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第21章

st. ives-第21章

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of one arm and his head; which did duty for a salutation。



'Now; Mr。 St。 Ives;' said the old lady; 'it's high time for you to 

be taking the road。  But first of all let me give the change of 

your five…guinea bill。  Here are four pounds of it in British Linen 

notes; and the balance in small silver; less sixpence。  Some charge 

a shilling; I believe; but I have given you the benefit of the 

doubt。  See and guide it with all the sense that you possess。'



'And here; Mr。 St。 Ives;' said Flora; speaking for the first time; 

'is a plaid which you will find quite necessary on so rough a 

journey。  I hope you will take it from the hands of a Scotch 

friend;' she added; and her voice trembled。



'Genuine holly: I cut it myself;' said Ronald; and gave me as good 

a cudgel as a man could wish for in a row。



The formality of these gifts; and the waiting figure of the driver; 

told me loudly that I must be gone。  I dropped on one knee and bade 

farewell to the aunt; kissing her hand。  I did the like … but with 

how different a passion! … to her niece; as for the boy; I took him 

to my arms and embraced him with a cordiality that seemed to strike 

him speechless。  'Farewell!' and 'Farewell!' I said。  'I shall 

never forget my friends。  Keep me sometimes in memory。  Farewell!' 

With that I turned my back and began to walk away; and had scarce 

done so; when I heard the door in the high wall close behind me。  

Of course this was the aunt's doing; and of course; if I know 

anything of human character; she would not let me go without some 

tart expressions。  I declare; even if I had heard them; I should 

not have minded in the least; for I was quite persuaded that; 

whatever admirers I might be leaving behind me in Swanston Cottage; 

the aunt was not the least sincere。









CHAPTER X … THE DROVERS





IT took me a little effort to come abreast of my new companion; for 

though he walked with an ugly roll and no great appearance of 

speed; he could cover the around at a good rate when he wanted to。  

Each looked at the other: I with natural curiosity; he with a great 

appearance of distaste。  I have heard since that his heart was 

entirely set against me; he had seen me kneel to the ladies; and 

diagnosed me for a 'gesterin' eediot。'



'So; ye're for England; are ye?' said he。



I told him yes。



'Weel; there's waur places; I believe;' was his reply; and he 

relapsed into a silence which was not broken during a quarter of an 

hour of steady walking。



This interval brought us to the foot of a bare green valley; which 

wound upwards and backwards among the hills。  A little stream came 

down the midst and made a succession of clear pools; near by the 

lowest of which I was aware of a drove of shaggy cattle; and a man 

who seemed the very counterpart of Mr。 Sim making a breakfast upon 

bread and cheese。  This second drover (whose name proved to be 

Candlish) rose on our approach。



'Here's a mannie that's to gang through with us;' said Sim。  'It 

was the auld wife; Gilchrist; wanted it。'



'Aweel; aweel;' said the other; and presently; remembering his 

manners; and looking on me with a solemn grin; 'A fine day!' says 

he。



I agreed with him; and asked him how he did。



'Brawly;' was the reply; and without further civilities; the pair 

proceeded to get the cattle under way。  This; as well as almost all 

the herding; was the work of a pair of comely and intelligent dogs; 

directed by Sim or Candlish in little more than monosyllables。  

Presently we were ascending the side of the mountain by a rude 

green track; whose presence I had not hitherto observed。  A 

continual sound of munching and the crying of a great quantity of 

moor birds accompanied our progress; which the deliberate pace and 

perennial appetite of the cattle rendered wearisomely slow。  In the 

midst my two conductors marched in a contented silence that I could 

not but admire。  The more I looked at them; the more I was 

impressed by their absurd resemblance to each other。  They were 

dressed in the same coarse homespun; carried similar sticks; were 

equally begrimed about the nose with snuff; and each wound in an 

identical plaid of what is called the shepherd's tartan。  In a back 

view they might be described as indistinguishable; and even from 

the front they were much alike。  An incredible coincidence of 

humours augmented the impression。  Thrice and four times I 

attempted to pave the way for some exchange of thought; sentiment; 

or … at the least of it … human words。  An AY or an NHM was the 

sole return; and the topic died on the hill…side without echo。  I 

can never deny that I was chagrined; and when; after a little more 

walking; Sim turned towards me and offered me a ram's horn of 

snuff; with the question 'Do ye use it?' I answered; with some 

animation; 'Faith; sir; I would use pepper to introduce a little 

cordiality。'  But even this sally failed to reach; or at least 

failed to soften; my companions。



At this rate we came to the summit of a ridge; and saw the track 

descend in front of us abruptly into a desert vale; about a league 

in length; and closed at the farther end by no less barren 

hilltops。  Upon this point of vantage Sim came to a halt; took off 

his hat; and mopped his brow。



'Weel;' he said; 'here we're at the top o' Howden。'



'The top o' Howden; sure eneuch;' said Candlish。



'Mr。 St。 Ivey; are ye dry?' said the first。



'Now; really;' said I; 'is not this Satan reproving sin?'



'What ails ye; man?' said he。  'I'm offerin' ye a dram。'



'Oh; if it be anything to drink;' said I; 'I am as dry as my 

neighbours。'



Whereupon Sim produced from the corner of his plaid a black bottle; 

and we all drank and pledged each other。  I found these gentlemen 

followed upon such occasions an invariable etiquette; which you may 

be certain I made haste to imitate。  Each wiped his mouth with the 

back of his left hand; held up the bottle in his right; remarked 

with emphasis; 'Here's to ye!' and swallowed as much of the spirit 

as his fancy prompted。  This little ceremony; which was the nearest 

thing to manners I could perceive in either of my companions; was 

repeated at becoming intervals; generally after an ascent。  

Occasionally we shared a mouthful of ewe…milk cheese and an 

inglorious form of bread; which I understood (but am far from 

engaging my honour on the point) to be called 'shearer's bannock。'  

And that may be said to have concluded our whole active intercourse 

for the first day。



I had the more occasion to remark the extraordinarily desolate 

nature of that country; through which the drove road continued; 

hour after hour and even day after day; to wind。  A continual 

succession of insignificant shaggy hills; divided by the course of 

ten thousand brooks; through which we had to wade; or by the side 

of which we encamped at night; infinite perspectives of heather; 

infinite quantities of moorfowl; here and there; by a stream side; 

small and pretty clumps of willows or the silver birch; here and 

there; the ruins of ancient and inconsiderable fortresses … made 

the unchanging characters of the scene。  Occasionally; but only in 

the distance; we could perceive the smoke of a small town or of an 

isolated farmhouse or cottage on the moors; more often; a flock of 

sheep and its attendant shepherd; or a rude field of agriculture 

perhaps not yet harvested。  With these alleviations; we might 

almost be said to pass through an unbroken desert … sure; one of 

the most impoverished in Europe; and when I recalled to mind that 

we were yet but a few leagues from the chief city (where the law 

courts sat every day with a press of business; soldiers garrisoned 

the castle; and men of admitted parts were carrying on the practice 

of letters and the investigations of science); it gave me a 

singular view of that poor; barren; and yet ill

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