chronicles of the canongate-第40章

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ore　diseases　than　a　regular　medical　person　could　easily　believe。　　She　applied　some　to　dye　the　bright　colours　of　the　tartan；　from　others　she　compounded　draughts　of　various　powers；　and　unhappily　possessed　the　secret　of　one　which　was　strongly　soporific。　　Upon　the　effects　of　this　last　concoction；　as　the　reader　doubtless　has　anticipated；　she　reckoned　with　security　on　delaying　Hamish　beyond　the　period　for　which　his　return　was　appointed；　and　she　trusted　to　his　horror　for　the　apprehended　punishment　to　which　he　was　thus　rendered　liable；　to　prevent　him　from　returning　at　all。

Sound　and　deep；　beyond　natural　rest；　was　the　sleep　of　Hamish　MacTavish　on　that　eventful　evening；　but　not　such　the　repose　of　his　mother。　　Scarce　did　she　close　her　eyes　from　time　to　time；　but　she　awakened　again　with　a　start；　in　the　terror　that　her　son　had　arisen　and　departed；　and　it　was　only　on　approaching　his　couch；　and　hearing　his　deep…drawn　and　regular　breathing；　that　she　reassured　herself　of　the　security　of　the　repose　in　which　he　was　plunged。

Still；　dawning；　she　feared；　might　awaken　him；　notwithstanding　the　unusual　strength　of　the　potion　with　which　she　had　drugged　his　cup。　　If　there　remained　a　hope　of　mortal　man　accomplishing　the　journey；　she　was　aware　that　Hamish　would　attempt　it；　though　he　were　to　die　from　fatigue　upon　the　road。　　Animated　by　this　new　fear；　she　studied　to　exclude　the　light；　by　stopping　all　the　crannies　and　crevices　through　which；　rather　than　through　any　regular　entrance；　the　morning　beams　might　find　access　to　her　miserable　dwelling；　and　this　in　order　to　detain　amid　its　wants　and　wretchedness　the　being　on　whom；　if　the　world　itself　had　been　at　her　disposal；　she　would　have　joyfully　conferred　it。

Her　pains　were　bestowed　unnecessarily。　　The　sun　rose　high　above　the　heavens；　and　not　the　fleetest　stag　in　Breadalbane；　were　the　hounds　at　his　heels；　could　have　sped；　to　save　his　life；　so　fast　as　would　have　been　necessary　to　keep　Hamish's　appointment。　　Her　purpose　was　fully　attainedher　son's　return　within　the　period　assigned　was　impossible。　　She　deemed　it　equally　impossible；　that　he　would　ever　dream　of　returning；　standing；　as　he　must　now　do；　in　the　danger　of　an　infamous　punishment。　　By　degrees；　and　at　different　times；　she　had　gained　from　him　a　full　acquaintance　with　the　predicament　in　which　he　would　be　placed　by　failing　to　appear　on　the　day　appointed；　and　the　very　small　hope　he　could　entertain　of　being　treated　with　lenity。

It　is　well　known；　that　the　great　and　wise　Earl　of　Chatham　prided　himself　on　the　scheme；　by　which　he　drew　together　for　the　defence　of　the　colonies　those　hardy　Highlanders；　who；　until　his　time；　had　been　the　objects　of　doubt；　fear；　and　suspicion；　on　the　part　of　each　successive　administration。　　But　some　obstacles　occurred；　from　the　peculiar　habits　and　temper　of　this　people；　to　the　execution　of　his　patriotic　project。　　By　nature　and　habit；　every　Highlander　was　accustomed　to　the　use　of　arms；　but　at　the　same　time　totally　unaccustomed　to；　and　impatient　of；　the　restraints　imposed　by　discipline　upon　regular　troops。　　They　were　a　species　of　militia；　who　had　no　conception　of　a　camp　as　their　only　home。　If　a　battle　was　lost；　they　dispersed　to　save　themselves；　and　look　out　for　the　safety　of　their　families；　if　won；　they　went　back　to　their　glens　to　hoard　up　their　booty；　and　attend　to　their　cattle　and　their　farms。　　This　privilege　of　going　and　coming　at　pleasure；　they　would　not　be　deprived　of　even　by　their　chiefs；　whose　authority　was　in　most　other　respects　so　despotic。　　It　followed　as　a　matter　of　course；　that　the　new…levied　Highland　recruits　could　scarce　be　made　to　comprehend　the　nature　of　a　military　engagement；　which　compelled　a　man　to　serve　in　the　army　longer　than　he　pleased；　and　perhaps；　in　many　instances；　sufficient　care　was　not　taken　at　enlisting　to　explain　to　them　the　permanency　of　the　engagement　which　they　came　under；　lest　such　a　disclosure　should　induce　them　to　change　their　mind。　　Desertions　were　therefore　become　numerous　from　the　newly…raised　regiment；　and　the　veteran　general　who　commanded　at　Dunbarton　saw　no　better　way　of　checking　them　than　by　causing　an　unusually　severe　example　to　be　made　of　a　deserter　from　an　English　corps。　　The　young　Highland　regiment　was　obliged　to　attend　upon　the　punishment；　which　struck　a　people；　peculiarly　jealous　of　personal　honour；　with　equal　horror　and　disgust；　and　not　unnaturally　indisposed　some　of　them　to　the　service。　　The　old　general；　however；　who　had　been　regularly　bred　in　the　German　wars；　stuck　to　his　own　opinion；　and　gave　out　in　orders　that　the　first　Highlander　who　might　either　desert；　or　fail　to　appear　at　the　expiry　of　his　furlough；　should　be　brought　to　the　halberds；　and　punished　like　the　culprit　whom　they　had　seen　in　that　condition。　　No　man　doubted　that　General　　would　keep　his　word　rigorously　whenever　severity　was　required；　and　Elspat；　therefore；　knew　that　her　son；　when　he　perceived　that　due　compliance　with　his　orders　was　impossible；　must　at　the　same　time　consider　the　degrading　punishment　denounced　against　his　defection　as　inevitable；　should　he　place　himself　within　the　general's　power。　　＇See　Note　10。Fidelity　of　the　Highlanders。＇

When　noon　was　well　passed；　new　apprehensions　came　on　the　mind　of　the　lonely　woman。　　Her　son　still　slept　under　the　influence　of　the　draught；　but　what　if；　being　stronger　than　she　had　ever　known　it　administered；　his　health　or　his　reason　should　be　affected　by　its　potency？　　For　the　first　time；　likewise；　notwithstanding　her　high　ideas　on　the　subject　of　parental　authority；　she　began　to　dread　the　resentment　of　her　son；　whom　her　heart　told　her　she　had　wronged。　　Of　late；　she　had　observed　that　his　temper　was　less　docile；　and　his　determinations；　especially　upon　this　late　occasion　of　his　enlistment；　independently　formed；　and　then　boldly　carried　through。　　She　remembered　the　stern　wilfulness　of　his　father　when　he　accounted　himself　ill…used；　and　began　to　dread　that　Hamish；　upon　finding　the　deceit　she　had　put　upon　him；　might　resent　it　even　to　the　extent　of　cutting　her　off；　and　pursuing　his　own　course　through　the　world　alone。　　Such　were　the　alarming　and　yet　the　reasonable　apprehensions　which　began　to　crowd　upon　the　unfortunate　woman；　after　the　apparent　success　of　her　ill…advised　stratagem。

It　was　near　evening　when　Hamish　first　awoke；　and　then　he　was　far　from　being　in　the　full　possession　either　of　his　mental　or　bodily　powers。　　From　his　vague　expressions　and　disordered　pulse；　Elspat　at　first　experienced　much　apprehension；　but　she　used　such　expedients　as　her　medical　knowledge　suggested；　and　in　the　course　of　the　night　she　had　the　satisfaction　to　see　him　sink　once　more　into　a　deep　sleep；　which　probably　carried　off　the　greater　part　of　the　effects　of　the　drug；　for　about　sunrising　she　heard　him　arise；　and　call　to　her　for　his　bonnet。　　This　she　had　purposely　removed；　from　a　fear　that　he　might　awaken　and　depart　in　the　night…time；　without　her　knowledge。

〃My　bonnetmy　bonnet；〃　cried　Hamish；　〃it　is　time　to　take　farewell。　　Mother；　your　drink　was　too　strongthe　sun　is　upbut　with　the　next　morning　I　will　still　see　the　double　summit　of　the　ancient　Dun。　　My　bonnetmy　bonnet；　mother；　I　must　be　instant　in　my　departure。〃　　These　expressions　made　it　plain　that　poor　Hamish　was　unconscious　that　two　nights　and　a　day　had　passed　since　he　had　drained　the　fatal　quaigh；　and　Elspat　had　now　to　venture　on　what　she　felt　as　the　almost　perilous；　as　well　as　painful；　task　of　explaining　her　machinations。

〃Forgive　me；　my　son；〃　she　said；　approaching　Hamish；　and　taking　him　by　the　hand　with　an　air　of　deferential　awe；　which　perhaps　she　had　not　always　used　to　his　father；　even　when　in　his　moody　fits。

〃Forgive　you；　mother！for　what？〃　　said　Hamish；　laughing；　〃for　giving　me　a　dram　that　was　too　strong；　and　which　my　head　still　feels　this　morning；　or　for　hiding　my　bonnet　to　keep　me　an　instant　longer？　　Nay；　do　YOU　forgive　ME。　　Give　me　the　bonnet；　and　let　that　be　done　which　now　must　be　done。　　Give　me　my　bonnet；　or　I　go　without　it；　surely　I　am　not　to　be　delayed　by　so　trifling　a　want　as　thatI；　who　have　gone　for　years　with　only　a　strap　of　deer's　hide　to　tie　back　my　hair。　　Trifle　not；　but　give　it　me；　or　I　must　go　bareheaded；　since　to　stay　is　impossible。〃

〃My　son；〃　said　Elspat；　keeping　fast　hold　of　his　hand；　〃what　is　done　cannot　be　recalled。　　Could　you