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