the provost-第15部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　in　consideration　of　the　long　space　of　time　he　had　been　a　public　man　among　us。

But　what　rendered　the　event　of　his　death；　in　my　opinion；　the　more　remarkable；　was；　that　I　considered　with　him　the　last　remnant　of　the　old　practice　of　managing　the　concerns　of　the　town　came　to　a　period。　For　now　that　he　is　dead　and　gone；　and　also　all　those　whom　I　found　conjunct　with　him；　when　I　came　into　power　and　office；　I　may　venture　to　say；　that　things　in　yon　former　times　were　not　guided　so　thoroughly　by　the　hand　of　a　disinterested　integrity　as　in　these　latter　years。　　On　the　contrary；　it　seemed　to　be　the　use　and　wont　of　men　in　public　trusts；　to　think　they　were　free　to　indemnify　themselves　in　a　left…handed　way　for　the　time　and　trouble　they　bestowed　in　the　same。　　But　the　thing　was　not　so　far　wrong　in　principle　as　in　the　hugger…muggering　way　in　which　it　was　done；　and　which　gave　to　it　a　guilty　colour；　that；　by　the　judicious　stratagem　of　a　right　system；　it　would　never　have　had。　　In　sooth　to　say；　through　the　whole　course　of　my　public　life；　I　met　with　no　greater　difficulties　and　trials　than　in　cleansing　myself　from　the　old　habitudes　of　office。　　For　I　must　in　verity　confess；　that　I　myself　partook；　in　a　degree；　at　my　beginning；　of　the　caterpillar　nature；　and　it　was　not　until　the　light　of　happier　days　called　forth　the　wings　of　my　endowment；　that　I　became　conscious　of　being　raised　into　public　life　for　a　better　purpose　than　to　prey　upon　the　leaves　and　flourishes　of　the　commonwealth。　　So　that；　if　I　have　seemed　to　speak　lightly　of　those　doings　that　are　now　denominated　corruptions；　I　hope　it　was　discerned　therein　that　I　did　so　rather　to　intimate　that　such　things　were；　than　to　consider　them　as　in　themselves　commendable。　Indeed；　in　their　notations；　I　have　endeavoured；　in　a　manner；　to　be　governed　by　the　spirit　of　the　times　in　which　the　transactions　happened；　for　I　have　lived　long　enough　to　remark；　that　if　we　judge　of　past　events　by　present　motives；　and　do　not　try　to　enter　into　the　spirit　of　the　age　when　they　took　place；　and　to　see　them　with　the　eyes　with　which　they　were　really　seen；　we　shall　conceit　many　things　to　be　of　a　bad　and　wicked　character　that　were　not　thought　so　harshly　of　by　those　who　witnessed　them；　nor　even　by　those　who；　perhaps；　suffered　from　them。　　While；　therefore；　I　think　it　has　been　of　a　great　advantage　to　the　public　to　have　survived　that　method　of　administration　in　which　the　like　of　Bailie　M'Lucre　was　engendered；　I　would　not　have　it　understood　that　I　think　the　men　who　held　the　public　trusts　in　those　days　a　whit　less　honest　than　the　men　of　my　own　time。　　The　spirit　of　their　own　age　was　upon　them；　as　that　of　ours　is　upon　us；　and　their　ways　of　working　the　wherry　entered　more　or　less　into　all　their　trafficking；　whether　for　the　commonality；　or　for　their　own　particular　behoof　and　advantage。

I　have　been　thus　large　and　frank　in　my　reflections　anent　the　death　of　the　bailie；　because；　poor　man；　he　had　outlived　the　times　for　which　he　was　qualified；　and；　instead　of　the　merriment　and　jocularity　that　his　wily　by…hand　ways　used　to　cause　among　his　neighbours；　the　rising　generation　began　to　pick　and　dab　at　him；　in　such　a　manner；　that；　had　he　been　much　longer　spared；　it　is　to　be　feared　he　would　not　have　been　allowed　to　enjoy　his　earnings　both　with　ease　and　honour。　　However；　he　got　out　of　the　world　with　some　respect；　and　the　matters　of　which　I　have　now　to　speak；　are　exalted；　both　in　method　and　principle；　far　above　the　personal　considerations　that　took　something　from　the　public　virtue　of　his　day　and　generation。



CHAPTER　XXIVTHE　WINDY　YULE



It　was　in　the　course　of　the　winter；　after　the　decease　of　Bailie　M'Lucre；　that　the　great　loss　of　lives　took　place；　which　every　body　agreed　was　one　of　the　most　calamitous　things　that　had　for　many　a　year　befallen　the　town。

Three　or　four　vessels　were　coming　with　cargoes　of　grain　from　Ireland；　another　from　the　Baltic　with　Norawa　deals；　and　a　third　from　Bristol；　where　she　had　been　on　a　charter　for　some　Greenock　merchants。

It　happened　that；　for　a　time；　there　had　been　contrary　winds；　against　which　no　vessel　could　enter　the　port；　and　the　ships；　whereof　I　have　been　speaking；　were　all　lying　together　at　anchor　in　the　bay；　waiting　a　change　of　weather。　　These　five　vessels　were　owned　among　ourselves；　and　their　crews　consisted　of　fathers　and　sons　belonging　to　the　place；　so　that；　both　by　reason　of　interest　and　affection；　a　more　than　ordinary　concern　was　felt　for　them；　for　the　sea　was　so　rough；　that　no　boat　could　live　in　it　to　go　near　them；　and　we　had　our　fears　that　the　men　on　board　would　be　very　ill　off。　　Nothing；　however；　occurred　but　this　natural　anxiety；　till　the　Saturday；　which　was　Yule。　　In　the　morning　the　weather　was　blasty　and　sleety；　waxing　more　and　more　tempestuous　till　about　mid…day；　when　the　wind　checked　suddenly　round　from　the　nor…east　to　the　sou…west；　and　blew　a　gale　as　if　the　prince　of　the　powers　of　the　air　was　doing　his　utmost　to　work　mischief。　　The　rain　blattered；　the　windows　clattered；　the　shop…　shutters　flapped；　pigs　from　the　lum…heads　came　rattling　down　like　thunder…claps；　and　the　skies　were　dismal　both　with　cloud　and　carry。　Yet；　for　all　that；　there　was　in　the　streets　a　stir　and　a　busy　visitation　between　neighbours；　and　every　one　went　to　their　high　windows；　to　look　at　the　five　poor　barks　that　were　warsling　against　the　strong　arm　of　the　elements　of　the　storm　and　the　ocean。

Still　the　lift　gloomed；　and　the　wind　roared；　and　it　was　as　doleful　a　sight　as　ever　was　seen　in　any　town　afflicted　with　calamity；　to　see　the　sailors'　wives；　with　their　red　cloaks　about　their　heads；　followed　by　their　hirpling　and　disconsolate　bairns；　going　one　after　another　to　the　kirkyard；　to　look　at　the　vessels　where　their　helpless　breadwinners　were　battling　with　the　tempest。　　My　heart　was　really　sorrowful；　and　full　of　a　sore　anxiety　to　think　of　what　might　happen　to　the　town；　whereof　so　many　were　in　peril；　and　to　whom　no　human　magistracy　could　extend　the　arm　of　protection。　　Seeing　no　abatement　of　the　wrath　of　heaven；　that　howled　and　roared　around　us；　I　put　on　my　big…coat；　and　taking　my　staff　in　my　hand；　having　tied　down　my　hat　with　a　silk　handkerchief；　towards　gloaming　I　walked　likewise　to　the　kirkyard；　where　I　beheld　such　an　assemblage　of　sorrow；　as　few　men　in　situation　have　ever　been　put　to　the　trial　to　witness。

In　the　lea　of　the　kirk　many　hundreds　of　the　town　were　gathered　together；　but　there　was　no　discourse　among　them。　　The　major　part　were　sailors'　wives　and　weans；　and　at　every　new　thud　of　the　blast；　a　sob　rose；　and　the　mothers　drew　their　bairns　closer　in　about　them；　as　if　they　saw　the　visible　hand　of　a　foe　raised　to　smite　them。　　Apart　from　the　multitude；　I　observed　three　or　four　young　lasses　standing　behind　the　Whinnyhill　families'　tomb；　and　I　jealoused　that　they　had　joes　in　the　ships；　for　they　often　looked　to　the　bay；　with　long　necks　and　sad　faces；　from　behind　the　monument。　　A　widow　woman；　one　old　Mary　Weery；　that　was　a　lameter；　and　dependent　on　her　son；　who　was　on　board　the　Louping　Meg；　（as　the　Lovely　Peggy　was　nicknamed　at　the　shore；）　stood　by　herself；　and　every　now　and　then　wrung　her　hands；　crying；　with　a　woeful　voice；　〃The　Lord　giveth　and　the　Lord　taketh　away；　blessed　be　the　name　of　the　Lord；〃but　it　was　manifest　to　all　that　her　faith　was　fainting　within　her。　　But　of　all　the　piteous　objects　there；　on　that　doleful　evening；　none　troubled　my　thoughts　more　than　three　motherless　children；　that　belonged　to　the　mate　of　one　of　the　vessels　in　the　jeopardy。　　He　was　an　Englishman　that　had　been　settled　some　years　in　the　town；　where　his　family　had　neither　kith　nor　kin；　and　his　wife　having　died　about　a　month　before；　the　bairns；　of　whom　the　eldest　was　but　nine　or　so；　were　friendless　enough；　though　both　my　gudewife；　and　other　well…disposed　ladies；　paid　them　all　manner　of　attention　till　their　father　would　come　home。　The　three　poor　little　things；　knowing　that　he　was　in　one　of　the　ships；　had　been　often　out　and　anxious；　and　they　were　then　sitting　under　the　lea　of　a　headstone；　near　their　mother's　grave；　chittering　and　creeping　closer　and　closer　at　every　squall。　　Never　was　such　an　orphan…like　sight　seen。

When　it　began　to　be　so　dark　that　the　vessels　could　no　longer　be　discerned　from　the　churchyard；　many　went　down　to　the　shore；　and　I　took　the　three　babies　home　with　me；　and　Mrs　Pawkie　made　tea　for　them；　and　they　soon　began　to　play　with　our　own　younger　children；　in　blythe　forgetfulness　of　the　storm；　every　now　and　then；　however；　the　eldest　of　them；　when　the　shutters　rattled　and　the　lum…head　roared；　would　pause　in　his　innocent　daffing；　and　cower　in　towards　Mrs　Pawkie；　as　if　he　was　daunted　and　dismayed　by　something　he　knew　not　what。

Many　a　one　that　night　walked　the　sounding　shore　in　sorrow；　and　fires　were　lighted　along　it　to　a　great　extent；　but　the　darkness　and　the　noise　of　the　raging　deep；　and　the　howling　wind；　never　intermitted　till　about　midnight：　　at　which　time　a　message　was　brought　to　me；　that　it　might　be　needful　to　send　a　guard　of　soldiers　to　the　beach；　for　that　broken　masts　and　tackle　had　come　in；　and　that　surely　some　of　the　barks　had　perished。　　I　lost　no　time　in　obeying　this　suggestion；　which　was　made　to　me　by　one　of　the　owners　of　the　Louping　Meg；　and　to　show　that　I　sincerely　sympathized　with　all　those　in　affliction；　I　rose　and　dressed　myself；　and　went　down　to　the　shore；　where　I　directed　several　old　boats　to　be　drawn　up　by　the　fires；　and　blankets　to　be　brought；　and　cordials　prepared；　for　them　that　might　be　spared　with　life　to　reach　the　land；　and　I　walked　the　beach　with　the　mourners　till　the　morning。

As　the　day　dawned；　the　wind　began　to　abate　in　its　violence；　and　to　wear　away　from　the　sou…west　into　the　norit；　but　it　was　soon　discovered　that　some　of　the　vessels　with　the　corn　had　perished；　for　the　first　thing　seen；　was　a　long　fringe　of　tangle　and　grain　along　the　line　of　the　highwater　mark；　and　every　one　strained　with　greedy　and　grieved　eyes；　as　the　daylight　brightened；　to　discover　which　had　suffered。　　But　I　can　proceed　no　further　with　the　dismal　recital　of　that　doleful　morning。　　Let　it　suffice　here　to　be　known；　that；　through　the　haze；　we　at　last　saw　three　of　the　vessels　lying　on　their　beam…ends　with　their　masts　broken；　and　the　waves　riding　like　the　furious　horses　of　destruction　over　them。　　What　had　become　of　the　other　two　was　never　known；　but　it　was　suppo