an autobiography-第15部分

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e；　where　the　witches　used　to　be　imprisoned。　　I　was　told　that　the　poor　old　women　were　often　taken　down　from　this　dark　vault　to　be　burnt　alive！　　Such　terrible　tales　enveloped　the　tower　with　a　horrible　fascination　to　my　young　mind。　What　a　fearful　contrast　to　the　merry　sound　of　the　chimes　issuing　from　its　roof　on　a　bright　summer　day。

On　my　way　up　to　the　top　flat；　where　the　chimes　were　played；　I　had　to　pass　through　the　vault　in　which　the　great　pendulum　was　slowly　swinging　in　its　ghostly…like　tick…tack；　tick…tack；　while　the　great　ancient　clock　was　keeping　time　with　its　sudden　and　startling　movement。　　The　whole　scene　was　almost　as　uncanny　as　the　witches'　cell　underneath。　　There　was　also　a　wild　rumbling　thumping　sound　overhead。　　I　soon　discovered　the　cause　of　this；　when　I　entered　the　flat　where　the　musician　was　at　work。　He　was　seen　in　violent　action；　beating　or　hammering　on　the　keys　of　a　gigantic　pianoforte…like　apparatus。　　The　instruments　he　used　were　two　great　leather…faced　mallets；　one　of　which　he　held　in　each　hand。　Each　key　was　connected　by　iron　rods　with　the　chime…bells　above。　The　frantic　and　mad…like　movements　of　the　musician；　as　he　energetically　rushed　from　one　key　to　another；　often　widely　apart　gave　me　the　idea　that　the　man　was　daftespecially　as　the　noise　of　the　mallets　was　such　that　I　heard　no　music　emitted　from　the　chimes　so　far　overhead。　It　was　only　when　I　had　climbed　up　the　stair　of　the　tower　to　where　the　bells　were　rung　that　I　understood　the　performance；　and　comprehended　the　beating　of　the　chimes　which　gave　me　so　much　pleasure　when　I　heard　them　at　a　distance。

Another　source　of　enjoyment　in　my　early　days　was　to　accompany　my　mother　to　the　market。　　As　I　have　said　before；　my　mother；　though　generous　in　her　hospitality；　was　necessarily　thrifty　and　economical　in　the　management　of　her　household。　　There　were　no　less　than　fourteen　persons　in　the　house　to　be　fed；　and　this　required　a　good　deal　of　marketing。　At　the　time　I　refer　to；　（about　1816；　it　was　the　practice　of　every　lady　who　took　pride　in　managing　economically　the　home　department　of　her　husband's　affairs；　to　go　to　market　in　person。　　The　principal　markets　in　Edinburgh　were　then　situated　in　the　valley　between　the　Old　and　New　Towns；　in　what　used　to　be　called　the　Nor　Loch。

Dealers　in　fish　and　vegetables　had　their　stalls　there：　the　market　for　butcher　meat　was　near　at　hand：　each　being　in　their　several　locations。　It　was　a　very　lively　and　bustling　sight　to　see　the　marketing　going　on。　When　a　lady　was　observed　approaching；　likely　to　be　a　customer；　she　was　at　once　surrounded　by　the　〃caddies。〃　　They　were　a　set　of　sturdy　hard…working　women；　each　with　a　creel　on　her　back。　　Their　competition　for　the　employer　sometimes　took　a　rather　energetic　form。　　The　rival　candidates　pointed　to　her　with　violent　exclamations；　〃She's　my　ledie！　she's　my　ledie！〃　ejaculated　one　and　all。　　To　dispel　the　disorder；　a　selection　of　one　of　the　caddies　would　be　made；　and　then　all　was　quiet　again　until　another　customer　appeared。

There　was　a　regular　order　in　which　the　purchases　were　deposited　in　the　creel。　　First；　there　came　the　fish；　which　were　carefully　deposited　in　the　lowest　part；　with　a　clean　deal　board　over　them。　　The　fishwives　were　a　most　sturdy　and　independent　class；　both　in　manners　and　language。　When　at　home；　at　Newhaven　or　Fisherrow；　they　made　and　mended　their　husbands'　nets；　put　their　fishing　tackle　to　rights；　and　when　the　fishing　boats　came　in　they　took　the　fish　to　market　at　Edinburgh。　To　see　the　groups　of　these　hard…working　women　trudging　along　with　their　heavy　creels　on　their　backs；　clothed　in　their　remarkable　costume；　with　their　striped　petticoats　kilted　up　and　showing　their　sturdy　legs；　was　indeed　a　remarkable　sight。　　They　were　cheerful　and　good…natured；　but　very　outspoken。　　Their　skins　were　clear　and　ruddy；　and　many　of　the　young　fishwives　were　handsome　and　pretty。　　They　were；　in　fact；　the　incarnation　of　robust　health。　　In　dealing　with　them　at　the　Fish　Market　there　was　a　good　deal　of　higgling。　　They　often　asked　two　or　three　times　more　than　the　fish　were　worthat　least；　according　to　the　then　market　price。　　After　a　stormy　night；　during　which　the　husbands　and　sons　had　toiled　to　catch　the　fish；　on　the　usual　question　being　asked；　〃Weel；　Janet；　hoo's　haddies　the　day！〃　〃Haddies；　mem？　　Ou；　haddies　is　men's　lives　the　day！〃　　which　was　often　true；　as　haddocks　were　often　caught　at　the　risk　of　their　husbands'　lives。　　After　the　usual　amount　of　higgling；　the　haddies　were　brought　down　to　their　proper　market　price；　sometimes　a　penny　for　a　good　haddock；　or；　when　herrings　were　rife；　a　dozen　herrings　for　twopence；　crabs　for　a　penny；　and　lobsters　for　threepence。　　For　there　were　no　railways　then　to　convey　the　fish　to　England；　and　thus　equalise　the　price　for　all　classes　of　the　community。

Let　me　mention　here　a　controversy　between　a　fishwife　and　a　buyer　called　Thomson。　　the　buyer　offered　a　price　so　ridiculously　small　for　a　parcel　of　fish　that　the　seller　became　quite　indignant；　and　she　terminated　at　once　all　further　higgling。　　Looking　up　to　him；　she　said；　〃Lord　help　yer　e'e…sight；　Maister　Tamson！〃　〃Lord　help　my　e'e…sight；　woman！　　What　has　that　to　do　with　it？〃　〃Ou；〃　said　she；　〃because　ye　ha'e　nae　nose　to　put　spectacles　on！〃　　As　it　happened；　poor　Mr。　Thomson　had；　by　some　accident　or　disease；　so　little　of　a　nose　left；　if　any　at　all；　that　the　bridge　of　the　nose　for　holding　up　the　spectacles　was　almost　entirely　wanting。　And　thus　did　the　fishwife　retaliate　on　her　niggardly　customer。

When　my　mother　had　got　her　fish　laid　at　the　bottom　of　the　creel；　she　next　went　to　the　〃flesher〃　for　her　butcher…meat。　　There　was　no　higgling　here；　for　the　meat　was　sold　at　the　ordinary　market　price。　Then　came　the　poultry　stratum；　then　the　vegetables；　or　fruits　in　their　season；　and；　finally；　there　was　〃the　floore〃a　bunch　of　flowers；　not　a　costly　bouquet；　but　a；　large　assortment　of　wallflowers；　daffodils　（with　their　early　spring　fragrance）；　polyanthuses；　lilacs；　gilly…flowers；　and　the　glorious　old…fashioned　cabbage　rose；　as　well　as　the　even　more　gloriously　fragrant　moss　rose。　The　caddy's　creel　was　then　topped　up；　and　the　marketing　was　completed。　　The　lady　was　followed　home；　the　contents　were　placed　in　the　larder；　and　the　flowers　distributed　all　over　the　house。

I　have　many　curious　traditional　evidences　of　the　great　fondness　for　cats　which　distinguished　the　Nasmyth　family　for　several　generations。　My　father　had　always　one　or　two　of　such　domestic　favourites；　who　were；　in　the　best　sense；　his　〃familiars。〃　　Their　quiet；　companionable　habits　rendered　them　very　acceptable　company　when　engaged　in　his　artistic　work。　　I　know　of　no　sound　so　pleasantly　tranquillising　as　the　purring　of　a　cat；　or　of　anything　more　worthy　of　admiration　in　animal　habit　as　the　neat；　compact；　and　elegant　manner　in　which　the　cat　adjusts　itself　at　the　fireside；　or　in　a　snug；　cosy　place；　when　it　settles　down　for　a　long　quiet　sleep。　　Every　spare　moment　that　a　cat　has　before　lying　down　to　rest　is　occupied　in　carefully　cleaning　itself；　even　under　adverse　circumstances。　　The　cat　is　the　true　original　inventor　of　a　sanitary　process；　which　has　lately　been　patented　and　paraded　before　the　public　as　a　sanitary　novelty；　and　yet　it　has　been　in　practice　ever　since　cats　were　created。　　Would　that　men　and　women　were　more　alive　to　habitual　cleanlinesseven　the　cleanliness　of　cats。　　The　kindly　and　gentle　animal　gives　us　all　a　lesson　in　these　respects。

Then；　nothing　can　be　more　beautiful　in　animal　action　than　the　exquisitely　precise　and　graceful　manner　in　which　the　cat　exerts　the　exact　amount　of　effort　requisite　to　land　it　at　the　height　and　spot　it　wishes　to　reach　at　one　bound。　　The　neat　and　delicately　precise　manner　in　which　cats　use　their　paws　when　playing　with　those　who　habitually　treat　them　with　gentle　kindness　is　truly　admirable。　　In　these　respects　cats　are　entitled　to　the　most　kindly　regard。　　There　are；　unfortunately；　many　who　entertain　a　strong　prejudice　against　this　most　perfect　and　beautiful　member　of　the　animal　creation；　and　who　abuse　them　because　they　resist　ill…treatment；　occasioned　by　their　innate　feeling　of　independence。　　Cats　have　no　doubt　less　personal　attachment　than　dogs；　but　when　kindly　treated　they　become　in　many　respects　attached　and　affectionate　animals。

My　father；　when　a　boy；　made　occasional　visits　to　Hamilton；　in　the　West　of　Scotland；　where　the　descendants　of　his　Covenanting　ancestors　still　lived。　　One　of　them　was　an　old　bachelora　recluse　sort　of　man；　and　yet　he　had　the　Nasmyth　love　of　cats。　　Being　of　pious　pedigree　and　habits；　he　always　ended　the　day　by　a　long　and　audible　prayer。　My　father　and　his　companions　used　to　go　to　the　door　of　his　house　to　listen　to　him；　but　especially　to　hear　his　culminating　finale。　He　prayed　that　the　Lord　would　help　him　to　forgive　his　enemies　and　all　those　who　had　done　him　injury；　and　then；　with　a　loud　burst；　he　concluded；　〃Except　John　Anderson　o'　the　Toonhead；　for　he　killed　my　cat；　and　him　I'll　ne'er　forgie！　　In　conclusion；　I　may　again　refer　to　Elspeth　Nasmyth；　who　was　burnt　alive　for　witchcraft；　because　she　had　four　black　cats；　and　read　her　Bible　through　two　Pairs　of　spectacles！


CHAPTER　5。　　My　School…days。

Before　I　went　to　school　it　was　my　good　fortune　to　be　placed　under　the　special　care　of　my　eldest　sister；　Jane。　　She　was　twenty　years　older　than　myself；　and　had　acquired　much　practical　experience　in　the　management　of　the　younger　members　of　the　family。　　I　could　not　have　had　a　more　careful　teacher。　　She　initiated　me　into　the　difficulties　of　A　B　C；　and　by　learning　me　to　read　she　gave　me　a　key　to　the　thoughts　of　the　greatest　thinkers　who　have　ever　lived。

But　all　this　was　accomplished　at　first　in　a　humdrum　and　tentative　way。　About　seventy　years　ago　children's　books　were　very　uninteresting。　In　the　little　stories　manufactured　for　children；　the　good　boy　ended　in　a　Coach…and…four；　and　the　bad　boy　in　a　ride　to　Tyburn。　　The　good　boys　must　have　been　a　set　of　little　snobs　and　prigs；　and　I　could　scarcely　imagine　that　they　could　ever　have　lived　as　they　were　represented　in　these　goody　books。　　If　so；　they　must　have　been　the　most　tiresome　and　uninteresting　vermin　that　can　possibly　be　imagined。　After　my　sister　had　done　what　she　could　for　me；　I　was　sent　to　school　to　learn　〃English。〃　I　was　placed　under　the　tuition　of　a　leading　teacher　called　Knight；　whose　school…room　w