　conversation　had　turned　again　to　Andrew　Falconer's　death。



'Whaur　said　ye　he　dee'd；　Mr。　Lammie？'



'I　never　said　he　was　deid。　　I　said　I　was　feared　'at　he　was　deid。'



'An'　what　gars　ye　say　that？　　It　micht　be　o'　consequence　to　hae　't

correck；'　said　the　solicitor。



'I　had　a　letter　frae　my　auld　frien'　and　his；　Dr。　Anderson。　　Ye　min'

upo'　him；　Mr。　Innes；　dunna　ye？　　He's　heid　o'　the　medical　boord　at

Calcutta　noo。　　He　says　naething　but　that　he　doobts　he's　gane。　　He

gaed　up　the　country；　and　he　hasna　hard　o'　him　for　sae　lang。　　We　hae

keepit　up　a　correspondence　for　mony　a　year　noo；　Dr。　Anderson　an'　me。

He　was　a　relation　o'　Anerew's；　ye　kena　second　cousin；　or

something。　　He'll　be　hame　or　lang；　I'm　thinkin'；　wi'　a　fine

pension。'



'He　winna　weir　a　cotton　sark；　I'll　be　boon'；'　said　MacGregor。



'What's　the　auld　leddy　gaein'　to　du　wi'　that　lang…leggit　oye

（grandson）　o'　hers；　Anerew's　son？'　asked　Sampson。



'Ow！　he'll　be　gaein'　to　the　college；　I'm　thinkin'。　　He's　a　fine　lad；

and　a　clever；　they　tell　me；'　said　Mr。　Thomson。



'Indeed；　he's　all　that；　and　more　too；'　said　the　school…master。



'There's　naething　'ull　du　but　the　college　noo！'　said　MacGregor；　whom

nobody　heeded；　for　fear　of　again　rousing　his　anger。



'Hoo　'ill　she　manage　that；　honest　woman？　　She　maun　hae　but　little　to

spare　frae　the　cleedin'　o'　'm。'



'She's　a　gude　manager；　Mistress　Faukner。　　And；　ye　see；　she　has　the

bleachgreen　yet。'



'She　doesna　weir　cotton　sarks；'　growled　MacGregor。　'Mony's　the　wob

o'　mine　she's　bleached　and　boucht　tu！'



Nobody　heeding　him　yet；　he　began　to　feel　insulted；　and　broke　in　upon

the　conversation　with　intent。



'Ye　haena　telt　's　yet；　Cocker；'　he　said；　'what　that　maister　o'　yours

is　duin'　here　at　this　time　o'　the　year。　　I　wad　ken　that；　gin　ye

please。'



'How　should　I　know；　Mr。　MacGregor？'　returned　the　factor；　taking　no

notice　of　the　offensive　manner　in　which　the　question　was　put。



'He's　no　a　hair　better　nor　ane　o'　thae　Algerine　pirates　'at　Lord

Exmooth's　het　the　hips　o'and　that's　my　opingon。'



'He's　nae　amo'　your　feet；　MacGregor；'　said　the　banker。　'Ye　micht

jist　lat　him　lie。'



'Gin　I　had　him　doon；　faith　gin　I　wadna　lat　him　lie！　　I'll　jist　tell

ye　ae　thing；　gentlemen；　that　cam'　to　my　knowledge　no　a　hunner　year

ago。　　An'　it's　a'　as　true　's　gospel；　though　I　hae　aye　held　my　tongue

aboot　it　till　this　verra　nicht。　　Ay！　ye'll　a'　hearken　noo；　but　it's

no　lauchin'；　though　there　was　sculduddery　eneuch；　nae　doobt；　afore

it　cam'　that　len'th。　　And　mony　a　het　drap　did　the　puir　lassie　greet；

I　can　tell　ye。　　Faith！　it　was　no　lauchin'　to　her。　　She　was　a　servan'

o'　oors；　an'　a　ticht　bonnie　lass　she　was。　　They　ca'd　her　the

weyver's　bonny　Marythat's　the　name　she　gaed　by。　　Weel；　ye　see'



MacGregor　was　interrupted　by　a　sound　from　the　further　end　of　the

room。　　The　stranger；　whom　most　of　them　had　by　this　time　forgotten；

had　risen；　and　was　approaching　the　table　where　they　sat。



'Guid　guide　us！'　interrupted　several　under　their　breaths；　as　all

rose；　'it's　Lord　Sandy　himsel'！'



'I　thank　you；　gentleman；'　he　said；　with　a　mixture　of　irony　and

contempt；　'for　the　interest　you　take　in　my　private　history。　　I

should　have　thought　it　had　been　as　little　to　the　taste　as　it　is　to

the　honour　of　some　of　you　to　listen　to　such　a　farrago　of　lies。'



'Lees！　my　lord；'　said　MacGregor；　starting　to　his　feet。　　Mr。　Cocker

looked　dismayed；　and　Mr。　Lammie　sheepishall　of　them　dazed　and

dumbfoundered；　except　the　old　weaver；　who；　as　his　lordship　turned　to

leave　the　room；　added：



'Lang　lugs　（ears）　suld　be　made　o'　leather；　my　lord；　for　fear　they

grow　het　wi'　what　they　hear。'



Lord　Rothie　turned　in　a　rage。　　He　too　had　been　drinking。



'Kick　that　toad　into　the　street；　or；　by　heaven！　it's　the　last　drop

any　of　you　drink　in　this　house！'　he　cried。



'The　taed　may　tell　the　poddock　（frog）　what　the　rottan　（rat）　did　i'

the　taed's　hole；　my　lord；'　said　MacGregor；　whom　independence；

honesty；　bile；　and　drink　combined　to　render　fearless。



Lord　Sandy　left　the　room　without　another　word。　　His　factor　took　his

hat　and　followed　him。　　The　rest　dropped　into　their　seats　in　silence。

Mr。　Lammie　was　the　first　to　speak。



'There's　a　pliskie！'　he　said。



'I　cud　jist　say　the　word　efter　auld　Simeon；'　said　MacGregor。



'I　never　thocht　to　be　sae　favoured！　　Eh！　but　I　hae　langed；　and　noo　I

hae　spoken！'　with　which　words　he　sat　down；　contented。



When　Mr。　Cocker　overtook　his　master；　as　MacGregor　had　not　unfitly

styled　him；　he　only　got　a　damning　for　his　pains；　and　went　home

considerably　crestfallen。



Lord　Rothie　returned　to　the　landlady　in　her　parlour。



'What's　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　my　lord？　　What's　vexed　ye？'　asked　Miss

Napier；　with　a　twinkle　in　her　eyes；　for　she　thought；　from　the

baron's　mortification；　he　must　have　received　some　rebuff；　and　now

that　the　bonnie　leddy　was　safe　at　Captain　Forsyth's；　enjoyed　the

idea　of　it。



'Ye　keep　an　ill…tongued　hoose；　Miss　Naper；'　answered　his　lordship。



Miss　Napier　guessed　at　the　truth　at　oncethat　he　had　overheard　some

free　remarks　on　his　well…known　licence　of　behaviour。



'Weel；　my　lord；　I　do　my　best。　　A　body　canna　keep　an　inn　and　speir

the　carritchis　（catechism）　at　the　door　o'　't。　　But　I　believe　ye're

i'　the　richt；　my　lord；　for　I　heard　an　awfu'　aff…gang　o'　sweirin'　i'

the　yard；　jist　afore　yer　lordship　cam'　in。　　An'　noo'　'at　I　think　o'

't；　it　wasna　that　onlike　yer　lordship's　ain　word。'



Lord　Sandy　broke　into　a　loud　laugh。　　He　could　enjoy　a　joke　against

himself　when　it　came　from　a　woman；　and　was　founded　on　such　a　trifle

as　a　personal　vice。



'I　think　I'll　go　to　bed；'　he　said　when　his　laugh　was　over。　'I

believe　it's　the　only　safe　place　from　your　tongue；　Miss　Naper。'



'Letty；'　cried　Miss　Napier；　'fess　a　can'le；　and　show　his　lordship　to

the　reid　room。'



Till　Miss　Letty　appeared；　the　baron　sat　and　stretched　himself。　　He

then　rose　and　followed　her　into　the　archway；　and　up　an　outside　stair

to　a　door　which　opened　immediately　upon　a　handsome　old…fashioned

room；　where　a　blazing　fire　lighted　up　the　red　hangings。　　Miss　Letty

set　down　the　candle；　and　bidding　his　lordship　good　night；　turned　and

left　the　room；　shutting　the　door；　and　locking　it　behind　hera

proceeding　of　which　his　lordship　took　no　notice；　for；　however

especially　suitable　it　might　be　in　his　case；　it　was　only；　from

whatever　ancient　source　derived；　the　custom　of　the　house　in　regard

to　this　particular　room　and　a　corresponding　chamber　on　the　opposite

side　of　the　archway。



Meantime　the　consternation　amongst　the　members　of　the　club　was　not

so　great　as　not　to　be　talked　over；　or　to　prevent　the　call　for　more

whisky　and　hot　water。　　All　but　MacGregor；　however；　regretted　what

had　occurred。　　He　was　so　elevated　with　his　victory　and　a　sense　of

courage　and　prowess；　that　he　became　more　and　more　facetious　and

overbearing。



'It's　all　very　well　for　you；　Mr。　MacGregor；'　said　the　dominie；　with

dignity：　'you　have　nothing　to　lose。'



'Troth！　he　canna　brak　the　bankeh；　Mr。　Tamson？'



'He　may　give　me　a　hint　to　make　you　withdraw　your　money；　though；　Mr。

MacGregor。'



'De'il　care　gin　I　do！'　returned　the　weaver。　'I　can　mak'　better　o'　't

ony　day。'



'But　there's　yer　hoose　an'　kailyard；'　suggested　Peddie。



'They're　ma　ain！a'　ma　ain！　　He　canna　lay　's　finger　on　onything　o'

mine　but　my　servan'　lass；'　cried　the　weaver；　slapping　his

thigh…bonefor　there　was　little　else　to　slap。



Meg；　at　the　moment；　was　taking　her　exit…glance。　　She　went　straight

to　Miss　Napier。



'Willie　MacGregor's　had　eneuch；　mem；　an'　a　drappy　ower。'



'Sen'　Caumill　doon　to　Mrs。　MacGregor　to　say　wi'　my　compliments　that

she　wad　do　weel　to　sen'　for　him；'　was　the　response。



Meantime　he　grew　more　than　troublesome。　　Ever　on　the　outlook；　when

sober；　after　the　foibles　of　others；　he　laid　himself　open　to　endless

ridicule　when　in　drink；　which；　to　tell　the　truth；　was　a　rare

occurrence。　　He　was　in　the　midst　of　a　prophetic　denunciation　of　the

vices　of　the　nobility；　and　especially　of　Lord　Rothie；　when　Meg；

entering