redgauntlet-第67部分

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ing　for　an　eke　of　a　Saturday　at　e'en。　　Aye；　Robin；　it　is　a　pity　of　Nanty　EwartNanty　likes　the　turning　up　of　his　little　finger　unco　weel；　and　we　maunna　stint　him；　Robin；　so　as　we　leave　him　sense　to　steer　by。'

'Nanty　Ewart　could　steer　through　the　Pentland　Firth　though　he　were　as　drunk　as　the　Baltic　Ocean；'　said　Robin　Hastie；　and　instantly　tripping　downstairs；　he　speedily　returned　with　the　materials　for　what　he　called　his　BROWST；　which　consisted　of　two　English　quarts　of　spirits；　in　a　huge　blue　bowl；　with　all　the　ingredients　for　punch　in　the　same　formidable　proportion。　　At　the　same　time　he　introduced　Mr。　Antony　or　Nanty　Ewart；　whose　person；　although　he　was　a　good　deal　flustered　with　liquor；　was　different　from　what　Fairford　expected。　　His　dress　was　what　is　emphatically　termed　the　shabby　genteela　frock　with　tarnished　lacea　small　cocked　hat；　ornamented　in　a　similar　waya　scarlet　waistcoat；　with　faded　embroidery；　breeches　of　the　same；　with　silver　knee…　bands；　and　he　wore　a　smart　hanger　and　a　pair　of　pistols　in　a　sullied　swordbelt。

'Here　I　come；　patron；'　he　said；　shaking　hands　with　Mr。　Trumbull。　'Well；　I　see　you　have　got　some　grog　aboard。'

'It　is　not　my　custom；　Mr。　Ewart；'　said　the　old　gentleman；　'as　you　well　know；　to　become　a　chamberer　or　carouser　thus　late　on　Saturday　at　e'en；　but　I　wanted　to　recommend　to　your　attention　a　young　friend　of　ours；　that　is　going　upon　a　something　particular　journey；　with　a　letter　to　our　friend　the　Laird　from　Pate…in…　Peril；　as　they　call　him。'

'Ayeindeed？he　must　be　in　high　trust　for　so　young　a　gentleman。　I　wish　you　joy；　sir；'　bowing　to　Fairford。　　'By'r　lady；　as　Shakespeare　says；　you　are　bringing　up　a　neck　for　a　fair　end。　Come；　patron；　we　will　drink　to　Mr。　What…shall…call…um。　　What　is　his　name？　　Did　you　tell　me？　　And　have　I　forgot　it　already。'

'Mr。　Alan　Fairford；'　said　Trumbull。

'Aye；　Mr。　Alan　Fairforda　good　name　for　a　fair　traderMr。　Alan　Fairford；　and　may　he　be　long　withheld　from　the　topmost　round　of　ambition；　which　I　take　to　be　the　highest　round　of　a　certain　ladder。'

While　he　spoke；　he　seized　the　punch…ladle；　and　began　to　fill　the　glasses。　　But　Mr。　Trumbull　arrested　his　hand；　until　he　had；　as　he　expressed　himself；　sanctified　the　liquor　by　a　long　grace；　during　the　pronunciation　of　which　he　shut　indeed　his　eyes；　but　his　nostrils　became　dilated；　as　if　he　were　snuffing　up　the　fragrant　beverage　with　peculiar　complacency。

When　the　grace　was　at　length　over；　the　three　friends　sat　down　to　their　beverage；　and　invited　Alan　Fairford　to　partake。　　Anxious　about　his　situation；　and　disgusted　as　he　was　with　his　company；　he　craved；　and　with　difficulty　obtained　permission；　under　the　allegation　of　being　fatigued；　heated；　and　the　like；　to　stretch　himself　on　a　couch　which　was　in　the　apartment；　and　attempted　at　least　to　procure　some　rest　before　high…water；　when　the　vessel　was　to　sail。

He　was　at　length　permitted　to　use　his　freedom；　and　stretched　himself　on　the　couch；　having　his　eyes　for　some　time　fixed　on　the　jovial　party　he　had　left；　and　straining　his　ears　to　catch　if　possible　a　little　of　their　conversation。　　This　he　soon　found　was　to　no　purpose　for　what　did　actually　reach　his　ears　was　disguised　so　completely　by　the　use　of　cant　words　and　the　thieves…latin　called　slang；　that　even　when　he　caught　the　words；　he　found　himself　as　far　as　ever　from　the　sense　of　their　conversation。　　At　length　he　fell　asleep。

It　was　after　Alan　had　slumbered　for　three　or　four　hours；　that　he　was　wakened　by　voices　bidding　him　rise　up　and　prepare　to　be　jogging。　　He　started　up　accordingly；　and　found　himself　in　presence　of　the　same　party　of　boon　companions；　who　had　just　dispatched　their　huge　bowl　of　punch。　　To　Alan's　surprise；　the　liquor　had　made　but　little　innovation　on　the　brains　of　men　who　were　accustomed　to　drink　at　all　hours；　and　in　the　most　inordinate　quantities。　　The　landlord　indeed　spoke　a　little　thick；　and　the　texts　of　Mr。　Thomas　Trumbull　stumbled　on　his　tongue；　but　Nanty　was　one　of　those　topers；　who；　becoming　early　what　bon　vivants　term　flustered；　remain　whole　nights　and　days　at　the　same　point　of　intoxication；　and；　in　fact；　as　they　are　seldom　entirely　sober；　can　be　as　rarely　seen　absolutely　drunk。　　Indeed；　Fairford；　had　he　not　known　how　Ewart　had　been　engaged　whilst　he　himself　was　asleep；　would　almost　have　sworn　when　he　awoke；　that　the　man　was　more　sober　than　when　he　first　entered　the　room。

He　was　confirmed　in　this　opinion　when　they　descended　below；　where　two　or　three　sailors　and　ruffian…looking　fellows　awaited　their　commands。　　Ewart　took　the　whole　direction　upon　himself；　gave　his　orders　with　briefness　and　precision；　and　looked　to　their　being　executed　with　the　silence　and　celerity　which　that　peculiar　crisis　required。　　All　were　now　dismissed　for　the　brig；　which　lay；　as　Fairford　was　given　to　understand；　a　little　farther　down　the　river；　which　is　navigable　for　vessels　of　light　burden　till　almost　within　a　mile　of　the　town。

When　they　issued　from　the　inn；　the　landlord　bid　them　goodbye。　Old　Trumbull　walked　a　little　way　with　them；　but　the　air　had　probably　considerable　effect　on　the　state　of　his　brain；　for　after　reminding　Alan　Fairford　that　the　next　day　was　the　honourable　Sabbath；　he　became　extremely　excursive　in　an　attempt　to　exhort　him　to　keep　it　holy。　　At　length；　being　perhaps　sensible　that　he　was　becoming　unintelligible；　he　thrust　a　volume　into　Fairford's　handhiccuping　at　the　same　time'Good　bookgood　bookfine　hymn…bookfit　for　the　honourable　Sabbath；　whilk　awaits　us　to…　morrow　morning。'　　Here　the　iron　tongue　of　time　told　five　from　the　town　steeple　of　Annan；　to　the　further　confusion　of　Mr。　Trumbull's　already　disordered　ideas。　　'Aye？　　Is　Sunday　come　and　gone　already？　　Heaven　be　praised！　　Only　it　is　a　marvel　the　afternoon　is　sae　dark　for　the　time　of　the　yearSabbath　has　slipped　ower　quietly；　but　we　have　reason　to　bless　oursells　it　has　not　been　altogether　misemployed。　　I　heard　little　of　the　preachinga　cauld　moralist；　I　doubt；　served　that　outbut；　ehthe　prayerI　mind　it　as　if　I　had　said　the　words　mysell。'　　Here　he　repeated　one　or　two　petitions；　which　were　probably　a　part　of　his　family　devotions；　before　he　was　summoned　forth　to　what　he　called　the　way　of　business。　　'I　never　remember　a　Sabbath　pass　so　cannily　off　in　my　life。'　　Then　he　recollected　himself　a　little；　and　said　to　Alan；　'You　may　read　that　book；　Mr。　Fairford；　to…morrow；　all　the　same；　though　it　be　Monday；　for；　you　see；　it　was　Saturday　when　we　were　thegither；　and　now　it's　Sunday　and　it's　dark　nightso　the　Sabbath　has　slipped　clean　away　through　our　fingers　like　water　through　a　sieve；　which　abideth　not；　and　we　have　to　begin　again　to…morrow　morning；　in　the　weariful；　base；　mean；　earthly　employments；　whilk　are　unworthy　of　an　immortal　spiritalways　excepting　the　way　of　business。'

Three　of　the　fellows　were　now　returning　to　the　town；　and；　at　Ewart's　command；　they　cut　short　the　patriarch's　exhortation；　by　leading　him　back　to　his　own　residence。　　The　rest　of　the　party　then　proceeded　to　the　brig；　which　only　waited　their　arrival　to　get　under　weigh　and　drop　down　the　river。　　Nanty　Ewart　betook　himself　to　steering　the　brig；　and　the　very　touch　of　the　helm　seemed　to　dispel　the　remaining　influence　of　the　liquor　which　he　had　drunk；　since；　through　a　troublesome　and　intricate　channel；　he　was　able　to　direct　the　course　of　his　little　vessel　with　the　most　perfect　accuracy　and　safety。

Alan　Fairford；　for　some　time；　availed　himself　of　the　clearness　of　the　summer　morning　to　gaze　on　the　dimly　seen　shores　betwixt　which　they　glided；　becoming　less　and　less　distinct　as　they　receded　from　each　other；　until　at　length；　having　adjusted　his　little　bundle　by　way　of　pillow；　and　wrapped　around　him　the　greatcoat　with　which　old　Trumbull　had　equipped　him；　he　stretched　himself　on　the　deck；　to　try　to　recover　the　slumber　out　of　which　he　had　been　awakened。　Sleep　had　scarce　begun　to　settle　on　his　eyes；　ere　he　found　something　stirring　about　his　person。　　With　ready　presence　of　mind　he　recollected　his　situation；　and　resolved　to　show　no　alarm　until　the　purpose　of　this　became　obvious；　but　he　was　soon　relieved　from　his　anxiety；　by　finding　it　was　only　the　result　of　Nanty's　attention　to　his　comfort；　who　was　wrapping　around　him；　as　softly　as　he　could；　a　great　boatcloak；　in　order　to　defend　him　from　the　morning　air。

'Thou　art　but　a　cockerel；'　he　muttered；　'but　'twere　pity　thou　wert　knocked　off　the　perch　before　seeing　a　little　more　of　the　sweet　and　sour　of　this　worldthough；　faith；　if　thou　hast　the　usual　luck　of　it；　the　best　way　were　to　leave　thee　to　the　chance　of　a　seasoning　fever。'

These　words；　and　the　awkward　courtesy　with　which　the　skipper　of　the　little　brig　tucked　the　sea…coat　round　Fairford；　gave　him　a　confidence　of　safety　which　he　had　not　yet　thoroughly　possessed。　He　stretched　himself　in　more　security　on　the　hard　planks；　and　was　speedily　asleep；　though　his　slumbers　were　feverish　and　unrefreshing。

It　has　been　elsewhere　intimated　that　Alan　Fairford　inherited　from　his　mother　a　delicate　constitution；　with　a　tendency　to　consumption；　and；　being　an　only　child；　with　such　a　cause　for　apprehension；　care；　to　the　verge　of　effeminacy；　was　taken　to　preserve　him　from　damp　beds；　wet　feet；　and　those　various　emergencies　to　which　the　Caledonian　boys　of　much　higher　birth；　but　more　active　habits；　are　generally　accustomed。　　In　man；　the　spirit　sustains　the　constitutional　weakness；　as　in　the　winged　tribes　the　feathers　bear　aloft　the　body。　　But　there　is　a　bound　to　these　supporting　qualities；　and　as　the　pinions　of　the　bird　must　at　length　grow　weary；　so　the　VIS　ANIMI　of　the　human　struggler　becomes　broken　down　by　continued　fatigue。

When　the　voyager　was　awakened　by　the　light　of　the　sun　now　riding　high　in　heaven；　he　found　himself　under　the　influence　of　an　almost　intolerable　headache；　with　heat；　thirst；　shooting　across　the　back　and　loins；　and　other　symptoms　intimating　violent　cold；　accompanied　with　fever。　　The　manner　in　which　he　had　passed　the　preceding　day　and　night；　though　perhaps　it　might　have　been　of　little　consequence　to　most　young　men；　was　to　him；　delicate　in　constitution　and　nurture；　attended　with　bad　and　even　perilous　consequences。　　He　felt　this　was　the　case；　yet　would　fain　have　combated　the　symptoms　of　indisposition；　which；　indeed；　he　imputed　chiefly　to　sea…sickness。　　He　sat　up　on　deck；　and　looked　on　the　scene　around；　as　the　little　vessel；　having　borne　do