christie johnstone-第15章

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contemporaneously？〃

_Ips。_　〃Is　the　drinking…song　in　'Der　Freischutz'　a　tune？〃

_Lady　Bar。_　〃It　is。〃

_Ips。_　〃And　the　melodies　of　Handel；　are　they　tunes？〃

_Lady　Bar。　（pathetically）。_　〃They　are！　They　are！〃

_Ips。_　〃And　the　'Russian　Anthem；'　and　the　'Marseillaise；'　and　'Ah；
Perdona'？〃

_Tal。_　〃And　'Yankee　Doodle'？〃

_Lady　Bar。_　〃So　that　Sir　Henry；　who　prided　himself　on　his　ignorance；　has
a　wide　field　for　its　dominion。

_Tal。_　〃All　good　violin　players　do　like　me；　they　prelude；　not　play
tunes。〃

_Ips。_　〃Then　Heaven　be　thanked　for　our　blind　fiddlers。　You　like　syllables
of　sound　in　unmeaning　rotation；　and　you　despise　its　words；　its　purposes；
its　narrative　feats；　carry　out　your　principle；　it　will　show　you　where　you
are。　Buy　a　dirty　palette　for　a　picture；　and　dream　the　alphabet　is　a
poem。〃

_Lady　Bar。；　to　herself。_　〃Is　this　my　cousin　Richard？〃

_Hither。_　〃Mind；　Ipsden；　you　are　a　man　of　property；　and　there　are　such
things　as　commissions　_de　lunatico。〃_

_Lady　Bar。_　〃His　defense　will　be　that　his　friends　pronounced　him　insane。

_Ips。_　〃No；　I　shall　subpoena　Talbot's　fiddle；　cross…examination　will　get
nothing　out　of　that　but；　do；　re；　mi；　fa。〃

_Lady　Bar。_　〃Yes；　it　will；　fa；　mi；　re；　do。〃

_Tal。_　〃Violin；　if　you　please。〃

_Lady　Bar。_　〃Ask　Fiddle's　pardon；　directly。〃

_Sound　of　fiddles　is　heard　in　the　distance。_

_Tal。_　〃How　lucky　for　you；　there　are　fiddles　and　tunes；　and　the　natives
you　are　said　to　favor；　why　not　join　them？〃

_Ips。　（shaking　his　head　solemnly）。_　〃I　dread　to　encounter　another
prelude。〃

_Hither。_　〃Come；　I　know　you　would　like　it；　it　is　a　wedding…partytwo　sea
monsters　have　been　united。　The　sailors　and　fishermen　are　all　blue　cloth
and　wash…leather　gloves。〃

_Miss　V。_　〃He！　he！〃

_Tal。_　〃The　fishwives　unite　the　colors　of　the　rainbow〃

_Lady　Bar。_　〃（And　we　all　know　how　hideous　they　are）to　vulgar；　blooming
cheeks；　staring　white　teeth；　and　sky…blue　eyes。〃

_Mrs。　V。_　〃How　satirical　you　are；　especially　you；　Lady　Barbara。〃

Here　Lord　Ipsden；　after　a　word　to　Lady　Barbara；　the　answer　to　which　did
not　appear　to　be　favorable；　rose；　gave　a　little　yawn；　looked　steadily　at
his　companions　without　seeing　them；　and　departed　without　seeming　aware
that　he　was　leaving　anybody　behind　him。

_Hither。_　〃Let　us　go　somewhere　where　we　can　quiz　the　natives　without
being　too　near　them。〃

_Lady　Bar。_　〃I　am　tired　of　this　unbroken　solitude；　I　must　go　and　think　to
the　sea；〃　added　she；　in　a　mock　soliloquy；　and　out　she　glided　with　the
same　unconscious　air　as　his　lordship　had　worn。

The　others　moved　off　slowly　together。

〃Mamma；〃　said　Miss　Vere；〃　I　can't　understand　half　Barbara　Sinclair　says。〃

〃It　is　not　necessary；　my　love；〃　replied　mamma；　〃she　is　rather　eccentric；
and　I　fear　she　is　spoiling　Lord　Ipsden。〃

〃Poor　Lord　Ipsden；〃　murmured　the　lovely　Vere；　〃he　used　to　be　so　nice；　and
do　like　everybody　else。　Mamma；　I　shall　bring　some　work　the　next　time。〃

〃Do；　my　love。〃

PICNIC　NO。　2。

In　a　house；　two　hundred　yards　from　this　scene；　a　merry　dance；　succeeding
a　merry　song；　had　ended；　and　they　were　in　the　midst　of　an　interesting
story；　Christie　Johnstone　was　the　narrator。　She　had　found　the　tale　in　one
of　the　viscount's　booksit　had　made　a　great　impression　on　her。

The　rest　were　listening　intently。　In　a　room　which　had　lately　been　all
noise；　not　a　sound　was　now　to　be　heard　but　the　narrator's　voice。

〃Aweel；　lasses；　here　are　the　three　wee　kists　set；　the　lads　are　to
chusethe　ane　that　chuses　reicht　is　to　get　Porsha；　an'　the　lave　to　get
the　bag；　and　dee　baitchelarsFlucker　Johnstone；　you　that's　sae
cleverare　ye　for　gowd；　or　siller；　or　leed？〃

_1st　Fishwife。_　〃Gowd　for　me！〃

_2d　ditto。_　〃The　white　siller's　my　taste。〃

_Flucker。_　〃Na！　there's　aye　some　deevelish　trick　in　thir　lassie's
stories。　I　shall　ha　to；　till　the　ither　lads　hae　chused；　the　mair　part
will　put　themsels　oot；　ane　will　hit　it　off　reicht　maybe；　then　I　shall　gie
him　a　hidin'　an'　carry　off　the　lass。　You…hoo！〃

_Jean　Carnie。_　〃That's　you；　Flucker。〃

_Christie　Johnstone。_　〃And　div　ye　really　think　we　are　gawn　to　let　you　see
a'　the　world　chuse？　Na；　lad；　ye　are　putten　oot　o'　the　room；　like
witnesses。〃

_Flucker。_　〃Then　I'd　toss　a　penny；　for　gien　ye　trust　to　luck；　she　whiles
favors　ye；　but　gien　ye　commence　to　reason　and　argefyye're　done！〃

_Christie。_　〃The　suitors　had　na　your　wit；　my　manny；　or　maybe　they　had　na
a　penny　to　toss；　sae　ane　chused　the　gowd；　ane　the　siller；　but　they　got　an
awfu'　affront。　The　gold　kist　had　just　a　skull　intil't；　and　the　siller　a
deed　cuddy's　head！〃

_Chorus　of　Females。_　〃He！　he！　he！〃

_Ditto　of　Males。_　〃Haw！　haw！　haw！　haw！　Ho！〃

_Christie。_　〃An'　Porsha　puttit　the　pair　of　gowks　to　the　door。　Then　came
Bassanio；　the　lad　fra　Veeneece；　that　Porsha　loed　in　secret。　Veeneece；
lasses；　is　a　wonderful　city；　the　streets　o'　't　are　water；　and　the
carriages　are　boatsthat's　in　Chambers'。〃

_Flucker。_　〃Wha　are　ye　making　a　fool　o'？〃

_Christie。_　〃What's　wrang？〃

_Flucker。_　〃Yon's　just　as　big　a　lee　as　ever　I　heerd。〃

The　words　were　scarcely　out　of　his　mouth　ere　he　had　reason　to　regret
them；　a　severe　box　on　the　ear　was　administered　by　his　indignant　sister。
Nobody　pitied　him。

_Christie。_　〃I'll　laern　yet'　affront　me　before　a'　the　company。〃

_Jean　Carnie。_　〃Suppose　it's　a　lee；　there's　nae　silver　to　pay　for　it；
Flucker。〃

_Christie。_　〃Jean；　I　never　telt　a　lee　in　a'　my　days。〃

_Jean。_　〃There's　ane　to　begin　wi'　then。　Go　ahead；　Custy。〃

_Christie。_　〃She　bade　the　music　play　for　him；　for　music　brightens
thoucht；　ony　way；　he　chose　the　leed　kist。　Open'st　and　wasn't　there
Porsha's　pictur；　and　a　posy；　that　said：

'If　you　be　well　pleased　with　this；　And　hold　your　fortune　for　your　bliss；
Turn　you　where　your　leddy　iss；　And　greet　her　wi'　a　loving〃'　_（Pause）。_

〃Kess；〃　roared　the　company。

_Chorus；　led　by　Flucker。_　〃Hurraih！〃

_Christie　（pathetically）。_　〃Flucker；　behave！〃

_Sandy　Liston　（drunk）。_　〃Hur…raih！〃　He　then　solemnly　reflected。　〃Na！　but
it's　na　hurraih；　decency　requires　amen　first　an'　hurraih　afterward；
here's　kissin　plenty；　but　I　hear　nae　word　o'　the　minister。　Ye'll
obsairve；　young　woman；　that　kissin's　the　prologue　to　sin；　and　I'm　a
decent　mon；　an'　a　gray…headed　mon；　an'　your　licht　stories　are　no　for　me；
sae　if　the　minister's　no　expeckit　I　shall　retirean'　tak　my　quiet　gill
my　lane。〃

_Jean　Carnie。_　〃And　div　ye　really　think　a　decent　cummer　like　Custy　wad
let　the　lad　and　lass　misbehave　thirsels？　Na！　lad；　the　minister's　at　the
door；　but〃　（sinking　her　voice　to　a　confidential　whisper）　〃I　daurna　let
him　in；　for　fear　he'd　see　ye　hae　putten　the　enemy　in　your　mooth　sae
aerly。　（That's　Custy's　word。）〃

〃Jemmy　Drysel；〃　replied　Sandy；　addressing　vacancy；　for　Jemmy　was
mysteriously　at　work　in　the　kitchen；　〃ye　hae　gotten　a　thoughtfu'　wife。〃
（Then；　with　a　strong　revulsion　of　feeling。）　〃Dinna　let　the　blackguard*　in
here；〃　cried　he；　〃to　spoil　the　young　folk's　sporrt。〃

*　At　present　this　is　a　spondee　in　Englanda　trochee　in　Scotland　The
pronunciation　of　this　important　word　ought　to　be　fixed；　representing；　as
it　does；　so　large　a　portion　of　the　community　in　both　countries。

_Christie。_　〃Aweel；　lassies；　comes　a　letter　to　Bassanio；　he　reads　it；　and
turns　as　pale　as　deeth。〃

_A　Fishwife。_　〃Gude　help　us。〃

_Christie。_　〃Poorsha　behooved　to　ken　his　grief；　wha　had　a　better　reicht？
'Here's　a　letter；　leddy；'　says　he；　'the　paper's　the　boedy　of　my　freend；
like；　and　every　word　in　it　a　gaping　wound。'〃

_A　Fisherman。_　〃Maircy　on　us。〃

_Christie。_　〃Lad；　it　was　fra　puir　Antonio；　ye　mind　o'　him；　Lasses。　Hech！
the　ill　luck　o'　yon　man；　no　a　ship　come　hame；　ane　foundered　at　sea；
coming　fra　Tri…po…lis；　the　pirates　scuttled　another；　an'　ane　ran　ashore
on　the　Goodwins；　near　Bright…helm…stane；　that's　in　England　itsel'；　I　daur
say。　Sae　he　could　na　pay　the　three　thoosand　ducats；　an'　Shylock　had
grippit　him；　an'　sought　the　pund　o'　flesh　aff　the　breest　o'　him；　puir
body。〃

_Sandy　Liston。_　〃He　would　na　be　the　waur　o'　a　wee　bit　hiding；　yon
thundering　urang…utang；　let　the　man　alane；　ye　cursed　old　cannibal。〃

_Christie。_　〃Poorsha　keepit　her　man　but　ae　hoor　till　they　were　united；
an'　then　sent　him　wi'　a　puckle　o'　her　ain　siller　to　Veeneece；　and
Antoniothink　o'　that；　lassiespairted