redgauntlet-第7部分

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agnificent　an　idea　to　one　who　never　shot　anything　but　hedge…sparrows；　and　that　with　a　horse…pistol　purchased　at　a　broker's　stand　in　the　Cowgate！　　You；　who　stand　upon　your　courage；　may　remember　that　I　took　the　risk　of　firing　the　said　pistol　for　the　first　time；　while　you　stood　at　twenty　yards'　distance；　and　that；　when　you　were　persuaded　it　would　go　off　without　bursting；　forgetting　all　law　but　that　of　the　biggest　and　strongest；　you　possessed　yourself　of　it　exclusively　for　the　rest　of　the　holidays。　　Such　a　day's　sport　was　no　complete　introduction　to　the　noble　art　of　deer…stalking；　as　it　is　practised　in　the　Highlands；　but　I　should　not　have　scrupled　to　accept　honest　Glengallacher's　invitation；　at　the　risk　of　firing　a　rifle　for　the　first　time；　had　it　not　been　for　the　outcry　which　your　father　made　at　my　proposal；　in　the　full　ardour　of　his　zeal　for　King　George；　the　Hanover　succession；　and　the　Presbyterian　faith。　　I　wish　I　had　stood　out；　since　I　have　gained　so　little　upon　his　good　opinion　by　submission。　　All　his　impressions　concerning　the　Highlanders　are　taken　from　the　recollections　of　the　Forty…five；　when　he　retreated　from　the　West　Port　with　his　brother　volunteers；　each　to　the　fortalice　of　his　own　separate　dwelling；　so　soon　as　they　heard　the　Adventurer　was　arrived　with　his　clans　as　near　them　as　Kirkliston。　The　flight　of　Falkirk　PARMA　NON　BENE　SELECTAin　which　I　think　your　sire　had　his　share　with　the　undaunted　western　regiment；　does　not　seem　to　have　improved　his　taste　for　the　company　of　the　Highlanders；　（quaere；　Alan；　dost　thou　derive　the　courage　thou　makest　such　boast　of　from　an　hereditary　source？）　　and　stories　of　Rob　Roy　Macgregor；　and　Sergeant　Alan　Mhor　Cameron；　have　served　to　paint　them　in　still　more　sable　colours　to　his　imagination。　　＇Of　Rob　Roy　we　have　had　more　than　enough。　　Alan　Cameron；　commonly　called　Sergeant　Mhor；　a　freebooter　of　the　same　period；　was　equally　remarkable　for　strength；　courage；　and　generosity。＇

Now；　from　all　I　can　understand；　these　ideas；　as　applied　to　the　present　state　of　the　country；　are　absolutely　chimerical。　　The　Pretender　is　no　more　remembered　in　the　Highlands　than　if　the　poor　gentleman　were　gathered　to　his　hundred　and　eight　fathers；　whose　portraits　adorn　the　ancient　walls　of　Holyrood；　the　broadswords　have　passed　into　other　hands；　the　targets　are　used　to　cover　the　butter　churns；　and　the　race　has　sunk；　or　is　fast　sinking；　from　ruffling　bullies　into　tame　cheaters。　　Indeed；　it　was　partly　my　conviction　that　there　is　little　to　be　seen　in　the　north；　which；　arriving　at　your　father's　conclusions；　though　from　different　premisses；　inclined　my　course　in　this　direction；　where　perhaps　I　shall　see　as　little。

One　thing；　however；　I　HAVE　seen；　and　it　was　with　pleasure　the　more　indescribable；　that　I　was　debarred　from　treading　the　land　which　my　eyes　were　permitted　to　gaze　upon；　like　those　of　the　dying　prophet　from　top　of　Mount　Pisgah；I　have　seen；　in　a　word；　the　fruitful　shores　of　merry　England；　merry　England！　　of　which　I　boast　myself　a　native；　and　on　which　I　gaze；　even　while　raging　floods　and　unstable　quicksands　divide　us；　with　the　filial　affection　of　a　dutiful　son。

Thou　canst　not　have　forgotten；　Alanfor　when　didst　thou　ever　forget　what　was　interesting　to　thy　friend？that　the　same　letter　from　my　friend　Griffiths；　which　doubled　my　income；　and　placed　my　motions　at　my　own　free　disposal；　contained　a　prohibitory　clause；　by　which；　reason　none　assigned；　I　was　prohibited；　as　I　respected　my　present　safety　and　future　fortunes；　from　visiting　England；　every　other　part　of　the　British　dominions；　and　a　tour；　if　I　pleased；　on　the　Continent；　being　left　to　my　own　choice。Where　is　the　tale；　Alan；　of　a　covered　dish　in　the　midst　of　a　royal　banquet；　upon　which　the　eyes　of　every　guest　were　immediately　fixed；　neglecting　all　the　dainties　with　which　the　table　was　loaded？　　This　cause　of　banishment　from　Englandfrom　my　native　countryfrom　the　land　of　the　brave；　and　the　wise；　and　the　free　affects　me　more　than　I　am　rejoiced　by　the　freedom　and　independence　assigned　to　me　in　all　other　respects。　　Thus；　in　seeking　this　extreme　boundary　of　the　country　which　I　am　forbidden　to　tread；　I　resemble　the　poor　tethered　horse；　which；　you　may　have　observed；　is　always　grazing　on　the　very　verge　of　the　circle　to　which　it　is　limited　by　its　halter。

Do　not　accuse　me　of　romance　for　obeying　this　impulse　towards　the　South；　nor　suppose　that；　to　satisfy　the　imaginary　longing　of　an　idle　curiosity；　I　am　in　any　danger　of　risking　the　solid　comforts　of　my　present　condition。　　Whoever　has　hitherto　taken　charge　of　my　motions　has　shown　me；　by　convincing　proofs　more　weighty　than　the　assurances　which　they　have　witheld；　that　my　real　advantage　is　their　principal　object。　　I　should　be；　therefore；　worse　than　a　fool　did　I　object　to　their　authority；　even　when　it　seems　somewhat　capriciously　exercised；　for　assuredly；　at　my　age；　I　might　intrusted　as　I　am　with　the　care　and　management　of　myself　in　every　other　particularexpect　that　the　cause　of　excluding　me　from　England　should　be　frankly　and　fairly　stated　for　my　own　consideration　and　guidance。　　However；　I　will　not　grumble　about　the　matter。　　I　shall　know　the　whole　story　one　day；　I　suppose；　and　perhaps；　as　you　sometimes　surmise；　I　shall　not　find　there　is　any　mighty　matter　in　it　after　all。

Yet　one　cannot　help　wonderingbut　plague　on　it；　if　I　wonder　any　longer；　my　letter　will　be　as　full　of　wonders　as　one　of　Katterfelto's　advertisements。　　I　have　a　month's　mind；　instead　of　this　damnable　iteration　of　guesses　and　forebodings；　to　give　thee　the　history　of　a　little　adventure　which　befell　me　yesterday；　though　I　am　sure　you　will；　as　usual；　turn　the　opposite　side　of　the　spyglass　on　my　poor　narrative；　and　reduce；　MORE　TUO；　to　the　most　petty　trivialities；　the　circumstance　to　which　thou　accusest　me　of　giving　undue　consequence。　　Hang　thee；　Alan；　thou　art　as　unfit　a　confidant　for　a　youthful　gallant　with　some　spice　of　imagination；　as　the　old　taciturn　secretary　of　Facardin　of　Trebizond。　　Nevertheless；　we　must　each　perform　our　separate　destinies。　　I　am　doomed　to　see；　act；　and　tell；　thou；　like　a　Dutchman　enclosed　in　the　same　diligence　with　a　Gascon；　to　hear；　and　shrug　thy　shoulders。

Of　Dumfries；　the　capital　town　of　this　county；　I　have　but　little　to　say；　and　will　not　abuse　your　patience　by　reminding　you　that　it　is　built　on　the　gallant　river　Nith；　and　that　its　churchyard；　the　highest　place　of　the　old　town；　commands　an　extensive　and　fine　prospect。　　Neither　will　I　take　the　traveller's　privilege　of　inflicting　upon　you　the　whole　history　of　Bruce　poniarding　the　Red　Comyn　in　the　Church　of　the　Dominicans　at　this　place；　and　becoming　a　king　and　patriot　because　he　had　been　a　church…breaker　and　a　murderer。　　The　present　Dumfriezers　remember　and　justify　the　deed；　observing　it　was　only　a　papist　churchin　evidence　whereof；　its　walls　have　been　so　completely　demolished　that　no　vestiges　of　them　remain。　　They　are　a　sturdy　set　of　true…blue　Presbyterians；　these　burghers　of　Dumfries；　men　after　your　father's　own　heart；　zealous　for　the　Protestant　successionthe　rather　that　many　of　the　great　families　around　are　suspected　to　be　of　a　different　way　of　thinking；　and　shared；　a　great　many　of　them；　in　the　insurrection　of　the　Fifteen；　and　some　in　the　more　recent　business　of　the　Forty…five。　　The　town　itself　suffered　in　the　latter　era；　for　Lord　Elcho；　with　a　large　party　of　the　rebels；　levied　a　severe　contribution　upon　Dumfries；　on　account　of　the　citizens　having　annoyed　the　rear　of　the　Chevalier　during　his　march　into　England。

Many　of　these　particulars　I　learned　from　Provost　C；　who；　happening　to　see　me　in　the　market…place；　remembered　that　I　was　an　intimate　of　your　father's；　and　very　kindly　asked　me　to　dinner。　Pray　tell　your　father　that　the　effects　of　his　kindness　to　me　follow　me　everywhere。　　I　became　tired；　however；　of　this　pretty　town　in　the　course　of　twenty…four　hours；　and　crept　along　the　coast　eastwards；　amusing　myself　with　looking　out　for　objects　of　antiquity；　and　sometimes　making；　or　attempting　to　make；　use　of　my　new　angling…rod。　　By　the　way；　old　Cotton's　instructions；　by　which　I　hoped　to　qualify　myself　for　one　of　the　gentle　society　of　anglers；　are　not　worth　a　farthing　for　this　meridian。　　I　learned　this　by　mere　accident；　after　I　had　waited　four　mortal　hours。　　I　shall　never　forget　an　impudent　urchin；　a　cowherd；　about　twelve　years　old；　without　either　brogue　or　bonnet；　barelegged；　and　with　a　very　indifferent　pair　of　breecheshow　the　villain　grinned　in　scorn　at　my　landing…net；　my　plummet；　and　the　gorgeous　jury　of　flies　which　I　had　assembled　to　destroy　all　the　fish　in　the　river。　I　was　induced　at　last　to　lend　the　rod　to　the　sneering　scoundrel；　to　see　what　he　would　make　of　it；　and　he　had　not　only　half　filled　my　basket　in　an　hour；　but　literally　taught　me　to　kill　two　trouts　with　my　own　hand。　　This；　and　Sam　having　found　the　hay　and　oats；　not　forgetting　the　ale；　very　good　at　this　small　inn；　first　made　me　take　the　fancy　of　resting　here　for　a　day　or　two；　and　I　have　got　my　grinning　blackguard　of　a　piscator　leave　to　attend　on　me；　by　paying　sixpence　a　day　for　a　herd…boy　in　his　stead。

A　notably　clean　Englishwoman　keeps　this　small　house；　and　my　bedroom　is　sweetened　with　lavender；　has　a　clean　sash…window；　and　the　walls　are；　moreover；　adorned　with　ballads　of　Fair　Rosamond　and　Cruel　Barbara　Allan。　　The　woman's　accent；　though　uncouth　enough；　sounds　yet　kindly　in　my　ear；　for　I　have　never　yet　forgotten　the　desolate　effect　produced　on　my　infant　organs；　when　I　heard　on　all　sides　your　slow　and　broad　northern　pronunciation；　which　was　to　me　the　tone　of　a　foreign　land。　　I　am　sensible　I　myself　have　since　that　time　acquired　Scotch　in　perfection；　and　many　a　Scotticism　withal。　　Still　the　sound　of　the　English　accentuation　comes　to　my　ears　as　the　tones　of　a　friend；　and　even　when　heard　from　the　mouth　of　some　wandering　beggar；　it　has　seldom　failed　to　charm　forth　my　mite。　　You　Scotch；　who　are　so　proud　of　your　own　nationality；　must　make　due　allowance　for　that　of　other　folks。

On　the　next　morning　I　was　about　to　set　forth　to　the　stream　where　I　had　commenced　angler　the　night　before；　but　was　prevented　by　a　heavy　shower　of　rain　from　stirring　abroad　the　whole　forenoon；　during　all　which　time；　I　heard　my　varlet　of　a　guide　as　loud　with　his　blackguard　jokes　in　the　kitchen；　as　a　footman　in　the　shilling　gallery；　so　little　are　modesty　and　innocence　the　inseparab