preliminary chapter-第3部分

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you　are　pleased　to　talk　of？''

　　‘‘Infinite；''　replied　the　young　advocate。　‘‘Whatever　of　guilt；
crime；　imposture；　folly；　unheard…of　misfortunes；　and　unlooked…for
change　of　fortune；　can　be　found　to　chequer　life；　my　Last　Speech　of
the　Tolbooth　should　illustrate　with　examples　sufficient　to　gorge　even
the　public's　all…devouring　appetite　for　the　wonderful　and　horrible。
The　inventor　of　fictitious　narratives　has　to　rack　his　brains　for　means
to　diversify　his　tale；　and　after　all　can　hardly　hit　upon　characters　or
incidents　which　have　not　been　used　again　and　again；　until　they　are
familiar　to　the　eye　of　the　reader；　so　that　the　development；　_enlvement；_
the　desperate　wound　of　which　the　hero　never　dies；　the　burning　fever
from　which　the　heroine　is　sure　to　recover；　become　a　mere　matter　of
course。　I　join　with　my　honest　friend　Crabbe；　and　have　an　unlucky
propensity　to　hope；　when　hope　is　lost；　and　to　rely　upon　the　cork…jacket；
which　carries　the　heroes　of　romance　safe　through　all　the　billows　of
affliction。''　He　then　declaimed　the　following　passage；　rather　with　too
much　than　too　little　emphasis：…

Much　have　I　feared；　but　am　no　more　afraid；
When　some　chaste　beauty　by　some　wretch　betrayed；
Is　drawn　away　with　such　distracted　speed；
That　she　anticipates　a　dreadful　deed。
Not　so　do　I…Let　solid　walls　impound
The　captive　fair；　and　dig　a　moat　around；
Let　there　be　brazen　locks　and　bars　of　steel；
And　keepers　cruel；　such　as　never　feel；
With　not　a　single　note　the　purse　supply；
And　when　she　begs；　let　men　and　maids　deny；
Be　windows　there　from　which　she　dare　not　fall；
And　help　so　distant；　'tis　in　vain　to　call；
Still　means　of　freedom　will　some　Power　devise；
And　from　the　baffled　ruffian　snatch　his　prize。

　　‘‘The　end　of　uncertainty；''　he　concluded；　‘‘is　the　death　of　interest；
and　hence　it　happens　that　no　one　now　reads　novels。''

　　‘‘Hear　him；　ye　gods！''　returned　his　companion。　‘‘I　assure　you；
Mr。　Pattieson；　you　will　hardly　visit　this　learned　gentleman；　but　you
are　likely　to　find　the　new　novel　most　in　repute　lying　on　his　table；…
snugly　intrenched；　however；　beneath　Stair's　Institutes；　or　an　open
volume　of　Morrison's　Decisions。''

　　‘‘Do　I　deny　it？''　said　the　hopeful　jurisconsult；　‘‘or　wherefore
should　I；　since　it　is　well　known　these　Delilahs　seduce　my　wisers　and
my　betters？　May　they　not　be　found　lurking　amidst　the　multiplied
memorials　of　our　most　distinguished　counsel；　and　even　peeping　from
under　the　cushion　of　a　judge's　arm…chair？　Our　seniors　at　the　bar；
within　the　bar；　and　even　on　the　bench；　read　novels；　and；　if　not　belied；
some　of　them　have　written　novels　into　the　bargain。　I　only　say；　that
I　read　from　habit　and　from　indolence；　not　from　real　interest；　that；
like　ancient　Pistol　devouring　his　leek；　I　read　and　swear　till　I　get　to
the　end　of　the　narrative。　But　not　so　in　the　real　records　of　human
vagaries…not　so　in　the　State　Trials；　or　in　the　Books　of　Adjournal；
where　every　now　and　then　you　read　new　pages　of　the　human　heart；
and　turns　of　fortune　far　beyond　what　the　boldest　novelist　ever　attempted
to　produce　from　the　coinage　of　his　brain。''

　　‘‘And　for　such　narratives；''　I　asked；　‘‘you　suppose　the　History　of
the　Prison　of　Edinburgh　might　afford　appropriate　materials？''

　　‘‘In　a　degree　unusually　ample；　my　dear　sir；''　said　Hardie…
‘‘Fill　your　glass；　however；　in　the　meanwhile。　Was　it　not　for　many
years　the　place　in　which　the　Scottish　parliament　met？　Was　it　not
James's　place　of　refuge；　when　the　mob；　inflamed　by　a　seditious
preacher；　broke；　forth；　on　him　with　the　cries　of　‘The　sword　of　the　Lord
and　of　Gideon…bring　forth　the　wicked　Haman？'　Since　that　time
how　many　hearts　have　throbbed　within　these　walls；　as　the　tolling　of
the　neighbouring　bell　announced　to　them　how　fast　the　sands　of　their
life　were　ebbing；　how　many　must　have　sunk　at　the　sound…how　many
were　supported　by　stubborn　pride　and　dogged　resolution…how　many
by　the　consolations　of　religion？　Have　there　not　been　some；　who；
looking　back　on　the　motives　of　their　crimes；　were　scarce　able　to　understand
how　they　should　have　had　such　temptation　as　to　seduce　them
from　virtue；　and　have　there　not；　perhaps；　been　others；　who；　sensible
of　their　innocence；　were　divided　between　indignation　at　the　undeserved
doom　which　they　were　to　undergo；　consciousness　that　they　had　not
deserved　it；　and　racking　anxiety　to　discover　some　way　in　which　they
might　yet　vindicate　themselves？　Do　you　suppose　any　of　these　deep；
powerful；　and　agitating　feelings；　can　be　recorded　and　perused　without
exciting　a　corresponding　depth　of　deep；　powerful；　and　agitating
interest？…Oh！　do　but　wait　till　I　publish　the　_Causes　C