christie johnstone-第15部分

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stayed　away；　she　had　condescended　to　make　a　conquest　of　the　skipper
himself。

〃He　had　come　in　quite　at　the　tag…end　of　one　of　her　stories；　but　it　had
been　sufficient　to　do　his　businesshe　had　danced　with　her；　had　even
whistled　while　she　sung。　（Hech；　it　was　bonny！）

〃And　when　the　cutter　sailed；　he；　Flucker；　had　seen　her　perched　on　a　rock；
like　a　mermaid；　watching　their　progress；　which　had　been　slow；　because　the
skipper；　infatuated　with　so　sudden　a　passion；　had　made　a　series　of
ungrammatical　tacks。〃

〃For　his　part　he　was　glad；〃　said　the　gracious　Flucker；　〃the　lass　was　a
prideful　hussy；　that　had　given　some　twenty　lads　a　sore　heart　and　him　many
a　sore　back；　and　he　hoped　his　skipper；　with　whom　he　naturally　identified
himself　rather　than　with　his　sister；　would　avenge　the　male　sex　upon　her。〃

In　short；　he　went　upon　this　tack　till　he　drove　poor　Gatty　nearly　mad。

Here　was　a　new　feeling　superadded；　at　first　he　felt　injured；　but　on
reflection　what　cause　of　complaint　had　he？

He　had　neglected　her；　he　might　have　been　her　partnerhe　had　left　her　to
find　one　where　she　could。

Fool；　to　suppose　that　so　beautiful　a　creature　would　ever　be
neglectedexcept　by　him！

It　was　more　than　he　could　bear。

He　determined　to　see　her；　to　ask　her　forgiveness；　to　tell　her　everything；
to　beg　her　to　decide；　and；　for　his　part；　he　would　abide　by　her　decision。

Christie　Johnstone；　as　we　have　already　related；　declined　his　arm；　sprang
like　a　deer　upon　the　pier；　and　walked　toward　her　home；　a　quarter　of　a
mile　distant。

Gatty　followed　her；　disconsolately；　hardly　knowing　what　to　do。

At　last；　observing　that　she　drew　near　enough　to　the　wall　to　allow　room
for　another　on　the　causeway；　he　had　just　nous　enough　to　creep　alongside
and　pull　her　sleeve　somewhat　timidly。

〃Christie；　I　want　to　speak　to　you：〃

〃What　can　ye　hae　to　say　till　me？〃

〃Christie；　I　am　very　unhappy；　and　I　want　to　tell　you　why；　but　I　have
hardly　the　strength　or　the　courage。〃

〃Ye　shall　come　ben　my　hoose　if　ye　are　unhappy；　and　we'll　hear　your　story；
come　away。

He　had　never　been　admitted　into　her　house　before。

They　found　it　clean　as　a　snowdrift。

They　found　a　bright　fire；　and　Flucker　frying　innumerable　steaks。

The　baddish　boy　had　obtained　them　in　his　sister's　name　and　at　her
expense；　at　the　flesher's；　and　claimed　credit　for　his　affection。

Potatoes　he　had　boiled　in　their　jackets；　and　so　skillfully；　that　those
jackets　hung　by　a　thread。

Christie　laid　an　unbleached　table…cloth；　that　somehow　looked　sweeter　than
a　white　one；　as　brown　bread　is　sweeter　than　white。

But　lo！　Gatty　could　not　eat；　so　then　Christie　would　not；　because　he
refused　her　cheer。

The　baddish　boy　chuckled；　and　addressed　himself　to　the　nice　brown　steaks
with　their　rich　gravy。

On　such　occasions　a　solo　on　the　knife　and　fork　seemed　better　than　a　trio
to　the　gracious　Flucker。

Christie　moved　about　the　room；　doing　little　household　matters；　Gatty's
eye　followed　her。

Her　beauty　lost　nothing　in　this　small　apartment；　she　was　here；　like　a
brilliant　in　some　quaint；　rough　setting；　which　all　earth's　jewelers
should　despise；　and　all　its　poets　admire；　and　it　should　show　off　the
stone　and　not　itself。

Her　beauty　filled　the　room；　and　almost　made　the　spectators　ill。

Gatty　asked　himself　whether　he　could　really　have　been　such　a　fool　as　to
think　of　giving　up　so　peerless　a　creature。

Suddenly　an　idea　occurred　to　him；　a　bright　one；　and　not　inconsistent　with
a　true　artist's　characterhe　would　decline　to　act　in　so　doubtful　a　case。
He　would　float　passively　down　the　tide　of　eventshe　would　neither　desert
her；　nor　disobey　his　mother；　he　would　take　everything　as　it　came；　and　to
begin；　as　he　was　there；　he　would　for　the　present　say　nothing　but　what　he
felt；　and　what　he　felt　was　that　he　loved　her。

He　told　her　so　accordingly。

She　replied；　concealing　her　satisfaction；　〃that；　if　he　liked　her；　he
would　not　have　refused　to　eat　when　she　asked　him。〃

But　our　hero's　appetite　had　returned　with　his　change　of　purpose；　and　he
instantly　volunteered　to　give　the　required　proof　of　affection。

Accordingly　two　pound　of　steaks　fell　before　him。　Poor　boy；　he　had　hardly
eaten　a　genuine　meal　for　a　week　past。

Christie　sat　opposite　him；　and　every　time　he　looked　off　his　plate　he　saw
her　rich　blue　eyes　dwelling　on　him。

Everything　contributed　to　warm　his　heart；　he　yielded　to　the　spell；　he
became　contented；　happy；　gay。

Flucker　ginger…cordialed　him；　his　sister　bewitched　him。

She　related　the　day's　events　in　a　merry　mood。

Mr。　Gatty　burst　forth　into　singing。

He　sung　two　light　and　somber　trifles；　such　as　in　the　present　day　are
deemed　generally　encouraging　to　spirits；　and　particularly　in　accordance
with　the　sentiment　of　supperthey　were　about　Death　and　Ivy　Green。

The　dog's　voice　was　not　very　powerful；　but　sweet　and　round　as　honey
dropping　from　the　comb。

His　two　hearers　were　entranced；　for　the　creature　sang　with　an　inspiration
good　singers　dare　not　indulge。

He　concluded　by　informing　Christie　that　the　ivy　was　symbolical　of　her；
and　the　oak　prefigured　Charles　Gatty；　Esq。

He　might　have　inverted　the　simile　with　more　truth。

In　short；　he　never　said　a　word　to　Christie　about　parting　with　her；　but
several　about　being　buried　in　the　same　grave　with　her；　sixty　years　hence；
for　which　the　spot　he　selected　was　Westminster　Abbey。

And　away　he　went；　leaving　golden　opinions　behind　him。

The　next　day　Christie　was　so　affected　with　his　conduct；　coming　as　it　did
after　an　apparent　coolness；　that　she　conquered　her　bashfulness　and　called
on　the　〃vile　count；〃　and　with　some　blushes　and　hesitation　inquired；
〃Whether　a　painter　lad　was　a　fit　subject　of　charity。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　his　lordship。

She　told　him　Gatty's　case；　and　he　instantly　promised　to　see　that　artist's
pictures；　particularly　an　〃awfu'　bonny　ane；〃　the　hero　of　which　she
described　as　an　English　minister　blessing　the　bairns　with　one　hand；　and
giving　orders　to　kill　the　puir　Scoetch　with　the　other。

〃C'est　e'gal；〃　said　Christie　in　Scotch；　〃it's　awfu'　bonny。〃

Gatty　reached　home　late；　his　mother　had　retired　to　rest。

But　the　next　morning　she　drew　from　him　what　had　happened；　and　then　ensued
another　of　those　dialogues　which　I　am　ashamed　again　to　give　the　reader。

Suffice　it　to　say；　that　she　once　more　prevailed；　though　with　far　greater
difficulty；　time　was　to　be　given　him　to　unsew　a　connection　which　he　could
not　cut　asunder；　and　he；　with　tearful　eyes　and　a　heavy　heart；　agreed　to
take　some　step　the　very　first　opportunity。

This　concession　was　hardly　out　of　his　mouth；　ere　his　mother　made　him
kneel　down　and　bestowed　her　blessing　upon　him。

He　received　it　coldly　and　dully；　and　expressed　a　languid　hope　it　might
prove　a　charm　to　save　him　from　despair；　and　sad；　bitter；　and　dejected；
forced　himself　to　sit　down　and　work　on　the　picture　that　was　to　meet　his
unrelenting　creditor's　demand。

He　was　working　on　his　picture；　and　his　mother；　with　her　needle；　at　the
table；　when　a　knock　was　heard；　and　gay　as　a　lark；　and　fresh　as　the　dew　on
the　shamrock；　Christie　Johnstone　stood　in　person　in　the　apartment。

She　was　evidently　the　bearer　of　good　tidings；　but；　before　she　could
express　them；　Mrs。　Gatty　beckoned　her　son　aside；　and　announcing；　〃she
should　be　within　hearing；〃　bade　him　take　the　occasion　that　so　happily
presented　itself；　and　make　the　first　step。

At　another　time；　Christie；　who　had　learned　from　Jean　the　arrival　of　Mrs。
Gatty；　would　have　been　struck　with　the　old　lady's　silence；　but　she　came
to　tell　the　depressed　painter　that　the　charitable　viscount　was　about　to
visit　him　and　his　picture；　and　she　was　so　full　of　the　good　fortune　likely
to　ensue；　that　she　was　neglectful　of　minor　considerations。

It　so　happened；　however；　that　certain　interruptions　prevented　her　from
ever　delivering　herself　of　the　news　in　question。

First；　Gatty　himself　came　to　her；　and；　casting　uneasy　glances　at　the　door
by　which　his　mother　had　just　gone　out；　said：

〃Christie！〃

〃My　lad！〃

〃I　want　to　paint　your　likeness。〃

This　was　for　a　_souvenir；_　poor　fellow！

〃Hech！　I　wad　like　fine　to　be　painted。〃

〃It　must　be　exactly　the　same　size　as　yourself；　and　so　like　you；　that；
should　we　be　parted；　I　may　seem　not　to　be　quite　alone　in　the　world。〃

Here　he　was　obliged　to　turn　his　head　away。

〃But　we'll　no　pairt；〃　replied　Christie；　cheerfully。　〃Suppose　ye're　puir；
I'm　rich；　and　it's　a'　one；　dinna　be　so　cast　down　for　auchty　pund。〃

At　this；　a　slipshod　servant　entered；　and　said：　〃There's　a　fisher　lad；
inquiring　for　Christie　Johnstone。〃

〃It　will　be　Flucker；〃　said　Christie；　〃show　him　ben。　What's　wrang　the　noo
I　wonder！〃

The　baddish　boy　entered；　took　up　a　position　and　remained　apparently
passive；　hands　in　pockets。

_Christie。_　〃Aweel；　what　est？〃

_Flucker。_　〃Custy。〃

_Christie。_　〃What's　your　will；　my　manny？〃

_Flucker。_　〃Custy；　I　was　at　Inch　Keith　the　day。〃

_Christie。_　〃And　hae　ye　really　come　to　Edinbro'　to　tell　me　thaat？〃

_Flucker　（dryly）。_　〃Oh！　ye　ken　the　lasses　are　a　hantle　wiser　than　we
arewill　ye　hear　me？　South　Inch　Keith；　I　played　a　bowl　i'　the　water；
just　for　divairsionand　I　catched　twarree　fish！〃

_Christie。_　〃Floonders；　I　bet。〃

_Flucker。_　〃Does　floonders　swim　high？　I'll　let　you　see　his　gills；　and　if
ye　are　a　reicht　fishwife　ye'll　smell　bluid。〃

Here　he　opened　his　jacket；　and　showed　a　bright　little　fish。

In　a　moment　all　Christie's　nonchalance　gave　way　to　a　fiery　animation。　She
darted　to　Flucker's　side。

〃Ye　hae　na　been　sae　daft　as　tell？〃　asked　she。

Flucker　shook　his　head　contemptuously。

〃Ony　birds　at　the　island；　Flucker？〃

〃Sea…maws；　plenty；　and　a　bird　I　dinna　ken；　he　moonted　sae　high；　then　doon
like　thunder　intil　the　sea；　and　gart　the　water　flee　as　high　as　Haman；　and
porpoises　as　big　as　my　boat。〃

〃Porr…poises；　fulish　laddyye　hae　seen　the　herrin　whale　at　his　wark；　and
the　solant　guse　ye　hae　seen　her　at　wark；　and　beneath　the　sea；　Flucker；
every　coedflsh　and　doegfish；　and　fish　that　has　teeth；　is　after　them；　and
half　Scotland　wad　be　at　Inch　Keith　Island　if　they　kenned　what　ye　hae
tell't　medinna　speak　to　me。〃

During　this；　Gatty；　who　did　not　comprehend　this　sudden　excitement；　or
thought　it　childish；　had　tried　in　vain　to　win　her　attention。

At　last　he　said；　a　little　peevishly；　〃Will　you