the provost-第23部分

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ds　at　the　duel。

〃Bailie；〃　said　the　laird　on　behalf　of　himself　and　friends；　〃though　you　are　the　uncle　of　poor　Dick；　we　have　resolved　to　throw　ourselves　into　your　hands；　for　we　have　not　provided　any　money　to　enable　us　to　flee　the　country；　we　only　hope　you　will　not　deal　overly　harshly　with　us　till　his　fate　is　ascertained。〃

I　was　greatly　disconcerted；　and　wist　not　what　to　say；　for　knowing　the　rigour　of　our　Scottish　laws　against　duelling；　I　was　wae　to　see　three　brave　youths；　not　yet　come　to　years　of　discretion；　standing　in　the　peril　and　jeopardy　of　an　ignominious　end；　and　that；　too；　for　an　injury　done　to　my　own　kin；　and　then　I　thought　of　my　nephew　and　of　my　brother；　that；　maybe；　would　soon　be　in　sorrow　for　the　loss　of　his　only　son。　　In　short；　I　was　tried　almost　beyond　my　humanity。　　The　three　poor　lads；　seeing　me　hesitate；　were　much　moved；　and　one　of　them　（Sandy　Blackie）　said；　〃I　told　you　how　it　would　be；　it　was　even…　down　madness　to　throw　ourselves　into　the　lion's　mouth。〃　　To　this　Swinton　replied；　〃Mr　Pawkie；　we　have　cast　ourselves　on　your　mercy　as　a　gentleman。〃

What　could　I　say　to　this；　but　that　I　hoped　they　would　find　me　one；　and　without　speaking　any　more　at　that　timefor　indeed　I　could　not；　my　heart　beat　so　fastI　bade　them　follow　me；　and　taking　them　round　by　the　back　road　to　my　garden　yett；　I　let　them　in；　and　conveyed　them　into　a　warehouse　where　I　kept　my　bales　and　boxes。　　Then　slipping　into　the　house；　I　took　out　of　the　pantry　a　basket　of　bread　and　a　cold　leg　of　mutton；　which；　when　Mrs　Pawkie　and　the　servant　lassies　missed　in　the　morning；　they　could　not　divine　what　had　become　of；　and　giving　the　same　to　them；　with　a　bottle　of　winefor　they　were　very　hungry；　having　tasted　nothing　all　dayI　went　round　to　my　brother's　to　see　at　the　latest　how　Richard　was。　　But　such　a　stang　as　I　got　on　entering　the　house；　when　I　heard　his　mother　wailing　that　he　was　dead；　he　having　fainted　away　in　getting　the　bullet　extracted；　and　when　I　saw　his　father　coming　out　of　the　room　like　a　demented　man；　and　heard　again　his　upbraiding　of　me　for　having　refused　a　warrant　to　apprehend　the　murderersI　was　so　stunned　with　the　shock；　and　with　the　thought　of　the　poor　young　lads　in　my　mercy；　that　I　could　with　difficulty　support　myself　along　the　passage　into　a　room　where　there　was　a　chair；　into　which　I　fell　rather　than　threw　myself。　　I　had　not；　however；　been　long　seated；　when　a　joyful　cry　announced　that　Richard　was　recovering；　and　presently　he　was　in　a　manner　free　from　pain；　and　the　doctor　assured　me　the　wound　was　probably　not　mortal。　　I　did　not；　however；　linger　long　on　hearing　this；　but　hastening　home；　I　took　what　money　I　had　in　my　scrutoire；　and　going　to　the　malefactors；　said；　〃Lads；　take　thir　twa　three　pounds；　and　quit　the　town　as　fast　as　ye　can；　for　Richard　is　my　nephew；　and　blood；　ye　ken；　is　thicker　than　water；　and　I　may　be　tempted　to　give　you　up。〃

They　started　on　their　legs；　and　shaking　me　in　a　warm　manner　by　both　the　hands；　they　hurried　away　without　speaking；　nor　could　I　say　more；　as　I　opened　the　back　yett　to　let　them　out；　than　bid　them　take　tent　of　themselves。

Mrs　Pawkie　was　in　a　great　consternation　at　my　late　absence；　and　when　I　went　home　she　thought　I　was　ill；　I　was　so　pale　and　flurried；　and　she　wanted　to　send　for　the　doctor；　but　I　told　her　that　when　I　was　calmed；　I　would　be　better；　however；　I　got　no　sleep　that　night。　　In　the　morning　I　went　to　see　Richard；　whom　I　found　in　a　composed　and　rational　state：　　he　confessed　to　his　father　that　he　was　as　muckle　to　blame　as　Swinton；　and　begged　and　entreated　us；　if　he　should　die；　not　to　take　any　steps　against　the　fugitives：　　my　brother；　however；　was　loth　to　make　rash　promises；　and　it　was　not　till　his　son　was　out　of　danger　that　I　had　any　ease　of　mind　for　the　part　I　had　played。　　But　when　Richard　was　afterwards　well　enough　to　go　about；　and　the　duellers　had　come　out　of　their　hidings；　they　told　him　what　l　had　done；　by　which　the　whole　affair　came　to　the　public；　and　I　got　great　fame　thereby；　none　being　more　proud　to　speak　of　it　than　poor　Dick　himself；　who；　from　that　time；　became　the　bosom　friend　of　Swinton；　in　so　much　that；　when　he　was　out　of　his　time　as　a　writer；　and　had　gone　through　his　courses　at　Edinburgh；　the　laird　made　him　his　man　of　business；　and；　in　a　manner；　gave　him　a　nest　egg。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII　AN　INTERLOCUTOR



Upon　a　consideration　of　many　things；　it　appears　to　me　very　strange；　that　almost　the　whole　tot　of　our　improvements　became；　in　a　manner；　the　parents　of　new　plagues　and　troubles　to　the　magistrates。　　It　might　reasonably　have　been　thought　that　the　lamps　in　the　streets　would　have　been　a　terror　to　evil…doers；　and　the　plainstone　side…　pavements　paths　of　pleasantness　to　them　that　do　well；　but；　so　far　from　this　being　the　case；　the　very　reverse　was　the　consequence。　　The　servant　lasses　went　freely　out　（on　their　errands）　at　night；　and　at　late　hours；　for　their　mistresses；　without　the　protection　of　lanterns；　by　which　they　were　enabled　to　gallant　in　a　way　that　never　could　have　before　happened：　　for　lanterns　are　kenspeckle　commodities；　and　of　course　a　check　on　every　kind　of　gavaulling。　Thus；　out　of　the　lamps　sprung　no　little　irregularity　in　the　conduct　of　servants；　and　much　bitterness　of　spirit　on　that　account　to　mistresses；　especially　to　those　who　were　of　a　particular　turn；　and　who　did　not　choose　that　their　maidens　should　spend　their　hours　a…　field；　when　they　could　be　profitably　employed　at　home。

Of　the　plagues　that　were　from　the　plainstones；　I　have　given　an　exemplary　specimen　in　the　plea　between　old　perjink　Miss　Peggy　Dainty；　and　the　widow　Fenton；　that　was　commonly　called　the　Tappit…　hen。　　For　the　present；　I　shall　therefore　confine　myself　in　this　NOTA　BENA　to　an　accident　that　happened　to　Mrs　Girdwood；　the　deacon　of　the　coopers'　wifea　most　managing；　industrious；　and　indefatigable　woman；　that　allowed　no　grass　to　grow　in　her　path。

Mrs　Girdwood　had　fee'd　one　Jeanie　Tirlet；　and　soon　after　she　came　home；　the　mistress　had　her　big　summer　washing　at　the　public　washing…　house　on　the　greenall　the　best　of　her　sheets　and　naperyboth　what　had　been　used　in　the　course　of　the　winter；　and　what　was　only　washed　to　keep　clear　in　the　colour；　were　in　the　boyne。　　It　was　one　of　the　greatest　doings　of　the　kind　that　the　mistress　had　in　the　whole　course　of　the　year；　and　the　value　of　things　intrusted　to　Jeanie's　care　was　not　to　be　told；　at　least　so　said　Mrs　Girdwood　herself。

Jeanie　and　Marion　Sapples；　the　washerwoman；　with　a　pickle　tea　and　sugar　tied　in　the　corners　of　a　napkin；　and　two　measured　glasses　of　whisky　in　an　old　doctor's　bottle；　had　been　sent　with　the　foul　clothes　the　night　before　to　the　washing…house；　and　by　break　of　day　they　were　up　and　at　their　work；　nothing　particular；　as　Marion　said；　was　observed　about　Jeanie　till　after　they　had　taken　their　breakfast；　when；　in　spreading　out　the　clothes　on　the　green；　some　of　the　ne'er…　do…weel　young　clerks　of　the　town　were　seen　gaffawing　and　haverelling　with　Jeanie；　the　consequence　of　which　was；　that　all　the　rest　of　the　day　she　was　light…headed；　indeed；　as　Mrs　Girdwood　told　me　herself；　when　Jeanie　came　in　from　the　green　for　Marion's　dinner；　she　couldna　help　remarking　to　her　goodman；　that　there　was　something　fey　about　the　lassie；　or；　to　use　her　own　words；　there　was　a　storm　in　her　tail；　light　where　it　might。　　But　little　did　she　think　it　was　to　bring　the　dule　it　did　to　her。

Jeanie　having　gotten　the　pig　with　the　wonted　allowance　of　broth　and　beef　in　it　for　Marion；　returned　to　the　green；　and　while　Marion　was　eating　the　same；　she　disappeared。　　Once　away；　aye　away；　hilt　or　hair　of　Jeanie　was　not　seen　that　night。　　Honest　Marion　Sapples　worked　like　a　Trojan　to　the　gloaming；　but　the　light　latheron　never　came　back；　at　last；　seeing　no　other　help　for　it；　she　got　one　of　the　other　women　at　the　washing…house　to　go　to　Mrs　Girdwood　and　to　let　her　know　what　had　happened；　and　how　the　best　part　of　the　washing　would；　unless　help　was　sent；　be　obliged　to　lie　out　all　night。

The　deacon's　wife　well　knew　the　great　stake　she　had　on　that　occasion　in　the　boyne；　and　was　for　a　season　demented　with　the　thought；　but　at　last　summoning　her　three　daughters；　and　borrowing　our　lass；　and　Mr　Smeddum　the　tobacconist's　niece；　she　went　to　the　green；　and　got　everything　safely　housed；　yet　still　Jeanie　Tirlet　never　made　her　appearance。

Mrs　Girdwood　and　her　daughters　having　returned　home；　in　a　most　uneasy　state　of　mind　on　the　lassie's　account；　the　deacon　himself　came　over　to　me；　to　consult　what　he　ought　to　do　as　the　head　of　a　family。　　But　I　advised　him　to　wait　till　Jeanie　cast　up；　which　was　the　next　morning。　　Where　she　had　been；　and　who　she　was　with；　could　never　be　delved　out　of　her；　but　the　deacon　brought　her　to　the　clerk's　chamber；　before　Bailie　Kittlewit；　who　was　that　day　acting　magistrate；　and　he　sentenced　her　to　be　dismissed　from　her　servitude　with　no　more　than　the　wage　she　had　actually　earned。　　The　lassie　was　conscious　of　the　ill　turn　she　had　played；　and　would　have　submitted　in　modesty；　but　one　of　the　writers'　clerks；　an　impudent　whipper…　snapper；　that　had　more　to　say　with　her　than　I　need　to　say；　bade　her　protest　and　appeal　against　the　interlocutor；　which　the　daring　gipsy；　so　egged　on；　actually　did；　and　the　appeal　next　court　day　came　before　me。　　Whereupon；　I；　knowing　the　outs　and　ins　of　the　case；　decerned　that　she　should　be　fined　five　shillings　to　the　poor　of　the　parish；　and　ordained　to　go　back　to　Mrs　Girdwood's；　and　there　stay　out　the　term　of　her　servitude；　or　failing　by　refusal　so　to　do；　to　be　sent　to　prison；　and　put　to　hard　labour　for　the　remainder　of　the　term。

Every　body　present；　on　hearing　the　circumstances；　thought　this　a　most　judicious　and　lenient　sentence；　but　so　thought　not　the　other　servant　lasses　of　the　town；　for　in　the　evening；　as　I　was　going　home；　thinking　no　harm；　on　passing　the　Cross…well；　where　a　vast　congregation　of　them　were　assembled　with　their　stoups　discoursing　the　news　of　the　day；　they　opened　on　me　like　a　pack　of　hounds　at　a　tod；　and　I　verily　believed　they　would　have　mobbed　me　had　I　not　made　the　best　of　my　way　home。　　My　wife　had　been　at　the　window　when　the　hobleshow　began；　and　was　just　like　to　die　of　diversion　at　seeing　me　so　set　upon　by　the　tinklers；　and　when　I　entered　the　dining…room　she　said；　〃Really；　Mr　Pawkie；　ye're　a　gallant　man；　to　be　so　weel　in　the　good　graces　of　the　ladies。〃　　But　although　I　h