guy mannering-第98部分

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　canvas；　without　receiving　injury。　To　account　for　these　and　other　hair…breadth　escapes；　popular　superstition　alleged　that　Yawkins　insured　his　celebrated　Buckkar　by　compounding　with　the　devil　for　one…tenth　of　his　crew　every　voyage。　How　they　arranged　the　separation　of　the　stock　and　tithes；　is　left　to　our　conjecture。　The　Buckkar　was　perhaps　called　the　Black　Prince　in　honour　of　the　formidable　insurer。

The　Black　Prince　used　to　discharge　her　cargo　at　Luce；　Balcarry；　and　elsewhere　on　the　coast；　but　her　owner's　favourite　landing…places　were　at　the　entrance　to　the　Dee　and　the　Cree；　near　the　old　Castle　of　Rueberry；　about　six　miles　below　Kirkcudbriglit。　There　is　a　cave　of　large　dimensions　in　the　vicinity　of　Rueberry；　which；　from　its　being　frequently　used　by　Yawkins；　and　his　supposed　connection　with　the　smugglers　on　the　shore；　is　now　called　Dirk　Hatteraick's　cave。　Strangers　who　visit　this　place；　the　scenery　of　which　is　highly　romantic；　are　also　shown；　under　the　name　of　the　Gauger's　Loup；　a　tremendous　precipice；　being　the　same；　it　is　asserted；　from　which　Kennedy　was　precipitated。

Meg　Merrilies　is　in　Galloway　considered　as　having　had　her　origin　in　the　traditions　concerning　the　celebrated　Flora　Marshal；　one　of　the　royal　consorts　of　Willie　Marshal；　more　commonly　called　the　Caird　of　Barullion；　King　of　the　Gipsies　of　the　Western　Lowlands。　That　potentate　was　himself　deserving　of　notice；　from　the　following　peculiarities。　He　was　born　in　the　parish　of　Kirkmichael；　about　the　year　1671；　and　as　he　died　at　Kirkcudbright；　23rd　November；　1792；　he　must　then　have　been　in　the　one　hundred　and　twentieth　year　of　his　age。　It　cannot　he　said　that　this　unusually　long　lease　of　existence　was　noted　by　any　peculiar　excellence　of　conduct　or　habits　of　life。　Willie　had　been　pressed　or　enlisted　in　the　army　seven　times；　and　had　deserted　as　often；　besides　three　times　running　away　from　the　naval　service。　He　had　been　seventeen　times　lawfully　married；　and　besides　such　a　reason　ably　large　share　of　matrimonial　comforts；　was；　after　his　hundredth　year；　the　avowed　father　of　four　children；　by　less　legitimate　affections。　He　subsisted　in　his　extreme　old　age　by　a　pension　from　the　present　Earl　of　Selkirk's　grandfather。　Will　Marshal　is　buried　in　Kirkcudbright　Church；　where　his　monument　is　still　shown；　decorated　with　a　scutcheon；　suitably　blazoned　with　two　tups'　horns　and　two　cutty　spoons。

In　his　youth　he　occasionally　took　an　evening　walk　on　the　highway；　with　the　purpose　of　assisting　travellers　by　relieving　them　of　the　weight　of　their　purses。　On　one　occasion；　the　Caird　of　Barullion　robbed　the　Laird　of　Bargally；　at　a　place　between　Carsphairn　and　Dalmellington。　His　purpose　was　not　achieved　without　a　severe　struggle；　in　which　the　Gipsy　lost　his　bonnet；　and　was　obliged　to　escape；　leaving　it　on　the　road。　　A　respectable　farmer　happened　to　be　the　next　passenger；　and　seeing　the　bonnet；　alighted；　took　it　up；　and　rather　imprudently　put　it　on　his　own　head。　At　this　instant；　Bargally　came　up　with　some　assistants；　and　recognising　the　bonnet；　charged　the　farmer　of　Bantoberick　with　having　robbed　him；　and　took　him　into　custody。　There　being　some　likeness　between　the　parties；　Bargally　persisted　in　his　charge；　and　though　the　respectability　of　the　farmer's　character　was　proved　or　admitted；　his　trial　before　the　Circuit　Court　came　on　accordingly。　The　fatal　bonnet　lay　on　the　table　of　the　court；　Bargally　swore　that　it　was　the　identical　article　worn　by　the　man　who　robbed　him；　and　he　and　others　likewise　deponed　that　they　had　found　the　accused　on　the　spot　where　the　crime　was　committed；　with　the　bonnet　on　his　head。　The　case　looked　gloomily　for　the　prisoner；　and　the　opinion　of　the　judge　seemed　unfavourable。　But　there　was　a　person　in　the　court　who　knew　well　both　who　did；　and　who　did　not；　commit；　the　crime。　This　was　the　Caird　of　Barullion；　who；　thrusting。　himself　up　to　the　bar；　near　the　place　where　Bargally　was　standing；　suddenly　seized　on　the　bonnet；　put　it　on　his　head；　and　looking　the　Laird　full　in　the　face；　asked　him；　with　a　voice　which　attracted　the　attention　of　the　Court　and　crowded　audience〃Look　at　me；　sir；　and　tell　me；　by　the　oath　you　have　swornAm　not　I　the　man　who　robbed　you　between　Carsphairn　and　Dalmellington？〃　Bargally　replied；　in　great　astonishment；　〃By　Heaven　I　you　are　the　very　man。〃〃You；　see　what　sort　of　memory　this　gentleman　has；〃　said　the　volunteer　pleader：　〃he　swears　to　the　bonnet；　whatever　features　are　under　it。　If　you　yourself；　my　Lord；　will　put　it　on　your　head；　he　will　be　willing　to　swear　that　your　Lordship　was　the　party　who　robbed　him　between　Carsphairn　and　Dalmellington。〃　The　tenant　of　Bantoberick　was　unanimously　acquitted；　and　thus　Willie　Marshal　ingeniously　contrived　to　save　an　innocent　man　from　danger；　without　incurring　any　himself；　since　Bargally's　evidence　must　have　seemed　to　every　one　too　fluctuating　to　be　relied　upon。

While　the　King　of　the　Gipsies　was　thus　laudably　occupied；　his　royal　consort；　Flora；　contrived；　it　is　said；　to　steal　the　hood　front　the　Judge's　gown；　for　which　offence；　combined　with　her　presumptive　guilt　as　a　gipsy；　she　was　banished　to　New　England；　whence　she　never　returned。

Now；　I　cannot　grant　that　the　idea　of　Meg　Merrilies　was；　in　the　first　concoction　of　the　character；　derived　from　Flora　Marshal；　seeing　I　have　already　said　she　was　identified　with　Jean　Gordon；　and　as　I　have　not　the　Laird　of　Bargally's　apology　for　charging　the　same　fact　on　two　several　individuals。　Yet　I　am　quite　content　that　Meg　should　he　considered　as　a　representative　of　her　sect　and　class　in　generalFlora；　as　well　as　others。

The　other　instances　in　which　my　Gallovidian　readers　have　obliged　me；　by　assigning　to

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Airy　nothing　　　A　local　habitation　and　a　name；

shall　also　be　sanctioned　so　far　as　the　Author　may　be　entitled　to　do　so。　I　think　the　facetious　Joe　Miller　records　a　case　pretty　much　in　point；　where　the　keeper　of　a　Museum；　while　showing；　as　he　said；　the　very　sword　with　which　Balaam　was　about　to　kill　his　ass；　was　interrupted　by　one　of　the　visitors；　who　reminded　him　that　Balaam　was　not　possessed　of　a　sword；　but　only　wished　for　one。　〃True；　sir；〃　replied　the　ready…witted　Cicerone；　〃but　this　is　the　very　sword　he　wished　for。〃　The　Author；　in　application　of　this　story；　has　only　to　add；　that　though　ignorant　of　the　coincidence　between　the　fictions　of　the　tale　and　some　real　circumstances；　he　is　contented　to　believe　he　must　unconsciously　have　thought　or　dreamed　of　the　last；　while　engaged　in　the　composition　of　Guy　Mannering。





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