chronicles of the canongate-第15部分

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…room；　with　an　interior　boudoir；　were　magnificent　apartments；　the　ceiling　was　fretted　and　adorned　with　stucco…work；　which　already　was　broken　in　many　places；　and　looked　in　others　damp　and　mouldering；　the　wood　panelling　was　shrunk　and　warped；　and　cracked；　the　doors；　which　had　not　been　hung　for　more　than　two　years；　were；　nevertheless；　already　swinging　loose　from　their　hinges。　　Desolation；　in　short；　was　where　enjoyment　had　never　been；　and　the　want　of　all　the　usual　means　to　preserve　was　fast　performing　the　work　of　decay。

The　story　was　a　common　one；　and　told　in　a　few　words。　　Mr。　Treddles；　senior；　who　bought　the　estate；　was　a　cautious；　money…　making　person。　　His　son；　still　embarked　in　commercial　speculations；　desired　at　the　same　time　to　enjoy　his　opulence　and　to　increase　it。　　He　incurred　great　expenses；　amongst　which　this　edifice　was　to　benumbered。　　To　support　these　he　speculated　boldly；　and　unfortunately；　and　thus　the　whole　history　is　told；　which　may　serve　for　more　places　than　Glentanner。

Strange　and　various　feelings　ran　through　my　bosom　as　I　loitered　in　these　deserted　apartments；　scarce　hearing　what　my　guide　said　to　me　about　the　size　and　destination　of　each　room。　　The　first　sentiment；　I　am　ashamed　to　say；　was　one　of　gratified　spite。　　My　patrician　pride　was　pleased　that　the　mechanic；　who　had　not　thought　the　house　of　the　Croftangrys　sufficiently　good　for　him；　had　now　experienced　a　fall　in　his　turn。　　My　next　thought　was　as　mean；　though　not　so　malicious。　　〃I　have　had　the　better　of　this　fellow；〃　thought　I。　　〃If　I　lost　the　estate；　I　at　least　spent　the　price；　and　Mr。　Treddles　has　lost　his　among　paltry　commercial　engagements。〃

〃Wretch！〃　　said　the　secret　voice　within；　〃darest　thou　exult　in　thy　shame？　　Recollect　how　thy　youth　and　fortune　was　wasted　in　those　years；　and　triumph　not　in　the　enjoyment　of　an　existence　which　levelled　thee　with　the　beasts　that　perish。　　Bethink　thee　how　this　poor　man's　vanity　gave　at　least　bread　to　the　labourer；　peasant；　and　citizen；　and　his　profuse　expenditure；　like　water　spilt　on　the　ground；　refreshed　the　lowly　herbs　and　plants　where　it　fell。　　But　thou！　　Whom　hast　thou　enriched　during　thy　career　of　extravagance；　save　those　brokers　of　the　devilvintners；　panders；　gamblers；　and　horse…jockeys？〃　　The　anguish　produced　by　this　self…　reproof　was　so　strong　that　I　put　my　hand　suddenly　to　my　forehead；　and　was　obliged　to　allege　a　sudden　megrim　to　my　attendant；　in　apology　for　the　action；　and　a　slight　groan　with　which　it　was　accompanied。

I　then　made　an　effort　to　turn　my　thoughts　into　a　more　philosophical　current；　and　muttered　half　aloud；　as　a　charm　to　lull　any　more　painful　thoughts　to　rest；

　　〃NUNC　AGER　UMBRENI　SUB　NOMINE；　NUPER　OFELLI　　　　DICTUS　ERIT　NULLI　PROPRIUS；　SED　CEDIT　IN　USUM　　　　NUNC　MIHI；　NUNC　ALII。　　　QUOCIRCA　VIVITE　FORTES；　　　　FORTIAQUE　ADVERSIS　OPPONITE　PECTORA　REBUS。〃

＇Horace　Sat。II　Lib。2。　　The　meaning　will　be　best　conveyed　to　the　English　reader　in　Pope's　imitation：

　　〃What's　property；　dear　Swift？　　You　see　it　alter　　　　From　you　to　me；　from　me　to　Peter　Walter；　　　　Or　in　a　mortgage　prove　a　lawyer's　share；　　　　Or　in　a　jointure　vanish　from　the　heir。

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　　〃Shades；　that　to　Bacon　could　retreat　afford；　　　　Become　the　portion　of　a　booby　lord；　　　　And　Helmsley；　once　proud　Buckingham's　delight；　　　　Slides　to　a　scrivener　and　city　knight。　　　　Let　lands　and　houses　have　what　lords　they　will；　　　　Let　us　be　fix'd；　and　our　own　masters　still。〃＇

In　my　anxiety　to　fix　the　philosophical　precept　in　my　mind；　I　recited　the　last　line　aloud；　which；　joined　to　my　previous　agitation；　I　afterwards　found　became　the　cause　of　a　report　that　a　mad　schoolmaster　had　come　from　Edinburgh；　with　the　idea　in　his　head　of　buying　Castle　Treddles。

As　I　saw　my　companion　was　desirous　of　getting　rid　of　me；　I　asked　where　I　was　to　find　the　person　in　whose　hands　were　left　the　map　of　the　estate；　and　other　particulars　connected　with　the　sale。　The　agent　who　had　this　in　possession；　I　was　told；　lived　at　the　town　of　；　which　I　was　informed；　and　indeed　knew　well；　was　distant　five　miles　and　a　bittock；　which　may　pass　in　a　country　where　they　are　less　lavish　of　their　land　for　two　or　three　more。　Being　somewhat　afraid　of　the　fatigue　of　walking　so　far；　I　inquired　if　a　horse　or　any　sort　of　carriage　was　to　be　had；　and　was　answered　in　the　negative。

〃But；〃　said　my　cicerone；　〃you　may　halt　a　blink　till　next　morning　at　the　Treddles　Arms；　a　very　decent　house；　scarce　a　mile　off。〃

〃A　new　house；　I　suppose？〃　　replied　I。

〃No；　it's　a　new　public；　but　it's　an　auld　house；　it　was　aye　the　Leddy's　jointure…house　in　the　Croftangry　folk's　time。　　But　Mr。　Treddles　has　fitted　it　up　for　the　convenience　of　the　country；　poor　man；　he　was　a　public…spirited　man　when　he　had　the　means。〃

〃Duntarkin　a　public…house！〃　　I　exclaimed。

〃Ay！〃　　said　the　fellow；　surprised　at　my　naming　the　place　by　its　former　title；　〃ye'll　hae　been　in　this　country　before；　I'm　thinking？〃

〃Long　since；〃　I　replied。　　〃And　there　is　good　accommodation　at　the　what…d'ye…call…'em　arms；　and　a　civil　landlord？〃　　This　I　said　by　way　of　saying　something；　for　the　man　stared　very　hard　at　me。

〃Very　decent　accommodation。　　Ye'll　no　be　for　fashing　wi'　wine；　I'm　thinking；　and　there's　walth　o'　porter；　ale；　and　a　drap　gude　whisky〃　（in　an　undertone）〃Fairntoshif　you　call　get　on　the　lee…side　of　the　gudewifefor　there　is　nae　gudeman。　　They　ca'　her　Christie　Steele。〃

I　almost　started　at　the　sound。　　Christie　Steele！　　Christie　Steele　was　my　mother's　body…servant；　her　very　right　hand；　and；　between　ourselves；　something　like　a　viceroy　over　her。　　I　recollected　her　perfectly；　and　though　she　had　in　former　times　been　no　favourite　of　mine；　her　name　now　sounded　in　my　ear　like　that　of　a　friend；　and　was　the　first　word　I　had　heard　somewhat　in　unison　with　the　associations　around　me。　　I　sallied　from　Castle　Treddles；　determined　to　make　the　best　of　my　way　to　Duntarkin；　and　my　cicerone　hung　by　me　for　a　little　way；　giving　loose　to　his　love　of　talkingan　opportunity　which；　situated　as　he　was；　the　seneschal　of　a　deserted　castle；　was　not　likely　to　occur　frequently。

〃Some　folk　think；〃　said　my　companion；　〃that　Mr。　Treddles　might　as　weel　have　put　my　wife　as　Christie　Steele　into　the　Treddles　Arms；　for　Christie　had　been　aye　in　service；　and　never　in　the　public　line；　and　so　it's　like　she　is　ganging　back　in　the　world；　as　I　hear。　　Now；　my　wife　had　keepit　a　victualling　office。〃

〃That　would　have　been　an　advantage；　certainly；〃　I　replied。

〃But　I　am　no　sure　that　I　wad　ha'　looten　Eppie　take　it；　if　they　had　put　it　in　her　offer。〃

〃That's　a　different　consideration。〃

〃Ony　way；　I　wadna　ha'　liked　to　have　offended　Mr。　Treddles。　　He　was　a　wee　toustie　when　you　rubbed　him　again　the　hair；　but　a　kind；　weel…meaning　man。〃

I　wanted　to　get　rid　of　this　species　of　chat；　and　finding　myself　near　the　entrance　of　a　footpath　which　made　a　short　cut　to　Duntarkin；　I　put　half　a　crown　into　my　guide's　hand；　bade　him　good…evening；　and　plunged　into　the　woods。

〃Hout；　sirfie；　sirno　from　the　like　of　you。　　Stay；　sir；　ye　wunna　find　the　way　that　gate。Odd's　mercy；　he　maun　ken　the　gate　as　weel　as　I　do　mysel'。　　Weel；　I　wad　Iike　to　ken　wha　the　chield　is。〃

Such　were　the　last　words　of　my　guide's　drowsy；　uninteresting　tone　of　voice　and　glad　to　be　rid　of　him；　I　strode　out　stoutly；　in　despite　of　large　stones；　briers；　and　BAD　STEPS；　which　abounded　in　the　road　I　had　chosen。　　In　the　interim；　I　tried　as　much　as　I　could；　with　verses　from　Horace　and　Prior；　and　all　who　have　lauded　the　mixture　of　literary　with　rural　life；　to　call　back　the　visions　of　last　night　and　this　morning；　imagining　myself　settled　in　same　detached　farm　of　the　estate　of　Glentanner；

　　〃Which　sloping　hills　around　enclose　　　　Where　many　a　birch　and　brown　oak　grows；〃

when　I　should　have　a　cottage　with　a　small　library；　a　small　cellar；　a　spare　bed　for　a　friend；　and　live　more　happy　and　more　honoured　than　when　I　had　the　whole　barony。　　But　the　sight　of　Castle　Treddles　had　disturbed　all　my　own　castles　in　the　air。　　The　realities　of　the　matter；　like　a　stone　plashed　into　a　limpid　fountain；　had　destroyed　the　reflection　of　the　objects　around；　which；　till　this　act　of　violence；　lay　slumbering　on　the　crystal　surface；　and　I　tried　in　vain　to　re…establish　the　picture　which　had　been　so　rudely　broken。　　Well；　then；　I　would　try　it　another　way。　　I　would　try　to　get　Christie　Steele　out　of　her　PUBLIC；　since　she　was　not　striving　in　it；　and　she　who　had　been　my　mother's　governante　should　be　mine。　　I　knew　all　her　faults；　and　I　told　her　history　over　to　myself。

She　was　grand…daughter；　I　believeat　least　some　relativeof　the　famous　Covenanter　of　the　name；　whom　Dean　Swift's　friend；　Captain　Creichton；　shot　on　his　own　staircase　in　the　times　of　the　persecutions；　＇See　Note　2。Steele　a　Covenanter；　shot　by　Captain　Creichton。＇　and　had　perhaps　derived　from　her　native　stock　much　both　of　its　good　and　evil　properties。　　No　one　could　say　of　her　that　she　was　the　life　and　spirit　of　the　family；　though　in　my　mother's　time　she　directed　all　family　affairs。　　Her　look　was　austere　and　gloomy；　and　when　she　was　not　displeased　with　you；　you　could　only　find　it　out　by　her　silence。　　If　there　was　cause　for　complaint；　real　or　imaginary；　Christie　was　loud　enough。　　She　loved　my　mother　with　the　devoted　attachment　of　a　younger　sister；　but　she　was　as　jealous　of　her　favour　to　any　one　else　as　if　she　had　been　the　aged　husband　of　a　coquettish　wife；　and　as　severe　in　her　reprehensions　as　an　abbess　over　her　nuns。　　The　command　which　she　exercised　over　her　was　that；　I　fear；　of　a　strong　and　determined　over　a　feeble　and　more　nervous　disposition　and　though　it　was　used　with　rigour；　yet；　to　the　best　of　Christie　Steele's　belief；　she　was　urging　her　mistress　to　her　best　and　most　becoming　course；　and　would　have　died　rather　than　have　recommended　any　other。　　The　attachment　of　this　woman　was　limited　to　the　family　of　Croftangry；　for　she　had　few　relations；　and　a　dissolute　cousin；　whom　late　in　life　she　had　taken　as　a　husband；　had　long　left　her　a　widow。

To　me　she　had　ever　a　strong　dislike。　　Even　from　my　early　childhood　she　was　jealous；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　of　my　interest　in　my　mother's　affections。　　She　saw　my　foibles　and　vices　with　abhorrence；　and　without　a　grain　of　allowance；　nor　did　she　pardon　the　weakness　of　maternal　affection　even　when；　by　the　death　of　two　brothers；　I　came　to　be　the　onl