robert falconer-第6章

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penny　loaves；　which　were　all　his　stock　had　reached　to　the　purchase

of；　and　left　him；　saying；



'I　maun　awa'　to　my　tay；　Shargar。　　I'll　fess　ye　a　cauld　tawtie　het

again；　gin　Betty　has　ony。　　Lie　still；　and　whatever　ye　do；　dinna　come

oot　o'　that。'



The　last　injunction　was　entirely　unnecessary。



'Eh；　Bob；　I'm　jist　in　haven！'　said　the　poor　creature；　for　his　skin

began　to　feel　the　precious　possibility　of　reviving　warmth　in　the

distance。



Now　that　he　had　gained　a　new　burrow；　the　human　animal　soon　recovered

from　his　fears　as　well。　　It　seemed　to　him；　in　the　novelty　of　the

place；　that　he　had　made　so　many　doublings　to　reach　it；　that　there

could　be　no　danger　of　even　the　mistress　of　the　house　finding　him

out；　for　she　could　hardly　be　supposed　to　look　after　such　a　remote

corner　of　her　dominions。　　And　then　he　was　boxed　in　with　the　bed；　and

covered　with　no　end　of　warm　garments；　while　the　friendly　darkness

closed　him　and　his　shelter　all　round。　　Except　the　faintest　blue

gleam　from　one　of　the　panes　in　the　roof；　there　was　soon　no　hint　of

light　anywhere；　and　this　was　only　sufficient　to　make　the　darkness

visible；　and　thus　add　artistic　effect　to　the　operation　of　it　upon

Shargar's　imaginationa　faculty　certainly　uneducated　in　Shargar；

but　far；　very　far　from　being　therefore　non…existent。　　It　was；

indeed；　actively　operative；　although；　like　that　of　many　a　fine　lady

and　gentleman；　only　in　relation　to　such　primary　questions　as：　'What

shall　we　eat？　　And　what　shall　we　drink？　　And　wherewithal　shall　we　be

clothed？'　　But　as　he　lay　and　devoured　the　new　'white　breid；'　his

satisfactionthe　bare　delight　of　his　animal　existencereached　a

pitch　such　as　even　this　imagination；　stinted　with　poverty；　and

frost…bitten　with　maternal　oppression；　had　never　conceived　possible。

The　power　of　enjoying　the　present　without　anticipation　of　the

future　or　regard　of　the　past；　is　the　especial　privilege　of　the

animal　nature；　and　of　the　human　nature　in　proportion　as　it　has　not

been　developed　beyond　the　animal。　　Herein　lies　the　happiness　of　cab

horses　and　of　tramps：　to　them　the　gift　of　forgetfulness　is　of　worth

inestimable。　　Shargar's　heaven　was　for　the　present　gained。









CHAPTER　V。



THE　SYMPOSIUM。



Robert　had　scarcely　turned　out　of　the　square　on　his　way　to　find

Shargar；　when　a　horseman　entered　it。　　His　horse　and　he　were　both

apparently　black　on　one　side　and　gray　on　the　other；　from　the

snow…drift　settling　to　windward。　　The　animal　looked　tired；　but　the

rider　sat　as　easy　as　if　he　were　riding　to　cover。　　The　reins　hung

loose；　and　the　horse　went　in　a　straight　line　for　The　Boar's　Head；

stopping　under　the　archway　only　when　his　master　drew　bridle　at　the

door　of　the　inn。



At　that　moment　Miss　Letty　was　standing　at　the　back　of　Miss　Napier's

chair；　leaning　her　arms　upon　it　as　she　talked　to　her。　　This　was　her

way　of　resting　as　often　as　occasion　arose　for　a　chat　with　her　elder

sister。　　Miss　Letty's　hair　was　gathered　in　a　great　knot　at　the　top

of　her　head；　and　little　ringlets　hung　like　tendrils　down　the　sides

of　her　face；　the　benevolence　of　which　was　less　immediately　striking

than　that　of　her　sister's；　because　of　the　constant　play　of　humour

upon　it；　especially　about　the　mouth。　　If　a　spirit　of　satire　could　be

supposed　converted　into　something　Christian　by　an　infusion　of　the

tenderest　loving…kindness　and　humanity；　remaining　still　recognizable

notwithstanding　that　all　its　bitterness　was　gone；　such　was　the

expression　of　Miss　Letty's　mouth；　It　was　always　half　puckered　as　if

in　resistance　to　a　comic　smile；　which　showed　itself　at　the　windows

of　the　keen　gray　eyes；　however　the　mouth　might　be　able　to　keep　it

within　doors。　　She　was　neatly　dressed　in　black　silk；　with　a　lace

collar。　　Her　hands　were　small　and　white。



The　moment　the　traveller　stopped　at　the　door；　Miss　Napier　started。



'Letty；'　she　said；　'wha's　that？　　I　could　amaist　sweir　to　Black

Geordie's　fit。'



'A'　four　o'　them；　I　think；'　returned　Miss　Letty；　as　the　horse；

notwithstanding；　or　perhaps　in　consequence　of　his　fatigue；　began　to

paw　and　move　about　on　the　stones　impatiently。



The　rider　had　not　yet　spoken。



'He'll　be　efter　some　o'　's　deevil…ma'…care　sculduddery。　　But　jist

rin　to　the　door；　Letty；　or　Lizzy　'll　be　there　afore　ye；　and　maybe

she　wadna　be　ower　ceevil。　　What　can　he　be　efter　noo？'



'What　wad　the　grew　（grayhound）　be　efter　but　maukin　（hare）？'　returned

Miss　Letty。



'Hoot！　nonsense！　　He　kens　naething　aboot　her。　　Gang　to　the　door；

lassie。'



Miss　Letty　obeyed。



'Wha's　there？'　she　asked；　somewhat　sharply；　as　she　opened　it；　'that

neither　chaps　（knocks）　nor　ca's？Preserve　's　a'！　is't　you；　my

lord？'



'Hoo　ken　ye　me；　Miss　Letty　withoot　seein'　my　face？'



'A'body　at　The　Boar's　Heid　kens　Black　Geordie　as　weel　's　yer

lordship's　ain　sel'。　　But　whaur　comes　yer　lordship　frae　in　sic　a

nicht　as　this？'



'From　Russia。　　Never　dismounted　between　Moscow　and　Aberdeen。　　The

ice　is　bearing　to…night。'



And　the　baron　laughed　inside　the　upturned　collar　of　his　cloak；　for

he　knew　that　strangely…exaggerated　stories　were　current　about　his

feats　in　the　saddle。



'That's　a　lang　ride；　my　lord；　and　a　sliddery。　　And　what's　yer

lordship's　wull？'



'Muckle　ye　care　aboot　my　lordship　to　stand　jawin'　there　in　a　night

like　this！　　Is　nobody　going　to　take　my　horse？'



'I　beg　yer　lordship's　pardon。　　Caumill！Yer　lordship　never　said　ye

wanted　yer　lordship's　horse　ta'en。　　I　thocht　ye　micht　be　gaein'　on

to　The　Bothie。Tak'　Black　Geordie　here；　Caumill。Come　in　to　the

parlour；　my　lord。'



'How　d'ye　do；　Miss　Naper？'　said　Lord　Rothie；　as　he　entered　the　room。

'Here's　this　jade　of　a　sister　of　yours　asking　me　why　I　don't　go　home

to　The　Bothie；　when　I　choose　to　stop　and　water　here。'



'What'll　ye　tak'；　my　lord？Letty；　fess　the　brandy。'



'Oh！　damn　your　brandy！　　Bring　me　a　gill　of　good　Glendronach。'



'Rin；　Letty。　　His　lordship's　cauld。I　canna　rise　to　offer　ye　the

airm…cheir；　my　lord。'



'I　can　get　one　for　myself；　thank　heaven！'



'Lang　may　yer　lordship　return　sic　thanks。'

'For　I'm　only　new　begun；　ye　think；　Miss　Naper。　　Well；　I　don't　often

trouble　heaven　with　my　affairs。　　By　Jove！　　I　ought　to　be　heard　when

I　do。'



'Nae　doobt　ye　will；　my　lord；　whan　ye　seek　onything　that's　fit　to　be

gien　ye。'



'True。　Heaven's　gifts　are　seldom　much　worth　the　asking。'



'Haud　yer　tongue；　my　lord；　and　dinna　bring　doon　a　judgment　upo'　my

hoose；　for　it　wad　be　missed　oot　o'　Rothieden；'



'You're　right　there；　Miss　Naper。　　And　here　comes　the　whisky　to　stop

my　mouth。'



The　Baron　of　Rothie　sat　for　a　few　minutes　with　his　feet　on　the

fender　before　Miss　Letty's　blazing　fire；　without　speaking；　while　he

sipped　the　whisky　neat　from　a　wine…glass。　　He　was　a　man　about　the

middle　height；　rather　full…figured；　muscular　and　active；　with　a

small　head；　and　an　eye　whose　brightness　had　not　yet　been　dimmed　by

the　sensuality　which　might　be　read　in　the　condition　rather　than

frame　of　his　countenance。　　But　while　he　spoke　so　pleasantly　to　the

Miss　Napiers；　and　his　forehead　spread　broad　and　smooth　over　the

twinkle　of　his　hazel　eye；　there　was　a　sharp　curve　on　each　side　of

his　upper　lip；　half…way　between　the　corner　and　the　middle；　which

reminded　one　of　the　same　curves　in　the　lip　of　his　ancestral　boar's

head；　where　it　was　lifted　up　by　the　protruding　tusks。　　These　curves

disappeared；　of　course；　when　he　smiled；　and　his　smile；　being　a

lord's；　was　generally　pronounced　irresistible。　　He　was　good…natured；

and　nowise　inclined　to　stand　upon　his　rank；　so　long　as　he　had　his

own　way。



'Any　customers　by　the　mail　to…night；　Miss　Naper？'　he　asked；　in　a

careless　tone。



'Naebody　partic'lar；　my　lord。'



'I　thought　ye　never　let　anybody　in　that　wasn't　particularly

particular。　　No　foot…passengerseh？'



'Hoot；　my　lord！　that's　twa　year　ago。　　Gin　I　had　jaloosed　him　to　be　a

fren'　o'　yer　lordship's；　forby　bein'　a　lord　himsel'；　ye　ken　as　weel

's　I　du　that　I　wadna　hae　sent　him　ower　the　g