chronicles of the canongate-第24部分

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ity。〃

〃Falsehood　belongs　to　an　early　period　of　society；　as　well　as　the　deferential　forms　which　we　style　politeness；〃　I　replied。　　〃A　child　does　not　see　the　least　moral　beauty　in　truth　until　he　has　been　flogged　half　a　dozen　times。　　It　is　so　easy；　and　apparently　so　natural；　to　deny　what　you　cannot　be　easily　convicted　of；　that　a　savage　as　well　as　a　child　lies　to　excuse　himself　almost　as　instinctively　as　he　raises　his　hand　to　protect　his　head。　　The　old　saying；　'Confess　and　be　hanged；'　carries　much　argument　in　it。　　I　observed　a　remark　the　other　day　in　old　Birrel。　　He　mentions　that　M'Gregor　of　Glenstrae　and　some　of　his　people　had　surrendered　themselves　to　one　of　the　Earls　of　Argyle；　upon　the　express　condition　that　they　should　be　conveyed　safe　into　England。　　The　Maccallum　Mhor　of　the　day　kept　the　word　of　promise；　but　it　was　only　to　the　ear。　　He　indeed　sent　his　captives　to　Berwick；　where　they　had　an　airing　on　the　other　side　of　the　Tweed；　but　it　was　under　the　custody　of　a　strong　guard；　by　whom　they　were　brought　back　to　Edinburgh；　and　delivered　to　the　executioner。　　This；　Birrel　calls　keeping　a　Highlandman's　promise。〃　　＇See　Note　6。　M'Gregor　of　Glenstrae。＇

〃Well；〃　replied　Mrs。　Baliol；　〃I　might　add　that　many　of　the　Highland　chiefs　whom　I　knew　in　former　days　had　been　brought　up　in　France；　which　might　improve　their　politeness；　though　perhaps　it　did　not　amend　their　sincerity。　　But　considering　that；　belonging　to　the　depressed　and　defeated　faction　in　the　state；　they　were　compelled　sometimes　to　use　dissimulation；　you　must　set　their　uniform　fidelity　to　their　friends；　against　their　occasional　falsehood　to　their　enemies；　and　then　you　will　not　judge　poor　John　Highlandman　too　severely。　　They　were　in　a　state　of　society　where　bright　lights　are　strongly　contrasted　with　deep　shadows。〃

〃It　is　to　that　point　I　would　bring　you；　MA　BELLE　COUSINE；　and　therefore　they　are　most　proper　subjects　for　composition。〃

〃And　you　want　to　turn　composer；　my　good　friend；　and　set　my　old　tales　to　some　popular　tune？　　But　there　have　been　too　many　composers；　if　that　be　the　word；　in　the　field　before。　　The　Highlands　WERE　indeed　a　rich　mine；　but　they　have；　I　think；　been　fairly　wrought　out；　as　a　good　tune　is　grinded　into　vulgarity　when　it　descends　to　the　hurdy…gurdy　and　the　barrel…organ。〃

〃If　it　be　really　tune；〃　I　replied；　〃it　will　recover　its　better　qualities　when　it　gets　into　the　hands　of　better　artists。〃

〃Umph！〃　　said　Mrs。　Baliol；　tapping　her　box；　〃we　are　happy　in　our　own　good　opinion　this　evening；　Mr。　Croftangry。　　And　so　you　think　you　can　restore　the　gloss　to　the　tartan　which　it　has　lost　by　being　dragged　through　so　many　fingers？〃

〃With　your　assistance　to　procure　materials；　my　dear　lady；　much；　I　think；　may　be　done。〃

〃Well；　I　must　do　my　best；　I　suppose；　though　all　I　know　about　the　Gael　is　but　of　little　consequence。　　Indeed；　I　gathered　it　chiefly　from　Donald　MacLeish。〃

〃And　who　might　Donald　MacLeish　be？〃

〃Neither　bard　nor　sennachie；　I　assure　you；　nor　monk　nor　hermit；　the　approved　authorities　for　old　traditions。　　Donald　was　as　good　a　postilion　as　ever　drove　a　chaise　and　pair　between　Glencroe　and　Inverary。　　I　assure　you；　when　I　give　you　my　Highland　anecdotes；　you　will　hear　much　of　Donald　MacLeish。　　He　was　Alice　Lambskin's　beau　and　mine　through　a　long　Highland　tour。〃

〃But　when　am　I　to　possess　these　anecdotes？　　you　answer　me　as　Harley　did　poor　Prior

　　'Let　that　be　done　which　Mat　doth　say　　　　Yea；　quoth　the　Earl；　but　not　to…day。'〃

〃Well；　MON　BEAU　COUSIN；　if　you　begin　to　remind　me　of　my　cruelty；　I　must　remind　you　it　has　struck　nine　on　the　Abbey　clock；　and　it　is　time　you　were　going　home　to　Little　Croftangry。　　For　my　promise　to　assist　your　antiquarian　researches；　be　assured　I　will　one　day　keep　it　to　the　utmost　extent。　　It　shall　not　be　a　Highlandman's　promise；　as　your　old　citizen　calls　it。〃

I　by　this　time　suspected　the　purpose　of　my　friend's　procrastination；　and　it　saddened　my　heart　to　reflect　that　I　was　not　to　get　the　information　which　I　desired；　excepting　in　the　shape　of　a　legacy。　　I　found　accordingly；　in　the　packet　transmitted　to　me　after　the　excellent　lady's　death；　several　anecdotes　respecting　the　Highlands；　from　which　I　have　selected　that　which　follows；　chiefly　on　account　of　its　possessing　great　power　over　the　feelings　of　my　critical　housekeeper；　Janet　M'Evoy；　who　wept　most　bitterly　when　I　read　it　to　her。

It　is；　however；　but　a　very　simple　tale；　and　may　have　no　interest　for　persons　beyond　Janet's　rank　of　life　or　understanding。


*


THE　HIGHLAND　WIDOW



CHAPTER　I。

　　It　wound　as　near　as　near　could　be；　　　But　what　it　is　she　cannot　tell；　　　On　the　other　side　it　seemed　to　be　　　Of　the　huge　broad…breasted　old　oak…tree。　　　　COLERIDGE。

Mrs。　Bethune　Baliol's　memorandum　begins　thus：

It　is　five…and…thirty；　or　perhaps　nearer　forty　years　ago；　since；　to　relieve　the　dejection　of　spirits　occasioned　by　a　great　family　loss　sustained　two　or　three　months　before；　I　undertook　what　was　called　the　short　Highland　tour。　　This　had　become　in　some　degree　fashionable；　but　though　the　military　roads　were　excellent；　yet　the　accommodation　was　so　indifferent　that　it　was　reckoned　a　little　adventure　to　accomplish　it。　　Besides；　the　Highlands；　though　now　as　peaceable　as　any　part　of　King　George's　dominions；　was　a　sound　which　still　carried　terror；　while　so　many　survived　who　had　witnessed　the　insurrection　of　1745；　and　a　vague　idea　of　fear　was　impressed　on　many　as　they　looked　from　the　towers　of　Stirling　northward　to　the　huge　chain　of　mountains；　which　rises　like　a　dusky　rampart　to　conceal　in　its　recesses　a　people　whose　dress；　manners；　and　language　differed　still　very　much　from　those　of　their　Lowland　countrymen。　　For　my　part；　I　come　of　a　race　not　greatly　subject　to　apprehensions　arising　from　imagination　only。　I　had　some　Highland　relatives；　know　several　of　their　families　of　distinction；　and　though　only　having　the　company　of　my　bower…　maiden；　Mrs。　Alice　Lambskin；　I　went　on　my　journey　fearless。

But　then　I　had　a　guide　and　cicerone；　almost　equal　to　Greatheart　in　the　Pilgrim's　Progress；　in　no　less　a　person　than　Donald　MacLeish；　the　postilion　whom　I　hired　at　Stirling；　with　a　pair　of　able…bodied　horses；　as　steady　as　Donald　himself；　to　drag　my　carriage；　my　duenna；　and　myself；　wheresoever　it　was　my　pleasure　to　go。

Donald　MacLeish　was　one　of　a　race　of　post…boys　whom；　I　suppose；　mail…coaches　and　steamboats　have　put　out　of　fashion。　　They　were　to　be　found　chiefly　at　Perth；　Stirling；　or　Glasgow；　where　they　and　their　horses　were　usually　hired　by　travellers；　or　tourists；　to　accomplish　such　journeys　of　business　or　pleasure　as　they　might　have　to　perform　in　the　land　of　the　Gael。　　This　class　of　persons　approached　to　the　character　of　what　is　called　abroad　a　CONDUCTEUR；　or　might　be　compared　to　the　sailing…master　on　board　a　British　ship　of　war；　who　follows　out　after　his　own　manner　the　course　which　the　captain　commands　him　to　observe。　　You　explained　to　your　postilion　the　length　of　your　tour；　and　the　objects　you　were　desirous　it　should　embrace；　and　you　found　him　perfectly　competent　to　fix　the　places　of　rest　or　refreshment；　with　due　attention　that　those　should　be　chosen　with　reference　to　your　convenience；　and　to　any　points　of　interest　which　you　might　desire　to　visit。

The　qualifications　of　such　a　person　were　necessarily　much　superior　to　those　of　the　〃first　ready；〃　who　gallops　thrice…a…day　over　the　same　ten　miles。　　Donald　MacLeish；　besides　being　quite　alert　at　repairing　all　ordinary　accidents　to　his　horses　and　carriage；　and　in　making　shift　to　support　them；　where　forage　was　scarce；　with　such　substitutes　as　bannocks　and　cakes；　was　likewise　a　man　of　intellectual　resources。　　He　had　acquired　a　general　knowledge　of　the　traditional　stories　of　the　country　which　he　had　traversed　so　often；　and　if　encouraged　（for　Donald　was　a　man　of　the　most　decorous　reserve）；　he　would　willingly　point　out　to　you　the　site　of　the　principal　clan…battles；　and　recount　the　most　remarkable　legends　by　which　the　road；　and　the　objects　which　occurred　in　travelling　it；　had　been　distinguished。　　There　was　some　originality　in　the　man's　habits　of　thinking　and　expressing　himself；　his　turn　for　legendary　lore　strangely　contrasting　with　a　portion　of　the　knowing　shrewdness　belonging　to　his　actual　occupation；　which　made　his　conversation　amuse　the　way　well　enough。

Add　to　this；　Donald　knew　all　his　peculiar　duties　in　the　country　which　he　traversed　so　frequently。　　He　could　tell；　to　a　day；　when　they　would　〃be　killing〃　lamb　at　Tyndrum　or　Glenuilt；　so　that　the　stranger　would　have　some　chance　of　being　fed　like　a　Christian；　and　knew　to　a　mile　the　last　village　where　it　was　possible　to　procure　a　wheaten　loaf　for　the　guidance　of　those　who　were　little　familiar　with　the　Land　of　Cakes。　　He　was　acquainted　with　the　road　every　mile；　and　could　tell　to　an　inch　which　side　of　a　Highland　bridge　was　passable；　which　decidedly　dangerous。　　＇This　is；　or　was　at　least；　a　necessary　accomplishment。　　In　one　of　the　most　beautiful　districts　of　the　Highlands　was；　not　many　years　since；　a　bridge　bearing　this　startling　caution；　〃Keep　to　the　right　side；　the　left　being　dangerous。〃＇　　In　short；　Donald　MacLeish　was　not　only　our　faithful　attendant　and　steady　servant；　but　our　humble　and　obliging　friend；　and　though　I　have　known　the　half…classical　cicerone　of　Italy；　the　talkative　French　valet…de…place；　and　even　the　muleteer　of　Spain；　who　piques　himself　on　being　a　maize…eater；　and　whose　honour　is　not　to　be　questioned　without　danger；　I　do　not　think　I　have　ever　had　so　sensible　and　intelligent　a　guide。

Our　motions　were　of　course　under　Donald's　direction；　and　it　frequently　happened；　when　the　weather　was　serene；　that　we　preferred　halting　to　rest　his　horses　even　where　there　was　no　established　stage；　and　taking　our　refreshment　under　a　crag；　from　which　leaped　a　waterfall；　or　beside　the　verge　of　a　fountain；　enamelled　with　verdant　turf　and　wild…flowers。　　Donald　had　an　eye　for　such　spots；　and　though　he　had；　I　dare　say；　never　read　Gil　Blas　or　Don　Quixote；　yet　he　chose　such　halting…places　as　Le　Sage　or　Cervantes　would　have　described。　　Very　often；　as　he　observed　the　pleasure　I　took　in　conversing　with　the　country　people；　he　would　manage　to　fix　our　place　of　rest　near　a　cottage；　where　there　was　some　old　Gael　whose　broadsword　had　blazed　at　Falkirk　or　Preston；　and　who　seemed　the　frail　yet　faithful　record　of　times　which