st. ives-第23章
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was no doubt; at least; that I was supposed to have pushed the
affair too seriously。 Our friends the enemy removed their wounded
companion with undisguised consternation; and they were no sooner
over the top of the brae; than Sim and Candlish roused up their
wearied drove and set forth on a night march。
'I'm thinking Faa's unco bad;' said the one。
'Ay;' said the other; 'he lookit dooms gash。'
'He did that;' said the first。
And their weary silence fell upon them again。
Presently Sim turned to me。 'Ye're unco ready with the stick;'
said he。
'Too ready; I'm afraid;' said I。 'I am afraid Mr。 Faa (if that be
his name) has got his gruel。'
'Weel; I wouldnae wonder;' replied Sim。
'And what is likely to happen?' I inquired。
'Aweel;' said Sim; snuffing profoundly; 'if I were to offer an
opeenion; it would not be conscientious。 For the plain fac' is;
Mr。 St。 Ivy; that I div not ken。 We have had crackit heids … and
rowth of them … ere now; and we have had a broken leg or maybe twa;
and the like of that we drover bodies make a kind of a practice
like to keep among oursel's。 But a corp we have none of us ever
had to deal with; and I could set nae leemit to what Gillies micht
consider proper in the affair。 Forbye that; he would be in raither
a hobble himsel'; if he was to gang hame wantin' Faa。 Folk are
awfu' throng with their questions; and parteecularly when they're
no wantit。'
'That's a fac';' said Candlish。
I considered this prospect ruefully; and then making the best of
it; 'Upon all which accounts;' said I; 'the best will be to get
across the border and there separate。 If you are troubled; you can
very truly put the blame upon your late companion; and if I am
pursued; I must just try to keep out of the way。'
'Mr。 St。 Ivy;' said Sim; with something resembling enthusiasm; 'no'
a word mair! I have met in wi' mony kinds o' gentry ere now; I hae
seen o' them that was the tae thing; and I hae seen o' them that
was the tither; but the wale of a gentleman like you I have no sae
very frequently seen the bate of。'
Our night march was accordingly pursued with unremitting diligence。
The stars paled; the east whitened; and we were still; both dogs
and men; toiling after the wearied cattle。 Again and again Sim and
Candlish lamented the necessity: it was 'fair ruin on the bestial;'
they declared; but the thought of a judge and a scaffold hunted
them ever forward。 I myself was not so much to be pitied。 All
that night; and during the whole of the little that remained before
us of our conjunct journey; I enjoyed a new pleasure; the reward of
my prowess; in the now loosened tongue of Mr。 Sim。 Candlish was
still obdurately taciturn: it was the man's nature; but Sim; having
finally appraised and approved me; displayed without reticence a
rather garrulous habit of mind and a pretty talent for narration。
The pair were old and close companions; co…existing in these
endless moors in a brotherhood of silence such as I have heard
attributed to the trappers of the west。 It seems absurd to mention
love in connection with so ugly and snuffy a couple; at least;
their trust was absolute; and they entertained a surprising
admiration for each other's qualities; Candlish exclaiming that Sim
was 'grand company!' and Sim frequently assuring me in an aside
that for 'a rale; auld; stench bitch; there was nae the bate of
Candlish in braid Scotland。' The two dogs appeared to be entirely
included in this family compact; and I remarked that their exploits
and traits of character were constantly and minutely observed by
the two masters。 Dog stories particularly abounded with them; and
not only the dogs of the present but those of the past contributed
their quota。 'But that was naething;' Sim would begin: 'there was
a herd in Manar; they ca'd him Tweedie … ye'll mind Tweedie;
Can'lish?' 'Fine; that!' said Candlish。 'Aweel; Tweedie had a dog
… ' The story I have forgotten; I dare say it was dull; and I
suspect it was not true; but indeed; my travels with the drove
rendered me indulgent; and perhaps even credulous; in the matter of
dog stories。 Beautiful; indefatigable beings! as I saw them at the
end of a long day's journey frisking; barking; bounding; striking
attitudes; slanting a bushy tail; manifestly playing to the
spectator's eye; manifestly rejoicing in their grace and beauty …
and turned to observe Sim and Candlish unornamentally plodding in
the rear with the plaids about their bowed shoulders and the drop
at their snuffy nose … I thought I would rather claim kinship with
the dogs than with the men! My sympathy was unreturned; in their
eyes I was a creature light as air; and they would scarce spare me
the time for a perfunctory caress or perhaps a hasty lap of the wet
tongue; ere they were back again in sedulous attendance on those
dingy deities; their masters … and their masters; as like as not;
damning their stupidity。
Altogether the last hours of our tramp were infinitely the most
agreeable to me; and I believe to all of us; and by the time we
came to separate; there had grown up a certain familiarity and
mutual esteem that made the parting harder。 It took place about
four of the afternoon on a bare hillside from which I could see the
ribbon of the great north road; henceforth to be my conductor。 I
asked what was to pay。
'Naething;' replied Sim。
'What in the name of folly is this?' I exclaimed。 'You have led
me; you have fed me; you have filled me full of whisky; and now you
will take nothing!'
'Ye see we indentit for that;' replied Sim。
'Indented?' I repeated; 'what does the man mean?'
'Mr。 St。 Ivy;' said Sim; 'this is a maitter entirely between
Candlish and me and the auld wife; Gilchrist。 You had naething to
say to it; weel; ye can have naething to do with it; then。'
'My good man;' said I; 'I can allow myself to be placed in no such
ridiculous position。 Mrs。 Gilchrist is nothing to me; and I refuse
to be her debtor。'
'I dinna exac'ly see what way ye're gaun to help it;' observed my
drover。
'By paying you here and now;' said I。
'There's aye twa to a bargain; Mr。 St。 Ives;' said he。
'You mean that you will not take it?' said I。
'There or thereabout;' said he。 'Forbye; that it would set ye a
heap better to keep your siller for them you awe it to。 Ye're
young; Mr。 St。 Ivy; and thoughtless; but it's my belief that; wi'
care and circumspection; ye may yet do credit to yoursel'。 But
just you bear this in mind: that him that AWES siller should never
GIE siller。'
Well; what was there to say? I accepted his rebuke; and bidding
the pair farewell; set off alone upon my southward way。
'Mr。 St。 Ivy;' was the last word of Sim; 'I was never muckle ta'en
up in Englishry; but I think that I really ought to say that ye
seem to me to have the makings of quite a decent lad。'
CHAPTER XI … THE GREAT NORTH ROAD
IT chanced that as I went down the hill these last words of my
friend the drover echoed not unfruitfully in my head。 I had never
told these men the least particulars as to my race or fortune; as
it was a part; and the best part; of their civility to ask no
questions: yet they had dubbed me without hesitation English。 Some
strangeness in the accent they had doubtless thus explained。 And
it occurred to me; that if I could pass in Scotland for an
Englishman; I might be able to reverse the process and pass in
England for a Scot。 I thought; if I was pushed to it; I could make
a struggle to imitate the brogue; after my experience with Candlish
and Sim; I had a rich provision of outlandish words at my command;
and I felt I could tell the tale of Tweedie's dog so as to deceive
a native。 At the same time; I was afraid my name of St。 Ives was
scarce