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第54章

lay morals-第54章

小说: lay morals 字数: 每页4000字

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r the  particulars of the coming bankruptcy; and the boy would be  absent a dozen times for once that his father would observe  it。

On 2nd of July 1682 the boy had an errand from his mother;  which must be kept private from all; the father included in  the first of them。  Crossing the braes; he hears the clatter  of a horse's shoes; and claps down incontinent in a hag by  the wayside。  And presently he spied his father come riding  from one direction; and Curate Haddo walking from another;  and Montroymont leaning down from the saddle; and Haddo  getting on his toes (for he was a little; ruddy; bald…pated  man; more like a dwarf); they greeted kindly; and came to a  halt within two fathoms of the child。

'Montroymont;' the curate said; 'the deil's in 't but I'll  have to denunciate your leddy again。'

'Deil's in 't indeed!' says the laird。

'Man! can ye no induce her to come to the kirk?' pursues  Haddo; 'or to a communion at the least of it?  For the  conventicles; let be! and the same for yon solemn fule;  M'Brair: I can blink at them。  But she's got to come to the  kirk; Montroymont。'

'Dinna speak of it;' says the laird。  'I can do nothing with  her。'

'Couldn't ye try the stick to her? it works wonders whiles;'  suggested Haddo。  'No?  I'm wae to hear it。  And I suppose ye  ken where you're going?'

'Fine!' said Montroymont。  'Fine do I ken where: bankrup'cy  and the Bass Rock!'

'Praise to my bones that I never married!' cried the curate。   'Well; it's a grievous thing to me to see an auld house dung  down that was here before Flodden Field。  But naebody can say  it was with my wish。'

'No more they can; Haddo!' says the laird。  'A good friend  ye've been to me; first and last。  I can give you that  character with a clear conscience。'

Whereupon they separated; and Montroymont rode briskly down  into the Dule Valley。  But of the curate Francis was not to  be quit so easily。  He went on with his little; brisk steps  to the corner of a dyke; and stopped and whistled and waved  upon a lassie that was herding cattle there。  This Janet  M'Clour was a big lass; being taller than the curate; and  what made her look the more so; she was kilted very high。  It  seemed for a while she would not come; and Francie heard her  calling Haddo a 'daft auld fule;' and saw her running and  dodging him among the whins and hags till he was fairly  blown。  But at the last he gets a bottle from his plaid…neuk  and holds it up to her; whereupon she came at once into a  composition; and the pair sat; drinking of the bottle; and  daffing and laughing together; on a mound of heather。  The  boy had scarce heard of these vanities; or he might have been  minded of a nymph and satyr; if anybody could have taken  long…leggit Janet for a nymph。  But they seemed to be huge  friends; he thought; and was the more surprised; when the  curate had taken his leave; to see the lassie fling stones  after him with screeches of laughter; and Haddo turn about  and caper; and shake his staff at her; and laugh louder than  herself。  A wonderful merry pair; they seemed; and when  Francie had crawled out of the hag; he had a great deal to  consider in his mind。  It was possible they were all fallen  in error about Mr。 Haddo; he reflected … having seen him so  tender with Montroymont; and so kind and playful with the  lass Janet; and he had a temptation to go out of his road and  question her herself upon the matter。  But he had a strong  spirit of duty on him; and plodded on instead over the braes  till he came near the House of Cairngorm。  There; in a hollow  place by the burnside that was shaded by some birks; he was  aware of a barefoot boy; perhaps a matter of three years  older than himself。  The two approached with the precautions  of a pair of strange dogs; looking at each other queerly。

'It's ill weather on the hills;' said the stranger; giving  the watchword。

'For a season;' said Francie; 'but the Lord will appear。'

'Richt;' said the barefoot boy; 'wha're ye frae?'

'The Leddy Montroymont;' says Francie。

'Ha'e; then!' says the stranger; and handed him a folded  paper; and they stood and looked at each other again。  'It's  unco het;' said the boy。

'Dooms het;' says Francie。

'What do they ca' ye?' says the other。

'Francie;' says he。  'I'm young Montroymont。  They ca' me  Heathercat。'

'I'm Jock Crozer;' said the boy。  And there was another  pause; while each rolled a stone under his foot。

'Cast your jaiket and I'll fecht ye for a bawbee;' cried the  elder boy with sudden violence; and dramatically throwing  back his jacket。

'Na; I've nae time the now;' said Francie; with a sharp  thrill of alarm; because Crozer was much the heavier boy。

'Ye're feared。  Heathercat indeed!' said Crozer; for among  this infantile army of spies and messengers; the fame of  Crozer had gone forth and was resented by his rivals。  And  with that they separated。

On his way home Francie was a good deal occupied with the  recollection of this untoward incident。  The challenge had  been fairly offered and basely refused: the tale would be  carried all over the country; and the lustre of the name of  Heathercat be dimmed。  But the scene between Curate Haddo and  Janet M'Clour had also given him much to think of: and he was  still puzzling over the case of the curate; and why such ill  words were said of him; and why; if he were so merry… spirited; he should yet preach so dry; when coming over a  knowe; whom should he see but Janet; sitting with her back to  him; minding her cattle!  He was always a great child for  secret; stealthy ways; having been employed by his mother on  errands when the same was necessary; and he came behind the  lass without her hearing。

'Jennet;' says he。

'Keep me;' cries Janet; springing up。  'O; it's you; Maister  Francie!  Save us; what a fricht ye gied me。'

'Ay; it's me;' said Francie。  'I've been thinking; Jennet; I  saw you and the curate a while back … '

'Brat!' cried Janet; and coloured up crimson; and the one  moment made as if she would have stricken him with a ragged  stick she had to chase her bestial with; and the next was  begging and praying that he would mention it to none。  It was  'naebody's business; whatever;' she said; 'it would just  start a clash in the country'; and there would be nothing  left for her but to drown herself in Dule Water。

'Why?' says Francie。

The girl looked at him and grew scarlet again。

'And it isna that; anyway;' continued Francie。  'It was just  that he seemed so good to ye … like our Father in heaven; I  thought; and I thought that mebbe; perhaps; we had all been  wrong about him from the first。  But I'll have to tell Mr。  M'Brair; I'm under a kind of a bargain to him to tell him  all。'

'Tell it to the divil if ye like for me!' cried the lass。   'I've naething to be ashamed of。  Tell M'Brair to mind his  ain affairs;' she cried again: 'they'll be hot eneugh for  him; if Haddie likes!'  And so strode off; shoving her beasts  before her; and ever and again looking back and crying angry  words to the boy; where he stood mystified。

By the time he had got home his mind was made up that he  would say nothing to his mother。  My Lady Montroymont was in  the keeping…room; reading a godly book; she was a wonderful  frail little wife to make so much noise in the world and be  able to steer about that patient sheep her husband; her eyes  were like sloes; the fingers of her hands were like tobacco… pipe shanks; her mouth shut tight like a trap; and even when  she was the most serious; and still more when she was angry;  there hung about her face the terrifying semblance of a  smile。

'Have ye gotten the billet; Francie said she; and when he had  handed it over; and she had read and burned it; 'Did you see  anybody?' she asked。

'I saw the laird;' said Francie。

'He didna see you; though?' asked his mother。

'Deil a fear;' from Francie。

'Francie!' she cried。  'What's that I hear? an aith?  The  Lord forgive me; have I broughten forth a brand for the  burning; a fagot for hell…fire?'

'I'm very sorry; ma'am;' said Francie。  'I humbly beg the  Lord's pardon; and yours; for my wickedness。'

'H'm;' grunted the lady。  'Did ye see nobody else?'

'No; 

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