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第14章

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even whistling is banished from our homes and highways; 

and the oldest toper feels called upon to go to church。  

Thus pulled about; as if between two loyalties; the 

Scotch have to decide many nice cases of conscience; and 

ride the marches narrowly between the weekly and the 

annual observance。  A party of convivial musicians; next 

door to a friend of mine; hung suspended in this manner 

on the brink of their diversions。  From ten o'clock on 

Sunday night; my friend heard them tuning their 

instruments: and as the hour of liberty drew near; each 

must have had his music open; his bow in readiness across 

the fiddle; his foot already raised to mark the time; and 

his nerves braced for execution; for hardly had the 

twelfth stroke。 sounded from the earliest steeple; before 

they had launced forth into a secular bravura。



Currant…loaf is now popular eating in all house…

holds。  For weeks before the great morning; confectioners 

display stacks of Scotch bun … a dense; black substance; 

inimical to life … and full moons of shortbread adorned 

with mottoes of peel or sugar…plum; in honour of the 

season and the family affections。  'Frae Auld Reekie;' 'A 

guid New Year to ye a';' 'For the Auld Folk at Hame;' are 

among the most favoured of these devices。  Can you not 

see the carrier; after half…a…day's journey on pinching 

hill…roads; draw up before a cottage in Teviotdale; or 

perhaps in Manor Glen among the rowans; and the old 

people receiving the parcel with moist eyes and a prayer 

for Jock or Jean in the city?  For at this season; on the 

threshold of another year of calamity and stubborn 

conflict; men feel a need to draw closer the links that 

unite them; they reckon the number of their friends; like 

allies before a war; and the prayers grow longer in the 

morning as the absent are recommended by name into God's 

keeping。



On the day itself; the shops are all shut as on a 

Sunday; only taverns; toyshops; and other holiday 

magazines; keep open doors。  Every one looks for his 

handsel。  The postman and the lamplighters have left; at 

every house in their districts; a copy of vernacular 

verses; asking and thanking in a breath; and it is 

characteristic of Scotland that these verses may have 

sometimes a touch of reality in detail or sentiment and a 

measure of strength in the handling。  All over the town; 

you may see comforter'd schoolboys hasting to squander 

their half…crowns。  There are an infinity of visits to be 

paid; all the world is in the street; except the daintier 

classes; the sacramental greeting is heard upon all 

sides; Auld Lang Syne is much in people's mouths; and 

whisky and shortbread are staple articles of consumption。  

From an early hour a stranger will be impressed by the 

number of drunken men; and by afternoon drunkenness has 

spread to the women。  With some classes of society; it is 

as much a matter of duty to drink hard on New…year's Day 

as to go to church on Sunday。  Some have been saving 

their wages for perhaps a month to do the season honour。  

Many carry a whisky…bottle in their pocket; which they 

will press with embarrassing effusion on a perfect 

stranger。  It is inexpedient to risk one's body in a cab; 

or not; at least; until after a prolonged study of the 

driver。  The streets; which are thronged from end to end; 

become a place for delicate pilotage。  Singly or arm…in…

arm; some speechless; others noisy and quarrelsome; the 

votaries of the New Year go meandering in and out and 

cannoning one against another; and now and again; one 

falls and lies as he has fallen。  Before night; so many 

have gone to bed or the police office; that the streets 

seem almost clearer。  And as GUISARDS and FIRST…FOOTERS 

are now not much seen except in country places; when once 

the New Year has been rung in and proclaimed at the Tron 

railings; the festivities begin to find their way indoors 

and something like quiet returns upon the town。  But 

think; in these piled LANDS; of all the senseless 

snorers; all the broken heads and empty pockets!



Of old; Edinburgh University was the scene of heroic 

snowballing; and one riot obtained the epic honours of 

military intervention。  But the great generation; I am 

afraid; is at an end; and even during my own college 

days; the spirit appreciably declined。  Skating and 

sliding; on the other hand; are honoured more and more; 

and curling; being a creature of the national genius; is 

little likely to be disregarded。  The patriotism that 

leads a man to eat Scotch bun will scarce desert him at 

the curling…pond。  Edinburgh; with its long; steep 

pavements; is the proper home of sliders; many a happy 

urchin can slide the whole way to school; and the 

profession of errand…boy is transformed into a holiday 

amusement。  As for skating; there is scarce any city so 

handsomely provided。  Duddingstone Loch lies under the 

abrupt southern side of Arthur's Seat; in summer a shield 

of blue; with swans sailing from the reeds; in winter; a 

field of ringing ice。  The village church sits above it 

on a green promontory; and the village smoke rises from 

among goodly trees。  At the church gates; is the 

historical JOUG; a place of penance for the neck of 

detected sinners; and the historical LOUPING…ON STANE; 

from which Dutch…built lairds and farmers climbed into 

the saddle。  Here Prince Charlie slept before the battle 

of Prestonpans; and here Deacon Brodie; or one of his 

gang; stole a plough coulter before the burglary in 

Chessel's Court。  On the opposite side of the loch; the 

ground rises to Craigmillar Castle; a place friendly to 

Stuart Mariolaters。  It is worth a climb; even in summer; 

to look down upon the loch from Arthur's Seat; but it is 

tenfold more so on a day of skating。  The surface is 

thick with people moving easily and swiftly and leaning 

over at a thousand graceful inclinations; the crowd opens 

and closes; and keeps moving through itself like water; 

and the ice rings to half a mile away; with the flying 

steel。  As night draws on; the single figures melt into 

the dusk; until only an obscure stir; and coming and 

going of black clusters; is visible upon the loch。  A 

little longer; and the first torch is kindled and begins 

to flit rapidly across the ice in a ring of yellow 

reflection; and this is followed by another and another; 

until the whole field is full of skimming lights。







CHAPTER X。

TO THE PENTLAND HILLS。





ON three sides of Edinburgh; the country slopes 

downward from the city; here to the sea; there to the fat 

farms of Haddington; there to the mineral fields of 

Linlithgow。  On the south alone; it keeps rising until it 

not only out…tops the Castle but looks down on Arthur's 

Seat。  The character of the neighbourhood is pretty 

strongly marked by a scarcity of hedges; by many stone 

walls of varying height; by a fair amount of timber; some 

of it well grown; but apt to be of a bushy; northern 

profile and poor in foliage; by here and there a little 

river; Esk or Leith or Almond; busily journeying in the 

bottom of its glen; and from almost every point; by a 

peep of the sea or the hills。  There is no lack of 

variety; and yet most of the elements are common to all 

parts; and the southern district is alone distinguished 

by considerable summits and a wide view。



From Boroughmuirhead; where the Scottish army 

encamped before Flodden; the road descends a long hill; 

at the bottom of which and just as it is preparing to 

mount upon the other side; it passes a toll…bar and 

issues at once into the open country。  Even as I write 

these words; they are being antiquated in the progress of 

events; and the chisels are tinkling on a new row of 

houses。  The builders have at length adventured beyond 

the toll which held them in respect so long; and proceed 

to career in these fresh pastures like a h

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