christie johnstone-第9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！



〃Come　awa；　Custy；〃　said　Jean。

〃Hets；〃　said　Christie；　〃gie　the　puir　lads　twarree　oysters；　what　the　waur
will　we　be？〃

So　they　opened　the　oysters　for　them；　and　Hyacinth　the　long…haired　looked
down　on　the　others　with　sarcastico…benignant　superiority。　He　had
conducted　a　sister　art　to　the　aid　of　his　brother　brushes。

〃The　poet's　empire；　all　our　hearts　allow；　But　doggrel's　power　was　never
known　till　now。〃


CHAPTER　VII。

AT　the　commencement　of　the　last　chapter；　Charles　Gatty；　artist；　was　going
to　usher　in　a　new　state　of　things；　true　art；　etc。　Wales　was　to　be　painted
in　Wales；　not　Poland　Street。

He　and　five　or　six　more　youngsters　were　to　be　in　the　foremost　files　of
truth；　and　take　the　world　by　storm。

This　was　at　two　o'clock；　it　is　now　five；　whereupon　the　posture　of
affairs；　the　prospects　of　art；　the　face　of　the　world；　the　nature　of
things；　are　quite　the　reverse。

In　the　artist's　room；　on　the　floor；　was　a　small　child；　whose　movements；
and　they　were　many；　were　viewed　with　huge　dissatisfaction　by　Charles
Gatty；　Esq。　This　personage；　pencil　in　hand；　sat　slouching　and　morose；
looking　gloomily　at　his　intractable　model。

Things　were　going　on　very　badly；　he　had　been　waiting　two　hours　for　an
infantine　pose　as　common　as　dirt；　and　the　little　viper　would　die　first。

Out　of　doors　everything　was　nothing；　for　the　sun　was　obscured；　and　to　all
appearance　extinguished　forever。

〃Ah！　Mr。　Groove；〃　cried　he；　to　that　worthy；　who　peeped　in　at　that　moment；
you　are　right；　it　is　better　to　plow　away　upon　canvas　blindfold；　as　our
grandfathersno；　grandmothersused；　than　to　kill　ourselves　toiling
after　such　coy　ladies　as　Nature　and　Truth。〃

〃Aweel；　I　dinna　ken；　sirr；〃　replied　Groove；　in　smooth　tones。　〃I　didna
like　to　express　my　warm　approbation　of　you　before　the　lads；　for　fear　of
making　them　jealous。〃

〃They　be　No！〃

〃I　ken　what　ye　wad　say；　sirr；　an　it　wad　hae　been　a　vara　just　an'
sprightly　observation。　Aweel；　between　oursels；　I　look　upon　ye　as　a　young
gentleman　of　amazing　talent　and　moedesty。　Man；　ye　dinna　do　yoursel
justice；　ye　should　be　in　th'　Academy；　at　the　hede　o'　't。〃

〃Mr。　Groove；　I　am　a　poor　fainting　pilgrim　on　the　road；　where　stronger
spirits　have　marched　erect　before　me。〃

〃A　faintin'　pelgrim！　Deil　a　frights　o'　ye；　ye're　a　brisk　and　bonny　lad。
Ah；　sirr；　in　my　juvenile　days；　we　didna　fash　wi　nature；　and　truth；　an　the
like。〃

〃The　like！　What　is　like　nature　and　truth；　except　themselves？〃

〃Vara　true；　sirr；　vara　true；　and　sae　I　doot　I　will　never　attain　the
height　o'　profeeciency　ye　hae　reached。　An'　at　this　vara　moment；　sir；〃
continued　Groove；　with　delicious　solemnity　and　mystery；　〃ye　see　before
ye；　sir；　a　man　wha　is　in　maist　dismal　wanto'　ten　shellen！〃　（A　pause。）
〃If　your　superior　talent　has　put　ye　in　possession　of　that　sum；　ye　would
obleege　me　infinitely　by　a　temporary　accommodation；　Mr。　Gaattie。〃

〃Why　did　you　not　come　to　the　point　at　once？〃　cried　Gatty；　bruskly；
〃instead　of　humbling　me　with　undeserved　praise。　There。〃　Groove　held　out
his　hand；　but　made　a　wry　face　when；　instead　of　money；　Gatty　put　a　sketch
into　his　hand。

〃There；〃　said　Gatty；　〃that　is　a　lie！〃

〃How　can　it　be　a　lee？〃　said　the　other；　with　sour　inadvertence。　〃How　can
it　be　a　lee；　when　I　hae　na　spoken　？〃

〃You　don't　understand　me。　That　sketch　is　a　libel　on　a　poor　cow　and　an
unfortunate　oak…tree。　I　did　them　at　the　Academy。　They　had　never　done　me
any　wrong；　poor　things；　they　suffered　unjustly。　You　take　them　to　a　shop；
swear　they　are　a　tree　and　a　cow；　and　some　fool；　that　never　really　looked
into　a　cow　or　a　tree；　will　give　you　ten　shillings　for　them。〃

〃Are　ye　sure；　lad？〃

〃I　am　sure。　Mr。　Groove；　sir；　if　you　can　not　sell　a　lie　for　ten　shillings
you　are　not　fit　to　live　in　this　world；　where　is　the　lie　that　will　not
sell　for　ten　shillings？〃

〃I　shall　think　the　better　o'　lees　all　my　days；　sir；　your　words　are
inspeeriting。〃　And　away　went　Groove　with　the　sketch。

Gatty　reflected　and　stopped　him。

〃On　second　thoughts；　Groove；　you　must　not　ask　ten　shillings；　you　must　ask
twenty　pounds　for　that　rubbish。〃

〃Twenty　pund！　What　for　will　I　seek　twenty　pund？〃

〃Simply　because　people　that　would　not　give　you　ten　shillings　for　it　will
offer　you　eleven　pounds　for　it　if　you　ask　twenty　pounds。〃

〃The　fules；〃　roared　Groove。　〃Twenty　pund！　hem！〃　He　looked　closer　into　it。
〃For　a'；〃　said　he；　〃I　begin　to　obsairve　it　is　a　work　of　great　merit。　I'll
seek　twenty　pund；　an'　I'll　no　tak　less　than　fifteen　schell'n；　at
present。〃

The　visit　of　this　routine　painter　did　not　cheer　our　artist。

The　small　child　got　a　coal　and　pounded　the　floor　with　it　like　a　machine
incapable　of　fatigue。　So　the　wished…for　pose　seemed　more　remote　than
ever。

The　day　waxed　darker　instead　of　lighter；　Mr。　Gatty's　reflections　took
also　a　still　more　somber　hue。

〃Even　Nature　spites　us；〃　thought　he；　〃because　we　love　her。〃

〃Then　cant；　tradition；　numbers；　slang　and　money　are　against　us；　the　least
of　these　is　singly　a　match　for　truth；　we　shall　die　of　despair　or　paint
cobwebs　in　Bedlam；　and　I　am　faint；　weary　of　a　hopeless　struggle；　and　one
man's　brush　is　truer　than　mine；　another's　is　boldermy　hand　and　eye　are
not　in　tune。　Ah！　no！　I　shall　never；　never；　never　be　a　painter。〃

These　last　words　broke　audibly　from　him　as　his　head　went　down　almost　to
his　knees。

A　hand　was　placed　on　his　shoulder　as　a　flake　of　snow　falls　on　the　water。
It　was　Christie　Johnstone；　radiant；　who　had　glided　in　unobserved。

〃What's　wrang　wi'　ye；　my　lad？〃

〃The　sun　is　gone　to　the　Devil；　for　one　thing。〃

〃Hech！　hech！　ye'll　no　be　long　ahint　him；　div　ye　no　think　shame。〃

〃And　I　want　that　little　brute　just　to　do　so；　and　he'd　die　first。〃

〃Oh；　ye　villain；　to　ca'　a　bairn　a　brute；　there's　but　ae　brute　here；　an'
it's　no　you；　Jamie；　nor　meis　it；　my　lamb？〃

She　then　stepped　to　the　window。

〃It's　clear　to　windward；　in　ten　minutes　ye'll　hae　plenty　sun。　Tak　your
tools　noo。〃　And　at　the　word　she　knelt　on　the　floor；　whipped　out　a　paper
of　sugar…plums　and　said　to　him　she　had　christened　〃Jamie。〃　〃Heb！　Here's
sweeties　till　ye。〃　Out　went　Jamie's　arms；　as　if　he　had　been　a　machine　and
she　had　pulled　the　right　string。

〃Ah；　that　will　do；〃　said　Gatty；　and　sketched　away。

Unfortunately；　Jamie　was　quickly　arrested　on　the　way　to　immortality　by
his　mother；　who　came　in；　saying：

〃I　maun　hae　my　bairnhe　canna　be　aye　wasting　his　time　here。〃

This　sally　awakened　the　satire　that　ever　lies　ready　in　piscatory　bosoms。

〃Wasting　his　time！　ye're　no　blate。　Oh；　ye'll　be　for　taking　him　to　the
college　to　laern　pheesickand　teach　maenners。〃

〃Ye　need　na　begin　on　me；〃　said　the　woman。　〃I'm　no　match　for　Newhaven。〃

So　saying　she　cut　short　the　dispute　by　carrying　off　the　gristle　of
contention。

〃Another　enemy　to　art；〃　said　Gatty；　hurling　away　his　pencil。

The　young　fishwife　inquired　if　there　were　any　more　griefs。　What　she　had
heard　had　not　accounted；　to　her　reason；　for　her　companion's　depression。

〃Are　ye　sick；　laddy？〃　said　she。

〃No；　Christie；　not　sick；　but　quite；　quite　down　in　the　mouth。〃

She　scanned　him　thirty　seconds。

What　had　ye　till　your　dinner？〃

〃I　forget。〃

〃A　choep；　likely？〃

〃I　think　it　was。〃

〃Or　maybe　it　was　a　steak？〃

〃I　dare　say　it　was　a　steak。〃

〃Taste　my　girdle　cake；　that　I've　brought　for　ye。〃

She　gave　him　a　piece；　he　ate　it　rapidly；　and　looked　gratefully　at　her。

〃Noo；　div　ye　no　think　shame　to　look　me　in　the　face？　Ye　hae　na　dined　ava。〃
And　she　wore　an　injured　look。

〃Sit　ye　there；　it's　ower　late　for　dinner；　but　ye'll　get　a　cup　tea。　Doon
i'　the　mooth；　nae　wonder；　when　naething　gangs　doon　your〃

In　a　minute　she　placed　a　tea…tray；　and　ran　into　the　kitchen　with　a
teapot。

The　next　moment　a　yell　was　heard；　and　she　returned　laughing；　with　another
teapot。

〃The　wife　had　maskit　tea　till　hersel'；〃　said　this　lawless　forager。

Tea　and　cake　on　the　tablebeauty　seated　by　his　sideall　in　less　than　a
minute。

He　offered　her　a　piece　of　cake。

〃Na！　I　am　no　for　any。〃

〃Nor　I　then；〃　said　he。

〃Hets！　eat；　I　tell　ye。〃

He　replied　by　putting　a　bit　to　her　heavenly　mouth。

〃Ye're　awfu'　opinionated；〃　said　she；　with　a　countenance　that　said　nothing
should　induce　her；　and　eating　it　almost　contemporaneously。

〃Put　plenty　sugar；〃　added　she