christie johnstone-第3章
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Now look here； follow my prescription； and
You will soon have Mens sana in corpore sano； And not care whether the
girls say yes or say no；
neglect it； andmy gloves； oh； in my pocketyou will be _blase'_ and
_ennuye'；_ and （an English participle； that means something as bad）； God
bless you！〃
And out he scuttled； glided after by Saunders； for whom he opened and
shut the street door。
Never was a greater effect produced by a doctor's visit； patient and
physician were made for each other。 Dr。 Aberford was the specific for
Lord Ipsden。 He came to him like a shower to a fainting strawberry。
Saunders； on his return； found his lord pacing the apartment。
〃Saunders；〃 said he； smartly； 〃send down to Gravesend and order the yacht
to this placewhat is it？〃
〃Granton Pier。 Yes； my lord。〃
〃And； Saunders； take clothes； and books； and violins； and telescopes； and
thingsand meto Euston Square； in an hour。〃
〃Impossible；' my lord；〃 cried Saunders； in dismay。 〃And there is no train
for hours。〃
His master replied with a hundred…pound note； and a quiet； but wickedish
look； and the prince of gentlemen's gentleman had all the required items
with him； in a special train； within the specified time； and away they
flashed； northward。
CHAPTER II。
IT is said that opposite characters make a union happiest； and perhaps
Lord Ipsden； diffident of himself； felt the value to him of a creature so
different as Lady Barbara Sinclair； but the lady； for her part； was not
so diffident of herself； nor was she in search of her opposite。 On the
contrary； she was waiting patiently to find just such a man as she was；
or fancied herself； a woman。
Accustomed to measure men by their characters alone； and to treat with
sublime contempt the accidents of birth and fortune； she had been a
little staggered by the assurance of this butterfly that had proposed to
settle upon her handfor life。
In a word； the beautiful writer of the fatal note was honestly romantic；
according to the romance of 1848； and of good society； of course she was
not affected by hair tumbling back or plastered down forward； and a
rolling eye went no further with her than a squinting one。
Her romance was stern； not sickly。 She was on the lookout for iron
virtues； she had sworn to be wooed with great deeds； or never won； on
this subject she had thought much； though not enough to ask herself
whether great deeds are always to be got at； however disposed a lover may
be。
No matter； she kept herself in reserve for some earnest man； who was not
to come flattering and fooling to her； but look another way and do
exploits。
She liked Lord Ipsden； her cousin once removed； but despised him for
being agreeable； handsome； clever； and nobody。
She was also a little bitten with what she and others called the Middle
Ages； in fact with that picture of them which Grub Street； imposing on
the simplicity of youth； had got up for sale by arraying painted glass；
gilt rags； and fancy； against fact。
With these vague and sketchy notices we are compelled to part； for the
present； with Lady Barbara。 But it serves her right； she has gone to
establish her court in Perthshire； and left her rejected lover on our
hands。
Journeys of a few hundred miles are no longer described。
You exchange a dead chair for a living chair； Saunders puts in your hand
a new tale like this； you mourn the superstition of booksellers； which
still inflicts uncut leaves upon humanity； though tailors do not send
home coats with the sleeves stitched up； nor chambermaids put travelers
into apple…pie beds as well as damp sheets。 You rend and read； and are at
Edinburgh； fatigued more or less； but not by the journey。
Lord Ipsden was； therefore； soon installed by the Firth side； full of the
Aberford。
The young nobleman not only venerated the doctor's sagacity； but half
admired his brusquerie and bustle； things of which he was himself never
guilty。
As for the prescription； that was a Delphic Oracle。 Worlds could not have
tempted him to deviate from a letter in it。
He waited with impatience for the yacht； and； meantime； it struck him
that the first part of the prescription could be attacked at once。
It was the afternoon of the day succeeding his arrival。 The Fifeshire
hills； seen across the Firth from his windows； were beginning to take
their charming violet tinge； a light breeze ruffled the blue water into a
sparkling smile； the shore was tranquil； and the sea full of noiseless
life； with the craft of all sizes gliding and dancing and courtesying on
their trackless roads。
The air was tepid； pure and sweet as heaven； this bright afternoon；
Nature had grudged nothing that could give fresh life and hope to such
dwellers in dust and smoke and vice as were there to look awhile on her
clean face and drink her honeyed breath。
This young gentleman was not insensible to the beauty of the scene。 He
was a little lazy by nature； and made lazier by the misfortune of wealth；
but he had sensibilities； he was an artist of great natural talent； had
he only been without a penny； how he would have handled the brush！ And
then he was a mighty sailor； if he had sailed for biscuit a few years；
how he would have handled a ship！
As he was； he had the eye of a hawk for Nature's beauties； and the sea
always came back to him like a friend after an absence。
This scene； then； curled round his heart a little； and he felt the good
physician was wiser than the tribe that go by that name； and strive to
build health on the sandy foundation of drugs。
〃Saunders！ do you know what Dr。 Aberford means by the lower classes？〃
〃Perfectly； my lord。〃
〃Are there any about here？〃
〃I am sorry to say they are everywhere； my lord。〃
〃Get me some〃_（cigarette）。_
Out went Saunders； with his usual graceful _empressement；_ but an
internal shrug of his shoulders。
He was absent an hour and a half； he then returned with a double
expression on his facepride at his success in diving to the very bottom
of society； and contempt of what he had fished up thence。
He approached his lord mysteriously； and said； _sotto voce；_ but
impressively； 〃This is low enough； my lord。〃 Then glided back； and
ushered in； with polite disdain； two lovelier women than he had ever
opened a door to in the whole course of his perfumed existence。
On their heads they wore caps of Dutch or Flemish origin； with a broad
lace border； stiffened and arched over the forehead； about three inches
high； leaving the brow and cheeks unencumbered。
They had cotton jackets； bright red and yellow； mixed in patterns；
confined at the waist by the apron…strings； but bobtailed below the
waist； short woolen petticoats； with broad vertical stripes； red and
white； most vivid in color； white worsted stockings； and neat； though
high…quartered shoes。 Under their jackets they wore a thick spotted
cotton handkerchief； about one inch of which was visible round the lower
part of the throat。 Of their petticoats； the outer one was kilted； or
gathered up toward the front； and the second； of the same color； hung in
the usual way。
Of these young women； one had an olive complexion； with the red blood
mantling under it； and black hair； and glorious black eyebrows。
The other was fair； with a massive but shapely throat； as white as milk；
glossy brown hair； the loose threads of which glittered like gold； and a
blue eye； which； being contrasted with dark eyebrows and lashes； took the
luminous effect peculiar to that rare beauty。
Their short petticoats revealed a neat ankle； and a leg with a noble
swell； for Nature； when she is in earnest； builds beauty on the ideas of
ancient sculptors and poets； not of modern poetasters； who； with their
airy…like sylphs and their smoke…like verses； fight for want of flesh in
woman and want of fact in poetry as parallel beauties。
_They are；_ my lads。_Continuez！_
These women had a grand corporeal trait； they had never known a corset！
so they were straight as javelins； they could lift their hands above
their heads！actually！ Their supple persons moved as Nature intended；
every gesture was ease； grace and freedom。
What with their own radiance； and the snowy clean
