redgauntlet-第69部分

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ular；　had　a　hue　as　deep　as　the　topaz。　　He　was　very　thin；　or　rather　emaciated；　and　his　countenance；　though　still　indicating　alertness　and　activity；　showed　a　constitution　exhausted　with　excessive　use　of　his　favourite　stimulus。

'I　see　you　look　at　me　hard；'　said　he　to　Fairford。　　'Had　you　been　an　officer　of　the　dd　customs；　my　terriers'　backs　would　have　been　up。　　He　opened　his　breast；　and　showed　Alan　a　pair　of　pistols　disposed　between　his　waistcoat　and　jacket；　placing　his　finger　at　the　same　time　upon　the　cock　of　one　of　them。　　'But　come；　you　are　an　honest　fellow；　though　you're　a　close　one。　　I　dare　say　you　think　me　a　queer　customer；　but　I　can　tell　you；　they　that　see　the　ship　leave　harbour　know　little　of　the　seas　she　is　to　sail　through。　　My　father；　honest　old　gentleman；　never　would　have　thought　to　see　me　master　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY。'

Fairford　said；　it　seemed　very　clear　indeed　that　Mr。　Ewart's　education　was　far　superior　to　the　line　he　at　present　occupied。

'Oh；　Criffel　to　Solway　Moss！'　　said　the　other。　　Why；　man；　I　should　have　been　an　expounder　of　the　word；　with　a　wig　like　a　snow…wreath；　and　a　stipend　likelikelike　a　hundred　pounds　a　year；　I　suppose。　　I　can　spend　thrice　as　much　as　that；　though；　being　such　as　I　am。　　Here　he　sang　a　scrap　of　an　old　Northumbrian　ditty；　mimicking　the　burr　of　the　natives　of　that　county：

　　'Willy　Foster's　gone　to　sea；　　　　Siller　buckles　at　his　knee；　　　　He'll　come　back　and　marry　me　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Canny　Willy　Foster。'

'I　have　no　doubt；'　said　Fairford；　'your　present　occupation　is　more　lucrative；　'but　I　should　have　thought　the　Church　might　have　been　more'

He　stopped；　recollecting　that　it　was　not　his　business　to　say　anything　disagreeable。

'More　respectable；　you　mean；　I　suppose？'　　said　Ewart；　with　a　sneer；　and　squirting　the　tobacco…juice　through　his　front　teeth；　then　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　proceeded　in　a　tone　of　candour　which　some　internal　touch　of　conscience　dictated。　　'And　so　it　would；　Mr。　Fairfordand　happier；　too；　by　a　thousand　degrees　though　I　have　had　my　pleasures　too。　　But　there　was　my　father　（God　bless　the　old　man！）　a　true　chip　of　the　old　Presbyterian　block；　walked　his　parish　like　a　captain　on　the　quarterdeck；　and　was　always　ready　to　do　good　to　rich　and　poorOff　went　the　laird's　hat　to　the　minister；　as　fast　as　the　poor　man's　bonnet。　　When　the　eye　saw　himPshaw！　　what　have　I　to　do　with　that　now？Yes；　he　was；　as　Virgil　hath　it；　〃VIR　SAPIENTIA　ET　PIETATE　GRAVIS。〃　But　he　might　have　been　the　wiser　man；　had　he　kept　me　at　home；　when　he　sent　me　at　nineteen　to　study　Divinity　at　the　head　of　the　highest　stair　in　the　Covenant　Close。　　It　was　a　cursed　mistake　in　the　old　gentleman。　　What　though　Mrs。　Cantrips　of　Kittlebasket　（for　she　wrote　herself　no　less）　was　our　cousin　five　times　removed；　and　took　me　on　that　account　to　board　and　lodging　at　six　shillings　instead　of　seven　shillings　a　week？　　it　was　a　dd　bad　saving；　as　the　case　proved。　　Yet　her　very　dignity　might　have　kept　me　in　order；　for　she　never　read　a　chapter　excepting　out　of　a　Cambridge　Bible；　printed　by　Daniel；　and　bound　in　embroidered　velvet。　　I　think　I　see　it　at　this　moment！　　And　on　Sundays；　when　we　had　a　quart　of　twopenny　ale；　instead　of　butter…milk；　to　our　porridge；　it　was　always　served　up　in　a　silver　posset…dish。　　Also　she　used　silver…mounted　spectacles；　whereas　even　my　father's　were　cased　in　mere　horn。　　These　things　had　their　impression　at　first；　but　we　get　used　to　grandeur　by　degrees。　　Well；　sir！Gad；　I　can　scarce　get　on　with　my　storyit　sticks　in　my　throatmust　take　a　trifle　to　wash　it　down。　　Well；　this　dame　had　a　daughterJess　Cantrips；　a　black…eyed；　bouncing　wenchand；　as　the　devil　would　have　it；　there　was　the　dd　five…story　stairher　foot　was　never　from　it；　whether　I　went　out　or　came　home　from　the　Divinity　Hall。　I　would　have　eschewed　her；　sirI　would；　on　my　soul；　for　I　was　as　innocent　a　lad　as　ever　came　from　Lammermuir；　but　there　was　no　possibility　of　escape；　retreat；　or　flight；　unless　I　could　have　got　a　pair　of　wings；　or　made　use　of　a　ladder　seven　stories　high；　to　scale　the　window　of　my　attic。　　It　signifies　little　talking　you　may　suppose　how　all　this　was　to　endI　would　have　married　the　girl；　and　taken　my　chanceI　would；　by　Heaven！　　for　she　was　a　pretty　girl；　and　a　good　girl；　till　she　and　I　met；　but　you　know　the　old　song；　〃Kirk　would　not　let　us　be。〃　A　gentleman；　in　my　case；　would　have　settled　the　matter　with　the　kirk…treasurer　for　a　small　sum　of　money；　but　the　poor　stibbler；　the　penniless　dominie；　having　married　his　cousin　of　Kittlebasket；　must　next　have　proclaimed　her　frailty　to　the　whole　parish；　by　mounting　the　throne　of　Presbyterian　penance；　and　proving；　as　Othello　says；　〃his　love　a　whore；〃　in　face　of　the　whole　congregation。

'In　this　extremity　I　dared　not　stay　where　I　was；　and　so　thought　to　go　home　to　my　father。　　But　first　I　got　Jack　Radaway；　a　lad　from　the　same　parish；　and　who　lived　in　the　same　infernal　stair；　to　make　some　inquiries　how　the　old　gentleman　had　taken　the　matter。　　I　soon；　by　way　of　answer；　learned；　to　the　great　increase　of　my　comfortable　reflections；　that　the　good　old　man　made　as　much　clamour　as　if　such　a　thing　as　a　man's　eating　his　wedding　dinner　without　saying　grace　had　never　happened　since　Adam's　time。　　He　did　nothing　for　six　days　but　cry　out；　〃Ichabod；　Ichabod；　the　glory　is　departed　from　my　house！〃　and　on　the　seventh　he　preached　a　sermon；　in　which　he　enlarged　on　this　incident　as　illustrative　of　one　of　the　great　occasions　for　humiliation；　and　causes　of　national　defection。　　I　hope　the　course　he　took　comforted　himself　I　am　sure　it　made　me　ashamed　to　show　my　nose　at　home。　　So　I　went　down　to　Leith；　and；　exchanging　my　hoddin　grey　coat　of　my　mother's　spinning　for　such　a　jacket　as　this；　I　entered　my　name　at　the　rendezvous　as　an　able…bodied　landsman；　and　sailed　with　the　tender　round　to　Plymouth；　where　they　were　fitting　out　a　squadron　for　the　West　Indies。　　There　I　was　put　aboard　the　FEARNOUGHT；　Captain　Daredevilamong　whose　crew　I　soon　learned　to　fear　Satan　（the　terror　of　my　early　youth）　as　little　as　the　toughest　Jack　on　board。　　I　had　some　qualms　at　first；　but　I　took　the　remedy'　（tapping　the　case…bottle）　'which　I　recommend　to　you；　being　as　good　for　sickness　of　the　soul　as　for　sickness　of　the　stomach　What；　you　won't？very　well；　I　must；　thenhere　is　to　ye。'

'You　would；　I　am　afraid；　find　your　education　of　little　use　in　your　new　condition？'　　said　Fairford。

'Pardon　me；　sir；'　resumed　the　captain　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY；　'my　handful　of　Latin；　and　small　pinch　of　Greek；　were　as　useless　as　old　junk；　to　be　sure；　but　my　reading；　writing　and　accompting；　stood　me　in　good　stead；　and　brought　me　forward；　I　might　have　been　schoolmasteraye；　and　master；　in　time；　but　that　valiant　liquor；　rum；　made　a　conquest　of　me　rather　too　often；　and　so；　make　what　sail　I　could；　I　always　went　to　leeward。　　We　were　four　years　broiling　in　that　blasted　climate；　and　I　came　back　at　last　with　a　little　prize…money。　　I　always　had　thoughts　of　putting　things　to　rights　in　the　Covenant　Close；　and　reconciling　myself　to　my　father。　　I　found　out　Jack　Hadaway；　who　was　TUPTOWING　away　with　a　dozen　of　wretched　boys；　and　a　fine　string　of　stories　he　had　ready　to　regale　my　ears　withal。　　My　father　had　lectured　on　what　he　called　〃my　falling　away；〃　for　seven　Sabbaths；　when；　just　as　his　parishioners　began　to　hope　that　the　course　was　at　an　end；　he　was　found　dead　in　his　bed　on　the　eighth　Sunday　morning。　　Jack　Hadaway　assured　me；　that　if　I　wished　to　atone　for　my　errors；　by　undergoing　the　fate　of　the　first　martyr；　I　had　only　to　go　to　my　native　village；　where　the　very　stones　of　the　street　would　rise　up　against　me　as　my　father's　murderer。　　Here　was　a　pretty　item　well；　my　tongue　clove　to　my　mouth　for　an　hour；　and　was　only　able　at　last　to　utter　the　name　of　Mrs。　Cantrips。　　Oh；　this　was　a　new　theme　for　my　Job's　comforter。　　My　sudden　departuremy　father's　no　less　sudden　deathhad　prevented　the　payment　of　the　arrears　of　my　board　and　lodgingthe　landlord　was　a　haberdasher；　with　a　heart　as　rotten　as　the　muslin　wares　he　dealt　in。　　Without　respect　to　her　age　or　gentle　kin；　my　Lady　Kittlebasket　was　ejected　from　her　airy　habitationher　porridge…pot；　silver　posset…dish；　silver…mounted　spectacles；　and　Daniel's　Cambridge　Bible；　sold；　at　the　Cross　of　Edinburgh；　to　the　caddie　who　would　bid　highest　for　them；　and　she　herself　driven　to　the　workhouse；　where　she　got　in　with　difficulty；　but　was　easily　enough　lifted　out；　at　the　end　of　the　month；　as　dead　as　her　friends　could　desire。　　Merry　tidings　this　to　me；　who　had　been　the　dd'　（he　paused　a　moment）　'ORIGO　MALIGad；　I　think　my　confession　would　sound　better　in　Latin　than　in　English！

'But　the　best　jest　was　behindI　had　just　power　to　stammer　out　something　about　Jessby　my　faith　he　HAD　an　answer！　　I　had　taught　Jess　one　trade；　and；　like　a　prudent　girl；　she　had　found　out　another　for　herself；　unluckily；　they　were　both　contraband；　and　Jess　Cantrips；　daughter　of　the　Lady　Kittlebasket；　had　the　honour　to　be　transported　to　the　plantations；　for　street…walking　and　pocket…picking；　about　six　months　before　I　touched　shore。'

He　changed　the　bitter　tone　of　affected　pleasantry　into　an　attempt　to　laugh；　then　drew　his　swarthy　hand　across　his　swarthy　eyes；　and　said　in　a　more　natural　accent；　'Poor　Jess！'

There　was　a　pauseuntil　Fairford；　pitying　the　poor　man's　state　of　mind；　and　believing　he　saw　something　in　him　that；　but　for　early　error　and　subsequent　profligacy；　might　have　been　excellent　and　noble；　helped　on　the　conversation　by　asking；　in　a　tone　of　commiseration；　how　he　had　been　able　to　endure　such　a　load　of　calamity。

'Why；　very　well；'　answered　the　seaman；　'exceedingly　welllike　a　tight　ship　in　a　brisk　gale。　　Let　me　recollect。　　I　remember　thanking　Jack；　very　composedly；　for　the　interesting　and　agreeable　communication；　I　then　pulled　out　my　canvas　pouch；　with　my　hoard　of　moidores；　and　taking　out　two　pieces；　I　bid　Jack　keep　the　rest　till　I　came　back；　as　I　was　for　a　cruise　about　Auld　Reekie。　　The　poor　devil　looked　anxiously；　but　I　shook　him　by　the　hand；　and　ran　downstairs；　in　such　confusion　of　mind；　that　notwithstanding　what　I　had　heard；　I　expected　to　meet　Jess　at　every　turning。

It　was　market…day；　and　the　usual　number　of　rogues　and　fools　were　assembled　at　the　Cross。　　I　observed　everybody　looked　strange　on　me；　and　I　thought　some　laughed。　　I　fancy　I　had　been　making　queer　faces　enough；　and　perhaps　talking　to　myself；　W