redgauntlet-第16部分

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　and　that；　when　eaten　within　an　hour　of　their　being　caught；　they　had　a　peculiar　firmness　of　substance　and　delicacy　of　flavour；　which　rendered　them　an　agreeable　addition　to　a　morning　meal；　especially　when　earned；　like　ours；　by　early　rising；　and　an　hour　or　two's　wholesome　exercise。

But　to　thy　alarm　be　it　spoken；　Alan；　we　did　not　come　so　far　as　the　frying　of　our　fish　without　further　adventure。　　So　it　is　only　to　spare　thy　patience；　and　mine　own　eyes；　that　I　pull　up　for　the　present；　and　send　thee　the　rest　of　my　story　in　a　subsequent　letter。




LETTER　VII

THE　SAME　TO　THE　SAME　（In　continuation。）

Little　Benjie；　with　the　pony；　having　been　sent　off　on　the　left　side　of　the　brook；　the　Quaker　and　I　sauntered　on；　like　the　cavalry　and　infantry　of　the　same　army　occupying　the　opposite　banks　of　a　river；　and　observing　the　same　line　of　march。　　But；　while　my　worthy　companion　was　assuring　me　of　a　pleasant　greensward　walk　to　his　mansion；　little　Benjie；　who　had　been　charged　to　keep　in　sight；　chose　to　deviate　from　the　path　assigned　him；　and；　turning　to　the　right；　led　his　charge；　Solomon；　out　of　our　vision。

'The　villain　means　to　mount　him！'　　cried　Joshua；　with　more　vivacity　than　was　consistent　with　his　profession　of　passive　endurance。

I　endeavoured　to　appease　his　apprehensions；　as　he　pushed　on；　wiping　his　brow　with　vexation；　assuring　him　that；　if　the　boy　did　mount；　he　would；　for　his　own　sake；　ride　gently。

'You　do　not　know　him；'　said　Joshua；　rejecting　all　consolation；　'HE　do　anything　gently！no；　he　will　gallop　Solomonhe　will　misuse　the　sober　patience　of　the　poor　animal　who　has　borne　me　so　long！　　Yes；　I　was　given　over　to　my　own　devices　when　I　ever　let　him　touch　the　bridle；　for　such　a　little　miscreant　there　never　was　before　him　in　this　country。'

He　then　proceeded　to　expatiate　on　every　sort　of　rustic　enormity　of　which　he　accused　Benjie。　　He　had　been　suspected　of　snaring　partridgeswas　detected　by　Joshua　himself　in　liming　singing…　birdsstood　fully　charged　with　having　worried　several　cats；　by　aid　of　a　lurcher　which　attended　him；　and　which　was　as　lean；　and　ragged；　and　mischievous；　as　his　master。　　Finally；　Benjie　stood　accused　of　having　stolen　a　duck；　to　hunt　it　with　the　said　lurcher；　which　was　as　dexterous　on　water　as　on　land。　　I　chimed　in　with　my　friend；　in　order　to　avoid　giving　him　further　irritation；　and　declared　I　should　be　disposed；　from　my　own　experience；　to　give　up　Benjie　as　one　of　Satan's　imps。　　Joshua　Geddes　began　to　censure　the　phrase　as　too　much　exaggerated；　and　otherwise　unbecoming　the　mouth　of　a　reflecting　person；　and；　just　as　I　was　apologizing　for　it；　as　being　a　term　of　common　parlance；　we　heard　certain　sounds　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　brook；　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　Solomon　and　Benjie　were　at　issue　together。　　The　sandhills　behind　which　Benjie　seemed　to　take　his　course；　had　concealed　from　us；　as　doubtless　he　meant　they　should；　his　ascent　into　the　forbidden　saddle；　and；　putting　Solomon　to　his　mettle；　which　he　was　seldom　called　upon　to　exert；　they　had　cantered　away　together　in　great　amity；　till　they　came　near　to　the　ford　from　which　the　palfrey's　legitimate　owner　had　already　turned　back。

Here　a　contest　of　opinions　took　place　between　the　horse　and　his　rider。　　The　latter；　according　to　his　instructions；　attempted　to　direct　Solomon　towards　the　distant　bridge　of　stone；　but　Solomon　opined　that　the　ford　was　the　shortest　way　to　his　own　stable。　　The　point　was　sharply　contested；　and　we　heard　Benjie　gee…hupping；　tchek…tcheking；　and；　above　all；　flogging　in　great　style；　while　Solomon；　who；　docile　in　his　general　habits；　was　now　stirred　beyond　his　patience；　made　a　great　trampling　and　recalcitration；　and　it　was　their　joint　noise　which　we　heard；　without　being　able　to　see；　though　Joshua　might　too　well　guess；　the　cause　of　it。

Alarmed　at　these　indications；　the　Quaker　began　to　shout　out；　'Benjiethou　varlet！　　Solomonthou　fool！'　　when　the　couple　presented　themselves　in　full　drive；　Solomon　having　now　decidedly　obtained　the　better　of　the　conflict；　and　bringing　his　unwilling　rider　in　high　career　down　to　the　ford。　　Never　was　there　anger　changed　so　fast　into　humane　fear；　as　that　of　my　good　companion。　'The　varlet　will　be　drowned！'　　he　exclaimed'a　widow's　son！　her　only　son！and　drowned！let　me　go'And　he　struggled　with　me　stoutly　as　I　hung　upon　him；　to　prevent　him　from　plunging　into　the　ford。

I　had　no　fear　whatever　for　Benjie；　for　the　blackguard　vermin；　though　he　could　not　manage　the　refractory　horse；　stuck　on　his　seat　like　a　monkey。　　Solomon　and　Benjie　scrambled　through　the　ford　with　little　inconvenience；　and　resumed　their　gallop　on　the　other　side。

It　was　impossible　to　guess　whether　on　this　last　occasion　Benjie　was　running　off　with　Solomon；　or　Solomon　with　Benjie；　but；　judging　from　character　and　motives；　I　rather　suspected　the　former。　　I　could　not　help　laughing　as　the　rascal　passed　me；　grinning　betwixt　terror　and　delight；　perched　on　the　very　pommel　of　the　saddle；　and　holding　with　extended　arms　by　bridle　and　mane　while　Solomon；　the　bit　secured　between　his　teeth；　and　his　head　bored　down　betwixt　his　forelegs；　passed　his　master　in　this　unwonted　guise　as　hard　as　he　could　pelt。

'The　mischievous　bastard！'　　exclaimed　the　Quaker；　terrified　out　of　his　usual　moderation　of　speech'the　doomed　gallows…bird！he　will　break　Solomon's　wind　to　a　certainty。'

I　prayed　him　to　be　comfortedassured；　him　a　brushing　gallop　would　do　his　favourite　no　harm　and　reminded　him　of　the　censure　he　had　bestowed　on　me　a　minute　before；　for　applying　a　harsh　epithet　to　the　boy。

But　Joshua　was　not　without　his　answer；　'Friend　youth；'　he　said；　'thou　didst　speak　of　the　lad's　soul；　which　thou　didst　affirm　belonged　to　the　enemy；　and　of　that　thou　couldst　say　nothing　of　thine　own　knowledge；　on　the　contrary；　I　did　but　speak　of　his　outward　man；　which　will　assuredly　be　suspended　by　a　cord；　if　he　mendeth　not　his　manners。　　Men　say　that；　young　as　he　is；　he　is　one　of　the　laird's　gang。'

'Of　the　laird's　gang！'　　said　I；　repeating　the　words　in　surprise。　'Do　you　mean　the　person　with　whom　I　slept　last　night？　　I　heard　you　call　him　the　laird。　　Is　he　at　the　head　of　a　gang？'

'Nay；　I　meant　not　precisely　a　gang；'　said　the　Quaker；　who　appeared　in　his　haste　to　have　spoken　more　than　he　intendeda　company；　or　party；　I　should　have　said；　but　thus　it　is；　friend　Latimer；　with　the　wisest　men　when　they　permit　themselves　to　be　perturbed　with　passion；　and　speak　as　in　a　fever；　or　as　with　the　tongue　of　the　foolish　and　the　forward。　　And　although　thou　hast　been　hasty　to　mark　my　infirmity；　yet　I　grieve　not　that　thou　hast　been　a　witness　to　it；　seeing　that　the　stumbles　of　the　wise　may　be　no　less　a　caution　to　youth　and　inexperience；　than　is　the　fall　of　the　foolish。'

This　was　a　sort　of　acknowledgement　of　what　I　had　already　begun　to　suspectthat　my　new　friend's　real　goodness　of　disposition；　joined　to　the　acquired　quietism　of　his　religious　sect；　had　been　unable　entirely　to　check　the　effervescence　of　a　temper　naturally　warm　and　hasty。

Upon　the　present　occasion；　as　if　sensible　he　had　displayed　a　greater　degree　of　emotion　than　became　his　character；　Joshua　avoided　further　allusion　to　Benjie　and　Solomon；　and　proceeded　to　solicit　my　attention　to　the　natural　objects　around　us；　which　increased　in　beauty　and　interest；　as；　still　conducted　by　the　meanders　of　the　brook；　we　left　the　common　behind　us；　and　entered　a　more　cultivated　and　enclosed　country；　where　arable　and　pasture　ground　was　agreeably　varied　with　groves　and　hedges。　　Descending　now　almost　close　to　the　stream；　our　course　lay　through　a　little　gate；　into　a　pathway　kept　with　great　neatness；　the　sides　of　which　were　decorated　with　trees　and　flowering　shrubs　of　the　hardier　species；　until；　ascending　by　a　gentle　slope；　we　issued　from　the　grove；　and　stood　almost　at　once　in　front　of　a　low　but　very　neat　building；　of　an　irregular　form；　and　my　guide；　shaking　me　cordially　by　the　hand；　made　me　welcome　to　Mount　Sharon。

The　wood　through　which　we　had　approached　this　little　mansion　was　thrown　around　it　both　on　the　north　and　north…west；　but；　breaking　off　into　different　directions；　was　intersected　by　a　few　fields　well　watered　and　sheltered。　　The　house　fronted　to　the　south…east；　and　from　thence　the　pleasure…ground；　or；　I　should　rather　say；　the　gardens；　sloped　down　to　the　water。　　I　afterwards　understood　that　the　father　of　the　present　proprietor　had　a　considerable　taste　for　horticulture；　which　had　been　inherited　by　his　son；　and　had　formed　these　gardens；　which；　with　their　shaven　turf；　pleached　alleys；　wildernesses；　and　exotic　trees　and　shrubs；　greatly　excelled　anything　of　the　kind　which　had　been　attempted　in　the　neighbourhood。

If　there　was　a　little　vanity　in　the　complacent　smile　with　which　Joshua　Geddes　saw　me　gaze　with　delight　on　a　scene　so　different　from　the　naked　waste　we　had　that　day　traversed　in　company；　it　might　surely　be　permitted　to　one　who；　cultivating　and　improving　the　beauties　of　nature；　had　found　therein；　as　he　said；　bodily　health；　and　a　pleasing　relaxation　for　the　mind。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　extended　gardens　the　brook　wheeled　round　in　a　wide　semicircle；　and　was　itself　their　boundary。　　The　opposite　side　was　no　part　of　Joshua's　domain；　but　the　brook　was　there　skirted　by　a　precipitous　rock　of　limestone；　which　seemed　a　barrier　of　nature's　own　erecting　around　his　little　Eden　of　beauty；　comfort；　and　peace。

'But　I　must　not　let　thee　forget；'　said　the　kind　Quaker；　'amidst　thy　admiration　of　these　beauties　of　our　little　inheritance；　that　thy　breakfast　has　been　a　light　one。'

So　saying；　Joshua　conducted　me　to　a　small　sashed　door；　opening　under　a　porch　amply　mantled　by　honeysuckle　and　clematis；　into　a　parlour　of　moderate　size；　the　furniture　of　which；　in　plainness　and　excessive　cleanliness；　bore　the　characteristic　marks　of　the　sect　to　which　the　owner　belonged。

Thy　father's　Hannah　is　generally　allowed　to　be　an　exception　to　all　Scottish　housekeepers；　and　stands　unparalleled　for　cleanliness　among　the　women　of　Auld　Reekie；　but　the　cleanliness　of　Hannah　is　sluttishness　compared　to　the　scrupulous　purifications　of　these　people；　who　seem　to　carry　into　the　minor　decencies　of　life　that　conscientious　rigour　which　they　affect　in　their　morals。

The　parlour　would　have　been　gloomy；　for　the　windows　were　small　and　the　ceiling　low；　but　the　present　proprietor　had　rendered　it　more　cheerful　by　opening　one　end