the provost-第16部分

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horses　of　destruction　over　them。　　What　had　become　of　the　other　two　was　never　known；　but　it　was　supposed　that　they　had　foundered　at　their　anchors；　and　that　all　on　board　perished。

The　day　being　now　Sabbath；　and　the　whole　town　idle；　every　body　in　a　manner　was　down　on　the　beach；　to　help　and　mourn　as　the　bodies；　one　after　another；　were　cast　out　by　the　waves。　　Alas！　few　were　the　better　of　my　provident　preparation；　and　it　was　a　thing　not　to　be　described；　to　see；　for　more　than　a　mile　along　the　coast；　the　new…　made　widows　and　fatherless　bairns；　mourning　and　weeping　over　the　corpses　of　those　they　loved。　　Seventeen　bodies　were；　before　ten　o'clock；　carried　to　the　desolated　dwelling　of　their　families；　and　when　old　Thomas　Pull；　the　betheral；　went　to　ring　the　bell　for　public　worship；　such　was　the　universal　sorrow　of　the　town；　that　Nanse　Donsie；　an　idiot　natural；　ran　up　the　street　to　stop　him；　crying；　in　the　voice　of　a　pardonable　desperation；　〃Wha；　in　sic　a　time；　can　praise　the　Lord？〃



CHAPTER　XXVTHE　SUBSCRIPTION



The　calamity　of　the　storm　opened　and　disposed　the　hearts　of　the　whole　town　to　charity；　and　it　was　a　pleasure　to　behold　the　manner　in　which　the　tide　of　sympathy　flowed　towards　the　sufferers。　　Nobody　went　to　the　church　in　the　forenoon；　but　when　I　had　returned　home　from　the　shore；　several　of　the　council　met　at　my　house　to　confer　anent　the　desolation；　and　it　was　concerted　among　us；　at　my　suggestion；　that　there　should　be　a　meeting　of　the　inhabitants　called　by　the　magistrates；　for　the　next　day；　in　order　to　take　the　public　compassion　with　the　tear　in　the　eyewhich　was　accordingly　done　by　Mr　Pittle　himself　from　the　pulpit；　with　a　few　judicious　words　on　the　heavy　dispensation。　　And　the　number　of　folk　that　came　forward　to　subscribe　was　just　wonderful。　　We　got　well　on　to　a　hundred　pounds　in　the　first　two　hours；　besides　many　a　bundle　of　old　clothes。　　But　one　of　the　most　remarkable　things　in　the　business　was　done　by　Mr　Macandoe。　　He　was；　in　his　original；　a　lad　of　the　place；　who　had　gone　into　Glasgow；　where　he　was　in　a　topping　line；　and　happening　to　be　on　a　visit　to　his　friends　at　the　time；　he　came　to　the　meeting　and　put　down　his　name　for　twenty　guineas；　which　he　gave　me　in　bank…notesa　sum　of　such　liberality　as　had　never　been　given　to　the　town　from　one　individual　man；　since　the　mortification　of　fifty　pounds　that　we　got　by　the　will　of　Major　Bravery　that　died　in　Cheltenham；　in　England；　after　making　his　fortune　in　India。　　The　sum　total　of　the　subscription；　when　we　got　my　lord's　five…and…twenty　guineas；　was　better　than　two　hundred　pounds　sterlingfor　even　several　of　the　country　gentlemen　were　very　generous　contributors；　and　it　is　well　known　that　they　are　not　inordinately　charitable；　especially　to　town　folksbut　the　distribution　of　it　was　no　easy　task；　for　it　required　a　discrimination　of　character　as　well　as　of　necessities。　　It　was　at　first　proposed　to　give　it　over　to　the　session。　　I　knew；　however；　that；　in　their　hands；　it　would　do　no　good；　for　Mr　Pittle；　the　minister；　was　a　vain　sort　of　a　body；　and　easy　to　be　fleeched；　and　the　bold　and　the　bardy　with　him　would　be　sure　to　come　in　for　a　better　share　than　the　meek　and　the　modest；　who　might　be　in　greater　want。　　So　I　set　myself　to　consider　what　was　the　best　way　of　proceeding；　and　truly　upon　reflection；　there　are　few　events　in　my　history　that　I　look　back　upon　with　more　satisfaction　than　the　part　I　performed　in　this　matter；　for；　before　going　into　any　division　of　the　money；　I　proposed　that　we　should　allot　it　to　three　classesthose　who　were　destitute；　those　who　had　some　help；　but　large　families；　and　those　to　whom　a　temporality　would　be　sufficientand　that　we　should　make　a　visitation　to　the　houses　of　all　the　sufferers；　in　order　to　class　them　under　their　proper　heads　aright。　　By　this　method；　and　together　with　what　I　had　done　personally　in　the　tempest；　I　got　great　praise　and　laud　from　all　reflecting　people；　and　it　is　not　now　to　be　told　what　a　consolation　was　brought　to　many　a　sorrowful　widow　and　orphan's　heart；　by　the　patience　and　temperance　with　which　the　fund　of　liberality　was　distributed；　yet　because　a　small　sum　was　reserved　to　help　some　of　the　more　helpless　at　another　time；　and　the　same　was　put　out　to　interest　in　the　town's　books；　there　were　not　wanting　evil…minded　persons　who　went　about　whispering　calumnious　innuendos　to　my　disadvantage；　but　I　know；　by　this　time；　the　nature　of　the　world；　and　how　impossible　it　is　to　reason　with　such　a　seven…headed　and　ten…horned　beast　as　the　multitude。　　So　I　said　nothing；　only　I　got　the　town…clerk's　young　man；　who　acted　as　clerk　to　the　committee　of　the　subscription；　to　make　out　a　fair　account　of　the　distribution　of　the　money；　and　to　what　intent　the　residue　had　been　placed　in　the　town…treasurer's　hand；　and　this　I　sent　unto　a　friend　in　Glasgow　to　get　printed　for　me；　the　which　he　did；　and　when　I　got　the　copies；　I　directed　one　to　every　individual　subscriber；　and　sent　the　town…　drummer　an　end's　errand　with　them；　which　was　altogether　a　proceeding　of　a　method　and　exactness　so　by　common；　that　it　not　only　quenched　the　envy　of　spite　utterly　out；　but　contributed　more　and　more　to　give　me　weight　and　authority　with　the　community；　until　I　had　the　whole　sway　and　mastery　of　the　town。



CHAPTER　XXVIOF　THE　PUBLIC　LAMPS



Death　is　a　great　reformer　of　corporate　bodies；　and　we　found；　now　and　then；　the　benefit　of　his　helping　hand　in　our　royal　burgh。　　From　the　time　of　my　being　chosen　into　the　council；　and；　indeed；　for　some　years　before；　Mr　Hirple　had　been　a　member；　but；　from　some　secret　and　unexpressed　understanding　among　us；　he　was　never　made　a　bailie；　for　he　was　not　liked；　having　none　of　that　furthy　and　jocose　spirit　so　becoming　in　a　magistrate　of　that　degree；　and　to　which　the　gifts　of　gravity　and　formality　make　but　an　unsubstantial　substitute。　　He　was；　on　the　contrary；　a　queer　and　quistical　man；　of　a　small　stature　of　body；　with　an　outshot　breast；　the　which；　I　am　inclined　to　think；　was　one　of　the　main　causes　of　our　never　promoting　him　into　the　ostensible　magistracy；　besides；　his　temper　was　exceedingly　brittle；　and　in　the　debates　anent　the　weightiest　concerns　of　the　public；　he　was　apt　to　puff　and　fiz；　and　go　off　with　a　pluff　of　anger　like　a　pioye；　so　that；　for　the　space　of　more　than　five…and…twenty　years；　we　would　have　been　glad　of　his　resignation；　and；　in　the　heat　of　argument；　there　was　no　lack　of　hints　to　that　effect　from　more　than　one　of　his　friends；　especially　from　Bailie　Picken；　who　was　himself　a　sharp…tempered　individual；　and　could　as　ill　sit　quiet　under　a　contradiction　as　any　man　I　ever　was　conjunct　with。　　But　just　before　the　close　of　my　second　provostry；　Providence　was　kind　to　Mr　Hirple；　and　removed　him　gently　away　from　the　cares；　and　troubles；　and　the　vain　policy　of　this　contending　world；　into；　as　I　hope　and　trust；　a　far　better　place。

It　may　seem；　hereafter；　to　the　unlearned　readers　among　posterity；　particularly　to　such　of　them　as　may　happen　not　to　be　versed　in　that　state　of　things　which　we　were　obligated　to　endure；　very　strange　that　I　should　make　this　special　mention　of　Mr　Hirple　at　his　latter　end；　seeing　and　observing　the　small　store　and　account　I　have　thus　set　upon　his　talents　and　personalities。　　But　the　verity　of　the　reason　is　plainly　this：　　we　never　discovered　his　worth　and　value　till　we　had　lost　him；　or　rather；　till　we　found　the　defect　and　gap　that　his　death　caused；　and　the　affliction　that　came　in　through　it　upon　us　in　the　ill…advised　selection　of　Mr　Hickery　to　fill　his　vacant　place。

The　spunky　nature　of　Mr　Hirple　was　certainly　very　disagreeable　often　to　most　of　the　council；　especially　when　there　was　any　difference　of　opinion；　but　then　it　was　only　a　sort　of　flash；　and　at　the　vote　he　always；　like　a　reasonable　man；　sided　with　the　majority；　and　never　after　attempted　to　rip　up　a　decision　when　it　was　once　so　settled。　Mr　Hickery　was　just　the　even　down　reverse　of　this。　　He　never；　to　be　sure；　ran　himself　into　a　passion；　but　then　he　continued　to　speak　and　argue　so　long　in　reply；　never　heeding　the　most　rational　things　of　his　adversaries；　that　he　was　sure　to　put　every　other　person　in　a　rage；　in　addition　to　all　which；　he　was　likewise　a　sorrowful　body　in　never　being　able　to　understand　how　a　determination　by　vote　ought　to　and　did　put　an　end　to　every　questionable　proceeding；　so　that　he　was；　for　a　constancy；　ever　harping　about　the　last　subject　discussed；　as　if　it　had　not　been　decided；　until　a　new　difference　of　opinion　arose；　and　necessitated　him　to　change　the　burden　and　o'ercome　of　his　wearysome　speeches。

It　may　seem　remarkable　that　we　should　have　taken　such　a　plague　into　the　council；　and　be　thought　that　we　were　well　served　for　our　folly；　but　we　were　unacquaint　with　the　character　of　the　manfor　although　a　native　of　the　town；　he　was　in　truth　a　stranger；　having；　at　an　early　age；　espoused　his　fortune；　and　gone　to　Philadelphia　in　America；　and　no　doubt　his　argol…bargolous　disposition　was　an　inheritance　accumulated　with　his　other　conquest　of　wealth　from　the　mannerless　Yankees。　　Coming　home　and　settling　among　us；　with　a　power　of　money；　（some　said　eleven　thousand　pounds；）　a　short　time　before　Mr　Hirple　departed　this　life；　we　all　thought；　on　that　event　happening；　it　would　be　a　very　proper　compliment　to　take　Mr　Hickery　into　the　council；　and　accordingly　we　were　so　misfortunate　as　to　do　so；　but　I　trow　we　soon　had　reason　to　repent　our　indiscretion；　and　none　more　than　myself；　who　had　first　proposed　him。

Mr　Hickery　having　been　chosen　to　supply　the　void　caused　by　the　death　of　Mr　Hirple；　in　the　very　first　sederunt　of　the　council　after　his　election；　he　kithed　in　his　true　colours。

Among　other　things　that　I　had　contemplated　for　the　ornament　and　edification　of　the　burgh；　was　the　placing　up　of　lamps　to　light　the　streets；　such　as　may　be　seen　in　all　well　regulated　cities　and　towns　of　any　degree。　　Having　spoken　of　this　patriotic　project　to　several　of　my　colleagues；　who　all　highly　approved　of　the　same；　I　had　no　jealousy　or　suspicion　that　a　design　so　clearly　and　luminously　useful　would　meet　with　any　other　opposition　than；　may　be；　some　doubt　as　to　the　fiscal　abilities　of　our　income。　　To　be　sure　Mr　Dribbles；　who　at　that　time　kept　the　head　inns；　and　was　in　the　council；　said；　with　a　wink；　that　it　might　be　found　an　inconvenience　to　sober　folk　that　happened；　on　an　occasion　now　and　then；　to　be　an　hour　later　than　us