the provost-第10部分

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my　retiring　into　the　background　during　the　last　two　or　three　years；　was　a　thing；　as　I　have　said；　done　on　mature　deliberation；　partly；　in　order　that　the　weight　of　my　talents　might　be　rightly　estimated；　and　partly；　that　men　might；　of　their　own　reflections；　come　to　a　proper　understanding　concerning　them。　　I　did　not　secede　from　the　council。　　Could　I　have　done　that　with　propriety；　I　would　assuredly　not　have　scrupled　to　make　the　sacrifice；　but　I　knew　well　that；　if　I　was　to　resign；　it　would　not　be　easy　afterwards　to　get　myself　again　chosen　in。　　In　a　word；　I　was　persuaded　that　I　had；　at　times；　carried　things　a　little　too　highly；　and　that　I　had　the　adversary　of　a　rebellious　feeling　in　the　minds　and　hearts　of　the　corporation　against　me。　　However；　what　I　did；　answered　the　end　and　purpose　I　had　in　view；　folk　began　to　wonder　and　think　with　themselves；　what　for　Mr　Pawkie　had　ceased　to　bestir　himself　in　public　affairs；　and　the　magistrates　and　council　having；　on　two　or　three　occasions；　done　very　unsatisfactory　things；　it　was　said　by　one；　and　echoed　by　another；　till　the　whole　town　was　persuaded　of　the　fact；　that；　had　I　lent　my　shoulder　to　the　wheel；　things　would　not　have　been　as　they　were。　　But　the　matter　which　did　the　most　service　to　me　at　this　time；　was　a　rank　piece　of　idolatry　towards　my　lord；　on　the　part　of　Bailie　M'Lucre；　who　had　again　got　himself　most　sickerly　installed　in　the　guildry。　　Sundry　tacks　came　to　an　end　in　this　year　of　eighty…eight；　and　among　others；　the　Niggerbrae　park；　which；　lying　at　a　commodious　distance　from　the　town；　might　have　been　relet　with　a　rise　and　advantage。　　But　what　did　the　dean　of　guild　do？　　He；　in　some　secret　and　clandestine　manner；　gave　a　hint　to　my　lord's　factor　to　make　an　offer　for　the　park　on　a　two　nineteen　years'　lease；　at　the　rent　then　goingthe　which　was　done　in　my　lord's　name；　his　lordship　being　then　provost。　　The　Niggerbrae　was　accordingly　let　to　him；　at　the　same　rent　which　the　town　received　for　it　in　the　sixty…nine。　Nothing　could　be　more　manifest　than　that　there　was　some　jookerie　cookerie　in　this　affair；　but　in　what　manner　it　was　done；　or　how　the　dean　of　guild's　benefit　was　to　ensue；　no　one　could　tell；　and　few　were　able　to　conjecture；　for　my　lord　was　sorely　straitened　for　money；　and　had　nothing　to　spare　out　of　hand。　　However；　towards　the　end　of　the　year；　a　light　broke　in　upon　us。

Gabriel　M'Lucre；　the　dean　of　guild's　fifth　son；　a　fine　spirited　laddie；　somehow　got　suddenly　a　cadetcy　to　go　to　India；　and　there　were　uncharitably…minded　persons；　who　said；　that　this　was　the　payment　for　the　Niggerbrae　job　to　my　lord。　　The　outcry；　in　consequence；　both　against　the　dean　of　guild；　and　especially　against　the　magistrates　and　council　for　consenting　thereto；　was　so　extraordinary；　and　I　was　so　openly　upbraided　for　being　so　long　lukewarm；　that　I　was；　in　a　manner；　forced　again　forward　to　take　a　prominent　part；　but　I　took　good　care　to　let　it　be　well　known；　that；　in　resuming　my　public　faculties；　I　was　resolved　to　take　my　own　way；　and　to　introduce　a　new　method　and　reformation　into　all　our　concerns。　Accordingly；　at　the　Michaelmas　following；　that　is；　in　the　eighty…　nine；　I　was　a　second　time　chosen　to　the　provostry；　with　an　understanding；　that　I　was　to　be　upheld　in　the　office　and　dignity　for　two　years；　and　that　sundry　improvements；　which　I　thought　the　town　was　susceptible　of；　both　in　the　causey　of　the　streets　and　the　reparation　of　the　kirk；　should　be　set　about　under　my　direction；　but　the　way　in　which　I　handled　the　same；　and　brought　them　to　a　satisfactory　completeness　and　perfection；　will　supply　abundant　matter　for　two　chapters。



CHAPTER　XVON　THE　IMPROVEMENT　OF　THE　STREETS



In　ancient　times；　Gudetown　had　been　fortified　with　ports　and　gates　at　the　end　of　the　streets；　and　in　troublesome　occasions；　the　country　people；　as　the　traditions　relate；　were　in　the　practice　of　driving　in　their　families　and　cattle　for　shelter。　　This　gave　occasion　to　that　great　width　in　our　streets；　and　those　of　other　royal　burghs；　which　is　so　remarkable；　the　same　being　so　built　to　give　room　and　stance　for　the　cattle。　　But　in　those　days　the　streets　were　not　paved　at　the　sides；　but　only　in　the　middle；　or；　as　it　was　called；　the　crown　of　the　causey；　which　was　raised　and　backed　upward；　to　let　the　rain…　water　run　off　into　the　gutters。　　In　progress　of　time；　however；　as　the　land　and　kingdom　gradually　settled　down　into　an　orderly　state；　the　farmers　and　country　folk　having　no　cause　to　drive　in　their　herds　and　flocks；　as　in　the　primitive　ages　of　a　rampageous　antiquity；　the　proprietors　of　houses　in　the　town；　at　their　own　cost；　began；　one　after　another；　to　pave　the　spaces　of　ground　between　their　steadings　and　the　crown　of　the　causey；　the　which　spaces　were　called　lones；　and　the　lones　being　considered　as　private　property；　the　corporation　had　only　regard　to　the　middle　portion　of　the　streetthat　which　I　have　said　was　named　the　crown　of　the　causey。

The　effect　of　this　separation　of　interests　in　a　common　good　began　to　manifest　itself；　when　the　pavement　of　the　crown　of　the　causey；　by　neglect；　became　rough　and　dangerous　to　loaded　carts　and　gentlemen's　carriages　passing　through　the　town；　in　so　much　that；　for　some　time　prior　to　my　second　provostry；　the　carts　and　carriages　made　no　hesitation　of　going　over　the　lones；　instead　of　keeping　the　highway　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　at　which　many　of　the　burgesses　made　loud　and　just　complaints。

One　dark　night；　the　very　first　Sunday　after　my　restoration　to　the　provostry；　there　was　like　to　have　happened　a　very　sore　thing　by　an　old　woman；　one　Peggy　Waife；　who　had　been　out　with　her　gown…tail　over　her　head　for　a　choppin　of　strong　ale。　　As　she　was　coming　home；　with　her　ale　in　a　greybeard　in　her　hand；　a　chaise　in　full　bir　came　upon　her　and　knocked　her　down；　and　broke　the　greybeard　and　spilt　the　liquor。　　The　cry　was　terrible；　some　thought　poor　Peggy　was　killed　outright；　and　wives；　with　candles　in　their　hands；　started　out　at　the　doors　and　windows。　　Peggy；　however；　was　more　terrified　than　damaged；　but　the　gentry　that　were　in　the　chaise；　being　termagant　English　travellers；　swore　like　dragoons　that　the　streets　should　be　indicted　as　a　nuisance；　and　when　they　put　up　at　the　inns；　two　of　them　came　to　me；　as　provost；　to　remonstrate　on　the　shameful　condition　of　the　pavement；　and　to　lodge　in　my　hands　the　sum　of　ten　pounds　for　the　behoof　of　Peggy；　the　which　was　greater　riches　than　ever　the　poor　creature　thought　to　attain　in　this　world。　　Seeing　they　were　gentlemen　of　a　right　quality；　I　did　what　I　could　to　pacify　them；　by　joining　in　every　thing　they　said　in　condemnation　of　the　streets；　telling　them；　at　the　same　time；　that　the　improvement　of　the　causey　was　to　be　the　very　first　object　and　care　of　my　provostry。　　And　I　bade　Mrs　Pawkie　bring　in　the　wine　decanters；　and　requested　them　to　sit　down　with　me　and　take　a　glass　of　wine　and　a　sugar　biscuit；　the　civility　of　which；　on　my　part；　soon　brought　them　into　a　peaceable　way　of　thinking；　and　they　went　away；　highly　commanding　my　politess　and　hospitality；　of　which　they　spoke　in　the　warmest　terms；　to　their　companion　when　they　returned　to　the　inns；　as　the　waiter　who　attended　them　overheard；　and　told　the　landlord；　who　informed　me　and　others　of　the　same　in　the　morning。　　So　that　on　the　Saturday　following；　when　the　town…council　met；　there　was　no　difficulty　in　getting　a　minute　entered　at　the　sederunt；　that　the　crown　of　the　causey　should　be　forthwith　put　in　a　state　of　reparation。

Having　thus　gotten　the　thing　determined　upon；　I　then　proposed　that　we　should　have　the　work　done　by　contract；　and　that　notice　should　be　given　publicly　of　such　being　our　intent。　　Some　boggling　was　made　to　this　proposal；　it　never　having　been　the　use　and　wont　of　the　corporation；　in　time　past；　to　do　any　thing　by　contract；　but　just　to　put　whatever　was　required　into　the　hands　of　one　of　the　council；　who　got　the　work　done　in　the　best　way　he　could；　by　which　loose　manner　of　administration　great　abuses　were　often　allowed　to　pass　unreproved。　But　I　persisted　in　my　resolution　to　have　the　causey　renewed　by　contract；　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　gave　me　credit　for　introducing　such　a　great　reformation　into　the　management　of　public　affairs。

When　it　was　made　known　that　we　would　receive　offers　to　contract；　divers　persons　came　forward；　and　I　was　a　little　at　a　loss；　when　I　saw　such　competition；　as　to　which　ought　to　be　preferred。　　At　last；　I　bethought　me；　to　send　for　the　different　competitors；　and　converse　with　them　on　the　subject　quietly；　and　I　found　in　Thomas　Shovel；　the　tacksman　of　Whinstone…quarry；　a　discreet　and　considerate　man。　　His　offer　was；　it　is　true；　not　so　low　as　some　of　the　others；　but　he　had　facilities　to　do　the　work　quickly；　that　none　of　the　rest　could　pretend　to；　so；　upon　a　clear　understanding　of　that；　with　the　help　of　the　dean　of　guild　M'Lucre's　advocacy；　Thomas　Shovel　got　the　contract。　　At　first；　I　could　not　divine　what　interest　my　old　friend；　the　dean　of　guild；　had　to　be　so　earnest　in　behalf　of　the　offering　contractor；　in　course　of　time；　however；　it　spunkit　out　that　he　was　a　sleeping　partner　in　the　business；　by　which　he　made　a　power　of　profit。　　But　saving　two　three　carts　of　stones　to　big　a　dyke　round　the　new　steading　which　I　had　bought　a　short　time　before　at　the　town…　end；　I　had　no　benefit　whatever。　　Indeed；　I　may　take　it　upon　me　to　say；　that　should　not　say　it；　few　provosts；　in　so　great　a　concern；　could　have　acted　more　on　a　principle　than　I　did　in　this；　and　if　Thomas　Shovel；　of　his　free…will；　did；　at　the　instigation　of　the　dean　of　guild；　lay　down　the　stones　on　my　ground　as　aforesaid；　the　town　was　not　wronged；　for；　no　doubt；　he　paid　me　the　compliment　at　some　expense　of　his　own　profit。



CHAPTER　XVIABOUT　THE　REPAIR　OF　THE　KIRK



The　repair　of　the　kirk；　the　next　job　I　took　in　hand；　was　not　so　easily　managed　as　that　of　the　causey；　for　it　seems；　in　former　times；　the　whole　space　of　the　area　had　been　free　to　the　parish　in　general；　and　that　the　lofts　were　constructions；　raised　at　the　special　expense　of　the　heritors　for　themselves。　　The　fronts　being　for　their　families；　and　the　back　seats　for　their　servants　and　tenants。　　In　those　times　there　were　no　such　things　as　pews；　but　only　forms；　removeable；　as　I　have　heard　say；　at　pleasure。

It；　however；　happened；　in　the　course　of　nature；　that　certain　forms　came　to　be　sabbathly　frequented　by　the　same　p