christie johnstone-第31章
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and women of the New Town were collected； the girls felt a momentary
curiosity； it proved； however； to be only an individual swimming in
toward shore from a greater distance than usual。
A little matter excites curiosity in such places。
The man's head looked like a spot of ink。
Sandy Liston was minding his own business； lazily mending a skait…net；
which he had attached to a crazy old herring…boat hauled up to rot。
Christie sat down； pale and languid； by him； on a creepie that a lass who
had been baiting a line with mussels had just vacated； suddenly she
seized Jean's arm with a convulsive motion； Jean looked upit was the
London steamboat running out from Leith to Granton Pier to take up her
passengers for London。 Charles Gatty was going by that boat； the look of
mute despair the poor girl gave went to Jean's heart； she ran hastily
from the group； and cried out of sight for poor Christie。
A fishwife； looking through a telescope at the swimmer； remarked： 〃He's
coming in fast； he's a gallant swimmer； yon
〃Can he dee't？〃 inquired Christie of Sandy Liston。
〃Fine thaat；〃 was the reply； 〃he does it aye o' Sundays when ye are at
the kirk。〃
〃It's no oot o' the kirk window ye'll hae seen him； Sandy； my mon；〃 said
a young fishwife。
〃Rin for my glass ony way； Flucker；〃 said Christie； forcing herself to
take some little interest。
Flucker brought it to her； she put her hand on his shoulder； got slowly
up； and stood on the creepie and adjusted the focus of her glass； after a
short view； she said to Flucker：
〃Rin and see the nook。〃 She then leveled her glass again at the swimmer。
Flucker informed her the nook said 〃half eleven〃Scotch for 〃half past
ten。〃
Christie whipped out a well…thumbed almanac。
〃Yon nook's aye ahint；〃 said she。 She swept the sea once more with her
glass； then brought it together with a click； and jumped off the stool。
Her quick intelligence viewed the matter differently from all the others。
〃Noow；〃 cried she； smartly； 〃wha'll lend me his yawl？〃
〃Hets！ dinna be sae interferin'； lassie；〃 said a fishwife。
〃Hae nane o' ye ony spunk？〃 said Christie； taking no notice of the woman。
〃Speak； laddies！〃
〃M' uncle's yawl is at the pier…head； ye'll get her； my woman；〃 said a
boy。
〃A schell'n for wha's first on board；〃 said Christie； holding up the
coin。
〃Come awa'； Flucker； we'll hae her schell'n；〃 and these two worthies
instantly effected a false start。
〃It's no under your jackets；〃 said Christie； as she dashed after them
like the wind。
〃Haw！ haw！ haw！〃 laughed Sandy。
〃What's her business picking up a mon against his will？〃 said a woman。
〃She's an awfu' lassie；〃 whined another。 The examination of the swimmer
was then continued； and the crowd increased； some would have it he was
rapidly approaching； others that he made little or no way。
〃Wha est？〃 said another。
〃It's a lummy；〃 said a girl。
〃Na！ it's no a lummy；〃 said another。
Christie's boat was now seen standing out from the pier。 Sandy Liston；
casting a contemptuous look on all the rest； lifted himself lazily into
the herring…boat and looked seaward。 His manner changed in a moment。
〃The Deevil！〃 cried he； 〃the tide's turned！ You wi' your glass； could you
no see yon man's drifting oot to sea？〃
〃Hech！〃 cried the women； 〃he'll be droonedhe'll be drooned！〃
〃Yes； he'll be drooned！〃 cried Sandy； 〃if yon lassie does na come
alongside him deevelich quickhe's sair spent； I doot。〃
Two spectators were now added to the scene； Mrs。 Gatty and Lord Ipsden。
Mrs。 Gatty inquired what was the matter。
〃It's a mon drooning；〃 was the reply。
The poor fellow； whom Sandy； by aid of his glass； now discovered to be in
a wornout condition； was about half a mile east of Newhaven pier…head；
and unfortunately the wind was nearly due east。 Christie was standing
north…northeast； her boat…hook jammed against the sail； which stood as
flat as a knife。
The natives of the Old Town were now seen pouring down to the pier and
the beach； and strangers were collecting like bees。
〃After wit is everybody's wit！！！〃_Old Proverb。_
The affair was in the Johnstone's hands。
〃That boat is not going to the poor man；〃 said Mrs。 Gatty； 〃it is turning
its back upon him。〃
〃She canna lie in the wind's eye； for as clever as she is；〃 answered a
fishwife。
〃I ken wha it is；〃 suddenly squeaked a little fishwife； 〃it's Christie
Johnstone's lad； it's yon daft painter fr' England。 Hech！〃 cried she；
suddenly； observing Mrs。 Gatty； 〃it's your son； woman。〃
The unfortunate woman gave a fearful scream； and； flying like a tiger on
Liston； commanded him 〃to go straight out to sea and save her son。〃
Jean Carnie seized her arm。 〃Div ye see yon boat？〃 cried she； 〃and div ye
mind Christie； the lass wha's hairt ye hae broken？ aweel； woman_it's
just a race between deeth and Cirsty Johnstone for your son。_
The poor old woman swooned dead away； they carried her into Christie
Johnstone's house and laid her down； then hurried backthe greater
terror absorbed the less。
Lady Barbara Sinclair was there from Leith； and； seeing Lord Ipsden
standing in the boat with a fisherman； she asked him to tell her what it
was； neither he nor any one answered her。
〃Why doesn't she come about； Liston ？〃 cried Lord Ipsden； stamping with
anxiety and impatience。
〃She'll no be lang；〃 said Sandy； 〃but they'll mak a mess o' 't wi' ne'er
a man i' the boat。〃
〃Ye're sure o' thaat？〃 put in a woman。
〃Ay； about she comes；〃 said Liston； as the sail came down on the first
tack。 He was mistaken； they dipped the lug as cleverly as any man in the
town could。
〃Hech！ look at her hauling on the rope like a mon；〃 cried a woman。 The
sail flew up on the other tack。
〃She's an awfu' lassie；〃。 whined another。
〃He's awa；〃 groaned Liston； 〃he's doon！〃
〃No！ he's up again；〃 cried Lord Ipsden； 〃but I fear he can't live till
the boat comes to him。〃
The fisherman and the viscount held on by each other。
〃He does na see her； or maybe he'd tak hairt。〃
〃I'd give ten thousand pounds if only he could see her。 My God； the man
will be drowned under our eyes。 If he but saw her！！！〃
The words had hardly left Lord Ipsden's lips； when the sound of a woman's
voice came like an AEolian note across the water。
〃Hurraih！〃 roared Liston； and every creature joined the cheer。
〃She'll no let him dee。 Ah！ she's in the bows； hailing him an' waving the
lad's bonnet ower her head to gie him coorage。 Gude bless ye； lass； Gude
bless ye！〃
Christie knew it was no use hailing him against the wind； but the moment
she got the wind she darted into the bows； and pitched in its highest key
her full and brilliant voice； after a moment of suspense she received
proof that she must be heard by him； for on the pier now hung men and
women； clustered like bees； breathless with anxiety； and the moment after
she hailed the drowning man； she saw and heard a wild yell of applause
burst from the pier； and the pier was more distant than the man。 She
snatched Flucker's cap； planted her foot on the gunwale； held on by a
rope； hailed the poor fellow again； and waved the cap round and round her
head； to give him courage； and in a moment； at the sight of this；
thousands of voices thundered back their cheers to her across the water。
Blow； windspring； boatand you； Christie； still ring life toward those
despairing ears and wave hope to those sinking eyes； cheer the boat on；
you thousands that look upon this action； hurrah！ from the pier； hurrah！
from the town； hurrah！ from the shore； hurrah！ now； from the very ships
in the roads； whose crews are swarming on the yards to look； five minutes
ago they laughed at you； three thousand eyes and hearts hang upon you
now； ay； these are the moments we live for！
And now dead silence。 The boat is within fifty yards； they are all three
consulting together round the mast； an error now is death； his forehead
only seems above water。
〃If they miss him on that tack？〃 said Lord Ipsden； significantly； to
Liston。
〃He'll never see London Brigg again；〃 was the whispered reply。
They carried on till all on shore thought they would run over him； or
past him； but no； at ten yards distant they wer
