redgauntlet-第49部分

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The　gentleman；　thus　announced　and　described；　bounced　into　the　room。　　But　I　have　already　written　as　much　as　fills　a　sheet　of　my　paper；　and　my　singular　embarrassments　press　so　hard　on　me　that　I　have　matter　to　fill　another　from　what　followed　the　intrusion　of　my　dear　Alanyour　crazy　clientPoor　Peter　Peebles！




CHAPTER　VII

LATIMER'S　JOURNAL；　IN　CONTINUATION

Sheet　2。

I　have　rarely　in　my　life；　till　the　last　alarming　days；　known　what　it　was　to　sustain　a　moment's　real　sorrow。　　What　I　called　such；　was；　I　am　now　well　convinced；　only　the　weariness　of　mind　which；　having　nothing　actually　present　to　complain　of；　turns　upon　itself　and　becomes　anxious　about　the　past　and　the　future；　those　periods　with　which　human　life　has　so　little　connexion；　that　Scripture　itself　hath　said；　'Sufficient　for　the　day　is　the　evil　thereof。'

If；　therefore；　I　have　sometimes　abused　prosperity；　by　murmuring　at　my　unknown　birth　and　uncertain　rank　in　society；　I　will　make　amends　by　bearing　my　present　real　adversity　with　patience　and　courage；　and；　if　I　can；　even　with　gaiety。　　What　can　theydare　they…do　to　me？　　Foxley；　I　am　persuaded；　is　a　real　Justice　of　Peace；　and　country　gentleman　of　estate；　though　（wonderful　to　tell！）　he　is　an　ass　notwithstanding；　and　his　functionary　in　the　drab　coat　must　have　a　shrewd　guess　at　the　consequences　of　being　accessory　to　an　act　of　murder　or　kidnapping。　　Men　invite　not　such　witnesses　to　deeds　of　darkness。　　I　have　alsoAlan；　I　have　hopes；　arising　out　of　the　family　of　the　oppressor　himself。　　I　am　encouraged　to　believe　that　G。M。　is　likely　again　to　enter　on　the　field。　　More　I　dare　not　here　say；　nor　must　I　drop　a　hint　which　another　eye　than　thine　might　be　able　to　construe。　　Enough；　my　feelings　are　lighter　than　they　have　been；　and；　though　fear　and　wonder　are　still　around　me；　they　are　unable　entirely　to　overcloud　the　horizon。

Even　when　I　saw　the　spectral　form　of　the　old　scarecrow　of　the　Parliament　House　rush　into　the　apartment　where　I　had　undergone　so　singular　an　examination；　I　thought　of　thy　connexion　with　him；　and　could　almost　have　parodied　Lear

　　Death！nothing　could　have　thus　subdued　nature　　　To　such　a　lowness；　but　his　'learned　lawyers。'

He　was　e'en　as　we　have　seen　him　of　yore；　Alan；　when；　rather　to　keep　thee　company　than　to　follow　my　own　bent；　I　formerly　frequented　the　halls　of　justice。　　The　only　addition　to　his　dress；　in　the　capacity　of　a　traveller；　was　a　pair　of　boots；　that　seemed　as　if　they　might　have　seen　the　field　of　Sheriffmoor；　so　large　and　heavy　that；　tied　as　they　were　to　the　creature's　wearied　hams　with　large　bunches　of　worsted　tape　of　various　colours；　they　looked　as　if　he　had　been　dragging　them　along；　either　for　a　wager　or　by　way　of　penance。

Regardless　of　the　surprised　looks　of　the　party　on　whom　he　thus　intruded　himself；　Peter　blundered　into　the　middle　of　the　apartment；　with　his　head　charged　like　a　ram's　in　the　act　of　butting；　and　saluted　them　thus：

'Gude　day　to　ye；　gude　day　to　your　honours。　　Is't　here　they　sell　the　fugie　warrants？'

I　observed　that　on　his　entrance；　my　friendor　enemydrew　himself　back；　and　placed　himself　as　if　he　would　rather　avoid　attracting　the　observation　of　the　new…comer。　　I　did　the　same　myself；　as　far　as　I　was　able；　for　I　thought　it　likely　that　Mr。　Peebles　might　recognize　me；　as　indeed　I　was　too　frequently　among　the　group　of　young　juridical　aspirants　who　used　to　amuse　themselves　by　putting　cases　for　Peter's　solution；　and　playing　him　worse　tricks；　yet　I　was　uncertain　whether　I　had　better　avail　myself　of　our　acquaintance　to　have　the　advantage；　such　as　it　might　be；　of　his　evidence　before　the　magistrate；　or　whether　to　make　him；　if　possible；　bearer　of　a　letter　which　might　procure　me　more　effectual　assistance。　　I　resolved；　therefore；　to　be　guided　by　circumstances；　and　to　watch　carefully　that　nothing　might　escape　me。　　I　drew　back　as　far　as　I　could；　and　even　reconnoitred　the　door　and　passage；　to　consider　whether　absolute　escape　might　not　be　practicable。　　But　there　paraded　Cristal　Nixon；　whose　little　black　eyes；　sharp　as　those　of　a　basilisk；　seemed；　the　instant　when　they　encountered　mine；　to　penetrate　my　purpose。

I　sat　down；　as　much　out　of　sight　of　all　parties　as　I　could；　and　listened　to　the　dialogue　which　followeda　dialogue　how　much　more　interesting　to　me　than　any　I　could　have　conceived；　in　which　Peter　Peebles　was　to　be　one　of　the　dramatis　personae！

'Is　it　here　where　ye　sell　the　warrantsthe　fugies；　ye　ken？'　said　Peter。

'Heyehwhat！'　　said　Justice　Foxley；　'what　the　devil　does　the　fellow　mean？What　would　you　have　a　warrant　for？'

'It　is　to　apprehend　a　young　lawyer　that　is　IN　MEDITATIONE　FUGAE；　for　he　has　ta'en　my　memorial　and　pleaded　my　cause；　and　a　good　fee　I　gave　him；　and　as　muckle　brandy　as　he　could　drink　that　day　at　his　father's　househe　loes　the　brandy　ower　weel　for　sae　youthful　a　creature。'

'And　what　has　this　drunken　young　dog　of　a　lawyer　done　to　you；　that　you　are　come　to　meehha？　　Has　he　robbed　you？　　Not　unlikely　if　he　be　a　lawyerehNickha？'　　said　Justice　Foxley。

'He　has　robbed　me　of　himself；　sir；'　answered　Peter；　'of　his　help；　comfort；　aid；　maintenance；　and　assistance；　whilk；　as　a　counsel　to　a　client；　he　is　bound　to　yield　me　RATIONE　OFFICIIthat　is　it；　ye　see。　　He　has　pouched　my　fee；　and　drucken　a　mutchkin　of　brandy；　and　now　he's　ower　the　march；　and　left　my　cause；　half　won　half　lostas　dead　a　heat　as　e'er　was　run　ower　the　back…sands。　　Now；　I　was　advised　by　some　cunning　laddies　that　are　used　to　crack　a　bit　law　wi'　me　in　the　House；　that　the　best　thing　I　could　do　was　to　take　heart　o'　grace　and　set　out　after　him；　so　I　have　taken　post　on　my　ain　shanks；　forby　a　cast　in　a　cart；　or　the　like。　　I　got　wind　of　him　in　Dumfries；　and　now　I　have　run　him　ower　to　the　English　side；　and　I　want　a　fugie　warrant　against　him。'

How　did　my　heart　throb　at　this　information；　dearest　Alan！　　Thou　art　near　me　then；　and　I　well　know　with　what　kind　purpose；　thou　hast　abandoned　all　to　fly　to　my　assistance；　and　no　wonder　that；　knowing　thy　friendship　and　faith；　thy　sound　sagacity　and　persevering　disposition；　'my　bosom's　lord　should　now　sit　lightly　on　his　throne'；　that　gaiety　should　almost　involuntarily　hover　on　my　pen；　and　that　my　heart　should　beat　like　that　of　a　general；　responsive　to　the　drums　of　his　advancing　ally；　without　whose　help　the　battle　must　have　been　lost。

I　did　not　suffer　myself　to　be　startled　by　this　joyous　surprise；　but　continued　to　bend　my　strictest　attention　to　what　followed　among　this　singular　party。　　That　Poor　Peter　Peebles　had　been　put　on　this　wildgoose　chase　by　some　of　his　juvenile　advisers　in　the　Parliament　House；　he　himself　had　intimated；　but　he　spoke　with　much　confidence；　and　the　Justice；　who　seemed　to　have　some　secret　apprehension　of　being　put　to　trouble　in　the　matter；　and；　as　sometimes　occurs　on　the　English　frontier；　a　jealousy　lest　the　superior　acuteness　of　their　northern　neighbours　might　overreach　their　own　simplicity；　turned　to　his　clerk　with　a　perplexed　countenance。

'EhohNickdn　theeHast　thou　got　nothing　to　say？　　This　is　more　Scots　law；　I　take　it；　and　more　Scotsmen。'　　（Here　he　cast　a　side…glance　at　the　owner　of　the　mansion；　and　winked　to　his　clerk。）　　'I　would　Solway　were　as　deep　as　it　is　wide；　and　we　had　then　some　chance　of　keeping　of　them　out。'

Nicholas　conversed　an　instant　aside　with　the　supplicant；　and　then　reported：

'The　man　wants　a　border…warrant；　I　think；　but　they　are　only　granted　for　debtnow　he　wants　one　to　catch　a　lawyer。'

'And　what　for　no？'　　answered　Peter　Peebles；　doggedly；　'what　for　no；　I　would　be　glad　to　ken？　　If　a　day's　labourer　refuse　to　work；　ye'll　grant　a　warrant　to　gar　him　do　out　his　daurgif　a　wench　quean　rin　away　from　her　hairst；　ye'll　send　her　back　to　her　heuck　againif　sae　mickle　as　a　collier　or　a　salter　make　a　moonlight　flitting；　ye　will　cleek　him　by　the　back…spaul　in　a　minute　of　timeand　yet　the　damage　canna　amount　to　mair　than　a　creelfu'　of　coals；　and　a　forpit　or　twa　of　saut；　and　here　is　a　chield　taks　leg　from　his　engagement；　and　damages　me　to　the　tune　of　sax　thousand　punds　sterling；　that　is；　three　thousand　that　I　should　win；　and　three　thousand　mair　that　I　am　like　to　lose；　and　you　that　ca'　yourself　a　justice　canna　help　a　poor　man　to　catch　the　rinaway？　　A　bonny　like　justice　I　am　like　to　get　amang　ye！'

'The　fellow　must　be　drunk；'　said　the　clerk。

'Black　fasting　from　all　but　sin；'　replied　the　supplicant；　'I　havena　had　mair　than　a　mouthful　of　cauld　water　since　I　passed　the　Border；　and　deil　a　ane　of　ye　is　like　to　say　to　me；　〃Dog；　will　ye　drink？〃'

The　Justice　seemed　moved　by　this　appeal。　　'Hem…tush；　man；'　replied　he；　'thou　speak'st　to　us　as　if　thou　wert　in　presence　of　one　of　thine　own　beggarly　justicesget　downstairsget　something　to　eat；　man　（with　permission　of　my　friend　to　make　so　free　in　his　house）；　and　a　mouthful　to　drink；　and　I　warrant　we　get　ye　such　justice　as　will　please　ye。'

'I　winna　refuse　your　neighbourly　offer；'　said　Poor　Peter　Peebles；　making　his　bow；　'muckle　grace　be　wi'　your　honour；　and　wisdom　to　guide　you　in　this　extraordinary　cause。'

When　I　saw　Peter　Peebles　about　to　retire　from　the　room；　I　could　not　forbear　an　effort　to　obtain　from　him　such　evidence　as　might　give　me　some　credit　with　the　Justice。　　I　stepped　forward；　therefore；　and；　saluting　him；　asked　him　if　he　remembered　me？

After　a　stare　or　two；　and　a　long　pinch　of　snuff；　recollection　seemed　suddenly　to　dawn　on　Peter　Peebles。　　'Recollect　ye！'　　he　said；　'by　my　troth　do　I。…Haud　him　a　grip；　gentlemen！　constables；　keep　him　fast！　　where　that　ill…deedie　hempy　is；　ye　are　sure　that　Alan　Fairford　is　not　far　off。　　Haud　him　fast；　Master　Constable；　I　charge　ye　wi'　him；　for　I　am　mista'en　if　he　is　not　at　the　bottom　of　this　rinaway　business。　　He　was　aye　getting　the　silly　callant　Alan　awa　wi'　gigs；　and　horse；　and　the　like　of　that；　to　Roslin；　and　Prestonpans；　and　a'　the　idle　gates　he　could　think　of。　　He's　a　rinaway　apprentice；　that　ane。'

'Mr。　Peebles；'　I　said；　'do　not　do　me　wrong。　　I　am　sure　you　can　say　no　harm　of　me　justly；　but　can　satisfy　these　gentlemen；　if　you　will；　that　I　am　a　student　of　law　in　EdinburghDarsie　Latimer　by　name。'

'Me　satisfy！　　how　can　I　satisfy　the　gentlemen；'　answered　Peter；　'that　am　sae　far　from　being　satisfied　mysell？　　I　ken　naething　about　your　name；　and　can　only　testify；　NIHIL　NOVIT　IN　CAUSA。'

'A　pretty　witness　you　have　brought　forward　in　your　favour；'　said　Mr。　Foxle