christie johnstone-第18章
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happiness depends on love； when she has no experience of that passion；
and the reminiscences of her youth have become dim and dark？ You might as
well set a judge in court； that has forgotten the lawcommon sense；〃
said she； 〃the old wife is sixty； and you are twentywhat can she do for
you the forty years you may reckon to outlive her？ Who is to keep you
through those weary years but the wife of your own choice； not your
mother's？ You English does na read the Bible； or ye'd ken that a lad is
to 'leave his father and mother； and cleave until his wife；'〃 added she；
then with great contempt she repeated； 〃common sense； indeed！ ye're fou
wi' your common sense； ye hae the name o' 't pat eneuchbut there's na
muckle o' that mairchandise in your harns。〃
Gatty was astonished。 What！ was there really common sense on the side of
bliss？ and when Jean told him to join her party at Inch Coombe； or never
look her in the face again； scales seemed to fall from his eyes； and；
with a heart that turned in a moment from lead to a feather； he vowed he
would be at Inch Coombe。
He then begged Jean on no account to tell Christie the struggle he had
been subjected to； since his scruples were now entirely conquered。
Jean acquiesced at once； and said： 〃Indeed； she would be very sorry to
give the lass that muckle pain。〃
She hinted； moreover； that her neebor's spirit was so high； she was quite
capable of breaking with him at once upon such an intimation； and she；
Jean； was 〃nae mischief…maker。〃
In the energy of his gratitude； he kissed this dark…browed beauty；
professing to see in her a sister。
And she made no resistance to this way of showing gratitude； but muttered
between her teeth； 〃He's just a bairn！〃
And so she went about her business。
On her retreat； his mother returned to him； and； with a sad air； hoped
nothing that that rude girl had said had weakened his filial duty。
〃No； mother；〃 said he。
She then； without explaining how she came acquainted with Jean's
arguments； proceeded to demolish them one by one。
〃If your mother is old and experienced；〃 said she； 〃benefit by her age
and experience。 She has not forgotten love； nor the ills it leads to；
when not fortified by prudence。 Scripture says a man shall cleave to his
wife when he has left his parents； but in making that； the most important
step of life； where do you read that he is to break the fifth
commandment？ But I do you wrong； Charles； you never could have listened
to that vulgar girl when she told you your mother was not your best
friend。〃
〃Nno； mother； of course not。〃
〃Then you will not go to that place to break my heart； and undo all you
have done this week。〃
〃I should like to go； mother。〃
〃You will break my heart if you do。〃
〃Christie will feel herself slighted； and she has not deserved this
treatment from me。〃
〃The other will explain to her； and if she is as good a girl as you
say〃
〃She is an angel！〃
〃How can a fishwife be an angel？ Well； then； she will not set a son to
disobey his mother。〃
〃I don't think she would！ but is all the goodness to be on her side？〃
〃No； Charles； you do your part； deny yourself； be an obedient child； and
your mother's blessing and the blessing of Heaven will rest upon you。〃
In short； he was not to go to Inch Coombe。
He stayed at home； his mother set him to work； he made a poor hand of it；
he was so wretched。 She at last took compassion on him； and in the
evening； when it was now too late for a sail to Inch Coombe； she herself
recommended a walk to him。
The poor boy's feet took him toward Newhaven； not that he meant to go to
his love； but he could not forbear from looking at the place which held
her。
He was about to return； when a spacious blue jacket hailed him。 Somewhere
inside this jacket was Master Flucker； who had returned in the yacht；
leaving his sister on the island。
Gatty instantly poured out a flood of questions。
The baddish boy reciprocated fluency。 He informed him 〃that his sister
had been the star of a goodly company； and that； her own lad having
stayed away； she had condescended to make a conquest of the skipper
himself。
〃He had come in quite at the tag…end of one of her stories； but it had
been sufficient to do his businesshe had danced with her； had even
whistled while she sung。 （Hech； it was bonny！）
〃And when the cutter sailed； he； Flucker； had seen her perched on a rock；
like a mermaid； watching their progress； which had been slow； because the
skipper； infatuated with so sudden a passion； had made a series of
ungrammatical tacks。〃
〃For his part he was glad；〃 said the gracious Flucker； 〃the lass was a
prideful hussy； that had given some twenty lads a sore heart and him many
a sore back； and he hoped his skipper； with whom he naturally identified
himself rather than with his sister； would avenge the male sex upon her。〃
In short； he went upon this tack till he drove poor Gatty nearly mad。
Here was a new feeling superadded； at first he felt injured； but on
reflection what cause of complaint had he？
He had neglected her； he might have been her partnerhe had left her to
find one where she could。
Fool； to suppose that so beautiful a creature would ever be
neglectedexcept by him！
It was more than he could bear。
He determined to see her； to ask her forgiveness； to tell her everything；
to beg her to decide； and； for his part； he would abide by her decision。
Christie Johnstone； as we have already related； declined his arm； sprang
like a deer upon the pier； and walked toward her home； a quarter of a
mile distant。
Gatty followed her； disconsolately； hardly knowing what to do。
At last； observing that she drew near enough to the wall to allow room
for another on the causeway； he had just nous enough to creep alongside
and pull her sleeve somewhat timidly。
〃Christie； I want to speak to you：〃
〃What can ye hae to say till me？〃
〃Christie； I am very unhappy； and I want to tell you why； but I have
hardly the strength or the courage。〃
〃Ye shall come ben my hoose if ye are unhappy； and we'll hear your story；
come away。
He had never been admitted into her house before。
They found it clean as a snowdrift。
They found a bright fire； and Flucker frying innumerable steaks。
The baddish boy had obtained them in his sister's name and at her
expense； at the flesher's； and claimed credit for his affection。
Potatoes he had boiled in their jackets； and so skillfully； that those
jackets hung by a thread。
Christie laid an unbleached table…cloth； that somehow looked sweeter than
a white one； as brown bread is sweeter than white。
But lo！ Gatty could not eat； so then Christie would not； because he
refused her cheer。
The baddish boy chuckled； and addressed himself to the nice brown steaks
with their rich gravy。
On such occasions a solo on the knife and fork seemed better than a trio
to the gracious Flucker。
Christie moved about the room； doing little household matters； Gatty's
eye followed her。
Her beauty lost nothing in this small apartment； she was here； like a
brilliant in some quaint； rough setting； which all earth's jewelers
should despise； and all its poets admire； and it should show off the
stone and not itself。
Her beauty filled the room； and almost made the spectators ill。
Gatty asked himself whether he could really have been such a fool as to
think of giving up so peerless a creature。
Suddenly an idea occurred to him； a bright one； and not inconsistent with
a true artist's characterhe would decline to act in so doubtful a case。
He would float passively down the tide of eventshe would neither desert
her； nor disobey his mother； he would take everything as it came； and to
begin； as he was there； he would for the present say nothing but what he
felt； and what he felt was that he loved her。
He told her so accordingly。
She replied； concealing her satisfaction； 〃that； if he liked her； he
would not have refused to eat when she asked him。〃
But our hero's appetite had returned with his change of purpose； and he
instantly volunteered to give the required proof of affection。
Accordingly two pound of steaks fell before him。 Poor boy； he had ha
