redgauntlet-第4部分

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though　this　very　reasonable　reflection　comes　across　me；　and　though　I　do　confess　that　four　hundred　a　year　in　possession；　eight　hundred　in　near　prospect；　and　the　Ld　knows　how　many　hundreds　more　in　the　distance；　are　very　pretty　and　comfortable　things；　yet　I　would　freely　give　one　half　of　them　to　call　your　father　father；　though　he　should　scold　me　for　my　idleness　every　hour　of　the　day；　and　to　call　you　brother；　though　a　brother　whose　merits　would　throw　my　own　so　completely　into　the　shade。

The　faint；　yet　not　improbable；　belief　has　often　come　across　me；　that　your　father　knows　something　more　about　my　birth　and　condition　than　he　is　willing　to　communicate；　it　is　so　unlikely　that　I　should　be　left　in　Edinburgh　at　six　years　old；　without　any　other　recommendation　than　the　regular　payment　of　my　board　to　old　M；　＇Probably　Mathieson；　the　predecessor　of　Dr。　Adams；　to　whose　memory　the　author　and　his　contemporaries　owe　a　deep　debt　of　gratitude。＇　　of　the　High　School。　　Before　that　time；　as　I　have　often　told　you；　I　have　but　a　recollection　of　unbounded　indulgence　on　my　mother's　part；　and　the　most　tyrannical　exertion　of　caprice　on　my　own。　　I　remember　still　how　bitterly　she　sighed；　how　vainly　she　strove　to　soothe　me；　while；　in　the　full　energy　of　despotism；　I　roared　like　ten　bull…calves；　for　something　which　it　was　impossible　to　procure　for　me。　　She　is　dead；　that　kind；　that　ill…　rewarded　mother！　　I　remember　the　long　facesthe　darkened　rooms　the　black　hangingsthe　mysterious　impression　made　upon　my　mind　by　the　hearse　and　mourning　coaches；　and　the　difficulty　which　I　had　to　reconcile　all　this　to　the　disappearance　of　my　mother。　　I　do　not　think　I　had　before　this　event　formed；　any　idea；　of　death；　or　that　I　had　even　heard　of　that　final　consummation　of　all　that　lives。　　The　first　acquaintance　which　I　formed　with　it　deprived　me　of　my　only　relation。

A　clergyman　of　venerable　appearance；　our　only　visitor；　was　my　guide　and　companion　in　a　journey　of　considerable　length；　and　in　the　charge　of　another　elderly　man；　substituted　in　his　place；　I　know　not　how　or　why；　I　completed　my　journey　to　Scotlandand　this　is　all　I　recollect。

I　repeat　the　little　history　now；　as　I　have　a　hundred　times　before；　merely　because　I　would　wring　some　sense　out　of　it。　　Turn；　then；　thy　sharp；　wire…drawing；　lawyer…like　ingenuity　to　the　same　taskmake　up　my　history　as　though　thou　wert　shaping　the　blundering　allegations　of　some　blue…bonneted；　hard…headed　client；　into　a　condescendence　of　facts　and　circumstances；　and　thou　shalt　be；　not　my　ApolloQUID　TIBI　CUM　LYRA？but　my　Lord　Stair；　＇Celebrated　as　a　Scottish　lawyer。＇　　Meanwhile；　I　have　written　myself　out　of　my　melancholy　and　blue　devils；　merely　by　prosing　about　them；　so　I　will　now　converse　half　an　hour　with　Roan　Robin　in　his　stallthe　rascal　knows　me　already；　and　snickers　whenever　I　cross　the　threshold　of　the　stable。

The　black　which　you　bestrode　yesterday　morning　promises　to　be　an　admirable　roadster；　and　ambled　as　easily　with　Sam　and　the　portmanteau；　as　with　you　and　your　load　of　law…learning。　　Sam　promises　to　be　steady；　and　has　hitherto　been　so。　　No　long　trial；　you　will　say。　　He　lays　the　blame　of　former　inaccuracies　on　evil　companythe　people　who　were　at　the　livery…stable　were　too　seductive；　I　supposehe　denies　he　ever　did　the　horse　injustice　would　rather　have　wanted　his　own　dinner；　he　says。　　In　this　I　believe　him；　as　Roan　Robin's　ribs　and　coat　show　no　marks　of　contradiction。　　However；　as　he　will　meet　with　no　saints　in　the　inns　we　frequent；　and　as　oats　are　sometimes　as　speedily　converted　into　ale　as　John　Barleycorn　himself；　I　shall　keep　a　look…out　after　Master　Sam。　　Stupid　fellow！　　had　he　not　abused　my　good　nature；　I　might　have　chatted　to　him　to　keep　my　tongue　in　exercise；　whereas　now　I　must　keep　him　at　a　distance。

Do　you　remember　what　Mr。　Fairford　said　to　me　on　this　subjectit　did　not　become　my　father's　son　to　speak　in　that　manner　to　Sam's　father's　son？　　I　asked　you　what　your　father　could　possibly　know　of　mine；　and　you　answered；　'As　much；　you　supposed；　as　he　knew　of　Sam'sit　was　a　proverbial　expression。'　　This　did　not　quite　satisfy　me；　though　I　am　sure　I　cannot　tell　why　it　should　not。　But　I　am　returning　to　a　fruitless　and　exhausted　subject。　　Do　not　be　afraid　that　I　shall　come　back　on　this　well…trodden　yet　pathless　field　of　conjecture。　　I　know　nothing　so　useless；　so　utterly　feeble　and　contemptible；　as　the　groaning　forth　one's　lamentations　into　the　ears　of　our　friends。

I　would　fain　promise　you　that　my　letters　shall　be　as　entertaining　as　I　am　determined　they　shall　be　regular　and　well　filled。　　We　have　an　advantage　over　the　dear　friends　of　old；　every　pair　of　them。　　Neither　David　and　Jonathan；　nor　Orestes　and　Pylades；　nor　Damon　and　Pythiasalthough；　in　the　latter　case　particularly；　a　letter　by　post　would　have　been　very　acceptableever　corresponded　together；　for　they　probably　could　not　write；　and　certainly　had　neither　post　nor　franks　to　speed　their　effusions　to　each　other；　whereas　yours；　which　you　had　from　the　old　peer；　being　handled　gently；　and　opened　with　precaution；　may　be　returned　to　me　again；　and　serve　to　make　us　free　of　his　Majesty's　post　office；　during　the　whole　time　of　my　proposed　tour。　　＇It　is　well　known　and　remembered；　that　when　Members　of　Parliament　enjoyed　the　unlimited　privilege　of　franking　by　the　mere　writing　the　name　on　the　cover；　it　was　extended　to　the　most　extraordinary　occasions。　　One　noble　lord；　to　express　his　regard　for　a　particular　regiment；　franked　a　letter　for　every　rank　and　file。　　It　was　customary　also　to　save　the　covers　and　return　them；　in　order　that　the　correspondence　might　be　carried　on　as　long　as　the　envelopes　could　hold　together。＇　　Mercy　upon　us；　Alan！　　what　letters　I　shall　have　to　send　to　you；　with　an　account　of　all　that　I　can　collect；　of　pleasant　or　rare；　in　this　wild…goose　jaunt　of　mine！　　All　I　stipulate　is　that　you　do　not　communicate　them　to　the　SCOTS　MAGAZINE；　for　though　you　used；　in　a　left…handed　way；　to　compliment　me　on　my　attainments　in　the　lighter　branches　of　literature；　at　the　expense　of　my　deficiency　in　the　weightier　matters　of　the　law；　I　am　not　yet　audacious　enough　to　enter　the　portal　which　the　learned　Ruddiman　so　kindly　opened　for　the　acolytes　of　the　Muses。VALE　SIS　MEMOR　MEI。　　D。　L。

PS。　Direct　to　the　Post　Office　here。　　I　shall　leave　orders　to　forward　your　letters　wherever　I　may　travel。




LETTER　II

ALAN　FAIRFORD　TO　DARSIE　LATIMER

NEGATUR；　my　dear　Darsieyou　have　logic　and　law　enough　to　understand　the　word　of　denial。　　I　deny　your　conclusion。　　The　premises　I　admit；　namely；　that　when　I　mounted　on　that　infernal　hack；　I　might　utter　what　seemed　a　sigh；　although　I　deemed　it　lost　amid　the　puffs　and　groans　of　the　broken…winded　brute；　matchless　in　the　complication　of　her　complaints　by　any　save　she；　the　poor　man's　mare；　renowned　in　song；　that　died

　　A　mile　aboon　Dundee。

＇Alluding；　as　all　Scotsmen　know；　to　the　humorous　old　song：　　'The　auld　man's　mare's　dead；　　　The　puir　man's　mare's　dead；　　　The　auld　man's　mare's　dead；　　　A　mile　aboon　Dundee。'＇

But　credit　me；　Darsie；　the　sigh　which　escaped　me；　concerned　thee　more　than　myself；　and　regarded　neither　the　superior　mettle　of　your　cavalry；　nor　your　greater　command　of　the　means　of　travelling。　　I　could　certainly　have　cheerfully　ridden　with　you　for　a　few　days；　and　assure　yourself　I　would　not　have　hesitated　to　tax　your　better　filled　purse　for　our　joint　expenses。　　But　you　know　my　father　considers　every　moment　taken　from　the　law　as　a　step　down　hill；　and　I　owe　much　to　his　anxiety　on　my　account；　although　its　effects　are　sometimes　troublesome。　　For　example：

I　found；　on　my　arrival　at　the　shop　in　Brown's　Square；　that　the　old　gentleman　had　returned　that　very　evening；　impatient；　it　seems；　of　remaining　a　night　out　of　the　guardianship　of　the　domestic　Lares。　　Having　this　information　from　James；　whose　brow　wore　rather　an　anxious　look　on　the　occasion；　I　dispatched　a　Highland　chairman　to　the　livery　stable　with　my　Bucephalus；　and　slunk；　with　as　little　noise　as　might　be；　into　my　own　den；　where　I　began　to　mumble　certain　half…gnawed　and　not　half…digested　doctrines　of　our　municipal　code。　　I　was　not　long　seated；　when　my　father's　visage　was　thrust；　in　a　peering　sort　of　way；　through　the　half…opened　door；　and　withdrawn；　on　seeing　my　occupation；　with　a　half…articulated　HUMPH！　which　seemed　to　convey　a　doubt　of　the　seriousness　of　my　application。　　If　it　were　so；　I　cannot　condemn　him；　for　recollection　of　thee　occupied　me　so　entirely　during　an　hour's　reading；　that　although　Stair　lay　before　me；　and　notwithstanding　that　I　turned　over　three　or　four　pages；　the　sense　of　his　lordship's　clear　and　perspicuous　style　so　far　escaped　me；　that　I　had　the　mortification　to　find　my　labour　was　utterly　in　vain。

Ere　I　had　brought　up　my　lee…way；　James　appeared　with　his　summons　to　our　frugal　supperradishes；　cheese；　and　a　bottle　of　the　old　ale…only　two　plates　thoughand　no　chair　set　for　Mr。　Darsie；　by　the　attentive　James　Wilkinson。　　Said　James；　with　his　long　face；　lank　hair；　and　very　long　pig…tail　in　its　leathern　strap；　was　placed；　as　usual；　at　the　back　of　my　father's　chair；　upright　as　a　wooden　sentinel　at　the　door　of　a　puppet…show。　　'You　may　go　down；　James；'　said　my　father；　and　exit　Wilkinson。What　is　to　come　next？　　thought　I；　for　the　weather　is　not　clear　on　the　paternal　brow。

My　boots　encountered　his　first　glance　of　displeasure；　and　he　asked　me；　with　a　sneer；　which　way　I　had　been　riding。　　He　expected　me　to　answer；　'Nowhere；'　and　would　then　have　been　at　me　with　his　usual　sarcasm；　touching　the　humour　of　walking　in　shoes　at　twenty　shillings　a　pair。　　But　I　answered　with　composure；　that　I　had　ridden　out　to　dinner　as　far　as　Noble　House。　　He　started　（you　know　his　way）　as　if　I　had　said　that　I　had　dined　at　Jericho；　and　as　I　did　not　choose　to　seem　to　observe　his　surprise；　but　continued　munching　my　radishes　in　tranquillity；　he　broke　forth　in　ire。

'To　Noble　House；　sir！　and　what　had　you　to　do　at　Noble　House；　sir？　Do　you　remember　you　are　studying　law；　sir？that　your　Scots　law　trials　are　coming　on；　sir？that　every　moment　of　your　time　just　now　is　worth　hours　at　another　time？and　have　you　leisure　to　go　to　Noble　House；　sir？and　to　throw　your　books　behind　you　for　so　many　hours？Had　it　been　a　turn　in　the　meadows；　or　even　a　game　at　golfbut　Noble　House；　sir！'

'I　went　so　far　with　Darsie　Latimer；　sir；　to　see　him　begin　his　journey。'

'Darsie　Latimer？'