chronicles of the canongate-第39部分

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　Together　both　on　the　high　lawns　appeared。　　Under　the　opening　eyelids　of　the　morn　　They　drove　afield。　　　　　　　　　　　　　ELEGY　ON　LYCIDAS。

I　have　sometimes　wondered　why　all　the　favourite　occupations　and　pastimes　of　mankind　go　to　the　disturbance　of　that　happy　state　of　tranquillity；　that　OTIUM；　as　Horace　terms　it；　which　he　says　is　the　object　of　all　men's　prayers；　whether　preferred　from　sea　or　land；　and　that　the　undisturbed　repose；　of　which　we　are　so　tenacious；　when　duty　or　necessity　compels　us　to　abandon　it；　is　precisely　what　we　long　to　exchange　for　a　state　of　excitation；　as　soon　as　we　may　prolong　it　at　our　own　pleasure。　　Briefly；　you　have　only　to　say　to　a　man；　〃Remain　at　rest；〃　and　you　instantly　inspire　the　love　of　labour。　　The　sportsman　toils　like　his　gamekeeper；　the　master　of　the　pack　takes　as　severe　exercise　as　his　whipper…in；　the　statesman　or　politician　drudges　more　than　the　professional　lawyer；　and；　to　come　to　my　own　case；　the　volunteer　author　subjects　himself　to　the　risk　of　painful　criticism；　and　the　assured　certainty　of　mental　and　manual　labour；　just　as　completely　as　his　needy　brother；　whose　necessities　compel　him　to　assume　the　pen。

These　reflections　have　been　suggested　by　an　annunciation　on　the　part　of　Janet；　〃that　the　little　Gillie…whitefoot　was　come　from　the　printing…office。〃

〃Gillie…blackfoot　you　should　call　him；　Janet；〃　was　my　response；　〃for　he　is　neither　more　nor　less　than　an　imp　of　the　devil；　come　to　torment　me　for　COPY；　for　so　the　printers　call　a　supply　of　manuscript　for　the　press。〃

〃Now；　Cot　forgie　your　honour；〃　said　Janet；　〃for　it　is　no　like　your　ainsell　to　give　such　names　to　a　faitherless　bairn。〃

〃I　have　got　nothing　else　to　give　him；　Janet；　he　must　wait　a　little。〃

〃Then　I　have　got　some　breakfast　to　give　the　bit　gillie；〃　said　Janet；　〃and　he　can　wait　by　the　fireside　in　the　kitchen；　till　your　honour's　ready；　and　cood　enough　for　the　like　of　him；　if　he　was　to　wait　your　honour's　pleasure　all　day。〃

〃But；　Janet；〃　said　I　to　my　little　active　superintendent；　on　her　return　to　the　parlour；　after　having　made　her　hospitable　arrangements；　〃I　begin　to　find　this　writing　our　Chronicles　is　rather　more　tiresome　than　I　expected；　for　here　comes　this　little　fellow　to　ask　for　manuscriptthat　is；　for　something　to　print　and　I　have　got　none　to　give　him。〃

〃Your　honour　can　be　at　nae　loss。　　I　have　seen　you　write　fast　and　fast　enough；　and　for　subjects；　you　have　the　whole　Highlands　to　write　about；　and　I　am　sure　you　know　a　hundred　tales　better　than　that　about　Hamish　MacTavish；　for　it　was　but　about　a　young　cateran　and　an　auld　carlin；　when　all's　done；　and　if　they　had　burned　the　rudas　quean　for　a　witch；　I　am　thinking；　may　be　they　would　not　have　tyned　their　coalsand　her　to　gar　her　ne'er…do…weel　son　shoot　a　gentleman　Cameron！　　I　am　third　cousin　to　the　Camerons　mysel'my　blood　warms　to　them。　　And　if　you　want　to　write　about　deserters；　I　am　sure　there　were　deserters　enough　on　the　top　of　Arthur's　Seat；　when　the　MacRaas　broke　out；　and　on　that　woeful　day　beside　Leith　Pierohonari！〃

Here　Janet　began　to　weep；　and　to　wipe　her　eyes　with　her　apron。　For　my　part；　the　idea　I　wanted　was　supplied；　but　I　hesitated　to　make　use　of　it。　　Topics；　like　times；　are　apt　to　become　common　by　frequent　use。　　It　is　only　an　ass　like　Justice　Shallow；　who　would　pitch　upon　the　over…scutched　tunes；　which　the　carmen　whistled；　and　try　to　pass　them　off　as　his　FANCIES　and　his　GOOD…NIGHTS。　Now；　the　Highlands；　though　formerly　a　rich　mine　for　original　matter；　are；　as　my　friend　Mrs。　Bethune　Baliol　warned　me；　in　some　degree　worn　out　by　the　incessant　labour　of　modern　romancers　and　novelists；　who；　finding　in　those　remote　regions　primitive　habits　and　manners；　have　vainly　imagined　that　the　public　can　never　tire　of　them；　and　so　kilted　Highlanders　are　to　be　found　as　frequently；　and　nearly　of　as　genuine　descent；　on　the　shelves　of　a　circulating　library；　as　at　a　Caledonian　ball。　　Much　might　have　been　made　at　an　earlier　time　out　of　the　history　of　a　Highland　regiment；　and　the　singular　revolution　of　ideas　which　must　have　taken　place　in　the　minds　of　those　who　composed　it；　when　exchanging　their　native　hills　for　the　battle…fields　of　the　Continent；　and　their　simple；　and　sometimes　indolent　domestic　habits　for　the　regular　exertions　demanded　by　modern　discipline。　　But　the　market　is　forestalled。　There　is　Mrs。　Grant　of　Laggan；　has　drawn　the　manners；　customs；　and　superstitions　of　the　mountains　in　their　natural　unsophisticated　state；　＇Letters　from　the　Mountains；　3　vols。　Essays　on　the　Superstitions　of　the　HighlandersThe　Highlanders；　and　other　Poems；　etc。＇　　and　my　friend；　General　Stewart　of　Garth；　＇The　gallant　and　amiable　author　of　the　History　of　the　Highland　Regiments；　in　whose　glorious　services　his　own　share　had　been　great；　went　out　Governor　of　St　Lucia　in　1828；　and　died　in　that　island　on　the　18th　of　December　1829；no　man　more　regretted；　or　perhaps　by　a　wider　circle　of　friends　and　acquaintance。＇　　in　giving　the　real　history　of　the　Highland　regiments；　has　rendered　any　attempt　to　fill　up　the　sketch　with　fancy…colouring　extremely　rash　and　precarious。　　Yet　I；　too；　have　still　a　lingering　fancy　to　add　a　stone　to　the　cairn；　and　without　calling　in　imagination　to　aid　the　impressions　of　juvenile　recollection；　I　may　just　attempt　to　embody　one　or　two　scenes　illustrative　of　the　Highland　character；　and　which　belong　peculiarly　to　the　Chronicles　of　the　Canongate；　to　the　grey…headed　eld　of　whom　they　are　as　familiar　as　to　Chrystal　Croftangry。　　Yet　I　will　not　go　back　to　the　days　of　clanship　and　claymores。　　Have　at　you；　gentle　reader；　with　a　tale　of　Two　Drovers。　　An　oyster　may　be　crossed　in　love；　says　the　gentle　Tilburinaand　a　drover　may　be　touched　on　a　point　of　honour；　says　the　Chronicler　of　the　Canongate。


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THE　TWO　DROVERS。



CHAPTER　I。

It　was　the　day　after　Doune　Fair　when　my　story　commences。　　It　had　been　a　brisk　market。　　Several　dealers　had　attended　from　the　northern　and　midland　counties　in　England；　and　English　money　had　flown　so　merrily　about　as　to　gladden　the　hearts　of　the　Highland　farmers。　　Many　large　droves　were　about　to　set　off　for　England；　under　the　protection　of　their　owners；　or　of　the　topsmen　whom　they　employed　in　the　tedious；　laborious；　and　responsible　office　of　driving　the　cattle　for　many　hundred　miles；　from　the　market　where　they　had　been　purchased；　to　the　fields　or　farmyards　where　they　were　to　be　fattened　for　the　shambles。

The　Highlanders　in　particular　are　masters　of　this　difficult　trade　of　driving；　which　seems　to　suit　them　as　well　as　the　trade　of　war。　It　affords　exercise　for　all　their　habits　of　patient　endurance　and　active　exertion。　　They　are　required　to　know　perfectly　the　drove…　roads；　which　lie　over　the　wildest　tracts　of　the　country；　and　to　avoid　as　much　as　possible　the　highways；　which　distress　the　feet　of　the　bullocks；　and　the　turnpikes；　which　annoy　the　spirit　of　the　drover；　whereas　on　the　broad　green　or　grey　track　which　leads　across　the　pathless　moor；　the　herd　not　only　move　at　ease　and　without　taxation；　but；　if　they　mind　their　business；　may　pick　up　a　mouthful　of　food　by　the　way。　　At　night　the　drovers　usually　sleep　along　with　their　cattle；　let　the　weather　be　what　it　will；　and　many　of　these　hardy　men　do　not　once　rest　under　a　roof　during　a　journey　on　foot　from　Lochaber　to　Lincolnshire。　　They　are　paid　very　highly；　for　the　trust　reposed　is　of　the　last　importance；　as　it　depends　on　their　prudence；　vigilance；　and　honesty　whether　the　cattle　reach　the　final　market　in　good　order；　and　afford　a　profit　to　the　grazier。　　But　as　they　maintain　themselves　at　their　own　expense；　they　are　especially　economical　in　that　particular。　　At　the　period　we　speak　of；　a　Highland　drover　was　victualled　for　his　long　and　toilsome　journey　with　a　few　handfulls　of　oatmeal　and　two　or　three　onions；　renewed　from　time　to　time；　and　a　ram's　horn　filled　with　whisky；　which　he　used　regularly；　but　sparingly；　every　night　and　morning。　　His　dirk；　or　SKENE…DHU；　（that　is；　black…　knife）；　so　worn　as　to　be　concealed　beneath　the　arm；　or　by　the　folds　of　the　plaid；　was　his　only　weapon；　excepting　the　cudgel　with　which　he　directed　the　movements　of　the　cattle。　　A　Highlander　was　never　so　happy　as　on　these　occasions。　　There　was　a　variety　in　the　whole　journey；　which　exercised　the　Celt's　natural　curiosity　and　love　of　motion。　　There　were　the　constant　change　of　place　and　scene；　the　petty　adventures　incidental　to　the　traffic；　and　the　intercourse　with　the　various　farmers；　graziers；　and　traders；　intermingled　with　occasional　merry…makings；　not　the　less　acceptable　to　Donald　that　they　were　void　of　expense。　　And　there　was　the　consciousness　of　superior　skill；　for　the　Highlander；　a　child　amongst　flocks；　is　a　prince　amongst　herds；　and　his　natural　habits　induce　him　to　disdain　the　shepherd's　slothful　life；　so　that　he　feels　himself　nowhere　more　at　home　than　when　following　a　gallant　drove　of　his　country　cattle　in　the　character　of　their　guardian。

Of　the　number　who　left　Doune　in　the　morning；　and　with　the　purpose　we　have　described；　not　a　GLUNAMIE　of　them　all　cocked　his　bonnet　more　briskly；　or　gartered　his　tartan　hose　under　knee　over　a　pair　of　more　promising　SPIOGS；　（legs）；　than　did　Robin　Oig　M'Combich；　called　familiarly　Robin　Oig；　that　is　young；　or　the　Lesser；　Robin。　Though　small　of　stature；　as　the　epithet　Oig　implies；　and　not　very　strongly　limbed；　he　was　as　light　and　alert　as　one　of　the　deer　of　his　mountains。　　He　had　an　elasticity　of　step　which；　in　the　course　of　a　long　march；　made　many　a　stout　fellow　envy　him；　and　the　manner　in　which　he　busked　his　plaid　and　adjusted　his　bonnet　argued　a　consciousness　that　so　smart　a　John　Highlandman　as　himself　would　not　pass　unnoticed　among　the　Lowland　lasses。　　The　ruddy　cheek；　red　lips；　and　white　teeth　set　off　a　countenance　which　had　gained　by　exposure　to　the　weather　a　healthful　and　hardy　rather　than　a　rugged　hue。　　If　Robin　Oig　did　not　laugh；　or　even　smile　frequentlyas；　indeed；　is　not　the　practice　among　his　countrymenhis　bright　eyes　usually　gleamed　from　under　his　bonnet　with　an　expression　of　cheerfulness　ready　to　be　turned　into　mirth。

The　departure　of　Robin　Oig　was　an　incident　in　the　little　town；　in　and　near　which　he　had　many　friends；　male　and　female。　　He　was　a　topping　person　in　his　way；　transacted　considerable　business　on　his　own　behalf；　and　was　entrusted　by　the　best　farmers　in　the　Highlands；　in　preference　to　any　other　drover　in　that　dist