chronicles of the canongate- 第34部分

〃Military　punishment　as　a　deserter；〃　answered　Hamish；　writhing；　however；　as　his　mother　failed　not　to　observe；　under　some　internal　feelings；　which　she　resolved　to　probe　to　the　uttermost。

〃And　that；〃　she　said；　with　assumed　calmness；　which　her　glancing　eye　disowned；　〃is　the　punishment　of　a　disobedient　hound；　is　it　not？〃

〃Ask　me　no　more；　mother；〃　said　Hamish；　〃the　punishment　is　nothing　to　one　who　will　never　deserve　it。〃

〃To　me　it　is　something；〃　replied　Elspat；　〃since　I　know　better　than　thou；　that　where　there　is　power　to　inflict；　there　is　often　the　will　to　do　so　without　cause。　　I　would　pray　for　thee；　Hamish；　and　I　must　know　against　what　evils　I　should　beseech　Him　who　leaves　none　unguarded；　to　protect　thy　youth　and　simplicity。〃

〃Mother；〃　said　Hamish；　〃it　signifies　little　to　what　a　criminal　may　be　exposed；　if　a　man　is　determined　not　to　be　such。　　Our　Highland　chiefs　used　also　to　punish　their　vassals；　and；　as　I　have　heard；　severely。　　Was　it　not　Lachlan　MacIan；　whom　we　remember　of　old；　whose　head　was　struck　off　by　order　of　his　chieftain　for　shooting　at　the　stag　before　him？〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Elspat；　〃and　right　he　had　to　lose　it；　since　he　dishonoured　the　father　of　the　people　even　in　the　face　of　the　assembled　clan。　　But　the　chiefs　were　noble　in　their　ire；　they　punished　with　the　sharp　blade；　and　not　with　the　baton。　　Their　punishments　drew　blood；　but　they　did　not　infer　dishonour。　　Canst　thou　say；　the　same　for　the　laws　under　whose　yoke　thou　hast　placed　thy　freeborn　neck？〃

〃I　cannot；　motherI　cannot；〃　said　Hamish　mournfully。　　〃I　saw　them　punish　a　Sassenach　for　deserting　as　they　called　it；　his　banner。　　He　was　scourgedI　own　itscourged　like　a　hound　who　has　offended　an　imperious　master。　　I　was　sick　at　the　sightI　confess　it。　　But　the　punishment　of　dogs　is　only　for　those　worse　than　dogs；　who　know　not　how　to　keep　their　faith。〃

〃To　this　infamy；　however；　thou　hast　subjected　thyself；　Hamish；〃　replied　Elspat；　〃if　thou　shouldst　give；　or　thy　officers　take；　measure　of　offence　against　thee。　　I　speak　no　more　to　thee　on　thy　purpose。　　Were　the　sixth　day　from　this　morning's　sun　my　dying　day；　and　thou　wert　to　stay　to　close　mine　eyes；　thou　wouldst　run　the　risk　of　being　lashed　like　a　dog　at　a　postyes！　　unless　thou　hadst　the　gallant　heart　to　leave　me　to　die　alone；　and　upon　my　desolate　hearth；　the　last　spark　of　thy　father's　fire；　and　of　thy　forsaken　mother's　life；　to　be　extinguished　together！〃Hamish　traversed　the　hut　with　an　impatient　and　angry　pace。

〃Mother；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃concern　not　yourself　about　such　things。　　I　cannot　be　subjected　to　such　infamy；　for　never　will　I　deserve　it；　and　were　I　threatened　with　it；　I　should　know　how　to　die　before　I　was　so　far　dishonoured。〃

〃There　spoke　the　son　of　the　husband　of　my　heart！〃　　replied　Elspat；　and　she　changed　the　discourse；　and　seemed　to　listen　in　melancholy　acquiescence；　when　her　son　reminded　her　how　short　the　time　was　which　they　were　permitted　to　pass　in　each　other's　society；　and　entreated　that　it　might　be　spent　without　useless　and　unpleasant　recollections　respecting　the　circumstances　under　which　they　must　soon　be　separated。

Elspat　was　now　satisfied　that　her　son；　with　some　of　his　father's　other　properties；　preserved　the　haughty　masculine　spirit　which　rendered　it　impossible　to　divert　him　from　a　resolution　which　he　had　deliberately　adopted。　　She　assumed；　therefore；　an　exterior　of　apparent　submission　to　their　inevitable　separation；　and　if　she　now　and　then　broke　out　into　complaints　and　murmurs；　it　was　either　that　she　could　not　altogether　suppress　the　natural　impetuosity　of　her　temper；　or　because　she　had　the　wit　to　consider　that　a　total　and　unreserved　acquiescence　might　have　seemed　to　her　son　constrained　and　suspicious；　and　induced　him　to　watch　and　defeat　the　means　by　which　she　still　hoped　to　prevent　his　leaving　her。　Her　ardent　though　selfish　affection　for　her　son；　incapable　of　being　qualified　by　a　regard　for　the　true　interests　of　the　unfortunate　object　of　her　attachment；　resembled　the　instinctive　fondness　of　the　animal　race　for　their　offspring；　and　diving　little　farther　into　futurity　than　one　of　the　inferior　creatures；　she　only　felt　that　to　be　separated　from　Hamish　was　to　die。

In　the　brief　interval　permitted　them；　Elspat　exhausted　every　art　which　affection　could　devise；　to　render　agreeable　to　him　the　space　which　they　were　apparently　to　spend　with　each　other。　　Her　memory　carried　her　far　back　into　former　days；　and　her　stores　of　legendary　history；　which　furnish　at　all　times　a　principal　amusement　of　the　Highlander　in　his　moments　of　repose；　were　augmented　by　an　unusual　acquaintance　with　the　songs　of　ancient　bards；　and　traditions　of　the　most　approved　seannachies　and　tellers　of　tales。　　Her　officious　attentions　to　her　son's　accommodation；　indeed；　were　so　unremitted　as　almost　to　give　him　pain；　and　he　endeavoured　quietly　to　prevent　her　from　taking　so　much　personal　toil　in　selecting　the　blooming　heath　for　his　bed；　or　preparing　the　meal　for　his　refreshment。　　〃Let　me　alone；　Hamish；〃　she　would　reply　on　such　occasions；　〃you　follow　your　own　will　in　departing　from　your　mother；　let　your　mother　have　hers　in　doing　what　gives　her　pleasure　while　you　remain。〃

So　much　she　seemed　to　be　reconciled　to　the　arrangements　which　he　had　made　in　her　behalf；　that　she　could　hear　him　speak　to　her　of　her　removing　to　the　lands　of　Green　Colin；　as　the　gentleman　was　called；　on　whose　estate　he　had　provided　her　an　asylum。　　In　truth；　however；　nothing　could　be　farther　from　her　thoughts。　　From　what　he　had　said　during　their　first　violent　dispute；　Elspat　had　gathered　that；　if　Hamish　returned　not　by　the　appointed　time　permitted　by　his　furlough；　he　would　incur　the　hazard　of　corporal　punishment。　　Were　he　placed　within　the　risk　of　being　thus　dishonoured；　she　was　well　aware　that　he　would　never　submit　to　the　disgrace　by　a　return　to　the　regiment　where　it　might　be　inflicted。　Whether　she　looked　to　any　farther　probable　consequences　of　her　unhappy　scheme　cannot　be　known；　but　the　partner　of　MacTavish　Mhor；　in　all　his　perils　and　wanderings；　was　familiar　with　an　hundred　instances　of　resistance　or　escape；　by　which　one　brave　man；　amidst　a　land　of　rocks；　lakes；　and　mountains；　dangerous　passes；　and　dark　forests；　might　baffle　the　pursuit　of　hundreds。　For　the　future；　therefore；　she　feared　nothing；　her　sole　engrossing　object　was　to　prevent　her　son　from　keeping　his　word　with　his　commanding　officer。

With　this　secret　purpose；　she　evaded　the　proposal　which　Hamish　repeatedly　made；　that　they　should　set　out　together　to　take　possession　of　her　new　abode；　and　she　resisted　it　upon　grounds　apparently　so　natural　to　her　character　that　her　son　was　neither　alarmed　nor　displeased。　　〃Let　me　not；〃　she　said；　〃in　the　same　short　week；　bid　farewell　to　my　only　son；　and　to　the　glen　in　which　I　have　so　long　dwelt。　　Let　my　eye；　when　dimmed　with　weeping　for　thee；　still　look　around；　for　a　while　at　least；　upon　Loch　Awe　and　on　Ben　Cruachan。〃

Hamish　yielded　the　more　willingly　to　his　mother's　humour　in　this　particular；　that　one　or　two　persons　who　resided　in　a　neighbouring　glen；　and　had　given　their　sons　to　Barcaldine's　levy；　were　also　to　be　provided　for　on　the　estate　of　the　chieftain；　and　it　was　apparently　settled　that　Elspat　was　to　take　her　journey　along　with　them　when　they　should　remove　to　their　new　residence。　　Thus；　Hamish　believed　that　he　had　at　once　indulged　his　mother's　humour；　and　ensured　her　safety　and　accommodation。　　But　she　nourished　in　her　mind　very　different　thoughts　and　projects。

The　period　of　Hamish's　leave　of　absence　was　fast　approaching；　and　more　than　once　he　proposed　to　depart；　in　such　time　as　to　ensure　his　gaining　easily　and　early　Dunbarton；　the　town　where　were　the　head…quarters　of　his　regiment。　　But　still　his　mother's　entreaties；　his　own　natural　disposition　to　linger　among　scenes　long　dear　to　him；　and；　above　all；　his　firm　reliance　in　his　speed　and　activity；　induced　him　to　protract　his　departure　till　the　sixth　day；　being　the　very　last　which　he　could　possibly　afford　to　spend　with　his　mother；　if　indeed　he　meant　to　comply　with　the　conditions　of　his　furlough。



CHAPTER　V。

　　But　for　your　son；　believe　itoh；　believe　it　　　Most　dangerously　you　have　with　him　prevailed；　　　If　not　most　mortal　to　him。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CORIOLANUS。

On　the　evening　which　preceded　his　proposed　departure；　Hamish　walked　down　to　the　river　with　his　fishing…rod；　to　practise　in　the　Awe；　for　the　last　time；　a　sport　in　which　he　excelled；　and　to　find；　at　the　same　time；　the　means　for　making　one　social　meal　with　his　mother　on　something　better　than　their　ordinary　cheer。　　He　was　as　successful　as　usual；　and　soon　killed　a　fine　salmon。　　On　his　return　homeward　an　incident　befell　him；　which　he　afterwards　related　as　ominous；　though　probably　his　heated　imagination；　joined　to　the　universal　turn　of　his　countrymen　for　the　marvellous；　exaggerated　into　superstitious　importance　some　very　ordinary　and　accidental　circumstance。

In　the　path　which　he　pursued　homeward；　he　was　surprised　to　observe　a　person；　who；　like　himself；　was　dressed　and　armed　after　the　old　Highland　fashion。　　The　first　idea　that　struck　him　was；　that　the　passenger　belonged　to　his　own　corps；　who；　levied　by　government；　and　bearing　arms　under　royal　authority；　were　not　amenable　for　breach　of　the　statutes　against　the　use　of　the　Highland　garb　or　weapons。　　But　he　was　struck　on