redgauntlet-第59部分

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　left　with　Miss　Geddes　his　direction　in　that　place；　and　an　earnest　request　that　she　would　forward　thither　whatever　information　she　might　obtain　from　her　brother。

On　Fairford's　return　to　Dumfries；　he　employed　the　brief　interval　which　remained　before　dinner…time；　in　writing　an　account　of　what　had　befallen　Latimer　and　of　the　present　uncertainty　of　his　condition；　to　Mr。　Samuel　Griffiths；　through　whose　hands　the　remittances　for　his　friend's　service　had　been　regularly　made；　desiring　he　would　instantly　acquaint　him　with　such　parts　of　his　history　as　might　direct　him　in　the　search　which　he　was　about　to　institute　through　the　border　counties；　and　which　he　pledged　himself　not；　to　give　up　until　he　had　obtained　news　of　his　friend；　alive　or　dead；　The　young　lawyer's　mind　felt　easier　when　he　had　dispatched　this　letter。　　He　could　not　conceive　any　reason　why　his　friend's　life　should　be　aimed　at；　he　knew　Darsie　had　done　nothing　by　which　his　liberty　could　be　legally　affected；　and　although；　even　of　late　years；　there　had　been　singular　histories　of　men；　and　women　also；　who　had　been　trepanned；　and　concealed　in　solitudes　and　distant　islands　in　order　to　serve　some　temporary　purpose；　such　violences　had　been　chiefly　practised　by　the　rich　on　the　poor；　and　by　the　strong　on　the　feeble；　whereas；　in　the　present　case；　this　Mr。　Herries；　or　Redgauntlet；　being　amenable；　for　more　reasons　than　one；　to　the　censure　of　the　law；　must　be　the　weakest　in　any　struggle　in　which　it　could　be　appealed　to。　　It　is　true；　that　his　friendly　anxiety　whispered　that　the　very　cause　which　rendered　this　oppressor　less　formidable；　might　make　him　more　desperate。　　Still；　recalling　his　language；　so　strikingly　that　of　the　gentleman；　and　even　of　the　man　of　honour；　Alan　Fairford　concluded；　that　though；　in　his　feudal　pride；　Redgauntlet　might　venture　on　the　deeds　of　violence　exercised　by　the　aristocracy　in　other　times；　he　could　not　be　capable　of　any　action　of　deliberate　atrocity。　　And　in　these　convictions　he　went　to　dine　with　Provost　Crosbie；　with　a　heart　more　at　ease　than　might　have　been　expected。　＇See　Note　7。＇




CHAPTER　XI

NARRATIVE　OF　ALAN　FAIRFORD；　CONTINUED

Five　minutes　had　elapsed　after　the　town　clock　struck　two；　before　Alan　Fairford；　who　had　made　a　small　detour　to　put　his　letter　into　the　post…house；　reached　the　mansion　of　Mr。　Provost　Crosbie；　and　was　at　once　greeted　by　the　voice　of　that　civic　dignitary；　and　the　rural　dignitary　his　visitor；　as　by　the　voices　of　men　impatient　for　their　dinner。

'Come　away；　Mr。　Fairfordthe　Edinburgh　time　is　later　than　ours；'　said　the　provost。

And；　'Come　away；　young　gentleman；'　said　the　laird；　'I　remember　your　father　weel　at　the　Cross　thirty　years　agoI　reckon　you　are　as　late　in　Edinburgh　as　at　London；　four　o'clock　hourseh？'

'Not　quite　so　degenerate；'　replied　Fairford；　'but　certainly　many　Edinburgh　people　are　so　ill…advised　as　to　postpone　their　dinner　till　three；　that　they　may　have　full　time　to　answer　their　London　correspondents。'

'London　correspondents！'　　said　Mr。　Maxwell；　'and　pray　what　the　devil　have　the　people　of　Auld　Reekie　to　do　with　London　correspondents？'　　＇Not　much　in　those　days；　for　within　my　recollection　the　London　post；　was　brought　north　in　a　small　mail…　cart；　and　men　are　yet　as　live　who　recollect　when　it　came　down　with　only　one　single　letter　for　Edinburgh；　addressed　to　the　manager　of　the　British　Linen　Company。＇

'The　tradesmen　must　have　their　goods；'　said　Fairford。

'Can　they　not　buy　our　own　Scottish　manufactures；　and　pick　their　customers　pockets　in　a　more　patriotic　manner？'

'Then　the　ladies　must　have　fashions；'　said　Fairford。

'Can　they　not　busk　the　plaid　over　their　heads；　as　their　mothers　did？　　A　tartan　screen；　and　once　a　year　a　new　cockernony　from　Paris；　should　serve　a　countess。　　But　ye　have　not　many　of　them　left；　I　thinkMareschal；　Airley；　Winton；　Vemyss；　Balmerino；　all　passed　and　goneaye；　aye；　the　countesses　and　ladies　of　quality　will　scarce　take　up　too　much　of　your　ball…room　floor　with　their　quality　hoops　nowadays。'

'There　is　no　want　of　crowding；　however；　sir；'　said　Fairford；　'they　begin　to　talk　of　a　new　Assembly　room。'

'A　new　Assembly　room！'　　said　the　old　Jacobite　laird'UmphI　mind　quartering　three　hundred　men　in　the　old　Assembly　room　＇I　remember　hearing　this　identical　answer　given　by　an　old　Highland　gentleman　of　the　Forty…Five；　when　he　heard　of　the　opening　of　the　New　Assembly　Rooms　in　George　Street。＇But　come；　comeI'll　ask　no　more　questionsthe　answers　all　smell　of　new　lords　new　lands；　and　do　but　spoil　my　appetite；　which　were　a　pity；　since　here　comes　Mrs。　Crosbie　to　say　our　mutton's　ready。'

It　was　even　so。　　Mrs。　Crosbie　had　been　absent；　like　Eve；　'on　hospitable　cares　intent；'　a　duty　which　she　did　not　conceive　herself　exempted　from；　either　by　the　dignity　of　her　husband's　rank　in　the　municipality；　or　the　splendour　of　her　Brussels　silk　gown；　or　even　by　the　more　highly　prized　lustre　of　her　birth；　for　she　was　born　a　Maxwell；　and　allied；　as　her　husband　often　informed　his　friends；　to　several　of　the　first　families　in　the　county。　　She　had　been　handsome；　and　was　still　a　portly；　good…looking　woman　of　her　years；　and　though　her　peep　into　the　kitchen　had　somewhat　heightened　her　complexion；　it　was　no　more　than　a　modest　touch　of　rouge　might　have　done。

The　provost　was　certainly　proud　of　his　lady；　nay；　some　said　he　was　afraid　of　her；　for　of　the　females　of　the　Redgauntlet　family　there　went　a　rumour；　that；　ally　where　they　would；　there　was　a　grey　mare　as　surely　in　the　stables　of　their　husbands；　as　there　is　a　white　horse　in　Wouvermans'　pictures。　　The　good　dame；　too；　was　supposed　to　have　brought　a　spice　of　politics　into　Mr。　Crosbie's　household　along　with　her；　and　the　provost's　enemies　at　the　council…table　of　the　burgh　used　to　observe　that　he　uttered　there　many　a　bold　harangue　against　the　Pretender；　and　in　favour　of　King　George　and　government；　of　which　he　dared　not　have　pronounced　a　syllable　in　his　own　bedchamber；　and　that；　in　fact；　his　wife's　predominating　influence　had　now　and　then　occasioned　his　acting；　or　forbearing　to　act；　in　a　manner　very　different　from　his　general　professions　of　zeal　for　Revolution　principles。　　If　this　was　in　any　respect　true；　it　was　certain；　on　the　other　hand；　that　Mrs。　Crosbie；　in　all　external　points；　seemed　to　acknowledge　the　'lawful　sway　and　right　supremacy'　of　the　head　of　the　house；　and　if　she　did　not　in　truth　reverence　her　husband；　she　at　least　seemed　to　do　so。

This　stately　dame　received　Mr。　Maxwell　（a　cousin　of　course）　with　cordiality；　and　Fairford　with　civility；　answering　at　the　same　time　with　respect；　to　the　magisterial　complaints　of　the　provost；　that　dinner　was　just　coming　up。　　'But　since　you　changed　poor　Peter　MacAlpin；　that　used　to　take　care　of　the　town…clock；　my　dear；　it　has　never　gone　well　a　single　day。'

'Peter　MacAlpin；　my　dear；'　said　the　provost；'　made　himself　too　busy　for　a　person　in　office；　and　drunk　healths　and　so　forth；　which　it　became　no　man　to　drink　or　to　pledge；　far　less　one　that　is　in　point　of　office　a　servant　of　the　public；　I　understand　that　he　lost　the　music　bells　in　Edinburgh；　for　playing　〃Ower　the　Water　to　Charlie；〃　upon　the　tenth　of　June。　　He　is　a　black　sheep；　and　deserves　no　encouragement。'

'Not　a　bad　tune　though；　after　all；'　said　Summertrees；　and；　turning　to　the　window；　he　half　hummed；　half　whistled；　the　air　in　question；　then　sang　the　last　verse　aloud：

　　'Oh　I　loe　weel　my　Charlie's　name；　　　　　Though　some　there　be　that　abhor　him；　　　　But　oh　to　see　the　deil　gang　hame　　　　　Wi'　a'　the　Whigs　before　him！　　　　Over　the　water；　and　over　the　sea；　　　　　And　over　the　water　to　Charlie；　　　　Come　weal；　come　woe；　we'll　gather　and　go；　　　　　And　live　or　die　with　Charlie。'

Mrs。　Crosbie　smiled　furtively　on　the　laird；　wearing　an　aspect　at　the　same　time　of　deep　submission；　while　the　provost；　not　choosing　to　hear　his　visitor's　ditty；　took　a　turn　through　the　room；　in　unquestioned　dignity　and　independence　of　authority。

'Aweel；　aweel；　my　dear；'　said　the　lady；　with　a　quiet　smile　of　submission；　'ye　ken　these　matters　best；　and　you　will　do　your　pleasurethey　are　far　above　my　handonly；　I　doubt　if　ever　the　town…clock　will　go　right；　or　your　meals　be　got　up　so　regular　as　I　should　wish；　till　Peter　MacAlpin　gets　his　office　back　again。　　The　body's　auld；　and　can　neither　work　nor　want；　but　he　is　the　only　hand　to　set　a　clock。'

It　may　be　noticed　in　passing；　that　notwithstanding　this　prediction；　which；　probably；　the　fair　Cassandra　had　the　full　means　of　accomplishing；　it　was　not　till　the　second　council　day　thereafter　that　the　misdemeanours　of　the　Jacobite　clock…keeper　were　passed　over；　and　he　was　once　more　restored　to　his　occupation　of　fixing　the　town's　time；　and　the　provost's　dinner…hour。

Upon　the　present　occasion　the　dinner　passed　pleasantly　away。　Summertrees　talked　and　jested　with　the　easy　indifference　of　a　man　who　holds　himself　superior　to　his　company。　　He　was　indeed　an　important　person；　as　was　testified　by　his　portly　appearance；　his　hat　laced　with　POINT　D'ESPAGNE；　his　coat　and　waistcoat　once　richly　embroidered；　though　now　almost　threadbare；　the　splendour　of　his　solitaire；　and　laced　ruffles；　though　the　first　was　sorely　creased；　and　the　other　sullied；　not　to　forget　the　length　of　his　silver…hilted　rapier。　　His　wit；　or　rather　humour；　bordered　on　the　sarcastic；　and　intimated　a　discontented　man；　and　although　he　showed　no　displeasure　when　the　provost　attempted　a　repartee；　yet　it　seemed　that　he　permitted　it　upon　mere　sufferance；　as　a　fencing…master；　engaged　with　a　pupil；　will　sometimes　permit　the　tyro　to　hit　him；　solely　by　way　of　encouragement。　　The　laird's　own　jests；　in　the　meanwhile；　were　eminently　successful；　not　only　with　the　provost　and　his　lady；　but　with　the　red…cheeked　and　red…　ribboned　servant…maid　who　waited　at　table；　and　who　could　scarce　perform　her　duty　with　propriety；　so　effectual　were　the　explosions　of　Summertrees。　　Alan　Fairford　alone　was　unmoved　among　all　this　mirth；　which　was　the　less　wonderful；　that；　besides　the　important　subject　which　occupied　his　thoughts；　most　of　the　laird's　good　things　consisted　in　sly　allusions　to　little　parochial　or　family　incidents；　with　which　the　Edinburgh　visitor　was　totally　unacquainted：　　so　that　the　laughter　of　the　party　sounded　in　his　ear　like　the　idle　crackling　of　thorns　under　the　pot；　with　this　difference；　that　they　did　not　accompany　or　second　any　such　useful　operation