greyfriars bobby- 第1部分

Greyfriars　Bobby

by　Eleanor　Atkinson




I。

When　the　time…gun　boomed　from　Edinburgh　Castle；　Bobby　gave　a　startled　yelp。　He　was　only　a　little　country　dogthe　very　youngest　and　smallest　and　shaggiest　of　Skye　terriers…bred　on　a　heathery　slope　of　the　Pentland　hills；　where　the　loudest　sound　was　the　bark　of　a　collie　or　the　tinkle　of　a　sheep…bell。　That　morning　he　had　come　to　the　weekly　market　with　Auld　Jock；　a　farm　laborer；　and　the　Grassmarket　of　the　Scottish　capital　lay　in　the　narrow　valley　at　the　southern　base　of　Castle　Crag。　Two　hundred　feet　above　it　the　time…gun　was　mounted　in　the　half…moon　battery　on　an　overhanging；　crescent…shaped　ledge　of　rock。　In　any　part　of　the　city　the　report　of　the　one…o'clock　gun　was　sufficiently　alarming；　but　in　the　Grassmarket　it　was　an　earth…rending　explosion　directly　overhead。　It　needed　to　be　heard　but　once　there　to　be　registered　on　even　a　little　dog's　brain。　Bobby　had　heard　it　many　times；　and　he　never　failed　to　yelp　a　sharp　protest　at　the　outrage　to　his　ears；　but；　as　the　gunshot　was　always　followed　by　a　certain　happy　event；　it　started　in　his　active　little　mind　a　train　of　pleasant　associations。

In　Bobby's　day　of　youth；　and　that　was　in　1858；　when　Queen　Victoria　was　a　happy　wife　and　mother；　with　all　her　bairns　about　her　knees　in　Windsor　or　Balmoral；　the　Grassmarket　of　Edinburgh　was　still　a　bit　of　the　Middle　Ages；　as　picturesquely　decaying　and　Gothic　as　German　Nuremberg。　Beside　the　classic　corn　exchange；　it　had　no　modern　buildings。　North　and　south；　along　its　greatest　length；　the　sunken　quadrangle　was　faced　by　tall；　old；　timber…fronted　houses　of　stone；　plastered　like　swallows'　nests　to　the　rocky　slopes　behind　them。

Across　the　eastern　end；　where　the　valley　suddenly　narrowed　to　the　ravine…like　street　of　the　Cowgate；　the　market　was　spanned　by　the　lofty；　crowded　arches　of　George　IV　Bridge。　This　high…hung；　viaduct　thoroughfare；　that　carried　a　double　line　of　buildings　within　its　parapet；　leaped　the　gorge；　from　the　tall；　old；　Gothic　rookeries　on　High　Street　ridge；　just　below　the　Castle　esplanade。　It　cleared　the　roofs　of　the　tallest；　oldest　houses　that　swarmed　up　the　steep　banks　from　the　Cowgate；　and　ran　on；　by　easy　descent；　to　the　main　gateway　of　Greyfriars　kirkyard　at　the　lower　top　of　the　southern　rise。

Greyfriars'　two　kirks　formed　together；　under　one　continuous　roof；　a　long；　low；　buttressed　building　without　tower　or　spire。　The　new　kirk　was　of　Queen　Anne's　day；　but　the　old　kirk　was　built　before　ever　the　Pilgrims　set　sail　for　America。　It　had　been　but　one　of　several　sacred　buildings；　set　in　a　monastery　garden　that　sloped　pleasantly　to　the　open　valley　of　the　Grassmarket；　and　looked　up　the　Castle　heights　unhindered。　In　Bobby's　day　this　garden　had　shrunk　to　a　long；　narrow；　high…piled　burying…ground；　that　extended　from　the　rear　of　the　line　of　buildings　that　fronted　on　the　market；　up　the　slope；　across　the　hilltop；　and　to　where　the　land　began　to　fall　away　again；　down　the　Burghmuir。　From　the　Grassmarket；　kirk　and　kirkyard　lay　hidden　behind　and　above　the　crumbling　grandeur　of　noble　halls　and　mansions　that　had　fallen　to　the　grimiest　tenements　of　Edinburgh's　slums。　From　the　end　of　the　bridge　approach　there　was　a　glimpse　of　massive　walls；　of　pointed　windows；　and　of　monumental　tombs　through　a　double…leafed　gate　of　wrought　iron；　that　was　alcoved　and　wedged　in　between　the　ancient　guildhall　of　the　candlemakers　and　a　row　of　prosperous　little　shops　in　Greyfriars　Place。

A　rock…rimmed　quarry　pit；　in　the　very　heart　of　Old　Edinburgh；　the　Grassmarket　was　a　place　of　historic　echoes。　The　yelp　of　a　little　dog　there　would　scarce　seem　worthy　of　record。　More　in　harmony　with　its　stirring　history　was　the　report　of　the　time…gun。　At　one　o'clock　every　day；　there　was　a　puff　of　smoke　high　up　in　the　blue　or　gray　or　squally　sky；　then　a　deafening　crash　and　a　back　fire　fusillade　of　echoes。　The　oldest　frequenter　of　the　market　never　got　used　to　it。　On　Wednesday；　as　the　shot　broke　across　the　babel　of　shrill　bargaining；　every　man　in　the　place　jumped；　and　not　one　was　quicker　of　recovery　than　wee　Bobby。　Instantly　ashamed；　as　an　intelligent　little　dog　who　knew　the　import　of　the　gun　should　be；　Bobby　denied　his　alarm　in　a　tiny　pink　yawn　of　boredom。　Then　he　went　briskly　about　his　urgent　business　of　finding　Auld　Jock。

The　market　was　closed。　In　five　minutes　the　great　open　space　was　as　empty　of　living　men　as　Greyfriars　kirkyard　on　a　week…day。　Drovers　and　hostlers　disappeared　at　once　into　the　cheap　and　noisy　entertainment　of　the　White　Hart　Inn　that　fronted　the　market　and　set　its　squalid　back　against　Castle　Rock。　Farmers　rapidly　deserted　it　for　the　clean　country。　Dwellers　in　the　tenements　darted　up　wynds　and　blind　closes；　climbed　twisting　turnpike　stairs　to　windy　roosts　under　the　gables；　or　they　scuttled　through　noble　doors　into　foul　courts　and　hallways。　Beggars　and　pickpockets　swarmed　under　the　arches　of　the　bridge；　to　swell　the　evil　smelling　human　river　that　flowed　at　the　dark　and　slimy　bottom　of　the　Cowgate。

A　chill　November　wind　tore　at　the　creaking　iron　cross　of　the　Knights　of　St。　John；　on　the　highest　gable　of　the　Temple　tenements；　that　turned　its　decaying　back　on　the　kirkyard　of　the　Greyfriars。　Low　clouds　were　tangled　and　torn　on　the　Castle　battlements。　A　few　horses　stood　about；　munching　oats　from　feed…boxes。　Flocks　of　sparrows　fluttered　down　from　timbered　galleries　and　rocky　ledges　to　feast　on　scattered　grain。　Swallows　wheeled　in　wide；　descending　spirals　from　mud　villages　under　the　cornices　to　catch　flies。　Rats　scurried　out　of　holes　and　gleaned　in　the　deserted　corn　exchange。　And　'round　and　'round　the　empty　market…place　raced　the　frantic　little　terrier　in　search　of　Auld　Jock。

Bobby　knew；　as　well　as　any　man；　that　it　was　the　dinner　hour。　With　the　time…gun　it　was　Auld　Jock's　custom　to　go　up　to　a　snug　little　restaurant；　that　was　patronized　chiefly　by　the　decent　poor　small　shopkeepers；　clerks；　tenant　farmers；　and　medical　students　living　in　cheap　lodgingsin　Greyfriars　Place。　There；　in　Ye　Olde　Greyfriars　Dining…Rooms；　owned　by　Mr。　John　Traill；　and　four　doors　beyond　the　kirkyard　gate；　was　a　cozy　little　inglenook　that　Auld　Jock　and　Bobby　had　come　to　look　upon　as　their　own。　At　its　back；　above　a　recessed　oaken　settle　and　a　table；　a　tiny　paned　window　looked　up　and　over　a　retaining　wall　into　the　ancient　place　of　the　dead。

The　view　of　the　heaped…up　and　crowded　mounds　and　thickets　of　old　slabs　and　throughstones；　girt　all　about　by　time…stained　monuments　and　vaults；　and　shut　in　on　the　north　and　east　by　the　backs　of　shops　and　lofty　slum　tenements；　could　not　be　said　to　be　cheerful。　It　suited　Auld　Jock；　however；　for　what　mind　he　had　was　of　a　melancholy　turn。　From　his　place　on　the　floor；　between　his　master's　hob…nailed　boots；　Bobby　could　not　see　the　kirkyard；　but　it　would　not；　in　any　case；　have　depressed　his　spirits。　He　did　not　know　the　face　of　death　and；　a　merry　little　ruffian　of　a　terrier；　he　was　ready　for　any　adventure。

On　the　stone　gate　pillar　was　a　notice　in　plain　English　that　no　dogs　were　permitted　in　Greyfriars。　As　well　as　if　he　could　read；　Bobby　knew　that　the　kirkyard　was　forbidden　ground。　He　had　learned　that　by　bitter　experience。　Once；　when　the　little　wicket　gate　that　held　the　two　tall　leaves　ajar　by　day；　chanced　to　be　open；　he　had　joyously　chased　a　cat　across　the　graves　and　over　the　western　wall　onto　the　broad　green　lawn　of　Heriot's　Hospital。

There　the　little　dog's　escapade　bred　other　mischief；　for　Heriot's　Hospital　was　not　a　hospital　at　all；　in　the　modern　English　sense　of　being　a　refuge　for　the　sick。　Built　and　christened　in　a　day　when　a　Stuart　king　reigned　in　Holyrood　Palace；　and　French　was　spoken　in　the　Scottish　court；　Heriot's　was　a　splendid　pile　of　a　charity　school；　all　towers　and　battlements；　and　cheerful　color；　and　countless　beautiful　windows。　Endowed　by　a　beruffed　and　doubleted　goldsmith；　〃Jinglin'　Geordie〃　Heriot；　who　had　〃nae　brave　laddie　o'　his　ain；〃　it　was　devoted　to　the　care　and　education　of　〃puir　orphan　an'　faderless　boys。〃　There　it　had　stood　for　more　than　two　centuries；　in　a　spacious　park；　like　the　country…seat　of　a　Lowland　laird；　but　hemmed　in　by　sordid　markets　and　swarming　slums。　The　region　round　about　furnished　an　unfailing　supply　of　〃puir　orphan　an'　faderless　boys〃　who　were　as　light…hearted　and　irresponsible　as　Bobby。

Hundreds　of　the　Heriot　laddies　were　out　in　the　noon　recess；　playing　cricket　and　leap…frog；　when　Bobby　chased　that　unlucky　cat　over　the　kirkyard　wall。　He　could　go　no　farther　himself；　but　the　laddies　took　up　the　pursuit；　yelling　like　Highland　clans　of　old　in　a　foray　across　the　border。　The　unholy　din　disturbed　the　sacred　peace　of　the　kirkyard。　Bobby　dashed　back；　barking　furiously；　in　pure　exuberance　of　spirits。　He　tumbled　gaily　over　grassy　hummocks；　frisked　saucily　around　terrifying　old　mausoleums；　wriggled　under　the　most　enticing　of　low…set　table　tombs　and　sprawled；　exhausted；　but　still　happy　and　noisy；　at　Auld　Jock's　feet。

It　was　a　scandalous　thing　to　happen　in　any　kirkyard！　The　angry　caretaker　was　instantly　out　of　his　little　stone　lodge　by　the　gate　and　taking　Auld　Jock　sharply　to　task　for　Bobby's　misbehavior。　The　pious　old　shepherd；　shocked　him　self　and　publicly　disgraced；　stood；　bonnet　in　hand；　humbly　apologetic。　Seeing　that　his　master　was　getting　the　worst　of　it；　Bobby　rushed　into　the　fray；　an　animat