st. ives-第58章
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the cloudy eye that still hovered about my face。 At last they took
shape in words。
'This is all very well;' says he: 'you carry it off well; but for
all that; I must do my duty。'
I had my strong effect in reserve; it was to burn my ships with a
vengeance! I rose。 'Leave the room;' said I。 'This is
insuperable。 Is the man mad?' And then; as if already half…
ashamed of my passion: 'I can take a joke as well as any one;' I
added; 'but this passes measure。 Send my servant and the bill。'
When he had left me alone; I considered my own valour with
amazement。 I had insulted him; I had sent him away alone; now; if
ever; he would take what was the only sensible resource; and fetch
the constable。 But there was something instinctively treacherous
about the man which shrank from plain courses。 And; with all his
cleverness; he missed the occasion of fame。 Rowley and I were
suffered to walk out of his door; with all our baggage; on foot;
with no destination named; except in the vague statement that we
were come 'to view the lakes'; and my friend only watched our
departure with his chin in his hand; still moodily irresolute。
I think this one of my great successes。 I was exposed; unmasked;
summoned to do a perfectly natural act; which must prove my doom
and which I had not the slightest pretext for refusing。 I kept my
head; stuck to my guns; and; against all likelihood; here I was
once more at liberty and in the king's highway。 This was a strong
lesson never to despair; and; at the same time; how many hints to
be cautious! and what a perplexed and dubious business the whole
question of my escape now appeared! That I should have risked
perishing upon a trumpery question of a POURBOIRE; depicted in
lively colours the perils that perpetually surrounded us。 Though;
to be sure; the initial mistake had been committed before that; and
if I had not suffered myself to be drawn a little deep in
confidences to the innocent Dolly; there need have been no tumble
at the inn of Kirkby…Lonsdale。 I took the lesson to heart; and
promised myself in the future to be more reserved。 It was none of
my business to attend to broken chaises or shipwrecked travellers。
I had my hands full of my own affairs; and my best defence would be
a little more natural selfishness and a trifle less imbecile good…
nature。
CHAPTER XXV … I MEET A CHEERFUL EXTRAVAGANT
I PASS over the next fifty or sixty leagues of our journey without
comment。 The reader must be growing weary of scenes of travel; and
for my own part I have no cause to recall these particular miles
with any pleasure。 We were mainly occupied with attempts to
obliterate our trail; which (as the result showed) were far from
successful; for; on my cousin following; he was able to run me home
with the least possible loss of time; following the claret…coloured
chaise to Kirkby…Lonsdale; where I think the landlord must have
wept to learn what he had missed; and tracing us thereafter to the
doors of the coach…office in Edinburgh without a single check。
Fortune did not favour me; and why should I recapitulate the
details of futile precautions which deceived nobody; and wearisome
arts which proved to be artless?
The day was drawing to an end when Mr。 Rowley and I bowled into
Edinburgh to the stirring sound of the guard's bugle and the
clattering team。 I was here upon my field of battle; on the scene
of my former captivity; escape and exploits; and in the same city
with my love。 My heart expanded; I have rarely felt more of a
hero。 All down the Bridges I sat by the driver with my arms folded
and my face set; unflinchingly meeting every eye; and prepared
every moment for a cry of recognition。 Hundreds of the population
were in the habit of visiting the Castle; where it was my practice
(before the days of Flora) to make myself conspicuous among the
prisoners; and I think it an extraordinary thing that I should have
encountered so few to recognise me。 But doubtless a clean chin is
a disguise in itself; and the change is great from a suit of
sulphur…yellow to fine linen; a well…fitting mouse…coloured great…
coat furred in black; a pair of tight trousers of fashionable cut;
and a hat of inimitable curl。 After all; it was more likely that I
should have recognised our visitors; than that they should have
identified the modish gentleman with the miserable prisoner in the
Castle。
I was glad to set foot on the flagstones; and to escape from the
crowd that had assembled to receive the mail。 Here we were; with
but little daylight before us; and that on Saturday afternoon; the
eve of the famous Scottish Sabbath; adrift in the New Town of
Edinburgh; and overladen with baggage。 We carried it ourselves。 I
would not take a cab; nor so much as hire a porter; who might
afterwards serve as a link between my lodgings and the mail; and
connect me again with the claret…coloured chaise and Aylesbury。
For I was resolved to break the chain of evidence for good; and to
begin life afresh (so far as regards caution) with a new character。
The first step was to find lodgings; and to find them quickly。
This was the more needful as Mr。 Rowley and I; in our smart clothes
and with our cumbrous burthen; made a noticeable appearance in the
streets at that time of the day and in that quarter of the town;
which was largely given up to fine folk; bucks and dandies and
young ladies; or respectable professional men on their way home to
dinner。
On the north side of St。 James' Square I was so happy as to spy a
bill in a third…floor window。 I was equally indifferent to cost
and convenience in my choice of a lodging … 'any port in a storm'
was the principle on which I was prepared to act; and Rowley and I
made at once for the common entrance and sealed the stair。
We were admitted by a very sour…looking female in bombazine。 I
gathered she had all her life been depressed by a series of
bereavements; the last of which might very well have befallen her
the day before; and I instinctively lowered my voice when I
addressed her。 She admitted she had rooms to let … even showed
them to us … a sitting…room and bedroom in a SUITE; commanding a
fine prospect to the Firth and Fifeshire; and in themselves well
proportioned and comfortably furnished; with pictures on the wall;
shells on the mantelpiece; and several books upon the table which I
found afterwards to be all of a devotional character; and all
presentation copies; 'to my Christian friend;' or 'to my devout
acquaintance in the Lord; Bethiah McRankine。' Beyond this my
'Christian friend' could not be made to advance: no; not even to do
that which seemed the most natural and pleasing thing in the world
… I mean to name her price … but stood before us shaking her head;
and at times mourning like the dove; the picture of depression and
defence。 She had a voice the most querulous I have ever heard; and
with this she produced a whole regiment of difficulties and
criticisms。
She could not promise an attendance。
'Well; madam;' said I; 'and what is my servant for?'
'Him?' she asked。 'Be gude to us! Is HE your servant?'
'I am sorry; ma'am; he meets with your disapproval。'
'Na; I never said that。 But he's young。 He'll be a great breaker;
I'm thinkin'。 Ay! he'll be a great responsibeelity to ye; like。
Does he attend to his releegion?'
'Yes; m'm;' returned Rowley; with admirable promptitude; and;
immediately closing his eyes; as if from habit; repeated the
following distich with more celerity than fervour:…
'Matthew; Mark; Luke and John
Bless the bed that I lie on!'
'Nhm!' said the lady; and maintained an awful silence。
'Well; ma'am;' said I; 'it seems we are never to hear the beginning
of your terms; let alone the end of them。 Come … a