the annals of the parish-第30章

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　spread　their　arms　far　into　the　embraces　of　the　country；　I　thought　the　looks　of　the　population　were　impaired；　and　that　there　was　a　greater　proportion　of　long　white　faces　in　the　Trongate；　than　when　I　attended　the　Divinity　class。　　These；　I　was　told；　were　the　weavers　and　others　concerned　in　the　cotton　trade；　which　I　could　well　believe；　for　they　were　very　like　in　their　looks　to　the　men　of　Cayenneville；　but　from　living　in　a　crowded　town；　and　not　breathing　a　wholesome　country　air　between　their　tasks；　they　had　a　stronger　cast　of　unhealthy　melancholy。　　I　was　therefore　very　glad　that　Providence　had　placed　in　my　hand　the　pastoral　staff　of　a　country　parish；　for　it　cut　me　to　the　heart　to　see　so　many　young　men；　in　the　rising　prime　of　life；　already　in　the　arms　of　a　pale　consumption。　　〃If；　therefore；〃　said　I　to　Mrs　Balwhidder；　when　I　returned　home　to　the　manse；　〃we　live；　as　it　were；　within　the　narrow　circle　of　ignorance；　we　are　spared　from　the　pain　of　knowing　many　an　evil；　and；　surely；　in　much　knowledge　there　is　sadness　of　heart。〃

But　the　main　effect　of　this　was　to　make　me　do　all　in　my　power　to　keep　my　people　contented　with　their　lowly　estate；　for　in　that　same　spirit　of　improvement；　which　was　so　busy　every　where；　I　could　discern　something　like　a　shadow；　that　showed　it　was　not　altogether　of　that　pure　advantage　which　avarice　led　all　so　eagerly　to　believe。　Accordingly；　I　began　a　series　of　sermons　on　the　evil　and　vanity　of　riches；　and；　for　the　most　part　of　the　year；　pointed　out　in　what　manner　they　led　the　possessor　to　indulge　in　sinful　luxuries；　and　how　indulgence　begat　desire；　and　desire　betrayed　integrity　and　corrupted　the　heart；　making　it　evident　that　the　rich　man　was　liable　to　forget　his　unmerited　obligations　to　God；　and　to　oppress　the　laborious　and　the　needful　when　he　required　their　services。

Little　did　I　imagine；　in　thus　striving　to　keep　aloof　the　ravenous　wolf　Ambition　from　my　guileless　flock；　that　I　was　giving　cause　for　many　to　think　me　an　enemy　to　the　king　and　government；　and　a　perverter　of　Christianity；　to　suit　levelling　doctrines。　　But　so　it　was。　　Many　of　the　heritors　considered　me　a　blackneb；　though　I　knew　it　not；　but　went　on　in　the　course　of　my　duty；　thinking　only　how　best　to　preserve　peace　on　earth　and　goodwill　towards　men。　　I　saw；　however；　an　altered　manner　in　the　deportment　of　several；　with　whom　I　had　long　lived　in　friendly　terms。　　It　was　not　marked　enough　to　make　me　inquire　the　cause；　but　sufficiently　plain　to　affect　my　ease　of　mind。　　Accordingly；　about　the　end　of　this　year；　I　fell　into　a　dull　way：　　my　spirit　was　subdued；　and　at　times　I　was　aweary　of　the　day；　and　longed　for　the　night；　when　I　might　close　my　eyes　in　peaceful　slumbers。　　I　missed　my　son　Gilbert；　who　had　been　a　companion　to　me　in　the　long　nights；　while　his　mother　was　busy　with　the　lasses；　and　their　ceaseless　wheels　and　cardings；　in　the　kitchen。　　Often　could　I　have　found　it　in　my　heart　to　have　banned　that　never…ceasing　industry；　and　to　tell　Mrs　Balwhidder；　that　the　married　state　was　made　for　something　else　than　to　make　napery　and　beetle　blankets；　but　it　was　her　happiness　to　keep　all　at　work；　and　she　had　no　pleasure　in　any　other　way　of　life；　so　I　sat　many　a　night　by　the　fireside　with　resignation；　sometimes　in　the　study；　and　sometimes　in　the　parlour；　and；　as　I　was　doing　nothing；　Mrs　Balwhidder　said　it　was　needless　to　light　the　candle。　　Our　daughter　Janet　was　in　this　time　at　a　boarding…school　in　Ayr；　so　that　I　was　really　a　most　solitary　married　man。



CHAPTER　XXXIII　　YEAR　1792



When　the　spring　in　this　year　began　to　brighten　on　the　brae；　the　cloud　of　dulness　that　had　darkened　and　oppressed　me　all　the　winter　somewhat　melted　away；　and　I　could　now　and　then　joke　again　at　the　never…ending　toil　and　trouble　of　that　busiest　of　all　bees；　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder。　　But　still　I　was　far　from　being　right：　　a　small　matter　affected　me；　and　I　was　overly　given　to　walking　by　myself；　and　musing　on　things　that　I　could　tell　nothing　aboutmy　thoughts　were　just　the　rack　of　a　dream　without　form；　and　driving　witlessly　as　the　smoke　that　mounteth　up；　and　is　lost　in　the　airy　heights　of　the　sky。

Heeding　little　of　what　was　going　on　in　the　clachan；　and　taking　no　interest　in　the　concerns　of　any　body；　I　would　have　been　contented　to　die；　but　I　had　no　ail　about　me。　　An　accident；　however；　fell　out；　that；　by　calling　on　me　for　an　effort；　had　the　blessed　influence　of　clearing　my　vapours　almost　entirely　away。

One　morning　as　I　was　walking　on　the　sunny　side　of　the　road；　where　the　footpath　was　in　the　next　year　made　to　the　cotton…mill；　I　fell　in　with　Mr　Cayenne；　who　was　seemingly　much　fasheda　small　matter　could　do　that　at　any　time；　and　he　came　up　to　me　with　a　red　face　and　an　angry　eye。　　It　was　not　my　intent　to　speak　to　him；　for　I　was　grown　loth　to　enter　into　conversation　with　any　body；　so　I　bowed　and　passed　on。　　〃What；〃　cried　Mr　Cayenne；　〃and　will　you　not　speak　to　me？〃　　I　turned　round；　and　said　meekly；　〃Mr　Cayenne；　I　have　no　objections　to　speak　to　you；　but　having　nothing　particular　to　say；　it　did　not　seem　necessary　just　now。〃

He　looked　at　me　like　a　gled；　and　in　a　minute　exclaimed；　〃Mad；　by　Jupiter！　as　mad　as　a　March　hare！〃　　He　then　entered　into　conversation　with　me；　and　said；　that　he　had　noticed　me　an　altered　man；　and　was　just　so　far　on　his　way　to　the　manse；　to　enquire　what　had　befallen　me。　　So；　from　less　to　more；　we　entered　into　the　marrow　of　my　case；　and　I　told　him　how　I　had　observed　the　estranged　countenances　of　some　of　the　heritors；　at　which　he　swore　an　oath；　that　they　were　a　parcel　of　the　damn'dest　boobies　in　the　country；　and　told　me　how　they　had　taken　it　into　their　heads　that　I　was　a　leveller。　　〃But　I　know　you　better；〃　said　Mr　Cayenne；　〃and　have　stood　up　for　you　as　an　honest　conscientious　man；　though　I　don't　much　like　your　humdrum　preaching。　However；　let　that　pass；　I　insist　upon　your　dining　with　me　to…day；　when　some　of　these　arrant　fools　are　to　be　with　us；　and　the　devil's　in't　if　I　don't　make　you　friends　with　them。〃　　I　did　not　think　Mr　Cayenne；　however；　very　well　qualified　for　peacemaker；　but；　nevertheless；　I　consented　to　go；　and　having　thus　got　an　inkling　of　the　cause　of　that　cold　back…turning　which　had　distressed　me　so　much；　I　made　such　an　effort　to　remove　the　error　that　was　entertained　against　me；　that　some　of　the　heritors；　before　we　separated；　shook　me　by　the　hands　with　the　cordiality　of　renewed　friendship；　and；　as　if　to　make　amends　for　past　neglect；　there　was　no　end　to　their　invitations　to　dinner　which　had　the　effect　of　putting　me　again　on　my　mettle；　and　removing　the　thick　and　muddy　melancholious　humour　out　of　my　blood。

But　what　confirmed　my　cure　was　the　coming　home　of　my　daughter　Janet　from　the　Ayr　boarding…school；　where　she　had　learnt　to　play　on　the　spinnet；　and　was　become　a　conversible　lassie；　with　a　competent　knowledge；　for　a　woman　of　geography　and　history；　so　that　when　her　mother　was　busy　with　the　weariful　booming　wheel；　she　entertained　me　sometimes　with　a　tune；　and　sometimes　with　her　tongue；　which　made　the　winter　nights　fly　cantily　by。

Whether　it　was　owing　to　the　malady　of　my　imagination　throughout　the　greatest　part　of　this　year；　or　that　really　nothing　particular　did　happen　to　interest　me；　I　cannot　say；　but　it　is　very　remarkable　that　I　have　nothing　remarkable　to　recordfurther；　than　I　was　at　the　expense　myself　of　getting　the　manse　rough…case；　and　the　window　cheeks　painted；　with　roans　put　up；　rather　than　apply　to　the　heritors；　for　they　were　always　sorely　fashed　when　called　upon　for　outlay。



CHAPTER　XXXIV　　YEAR　1793



On　the　first　night　of　this　year　I　dreamt　a　very　remarkable　dream；　which；　when　I　now　recall　to　mind　at　this　distance　of　time；　I　cannot　but　think　that　there　was　a　case　of　prophecy　in　it。　　I　thought　that　I　stood　on　the　tower　of　an　old　popish　kirk；　looking　out　at　the　window　upon　the　kirkyard；　where　I　beheld　ancient　tombs；　with　effigies　and　coats…of…arms　on　the　wall　thereof；　and　a　great　gate　at　the　one　side；　and　a　door　that　led　into　a　dark　and　dismal　vault　at　the　other。　　I　thought　all　the　dead　that　were　lying　in　the　common　graves；　rose　out　of　their　coffins；　at　the　same　time；　from　the　old　and　grand　monuments；　with　the　effigies　and　coats…of…arms；　came　the　great　men；　and　the　kings　of　the　earth　with　crowns　on　their　heads；　and　globes　and　sceptres　in　their　hands。