christie johnstone-第3部分

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He　waited　with　impatience　for　the　yacht；　and；　meantime；　it　struck　him
that　the　first　part　of　the　prescription　could　be　attacked　at　once。

It　was　the　afternoon　of　the　day　succeeding　his　arrival。　The　Fifeshire
hills；　seen　across　the　Firth　from　his　windows；　were　beginning　to　take
their　charming　violet　tinge；　a　light　breeze　ruffled　the　blue　water　into　a
sparkling　smile；　the　shore　was　tranquil；　and　the　sea　full　of　noiseless
life；　with　the　craft　of　all　sizes　gliding　and　dancing　and　courtesying　on
their　trackless　roads。

The　air　was　tepid；　pure　and　sweet　as　heaven；　this　bright　afternoon；
Nature　had　grudged　nothing　that　could　give　fresh　life　and　hope　to　such
dwellers　in　dust　and　smoke　and　vice　as　were　there　to　look　awhile　on　her
clean　face　and　drink　her　honeyed　breath。

This　young　gentleman　was　not　insensible　to　the　beauty　of　the　scene。　He
was　a　little　lazy　by　nature；　and　made　lazier　by　the　misfortune　of　wealth；
but　he　had　sensibilities；　he　was　an　artist　of　great　natural　talent；　had
he　only　been　without　a　penny；　how　he　would　have　handled　the　brush！　And
then　he　was　a　mighty　sailor；　if　he　had　sailed　for　biscuit　a　few　years；
how　he　would　have　handled　a　ship！

As　he　was；　he　had　the　eye　of　a　hawk　for　Nature's　beauties；　and　the　sea
always　came　back　to　him　like　a　friend　after　an　absence。

This　scene；　then；　curled　round　his　heart　a　little；　and　he　felt　the　good
physician　was　wiser　than　the　tribe　that　go　by　that　name；　and　strive　to
build　health　on　the　sandy　foundation　of　drugs。

〃Saunders！　do　you　know　what　Dr。　Aberford　means　by　the　lower　classes？〃

〃Perfectly；　my　lord。〃

〃Are　there　any　about　here？〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　say　they　are　everywhere；　my　lord。〃

〃Get　me　some〃_（cigarette）。_

Out　went　Saunders；　with　his　usual　graceful　_empressement；_　but　an
internal　shrug　of　his　shoulders。

He　was　absent　an　hour　and　a　half；　he　then　returned　with　a　double
expression　on　his　facepride　at　his　success　in　diving　to　the　very　bottom
of　society；　and　contempt　of　what　he　had　fished　up　thence。

He　approached　his　lord　mysteriously；　and　said；　_sotto　voce；_　but
impressively；　〃This　is　low　enough；　my　lord。〃　Then　glided　back；　and
ushered　in；　with　polite　disdain；　two　lovelier　women　than　he　had　ever
opened　a　door　to　in　the　whole　course　of　his　perfumed　existence。

On　their　heads　they　wore　caps　of　Dutch　or　Flemish　origin；　with　a　broad
lace　border；　stiffened　and　arched　over　the　forehead；　about　three　inches
high；　leaving　the　brow　and　cheeks　unencumbered。

They　had　cotton　jackets；　bright　red　and　yellow；　mixed　in　patterns；
confined　at　the　waist　by　the　apron…strings；　but　bobtailed　below　the
waist；　short　woolen　petticoats；　with　broad　vertical　stripes；　red　and
white；　most　vivid　in　color；　white　worsted　stockings；　and　neat；　though
high…quartered　shoes。　Under　their　jackets　they　wore　a　thick　spotted
cotton　handkerchief；　about　one　inch　of　which　was　visible　round　the　lower
part　of　the　throat。　Of　their　petticoats；　the　outer　one　was　kilted；　or
gathered　up　toward　the　front；　and　the　second；　of　the　same　color；　hung　in
the　usual　way。

Of　these　young　women；　one　had　an　olive　complexion；　with　the　red　blood
mantling　under　it；　and　black　hair；　and　glorious　black　eyebrows。

The　other　was　fair；　with　a　massive　but　shapely　throat；　as　white　as　milk；
glossy　brown　hair；　the　loose　threads　of　which　glittered　like　gold；　and　a
blue　eye；　which；　being　contrasted　with　dark　eyebrows　and　lashes；　took　the
luminous　effect　peculiar　to　that　rare　beauty。

Their　short　petticoats　revealed　a　neat　ankle；　and　a　leg　with　a　noble
swell；　for　Nature；　when　she　is　in　earnest；　builds　beauty　on　the　ideas　of
ancient　sculptors　and　poets；　not　of　modern　poetasters；　who；　with　their
airy…like　sylphs　and　their　smoke…like　verses；　fight　for　want　of　flesh　in
woman　and　want　of　fact　in　poetry　as　parallel　beauties。

_They　are；_　my　lads。_Continuez！_

These　women　had　a　grand　corporeal　trait；　they　had　never　known　a　corset！
so　they　were　straight　as　javelins；　they　could　lift　their　hands　above
their　heads！actually！　Their　supple　persons　moved　as　Nature　intended；
every　gesture　was　ease；　grace　and　freedom。

What　with　their　own　radiance；　and　the　snowy　cleanliness　and　brightness　of
their　costume；　they　came　like　meteors　into　the　apartment。

Lord　Ipsden；　rising　gently　from　his　seat；　with　the　same　quiet　politeness
with　which　he　would　have　received　two　princes　of　the　blood；　said；　〃How　do
you　do？〃　and　smiled　a　welcome。

〃Fine！　hoow's　yoursel？〃　answered　the　dark　lass；　whose　name　was　Jean
Carnie；　and　whose　voice　was　not　so　sweet　as　her　face。

〃What'n　lord　are　ye？〃　continued　she；　〃are　you　a　juke？　I　wad　like　fine　to
hae　a　crack　wi'　a　juke。〃

Saunders；　who　knew　himself　the　cause　of　this　question；　replied；　_sotto
voce；_　〃His　lordship　is　a　viscount。〃

〃I　didna　ken't；〃　was　Jean's　remark。　〃But　it　has　a　bonny　soond。〃

〃What　mair　would　ye　hae？〃　said　the　fair　beauty；　whose　name　was　Christie
Johnstone。　Then；　appealing　to　his　lordship　as　the　likeliest　to　know；　she
added；　〃Nobeelity　is　jist　a　soond　itsel；　I'm　tauld。〃

The　viscount；　finding　himself　expected　to　say　something　on　a　topic　he　had
not　attended　much　to；　answered　dryly：　〃We　must　ask　the　republicans；　they
are　the　people　that　give　their　minds　to　such　subjects。〃

〃And　yon　man；〃　asked　Jean　Carnie；　〃is　he　a　lord；　too？〃

〃I　am　his　lordship's　servant；〃　replied　Saunders；　gravely；　not　without　a
secret　misgiving　whether　fate　had　been　just。

〃Na！〃　replied　she；　not　to　be　imposed　upon；　〃ye　are　statelier　and　prooder
than　this　ane。〃

〃I　will　explain；〃　said　his　master。　〃Saunders　knows　his　value；　a　servant
like　Saunders　is　rarer　than　an　idle　viscount。〃

〃My　lord；　my　lord！〃　remonstrated　Saunders；　with　a　shocked　and　most
disclamatory　tone。　〃Rather！〃　was　his　inward　reflection。

〃Jean；〃　said　Christie；　〃ye　hae　muckle　to　laern。　Are　ye　for　herrin'　the
day；　vile　count？〃

〃No！　are　you　for　this　sort　of　thing？〃

At　this；　Saunders；　with　a　world　of　_empressement；_　offered　the　Carnie
some　cake　that　was　on　the　table。

She　took　a　piece；　instantly　spat　it　out　into　her　hand；　and　with　more
energy　than　delicacy　flung　it　into　the　fire。

〃Augh！〃　cried　she；　〃just　a　sugar　and　saut　butter　thegither；　buy　nae　mair
at　yon　shoep；　vile　count。〃

〃Try　this；　out　of　Nature's　shop；〃　laughed　their　entertainer；　and　he
offered　them；　himself；　some　peaches　and　things。

〃Hech！　a　medicine！〃　said　Christie。

〃Nature；　my　lad；〃　said　Miss　Carnie；　making　her　ivory　teeth　meet　in　their
first　nectarine；　〃I　didna　ken　whaur　ye　stoep；　but　ye　beat　the　other
confectioners；　that　div　ye。〃

The　fair　lass；　who　had　watched　the　viscount　all　this　time　as　demurely　as
a　cat　cream；　now　approached　him。

This　young　woman　was　the　thinker；　her　voice　was　also　rich；　full；　and
melodious；　and　her　manner　very　engaging；　it　was　half　advancing；　half
retiring；　not　easy　to　resist　or　to　describe。

〃Noo；〃　said　she；　with　a　very　slight　blush　stealing　across　her　face；　〃ye
maun　let　me　catecheeze　ye；　wull　ye？〃

The　last　two　words　were　said　in　a　way　that　would　have　induced　a　bear　to
reveal　his　winter　residence。

He　smiled　assent。　Saunders　retired　to　the　door；　and；　excluding　every
shade　of　curiosity　from　his　face；　took　an　attitude；　half　majesty；　half
obsequiousness。

Christie　stood　by　Lord　Ipsden；　with　one　hand　on　her　hip　（the　knuckles
downward）；　but　graceful　as　Antinous；　and　began。

〃Hoo　muckle　is　the　queen　greater　than　y'　are？〃

His　lordship　was　obliged　to　reflect。

〃Let　me　seeas　is　the　moon　to　a　wax　taper；　so　is　her　majesty　the　queen
to　you　and　me；　and　the　rest。〃

〃An'　whaur　does　the　Juke*　come　in？〃

*　Buceleuch。

〃On　this　particular　occasion；　the　Duke**　makes　one　of　us；　my　pretty
maid。〃

**Wellington

〃I　see！　Are　na　yeawfu'　prood　o'　being　a　lorrd？〃

〃What　an　idea！〃

〃His　lordship　did　not　go　to　bed　a　spinning…jenny；　and　rise　up　a　lord；
like　some　of　them；〃　put　in　Saunders。

〃Saunders；〃　said　the　peer；　doubtfully；　〃eloquence　rather　bores　people。〃

〃Then　I　mustn't　speak　again；　my　lord；〃　said　Saunders；　respectfully。

〃Noo；〃　said　the　fair　inquisitor；　〃ye　shall　tell　me　how　ye　came　to　be
lorrds；　your　faemily？〃

〃Saunders！〃

〃Na！　ye　manna　flee　to　Sandy　for　a　thing；　ye　are　no　a　bairn；　are　ye？〃

Here　was　a　dilemma；　the　Saunders　prop　knocked　rudely　away；　and　obliged　to
think　for　ourselves。

But　Saunders　would　come　to　his　distressed　master's　assistance。　He
furtively　conveyed　to　him　a　plump　bookthis　was　Saunders's　manual　of
faith；　the　author　was　Mr。　Burke；　not　Edmund。

Lord　Ipsden　ran　hastily　over　the　page；　closed　the　book；　and　said；　〃Here
is　the　story。

〃Five　hundred　years　ago〃

〃Listen；　Jean；〃　said　Christie；　〃we're　gaun　to　get　a　boeny　story。　'Five
hundre'　years　ago；'〃　added　she；　with　interest　and　awe。

〃Was　a　great　battle；〃　resumed　the　narrator；　in　cheerful　tones；　as　one
larking　with　history；　〃between　a　king　of　England　and　his　rebels。　He　was
in　the　thick　of　the　fight〃

〃That's　the　king；　Jean；　he　was　in　the　thick　o't。〃

〃My　ancestor　killed　a　fellow　who　was　sneaking　behind　him；　but　the　next
moment　a　man…at…arms　prepared　a　thrust　at　his　majesty；　who　had　his　hands
full　with　three　assailants。〃

〃Eh！　that's　no　fair；〃　said　Christie；　〃as　sure　as　deeth。〃

〃My　ancestor　dashed　forward；　and；　as　the　king's　sword　passed　through　one
of　them；　he　clove　another　to　the　waist　with　a　blow。〃

〃Weel　done！　weel　done！〃

Lord　Ipsden　looked　at　the　speaker；　her　eyes　were　glittering；　and　her
cheek　flushing。

〃Good　Heavens！〃　thought　he；　〃she　believes　it！〃　So　he　began　to　take　more
pains　with　his　legend。

〃But　for　the　spearsman；〃　continued　he；　〃he　had　nothing　but　his　body；　he
gave　it；　it　was　his　duty；　and　received　the　death　leveled　at　his
sovereign。〃

〃Hech！　puir　mon。〃　And　the　glowing　eyes　began　to　glisten。

〃The　battle　flowed　another　way；　and　God　gave　victory　to　the　right；　but
the　king　came　back　to　look　for　him；　for　it　was　no　common　service。〃

〃Deed　no！〃

Here　Lord　Ipsden　began　to　turn　his　eye　inward；　and　call　up　the　scene。　He
lowered　his　voice。

〃They　found　him　lying　on　his　back；　looking　death　in　the　face。

〃The　nobles；　by　the　king's　side；　uncovered　as　soon　as　he　was　found；　for
they　were　brave　men；　too。　There　was　a　moment's　silence；　eyes　met　eyes；
and　said；　this　is　a　stout　soldier's　last　battle。

〃The　king　could　not　bid　him