redgauntlet-第6部分

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t　excellent　person；　had　the　honour　to　sign　a　bitter　protest　against　the　Union；　in　the　respectable　character　of　town…clerk　to　the　ancient　Borough　of　Birlthegroat；　and　there　is　some　reasonshall　I　say　to　hope；　or　to　suspect？that　he　may　have　been　a　natural　son　of　a　first　cousin　of　the　then　Fairford　of　that　Ilk；　who　had　been　long　numbered　among　the　minor　barons。　　Now　my　father　mounted　a　step　higher　on　the　ladder　of　legal　promotion；　being；　as　you　know　as　well　as　I　do；　an　eminent　and　respected　Writer　to　his　Majesty's　Signet；　and　I　myself　am　destined　to　mount　a　round　higher　still；　and　wear　the　honoured　robe　which　is　sometimes　supposed；　like　Charity；　to　cover　a　multitude　of　sins。　　I　have；　therefore；　no　choice　but　to　climb　upwards；　since　we　have　mounted　thus　high；　or　else　to　fall　down　at　the　imminent　risk　of　my　neck。　　So　that　I　reconcile　myself　to　my　destiny；　and　while　you；　are　looking　from　mountain　peaks；　at　distant　lakes　and　firths；　I　am；　DE　APICIBUS　JURIS；　consoling　myself　with　visions　of　crimson　and　scarlet　gownswith　the　appendages　of　handsome　cowls；　well　lined　with　salary。

You　smile；　Darsie；　MORE　TUO；　and　seem　to　say　it　is　little　worth　while　to　cozen　one's　self　with　such　vulgar　dreams；　yours　being；　on　the　contrary；　of　a　high　and　heroic　character；　bearing　the　same　resemblance　to　mine；　that　a　bench；　covered　with　purple　cloth　and　plentifully　loaded　with　session　papers；　does　to　some　Gothic　throne；　rough　with　barbaric　pearl　and　gold。　　But　what　would　you　have？SUA　QUEMQUE　TRAHIT　VOLUPTAS。　　And　my　visions　of　preferment；　though　they　may　be　as　unsubstantial　at　present；　are　nevertheless　more　capable　of　being　realized；　than　your　aspirations　after　the　Lord　knows　what。　　What　says　my　father's　proverb？　　'Look　to　a　gown　of　gold；　and　you　will　at　least　get　a　sleeve　of　it。'　　Such　is　my　pursuit；　but　what　dost　thou　look　to？　The　chance　that　the　mystery；　as　you　call　it；　which　at　present　overclouds　your　birth　and　connexions；　will　clear　up　into　something　inexpressibly　and　inconceivably　brilliant；　and　this　without　any　effort　or　exertion　of　your　own；　but　purely　by　the　goodwill　of　Fortune。　　I　know　the　pride　and　naughtiness　of　thy　heart；　and　sincerely　do　I　wish　that　thou　hadst　more　beatings　to　thank　me　for；　than　those　which　thou　dost　acknowledge　so　gratefully。　　Then　had　I　thumped　these　Quixotical　expectations　out　of　thee；　and　thou　hadst　not；　as　now；　conceived　thyself　to　be　the　hero　of　some　romantic　history；　and　converted；　in　thy　vain　imaginations；　honest　Griffiths；　citizen　and　broker；　who　never　bestows　more　than　the　needful　upon　his　quarterly　epistles；　into　some　wise　Alexander　or　sage　Alquife；　the　mystical　and　magical　protector　of　thy　peerless　destiny。　　But　I　know　not　how　it　was；　thy　skull　got　harder；　I　think；　and　my　knuckles　became　softer；　not　to　mention　that　at　length　thou　didst　begin　to　show　about　thee　a　spark　of　something　dangerous；　which　I　was　bound　to　respect　at　least；　if　I　did　not　fear　it。

And　while　I　speak　of　this；　it　is　not　much　amiss　to　advise　thee　to　correct　a　little　this　cock…a…hoop　courage　of　thine。　　I　fear　much　that；　like　a　hot…mettled　horse；　it　will　carry　the　owner　into　some　scrape；　out　of　which　he　will　find　it　difficult　to　extricate　himself；　especially　if　the　daring　spirit　which　bore　thee　thither　should　chance　to　fail　thee　at　a　pinch。　　Remember；　Darsie；　thou　art　not　naturally　courageous；　on　the　contrary；　we　have　long　since　agreed　that；　quiet　as　I　am；　I　have　the　advantage　in　this　important　particular。　　My　courage　consists；　I　think；　in　strength　of　nerves　and　constitutional　indifference　to　danger；　which；　though　it　never　pushes　me　on　adventure；　secures　me　in　full　use　of　my　recollection；　and　tolerably　complete　self…possession；　when　danger　actually　arrives。　　Now；　thine　seems　more　what　may　be　called　intellectual　courage；　highness　of　spirit；　and　desire　of　distinction；　impulses　which　render　thee　alive　to　the　love　of　fame；　and　deaf　to　the　apprehension　of　danger；　until　it　forces　itself　suddenly　upon　thee。　　I　own　that；　whether　it　is　from　my　having　caught　my　father's　apprehensions；　or　that　I　have　reason　to　entertain　doubts　of　my　own；　I　often　think　that　this　wildfire　chase　of　romantic　situation　and　adventure　may　lead　thee　into　some　mischief；　and　then　what　would　become　of　Alan　Fairford？　　They　might　make　whom　they　pleased　Lord　Advocate　or　Solicitor…General；　I　should　never　have　the　heart　to　strive　for　it。　　All　my　exertions　are　intended　to　Vindicate　myself　one　day　in　your　eyes；　and　I　think　I　should　not　care　a　farthing　for　the　embroidered　silk　gown；　more　than　for　an　old　woman's　apron；　unless　I　had　hopes　that　thou　shouldst　be　walking　the　boards　to　admire；　and　perhaps　to　envy　me。

That　this　may　be　the　case；　I　pritheebeware！　　See　not　a　Dulcinea；　in　every　slipshod　girl；　who；　with　blue　eyes；　fair　hair；　a　tattered　plaid；　and　a　willow…wand　in　her　grip；　drives　out　the　village　cows　to　the　loaning。　　Do　not　think　you　will　meet　a　gallant　Valentine　in　every　English　rider；　or　an　Orson　in　every　Highland　drover。　　View　things　as　they　are；　and　not　as　they　may　be　magnified　through　thy　teeming　fancy。　　I　have　seen　thee　look　at　an　old　gravel　pit；　till　thou　madest　out　capes；　and　bays；　and　inlets；　crags　and　precipices；　and　the　whole　stupendous　scenery　of　the　Isle　of　Feroe；　in　what　was；　to　all　ordinary　eyes；　a　mere　horse…　pond。　　Besides；　did　I　not　once　find　thee　gazing　with　respect　at　a　lizard；　in　the　attitude　of　one　who　looks　upon　a　crocodile？　　Now　this　is；　doubtless；　so　far　a　harmless　exercise　of　your　imagination；　for　the　puddle　cannot　drown　you；　nor　the　Lilliputian　alligator　eat　you　up。　　But　it　is　different　in　society；　where　you　cannot　mistake　the　character　of　those　you　converse　with；　or　suffer　your　fancy　to　exaggerate　their　qualities；　good　or　bad；　without　exposing　yourself　not　only　to　ridicule；　but　to　great　and　serious　inconveniences。　　Keep　guard；　therefore；　on　your　imagination；　my　dear　Darsie；　and　let　your　old　friend　assure　you；　it　is　the　point　of　your　character　most　pregnant　with　peril　to　its　good　and　generous　owner。　　Adieu！　　let　not　the　franks　of　the　worthy　peer　remain　unemployed；　above　all；　SIS　MEMOR　MEI。　　　A。　F。




LETTER　III

DARSIE　LATIMER　TO　ALAN　FAIRFORD

SHEPHERD'S　BUSH。

I　have　received　thine　absurd　and　most　conceited　epistle。　　It　is　well　for　thee　that；　Lovelace　and　Belford…like；　we　came　under　a　convention　to　pardon　every　species　of　liberty　which　we　may　take　with　each　other；　since；　upon　my　word；　there　are　some　reflections　in　your　last　which　would　otherwise　have　obliged　me　to　return　forthwith　to　Edinburgh；　merely　to　show　you　I　was　not　what　you　took　me　for。

Why；　what　a　pair　of　prigs　hast　thou　made　of　us！　　I　plunging　into　scrapes；　without　having　courage　to　get　out　of　themthy　sagacious　self；　afraid　to　put　one　foot　before　the　other；　lest　it　should　run　away　from　its　companion；　and　so　standing　still　like　a　post；　out　of　mere　faintness　and　coldness　of　heart；　while　all　the　world　were　driving　full　speed　past　thee。　　Thou　a　portrait…painter！　　I　tell　thee；　Alan；　I　have　seen　a　better　seated　on　the　fourth　round　of　a　ladder；　and　painting　a　bare…breeched　Highlander；　holding　a　pint…　stoup　as　big　as　himself；　and　a　booted　Lowlander；　in　a　bobwig；　supporting　a　glass　of　like　dimensions；　the　whole　being　designed　to　represent　the　sign　of　the　Salutation。

How　hadst　thou　the　heart　to　represent　thine　own　individual　self；　with　all　thy　motions；　like　those　of　a　great　Dutch　doll；　depending　on　the　pressure　of　certain　springs；　as　duty；　reflection；　and　the　like；　without　the　impulse　of　which；　thou　wouldst　doubtless　have　me　believe　thou　wouldst　not　budge　an　inch！　　But　have　I　not　seen　Gravity　out　of　his　bed　at　midnight？　　and　must　I；　in　plain　terms；　remind　thee　of　certain　mad　pranks？　　Thou　hadst　ever；　with　the　gravest　sentiments　in　thy　mouth　and　the　most　starched　reserve　in　thy　manner；　a　kind　of　lumbering　proclivity　towards　mischief；　although　with　more　inclination　to　set　it　a…going　than　address　to　carry　it　through；　and　I　cannot　but　chuckle　internally；　when　I　think　of　having　seen　my　most　venerable　monitor；　the　future　president　of　some　high　Scottish　court；　puffing；　blowing；　and　floundering；　like　a　clumsy　cart…horse　in　a　bog　where　his　efforts　to　extricate　himself　only　plunged　him　deeper　at　every　awkward　struggle；　till　some　oneI　myself；　for　exampletook　compassion　on　the　moaning　monster；　and　dragged　him　out　by　mane　and　tail。

As　for　me；　my　portrait　is；　if　possible；　even　more　scandalously　caricatured；　I　fail　or　quail　in　spirit　at　the　upcome！　　Where　canst　thou　show　me　the　least　symptom　of　the　recreant　temper；　with　which　thou　hast　invested　me　（as　I　trust）　merely　to　set　off　the　solid　and　impassible　dignity　of　thine　own　stupid　indifference？　If　you　ever　saw　me　tremble；　be　assured　that　my　flesh；　like　that　of　the　old　Spanish　general；　only　quaked　at　the　dangers　into　which　my　spirit　was　about　to　lead　it。　　Seriously；　Alan；　this　imputed　poverty　of　spirit　is　a　shabby　charge　to　bring　against　your　friend。　　I　have　examined　myself　as　closely　as　I　can；　being；　in　very　truth；　a　little　hurt　at　your　having　such　hard　thoughts　of　me；　and　on　my　life　I　can　see　no　reason　for　them。　　I　allow　you　have；　perhaps；　some　advantage　of　me　in　the　steadiness　and　indifference　of　your　temper；　but　I　should　despise　myself；　if　I　were　conscious　of　the　deficiency　in　courage　which　you　seem　willing　enough　to　impute　to　me。　　However；　I　suppose；　this　ungracious　hint　proceeds　from　sincere　anxiety　for　my　safety；　and　so　viewing　it；　I　swallow　it　as　I　would　do　medicine　from　a　friendly　doctor；　although　I　believed　in　my　heart　he　had　mistaken　my　complaint。

This　offensive　insinuation　disposed　of；　I　thank　thee；　Alan；　for　the　rest　of　thy　epistle。　　I　thought　I　heard　your　good　father　pronouncing　the　word　Noble　House；　with　a　mixture　of　contempt　and　displeasure；　as　if　the　very　name　of　the　poor　little　hamlet　were　odious　to　him；　or　as　if　you　had　selected；　out　of　all　Scotland；　the　very　place　at　which　you　had　no　call　to　dine。　　But　if　he　had　had　any　particular　aversion　to　that　blameless　village　and　very　sorry　inn；　is　it　not　his　own　fault　that　I　did　not　accept　the　invitation　of　the　Laird　of　Glengallacher；　to　shoot　a　buck　in　what　he　emphatically　calls　'his　country'？　　Truth　is；　I　had　a　strong　desire　to　have　complied　with　his　lairdship's　invitation。　　To　shoot　a　buck！　　Think　how　magnificent　an　idea　to　one　who　never　shot　anything　but　hedge…sparrows；　and　that　with　a　horse…pistol　p