christie johnstone-第5章

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

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　〃that　is　by　no　means　a　pretty　story　like　the　other；　you
will　not　like　it；　I　am　sure。

〃Ay；　will　Iay；　will　I；　I'm　aye　seeking　knoewledge。〃

〃Well；　it　is　soon　told。　One　of　us　sat　twenty　years　on　one　seat；　in　the
same　house；　so　one　day　he　got　up　aviscount。〃

〃Ower　muckle　pay　for　ower　little　wark。〃

〃Now　don't　say　that；　I　wouldn't　do　it　to　be　Emperor　of　Russia。〃

〃Aweel；　I　hae　gotten　a　heap　out　o'　ye；　sae　noow　I'll　gang；　since　ye　are
no　for　herrin'；　come　away；　Jean。〃

At　this　their　host　remonstrated；　and　inquired　why　bores　are　at　one's
service　night　and　day；　and　bright　people　are　always　in　a　hurry；　he　was
informed　in　reply；　〃Labor　is　the　lot　o'　man。　Div　ye　no　ken　that　muckle？
And　abune　a'　o'　women。〃*

*　A　local　idea；　I　suspect。C。　R。

〃Why；　what　can　two　such　pretty　creatures　have　to　do　except　to　be
admired？〃

This　question　coming　within　the　dark　beauty's　scope；　she　hastened　to
reply。

〃To　sell　our　herrin'we　hae　three　hundre'　left　in　the　creel。〃

〃What　is　the　price？〃

At　this　question　the　poetry　died　out　of　Christie　Johnstone's　face；　she
gave　her　companion　a　rapid　look；　indiscernible　by　male　eye；　and　answered：

〃Three　a　penny；　sirr；　they　are　no　plenty　the　day；〃　added　she；　in　smooth
tones　that　carried　conviction。

（Little　liar；　they　were　selling　six　a　penny　everywhere。）

〃Saunders；　buy　them　all；　and　be　ever　so　long　about　it；　count　them；　or
some　nonsense。〃

〃He's　daft！　he's　daft！　Oh；　ye　ken；　Jean；　an　Ennglishman　and　a　lorrd；　twa
daft　things　thegither；　he　could　na'　miss　the　road。　Coont　them；　lassie。〃

〃Come　away；　Sandy；　till　I　count　them　till　ye；〃　said　Jean。

Saunders　and　Jean　disappeared。

Business　being　out　of　sight；　curiosity　revived。

〃An'　what　brings　ye　here　from　London；　if　ye　please？〃　recommenced　the　fair
inquisitor。

〃You　have　a　good　countenance；　there　is　something　in　your　face。　I　could
find　it　in　my　heart　to　tell　you；　but　I　should　bore　you。〃

〃De'el　a　fear！　Bore　me；　bore　me！　wheat's　thaat；　I　wonder？〃

〃What　is　your　name；　madam？　Mine　is　Ipsden。〃

〃They　ca'　me　Christie　Johnstone。〃

〃Well；　Christie　Johnstone；　I　am　under　the　doctor's　hands。〃

〃Puir　lad。　What's　the　trouble？〃　（solemnly　and　tenderly。）

〃Ennui！〃　（rather　piteously。）

〃Yawn…we？　I　never　heerd　tell　o't。〃

〃Oh；　you　lucky　girl；〃　burst　out　he；　〃but　the　doctor　has　undertaken　to
cure　me；　in　one　thing　you　could　assist　me；　if　I　am　not　presuming　too　far
on　our　short　acquaintance。　I　am　to　relieve　one　poor　distressed　person
every　day；　but　I　mustn't　do　two。　Is　not　that　a　bore？〃

〃Gie's　your　hand；　gie's　your　hand。　I'm　vexed　for　ca'ing　you　daft。　Hech！
what　a　saft　hand　ye　hae。　Jean；　I'm　saying；　come　here；　feel　this。〃

Jean；　who　had　run　in；　took　the　viscount's　hand　from　Christie。

〃It　never　wroucht　any；〃　explained　Jean。　〃And　he　has　bonny　hair；〃　said
Christie；　just　touching　his　locks　on　the　other　side。

〃He's　a　bonny　lad；〃　said　Jean；　inspecting　him　scientifically；　and
pointblank。

〃Ay；　is　he；〃　said　the　other。　〃Aweel；　there's　Jess　Rutherford；　a　widdy；
wi'　four　bairns；　ye　meicht　do　waur　than　ware　your　siller　on　her。〃

〃Five　pounds　to　begin？〃　inquired　his　lordship。

〃Five　pund！　Are　ye　made　o'　siller？　Ten　schell'n！〃

Saunders　was　rung　for；　and　produced　a　one…pound　note。

〃The　herrin'　is　five　and　saxpence；　it's　four　and　saxpence　I'm　awin　ye；〃
said　the　young　fishwife；　〃and　Jess　will　be　a　glad　woman　the　neicht。〃

The　settlement　was　effected；　and　away　went　the　two　friends；　saying：

〃Good…boye；　vile　count。〃

Their　host　fell　into　thought。

〃When　have　I　talked　so　much？〃　asked　he　of　himself。

〃Dr。　Aberford；　you　are　a　wonderful　man；　I　like　your　lower　classes
amazingly。〃

〃Me'fiez　vous；　Monsieur　Ipsden！〃　should　some　mentor　have　said。

As　the　Devil　puts　into　a　beginner's　hands　ace；　queen；　five　trumps；　to
give　him　a　taste　for　whist；　so　these　lower　classes　have　perhaps　put
forward　one　of　their　best　cards　to　lead　you　into　a　false　estimate　of　the
strength　of　their　hand。

Instead；　however；　of　this；　who　should　return；　to　disturb　the　equilibrium
of　truth；　but　this　Christina　Johnstone？　She　came　thoughtfully　in；　and
said：

〃I've　been　taking　a　thoucht；　and　this　is　no　what　yon　gude　physeecian
meaned；　ye　are　no　to　fling　your　chaerity　like　a　bane　till　a　doeg；　ye'll
gang　yoursel　to　Jess　Rutherford；　Flucker　Johnstone；　that's　my　brother；
will　convoy　ye。〃

〃But　how　is　your　brother　to　know　me？〃

〃How？　Because　I'll　gie　him　a　sair　sair　hiding；　if　he　lets　ye　gang　by。〃

Then　she　returned　the　one…pound　note；　a　fresh　settlement　was　effected；
and　she　left　him。　At　the　door　she　said：　〃And　I　am　muckle　obleeged　to　ye
for　your　story　and　your　goodness。〃

While　uttering　these　words；　she　half　kissed　her　hand　to　him；　with　a　lofty
and　disengaged　gesture；　such　as　one　might　expect　from　a　queen；　if　queens
did　not　wear　stays；　and　was　gone。

When　his　lordship；　a　few　minutes　after；　sauntered　out　for　a　stroll；　the
first　object　he　beheld　was　an　exact　human　square；　a　handsome　boy；　with　a
body　swelled　out　apparently　to　the　size　of　a　man's；　with　blue　flannel；
and　blue　cloth　above　it；　leaning　against　a　wall；　with　his　hands　in　his
pocketsa　statuette　of　_insouciance。_

This　marine　puff…ball　was　Flucker　Johnstone；　aged　fourteen。

Stain　his　sister's　face　with　diluted　walnut…juice；　as　they　make　the　stage
gypsy　and　Red　Indian　（two　animals　imagined　by　actors　to　be　one）；　and　you
have　Flucker's　face。

A　slight　moral　distinction　remains；　not　to　be　so　easily　got　over；

She　was　the　best　girl　in　the　place；　and　he　a　baddish　boy。

He　was；　however；　as　sharp　in　his　way　as　she　was　intelligent　in　hers。

This　youthful　mariner　allowed　his　lordship　to　pass　him；　and　take　twenty
steps；　but　watched　him　all　the　time；　and　compared　him　with　a　description
furnished　him　by　his　sister。

He　then　followed；　and　brought　him　to；　as　he　called　it。

〃I　daur　say　it's　you　I'm　to　convoy　to　yon　auld　faggitt！〃　said　this
baddish　boy。

On　they　went；　Flucker　rolling　and　pitching　and　yawing　to　keep　up　with　the
lordly　galley；　for　a　fisherman's　natural　waddle　is　two　miles　an　hour。

At　the　very　entrance　of　Newhaven；　the　new　pilot　suddenly　sung　out；
〃Starboard！〃

Starboard　it　was；　and　they　ascended　a　filthy　〃close；〃　or　alley　they
mounted　a　staircase　which　was　out　of　doors；　and；　without　knocking；
Flucker　introduced　himself　into　Jess　Rutherford's　house。

〃Here　a　gentleman　to　speak　till　ye；　wife。〃

CHAPTER　III。

THE　widow　was　weather…beaten　and　rough。　She　sat　mending　an　old　net。

〃The　gentleman's　welcome；〃　said　she；　but　there　was　no　gratification　in
her　tone；　and　but　little　surprise。

His　lordship　then　explained　that；　understanding　there　were　worthy　people
in　distress；　he　was　in　hopes　he　might　be　permitted　to　assist　them；　and
that　she　must　blame　a　neighbor　of　hers　if　he　had　broken　in　upon　her　too
abruptly　with　this　object。　He　then；　with　a　blush；　hinted　at　ten
shillings；　which　he　begged　she　would　consider　as　merely　an　installment；
until　he　could　learn　the　precise　nature　of　her　embarrassments；　and　the
best　way　of　placing　means　at　her　disposal。

The　widow　heard　all　this　with　a　lackluster　mind。

For　many　years　her　life　had　been　unsuccessful　labor；　if　anything　had　ever
come　to　her；　it　had　always　been　a　misfortune；　her　incidents　had　been
thornsher　events；　daggers。

She　could　not　realize　a　human　angel　coming　to　her　relief；　and　she　did　not
realize　it；　and　she　worked　away　at　her　net。

At　this；　Flucker；　to　whom　his　lordship's　speech　appeared　monstrously　weak
and　pointless；　drew　nigh；　and　gave　the　widow；　in　her　ear；　his　version；
namely；　his　sister's　embellished。　It　was　briefly　this：　That　the　gentleman
was　a　daft　lord　from　England；　who　had　come　with　the　bank　in　his　breeks；
to　remove　poverty　from　Scotland；　beginning　with　her。　〃Sae　speak　loud
aneuch；　and　ye'll　no　want　siller；〃　was　his　polite　corollary。

His　lordship　rose；　laid　a　card　on　a　chair；　begged　her　to　make　use　of　him；
et　cetera；　he　then；　recalling　the　oracular　prescription；　said；　〃Do　me　the
favor　to　apply　to　me　for　any　little　sum　you　have　a　use　for；　and；　in
return；　I　will　beg　of　you　（if　it　does　not　bore　you　too　much）　to　make　me
acquainted　wit