robert falconer-第10章

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jist　gang　to　Miss　Lettie；　and　gie　her　my　compliments；　and　say　that

Mr。　Lammie's　here；　and　we　haena　seen　him　for　a　lang　time。　　And'the

rest　was　spoken　in　a　whisper'I'll　sweir　to　ye；　Meggie；　the　weyver

body　sanna　hae　ae　drap　o'　't。'



Meg　withdrew　once　more；　and　returned。



'Miss　Letty's　compliments；　sir；　and　Miss　Naper　has　the　keys；　and

she's　gane　till　her　bed；　and　we　maunna　disturb　her。　　And　it's　time

'at　a'　honest　fowk　was　in　their　beds　tu。　　And　gin　Mr。　Lammie　wants　a

bed　i'　this　hoose；　he　maun　gang　till　't。　　An'　here's　his　can'le。

Gude　nicht　to　ye　a'；　gentlemen。'



So　saying；　Meg　set　the　lighted　candle　on　the　sideboard；　and　finally

vanished。　　The　good…tempered；　who　formed　the　greater　part　of　the

company；　smiled　to　each　other；　and　emptied　the　last　drops　of　their

toddy　first　into　their　glasses；　and　thence　into　their　mouths。　　The

ill…tempered；　numbering　but　one　more　than　MacGregor；　growled　and

swore　a　little；　the　weaver　declaring　that　he　would　not　go　home。　　But

the　rest　walked　out　and　left　him；　and　at　last；　appalled　by　the

silence；　he　rose　with　his　wig　awry；　and　trottedhe　always　trotted

when　he　was　tipsyhome　to　his　wife。









CHAPTER　VI。



MRS。　　FALCONER。



Meantime　Robert　was　seated　in　the　parlour　at　the　little　dark

mahogany　table；　in　which　the　lamp；　shaded　towards　his　grandmother's

side；　shone　brilliantly　reflected。　　Her　face　being　thus　hidden　both

by　the　light　and　the　shadow；　he　could　not　observe　the　keen　look　of

stern　benevolence　with　which；　knowing　that　he　could　not　see　her；　she

regarded　him　as　he　ate　his　thick　oat…cake　of　Betty's　skilled

manufacture；　well　loaded　with　the　sweetest　butter；　and　drank　the　tea

which　she　had　poured　out　and　sugared　for　him　with　liberal　hand。　　It

was　a　comfortable　little　room；　though　its　inlaid　mahogany　chairs　and

ancient　sofa；　covered　with　horsehair；　had　a　certain　look　of

hardness；　no　doubt。　　A　shepherdess　and　lamb；　worked　in　silks　whose

brilliance　had　now　faded　half…way　to　neutrality；　hung　in　a　black

frame；　with　brass　rosettes　at　the　corners；　over　the

chimney…piecethe　sole　approach　to　the　luxury　of　art　in　the　homely

little　place。　　Besides　the　muslin　stretched　across　the　lower　part　of

the　window；　it　was　undefended　by　curtains。　　There　was　no　cat　in　the

room；　nor　was　there　one　in　the　kitchen　even；　for　Mrs。　Falconer　had

such　a　respect　for　humanity　that　she　grudged　every　morsel　consumed

by　the　lower　creation。　　She　sat　in　one　of　the　arm…chairs　belonging

to　the　hairy　set；　leaning　back　in　contemplation　of　her　grandson；　as

she　took　her　tea。



She　was　a　handsome　old　ladylittle；　but　had　once　been　taller；　for

she　was　more　than　seventy　now。　　She　wore　a　plain　cap　of　muslin；

lying　close　to　her　face；　and　bordered　a　little　way　from　the　edge

with　a　broad　black　ribbon；　which　went　round　her　face；　and　then；

turning　at　right　angles；　went　round　the　back　of　her　neck。　　Her　gray

hair　peeped　a　little　way　from　under　this　cap。　　A　clear　but

short…sighted　eye　of　a　light　hazel　shone　under　a　smooth　thoughtful

forehead；　a　straight　and　well…elevated；　but　rather　short　nose；　which

left　the　firm　upper　lip　long　and　capable　of　expressing　a　world　of

dignified　offence；　rose　over　a　well…formed　mouth；　revealing　more

moral　than　temperamental　sweetness；　while　the　chin　was　rather

deficient　than　otherwise；　and　took　little　share　in　indicating　the

remarkable　character　possessed　by　the　old　lady。



After　gazing　at　Robert　for　some　time；　she　took　a　piece　of　oat…cake

from　a　plate　by　her　side；　the　only　luxury　in　which　she　indulged；　for

it　was　made　with　cream　instead　of　waterit　was　very　little　she　ate

of　anythingand　held　it　out　to　Robert　in　a　hand　white；　soft；　and

smooth；　but　with　square　finger　tips；　and　squat　though　pearly　nails。

'Ha'e；　Robert；'　she　said；　and　Robert　received　it　with　a　'Thank　you；

grannie'；　but　when　he　thought　she　did　not　see　him；　slipped　it　under

the　table　and　into　his　pocket。　　She　saw　him　well　enough；　however；

and　although　she　would　not　condescend　to　ask　him　why　he　put　it　away

instead　of　eating　it；　the　endeavour　to　discover　what　could　have　been

his　reason　for　so　doing　cost　her　two　hours　of　sleep　that　night。　　She

would　always　be　at　the　bottom　of　a　thing　if　reflection　could　reach

it；　but　she　generally　declined　taking　the　most　ordinary　measures　to

expedite　the　process。



When　Robert　had　finished　his　tea；　instead　of　rising　to　get　his　books

and　betake　himself　to　his　lessons；　in　regard　to　which　his

grandmother　had　seldom　any　cause　to　complain；　although　she　would

have　considered　herself　guilty　of　high　treason　against　the　boy's

future　if　she　had　allowed　herself　once　to　acknowledge　as　much；　he

drew　his　chair　towards　the　fire；　and　said：



'Grandmamma！'



'He's　gaein'　to　tell　me　something；'　said　Mrs。　Falconer　to　herself。

'Will　't　be　aboot　the　puir　barfut　crater　they　ca'　Shargar；　or　will

't　be　aboot　the　piece　he　pat　intil　's　pooch？'



'Weel；　laddie？'　she　said　aloud；　willing　to　encourage　him。



'Is　't　true　that　my　gran'father　was　the　blin'　piper　o'　Portcloddie？'



'Ay；　laddie；　true　eneuch。　　Hoots；　na！　nae　yer　grandfather；　but　yer

father's　grandfather；　laddiemy　husband's　father。'



'Hoo　cam　that　aboot？'



'Weel；　ye　see；　he　was　oot　i'　the　Forty…five；　and　efter　the　battle　o'

Culloden；　he　had　to　rin　for　't。　　He　wasna　wi'　his　ain　clan　at　the

battle；　for　his　father　had　broucht　him　to　the　Lawlands　whan　he　was　a

lad；　but　he　played　the　pipes　till　a　reg'ment　raised　by　the　Laird　o'

Portcloddie。　　And　for　ooks　（weeks）　he　had　to　hide　amo'　the　rocks。

And　they　tuik　a'　his　property　frae　him。　　It　wasna　mucklea　wheen

hooses；　and　a　kailyard　or　twa；　wi'　a　bit　fairmy　on　the　tap　o'　a

cauld　hill　near　the　sea…shore；　but　it　was　eneuch　and　to　spare；　and

whan　they　tuik　it　frae　him；　he　had　naething　left　i'　the　warl'　but

his　sons。　　Yer　grandfather　was　born　the　verra　day　o'　the　battle；　and

the　verra　day　'at　the　news　cam；　the　mother　deed。　　But　yer　great

grandfather　wasna　lang　or　he　merried　anither　wife。　　He　was　sic　a　man

as　ony　woman　micht　hae　been　prood　to　merry。　　She　was　the　dother

（daughter）　o'　an　episcopalian　minister；　and　she　keepit　a　school　in

Portcloddie。　　I　saw　him　first　mysel'　whan　I　was　aboot　twentythat

was　jist　the　year　afore　I　was　merried。　　He　was　a　gey　（considerably）

auld　man　than；　but　as　straucht　as　an　ellwand；　and　jist　pooerfu'

beyon'　belief。　　His　shackle…bane　（wrist）　was　as　thick　as　baith　mine；

and　years　and　years　efter　that；　whan　he　tuik　his　son；　my　husband；

and　his　grandson；　my　Anerew'



'What　ails　ye；　grannie？　　What　for　dinna　ye　gang　on　wi'　the　story？'



After　a　somewhat　lengthened　pause；　Mrs。　Falconer　resumed　as　if　she

had　not　stopped　at　all。



'Ane　in　ilka　han'；　jist　for　the　fun　o'　't；　he　kneipit　their　heids

thegither；　as　gin　they　hed　been　twa　carldoddies　（stalks　of

ribgrass）。　　But　maybe　it　was　the　lauchin'　o'　the　twa　lads；　for　they

thocht　it　unco　fun。　　They　were　maist　killed　wi'　lauchin'。　　But　the

last　time　he　did　it；　the　puir　auld　man　hostit　（coughed）　sair

efterhin；　and　had　to　gang　and　lie　doon。　　He　didna　live　lang　efter

that。　　But　it　wasna　that　'at　killed　him；　ye　ken。'



'But　hoo　cam　he　to　play　the　pipes？'



'He　likit　the　pipes。　　And　yer　grandfather；　he　tuik　to　the　fiddle。'



'But　what　for　did　they　ca'　him　the　blin'　piper　o'　Portcloddie？'



'Because　he　turned　blin'　lang　afore　his　en'　cam；　and　there　was

naething　ither　he　cud　do。　　And　he　wad　aye　mak　an　honest　baubee　whan

he　cud；　for　siller　was　fell　scarce　at　that　time　o'　day　amo'　the

Falconers。　　Sae　he　gaed　throu　the　toon　at　five　o'clock　ilka　mornin'

playin'　his　pipes；　to　lat　them　'at　war　up　ken　they　war　up　in　time；

and　them　'at　warna；　that　it　was　time　to　rise。　　And　syne　he　played

them　again　aboot　aucht　o'clock　at　nicht；　to　lat　them　ken　'at　it　was

time　for　dacent　fowk　to　gang　to　their　beds。　　Ye　see；　there　wasna　sae

mony　clocks　and　watches　by　half　than　as　there　is　noo。'



'Was　he　a　guid　piper；　grannie？'



'What　for　speir　ye　that？'



'Because　I　tauld　that　sunk；　Lumley'