records of a family of engineers(一个工程师的家庭)-第15章
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milk in a wooden dish。 These hospitalities attended to； the old lady
turned at once to Dr。 Neill； whom she took for the Surveyor of Taxes。
‘Sir；' said she； ‘gin ye'll tell the King that I canna keep the Ness free o' the
Bangers （sheep） without twa hun's； and twa guid hun's too； he'll pass me
threa the tax on dugs。'
This familiar confidence； these traits of engaging simplicity； are
characters of a secluded people。 Mankind … and； above all； islanders …
come very swiftly to a bearing； and find very readily； upon one convention
or another； a tolerable corporate life。 The danger is to those from without；
who have not grown up from childhood in the islands； but appear suddenly
in that narrow horizon； life…sized apparitions。 For these no bond of
humanity exists； no feeling of kinship is awakened by their peril； they will
assist at a shipwreck； like the fisher…folk of Lunga； as spectators； and when
the fatal scene is over； and the beach strewn with dead bodies； they will
fence their fields with mahogany； and； after a decent grace； sup claret to
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their porridge。 It is not wickedness： it is scarce evil； it is only； in its
highest power； the sense of isolation and the wise disinterestedness of
feeble and poor races。 Think how many viking ships had sailed by these
islands in the past； how many vikings had landed； and raised turmoil； and
broken up the barrows of the dead； and carried off the wines of the living；
and blame them； if you are able； for that belief （which may be called one
of the parables of the devil's gospel） that a man rescued from the sea will
prove the bane of his deliverer。 It might be thought that my grandfather；
coming there unknown； and upon an employment so hateful to the
inhabitants； must have run the hazard of his life。 But this were to
misunderstand。 He came franked by the laird and the clergyman； he was
the King's officer； the work was ‘opened with prayer by the Rev。 Walter
Trail； minister of the parish'； God and the King had decided it； and the
people of these pious islands bowed their heads。 There landed； indeed； in
North Ronaldsay； during the last decade of the eighteenth century； a
traveller whose life seems really to have been imperilled。 A very little
man of a swarthy complexion； he came ashore； exhausted and unshaved；
from a long boat passage； and lay down to sleep in the home of the parish
schoolmaster。 But he had been seen landing。 The inhabitants had
identified him for a Pict； as； by some singular confusion of name； they
called the dark and dwarfish aboriginal people of the land。 Immediately
the obscure ferment of a race…hatred； grown into a superstition； began to
work in their bosoms； and they crowded about the house and the room…
door with fearful whisperings。 For some time the schoolmaster held
them at bay； and at last despatched a messenger to call my grand…father。
He came： he found the islanders beside themselves at this unwelcome
resurrection of the dead and the detested； he was shown； as adminicular of
testimony； the traveller's uncouth and thick…soled boots； he argued； and
finding argument unavailing； consented to enter the room and examine
with his own eyes the sleeping Pict。 One glance was sufficient： the man
was now a missionary； but he had been before that an Edinburgh
shopkeeper with whom my grandfather had dealt。 He came forth again
with this report； and the folk of the island； wholly relieved； dispersed to
their own houses。 They were timid as sheep and ignorant as limpets； that
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was all。 But the Lord deliver us from the tender mercies of a frightened
flock！
I will give two more instances of their superstition。 When Sir Walter
Scott visited the Stones of Stennis； my grandfather put in his pocket a
hundred…foot line； which he unfortunately lost。
‘Some years afterwards；' he writes； ‘one of my assistants on a visit to
the Stones of Stennis took shelter from a storm in a cottage close by the
lake； and seeing a box…measuring… line in the bole or sole of the cottage
window； he asked the woman where she got this well…known professional
appendage。 She said： 〃O sir； ane of the bairns fand it lang syne at the
Stanes； and when drawing it out we took fright； and thinking it had
belanged to the fairies； we threw it into the bole； and it has layen there
ever since。〃 '
This is for the one； the last shall be a sketch by the master hand of
Scott himself：
‘At the village of Stromness； on the Orkney main island； called
Pomona； lived； in 1814； an aged dame called Bessie Millie； who helped
out her subsistence by selling favourable winds to mariners。 He was a
venturous master of a vessel who left the roadstead of Stromness without
paying his offering to propitiate Bessie Millie！ Her fee was extremely
moderate； being exactly sixpence； for which she boiled her kettle and gave
the bark the advantage of her prayers； for she disclaimed all unlawful acts。
The wind thus petitioned for was sure； she said； to arrive； though
occasionally the mariners had to wait some time for it。 The woman's
dwelling and appearance were not unbecoming her pretensions。 Her
house； which was on the brow of the steep hill on which Stromness is
founded； was only accessible by a series of dirty and precipitous lanes； and
for exposure might have been the abode of Eolus himself； in whose
commodities the inhabitant dealt。 She herself was； as she told us； nearly
one hundred years old； withered and dried up like a mummy。 A clay…
coloured kerchief； folded round her neck； corresponded in colour to her
corpse…like complexion。 Two light blue eyes that gleamed with a lustre
like that of insanity； an utterance of astonishing rapidity； a nose and chin
that almost met together； and a ghastly expression of cunning； gave her the
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effect of Hecate。 Such was Bessie Millie； to whom the mariners paid a
sort of tribute with a feeling between jest and earnest。'
II
From about the beginning of the century up to 1807 Robert
Stevenson was in partnership with Thomas Smith。 In the last… named
year the partnership was dissolved； Thomas Smith returning to his
business； and my grandfather becoming sole engineer to the Board of
Northern Lights。
I must try； by excerpts from his diary and correspondence； to convey
to the reader some idea of the ardency and thoroughness with which he
threw himself
