lavengro-第17章

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enemy；　when；　not　being　acquainted　with　the　miry　and　difficult　paths　

of　the　Nor　Loch；　and　in　my　eagerness　taking　no　heed　of　my　footing；　

I　plunged　into　a　quagmire；　into　which　I　sank　as　far　as　my　

shoulders。　　Our　adversaries　no　sooner　perceived　this　disaster；　

than；　setting　up　a　shout；　they　wheeled　round　and　attacked　us　most　

vehemently。　　Had　my　comrades　now　deserted　me；　my　life　had　not　been　

worth　a　straw's　purchase；　I　should　either　have　been　smothered　in　

the　quag；　or；　what　is　more　probable；　had　my　brains　beaten　out　with　

stones；　but　they　behaved　like　true　Scots；　and　fought　stoutly　around　

their　comrade；　until　I　was　extricated；　whereupon　both　parties　

retired；　the　night　being　near　at　hand。



'Ye　are　na　a　bad　hand　at　flinging　stanes；'　said　the　lad　who　first　

addressed　me；　as　we　now　returned　up　the　brae；　'your　aim　is　right　

dangerous；　mon；　I　saw　how　ye　skelpit　them；　ye　maun　help　us　agin　

thae　New　Toon　blackguards　at　our　next　bicker。'



So　to　the　next　bicker　I　went；　and　to　many　more；　which　speedily　

followed　as　the　summer　advanced；　the　party　to　which　I　had　given　my　

help　on　the　first　occasion　consisted　merely　of　outlyers；　posted　

about　half…way　up　the　hill；　for　the　purpose　of　overlooking　the　

movements　of　the　enemy。



Did　the　latter　draw　nigh　in　any　considerable　force；　messengers　were　

forthwith　despatched　to　the　'Auld　Toon；'　especially　to　the　filthy　

alleys　and　closes　of　the　High　Street；　which　forthwith　would　

disgorge　swarms　of　bare…headed　and　bare…footed　'callants；'　who；　

with　gestures　wild　and　'eldrich　screech　and　hollo；'　might　

frequently　be　seen　pouring　down　the　sides　of　the　hill。　　I　have　seen　

upwards　of　a　thousand　engaged　on　either　side　in　these　frays；　which　

I　have　no　doubt　were　full　as　desperate　as　the　fights　described　in　

the　ILIAD；　and　which　were　certainly　much　more　bloody　than　the　

combats　of　modern　Greece　in　the　war　of　independence：　　the　callants　

not　only　employed　their　hands　in　hurling　stones；　but　not　

unfrequently　slings；　at　the　use　of　which　they　were　very　expert；　and　

which　occasionally　dislodged　teeth；　shattered　jaws；　or　knocked　out　

an　eye。　　Our　opponents　certainly　laboured　under　considerable　

disadvantage；　being　compelled　not　only　to　wade　across　a　deceitful　

bog；　but　likewise　to　clamber　up　part　of　a　steep　hill；　before　they　

could　attack　us；　nevertheless；　their　determination　was　such；　and　

such　their　impetuosity；　that　we　had　sometimes　difficulty　enough　to　

maintain　our　own。　　I　shall　never　forget　one　bicker；　the　last　indeed　

which　occurred　at　that　time；　as　the　authorities　of　the　town；　

alarmed　by　the　desperation　of　its　character；　stationed　forthwith　a　

body　of　police　on　the　hill…side；　to　prevent；　in　future；　any　such　

breaches　of　the　peace。



It　was　a　beautiful　Sunday　evening；　the　rays　of　the　descending　sun　

were　reflected　redly　from　the　gray　walls　of　the　Castle；　and　from　

the　black　rocks　on　which　it　was　founded。　　The　bicker　had　long　since　

commenced；　stones　from　sling　and　hand　were　flying；　but　the　callants　

of　the　New　Town　were　now　carrying　everything　before　them。



A　full…grown　baker's　apprentice　was　at　their　head；　he　was　foaming　

with　rage；　and　had　taken　the　field；　as　I　was　told；　in　order　to　

avenge　his　brother；　whose　eye　had　been　knocked　out　in　one　of　the　

late　bickers。　　He　was　no　slinger　or　flinger；　but　brandished　in　his　

right　hand　the　spoke　of　a　cart…wheel；　like　my　countryman　Tom　

Hickathrift　of　old　in　his　encounter　with　the　giant　of　the　

Lincolnshire　fen。　　Protected　by　a　piece　of　wicker…work　attached　to　

his　left　arm；　he　rushed　on　to　the　fray；　disregarding　the　stones　

which　were　showered　against　him；　and　was　ably　seconded　by　his　

followers。　　Our　own　party　was　chased　half…way　up　the　hill；　where　I　

was　struck　to　the　ground　by　the　baker；　after　having　been　foiled　in　

an　attempt　which　I　had　made　to　fling　a　handful　of　earth　into　his　

eyes。　　All　now　appeared　lost；　the　Auld　Toon　was　in　full　retreat。　　I　

myself　lay　at　the　baker's　feet；　who　had　just　raised　his　spoke；　

probably　to　give　me　the　COUP　DE　GRACE；　…　it　was　an　awful　moment。　　

Just　then　I　heard　a　shout　and　a　rushing　sound；　a　wild…looking　

figure　is　descending　the　hill　with　terrible　bounds；　it　is　a　lad　of　

some　fifteen　years；　he　is　bare…headed；　and　his　red　uncombed　hair　

stands　on　end　like　hedgehogs'　bristles：　　his　frame　is　lithy；　like　

that　of　an　antelope；　but　he　has　prodigious　breadth　of　chest；　he　

wears　a　military　undress；　that　of　the　regiment；　even　of　a　drummer；　

for　it　is　wild　Davy；　whom　a　month　before　I　had　seen　enlisted　on　

Leith　Links　to　serve　King　George　with　drum　and　drumstick　as　long　as　

his　services　might　be　required；　and　who；　ere　a　week　had　elapsed；　

had　smitten　with　his　fist　Drum…Major　Elzigood；　who；　incensed　at　his　

inaptitude；　had　threatened　him　with　his　cane；　he　has　been　in　

confinement　for　weeks；　this　is　the　first　day　of　his　liberation；　and　

he　is　now　descending　the　hill　with　horrid　bounds　and　shoutings；　he　

is　now　about　five　yards　distant；　and　the　baker；　who　apprehends　that　

something　dangerous　is　at　hand；　prepares　himself　for　the　encounter；　

but　what　avails　the　strength　of　a　baker；　even　full　grown？　…　what　

avails　the　defence　of　a　wicker　shield？　…　what　avails　the　wheel…

spoke；　should　there　be　an　opportunity　of　using　it；　against　the　

impetus　of　an　avalanche　or　a　cannon…ball？　…　for　to　either　of　these　

might　that　wild　figure　be　compared；　which；　at　the　distance　of　five　

yards；　sprang　at　once　with　head；　hands；　feet　and　body；　all　

together；　upon　the　champion　of　the　New　Town；　tumbling　him　to　the　

earth　amain。　　And　now　it　was　the　turn　of　the　Old　Town　to　triumph。　　

Our　late　discomfited　host；　returning　on　its　steps；　overwhelmed　the　

fallen　champion　with　blows　of　every　kind；　and　then；　led　on　by　his　

vanquisher；　who　had　assumed　his　arms；　namely；　the　wheel…spoke　and　

wicker　shield；　fairly　cleared　the　brae　of　their　adversaries；　whom　

they　drove　down　headlong　into　the　morass。







CHAPTER　VIII







Expert　climbers　…　The　crags　…　Something　red　…　The　horrible　edge　…　

David　Haggart　…　Fine　materials　…　The　greatest　victory　…　

Extraordinary　robber　…　The　ruling　passion。



MEANWHILE　I　had　become　a　daring　cragsman；　a　character　to　which　an　

English　lad　has　seldom　opportunities　of　aspiring；　for　in　England　

there　are　neither　crags　nor　mountains。　　Of　these；　however；　as　is　

well　known；　there　is　no　lack　in　Scotland；　and　the　habits　of　

individuals　are　invariably　in　harmony　with　the　country　in　which　

they　dwell。　　The　Scotch　are　expert　climbers；　and　I　was　now　a　Scot　

in　most　things；　particularly　in　language。　　The　Castle　in　which　I　

dwelt　stood　upon　a　rock；　a　bold　and　craggy　one；　which；　at　first　

sight；　would　seem　to　bid　defiance　to　any　feet　save　those　of　goats　

and　chamois；　but　patience　and　perseverance　generally　enable　mankind　

to　overcome　things　which；　at　first　sight；　appear　impossible。　　

Indeed；　what　is　there　above　man's　exertions？　　Unwearied　

determination　will　enable　him　to　run　with　the　horse；　to　swim　with　

the　fish；　and　assuredly　to　compete　with　the　chamois　and　the　goat　in　

agility　and　sureness　of　foot。　　To　scale　the　rock　was　merely　child's　

play　for　the　Edinbro'　callants。　　It　was　my　own　favourite　diversion。　　

I　soon　found　that　the　rock　contained　all　manner　of　strange　crypts；　

crannies；　and　recesses；　where　owls　nestled；　and　the　weasel　brought　

forth　her　young；　here　and　there　were　small　natural　platforms；　

overgrown　with　long　grass　and　various　kinds　of　plants；　where　the　

climber；　if　so　disposed；　could　stretch　himself；　and　either　give　his　

eyes　to　sleep　or　his　mind　to　thought；　for　capital　places　were　these　

same　platforms　either　for　repose　or　meditation。　　The　boldest　

features　of　the　rock　are　descried　on　the　northern　side；　where；　

after　shelving　down　gently　from　the　wall　for　some　distance；　it　

terminates　abruptly　in　a　precipice；　black　and　horrible；　of　some　

three　hundred　feet　at　least；　as　if　the　axe　of　nature　had　been　here　

employed　cutting　sheer　down；　and　leaving　behind　neither　excrescenc