redgauntlet-第40部分

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nning　nor　end？　　Arms！　　What　would　he　do　with　arms；　or　what　would　any　man　do　with　them　that　is　not　a　regular　soldier　under　government；　or　else　a　thief…taker？　　I　have　had　enough　of　arms；　I　trow；　although　I　carried　them　for　King　George　and　the　government。　　But　this　is　a　worse　strait　than　Falkirk　field　yet。　　God　guide　us；　we　are　poor　inconsistent　creatures！　　To　think　the　lad　should　have　made　so　able　an　appearance；　and　then　bolted　off　this　gate；　after　a　glaiket　ne'er…　do…weel；　like　a　hound　upon　a　false　scent！　　Las…a…day！　　it's　a　sore　thing　to　see　a　stunkard　cow　kick　down　the　pail　when　it's　reaming　fou。　　But；　after　all；　it's　an　ill　bird　that　defiles　its　ain　nest。　I　must　cover　up　the　scandal　as　well　as　I　can。　　What's　the　matter　now；　James？'

'A　message；　sir；'　said　James　Wilkinson；　'from　my　Lord　President；　and　he　hopes　Mr。　Alan　is　not　seriously　indisposed。'

'From　the　Lord　President？　　the　Lord　preserve　us！I'll　send　an　answer　this　instant；　bid　the　lad　sit　down；　and　ask　him　to　drink；　James。　　Let　me　see；'　continued　he；　taking　a　sheet　of　gilt　paper　'how　we　are　to　draw　our　answers。'

Ere　his　pen　had　touched　the　paper；　James　was　in　the　room　again。

'What　now；　James？'

'Lord　Bladderskate's　lad　is　come　to　ask　how　Mr。　Alan　is；　as　he　left；　the　court'

'Aye；　aye；　aye；'　answered　Saunders；　bitterly；　'he　has　e'en　made　a　moonlight　flitting；　like　my　lord's　ain　nevoy。'

'Shall　I　say　sae；　sir？'　　said　James；　who；　as　an　old　soldier；　was　literal　in　all　things　touching　the　service。

'The　devil！　　no；　no！Bid　the　lad　sit　down　and　taste　our　ale。　　I　will　write　his　lordship　an　answer。'

Once　more　the　gilt　paper　was　resumed；　and　once　more　the　door　was　opened　by　James。

'Lord　　sends　his　servitor　to　ask　after　Mr。　Alan。'

'Oh；　the　deevil　take　their　civility！'　　said　poor　Saunders。　　set　him　down　to　drink　tooI　will　write　to　his　lordship。'

'The　lads　will　bide　your　pleasure；　sir；　as　lang　as　I　keep　the　bicker　fou；　but　this　ringing　is　like　to　wear　out　the　bell；　I　think；　there　are　they　at　it　again。'

He　answered　the　fresh　summons　accordingly；　and　came　back　to　inform　Mr。　Fairford　that　the　Dean　of　Faculty　was　below；　inquiring　for　Mr。　Alan。　　'Will　I　set　him　down　to　drink；　too？'　　said　James。

'Will　you　be　an　idiot；　sir？'　　said　Mr。　Fairford。　　'Show　Mr。　Dean　into　the　parlour。'

In　going　slowly　downstairs；　step　by　step；　the　perplexed　man　of　business　had　time　enough　to　reflect；　that　if　it　be　possible　to　put　a　fair　gloss　upon　a　true　story；　the　verity　always　serves　the　purpose　better　than　any　substitute　which　ingenuity　can　devise。　He　therefore　told　his　learned　visitor；　that　although　his　son　had　been　incommoded　by　the　heat　of　the　court；　and　the　long　train　of　hard　study；　by　day　and　night；　preceding　his　exertions；　yet　he　had　fortunately　so　far　recovered；　as　to　be　in　condition　to　obey　upon　the　instant　a　sudden　summons　which　had　called　him　to　the　country；　on　a　matter　of　life　and　death。

'It　should　be　a　serious　matter　indeed　that　takes　my　young　friend　away　at　this　moment；'　said　the　good…natured　dean。　　'I　wish　he　had　stayed　to　finish　his　pleading；　and　put　down　old　Tough。　　Without　compliment；　Mr。　Fairford；　it　was　as　fine　a　first　appearance　as　I　ever　heard。　　I　should　be　sorry　your　son　did　not　follow　it　up　in　a　reply。　　Nothing　like　striking　while　the　iron　is　hot。'

Mr。　Saunders　Fairford　made　a　bitter　grimace　as　he　acquiesced　in　an　opinion　which　was　indeed　decidedly　his　own；　but　he　thought　it　most　prudent　to　reply；　'that　the　affair　which　rendered　his　son　Alan's　presence　in　the　country　absolutely　necessary；　regarded　the　affairs　of　a　young　gentleman　of　great　fortune；　who　was　a　particular　friend　of　Alan's；　and　who　never　took　any　material　step　in　his　affairs　without　consulting　his　counsel　learned　in　the　law。'

'Well；　well；　Mr。　Fairford；　you　know　best；'　answered　the　learned　dean；　'if　there　be　death　or　marriage　in　the　case；　a　will　or　a　wedding　is　to　be　preferred　to　all　other　business。　　I　am　happy　Mr。　Alan　is　so　much　recovered　as　to　be　able　for　travel；　and　wish　you　a　very　good　morning。'

Having　thus　taken　his　ground　to　the　Dean　of　Faculty；　Mr。　Fairford　hastily　wrote　cards　in　answer　to　the　inquiry　of　the　three　judges；　accounting　for　Alan's　absence　in　the　same　manner。　　These；　being　properly　sealed　and　addressed；　he　delivered　to　James　with　directions　to　dismiss　the　particoloured　gentry；　who；　in　the　meanwhile；　had　consumed　a　gallon　of　twopenny　ale；　while　discussing　points　of　law；　and　addressing　each　other　by　their　masters'　titles。　　＇The　Scottish　judges　are　distinguished　by　the　title　of　lord　prefixed　to　their　own　temporal　designation。　　As　the　ladies　of　these　official　dignitaries　do　not　bear　any　share　in　their　husbands'　honours；　they　are　distinguished　only　by　their　lords'　family　name。　　They　were　not　always　contented　with　this　species　of　Salique　law；　which　certainly　is　somewhat　inconsistent。　But　their　pretensions　to　title　are　said　to　have　been　long　since　repelled　by　James　V；　the　sovereign　who　founded　the　College　of　Justice。　　'I；'　said　he；　'made　the　caries　lords；　but　who　the　devil　made　the　carlines　ladies？'＇

The　exertion　which　these　matters　demanded；　and　the　interest　which　so　many　persons　of　legal　distinction　appeared　to　have　taken　in　his　son；　greatly　relieved　the　oppressed　spirit　of　Saunders　Fairford；　who　continued；　to　talk　mysteriously　of　the　very　important　business　which　had　interfered　with　his　son's　attendance　during　the　brief　remainder　of　the　session。　　He　endeavoured　to　lay　the　same　unction　to　his　own　heart；　but　here　the　application　was　less　fortunate；　for　his　conscience　told　him　that　no　end；　however　important；　which　could　be　achieved　in　Darsie　Latimer's　affairs；　could　be　balanced　against　the　reputation　which　Alan　was　like　to　forfeit　by　deserting　the　cause　of　Poor　Peter　Peebles。

In　the　meanwhile；　although　the　haze　which　surrounded　the　cause；　or　causes；　of　that　unfortunate　litigant　had　been　for　a　time　dispelled　by　Alan's　eloquence；　like　a　fog　by　the　thunder　of　artillery；　yet　it　seemed　once　more　to　settle　down　upon　the　mass　of　litigation；　thick　as　the　palpable　darkness　of　Egypt；　at　the　very　sound　of　Mr。　Tough's　voice；　who；　on　the　second　day　after　Alan's　departure；　was　heard　in　answer　to　the　opening　counsel。　Deep…mouthed；　long…breathed；　and　pertinacious；　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff　betwixt　every　sentence；　which　otherwise　seemed　interminablethe　veteran　pleader　prosed　over　all　the　themes　which　had　been　treated　so　luminously　by　Fairford：　　he　quietly　and　imperceptibly　replaced　all　the　rubbish　which　the　other　had　cleared　away；　and　succeeded　in　restoring　the　veil　of　obscurity　and　unintelligibility　which　had　for　many　years　darkened　the　case　of　Peebles　against　Plainstanes；　and　the　matter　was　once　　more　hung　up　by　a　remit　to　an　accountant；　with　instruction　to　report　before　answer。　　So　different　a　result　from　that　which　the　public　had　been　led　to　expect　from　Alan's　speech　gave　rise　to　various　speculations。

The　client　himself　opined；　that　it　was　entirely　owing；　first；　to　his　own　absence　during　the　first　day's　pleading；　being；　as　he　said；　deboshed　with　brandy；　usquebaugh；　and　other　strong　waters；　at　John's　Coffee…house；　PER　AMBAGES　of　Peter　Drudgeit；　employed　to　that　effect　by　and　through　the　device；　counsel；　and　covyne　of　Saunders　Fairford；　his　agent；　or　pretended　agent。　　Secondly　by　the　flight　and　voluntary　desertion　of　the　younger　Fairford；　the　advocate；　on　account　of　which；　he　served　both　father　and　son　with　a　petition　and　complaint　against　them；　for　malversation　in　office。　　So　that　the　apparent　and　most　probable　issue　of　this　cause　seemed　to　menace　the　melancholy　Mr。　Saunders　Fairford；　with　additional　subject　for　plague　and　mortification；　which　was　the　more　galling；　as　his　conscience　told　him　that　the　case　was　really　given　away；　and　that　a　very　brief　resumption　of　the　former　argument；　with　reference　to　the　necessary　authorities　and　points　of　evidence；　would　have　enabled　Alan；　by　the　mere　breath；　as　it　were；　of　his　mouth；　to　blow　away　the　various　cobwebs　with　which　Mr。　Tough　had　again　invested　the　proceedings。　　But　it　went；　he　said；　just　like　a　decreet　in　absence；　and　was　lost　for　want　of　a　contradictor。

In　the　meanwhile；　nearly　a　week　passed　over　without　Mr。　Fairford　hearing　a　word　directly　from　his　son。　　He　learned；　indeed；　by　a　letter　from　Mr。　Crosbie；　that　the　young　counsellor　had　safely　reached　Dumfries；　but　had　left　that　town　upon　some　ulterior　researches；　the　purpose　of　which　he　had　not　communicated。　　The　old　man；　thus　left　to　suspense；　and　to　mortifying　recollections；　deprived　also　of　the　domestic　society　to　which　he　had　been　habituated；　began　to　suffer　in　body　as　well　as　in　mind。　　He　had　formed　the　determination　of　setting　out　in　person　for　Dumfriesshire；　when；　after　having　been　dogged；　peevish；　and　snappish　to　his　clerks　and　domestics；　to　an　unusual　and　almost　intolerable　degree；　the　acrimonious　humours　settled　in　a　hissing…　hot　fit　of　the　gout；　which　is　a　well…known　tamer　of　the　most　froward　spirits；　and　under　whose　discipline　we　shall；　for　the　present；　leave　him；　as　the　continuation　of　this　history　assumes；　with　the　next　division；　a　form　somewhat　different　from　direct　narrative　and　epistolary　correspondence；　though　partaking　of　the　character　of　both。




CHAPTER　III

JOURNAL　OF　DARSIE　LATIMER　（The　following　address　is　written　on　the　inside　of　the　envelope　which　contained　the　Journal。）

Into　what　hands　soever　these　leaves　may　fall；　they　will　instruct　him；　during　a　certain　time　at　least；　in　the　history　of　the　life　of　an　unfortunate　young　man；　who；　in　the　heart　of　a　free　country；　and　without　any　crime　being　laid　to　his　charge；　has　been；　and　is；　subjected　to　a　course　of　unlawful　and　violent　restraint。　　He　who　opens　this　letter；　is　therefore　conjured　to　apply　to　the　nearest　magistrate；　and；　following　such　indications　as　the　papers　may　afford；　to　exert　himself　for　the　relief　of　one；　who；　while　he　possesses　every　claim　to　assistance　which　oppressed　innocence　can　give；　has；　at　the　same　time；　both　the　inclination　and　the　means　of　being　grateful　to　his　deliverers。　　Or；　if　the　person　obtaining　these　letters　shall　want　courage　or　means　to　effect　the　writer's　release；　he　is；　in　that　case；　conjured；　by　every　duty　of　a　man　to　his　fellow　mortals；　and　of　a　Christian　towards　one　who　professes　the　same　holy　faith；　to　take　the　speediest　measures　for　conveying　them　with　speed　and　safe