weir of hermiston-第16章

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quiet　as　mice。　　In　short；　Hob　moved　through　life　in　a　great　peace　…　the　

reward　of　any　one　who　shall　have　killed　his　man；　with　any　formidable　and　

figurative　circumstance；　in　the　midst　of　a　country　gagged　and　swaddled　

with　civilisation。



It　was　a　current　remark　that　the　Elliotts　were　〃guid　and　bad；　like　

sanguishes〃；　and　certainly　there　was　a　curious　distinction；　the　men　of　

business　coming　alternately　with　the　dreamers。　　The　second　brother；　Gib；　

was　a　weaver　by　trade；　had　gone　out　early　into　the　world　to　Edinburgh；　

and　come　home　again　with　his　wings　singed。　　There　was　an　exaltation　in　

his　nature　which　had　led　him　to　embrace　with　enthusiasm　the　principles　

of　the　French　Revolution；　and　had　ended　by　bringing　him　under　the　hawse　

of　my　Lord　Hermiston　in　that　furious　onslaught　of　his　upon　the　Liberals；　

which　sent　Muir　and　Palmer　into　exile　and　dashed　the　party　into　chaff。　　

It　was　whispered　that　my　lord；　in　his　great　scorn　for　the　movement；　and　

prevailed　upon　a　little　by　a　sense　of　neighbourliness；　had　given　Gib　a　

hint。　　Meeting　him　one　day　in　the　Potterrow；　my　lord　had　stopped　in　

front　of　him：　〃Gib；　ye　eediot；〃　he　had　said；　〃what's　this　I　hear　of　you？　　

Poalitics；　poalitics；　poalitics；　weaver's　poalitics；　is　the　way　of　it；　I　

hear。　　If　ye　arena　a'thegither　dozened　with　cediocy；　ye'll　gang　your　

ways　back　to　Cauldstaneslap；　and　ca'　your　loom；　and　ca'　your　loom；　man！〃　　

And　Gilbert　had　taken　him　at　the　word　and　returned；　with　an　expedition　

almost　to　be　called　flight；　to　the　house　of　his　father。　　The　clearest　of　

his　inheritance　was　that　family　gift　of　prayer　of　which　Kirstie　had　

boasted；　and　the　baffled　politician　now　turned　his　attention　to　

religious　matters　…　or；　as　others　said；　to　heresy　and　schism。　　Every　

Sunday　morning　he　was　in　Crossmichael；　where　he　had　gathered　together；　

one　by　one；　a　sect　of　about　a　dozen　persons；　who　called　themselves　

〃God's　Remnant　of　the　True　Faithful；〃　or；　for　short；　〃God's　Remnant。〃　　

To　the　profane；　they　were　known　as　〃Gib's　Deils。〃　　Bailie　Sweedie；　a　

noted　humorist　in　the　town；　vowed　that　the　proceedings　always　opened　to　

the　tune　of　〃The　Deil　Fly　Away　with　the　Exciseman；〃　and　that　the　

sacrament　was　dispensed　in　the　form　of　hot　whisky…toddy；　both　wicked　

hits　at　the　evangelist；　who　had　been　suspected　of　smuggling　in　his　

youth；　and　had　been　overtaken　（as　the　phrase　went）　on　the　streets　of　

Crossmichael　one　Fair　day。　　It　was　known　that　every　Sunday　they　prayed　

for　a　blessing　on　the　arms　of　Bonaparte。　　For　this　〃God's　Remnant；〃　as　

they　were　〃skailing〃　from　the　cottage　that　did　duty　for　a　temple；　had　

been　repeatedly　stoned　by　the　bairns；　and　Gib　himself　hooted　by　a　

squadron　of　Border　volunteers　in　which　his　own　brother；　Dand；　rode　in　a　

uniform　and　with　a　drawn　sword。　　The　〃Remnant〃　were　believed；　besides；　

to　be　〃antinomian　in　principle；〃　which　might　otherwise　have　been　a　

serious　charge；　but　the　way　public　opinion　then　blew　it　was　quite　

swallowed　up　and　forgotten　in　the　scandal　about　Bonaparte。　　For　the　

rest；　Gilbert　had　set　up　his　loom　in　an　outhouse　at　Cauldstaneslap；　

where　he　laboured　assiduously　six　days　of　the　week。　　His　brothers；　

appalled　by　his　political　opinions；　and　willing　to　avoid　dissension　in　

the　household；　spoke　but　little　to　him；　he　less　to　them；　remaining　

absorbed　in　the　study　of　the　Bible　and　almost　constant　prayer。　　The　

gaunt　weaver　was　dry…nurse　at　Cauldstaneslap；　and　the　bairns　loved　him　

dearly。　　Except　when　he　was　carrying　an　infant　in　his　arms；　he　was　

rarely　seen　to　smile　…　as；　indeed；　there　were　few　smilers　in　that　

family。　　When　his　sister…in…law　rallied　him；　and　proposed　that　he　should　

get　a　wife　and　bairns　of　his　own；　since　he　was　so　fond　of　them；　〃I　have　

no　clearness　of　mind　upon　that　point；〃　he　would　reply。　　If　nobody　called　

him　in　to　dinner；　he　stayed　out。　　Mrs。　Hob；　a　hard；　unsympathetic　woman；　

once　tried　the　experiment。　　He　went　without　food　all　day；　but　at　dusk；　

as　the　light　began　to　fail　him；　he　came　into　the　house　of　his　own　

accord；　looking　puzzled。　　〃I've　had　a　great　gale　of　prayer　upon　my　

speerit；〃　said　he。　　〃I　canna　mind　sae　muckle's　what　I　had　for　denner。〃　　

The　creed　of　God's　Remnant　was　justified　in　the　life　of　its　founder。　　

〃And　yet　I　dinna　ken；〃　said　Kirstie。　　〃He's　maybe　no　more　stockfish　than　

his　neeghbours！　　He　rode　wi'　the　rest　o'　them；　and　had　a　good　stamach　to　

the　work；　by　a'　that　I　hear！　　God's　Remnant！　　The　deil's　clavers！　　There　

wasna　muckle　Christianity　in　the　way　Hob　guided　Johnny　Dickieson；　at　the　

least　of　it；　but　Guid　kens！　　Is　he　a　Christian　even？　　He　might　be　a　

Mahommedan　or　a　Deevil　or　a　Fire…worshipper；　for　what　I　ken。〃



The　third　brother　had　his　name　on　a　door…plate；　no　less；　in　the　city　of　

Glasgow；　〃Mr。　　Clement　Elliott；〃　as　long　as　your　arm。　　In　his　case；　that　

spirit　of　innovation　which　had　shown　itself　timidly　in　the　case　of　Hob　

by　the　admission　of　new　manures；　and　which　had　run　to　waste　with　Gilbert　

in　subversive　politics　and　heretical　religions；　bore　useful　fruit　in　

many　ingenious　mechanical　improvements。　　In　boyhood；　from　his　addiction　

to　strange　devices　of　sticks　and　string；　he　had　been　counted　the　most　

eccentric　of　the　family。　　But　that　was　all　by　now；　and　he　was　a　partner　

of　his　firm；　and　looked　to　die　a　bailie。　　He　too　had　married；　and　was　

rearing　a　plentiful　family　in　the　smoke　and　din　of　Glasgow；　he　was　

wealthy；　and　could　have　bought　out　his　brother；　the　cock…laird；　six　

times　over；　it　was　whispered；　and　when　he　slipped　away　to　Cauldstaneslap　

for　a　well…earned　holiday；　which　he　did　as　often　as　he　was　able；　he　

astonished　the　neighbours　with　his　broadcloth；　his　beaver　hat；　and　the　

ample　plies　of　his　neckcloth。　　Though　an　eminently　solid　man　at　bottom；　

after　the　pattern　of　Hob；　he　had　contracted　a　certain　Glasgow　briskness　

and　APLOMB　which　set　him　off。　　All　the　other　Elliotts　were　as　lean　as　a　

rake；　but　Clement　was　laying　on　fat；　and　he　panted　sorely　when　he　must　

get　into　his　boots。　　Dand　said；　chuckling：　〃Ay；　Clem　has　the　elements　of　

a　corporation。〃　　〃A　provost　and　corporation；〃　returned　Clem。　　And　his　

readiness　was　much　admired。



The　fourth　brother；　Dand；　was　a　shepherd　to　his　trade；　and　by　starts；　

when　he　could　bring　his　mind　to　it；　excelled　in　the　business。　　Nobody　

could　train　a　dog　like　Dandie；　nobody；　through　the　peril　of　great　storms　

in　the　winter　time；　could　do　more　gallantly。　　But　if　his　dexterity　were　

exquisite；　his　diligence　was　but　fitful；　and　he　served　his　brother　for　

bed　and　board；　and　a　trifle　of　pocket…money　when　he　asked　for　it。　　He　

loved　money　well　enough；　knew　very　well　how　to　spend　it；　and　could　make　

a　shrewd　bargain　when　he　liked。　　But　he　preferred　a　vague　knowledge　that　

he　was　well　to　windward　to　any　counted　coins　in　the　pocket；　he　felt　

himself　richer　so。　　Hob　would　expostulate：　〃I'm　an　amature　herd。〃　　Dand　

would　reply；　〃I'll　keep　your　sheep　to　you　when　I'm　so　minded；　but　I'll　

keep　my　liberty　too。　　Thir's　no　man　can　coandescend　on　what　I'm　worth。〃　　

Clein　would　expound　to　him　the　miraculous　results　of　compound　interest；　

and　recommend　investments。　　〃Ay；　man？〃　Dand　would　say；　〃and　do　you　

think；　if　I　took　Hob's　siller；　that　I　wouldna　drink　it　or　wear　it　on　the　

lassies？　　And；　anyway；　my　kingdom　is　no　of　this　world。　　Either　I'm　a　

poet　or　else　I'm　nothing。〃　　Clem　would　remind　him　of　old　age。　　〃I'll　die　

young；　like；　Robbie　Burns；〃　he　would　say　stoutly。　　No　question　but　he　

had　a　certain　accomplishment　in　minor　verse。　　His　〃Hermiston　Burn；〃　with　

its　pretty　refrain　…





〃I　love　to　gang　thinking　whaur　ye　gang　linking；

Hermiston　burn；　in　the　howe；〃





his　〃Auld；　auld　Elliotts；　clay…cauld　Elliotts；　dour；　bauld　Elliotts　of　

auld；〃　and　his　really　fascinating　piece　about　the　Praying　Weaver's　

Stone；　had　gained　him　in　the　neighbourhood　the　reputation；　still　

possible　in　Scotland；　of　a　local　bard；　and；　though　not　printed　himself；　

he　was　recognised　by　others　who　were　and　who　had　become　famous。　　Walter