lavengro-第14部分

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unfrequently　slings；　at　the　use　of　which　they　were　very　expert；　and　

which　occasionally　dislodged　teeth；　shattered　jaws；　or　knocked　out　

an　eye。　　Our　opponents　certainly　laboured　under　considerable　

disadvantage；　being　compelled　not　only　to　wade　across　a　deceitful　

bog；　but　likewise　to　clamber　up　part　of　a　steep　hill；　before　they　

could　attack　us；　nevertheless；　their　determination　was　such；　and　

such　their　impetuosity；　that　we　had　sometimes　difficulty　enough　to　

maintain　our　own。　　I　shall　never　forget　one　bicker；　the　last　indeed　

which　occurred　at　that　time；　as　the　authorities　of　the　town；　

alarmed　by　the　desperation　of　its　character；　stationed　forthwith　a　

body　of　police　on　the　hill…side；　to　prevent；　in　future；　any　such　

breaches　of　the　peace。



It　was　a　beautiful　Sunday　evening；　the　rays　of　the　descending　sun　

were　reflected　redly　from　the　gray　walls　of　the　Castle；　and　from　

the　black　rocks　on　which　it　was　founded。　　The　bicker　had　long　since　

commenced；　stones　from　sling　and　hand　were　flying；　but　the　callants　

of　the　New　Town　were　now　carrying　everything　before　them。



A　full…grown　baker's　apprentice　was　at　their　head；　he　was　foaming　

with　rage；　and　had　taken　the　field；　as　I　was　told；　in　order　to　

avenge　his　brother；　whose　eye　had　been　knocked　out　in　one　of　the　

late　bickers。　　He　was　no　slinger　or　flinger；　but　brandished　in　his　

right　hand　the　spoke　of　a　cart…wheel；　like　my　countryman　Tom　

Hickathrift　of　old　in　his　encounter　with　the　giant　of　the　

Lincolnshire　fen。　　Protected　by　a　piece　of　wicker…work　attached　to　

his　left　arm；　he　rushed　on　to　the　fray；　disregarding　the　stones　

which　were　showered　against　him；　and　was　ably　seconded　by　his　

followers。　　Our　own　party　was　chased　half…way　up　the　hill；　where　I　

was　struck　to　the　ground　by　the　baker；　after　having　been　foiled　in　

an　attempt　which　I　had　made　to　fling　a　handful　of　earth　into　his　

eyes。　　All　now　appeared　lost；　the　Auld　Toon　was　in　full　retreat。　　I　

myself　lay　at　the　baker's　feet；　who　had　just　raised　his　spoke；　

probably　to　give　me　the　COUP　DE　GRACE；　…　it　was　an　awful　moment。　　

Just　then　I　heard　a　shout　and　a　rushing　sound；　a　wild…looking　

figure　is　descending　the　hill　with　terrible　bounds；　it　is　a　lad　of　

some　fifteen　years；　he　is　bare…headed；　and　his　red　uncombed　hair　

stands　on　end　like　hedgehogs'　bristles：　　his　frame　is　lithy；　like　

that　of　an　antelope；　but　he　has　prodigious　breadth　of　chest；　he　

wears　a　military　undress；　that　of　the　regiment；　even　of　a　drummer；　

for　it　is　wild　Davy；　whom　a　month　before　I　had　seen　enlisted　on　

Leith　Links　to　serve　King　George　with　drum　and　drumstick　as　long　as　

his　services　might　be　required；　and　who；　ere　a　week　had　elapsed；　

had　smitten　with　his　fist　Drum…Major　Elzigood；　who；　incensed　at　his　

inaptitude；　had　threatened　him　with　his　cane；　he　has　been　in　

confinement　for　weeks；　this　is　the　first　day　of　his　liberation；　and　

he　is　now　descending　the　hill　with　horrid　bounds　and　shoutings；　he　

is　now　about　five　yards　distant；　and　the　baker；　who　apprehends　that　

something　dangerous　is　at　hand；　prepares　himself　for　the　encounter；　

but　what　avails　the　strength　of　a　baker；　even　full　grown？　…　what　

avails　the　defence　of　a　wicker　shield？　…　what　avails　the　wheel…

spoke；　should　there　be　an　opportunity　of　using　it；　against　the　

impetus　of　an　avalanche　or　a　cannon…ball？　…　for　to　either　of　these　

might　that　wild　figure　be　compared；　which；　at　the　distance　of　five　

yards；　sprang　at　once　with　head；　hands；　feet　and　body；　all　

together；　upon　the　champion　of　the　New　Town；　tumbling　him　to　the　

earth　amain。　　And　now　it　was　the　turn　of　the　Old　Town　to　triumph。　　

Our　late　discomfited　host；　returning　on　its　steps；　overwhelmed　the　

fallen　champion　with　blows　of　every　kind；　and　then；　led　on　by　his　

vanquisher；　who　had　assumed　his　arms；　namely；　the　wheel…spoke　and　

wicker　shield；　fairly　cleared　the　brae　of　their　adversaries；　whom　

they　drove　down　headlong　into　the　morass。







CHAPTER　VIII







Expert　climbers　…　The　crags　…　Something　red　…　The　horrible　edge　…　

David　Haggart　…　Fine　materials　…　The　greatest　victory　…　

Extraordinary　robber　…　The　ruling　passion。



MEANWHILE　I　had　become　a　daring　cragsman；　a　character　to　which　an　

English　lad　has　seldom　opportunities　of　aspiring；　for　in　England　

there　are　neither　crags　nor　mountains。　　Of　these；　however；　as　is　

well　known；　there　is　no　lack　in　Scotland；　and　the　habits　of　

individuals　are　invariably　in　harmony　with　the　country　in　which　

they　dwell。　　The　Scotch　are　expert　climbers；　and　I　was　now　a　Scot　

in　most　things；　particularly　in　language。　　The　Castle　in　which　I　

dwelt　stood　upon　a　rock；　a　bold　and　craggy　one；　which；　at　first　

sight；　would　seem　to　bid　defiance　to　any　feet　save　those　of　goats　

and　chamois；　but　patience　and　perseverance　generally　enable　mankind　

to　overcome　things　which；　at　first　sight；　appear　impossible。　　

Indeed；　what　is　there　above　man's　exertions？　　Unwearied　

determination　will　enable　him　to　run　with　the　horse；　to　swim　with　

the　fish；　and　assuredly　to　compete　with　the　chamois　and　the　goat　in　

agility　and　sureness　of　foot。　　To　scale　the　rock　was　merely　child's　

play　for　the　Edinbro'　callants。　　It　was　my　own　favourite　diversion。　　

I　soon　found　that　the　rock　contained　all　manner　of　strange　crypts；　

crannies；　and　recesses；　where　owls　nestled；　and　the　weasel　brought　

forth　her　young；　here　and　there　were　small　natural　platforms；　

overgrown　with　long　grass　and　various　kinds　of　plants；　where　the　

climber；　if　so　disposed；　could　stretch　himself；　and　either　give　his　

eyes　to　sleep　or　his　mind　to　thought；　for　capital　places　were　these　

same　platforms　either　for　repose　or　meditation。　　The　boldest　

features　of　the　rock　are　descried　on　the　northern　side；　where；　

after　shelving　down　gently　from　the　wall　for　some　distance；　it　

terminates　abruptly　in　a　precipice；　black　and　horrible；　of　some　

three　hundred　feet　at　least；　as　if　the　axe　of　nature　had　been　here　

employed　cutting　sheer　down；　and　leaving　behind　neither　excrescence　

nor　spur　…　a　dizzy　precipice　it　is；　assimilating　much　to　those　so　

frequent　in　the　flinty　hills　of　Northern　Africa；　and　exhibiting　

some　distant　resemblance　to　that　of　Gibraltar；　towering　in　its　

horridness　above　the　Neutral　Ground。



It　was　now　holiday　time；　and　having　nothing　particular　wherewith　to　

occupy　myself；　I　not　unfrequently　passed　the　greater　part　of　the　

day　upon　the　rocks。　　Once；　after　scaling　the　western　crags；　and　

creeping　round　a　sharp　angle　of　the　wall；　overhung　by　a　kind　of　

watch…tower；　I　found　myself　on　the　northern　side。　　Still　keeping　

close　to　the　wall；　I　was　proceeding　onward；　for　I　was　bent　upon　a　

long　excursion　which　should　embrace　half　the　circuit　of　the　Castle；　

when　suddenly　my　eye　was　attracted　by　the　appearance　of　something　

red；　far　below　me；　I　stopped　short；　and；　looking　fixedly　upon　it；　

perceived　that　it　was　a　human　being　in　a　kind　of　red　jacket；　seated　

on　the　extreme　verge　of　the　precipice　which　I　have　already　made　a　

faint　attempt　to　describe。　　Wondering　who　it　could　be；　I　shouted；　

but　it　took　not　the　slightest　notice；　remaining　as　immovable　as　the　

rock　on　which　it　sat。　　'I　should　never　have　thought　of　going　near　

that　edge；'　said　I　to　myself；　'however；　as　you　have　done　it；　why　

should　not　I？　　And　I　should　like　to　know　who　you　are。'　　So　I　

commenced　the　descent　of　the　rock；　but　with　great　care；　for　I　had　

as　yet　never　been　in　a　situation　so　dangerous；　a　slight　moisture　

exuded　from　the　palms　of　my　hands；　my　nerves　were　tingling；　and　my　

brain　was　somewhat　dizzy　…　and　now　I　had　arrived　within　a　few　yards　

of　the　figure；　and　had　recognised　it：　　it　was　the　wild　drummer　who　

had　turned　the　tide　of　battle　in　the　bicker　on　the　Castle　Brae。　　A　

small　stone　which　I　dislodged　now　rolled　down　the　rock；　and　tumbled　

into　the　abyss　close　beside　him。　　He　turned　his　head；　and　after　

looking　at　me　for　a　moment　somewhat　vacantly；　he　resumed　his　former　

attitude。　　I　drew　yet　nearer　to　the　horrible　edge　not　close；　

however；　for　fear　was　on　me。



'What　are　you　thinking　of；　David？'　said　I；　as　I　sat　behind　him　and　

trembled；　for　I　repeat　that　I　was　afraid。



DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　was　thinking　of　Willie　Wallace。



MYSELF。　　You　had　better　be　thinking　of　yourself；　man。　　A　strange　

place　this　to　come　to　and　think　of　William　Wallace。



DAVID　HAGGART。　　Why　so？　　Is　not　his　tower　just　beneath　our　feet？



MYSELF。　　You　mean　the　auld　ruin　by　the　side　of　the　Nor　Loch　…　the　

ugly　stane　bulk；　from　the　foot　of　which　flows　the　spring　into　the　

dyke　where　the　watercresses　grow？



DAVID　HAGGART。　　Just　sae；　Geordie。



MYSELF。　　And　why　were　ye　thinking　of　him？　　The　English　hanged　him　

long　since；　as　I　have　heard　say。



DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　was　thinking　that　I　should　wish　to　be　like　him。



MYSELF。　　Do　ye　mean　that　ye　would　wish　to　be　hanged？



DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　wadna　flinch　from　that；　Geordie；　if　I　might　be　a　

great　man　first。



MYSELF。　　And　wha　kens；　Davie；　how　great　you　may　be；　even　without　

hanging？　　Are　ye　not　in　the　high　road　of　preferment？　　Are　ye　not　a　

bauld　drummer　already？　　Wha　kens　how　high　ye　may　rise？　perhaps　to　

be　general；　or　drum…major。



DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　hae　nae　wish　to　be　drum…major；　it　were　nae　great　

things　to　be　like　the　doited　carle；　Else…than…gude；　as　they　call　

him；　and；　troth；　he　has　nae　his　name　for　naething。　　But　I　should　

have　nae　objection　to　be　a　general；　and　to　fight　the　French　and　

Americans；　and　win　myself　a　name　and　a　fame　like　Willie　Wallace；　

and　do　brave　deeds；　such　as　I　have　been　reading　about　in　his　story　

book。



MYSELF。　　Ye　are　a　fule；　Davie；　the　story　book　is　full　of　lies。　　

Wallace；　indeed！　the　wuddie　rebel！　　I　have　heard　my　father　say　that　

the　Duke　of　Cumberland　was　worth　twenty　of　Willie　Wallace。



DAVID　HAGGART。　　Ye　had　better　sae　naething　agin　Willie　Wallace；　

Geordie；　for；　if　ye　do；　De'il　hae　me；　if　I　dinna　tumble　ye　doon　the　

craig。



Fine　materials　in