christie johnstone-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


true…lover's　knot　in　the　top；　but　tell　the　truthyou　were　never　nearer
losing　the　number　of　your　mess　than　that　day　in　the　old　_Tisbe。〃_

_Lady　Barb。_　〃The　old　_Tisbe！_　Oh！〃

_Ipsden。_　〃Do　you　remember　that　nice　little　lurch　she　gave　to　leeward　as
we　brought　her　round？〃

_Lady　Barb。_　〃Oh；　Richard！〃

_Ancient　Mariner。_　〃And　that　reel　the　old　wench　gave　under　our　feet；
north　the　pier…head。　I　wouldn't　have　given　a　washing…tub　for　her　at　that
moment。〃

_Ipsden。_　〃Past　danger　becomes　pleasure；　sir。　_Olim　et　hoec　meminisse_I
beg　your　pardon；　sir。〃

_Ancient　Mariner　（taking　off　his　hat　with　feeling）。_　〃God　bless　ye；　sir；
and　send　ye　many　happy　days；　and　well　spent；　with　the　pretty　lady　I　see
alongside；　asking　your　pardon；　miss；　for　parting　pleasanter　companyso
I'll　sheer　off。〃

And　away　went　the　skipper　of　the　_Tisbe；_　rolling　fearfully。　In　the　heat
of　this　reminiscence；　the　skipper　of　the　yacht　（they　are　all　alike；　blue
water　once　fairly　tasted）　had　lost　sight　of　Lady　Barbara；　he　now　looked
round。　Imagine　his　surprise！

Her　ladyship　was　in　tears。

〃Dear　Barbara；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden；　〃do　not　distress　yourself　on　my
account。〃

〃It　is　not　your　fe…feelings　I　care　about；　at　least；　I　h…h…hope　not；　but　I
have　been　so　unjust；　and　I　prided　myself　so　on　my　j…ju…justice。〃

〃Never　mind！〃

〃Oh！　if　you　don't；　I　don't。　I　hate　myself；　so　it　is　no　wonder　you　h…hate
me。〃

〃I　love　you　more　than　ever。〃

〃Then　you　are　a　good　soul！　Of　course　you　know　I　always　_l_…esteemed　you；
Richard。〃

〃No！　I　had　an　idea　you　despised　me！〃

〃How　silly　you　are！　Can't　you　see？　When　I　thought　you　were　not
perfection；　which　you　are　now；　it　vexed　me　to　death；　you　never　saw　me
affront　any　one　but　you？〃

〃No；　I　never　did！　What　does　that　prove？〃

〃That　depends　upon　the　wit　of　him　that　reasons　thereon。〃　（Coming　to
herself。）

〃I　love　you；　Barbara！　Will　you　honor　me　with　your　hand？〃

〃No！　I　am　not　so　base；　so　selfish。　You　are　worth　a　hundred　of　me；　and
here　have　I　been　treating　you　_de　haut　en　bas。_　Dear　Richard；　poor
Richard。　Oh！　oh！　oh！〃　（A　perfect　flood　of　tears。）

〃Barbara！　I　regret　nothing；　this　moment　pays　for　all。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　will！　since　you　keep　pressing　me。　There；　let　me　go；　I　must
be　alone；　I　must　tell　the　sea　how　unjust　I　was；　and　how　happy　I　am；　and
when　you　see　me　again　you　shall　see　the　better　side　of　your　cousin
Barbara。〃

She　was　peremptory。　〃She　had　her　folly　and　his　merits　to　think　over；〃　she
said；　but　she　promised　to　pass　through　Newhaven；　and　he　should　put　her
into　her　pony…phaeton；　which　would　meet　her　there。

Lady　Barbara　was　only　a　fool　by　the　excess　of　her　wit　over　her
experience；　and　Lord　Ipsden's　love　was　not　misplaced；　for　she　had　a　great
heart　which　she　hid　from　little　people。　I　forgive　her！

The　resolutions　she　formed　in　company　with　the　sea；　having　dismissed
Ipsden；　and　ordered　her　flunky　into　the　horizon；　will　probably　give　our
viscount　just　half　a　century　of　conjugal　bliss。

As　he　was　going　she　stopped　him　and　said：　〃Your　friend　had　browner　hands
than　I　have　hitherto　conceived　possible。　_To　tell　the　truth；_　I　took　them
for　the　claws　of　a　mahogany　table　when　he　grappled　youis　that　the　term？
_C'est　e'gal_I　like　him〃

She　stopped　him　again。　〃Ipsden；　in　the　midst　of　all　this　that　poor　man's
ship　is　broken。　I　feel　it　is！　You　will　buy　him　another；　if　you　really
love　mefor　I　like　him。〃

And　so　these　lovers　parted　for　a　time；　and　Lord　Ipsden　with　a　bounding
heart　returned　to　Newhaven。　He　went　to　entertain　his　late　_vis…'a…vis_　at
the　〃Peacock。〃

Meantime　a　shorter　and　less　pleasant　_rencontre_　had　taken　place　between
Leith　and　that　village。

Gatty　felt　he　should　meet　his　lost　sweetheart；　and　sure　enough；　at　a　turn
of　the　road　Christie　and　Jean　came　suddenly　upon　him。

Jean　nodded；　but　Christie　took　no　notice　of　him；　they　passed　him；　he
turned　and　followed　them；　and　said；　〃Christie！〃

〃What　is　your　will　wi'　me？〃　said　she；　coldly。

〃II　How　pale　you　are！〃

〃I　am　no　very　weel。〃

〃She　has　been　watching　over　muckle　wi'　Flucker；〃　said　Jean。

Christie　thanked　her　with　a　look。

〃I　hope　it　is　notnot〃

〃Nae　fears；　lad；〃　said　she；　briskly；　〃I　dinna　think　that　muckle　o'　ye。〃

〃And　I　think　of　nothing　but　you；〃　said　he。

A　deep　flush　crimsoned　the　young　woman's　brow；　but　she　restrained
herself；　and　said　icily：　〃Thaat's　very　gude　o'　ye；　I'm　sure。〃

Gatty　felt　all　the　contempt　her　manners　and　words　expressed。　He　bit　his
lips。　The　tear　started　to　his　eye。　〃You　will　forget　me；〃　said　he。　〃I　do
not　deserve　to　be　remembered；　but　I　shall　never　forget　you。　I　leave　for
England。　I　leave　Newhaven　forever；　where　I　have　been　so　happy。　I　am　going
at　three　o'clock　by　the　steamboat。　Won't　you　bid　me　good…by？〃　He
approached　her　timidly。

〃Ay！　that　wull　do；〃　cried　she；　〃Gude　be　wi'　ye；　lad；　I　wish　ye　nae　ill。〃
She　gave　a　commanding　gesture　of　dismissal；　he　turned　away；　and　went
sadly　from　her。　She　watched　every　motion　when　his　back　was　turned。

〃That　is　you；　Christie；〃　said　Jean；　〃use　the　lads　like　dirt；　an'　they
think　a'　the　mair　o'　ye。〃

〃Oh；　Jean；　my　hairt's　broken。　I'm　just　deeing　for　him。〃

〃Let　me　speak　till　him　then；〃　said　Jean；　〃I'll　sune　bring　him　till　his
marrow…banes；〃　and　she　took　a　hasty　step　to　follow　him。

Christie　held　her　fast。　〃I'd　dee　ere　I'd　give　in　till　them。　Oh；　Jean！　I'm
a　lassie　clean　flung　awa；　he　has　neither　hairt　nor　spunk　ava；　yon　lad！〃

Jean　began　to　make　excuses　for　him。　Christie　inveighed　against　him。　Jean
spoke　up　for　him　with　more　earnestness。

Now　observe；　Jean　despised　the　poor　boy。

Christie　adored　him。

So　Jean　spoke　for　him；　because　women　of　every　degree　are　often　one　solid
mass　of　tact；　and　Christie　abused　him；　because　she　wanted　to　hear　him
defended。




CHAPTER　XVI。


RICHARD；　LORD　VISCOUNT　IPSDEN；　having　dotted　the　seashore　with　sentinels；
to　tell　him　of　Lady　Barbara's　approach；　awaited　his　guest　in　the
〃Peacock〃；　but；　as　Gatty　was　a　little　behind　time；　he　placed　Saunders
sentinel　over　the　〃Peacock；〃　and　strolled　eastward；　as　he　came　out　of　the
〃Peacock；〃　Mrs。　Gatty　came　down　the　little　hill　in　front；　and　also
proceeded　eastward；　meantime　Lady　Barbara　and　her　escort　were　not　far
from　the　New　Town　of　Newhaven；　on　their　way　from　Leith。

Mrs。　Gatty　came　down；　merely　with　a　vague　fear。　She　had　no　reason　to
suppose　her　son's　alliance　with　Christie　either　would　or　could　be
renewed；　but　she　was　a　careful　player　and　would　not　give　a　chance　away；
she　found　he　was　gone　out　unusually　early；　so　she　came　straight　to　the
only　place　she　dreaded；　it　was　her　son's　last　day　in　Scotland。　She　had
packed　his　clothes；　and　he　had　inspired　her　with　confidence　by　arranging
pictures；　etc。；　himself；　she　had　no　idea　he　was　packing　for　his　departure
from　this　life；　not　Edinburgh　only。

She　came　then　to　Newhaven　with　no　serious　misgivings；　for；　even　if　her
son　had　again　vacillated；　she　saw　that；　with　Christie's　pride　and　her　own
firmness；　the　game　must　be　hers　in　the　end；　but；　as　I　said　before；　she
was　one　who　played　her　cards　closely；　and　such　seldom　lose。

But　my　story　is　with　the　two　young　fishwives；　who；　on　their　return　from
Leith；　found　themselves　at　the　foot　of　the　New　Town；　Newhaven；　some
minutes　before　any　of　the　other　persons　who；　it　is　to　be　observed；　were
approaching　it　from　different　points；　they　came　slowly　in；　Christie　in
particular；　with　a　listlessness　she　had　never；　known　till　this　last　week；
for　some　days　her　strength　had　failed　herit　was　Jean　that　carried　the
creel　nowbefore；　Christie；　in　the　pride　of　her　strength；　would　always
do　more　than　her　share　of　their　joint　labor。　Then　she　could　hardly　be
forced　to　eat；　and　what　she　did　eat　was　quite　tasteless　to　her；　and　sleep
left　her；　and　in　its　stead　came　uneasy　slumbers；　from　which　she　awoke
quivering　from　head　to　foot。

Oh！　perilous　venture　of　those　who　love　one　object　with　the　whole　heart。

This　great　but　tender　heart　was　breaking　day　by　day。

Well；　Christie　and　Jean；　strolling　slowly　into　the　New　Town　of　Newhaven；
found　an　assemblage　of　the　natives　all　looking　seaward；　the　fishermen；
except　Sandy　Liston；　were　away　at　the　herring　fishery；　but　all　the　boys
and　women　of　the　New　Town　were　collected；　the　girls　felt　a　momenta