chronicles of the canongate-第20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！


　remnants　of　the　holly　hedges　which　had　screened　the　lady's　garden。　　Then　a　broad；　raw…looking；　new…made　road　intruded　itself　up　the　little　glen；　instead　of　the　old　horseway；　so　seldom　used　that　it　was　almost　entirely　covered　with　grass。　　It　is　a　great　enormity；　of　which　gentlemen　trustees　on　the　highways　are　sometimes　guilty；　in　adopting　the　breadth　necessary　for　an　avenue　to　the　metropolis；　where　all　that　is　required　is　an　access　to　some　sequestered　and　unpopulous　district。　　I　do　not　say　anything　of　the　expensethat　the　trustees　and　their　constituents　may　settle　as　they　please。　But　the　destruction　of　silvan　beauty　is　great　when　the　breadth　of　the　road　is　more　than　proportioned　to　the　vale　through　which　it　runs；　and　lowers；　of　course；　the　consequence　of　any　objects　of　wood　or　water；　or　broken　and　varied　ground；　which　might　otherwise　attract　notice　and　give　pleasure。　　A　bubbling　runnel　by　the　side　of　one　of　those　modern　Appian　or　Flaminian　highways　is　but　like　a　kennel；　the　little　hill　is　diminished　to　a　hillockthe　romantic　hillock　to　a　molehill；　almost　too　small　for　sight。

Such　an　enormity；　however；　had　destroyed　the　quiet　loneliness　of　Duntarkin；　and　intruded　its　breadth　of　dust　and　gravel；　and　its　associations　of　pochays　and　mail…coaches；　upon　one　of　the　most　sequestered　spots　in　the　Middle　Ward　of　Clydesdale。　　The　house　was　old　and　dilapidated；　and　looked　sorry　for　itself；　as　if　sensible　of　a　derogation；　but　the　sign　was　strong　and　new；　and　brightly　painted；　displaying　a　heraldic　shield　（three　shuttles　in　a　field　diapre）；　a　web　partly　unfolded　for　crest；　and　two　stout　giants　for　supporters；　each　one　holding　a　weaver's　beam　proper。　To　have　displayed　this　monstrous　emblem　on　the　front　of　the　house　might　have　hazarded　bringing　down　the　wall；　but　for　certain　would　have　blocked　up　one　or　two　windows。　　It　was　therefore　established　independent　of　the　mansion；　being　displayed　in　an　iron　framework；　and　suspended　upon　two　posts；　with　as　much　wood　and　iron　about　it　as　would　have　builded　a　brig；　and　there　it　hung；　creaking；　groaning；　and　screaming　in　every　blast　of　wind；　and　frightening　for　five　miles'　distance；　for　aught　I　know；　the　nests　of　thrushes　and　linnets；　the　ancient　denizens　of　the　little　glen。

When　I　entered　the　place　I　was　received　by　Christie　Steele　herself；　who　seemed　uncertain　whether　to　drop　me　in　the　kitchen；　or　usher　me　into　a　separate　apartment；　as　I　called　for　tea；　with　something　rather　more　substantial　than　bread　and　butter；　and　spoke　of　supping　and　sleeping；　Christie　at　last　inducted　me　into　the　room　where　she　herself　had　been　sitting；　probably　the　only　one　which　had　a　fire；　though　the　month　was　October。　　This　answered　my　plan；　and　as　she　was　about　to　remove　her　spinning…　wheel；　I　begged　she　would　have　the　goodness　to　remain　and　make　my　tea；　adding　that　I　liked　the　sound　of　the　wheel；　and　desired　not　to　disturb　her　housewife　thrift　in　the　least。

〃I　dinna　ken；　sir；〃　she　replied；　in　a　dry；　REVECHE　tone；　which　carried　me　back　twenty　years；　〃I　am　nane　of　thae　heartsome　landleddies　that　can　tell　country　cracks；　and　make　themsel's　agreeable；　and　I　was　ganging　to　put　on　a　fire　for　you　in　the　Red　Room；　but　if　it　is　your　will　to　stay　here；　he　that　pays　the　lawing　maun　choose　the　lodging。〃

I　endeavoured　to　engage　her　in　conversation；　but　though　she　answered；　with　a　kind　of　stiff　civility；　I　could　get　her　into　no　freedom　of　discourse；　and　she　began　to　look　at　her　wheel　and　at　the　door　more　than　once；　as　if　she　meditated　a　retreat。　　I　was　obliged；　therefore；　to　proceed　to　some　special　questions；　that　might　have　interest　for　a　person　whose　ideas　were　probably　of　a　very　bounded　description。

I　looked　round　the　apartment；　being　the　same　in　which　I　had　last　seen　my　poor　mother。　　The　author　of　the　family　history；　formerly　mentioned；　had　taken　great　credit　to　himself　for　the　improvements　he　had　made　in　this　same　jointure…house　of　Duntarkin；　and　how；　upon　his　marriage；　when　his　mother　took　possession　of　the　same　as　her　jointure…house；　〃to　his　great　charges　and　expenses　he　caused　box　the　walls　of　the　great　parlour〃　（in　which　I　was　now　sitting）；　〃empanel　the　same；　and　plaster　the　roof；　finishing　the　apartment　with　ane　concave　chimney；　and　decorating　the　same　with　pictures；　and　a　barometer　and　thermometer。〃　　And　in　particular；　which　his　good　mother　used　to　say　she　prized　above　all　the　rest；　he　had　caused　his　own　portraiture　be　limned　over　the　mantlepiece　by　a　skilful　hand。　　And；　in　good　faith；　there　he　remained　still；　having　much　the　visage　which　I　was　disposed　to　ascribe　to　him　on　the　evidence　of　his　handwriting；grim　and　austere；　yet　not　without　a　cast　of　shrewdness　and　determination；　in　armour；　though　he　never　wore　it；　I　fancy；　one　hand　on　an　open　book；　and　one　resting　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword；　though　I　dare　say　his　head　never　ached　with　reading；　nor　his　limbs　with　fencing。

〃That　picture　is　painted　on　the　wood；　madam；〃　said　I。

〃Ay；　sir；　or　it's　like　it　would　not　have　been　left　there；　they　look　a'　they　could。〃

〃Mr。　Treddles's　creditors；　you　mean？〃　　said　I。

〃Na；〃　replied　she　dryly；　〃the　creditors　of　another　family；　that　sweepit　cleaner　than　this　poor　man's；　because　I　fancy　there　was　less　to　gather。〃

〃An　older　family；　perhaps；　and　probably　more　remembered　and　regretted　than　later　possessors？〃

Christie　here　settled　herself　in　her　seat；　and　pulled　her　wheel　towards　her。　　I　had　given　her　something　interesting　for　her　thoughts　to　dwell　upon；　and　her　wheel　was　a　mechanical　accompaniment　on　such　occasions；　the　revolutions　of　which　assisted　her　in　the　explanation　of　her　ideas。

〃Mair　regrettedmair　missed？　　I　liked　ane　of　the　auld　family　very　weel；　but　I　winna　say　that　for　them　a'。　　How　should　they　be　mair　missed　than　the　Treddleses？　　The　cotton　mill　was　such　a　thing　for　the　country！　　The　mair　bairns　a　cottar　body　had　the　better；　they　would　make　their　awn　keep　frae　the　time　they　were　five　years　auld；　and　a　widow　wi'　three　or　four　bairns　was　a　wealthy　woman　in　the　time　of　the　Treddleses。〃

〃But　the　health　of　these　poor　children；　my　good　friendtheir　education　and　religious　instruction〃

〃For　health；〃　said　Christie；　looking　gloomily　at　me；　〃ye　maun　ken　little　of　the　warld；　sir；　if　ye　dinna　ken　that　the　health　of　the　poor　man's　body；　as　well　as　his　youth　and　his　strength；　are　all　at　the　command　of　the　rich　man's　purse。　　There　never　was　a　trade　so　unhealthy　yet　but　men　would　fight　to　get　wark　at　it　for　twa　pennies　a　day　aboon　the　common　wage。　　But　the　bairns　were　reasonably　weel　cared　for　in　the　way　of　air　and　exercise；　and　a　very　responsible　youth　heard　them　their　Carritch；　and　gied　them　lessons　in　Reediemadeasy　＇〃Reading　made　Easy；〃　usually　so　pronounced　in　Scotland。＇　　Now；　what　did　they　ever　get　before？　Maybe　on　a　winter　day　they　wad　be　called　out　to　beat　the　wood　for　cocks　or　siclike；　and　then　the　starving　weans　would　maybe　get　a　bite　of　broken　bread；　and　maybe　no；　just　as　the　butler　was　in　humourthat　was　a'　they　got。〃

〃They　were　not；　then；　a　very　kind　family　to　the　poor；　these　old　possessors？〃　　said　I；　somewhat　bitterly；　for　I　had　expected　to　hear　my　ancestors'　praises　recorded；　though　I　certainly　despaired　of　being　regaled　with　my　own。

〃They　werena　ill　to　them；　sir；　and　that　is　aye　something。　　They　were　just　decent　bien　bodies；　ony　poor　creature　that　had　face　to　beg　got　an　awmous；　and　welcomethey　that　were　shamefaced　gaed　by；　and　twice　as　welcome。　　But　they　keepit　an　honest　walk　before　God　and　man；　the　Croftangrys；　and；　as　I　said　before；　if　they　did　little　good；　they　did　as　little　ill。　　They　lifted　their　rents；　and　spent　them；　called　in　their　kain　and　ate　them；　gaed　to　the　kirk　of　a　Sunday；　bowed　civilly　if　folk　took　aff　their　bannets　as　they　gaed　by；　and　lookit　as　black　as　sin　at　them　that　keepit　them　on。〃

〃These　are　their　arms　that　you　have　on　the　sign？〃

〃What！　　on　the　painted　board　that　is　skirling　and　groaning　at　the　door？　　Na；　these　are　Mr。　Treddles's　arms　though　they　look　as　like　legs　as　arms。　　Ill　pleased　I　was　at　the　fule　thing；　that　cost　as　muckle　as　would　hae　repaired　the　house　from　the　wa'　stane　to　the　rigging…tree。　　But　if　I　am　to　bide　here；　I'll　hae　a　decent　board　wi'　a　punch　bowl　on　it。〃

〃Is　there　a　doubt　of　your　staying　here；　Mrs。　Steele？〃

〃Dinna　Mistress　me；〃　said　the　cross　old　wo