christie johnstone-第4章

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every　gesture　was　ease；　grace　and　freedom。

What　with　their　own　radiance；　and　the　snowy　cleanliness　and　brightness　of
their　costume；　they　came　like　meteors　into　the　apartment。

Lord　Ipsden；　rising　gently　from　his　seat；　with　the　same　quiet　politeness
with　which　he　would　have　received　two　princes　of　the　blood；　said；　〃How　do
you　do？〃　and　smiled　a　welcome。

〃Fine！　hoow's　yoursel？〃　answered　the　dark　lass；　whose　name　was　Jean
Carnie；　and　whose　voice　was　not　so　sweet　as　her　face。

〃What'n　lord　are　ye？〃　continued　she；　〃are　you　a　juke？　I　wad　like　fine　to
hae　a　crack　wi'　a　juke。〃

Saunders；　who　knew　himself　the　cause　of　this　question；　replied；　_sotto
voce；_　〃His　lordship　is　a　viscount。〃

〃I　didna　ken't；〃　was　Jean's　remark。　〃But　it　has　a　bonny　soond。〃

〃What　mair　would　ye　hae？〃　said　the　fair　beauty；　whose　name　was　Christie
Johnstone。　Then；　appealing　to　his　lordship　as　the　likeliest　to　know；　she
added；　〃Nobeelity　is　jist　a　soond　itsel；　I'm　tauld。〃

The　viscount；　finding　himself　expected　to　say　something　on　a　topic　he　had
not　attended　much　to；　answered　dryly：　〃We　must　ask　the　republicans；　they
are　the　people　that　give　their　minds　to　such　subjects。〃

〃And　yon　man；〃　asked　Jean　Carnie；　〃is　he　a　lord；　too？〃

〃I　am　his　lordship's　servant；〃　replied　Saunders；　gravely；　not　without　a
secret　misgiving　whether　fate　had　been　just。

〃Na！〃　replied　she；　not　to　be　imposed　upon；　〃ye　are　statelier　and　prooder
than　this　ane。〃

〃I　will　explain；〃　said　his　master。　〃Saunders　knows　his　value；　a　servant
like　Saunders　is　rarer　than　an　idle　viscount。〃

〃My　lord；　my　lord！〃　remonstrated　Saunders；　with　a　shocked　and　most
disclamatory　tone。　〃Rather！〃　was　his　inward　reflection。

〃Jean；〃　said　Christie；　〃ye　hae　muckle　to　laern。　Are　ye　for　herrin'　the
day；　vile　count？〃

〃No！　are　you　for　this　sort　of　thing？〃

At　this；　Saunders；　with　a　world　of　_empressement；_　offered　the　Carnie
some　cake　that　was　on　the　table。

She　took　a　piece；　instantly　spat　it　out　into　her　hand；　and　with　more
energy　than　delicacy　flung　it　into　the　fire。

〃Augh！〃　cried　she；　〃just　a　sugar　and　saut　butter　thegither；　buy　nae　mair
at　yon　shoep；　vile　count。〃

〃Try　this；　out　of　Nature's　shop；〃　laughed　their　entertainer；　and　he
offered　them；　himself；　some　peaches　and　things。

〃Hech！　a　medicine！〃　said　Christie。

〃Nature；　my　lad；〃　said　Miss　Carnie；　making　her　ivory　teeth　meet　in　their
first　nectarine；　〃I　didna　ken　whaur　ye　stoep；　but　ye　beat　the　other
confectioners；　that　div　ye。〃

The　fair　lass；　who　had　watched　the　viscount　all　this　time　as　demurely　as
a　cat　cream；　now　approached　him。

This　young　woman　was　the　thinker；　her　voice　was　also　rich；　full；　and
melodious；　and　her　manner　very　engaging；　it　was　half　advancing；　half
retiring；　not　easy　to　resist　or　to　describe。

〃Noo；〃　said　she；　with　a　very　slight　blush　stealing　across　her　face；　〃ye
maun　let　me　catecheeze　ye；　wull　ye？〃

The　last　two　words　were　said　in　a　way　that　would　have　induced　a　bear　to
reveal　his　winter　residence。

He　smiled　assent。　Saunders　retired　to　the　door；　and；　excluding　every
shade　of　curiosity　from　his　face；　took　an　attitude；　half　majesty；　half
obsequiousness。

Christie　stood　by　Lord　Ipsden；　with　one　hand　on　her　hip　（the　knuckles
downward）；　but　graceful　as　Antinous；　and　began。

〃Hoo　muckle　is　the　queen　greater　than　y'　are？〃

His　lordship　was　obliged　to　reflect。

〃Let　me　seeas　is　the　moon　to　a　wax　taper；　so　is　her　majesty　the　queen
to　you　and　me；　and　the　rest。〃

〃An'　whaur　does　the　Juke*　come　in？〃

*　Buceleuch。

〃On　this　particular　occasion；　the　Duke**　makes　one　of　us；　my　pretty
maid。〃

**Wellington

〃I　see！　Are　na　yeawfu'　prood　o'　being　a　lorrd？〃

〃What　an　idea！〃

〃His　lordship　did　not　go　to　bed　a　spinning…jenny；　and　rise　up　a　lord；
like　some　of　them；〃　put　in　Saunders。

〃Saunders；〃　said　the　peer；　doubtfully；　〃eloquence　rather　bores　people。〃

〃Then　I　mustn't　speak　again；　my　lord；〃　said　Saunders；　respectfully。

〃Noo；〃　said　the　fair　inquisitor；　〃ye　shall　tell　me　how　ye　came　to　be
lorrds；　your　faemily？〃

〃Saunders！〃

〃Na！　ye　manna　flee　to　Sandy　for　a　thing；　ye　are　no　a　bairn；　are　ye？〃

Here　was　a　dilemma；　the　Saunders　prop　knocked　rudely　away；　and　obliged　to
think　for　ourselves。

But　Saunders　would　come　to　his　distressed　master's　assistance。　He
furtively　conveyed　to　him　a　plump　bookthis　was　Saunders's　manual　of
faith；　the　author　was　Mr。　Burke；　not　Edmund。

Lord　Ipsden　ran　hastily　over　the　page；　closed　the　book；　and　said；　〃Here
is　the　story。

〃Five　hundred　years　ago〃

〃Listen；　Jean；〃　said　Christie；　〃we're　gaun　to　get　a　boeny　story。　'Five
hundre'　years　ago；'〃　added　she；　with　interest　and　awe。

〃Was　a　great　battle；〃　resumed　the　narrator；　in　cheerful　tones；　as　one
larking　with　history；　〃between　a　king　of　England　and　his　rebels。　He　was
in　the　thick　of　the　fight〃

〃That's　the　king；　Jean；　he　was　in　the　thick　o't。〃

〃My　ancestor　killed　a　fellow　who　was　sneaking　behind　him；　but　the　next
moment　a　man…at…arms　prepared　a　thrust　at　his　majesty；　who　had　his　hands
full　with　three　assailants。〃

〃Eh！　that's　no　fair；〃　said　Christie；　〃as　sure　as　deeth。〃

〃My　ancestor　dashed　forward；　and；　as　the　king's　sword　passed　through　one
of　them；　he　clove　another　to　the　waist　with　a　blow。〃

〃Weel　done！　weel　done！〃

Lord　Ipsden　looked　at　the　speaker；　her　eyes　were　glittering；　and　her
cheek　flushing。

〃Good　Heavens！〃　thought　he；　〃she　believes　it！〃　So　he　began　to　take　more
pains　with　his　legend。

〃But　for　the　spearsman；〃　continued　he；　〃he　had　nothing　but　his　body；　he
gave　it；　it　was　his　duty；　and　received　the　death　leveled　at　his
sovereign。〃

〃Hech！　puir　mon。〃　And　the　glowing　eyes　began　to　glisten。

〃The　battle　flowed　another　way；　and　God　gave　victory　to　the　right；　but
the　king　came　back　to　look　for　him；　for　it　was　no　common　service。〃

〃Deed　no！〃

Here　Lord　Ipsden　began　to　turn　his　eye　inward；　and　call　up　the　scene。　He
lowered　his　voice。

〃They　found　him　lying　on　his　back；　looking　death　in　the　face。

〃The　nobles；　by　the　king's　side；　uncovered　as　soon　as　he　was　found；　for
they　were　brave　men；　too。　There　was　a　moment's　silence；　eyes　met　eyes；
and　said；　this　is　a　stout　soldier's　last　battle。

〃The　king　could　not　bid　him　live。〃

〃Na！　lad；　King　Deeth　has　ower　strong　a　grrip。〃

〃But　he　did　what　kings　can　do；　he　gave　him　two　blows　with　his　royal
sword。〃

〃Oh；　the　robber；　and　him　a　deeing　mon。〃

〃Two　words　from　his　royal　mouth；　and　he　and　we　were　Barons　of　Ipsden　and
Hawthorn　Glen　from　that　day　to　this。〃

〃But　the　puir　dying　creature？〃

〃What　poor　dying　creature？〃

〃Your　forbear；　lad。〃

〃I　don't　know　why　you　call　him　poor；　madam；　all　the　men　of　that　day　are
dust；　they　are　the　gold　dust　who　died　with　honor。

〃He　looked　round；　uneasily；　for　his　sonfor　he　had　but　oneand　when
that　son　knelt；　unwounded；　by　him；　he　said；　'Goodnight；　Baron　Ipsden；'
and　so　he　died；　fire　in　his　eye；　a　smile　on　his　lip；　and　honor　on　his
name　forever。　I　meant　to　tell　you　a　lie；　and　I've　told　you　the　truth。〃

〃Laddie；〃　said　Christie；　half　admiringly；　half　reproachfully；　〃ye　gar　the
tear　come　in　my　een。　Hech！　look　at　yon　lassie！　how　could　you　think　t'eat
plums　through　siccan　a　bonny　story？〃

〃Hets；〃　answered　Jean；　who　had；　in　fact；　cleared　the　plate；　〃I　aye　listen
best　when　my　ain　mooth's　stappit。〃

〃But　see；　now；〃　pondered　Christie；　〃twa　words　fra　a　kingthir　titles　are
just　breeth。〃

〃Of　course；〃　was　the　answer。　〃All　titles　are。　What　is　popularity？　ask
Aristides　and　Lamartinethe　breath　of　a　mobsmells　of　its　sourceand
is　gone　before　the　sun　can　set　on　it。　Now　the　royal　breath　does　smell　of
the　Rose　and　Crown；　and　stays　by　us　from　age　to　age。〃

The　story　had　warmed　our　marble　acquaintance。　Saunders　opened　his　eyes；
and　thought；　〃We　shall　wake　up　the　House　of　Lords　some　evening_we_
shall。〃

His　lordship　then　added；　less　warmly；　looking　at　the　girls：

〃I　think　I　should　like　to　be　a　fisherman。〃

So　saying；　my　lord　yawned　slightly。

To　this　aspiration　the　young　fishwives　deigned　no　attention；　doubting；
perhaps；　its　sincerity；　and　Christie；　with　a　shade　of　severity；　inquired
of　him　how　he　came　to　be　a　vile　count。

〃A　baron's　no'　a　vile　count；　I'm　sure；〃　said　she；　〃sae　tell　me　how　ye
came　to　be　a　vile　count。〃