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第18部分

redgauntlet-第18部分

小说: redgauntlet 字数: 每页4000字

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erdicted by their sect; only served to render their hospitality more sincere。  At length my hunger was satisfied; and the worthy Quaker; who; with looks of great good nature; had watched my progress; thus addressed his sister:

'This young man; Rachel; hath last night sojourned in the tents of our neighbour whom men call the laird。  I am sorry I had not met him the evening before; for our neighbour's hospitality is too unfrequently exercised to be well prepared with the means of welcome。'

'Nay; but; Joshua;' said Rachel; 'if our neighbour hath done a kindness; thou shouldst not grudge him the opportunity; and if our young friend hath fared ill for a night; he will the better relish what Providence may send him of better provisions。'

'And that he may do so at leisure;' said Joshua; 'we will pray him; Rachel; to tarry a day or twain with us:  he is young; and is but now entering upon the world; and our habitation may; if he will; be like a resting…place; from which he may look abroad upon the pilgrimage which he must take; and the path which he has to travel。What sayest thou; friend Latimer?  We constrain not our friends to our ways; and thou art; I think; too wise to quarrel with us for following our own fashions; and if we should even give thee a word of advice; thou wilt not; I think; be angry; so that it is spoken in season。'

You know; Alan; how easily I am determined by anything resembling cordialityand so; though a little afraid of the formality of my host and hostess; I accepted their invitation; provided I could get some messenger to send to Shepherd's Bush for my servant and portmanteau。

'Why; truly; friend;' said Joshua; 'thy outward frame would be improved by cleaner garments; but I will do thine errand myself to the Widow Gregson's house of reception; and send thy lad hither with thy clothes。  Meanwhile; Rachel will show thee these little gardens; and then will put thee in some way of spending thy time usefully; till our meal calls us together at the second hour after noon。  I bid thee farewell for the present; having some space to walk; seeing I must leave the animal Solomon to his refreshing rest。'

With these words; Mr。 Joshua Geddes withdrew。  Some ladies we have known would have felt; or at least affected; reserve or embarrassment; at being left to do the honours of the grounds to (it will be out; Alan)a smart young fellowan entire stranger。 She went out for a few minutes; and returned in her plain cloak and bonnet; with her beaver gloves; prepared to act as my guide; with as much simplicity as if she had been to wait upon thy father。  So forth I sallied with my fair Quakeress。

If the house at Mount Sharon be merely a plain and convenient dwelling; of moderate size and small pretensions; the gardens and offices; though not extensive; might rival an earl's in point of care and expense。  Rachel carried me first to her own favourite resort; a poultry…yard; stocked with a variety of domestic fowls; of the more rare as well as the most ordinary kinds; furnished with every accommodation which may suit their various habits。  A rivulet which spread into a pond for the convenience of the aquatic birds; trickled over gravel as it passed through the yards dedicated to the land poultry; which were thus amply supplied with the means they use for digestion。

All these creatures seemed to recognize the presence of their mistress; and some especial favourites hastened to her feet; and continued to follow her as far as their limits permitted。  She pointed out their peculiarities and qualities; with the discrimination of one who had made natural history her study; and I own I never looked on barn…door fowls with so much interest beforeat least until they were boiled or roasted。  I could not help asking the trying question; how she could order the execution of any of the creatures of which she seemed so careful。

'It was painful;' she said; 'but it was according to the law of their being。  They must die; but they knew not when death was approaching; and in making them comfortable while they lived; we contributed to their happiness as much as the conditions of their existence permitted to us。'

I am not quite of her mind; Alan。  I do not believe either pigs or poultry would admit that the chief end of their being was to be killed and eaten。  However; I did not press the argument; from which my Quaker seemed rather desirous to escape; for; conducting me to the greenhouse; which was extensive; and filled with the choicest plants; she pointed out an aviary which occupied the farther end; where; she said; she employed herself with attending the inhabitants; without being disturbed with any painful recollections concerning their future destination。

I will not trouble you with any account of the various hot…houses and gardens; and their contents。  No small sum of money must have been expended in erecting and maintaining them in the exquisite degree of good order which they exhibited。  The family; I understood; were connected with that of the celebrated Millar; and had imbibed his taste for flowers; and for horticulture。  But instead of murdering botanical names; I will rather conduct you to the POLICY; or pleasure…garden; which the taste of Joshua or his father had extended on the banks betwixt the house and river。 This also; in contradistinction to the prevailing simplicity; was ornamented in an unusual degree。  There were various compartments; the connexion of which was well managed; and although the whole ground did not exceed five or six acres; it was so much varied as to seem four times larger。  The space contained close alleys and open walks; a very pretty artificial waterfall; a fountain also; consisting of a considerable jet… d'eau; whose streams glittered in the sunbeams and exhibited a continual rainbow。  There was a cabinet of verdure; as the French call it; to cool the summer heat; and there was a terrace sheltered from the north…east by a noble holly hedge; with all its glittering spears where you might have the full advantage of the sun in the clear frosty days of winter。

I know that you; Alan; will condemn all this as bad and antiquated; for; ever since Dodsley has described the Leasowes; and talked of Brown's imitations of nature and Horace Walpole's late Essay on Gardening; you are all for simple naturecondemn walking up and down stairs in the open air and declare for wood and wilderness。  But NE QUID NIMIS。  I would not deface a scene of natural grandeur or beauty; by the introduction of crowded artificial decorations; yet such may; I think; be very interesting; where the situation; in its natural state; otherwise has no particular charms。

So that when I have a country…house (who can say how soon?) you may look for grottoes; and cascades; and fountains; nay if you vex me by contradiction; perhaps I may go the length of a temple so provoke me not; for you see of what enormities I am capable。

At any rate; Alan; had you condemned as artificial the rest of Friend Geddes's grounds; there is a willow walk by the very verge of the stream; so sad; so solemn; and so silent; that it must have commanded your admiration。  The brook; restrained at the ultimate boundary of the grounds by a natural dam…dike or ledge of rocks; seemed; even in its present swollen state; scarcely to glide along:  and the pale willow…trees; dropping their long branches into the stream; gathered around them little coronals of the foam that floated down from the more rapid stream above。  The high rock; which formed the opposite bank of the brook; was seen dimly through the branches; and its pale and splintered front; garlanded with long streamers of briers and other creeping plants; seemed a barrier between the quiet path which we trod; and the toiling and bustling world beyond。  The path itself; following the sweep of the stream; made a very gentle curve; enough; however; served by its inflection completely to hide the end of the walk until you arrived at it。  A deep and sullen sound; which increased as you proceeded; prepared you for this termination; which was indeed only a plain root…seat; from which you looked on a fall of about six or seven feet; where the brook flung itself over the ledge of natural rock I have already mentioned; which there crossed its course。

The quiet and twilight seclusion of this walk rendered it a fit scene for confidential communing; and having nothing more interesting to say to my fair Quaker; I took the liberty of questioning her about the laird; for you are; or ought to be; aware; that next to discussing the affairs of the heart; the fair sex are most interested in those of their neighbours。

I did not conceal either my curiosity; or the check which it had received from Joshua; and I saw that my companion answered with embarrassment。  'I must not speak otherwise than truly;' she said; 'and therefore I tell thee; that my brother dislikes; and that I fear; the man of whom thou hast asked me。  Perhaps we are both wrongbut he is a man of violence; and hath great influence over many; who; following the trade of sailors and fishermen; become as rude as the elements with which they contend。  He hath no certain name among them; which is not unusual; their rude fashion being to distinguish each other by nicknames; and they have called him the Laird of the Lakes (not remembering there should be no one called Lord; save one only) in idle derision; the pools of salt water left by the tide among the sands being called the Lakes of Solway。'

'Has he no other revenue than he derives from these sands?'  I asked。

'That I cannot answer;' replied Rachel; 'men say that he wants not money; though he lives like an ordinary fisherman; and that he imparts freely of his means to the poor around him。  They intimate that he is a man of consequence; once deeply engaged in the unhappy affair of the rebellion; and even still too much in danger from the government to assume his own name。  He is often absent from his cottage at Broken…burn…cliffs; for weeks and months。'

'I should have thought;' said I; 'that the government would scarce; at this time of day; be likely to proceed against any one even of the most obnoxious rebels。  Many years have passed away' 

'It is true;' she replied; 'yet such persons may understand t

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