the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第5章
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supposed； always correspond； ＇I remember David was particularly anxious
to see a book； which he called； I think； LETTERS TO ELECT LADIES；
and which； he said； was the best composition he had ever read； but Dr。
Fergusson's library did not supply the volume。＇ Dr。 Fergusson
considered him as a man of a powerful capacity and original ideas； but
whose mind was thrown off its just bias by a predominant degree of self…
love and self… opinion； galled by the sense of ridicule and contempt； and
avenging itself upon society； in idea at least； by a gloomy misanthropy。
David Ritchie； besides the utter obscurity of his life while in existence；
had been dead for many years； when it occurred to the author that such a
character might be made a powerful agent in fictitious narrative。 He；
accordingly； sketched that of Elshie of the Mucklestane…Moor。 The story
was intended to be longer； and the catastrophe more artificially brought
out； but a friendly critic； to whose opinion I subjected the work in its
progress； was of opinion； that the idea of the Solitary was of a kind too
revolting； and more likely to disgust than to interest the reader。 As I had
good right to consider my adviser as an excellent judge of public opinion；
I got off my subject by hastening the story to an end； as fast as it was
possible； and； by huddling into one volume； a tale which was designed to
occupy two； have perhaps produced a narrative as much disproportioned
and distorted； as the Black Dwarf who is its subject。
*
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THE BLACK DWARF
CHAPTER I。
PRELIMINARY。
Hast any philosophy in thee； Shepherd？ AS YOU LIKE IT。
It was a fine April morning （excepting that it had snowed hard the
night before； and the ground remained covered with a dazzling mantle of
six inches in depth） when two horsemen rode up to the Wallace Inn。 The
first was a strong； tall； powerful man； in a grey riding…coat； having a hat
covered with waxcloth； a huge silver…mounted horsewhip； boots； and
dreadnought overalls。 He was mounted on a large strong brown mare；
rough in coat； but well in condition； with a saddle of the yeomanry cut；
and a double… bitted military bridle。 The man who accompanied him was
apparently his servant； he rode a shaggy little grey pony； had a blue bonnet
on his head； and a large check napkin folded about his neck； wore a pair of
long blue worsted hose instead of boots； had his gloveless hands much
stained with tar； and observed an air of deference and respect towards his
companion； but without any of those indications of precedence and
punctilio which are preserved between the gentry and their domestics。
On the contrary； the two travellers entered the court…yard abreast； and the
concluding sentence of the conversation which had been carrying on
betwixt them was a joint ejaculation； 〃Lord guide us； an this weather last；
what will come o' the lambs！〃 The hint was sufficient for my Landlord；
who； advancing to take the horse of the principal person； and holding him
by the reins as he dismounted； while his ostler rendered the same service
to the attendant； welcomed the stranger to Gandercleugh； and； in the same
breath； enquired； 〃What news from the south hielands？〃
〃News？〃 said the farmer； 〃bad eneugh news； I think；an we can
carry through the yowes； it will be a' we can do； we maun e'en leave the
lambs to the Black Dwarfs care。〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 subjoined the old shepherd （for such he was）； shaking his
head； 〃he'll be unco busy amang the morts this season。〃 〃The Black
Dwarf！〃 said MY LEARNED FRIEND AND PATRON； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； 〃and what sort of a personage may he be？〃
＇We have； in this and other instances； printed in italics （CAPITALS in
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THE BLACK DWARF
this etext） some few words which the worthy editor； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； seems to have interpolated upon the text of his deceased
friend； Mr。 Pattieson。 We must observe； once for all； that such liberties
seem only to have been taken by the learned gentleman where his own
character and conduct are concerned； and surely he must be the best judge
of the style in which his own character and conduct should be treated of。＇
〃Hout awa； man；〃 answered the farmer； 〃ye'll hae heard o' Canny
Elshie the Black Dwarf； or I am muckle mistaenA' the warld tells tales
about him； but it's but daft nonsense after a'I dinna believe a word o't
frae beginning to end。〃
〃Your father believed it unco stievely； though；〃 said the old man； to
whom the scepticism of his master gave obvious displeasure。
〃Ay； very true； Bauldie； but that was in the time o' the blackfacesthey
believed a hantle queer things in thae days； that naebody heeds since the
lang sheep cam in。〃
〃The mair's the pity； the mair's the pity；〃 said the old man。 〃Your father；
and sae I have aften tell'd ye； maister； wad hae been sair vexed to hae seen
the auld peel…house wa's pu'd down to make park dykes； and the bonny
broomy knowe； where he liked sae weel to sit at e'en； wi' his plaid about
him； and look at the kye as they cam down the loaning； ill wad he hae
liked to hae seen that braw sunny knowe a' riven out wi' the pleugh in the
fashion it is at this day。〃
〃Hout； Bauldie；〃 replied the principal； 〃tak ye that dram the landlord's
offering ye； and never fash your head about the changes o' the warld； sae
lang as ye're blithe and bien yoursell。〃
〃Wussing your health； sirs；〃 said the shepherd； and having taken off
his glass； and observed the whisky was the right thing； he continued； 〃It's
no for the like o' us to be judging； to be sure； but it was a bonny knowe
that broomy knowe； and an unco braw shelter for the lambs in a severe
morning like this。〃
〃Ay；〃 said his patron； 〃but ye ken we maun hae turnips for the lang
sheep； billie； and muckle hard wark to get them； baith wi' the pleugh and
the howe； and that wad sort ill wi' sitting on the broomy knowe； and
cracking about Black Dwarfs； and siccan clavers； as was the gate lang
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THE BLACK DWARF
syne； when the short sheep were in the fashion。〃
〃Aweel； aweel； maister；〃 said the attendant； 〃short sheep had short
rents； I'm thinking。〃
Here my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron again interposed； and
observed； 〃that he could never perceive any material difference； in point of
longitude； between one sheep and another。〃
This occasioned a loud hoarse laugh on the part of the farmer； and an
astonished stare on the part of the shepherd。
〃It's the woo'； man；it's the woo'； and no the beasts themsells； that
makes them be ca'd lang or short。 I believe if ye were to measure their
backs； the short sheep wad be rather the la
