redgauntlet-第25部分

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s　are　wild　chaps；　and　will　bide　nae　taunts。'

I　promised　to　be　civil　and　cautious；　and；　to　smooth　the　good　woman；　I　slipped　the　promised　piece　into　her　hand。　　The　acute　organs　of　the　blind　man　detected　this　little　manoeuvre。

'Are　ye　at　it　again　wi'　the　siller；　ye　jaud？　　I'll　be　sworn　ye　wad　rather　hear　ae　twalpenny　clink　against　another；　than　have　a　spring　from　Rory　Dall；　＇Blind　Rorie；　a　famous　musician　according　to　tradition。＇　　if　he　was…coming　alive　again　anes　errand。　　Gang　doun　the　gate　to　Lucky　Gregson's　and　get　the　things　ye　want；　and　bide　there　till　ele'en　hours　in　the　morn；　and　if　you　see　Robin；　send　him　on　to　me。'

'Am　I　no　gaun　to　the　ploy；　then？'　　said　Maggie；　in　a　disappointed　tone。

'And　what　for　should　ye？'　　said　her　lord　and　master；　'to　dance　a'　night；　I'se　warrant；　and　no　to　be　fit　to　walk　your　tae's…length　the　morn；　and　we　have　ten　Scots　miles　afore　us？　　Na；　na。　　Stable　the　steed；　and　pit　your　wife　to　bed；　when　there's　night　wark　to　do。'

'Aweel；　aweel；　Willie　hinnie；　ye　ken　best；　but　oh；　take　an　unco　care　o'　yoursell；　and　mind　ye　haena　the　blessing　o'　sight。'

'Your　tongue　gars　me　whiles　tire　of　the　blessing　of　hearing；　woman；'　replied　'Willie；　in　answer　to　this　tender　exhortation。

But　I　now　put　in　for　my　interest。　　'Hollo；　good　folks；　remember　that　I　am　to　send　the　boy　to　Mount　Sharon；　and　if　you　go　to　the　Shepherd's　Bush；　honest　woman；　how　the　deuce　am　I　to　guide　the　blind　man　where　he　is　going？　　I　know　little　or　nothing　of　the　country。'

'And　ye　ken　mickle　less　of　my　hinnie；　sir；'　replied　Maggie；　'that　think　he　needs　ony　guiding；　he's　the　best　guide　himsell　that　ye'll　find　between　Criffell　and　Carlisle。　　Horse…road　and　foot…　path；　parish…road　and　kirk…road；　high…road　and　cross…road；　he　kens　ilka　foot　of　ground　in　Nithsdale。'

'Aye；　ye　might　have　said　in　braid　Scotland；　gudewife；'　added　the　fiddler。　　'But　gang　your　ways；　Maggie；　that's　the　first　wise　word　ye　hae　spoke　the　day。　　I　wish　it　was　dark　night；　and　rain；　and　wind；　for　the　gentleman's　sake；　that　I　might　show　him　there　is　whiles　when　ane　had　better　want　een　than　have　them；　for　I　am　as　true　a　guide　by　darkness　as　by　daylight。'

Internally　as　well　pleased　that　my　companion　was　not　put　to　give　me　this　last　proof　of　his　skill；　I　wrote　a　note　with　a　pencil；　desiring　Samuel　to　bring　my　horses　at　midnight；　when　I　thought　my　frolic　would　be　wellnigh　over；　to　the　place　to　which　the　bearer　should　direct　him；　and　I　sent　little　Benjie　with　an　apology　to　the　worthy　Quakers。

As　we　parted　in　different　directions；　the　good　woman　said；　'Oh；　sir；　if　ye　wad　but　ask　Willie　to　tell　ye　ane　of　his　tales　to　shorten　the　gate！　　He　can　speak　like　ony　minister　frae　the　pu'pit；　and　he　might　have　been　a　minister　himsell；　but'

'Haud　your　tongue；　ye　fule！'　　said　Willie；'But　stay；　Meggie　me　a　kiss；　ne　maunna　part　in　anger；　neither。'And　thus　our　society　separated。

＇It　is　certain　that　in　many　cases　the　blind　have；　by　constant　exercise　of　their　other　organs；　learned　to　overcome　a　defect　which　one　would　think　incapable　of　being　supplied。　　Every　reader　must　remember　the　celebrated　Blind　Jack　of　Knaresborough；　who　lived　by　laying　out　roads。＇




LETTER　XI

THE　SAME　TO　THE　SAME

You　are　now　to　conceive　us　proceeding　in　our　different　directions　across　the　bare　downs。　　Yonder　flies　little　Benjie　to　the　northward　with　Hemp　scampering　at　his　heels；　both　running　as　if　for　dear　life　so　long　as　the　rogue　is　within　sight　of　his　employer；　and　certain　to　take　the　walk　very　easy　so　soon　as　he　is　out　of　ken。　　Stepping　westward；　you　see　Maggie's　tall　form　and　high…crowned　hat；　relieved　by　the　fluttering　of　her　plaid　upon　the　left　shoulder；　darkening　as　the　distance　diminishes　her　size　and　as　the　level　sunbeams　begin　to　sink　upon　the　sea。　　She　is　taking　her　quiet　journey　to　the　Shepherd's　Bush。

Then；　stoutly　striding　over　the　lea；　you　have　a　full　view　of　Darsie　Latimer；　with　his　new　acquaintance；　Wandering　Willie；　who；　bating　that　he　touched　the　ground　now　and　then　with　his　staff；　not　in　a　doubtful　groping　manner；　but　with　the　confident　air　of　an　experienced　pilot；　heaving　the　lead　when　he　has　the　soundings　by　heart；　walks　as　firmly　and　boldly　as　if　he　possessed　the　eyes　of　Argus。　　There　they　go；　each　with　his　violin　slung　at　his　back；　but　one　of　them　at　least　totally　ignorant　whither　their　course　is　directed。

And　wherefore　did　you　enter　so　keenly　into　such　a　mad　frolic？　says　my　wise　counsellor。Why；　I　think；　upon　the　whole；　that　as　a　sense　of　loneliness；　and　a　longing　for　that　kindness　which　is　interchanged　in　society；　led　me　to　take　up　my　temporary　residence　at　Mount　Sharon；　the　monotony　of　my　life　there；　the　quiet　simplicity　of　the　conversation　of　the　Geddeses；　and　the　uniformity　of　their　amusements　and　employments；　wearied　out　my　impatient　temper；　and　prepared　me　for　the　first　escapade　which　chance　might　throw　in　my　way。

What　would　I　have　given　that　I　could　have　procured　that　solemn　grave　visage　of　thine；　to　dignify　this　joke；　as　it　has　done　full　many　a　one　of　thine　own！　　Thou　hast　so　happy　a　knack　of　doing　the　most　foolish　things　in　the　wisest　manner；　that　thou　mightst　pass　thy　extravagances　for　rational　actions；　even　in　the　eyes　of　Prudence　herself。

From　the　direction　which　my　guide　observed；　I　began　to　suspect　that　the　dell　at　Brokenburn　was　our　probable　destination；　and　it　became　important　to　me　to　consider　whether　I　could；　with　propriety；　or　even　perfect　safety；　intrude　myself　again　upon　the　hospitality　of　my　former　host。　　I　therefore　asked　Willie　whether　we　were　bound　for　the　laird's；　as　folk　called　him。

'Do　ye　ken　the　laird？'　　said　Willie；　interrupting　a　sonata　of　Corelli；　of　which　he　had　whistled　several　bars　with　great　precision。

'I　know　the　laird　a　little；'　said　I；　'and　therefore　I　was　doubting　whether　I　ought　to　go　to　his　town　in　disguise。'

'I　should　doubt；　not　a　little　only；　but　a　great　deal；　before　I　took　ye　there；　my　chap；'　said　Wandering　Willie；　'for　I　am　thinking　it　wad　be　worth　little　less　than　broken　banes　baith　to　you　and　me。　　Na；　na；　chap；　we　are　no　ganging　to　the　laird's；　but　to　a　blithe　birling　at　the　Brokenburn…foot；　where　there　will　be　mony　a　braw　lad　and　lass；　and　maybe　there　may　be　some　of　the　laird's　folks；　for　he　never　comes　to　sic　splores　himsell。　　He　is　all　for　fowling…piece　and　salmon…spear；　now　that　pike　and　musket　are　out　of　the　question。'

'He　has　been　at　soldier；　then？'　　said　I。

'I'se　warrant　him　a　soger；'　answered　Willie；　'but　take　my　advice；　and　speer　as　little　about　him　as　he　does　about　you。　　Best　to　let　sleeping　dogs　lie。　　Better　say　naething　about　the　laird；　my　man；　and　tell　me　instead；　what　sort　of　a　chap　ye　are　that　are　sae　ready　to　cleik　in　with　an　auld　gaberlunzie　fiddler？　　Maggie　says　ye're　gentle；　but　a　shilling　maks　a'　the　difference　that　Maggie　kens　between　a　gentle　and　a　semple；　and　your　crowns　wad　mak　ye　a　prince　of　the　blood　in　her　een。　　But　I　am　ane　that　ken　full　weel　that　ye　may　wear　good　claithes；　and　have　a　saft　hand；　and　yet　that　may　come　of　idleness　as　weel　as　gentrice。'

I　told　him　my　name；　with　the　same　addition　I　had　formerly　given　to　Mr。　Joshua　Geddes；　that　I　was　a　law…student；　tired　of　my　studies；　and　rambling　about　for　exercise　and　amusement。

'And　are　ye　in　the　wont　of　drawing　up　wi'　a'　the　gangrel　bodies　that　ye　meet　on　the　high…road；　or　find　cowering　in　a　sand…bunker　upon　the　links？'　　demanded　Willie。

'Oh；　no；　only　with　honest　folks　like　yourself；　Willie；'　was　my　reply。

'Honest　folks　like　me！　　How　do　ye　ken　whether　I　am　honest；　or　what　I　am？　　I　may　be　the　deevil　himsell　for　what　ye　ken；　for　he　has　power　to　come　disguised　like　an　angel　of　light；　and　besides　he　is　a　prime　fiddler。　　He　played　a　sonata　to　Corelli；　ye　ken。'

There　was　something　odd　in　this　speech；　and　the　tone　in　which　it　was　said。　　It　seemed　as　if　my　companion　was　not　always　in　his　constant　mind；　or　that　he　was　willing　to　try　if　he　could　frighten　me。　　I　laughed　at　the　extravagance　of　his　language；　however；　and　asked　him　in　reply；　if　he　was　fool　enough　to　believe　that　the　foul　fiend　would　play　so　silly　a　masquerade。

'Ye　ken　little　about　itlittle　about　it；'　said　the　old　man；　shaking　his　head　and　beard；　and　knitting　his　brows；　'I　could　tell　ye　something　about　that。'

What　his　wife　mentioned　of　his　being　a　tale…teller；　as　well　as　a　musician；　now　occurred　to　me；　and　as　you　know　I　like　tales　of　superstition；　I　begged　to　have　a　specimen　of　his　talent　as　we　went　along。

'It　is　very　true；'　said　the　blind　man；　'that　when　I　am　tired　of　scraping　thairm　or　singing　ballants；　I　whiles　mak　a　tale　serve　the　turn　among　the　country　bodies；　and　I　have　some　fearsome　anes；　that　make　the　auld　carlines　shake　on　the　settle；　and　the　bits　o'　bairns　skirl　on　their　minnies　out　frae　their　beds。　　But　this　that　I　am　gaun　to　tell　you　was　a　thing　that　befell　in　our　ain　house　in　my　father's　timethat　is；　my　father　was　then　a　hafflins　callant；　and　I　tell　it　to　you　that　it　may　be　a　lesson　to　you；　that　are　but　a　young；　thoughtless　chap；　wha　ye　draw　up　wi'　on　a　lonely　road；　for　muckle　was　the　dool　and　care　that　came　o't　to　my　gudesire。'

He　commenced　his　tale　accordingly；　in　a　distinct　narrative　tone　of　voice　which　he　raised　and　depressed　with　considerable　skill；　at　times　sinking　almost　into　a　whisper；　and　turning　his　clear　but　sightless　eyeballs　upon　my　face；　as　if　it　had　been　possible　for　him　to　witness　the　impression　which　his　narrative　made　upon　my　features。　　I　will　not　spare　you　a　syllable　of　it；　although　it　be　of　the　longest；　so　I　make　a　dashand　begin

WANDERING　WILLIE'S　TALE。

Ye　maun　have　heard　of　Sir　Robert　Redgauntlet　of　that　Ilk；　who　lived　in　these　parts　before　the　dear　years。　　The　country　will　lang　mind　him；　and　our　fathers　used　to　draw　breath　thick　if　ever　they　heard　him　named。　　He　was　out　wi'　the　Hielandmen　in　Montrose's　time；　and　again　he　was　in　the　hills　wi'　Glencairn　in　the　saxteen　hundred　and　fifty…twa；　and　sae　when　King　Charles　the　Second　came　in；　wha　was　in　sic　favour　as　the　Laird　of　Redgauntlet？　　He　was　knighted　at　Lonon　court；　wi'　the　king's　ain　sword；　and　being　a　redhot　prelatist；　he　came　down　here；　rampauging　like　a　lion；　with　commissions　of　lieutenancy　（and　of　lunacy；　for　what　I　ken）　to　put　down　a'　the　Whigs　and　Covenanters　in　the　country。　　Wild　wark　they　made　of　it；　for　the　Whigs　were　as　dour　as　the　Cavaliers　were