robert falconer- 第5部分

'A　sheep's　heid；　ye　gowk　（fool）。　　Gang　in　direckly。'



Shargar　persisted　no　longer；　but；　taking　about　four　steps　a　minute；

slunk　past　the　kitchen　like　a　thiefnot　so　carefully；　however；　but

that　one　of　his　soles　yet　looser　than　the　other　gave　one　clap　upon

the　flagged　passage；　when　Betty　straightway　stood　in　the　kitchen

door；　a　fierce　picture　in　a　deal　frame。　　By　this　time　Robert　had

closed　the　outer　door；　and　was　following　at　Shargar's　heels。



'What's　this？'　she　cried；　but　not　so　loud　as　to　reach　the　ears　of

Mrs。　Falconer；　for；　with　true　Scotch　foresight；　she　would　not

willingly　call　in　another　power　before　the　situation　clearly

demanded　it。　'Whaur's　Shargar　gaein'　that　gait？'



'Wi'　me。　　Dinna　ye　see　me　wi'　him？　　I'm　nae　a　thief；　nor　yet's

Shargar。'



'There　may　be　twa　opingons　upo'　that；　Robert。　　I　s'　jist　awa'　benn

to　the　mistress。　　I　s'　hae　nae　sic　doin's　i'　my　hoose。'



'It's　nae　your　hoose；　Betty。　　Dinna　lee。'



'Weel；　I　s'　hae　nae　sic　things　gang　by　my　kitchie　door。　　There；

Robert！　what　'll　ye　mak'　o'　that？　　There's　nae　offence；　there；　I

houp；　gin　it　suldna　be　a'thegither　my　ain　hoose。　　Tak　Shargar　oot　o'

that；　or　I　s'　awa'　benn　the　hoose；　as　I　tell　ye。'



Meantime　Shargar　was　standing　on　the　stones；　looking　like　a

terrified　white　rabbit；　and　shaking　from　head　to　foot　with　cold　and

fright　combined。



'I'll　tak　him　oot　o'　this；　but　it's　up　the　stair；　Betty。　　An'　gin　ye

gang　benn　the　hoose　aboot　it；　I　sweir　to　ye；　as　sure　's　death；　I'll

gang　doon　to　Muckledrum　upo'　Setterday　i'　the　efternune。'



'Gang　awa'　wi'　yer　havers。　　Only　gin　the　mistress　speirs　onything

aboot　it；　what　am　I　to　say？'



'Bide　till　she　speirs。　　Auld　Spunkie　says；　〃Ready…made　answers　are

aye　to　seek。〃　　And　I　say；　Betty；　hae　ye　a　cauld　pitawta　（potato）？'



'I'll　luik　and　see。　　Wadna　ye　like　it　het　up？'



'Ow　ay；　gin　ye　binna　lang　aboot　it。'



Suddenly　a　bell　rang；　shrill　and　peremptory；　right　above　Shargar's

head；　causing　in　him　a　responsive　increase　of　trembling。



'Haud　oot　o'　my　gait。　　There's　the　mistress's　bell；'　said　Betty。



'Jist　bide　till　we're　roon'　the　neuk　and　on　to　the　stair；'　said

Robert；　now　leading　the　way。



Betty　watched　them　safe　round　the　corner　before　she　made　for　the

parlour；　little　thinking　to　what　she　had　become　an　unwilling

accomplice；　for　she　never　imagined　that　more　than　an　evening's　visit

was　intended　by　Shargar；　which　in　itself　seemed　to　her　strange　and

improper　enough　even　for　such　an　eccentric　boy　as　Robert　to

encourage。



Shargar　followed　in　mortal　terror；　for；　like　Christian　in　The

Pilgrim's　Progress；　he　had　no　armour　to　his　back。　　Once　round　the

corner；　two　strides　of　three　steps　each　took　them　to　the　top　of　the

first　stair；　Shargar　knocking　his　head　in　the　darkness　against　the

never…opened　door。　　Again　three　strides　brought　them　to　the　top　of

the　second　flight；　and　turning　once　more；　still　to　the　right；　Robert

led　Shargar　up　the　few　steps　into　the　higher　of　the　two　garrets。



Here　there　was　just　glimmer　enough　from　the　sky　to　discover　the

hollow　of　a　close　bedstead；　built　in　under　the　sloping　roof；　which

served　it　for　a　tester；　while　the　two　ends　and　most　of　the　front

were　boarded　up　to　the　roof。　　This　bedstead　fortunately　was　not　so

bare　as　the　one　in　the　other　room；　although　it　had　not　been　used　for

many　years；　for　an　old　mattress　covered　the　boards　with　which　it　was

bottomed。



'Gang　in　there；　Shargar。　　Ye'll　be　warmer　there　than　upo'　the

door…step　ony　gait。　　Pit　aff　yer　shune。'



Shargar　obeyed；　full　of　delight　at　finding　himself　in　such　good

quarters。　　Robert　went　to　a　forsaken　press　in　the　room；　and　brought

out　an　ancient　cloak　of　tartan；　of　the　same　form　as　what　is　now

called　an　Inverness　cape；　a　blue　dress…coat；　with　plain　gilt

buttons；　which　shone　even　now　in　the　all　but　darkness；　and　several

other　garments；　amongst　them　a　kilt；　and　heaped　them　over　Shargar　as

he　lay　on　the　mattress。　　He　then　handed　him　the　twopenny　and　the

penny　loaves；　which　were　all　his　stock　had　reached　to　the　purchase

of；　and　left　him；　saying；



'I　maun　awa'　to　my　tay；　Shargar。　　I'll　fess　ye　a　cauld　tawtie　het

again；　gin　Betty　has　ony。　　Lie　still；　and　whatever　ye　do；　dinna　come

oot　o'　that。'



The　last　injunction　was　entirely　unnecessary。



'Eh；　Bob；　I'm　jist　in　haven！'　said　the　poor　creature；　for　his　skin

began　to　feel　the　precious　possibility　of　reviving　warmth　in　the

distance。



Now　that　he　had　gained　a　new　burrow；　the　human　animal　soon　recovered

from　his　fears　as　well。　　It　seemed　to　him；　in　the　novelty　of　the

place；　that　he　had　made　so　many　doublings　to　reach　it；　that　there

could　be　no　danger　of　even　the　mistress　of　the　house　finding　him

out；　for　she　could　hardly　be　supposed　to　look　after　such　a　remote

corner　of　her　dominions。　　And　then　he　was　boxed　in　with　the　bed；　and

covered　with　no　end　of　warm　garments；　while　the　friendly　darkness

closed　him　and　his　shelter　all　round。　　Except　the　faintest　blue

gleam　from　one　of　the　panes　in　the　roof；　there　was　soon　no　hint　of

light　anywhere；　and　this　was　only　sufficient　to　make　the　darkness

visible；　and　thus　add　artistic　effect　to　the　operation　of　it　upon

Shargar's　imaginationa　faculty　certainly　uneducated　in　Shargar；

but　far；　very　far　from　being　therefore　non…existent。　　It　was；

indeed；　actively　operative；　although；　like　that　of　many　a　fine　lady

and　gentleman；　only　in　relation　to　such　primary　questions　as：　'What

shall　we　eat？　　And　what　shall　we　drink？　　And　wherewithal　shall　we　be

clothed？'　　But　as　he　lay　and　devoured　the　new　'white　breid；'　his

satisfactionthe　bare　delight　of　his　animal　existencereached　a

pitch　such　as　even　this　imagination；　stinted　with　poverty；　and

frost…bitten　with　maternal　oppression；　had　never　conceived　possible。

The　power　of　enjoying　the　present　without　anticipation　of　the

future　or　regard　of　the　past；　is　the　especial　privilege　of　the

animal　nature；　and　of　the　human　nature　in　proportion　as　it　has　not

been　developed　beyond　the　animal。　　Herein　lies　the　happiness　of　cab

horses　and　of　tramps：　to　them　the　gift　of　forgetfulness　is　of　worth

inestimable。　　Shargar's　heaven　was　for　the　present　gained。









CHAPTER　V。



THE　SYMPOSIUM。



Robert　had　scarcely　turned　out　of　the　square　on　his　way　to　find

Shargar；　when　a　horseman　entered　it。　　His　horse　and　he　were　both

apparently　black　on　one　side　and　gray　on　the　other；　from　the

snow…drift　settling　to　windward。　　The　animal　looked　tired；　but　the

rider　sat　as　easy　as　if　he　were　riding　to　cover。　　The　reins　hung

loose；　and　the　horse　went　in　a　straight　line　for　The　Boar's　Head；

stopping　under　the　archway　only　when　his　master　drew　bridle　at　the

door　of　the　inn。



At　that　moment　Miss　Letty　was　standing　at　the　back　of　Miss　Napier's

chair；　leaning　her　arms　upon　it　as　she　talked　to　her。　　This　was　her

way　of　resting　as　often　as　occasion　arose　for　a　chat　with　her　elder

sister。　　Miss　Letty's　hair　was　gathered　in　a　great　knot　at　the　top

of　her　head；　and　little　ringlets　hung　like　tendrils　down　the　sides

of　her　face；　the　benevolence　of　which　was　less　immediately　striking

than　that　of　her　sister's；　because　of　the　constant　play　of　humour

upon　it；　especially　about　the　mouth。　　If　a　spirit　of　satire　could　be

supposed　converted　into　something　Christian　by　an　infusion　of　the

tenderest　loving…kindness　and　humanity；　remaining　still　recognizable

notwithstanding　that　all　its　bitterness　was　gone；　such　was　the

expression　of　Miss　Letty's　mouth；　It　was　always　half　puckered　as　if

in　resistance　to　a　comic　smile；　which　showed　itself　at　the　windows

of　the　keen　gray　eyes；　however　the　mouth　might　be　able　to　keep　it

within　doors。　　She　was　neatly　dressed　in　black　silk；　with　a　lace

collar。　　Her　hands　were　small　and　white。



The　moment　the　traveller　stopped　at　the　door；　Miss　Napier　started。



'Letty；'　she　said；　'wha's　that？　　I　could　amaist　sweir　to　Black

Geordie's　fit。'



'A'　four　o'　them；　I　think；'　returned　Miss　Letty；　as　the　horse；

notwithstanding；　or　perhaps　in　consequence　of　his　fatigue；　began　to

paw　and　move　about　on　the　stones　impatiently。



The　rider　had　not　yet　spoken。



'He'll　be　efter　some　o'　's　deevil…ma'…care　sculduddery。　　But　jist

rin　to　the　door；　Letty；　or　Lizzy　'll　be　there　afore　ye；　and　maybe

she　wadna　be　ower　ceevil。　　What　can　he　be　efter　noo？'



'What　wad　the　grew　（grayhound）　be　efter　but　maukin　（hare）？'　returned

Miss　Letty。



'Hoot！　nonsense！　　He　kens　naething　aboot　her。　　Gang　to　the　door；

lassie。'



Miss　Letty　obeyed。



'Wha's　there？'　she　asked；　somewhat　sharply；　as　she　opened　it；　'that

neither　chaps　（knocks）　nor　ca's？Preserve　's　a'！　is't　you；　my

lord？'



'Hoo　ken　ye　me；　Miss　Letty　withoot　seein'　my　face？'



'A'body　at　The　Boar's　Heid　kens　Black　Geordie　as　weel　's　yer

lordship's　ain　sel'。　　But　whaur　comes　yer　lordship　frae　in　sic　a

nicht　as　this？'



'From　Russia。　　Never　dismounted　between　Moscow　and　Aberdeen。　　The

ice　is　bearing　to…night。'