greyfriars bobby- 第6部分

III。

Although　dismayed　and　self…accusing　for　having　frightened　Auld　Jock　into　taking　flight　by　his　incautious　talk　of　a　doctor；　not　for　an　instant　did　the　landlord　of　Greyfriars　Dining…Rooms　entertain　the　idea　of　following　him。　The　old　man　had　only　to　cross　the　street　and　drop　down　the　incline　between　the　bridge　approach　and　the　ancient　Chapel　of　St。　Magdalen　to　be　lost　in　the　deepest；　most　densely　peopled；　and　blackest　gorge　in　Christendom。

Well　knowing　that　he　was　safe　from　pursuit；　Auld　Jock　chuckled　as　he　gained　the　last　low　level。　Fever　lent　him　a　brief　strength；　and　the　cold　damp　was　grateful　to　his　hot　skin。　None　were　abroad　in　the　Cowgate；　and　that　was　lucky　for；　in　this　black　hole　of　Edinburgh；　even　so　old　and　poor　a　man　was　liable　to　be　set　upon　by　thieves；　on　the　chance　of　a　few　shillings　or　pence。

Used　as　he　was　to　following　flocks　up　treacherous　braes　and　through　drifted　glens；　and　surefooted　as　a　collie；　Auld　Jock　had　to　pick　his　way　carefully　over　the　slimy；　ice…glazed　cobble　stones　of　the　Cowgate。　He　could　see　nothing。　The　scattered　gas…lamps；　blurred　by　the　wet；　only　made　a　timbered　gallery　or　stone　stairs　stand　out　here　and　there　or　lighted　up　a　Gothic　gargoyle　to　a　fantastic　grin。　The　street　lay　so　deep　and　narrow　that　sleet　and　wind　wasted　little　time　in　finding　it　out；　but　roared　and　rattled　among　the　gables；　dormers　and　chimney…stacks　overhead。　Happy　in　finding　his　master　himself　again；　and　sniffing　fresh　adventure；　Bobby　tumbled　noisily　about　Auld　Jock's　feet　until　reproved。　And　here　was　strange　going。　Ancient　and　warring　smells　confused　and　insulted　the　little　country　dog's　nose。　After　a　few　inquiring　and　protesting　barks　Bobby　fell　into　a　subdued　trot　at　Auld　Jock's　heels。

To　this　shepherd　in　exile　the　romance　of　Old　Edinburgh　was　a　sealed　book。　It　was；　indeed；　difficult　for　the　most　imaginative　to　believe　that　the　Cowgate　was　once　a　lovely；　wooded　ravine；　with　a　rustic　burn　babbling　over　pebbles　at　its　bottom；　and　along　the　brook　a　straggling　path　worn　smooth　by　cattle　on　their　driven　way　to　the　Grassmarket。　Then；　when　the　Scottish　nobility　was　crowded　out　of　the　piled…up　mansions；　on　the　sloping　ridge　of　High　Street　that　ran　the　mile　from　the　Castle　to　Holyrood　Palace；　splendor　camped　in　the　Cowgate；　in　villas　set　in　fair　gardens；　and　separated　by　hedge…rows　in　which　birds　nested。

In　time　this　ravine；　too；　became　overbuilt。　Houses　tumbled　down　both　slopes　to　the　winding　cattle　path；　and　the　burn　was　arched　over　to　make　a　thoroughfare。　Laterally；　the　buildings　were　crowded　together；　until　the　upper　floors　were　pushed　out　on　timber　brackets　for　light　and　air。　Galleries；　stairs　and　jutting　windows　were　added　to　outer　walls；　and　the　mansions　climbed；　story　above　story；　until　the　Cowgate　was　an　undercut　canon；　such　as　is　worn　through　rock　by　the　rivers　of　western　America。　Lairds　and　leddies；　powdered；　jeweled　and　satin…shod；　were　borne　in　sedan　chairs　down　ten　flights　of　stone　stairs　and　through　torch…lit　courts　and　tunnel　streets；　to　routs　in　Castle　or　Palace　and　to　tourneys　in　the　Grassmarket。

From　its　low　situation　the　Cowgate　came　in　the　course　of　time　to　smell　to　heaven；　and　out　of　it　was　a　sudden　exodus　of　grand　folk　to　the　northern　hills。　The　lowest　level　was　given　over　at　once　to　the　poor　and　to　small　trade。　The　wynds　and　closes　that　climbed　the　southern　slope　were　eagerly　possessed　by　divines；　lawyers　and　literary　men　because　of　their　nearness　to　the　University。　Long　before　Bobby's　day　the　well…to…do　had　fled　from　the　Cowgate　wynds　to　the　hilltop　streets　and　open　squares　about　the　colleges。　A　few　decent　working…men　remained　in　the　decaying　houses；　some　of　which　were　at　least　three　centuries　old。　But　there　swarmed　in　upon；　and　submerged　them；　thousands　of　criminals；　beggars；　and　the　miserably　poor　and　degraded　of　many　nationalities。　Businesses　that　fatten　on　misfortunethe　saloon；　pawn；　old　clothes　and　cheap　food　shops…lined　the　squalid　Cowgate。　Palaces　were　cut　up　into　honeycombs　of　tall　tenements。　Every　stair　was　a　crowded　highway；　every　passage　a　place　of　deposit　for　filth；　almost　every　room　sheltered　a　half　famished　family；　in　darkness　and　ancient　dirt。　Grand　and　great；　pious　and　wise；　decent；　wretched　and　terrible　folk；　of　every　sort；　had　preceded　Auld　Jock　to　his　lodging　in　a　steep　and　narrow　wynd；　and　nine　gusty　flights　up　under　a　beautiful；　old　Gothic　gable。

A　wrought…iron　lantern　hanging　in　an　arched　opening；　lighted　the　entrance　to　the　wynd。　With　a　hand　outstretched　to　either　wall；　Auld　Jock　felt　his　way　up。　Another　lantern　marked　a　sculptured　doorway　that　gave　to　the　foul　court　of　the　tenement。　No　sky　could　be　seen　above　the　open　well　of　the　court；　and　the　carved；　oaken　banister　of　the　stairs　had　to　be　felt　for　and　clung　to　by　one　so　short　of　breath。　On　the　seventh　landing；　from　the　exertion　of　the　long　climb；　Auld　Jock　was　shaken　into　helplessness；　and　his　heart　set　to　pounding；　by　a　violent　fit　of　coughing。　Overhead　a　shutter　was　slammed　back；　and　an　angry　voice　bade　him　stop　〃deaving　folk。〃

The　last　two　flights　ascended　within　the　walls。　The　old　man　stumbled　into　the　pitch…black；　stifling　passage　and　sat　down　on　the　lowest　step　to　rest。　On　the　landing　above　he　must　encounter　the　auld　wifie　of　a　landlady；　rousing　her；　it　might　be；　and　none　too　good…tempered；　from　sleep。　Unaware　that　he　added　to　his　master's　difficulties；　Bobby　leaped　upon　him　and　licked　the　beloved　face　that　he　could　not　see。

〃Eh；　laddie；　I　dinna　ken　what　to　do　wi'　ye。　We　maun　juist　hae　to　sleep　oot。〃　It　did　not　occur　to　Auld　Jock　that　he　could　abandon　the　little　dog。　And　then　there　drifted　across　his　memory　a　bit　of　Mr。　Traill's　talk　that；　at　the　time；　had　seemed　to　no　purpose：　〃Sir　Walter　happed　the　wee　lassie　in　the　pocket　of　his　plaid〃　He　slapped　his　knee　in　silent　triumph。　In　the　dark　he　found　the　broad；　open　end　of　the　plaid；　and　the　rough；　excited　head　of　the　little　dog。

〃A　hap；　an'　a　stap；　an'　a　loup；　an'　in　ye　gang。　Loup　in；　laddie。〃

Bobby　jumped　into　the　pocket　and　turned　'round　and　'round。　His　little　muzzle　opened　for　a　delighted　bark　at　this　original　play；　but　Auld　Jock　checked　him。

〃Cuddle　doon　noo；　an'　lie　canny　as　pussy。〃　With　a　deft　turn　he　brought　the　weighted　end　of　the　plaid　up　under　his　arm　so　there　would　be　no　betraying　drag。　〃We'll　pu'　the　wool　ower　the　auld　wifie's　een；〃　he　chuckled。

He　mounted　the　stairs　almost　blithely；　and　knocked　on　one　of　the　three　narrow　doors　that　opened　on　the　two…by…eight　landing。　It　was　opened　a　few　inches；　on　a　chain；　and　a　sordid　old　face；　framed　in　straggling　gray　locks　and　a　dirty　mutch　cap；　peered　suspiciously　at　him　through　the　crevice。

Auld　Jock　had　his　money　in　handa　shilling　and　a　sixpenceto　pay　for　a　week's　lodging。　He　had　slept　in　this　place　for　several　winters；　and　the　old　woman　knew　him　well；　but　she　held　his　coins　to　the　candle　and　bit　them　with　her　teeth　to　test　them。　Without　a　word　of　greeting　she　shoved　the　key　to　the　sleeping…closet　he　had　always　fancied；　through　the　crack　in　the　door；　and　pointed　to　a　jug　of　water　at　the　foot　of　the　attic　stairs。　On　the　proffer　of　a　halfpenny　she　gave　him　a　tallow　candle；　lighted　it　at　her　own　and　fitted　it　into　the　neck　of　a　beer　bottle。

〃Ye　hae　a　cauld。〃　she　said　at　last；　with　some　hostility。　〃Gin　ye　wauken　yer　neebors　yell　juist　hae　to　fecht　it　oot　wi'　'em。〃

〃Ay；　I　ken　a'　that；〃　Auld　Jock　answered。　He　smothered　a　cough　in　his　chest　with　such　effort　that　it　threw　him　into　a　perspiration。　In　some　way；　with　the　jug　of　water　and　the　lighted　candle　in　his　hands　and　the　hidden　terrier　under　one　arm；　the　old　man　mounted　the　eighteen…inch　wide；　walled…in　attic　stairs　and　unlocked　the　first　of　a　number　of　narrow　doors　on　the　passage　at　the　top。

〃Weel　aboon　the　fou'　smell；〃　indeed；　〃weel　worth　the　lang　climb！〃　Around　the　loose　frames　of　two　wee　southward…looking　dormer　windows；　that　jutted　from　the　slope　of　the　gable；　came　a　gush　of　rain…washed　air。　Auld　Jock　tumbled　Bobby；　warm　and　happy　and　〃nane　the　wiser；〃　out　into　the　cold　cell　of　a　room　that　was　oh；　so　very；　very　different　from　the　high；　warm；　richly　colored　library　of　Sir　Walter！　This　garret　closet　in　the　slums　of　Edinburgh　was　all　of　cut　stone；　except　for　the　worn；　oaken　floor；　a　flimsy；　modern　door；　and　a　thin；　board　partition　on　one　side　through　which　a　〃neebor〃　could　be　heard　snoring。　Filling　all　of　the　outer　wall　between　the　peephole；　leaded　windows　and　running…　up　to　the　slope　of　the　ceiling；　was　a　great　fireplace　of　native　white　freestone；　carved　into　fluted　columns；　foliated　capitals；　and　a　flat　pediment　of　purest　classic　lines。　The　ballroom　of　a　noble　of　Queen　Mary's　day　had　been　cut　up　into　numerous　small　sleeping　closets；　many　of　them　windowless；　and　were　let　to　the　chance　lodger　at　threepence　the　night。　Here；　where　generations　of　dancing　toes　had　been　warmed；　the　chimney　vent　was　bricked　up；　and　a　boxed…in　shelf　fitted；　to　serve　for　a　bed；　a　seat　and　a　table；　for　such　as　had　neither　time　nor　heart　for　dancing。　For　the　romantic　history　and　the　beauty　of　it；　Auld　Jock　had　no　mind　at　all。　But；　ah！　he　had　other　joy　often　missed　by　the　more　fortunate。

〃Be　canny；　Bobby；〃　he　cautioned　again。

The　sagacious　little　dog　understood；　and　pattered　about　the　place　silently。　Exhausting　it　in　a　moment；　and　very　plainly　puz