chronicles of the canongate- 第19部分

〃Gone　abroad；　perhaps？〃　　I　suggested。

She　now　looked　up；　and　faced　me。　　〃No；　sir。　　There　were　three　sons　of　the　last　laird　of　Glentanner；　as　he　was　then　called。　John　and　William　were　hopeful　young　gentlemen；　but　they　died　earlyone　of　a　decline　brought　on　by　the　mizzles；　the　other　lost　his　life　in　a　fever。　　It　would　hae　been　lucky　for　mony　ane　that　Chrystal　had　gane　the　same　gate。〃

〃Oh；　he　must　have　been　the　young　spendthrift　that　sold　the　property？　　Well；　but　you　should　you　have　such　an　ill…will　against　him；　remember　necessity　has　no　law。　　And　then；　goodwife；　he　was　not　more　culpable　than　Mr。　Treddles；　whom　you　are　so　sorry　for。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　think　sae；　sir；　for　his　mother's　sake。　　But　Mr。　Treddles　was　in　trade；　and　though　he　had　no　preceese　right　to　do　so；　yet　there　was　some　warrant　for　a　man　being　expensive　that　imagined　he　was　making　a　mint　of　money。　　But　this　unhappy　lad　devoured　his　patrimony；　when　he　kenned　that　he　was　living　like　a　ratten　in　a　Dunlap　cheese；　and　diminishing　his　means　at　a'　hands。　I　canna　bide　to　think　on't。〃　　With　this　she　broke　out　into　a　snatch　of　a　ballad；　but　little　of　mirth　was　there　either　in　the　tone　or　the　expression：

　　〃For　he　did　spend；　and　make　an　end　　　　　　Of　gear　that　his　forefathers　wan；　　　　Of　land　and　ware　he　made　him　bare；　　　　　　So　speak　nae　mair　of　the　auld　gudeman。〃

〃Come；　dame；〃　said　I；　〃it　is　a　long　lane　that　has　no　turning。　　I　will　not　keep　from　you　that　I　have　heard　something　of　this　poor　fellow；　Chrystal　Croftangry。　　He　has　sown　his　wild　oats；　as　they　say；　and　has　settled　into　a　steady；　respectable　man。〃

〃And　wha　tell'd　ye　that　tidings？〃　　said　she；　looking　sharply　at　me。

〃Not；　perhaps；　the　best　judge　in　the　world　of　his　character；　for　it　was　himself；　dame。〃

〃And　if　he　tell'd　you　truth；　it　was　a　virtue　he　did　not　aye　use　to　practise；〃　said　Christie。

〃The　devil！〃　　said　I；　considerably　nettled；　〃all　the　world　held　him　to　be　a　man　of　honour。〃

〃Ay；　ay！　　he　would　hae　shot　onybody　wi'　his　pistols　and　his　guns　that　had　evened　him　to　be　a　liar。　　But　if　he　promised　to　pay　an　honest　tradesman　the　next　term…day；　did　he　keep　his　word　then？　And　if　he　promised　a　puir；　silly　lass　to　make　gude　her　shame；　did　he　speak　truth　then？　　And　what　is　that　but　being　a　liar；　and　a　black…hearted；　deceitful　liar　to　boot？〃

My　indignation　was　rising；　but　I　strove　to　suppress　it；　indeed；　I　should　only　have　afforded　my　tormentor　a　triumph　by　an　angry　reply。　　I　partly　suspected　she　began　to　recognize　me；　yet　she　testified　so　little　emotion　that　I　could　not　think　my　suspicion　well　founded。　　I　went　on；　therefore；　to　say；　in　a　tone　as　indifferent　as　I　could　command；　〃Well；　goodwife；　I　see　you　will　believe　no　good　of　this　Chrystal　of　yours；　till　he　comes　back　and　buys　a　good　farm　on　the　estate；　and　makes　you　his　housekeeper。〃

The　old　woman　dropped　her　thread；　folded　her　hands；　as　she　looked　up　to　heaven　with　a　face　of　apprehension。　　〃The　Lord；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃forbid！　　The　Lord　in　His　mercy　forbid！　　O　sir！　　if　you　really　know　this　unlucky　man；　persuade　him　to　settle　where　folk　ken　the　good　that　you　say　he　has　come　to；　and　dinna　ken　the　evil　of　his　former　days。　　He　used　to　be　proud　enoughO　dinna　let　him　come　here；　even　for　his　own　sake。　　He　used　once　to　have　some　pride。〃

Here　she　once　more　drew　the　wheel　close　to　her；　and　began　to　pull　at　the　flax　with　both　hands。　　〃Dinna　let　him　come　here；　to　be　looked　down　upon　by　ony　that　may　be　left　of　his　auld　reiving　companions；　and　to　see　the　decent　folk　that　he　looked　over　his　nose　at　look　over　their　noses　at　him；　baith　at　kirk　and　market。　Dinna　let　him　come　to　his　ain　country；　to　be　made　a　tale　about　when　ony　neighbour　points　him　out　to　another；　and　tells　what　he　is；　and　what　he　was；　and　how　he　wrecked　a　dainty　estate；　and　brought　harlots　to　the　door…cheek　of　his　father's　house；　till　he　made　it　nae　residence　for　his　mother；　and　how　it　had　been　foretauld　by　a　servant　of　his　ain　house　that　he　was　a　ne'er…do…　weel　and　a　child　of　perdition；　and　how　her　words　were　made　good；　and〃

〃Stop　there；　goodwife；　if　you　please；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　said　as　much　as　I　can　well　remember；　and　more　than　it　may　be　safe　to　repeat。　　I　can　use　a　great　deal　of　freedom　with　the　gentleman　we　speak　of；　but　I　think；　were　any　other　person　to　carry　him　half　of　your　message；　I　would　scarce　ensure　his　personal　safety。　　And　now；　as　I　see　the　night　is　settled　to　be　a　fine　one；　I　will　walk　on　to　；　where　I　must　meet　a　coach　to…morrow　as　it　passes　to　Edinburgh。〃

So　saying；　I　paid　my　moderate　reckoning；　and　took　my　leave；　without　being　able　to　discover　whether　the　prejudiced　and　hard…　hearted　old　woman　did；　or　did　not；　suspect　the　identity　of　her　guest　with　the　Chrystal　Croftangry　against　whom　she　harboured　so　much　dislike。

The　night　was　fine　and　frosty；　though；　when　I　pretended　to　see　what　its　character　was；　it　might　have　rained　like　the　deluge。　　I　only　made　the　excuse　to　escape　from　old　Christie　Steele。　　The　horses　which　run　races　in　the　Corso　at　Rome　without　any　riders；　in　order　to　stimulate　their　exertion；　carry　each　his　own　spurs　namely；　small　balls　of　steel；　with　sharp；　projecting　spikes；　which　are　attached　to　loose　straps　of　leather；　and；　flying　about　in　the　violence　of　the　agitation；　keep　the　horse　to　his　speed　by　pricking　him　as　they　strike　against　his　flanks。　　The　old　woman's　reproaches　had　the　same　effect　on　me；　and　urged　me　to　a　rapid　pace；　as　if　it　had　been　possible　to　escape　from　my　own　recollections。　　In　the　best　days　of　my　life；　when　I　won　one　or　two　hard　walking　matches；　I　doubt　if　I　ever　walked　so　fast　as　I　did　betwixt　the　Treddles　Arms　and　the　borough　town　for　which　I　was　bound。　　Though　the　night　was　cold；　I　was　warm　enough　by　the　time　I　got　to　my　inn；　and　it　required　a　refreshing　draught　of　porter；　with　half　an　hour's　repose；　ere　I　could　determine　to　give　no　further　thought　to　Christie　and　her　opinions　than　those　of　any　other　vulgar；　prejudiced　old　woman。　　I　resolved　at　last　to　treat　the　thing　EN　BAGATELLE；　and　calling　for　writing　materials；　I　folded　up　a　cheque　for　L100；　with　these　lines　on　the　envelope：

　　〃Chrystal；　the　ne'er…do…weel；　　　　Child　destined　to　the　deil；　　　　Sends　this　to　Christie　Steele。〃

And　I　was　so　much　pleased　with　this　new　mode　of　viewing　the　subject；　that　I　regretted　the　lateness　of　the　hour　prevented　my　finding　a　person　to　carry　the　letter　express　to　its　destination。

　　〃But　with　the　morning　cool　reflection　came。〃

I　considered　that　the　money；　and　probably　more；　was　actually　due　by　me　on　my　mother's　account　to　Christie；　who　had　lent　it　in　a　moment　of　great　necessity；　and　that　the　returning　it　in　a　light　or　ludicrous　manner　was　not　unlikely　to　prevent　so　touchy　and　punctilious　a　person　from　accepting　a　debt　which　was　most　justly　her　due；　and　which　it　became　me　particularly　to　see　satisfied。　Sacrificing；　then；　my　triad　with　little　regret　（for　it　looked　better　by　candlelight；　and　through　the　medium　of　a　pot　of　porter；　than　it　did　by　daylight；　and　with　bohea　for　a　menstruum）；　I　determined　to　employ　Mr。　Fairscribe's　mediation　in　buying　up　the　lease　of　the　little　inn；　and　conferring　it　upon　Christie　in　the　way　which　should　make　it　most　acceptable　to　her　feelings。　　It　is　only　necessary　to　add　that　my　plan　succeeded；　and　that　Widow　Steele　even　yet　keeps　the　Treddles　Arms。　　Do　not　say；　therefore；　that　I　have　been　disingenuous　with　you；　reader；　since；　if　I　have　not　told　all　the　ill　of　myself　I　might　have　done；　I　have　indicated　to　you　a　person　able　and　willing　to　supply　the　blank；　by　relating　all　my　delinquencies　as　well　as　my　misfortunes。

In　the　meantime　I　totally　abandoned　the　idea　of　redeeming　any　part　of　my　paternal　property；　and　resolved　to　take　Christie　Steele's　advice；　as　young　Norval　does　Glenalvon's；　〃although　it　sounded　harshly。〃



CHAPTER　V。

MR。　CROFTANGRY　SETTLES　IN　THE　CANONGATE。

　　　　　　　　　　　If　you　will　know　my　house；　　　'Tis　at　the　tuft　of　olives　here　hard　by。　　　　AS　YOU　LIKE　IT。

By　a　revolution　of　humour　which　I　am　unable　to　account　for；　I　changed　my　mind　entirely　on　my　plans　of　life；　in　consequence　of　the　disappointment；　the　history　of　which　fills　the　last　chapter。　I　began　to　discover　that　the　country　would　not　at　all　suit　me；　for　I　had　relinquished　field…sports；　and　felt　no　inclination　whatever　to　farming；　the　ordinary　vocation　of　country　gentlemen。　Besides　that；　I　had　no　talent　for　assisting　either　candidate　in　case　of　an　expected　election；　and　saw　no　amusement　in　the　duties　of　a　road　trustee；　a　commissioner　of　supply；　or　even　in　the　magisterial　functions　of　the　bench。　　I　had　begun　to　take　some　taste　for　reading；　and　a　domiciliation　in　the　country　must　remove　me　from　the　use　of　books；　excepting　the　small　subscription　library；　in　which　the　very　book　which　you　want　is　uniformly　sure　to　be　engaged。

I　resolved；　therefore；　to　make　the　Scottish　metropolis　my　regular　resting…place；　reserving　to　myself　to　take　occasionally　those　excursions　which；　spite　of　all　I　have　said　against　mail…coaches；　Mr。　Piper　has　rendered　so　easy。　　Friend　of　our　life　and　of　our　leisure；　he　secures　by　dispatch　against　loss　of　time；　and　by　the　best　of　coaches；　cattle；　and　steadiest　of　drivers；　against　hazard　of　limb；　and　wafts　us；　as　well　as　our　letters；　from　Edinburgh　to　Cape　Wrath　in　the　penning　of　a　paragraph。

When　my　mind　was　quite　ma