st. ives-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


friend！'　said　I。



'What　like's　all　this　collieshangie？'　said　he。



I　had　never　heard　of　a　collieshangie　in　my　days；　but　with　the　

racket　all　about　us　in　the　city；　I　could　have　no　doubt　as　to　the　

man's　meaning。



'I　do　not　know；　sir；　really；'　said　I；　'but　I　suppose　some　of　the　

prisoners　will　have　escaped。'



'Bedamned！'　says　he。



'Oh；　sir；　they　will　be　soon　taken；'　I　replied：　'it　has　been　found　

in　time。　　Good　morning；　sir！'



'Ye　walk　late；　sir？'　he　added。



'Oh；　surely　not；'　said　I；　with　a　laugh。　　'Earlyish；　if　you　like！'　

which　brought　me　finally　beyond　him；　highly　pleased　with　my　

success。



I　was　now　come　forth　on　a　good　thoroughfare；　which　led　（as　well　as　

I　could　judge）　in　my　direction。　　It　brought　me　almost　immediately　

through　a　piece　of　street；　whence　I　could　hear　close　by　the　

springing　of　a　watchman's　rattle；　and　where　I　suppose　a　sixth　part　

of　the　windows　would　be　open；　and　the　people；　in　all　sorts　of　night　

gear；　talking　with　a　kind　of　tragic　gusto　from　one　to　another。　　

Here；　again；　I　must　run　the　gauntlet　of　a　half…dozen　questions；　the　

rattle　all　the　while　sounding　nearer；　but　as　I　was　not　walking　

inordinately　quick；　as　I　spoke　like　a　gentleman；　and　the　lamps　were　

too　dim　to　show　my　dress；　I　carried　it　off　once　more。　　One　person；　

indeed；　inquired　where　I　was　off　to　at　that　hour。



I　replied　vaguely　and　cheerfully；　and　as　I　escaped　at　one　end　of　

this　dangerous　pass　I　could　see　the　watchman's　lantern　entering　by　

the　other。　　I　was　now　safe　on　a　dark　country　highway；　out　of　sight　

of　lights　and　out　of　the　fear　of　watchmen。　　And　yet　I　had　not　gone　

above　a　hundred　yards　before　a　fellow　made　an　ugly　rush　at　me　from　

the　roadside。　　I　avoided　him　with　a　leap；　and　stood　on　guard；　

cursing　my　empty　hands；　wondering　whether　I　had　to　do　with　an　

officer　or　a　mere　footpad；　and　scarce　knowing　which　to　wish。　　My　

assailant　stood　a　little；　in　the　thick　darkness　I　could　see　him　bob　

and　sidle　as　though　he　were　feinting　at　me　for　an　advantageous　

onfall。　　Then　he　spoke。



'My　goo'　frien'；'　says　he；　and　at　the　first　word　I　pricked　my　ears；　

'my　goo'　frien'；　will　you　oblishe　me　with　lil　neshary　infamation？　　

Whish　roa'　t'　Cramond？'



I　laughed　out　clear　and　loud；　stepped　up　to　the　convivialist；　took　

him　by　the　shoulders　and　faced　him　about。　　'My　good　friend；'　said　

I；　'I　believe　I　know　what　is　best　for　you　much　better　than　

yourself；　and　may　God　forgive　you　the　fright　you　have　given　me！　　

There；　get　you　gone　to　Edinburgh！'　　And　I　gave　a　shove；　which　he　

obeyed　with　the　passive　agility　of　a　ball；　and　disappeared　

incontinently　in　the　darkness　down　the　road　by　which　I　had　myself　

come。



Once　clear　of　this　foolish　fellow；　I　went　on　again　up　a　gradual　

hill；　descended　on　the　other　side　through　the　houses　of　a　country　

village；　and　came　at　last　to　the　bottom　of　the　main　ascent　leading　

to　the　Pentlands　and　my　destination。　　I　was　some　way　up　when　the　

fog　began　to　lighten；　a　little　farther；　and　I　stepped　by　degrees　

into　a　clear　starry　night；　and　saw　in　front　of　me；　and　quite　

distinct；　the　summits　of　the　Pentlands；　and　behind；　the　valley　of　

the　Forth　and　the　city　of　my　late　captivity　buried　under　a　lake　of　

vapour。　　I　had　but　one　encounter　…　that　of　a　farm…cart；　which　I　

heard；　from　a　great　way　ahead　of　me；　creaking　nearer　in　the　night；　

and　which　passed　me　about　the　point　of　dawn　like　a　thing　seen　in　a　

dream；　with　two　silent　figures　in　the　inside　nodding　to　the　horse's　

steps。　　I　presume　they　were　asleep；　by　the　shawl　about　her　head　and　

shoulders；　one　of　them　should　be　a　woman。　　Soon；　by　concurrent　

steps；　the　day　began　to　break　and　the　fog　to　subside　and　roll　away。　　

The　east　grew　luminous　and　was　barred　with　chilly　colours；　and　the　

Castle　on　its　rock；　and　the　spires　and　chimneys　of　the　upper　town；　

took　gradual　shape；　and　arose；　like　islands；　out　of　the　receding　

cloud。　　All　about　me　was　still　and　sylvan；　the　road　mounting　and　

winding；　with　nowhere　a　sign　of　any　passenger；　the　birds　chirping；　

I　suppose　for　warmth；　the　boughs　of　the　trees　knocking　together；　

and　the　red　leaves　falling　in　the　wind。



It　was　broad　day；　but　still　bitter　cold　and　the　sun　not　up；　when　I　

came　in　view　of　my　destination。　　A　single　gable　and　chimney　of　the　

cottage　peeped　over　the　shoulder　of　the　hill；　not　far　off；　and　a　

trifle　higher　on　the　mountain；　a　tall　old　white…washed　farmhouse　

stood　among　the　trees；　beside　a　falling　brook；　beyond　were　rough　

hills　of　pasture。　　I　bethought　me　that　shepherd　folk　were　early　

risers；　and　if　I　were　once　seen　skulking　in　that　neighbourhood　it　

might　prove　the　ruin　of　my　prospects；　took　advantage　of　a　line　of　

hedge；　and　worked　myself　up　in　its　shadow　till　I　was　come　under　the　

garden　wall　of　my　friends'　house。　　The　cottage　was　a　little　quaint　

place　of　many　rough…cast　gables　and　grey　roofs。　　It　had　something　

the　air　of　a　rambling　infinitesimal　cathedral；　the　body　of　it　

rising　in　the　midst　two　storeys　high；　with　a　steep…pitched　roof；　

and　sending　out　upon　all　hands　（as　it　were　chapter…houses；　chapels；　

and　transepts）　one…storeyed　and　dwarfish　projections。　　To　add　to　

this　appearance；　it　was　grotesquely　decorated　with　crockets　and　

gargoyles；　ravished　from　some　medieval　church。　　The　place　seemed　

hidden　away；　being　not　only　concealed　in　the　trees　of　the　garden；　

but；　on　the　side　on　which　I　approached　it；　buried　as　high　as　the　

eaves　by　the　rising　of　the　ground。　　About　the　walls　of　the　garden　

there　went　a　line　of　well…grown　elms　and　beeches；　the　first　

entirely　bare；　the　last　still　pretty　well　covered　with　red　leaves；　

and　the　centre　was　occupied　with　a　thicket　of　laurel　and　holly；　in　

which　I　could　see　arches　cut　and　paths　winding。



I　was　now　within　hail　of　my　friends；　and　not　much　the　better。　　The　

house　appeared　asleep；　yet　if　I　attempted　to　wake　any　one；　I　had　no　

guarantee　it　might　not　prove　either　the　aunt　with　the　gold　

eyeglasses　（whom　I　could　only　remember　with　trembling）；　or　some　ass　

of　a　servant…maid　who　should　burst　out　screaming　at　sight　of　me。　　

Higher　up　I　could　hear　and　see　a　shepherd　shouting　to　his　dogs　and　

striding　on　the　rough　sides　of　the　mountain；　and　it　was　clear　I　

must　get　to　cover　without　loss　of　time。　　No　doubt　the　holly　

thickets　would　have　proved　a　very　suitable　retreat；　but　there　was　

mounted　on　the　wall　a　sort　of　signboard　not　uncommon　in　the　country　

of　Great　Britain；　and　very　damping　to　the　adventurous：　SPRING　GUNS　

AND　MAN…TRAPS　was　the　legend　that　it　bore。　　I　have　learned　since　

that　these　advertisements；　three　times　out　of　four；　were　in　the　

nature　of　Quaker　guns　on　a　disarmed　battery；　but　I　had　not　learned　

it　then；　and　even　so；　the　odds　would　not　have　been　good　enough。　　

For　a　choice；　I　would　a　hundred　times　sooner　be　returned　to　

Edinburgh　Castle　and　my　corner　in　the　bastion；　than　to　leave　my　

foot　in　a　steel　trap　or　have　to　digest　the　contents　of　an　automatic　

blunderbuss。　　There　was　but　one　chance　left　…　that　Ronald　or　Flora　

might　be　the　first　to　come　abroad；　and　in　order　to　profit　by　this　

chance　if　it　occurred；　I　got　me　on　the　cope　of　the　wall　in　a　place　

where　it　was　screened　by　the　thick　branches　of　a　beech；　and　sat　

there　waiting。



As　the　day　wore　on；　the　sun　came　very　pleasantly　out。　　I　had　been　

awake　all　night；　I　had　undergone　the　most　violent　agitations　of　

mind　and　body；　and　it　is　not　so　much　to　be　wondered　at；　as　it　was　

exceedingly　unwise　and　foolhardy；　that　I　should　have　dropped　into　a　

doze。　　From　this　I　awakened　to　the　characteristic　sound　of　digging；　

looked　down；　and　saw　immediately　below　me　the　back　view　of　a　

gardener　in　a　stable　waistcoat。　　Now　he　would　appear　steadily　

immersed　in　his　business；　anon；　to　my　more　immediate　terror；　he　

would　straighten　his　back；　stretch　his　arms；　gaze　about　the　

otherwise　deserted　garden；　and　relish　a　deep　pinch　of　snuff。　　It　

was　my　first　thought　to　drop　from　the　wall　upon　the　other　side。　　A　

glance　sufficed　to