christie johnstone-第24章

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The　men　came　slowly　up；　their　petticoat　trousers　were　drenched；　and　their
neck…handkerchiefs　and　hair　were　wet　with　spray。

At　the　foot　of　the　New　Town　they　stood　still　and　whispered　to　each　other。

There　was　something　about　these　men　that　drew　the　eye　of　Newhaven　upon
them。

In　the　first　place　a　Buckhaven　man　rarely　communicates　with　natives　of
Newhaven；　except　at　the　pier；　where　he　brings　in　his　cod　and　ling　from
the　deep　sea；　flings　them　out　like　stones；　and　sells　them　to　the
fishwives；　then　up　sail　and　away　for　Fifeshire。

But　these　men　evidently　came　ashore　to　speak　to　some　one　in　the　town。

They　whispered　together；　something　appeared　to　be　proposed　and　demurred
to；　but　at　last　two　went　slowly　back　toward　the　pier；　and　the　eldest
remained；　with　a　fisherman's　long　mackintosh　coat　in　his　hand　which　the
others　had　given　him　as　they　left　him。

With　this　in　his　hand；　the　Buckhaven　fisherman　stood　in　an　irresolute
posture；　he　looked　down；　and　seemed　to　ask　himself　what　course　he　should
take。

〃What's　wrang？〃　said　Jean　Carnie；　who；　with　her　neighbors；　had　observed
the　men；　〃I　wish　yon　man　may　na　hae　ill　news。〃

〃What　ill　news　wad　he　hae？〃　replied　another。

〃Are　ony　freends　of　Liston　Carnie　here？〃　said　the　fisherman。

〃The　wife's　awa'　to　Granton；　Beeny　Liston　they　ca'　herthere's　his
house；〃　added　Jean；　pointing　up　the　row。

〃Ay；〃　said　the　fisherman；　〃I　ken　he　lived　there。〃

〃Lived　there！〃　cried　Christie　Johnstone。　〃Oh；　what's　this？〃

〃Freends；〃　said　the　man；　gravely；　〃his　boat　is　driving　keel　uppermost　in
Kircauldy　Bay。　We　passed　her　near　enough　to　read　the　name　upon　her。〃

〃But　the　men　will　have　won　to　shore；　please　God？〃

The　fisherman　shook　his　head。

〃She'll　hae　coupit　a　mile　wast　Inch　Keith；　an'　the　tide　rinning　aff　the
island　an'　a　heavy　sea　gaun。　This　is　a'　Newhaven　we'll　see　of　them
_（holding　up　the　coat）_　〃till　they　rise　to　the　top　in　three　weeks'　time。〃

The　man　then　took　the　coat；　which　was　now　seen　to　be　drenched　with　water；
and　hung　it　up　on　a　line　not　very　far　from　its　unfortunate　owner's　house。
Then；　in　the　same　grave　and　subdued　tone　in　which　he　had　spoken　all
along；　he　said；　〃We　are　sorry　to　bring　siccan　a　tale　into　your　toon；〃　and
slowly　moved　off　to　rejoin　his　comrades；　who　had　waited　for　him　at　no
great　distance。　They　then　passed　through　the　Old　Town；　and　in　five
minutes　the　calamity　was　known　to　the　whole　place。

After　the　first　stupor；　the　people　in　the　New　Town　collected　into　knots；
and　lamented　their　hazardous　calling；　and　feared　for　the　lives　of　those
that　had　just　put　to　sea　in　this　fatal　gale　for　the　rescue　of　strangers；
and　the　older　ones　failed　not　to　match　this　present　sorrow　with　others
within　their　recollection。

In　the　middle　of　this；　Flucker　Johnstone　came　hastily　in　from　the　Old
Town　and　told　them　he　had　seen　the　wife；　Beeny　Liston；　coming　through
from　Granton。

The　sympathy　of　all　was　instantly　turned　in　this　direction。

〃She　would　hear　the　news。〃

〃It　would　fall　on　her　like　a　thunderclap。〃

〃What　would　become　of　her？〃

Every　eye　was　strained　toward　the　Old　Town；　and　soon　the　poor　woman　was
seen　about　to　emerge　from　it；　but　she　was　walking　in　her　usual　way；　and
they　felt　she　could　not　carry　her　person　so　if　she　knew。

At　the　last　house　she　was　seen　to　stop　and　speak　to　a　fisherman　and　his
wife　that　stood　at　their　own　door。

〃They　are　telling　her；〃　was　then　the　cry。

Beeny　Liston　then　proceeded　on　her　way。

Every　eye　was　strained。

No！　they　had　not　told　her。

She　came　gayly　on；　the　unconscious　object　of　every　eye　and　every　heart。

The　hands　of　this　people　were　hard；　and　their　tongues　rude；　but　they
shrunk　from　telling　this　poor　woman　of　her　bereavementthey　thought　it
kinder　she　should　know　it　under　her　own　roof；　from　her　friends　or
neighbors；　than　from　comparative　strangers。

She　drew　near　her　own　door。

And　now　a　knot　collected　round　Christie　Johnstone；　and　urged　her　to
undertake　the　sad　task。

〃You　that　speak　sa　learned；　Christie；　ye　should　tell　her；　we　daur　na。〃

〃How　can　I　tell　her？〃　said　Christie；　turning　pale。　〃How　will　I　tell　her？
I'se　try。〃

She　took　one　trembling　step　to　meet　the　woman。

Beeny's　eye　fell　upon　her。

〃Ay！　here's　the　Queen　o'　Newhaven；〃　cried　she；　in　a　loud　and　rather
coarse　voice。　〃The　men　will　hae　ta　leave　the　place　now　y'　are　turned
fisherman；　I　daur　say。〃

〃Oh；　dinna　fieicht　on　me！　dinna　fieicht　on　me！〃　cried　Christie；
trembling。

〃Maircy　on　us；〃　said　the　other；　〃auld　Flucker　Johnstone's　dochter　turned
humble。　What　next？〃

〃I'm　vexed　for　speaking　back　till　ye　the　morn；〃　faltered　Christie。

〃Hett；〃　said　the　woman　carelessly；　〃let　yon　flea　stick　i'　the　wa'。　I
fancy　I　began　on　ye。　Aweel；　Cirsty；〃　said　she；　falling　into　a　friendlier
tone；　〃it's　the　place　we　live　in　spoils　usNewhaven's　an　impudent　toon；
as　sure　as　deeth。

〃I　passed　through　the　Auld　Toon　the　nooa　place　I　never　speak　in；　an'　if
they　did　na　glower　at　me　as　I　had　been　a　strange　beast。

〃They　cam'　to　their　very　doors　to　glower　at　me；　if　ye'll　believe　me；　I
thoucht　shame。

〃At　the　hinder　end　my　paassion　got　up；　and　I　faced　a　wife　East…by；　and　I
said；　'What　gars　ye　glower　at　me　that　way；　ye　ignorant　woman？'　ye　would
na　think　it；　she　answered　like　honey　itsel'。　'I'm　askin'　your　paarrdon；'
says　she；　and　her　mon　by　her　side　said；　'Gang　hame　to　your　ain　hoose；　my
woman；　and　Gude　help　ye；　and　help　us　a'　at　our　need；'　the　decent　mon。
'It's　just　there　I'm　for；'　said　I；　'to　get　my　mon　his　breakfast。'〃

All　who　heard　her　drew　their　breath　with　difficulty。

The　woman　then　made　for　her　own　house；　but　in　going　up　the　street　she
passed　the　wet　coat　hanging　on　the　line。

She　stopped　directly。

They　all　trembledthey　had　forgotten　the　coatit　was　all　over；　the　coat
would　tell　the　tale。

〃Aweel；〃　said　she；　〃I　could　sweer　that's　Liston　Carnie's　coat；　a　droukit
wi'　the　rain；　then　she　looked　again　at　it；　and　added；　slowly；　〃if　I　did
na　ken　he　has　his　away　wi'　him　at　the　piloting。〃　And　in　another　moment
she　was　in　her　own　house；　leaving　them　all　standing　there　half　stupefied。

Christie　had　indeed　endeavored　to　speak；　but　her　tongue　had　cloven　to　her
mouth。

While　they　stood　looking　at　one　another；　and　at　Beeny　Liston's　door；　a
voice　that　seemed　incredibly　rough；　loud　and　harsh；　jarred　upon　them；　it
was　Sandy　Liston；　who　came　in　from　Leith；　shouting：

〃Fifty　pounds　for　salvage；　lasses！　is　na　thaat　better　than　staying
cooard…like　aside　the　women？〃

〃Whisht！　whisht！〃　cried　Christie。

〃We　are　in　heavy　sorrow；　puir　Liston　Cairnie　and　his　son　Willy　lie　deed
at　the　bottom　o'　the　Firrth。〃

〃Gude　help　us！〃　said　Sandy；　and　his　voice　sank。

〃An'；　oh；　Sandy；　the　wife　does　na　ken；　and　it's　hairt…breaking　to　see
her；　and　hear　her；　we　canna　get　her　tell't；　ye're　the　auldest　mon　here；
ye'll　tell　her；　will　ye　no；　Sandy？〃

〃No；　me；　that'　I　will　not！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　ye　are　kenned　for　your　stoot　heart；　an'　courage；　ye　come　fra'
facing　the　sea　an'　wind　in　a　bit　yawl。〃

〃The　sea　and　the　wind；〃　cried　he；　contemptuously；　〃they　be　；　I'm　used
wi'　them；　but　to　look　a　woman　i'　the　face；　an'　tell　her　her　mon　and　her
son　are　drowned　since　yestreen；　I　hae　na　coorage　for　that。〃

All　further　debate　was　cut　short　by　the　entrance　of　one　who　came
expressly　to　discharge　the　sad　duty　all　had　found　so　difficult。　It　was
the　Presbyterian　clergyman　of　the　place；　he　waved　them　back。　〃I　know；　I
know；〃　said　he；　solemnly。　〃Where　is　the　wife？〃

She　came　out　of　her　house　at　this　moment；　as　it　happened；　to　purchase
something　at　Drysale's　shop；　which　was　opposite。

〃Beeny；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃I　have　sorrowful　tidings。〃

〃Tell　me　them；　sir；〃　said　she；　unmoved。　〃Is　it　a　deeth？〃　added　she；
quietly。

〃It　is！death；　sudden　and　terrible；　in　your　own　house　I　must　tell　it
you（and　may　God　show　me　how　to　break　it　to　her）。〃

He　entered　her　house。

〃Aweel；〃　said　the　woman　to　the　others；　〃it　maun　be　some　far…awa　cousin；
or　the　like；　for　Liston　an'　me　hae　nae　near　freends。　Meg；　ye　idle　fuzzy；〃
screamed　she　to　her　servant；　who　was　one　of　the　spectators；　〃your　pat　is
no　on　yet；　div　ye　think　the　men　will　no　be　hungry　when　they　come　in　fra'
the　sea？〃

〃They　will　never　hunger　nor　thirst　ony　mair；〃　said　Jean；