redgauntlet-第26部分

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nanters　in　the　country。　　Wild　wark　they　made　of　it；　for　the　Whigs　were　as　dour　as　the　Cavaliers　were　fierce；　and　it　was　which　should　first　tire　the　other。　　Redgauntlet　was　ay　for　the　strong　hand；　and　his　name　is　kend　as　wide　in　the　country　as　Claverhouse's　or　Tam　Dalyell's。　　Glen；　nor　dargle；　nor　mountain；　nor　cave；　could　hide　the　puir　hill…folk　when　Redgauntlet　was　out　with　bugle　and　bloodhound　after　them；　as　if　they　had　been　sae　mony　deer。　　And　troth　when　they　fand　them；　they　didna　mak　muckle　mair　ceremony　than　a　Hielandman　wi'　a　roebuckit　was　just；　'Will　ye　tak　the　test？'if　not；　'Make　readypresentfire！'and　there　lay　the　recusant。

Far　and　wide　was　Sir　Robert　hated　and　feared。　　Men　thought　he　had　a　direct　compact　with　Satanthat　he　was　proof　against　steeland　that　bullets　happed　aff　his　buff…coat　like　hailstanes　from　a　hearththat　he　had　a　mear　that　would　turn　a　hare　on　the　side　of　Carrifra…gawns　＇A　precipitous　side　of　a　mountain　in　Moffatdale。＇　and　muckle　to　the　same　purpose；　of　whilk　mair　anon。　　The　best　blessing　they　wared　on　him　was；　'Deil　scowp　wi'　Redgauntlet！'　　He　wasna　a　bad　master　to　his　ain　folk；　though；　and　was　weel　aneugh　liked　by　his　tenants；　and　as　for　the　lackies　and　troopers　that　raid　out　wi'　him　to　the　persecutions；　as　the　Whigs　caa'd　those　killing　times；　they　wad　hae　drunken　themsells　blind　to　his　health　at　ony　time。

Now　you　are　to　ken　that　my　gudesire　lived　on　Redgauntlet's　grund　they　ca'　the　place　Primrose　Knowe。　　We　had　lived　on　the　grund；　and　under　the　Redgauntlets；　since　the　riding　days；　and　lang　before。　　It　was　a　pleasant　bit；　and　I　think　the　air　is　callerer　and　fresher　there　than　onywhere　else　in　the　country。　　It's　a'　deserted　now；　and　I　sat　on　the　broken　door…cheek　three　days　since；　and　was　glad　I　couldna　see　the　plight　the　place　was　in；　but　that's　a'　wide　o'　the　mark。　　There　dwelt　my　gudesire；　Steenie　Steenson；　a　rambling；　rattling　chiel'　he　had　been　in　his　young　days；　and　could　play　weel　on　the　pipes；　he　was　famous　at　'Hoopers　and　Girders'a'　Cumberland　couldna；　touch　him　at　'Jockie　Lattin'and　he　had　the　finest　finger　for　the　back…lilt　between　Berwick　and　Carlisle。　　The　like　o'　Steenie　wasna　the　sort　that　they　made　Whigs　o'。　　And　so　he　became　a　Tory；　as　they　ca'　it；　which　we　now　ca'　Jacobites；　just　out　of　a　kind　of　needcessity；　that　he　might　belang　to　some　side　or　other。　　He　had　nae　ill　will　to　the　Whig　bodies；　and　liked　little　to　see　the　blude　rin；　though；　being　obliged　to　follow　Sir　Robert　in　hunting　and　hoisting；　watching　and　warding；　he　saw　muckle　mischief；　and　maybe　did　some；　that　he　couldna　avoid。

Now　Steenie　was　a　kind　of　favourite　with　his　master；　and　kend　a'　the　folks　about　the　castle；　and　was　often　sent　for　to　play　the　pipes　when　they　were　at　their　merriment。　　Auld　Dougal　MacCallum；　the　butler；　that　had　followed　Sir　Robert　through　gude　and　ill；　thick　and　thin；　pool　and　stream；　was　specially　fond　of　the　pipes；　and　ay　gae　my　gudesire　his　gude　word　wi'　the　laird；　for　Dougal　could　turn　his　master　round　his　finger。

Weel；　round　came　the　Revolution；　and　it　had　like　to　have　broken　the　hearts　baith　of　Dougal　and　his　master。　　But　the　change　was　not　a'thegether　sae　great　as　they　feared；　and　other　folk　thought　for。　　The　Whigs　made　an　unco　crawing　what　they　wad　do　with　their　auld　enemies；　and　in　special　wi'　Sir　Robert　Redgauntlet。　　But　there　were　ower　mony　great　folks　dipped　in　the　same　doings；　to　mak　a　spick　and　span　new　warld。　　So　Parliament　passed　it　a'　ower　easy；　and　Sir　Robert；　bating　that　he　was　held　to　hunting　foxes　instead　of　Covenanters；　remained　just　the　man　he　was。　　＇The　caution　and　moderation　of　King　William　III；　and　his　principles　of　unlimited　toleration；　deprived　the　Cameronians　of　the　opportunity　they　ardently　desired；　to　retaliate　the　injuries　which　they　had　received　during　the　reign　of　prelacy；　and　purify　the　land；　as　they　called　it；　from　the　pollution　of　blood。　　They　esteemed　the　Revolution；　therefore；　only　a　half　measure；　which　neither　comprehended　the　rebuilding　the　Kirk　in　its　full　splendour；　nor　the　revenge　of　the　death　of　the　Saints　on　their　persecutors。＇　His　revel　was　as　loud；　and　his　hall　as　weel　lighted；　as　ever　it　had　been；　though　maybe　he　lacked　the　fines　of　the　nonconformists；　that　used　to　come　to　stock　his　larder　and　cellar；　for　it　is　certain　he　began　to　be　keener　about　the　rents　than　his　tenants　used　to　find　him　before；　and　they　behoved　to　be　prompt　to　the　rent…day；　or　else　the　laird　wasna　pleased。　　And　he　was　sic　an　awsome　body；　that　naebody　cared　to　anger　him；　for　the　oaths　he　swore；　and　the　rage　that　he　used　to　get　into；　and　the　looks　that　he　put　on；　made　men　sometimes　think　him　a　devil　incarnate。

Weel；　my　gudesire　was　nae　managerno　that　he　was　a　very　great　misguiderbut　he　hadna　the　saving　gift；　and　he　got　twa　terms'　rent　in　arrear。　　He　got　the　first　brash　at　Whitsunday　put　ower　wi'　fair　word　and　piping；　but　when　Martinmas　came；　there　was　a　summons　from　the　grund…officer　to　come　wi'　the　rent　on　a　day　preceese；　or　else　Steenie　behoved　to　flit。　　Sair　wark　he　had　to　get　the　siller；　but　he　was　weel…freended；　and　at　last　he　got　the　haill　scraped　thegethera　thousand　merksthe　maist　of　it　was　from　a　neighbour　they　ca'd　Laurie　Lapraika　sly　tod。　　Laurie　had　walth　o'　gearcould　hunt　wi'　the　hound　and　rin　wi'　the　hareand　be　Whig　or　Tory；　saunt　or　sinner；　as　the　wind　stood。　　He　was　a　professor　in　this　Revolution　warld；　but　he　liked　an　orra　sough　of　this　warld；　and　a　tune　on　the　pipes　weel　aneugh　at　a　bytime；　and　abune　a'；　he　thought　he　had　gude　security　for　the　siller　he　lent　my　gudesire　ower　the　stocking　at　Primrose　Knowe。

Away　trots　my　gudesire　to　Redgauntlet　Castle　wi'　a　heavy　purse　and　a　light　heart；　glad　to　be　out　of　the　laird's　danger。　　Weel；　the　first　thing　he　learned　at　the　castle　was；　that　Sir　Robert　had　fretted　himsell　into　a　fit　of　the　gout；　because　he　did　not　appear　before　twelve'　o'clock。　　It　wasna　a'thegether　for　sake　of　the　money；　Dougal　thought；　but　because　he　didna　like　to　part　wi'　my　gudesire　aff　the　grund。　　Dougal　was　glad　to　see　Steenie；　and　brought　him　into　the　great　oak　parlour；　and　there　sat　the　laird　his　leesome　lane；　excepting　that　he　had　beside　him　a　great；　ill…　favoured　jackanape；　that　was　a　special　pet　of　his；　a　cankered　beast　it　was；　and　mony　an　ill…natured　trick　it　playedill　to　please　it　was；　and　easily　angeredran　about　the　haill　castle；　chattering　and　yowling；　and　pinching；　and　biting　folk；　specially　before　ill　weather；　or　disturbances　in　the　state。　　Sir　Robert　caa'd　it　Major　Weir；　after　the　warlock　that　was　burnt；　＇A　celebrated　wizard；　executed　at　Edinburgh　for　sorcery　and　other　crimes。＇　　and　few　folk　liked　either　the　name　or　the　conditions　of　the　creaturethey　thought　there　was　something　in　it　by　ordinar　and　my　gudesire　was　not　just　easy　in　mind　when　the　door　shut　on　him；　and　he　saw　himself　in　the　room　wi'　naebody　but　the　laird；　Dougal　MacCallum；　and　the　major；　a　thing　that　hadna　chanced　to　him　before。

Sir　Robert　sat；　or；　I　should　say；　lay；　in　a　great　armed　chair；　wi'　his　grand　velvet　gown；　and　his　feet　on　a　cradle；　for　he　had　baith　gout　and　gravel；　and　his　face　looked　as　gash　and　ghastly　as　Satan's。　　Major　Weir　sat　opposite　to　him；　in　a　red　laced　coat；　and　the　laird's　wig　on　his　head；　and　ay　as　Sir　Robert　girned　wi'　pain；　the　jackanape　girned　too；　like　a　sheep's…head　between　a　pair　of　tangsan　ill…faur'd；　fearsome　couple　they　were。　　The　laird's　buff…coat　was　hung　on　a　pin　behind　him；　and　his　broadsword　and　his　pistols　within　reach；　for　he　keepit　up　the　auld　fashion　of　having　the　weapons　ready；　and　a　horse　saddled　day　and　night；　just　as　he　used　to　do　when　he　was　able　to　loup　on　horseback；　and　away　after　ony　of　the　hill…folk　he　could　get　speerings　of。　　Some　said　it　was　for　fear　of　the　Whigs　taking　vengeance；　but　I　judge　it　was　just　his　auld　customhe　wasna；　gien　to　fear　onything。　　The　rental…book；　wi'　its　black　cover　and　brass　clasps；　was　lying　beside　him；　and　a　book　of　sculduddry　sangs　was　put　betwixt　the　leaves；　to　keep　it　open　at　the　place　where　it　bore　evidence　against　the　Goodman　of　Primrose　Knowe；　as　behind　the　hand　with　his　mails　and　duties。　　Sir　Robert　gave　my　gudesire　a　look；　as　if　he　would　have　withered　his　heart　in　his　bosom。　　Ye　maun　ken　he　had　a　way　of　bending　his　brows；　that　men　saw　the　visible　mark　of　a　horseshoe　in　his　forehead；　deep　dinted；　as　if　it　had　been　stamped　there。

'Are　ye　come　light…handed；　ye　son　of　a　toom　whistle？'　　said　Sir　Robert。　　'Zounds！　　if　you　are'

My　gudesire；　with　as　gude　acountenance　as　he　could　put　on；　made　a　leg；　and　placed　the　bag　of　money　on　the　table　wi'　a　dash；　like　a　man　that　does　something　clever。　　The　laird　drew　it　to　him　hastily'Is　it　all　here；　Steenie；　man？'

'Your　honour　will　find　it　right；'　said　my　gudesire。

'Here；　Dougal；'　said　the　laird；　'gie　Steenie　a　tass　of　brandy　downstairs；　till　I　count　the　siller　and　write　the　receipt。'

But　they　werena　weel　out　of　the　room；　when　Sir　Robert　gied　a　yelloch　that　garr'd　the　castle　rock。　　Back　ran　Dougalin　flew　the　livery…menyell　on　yell　gied　the　laird；　ilk　ane　mair　awfu'　than　the　ither。　　My　gudesire　knew　not　whether　to　stand　or　flee；　but　he　ventured　back　into　the　parlour；　where　a'　was　gaun　hirdy…　girdienaebody　to　say　'come　in；'　or　'gae　out。'　　Terribly　the　laird　roared　for　cauld　water　to　his　feet；　and　wine　to　cool　his　throat；　and　Hell；　hell；　hell；　and　its　flames；　was　ay　the　word　in　his　mouth。　　They　brought　him　water；　and　when　they　plunged　his　swollen　feet　into　the　tub；　he　cried　out　it　was　burning；　and　folk　say　that　it　DID　bubble　and　sparkle　like　a　seething　cauldron。　　He　flung　the　cup　at　Dougal's　head；　and　said　he　had　given　him　blood　instead　of　burgundy；　and；　sure　aneugh；　the　lass　washed　clotted　blood　aff　the　carpet；　the　neist　day。　　The　jackanape　they　caa'd　Major　Weir；　it　jibbered　and　cried　as　if　it　was　mocking　its　master；　my　gudesire's　head　was　like　to　turnhe　forgot　baith　siller　and　receipt；　and　downstairs　he　banged；　but　as　he　ran；　the　shrieks　came　faint　and　fainter；　there　was　a　deep…drawn　shivering　groan；　and　word　gaed　through　the　castle　that　the　laird　was　dead。

Weel；　away　came　my　gudesire；　wi'　his　finger　in　his　mouth；　and　his　best　hope　was　that　Dougal　had　seen　the　money…bag；　and　heard　the　laird　speak　of　writing　the　receipt。　　The　young　laird；　now　Sir　John；　came　from　Edinburgh；　to　see　things　put　to　rights。　　Sir　John　and　his　father　never　gree'd　weel。