the provost-第25部分

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stanceyea；　gentlemen　in　the　East　and　West　Indieswould　send　their　children　to　be　educated　among　us；　by　which；　great　fame　and　profit　would　redound　to　the　town。

Nothing　could　be　more　plausibly　set　forth；　and　certainly　the　project；　as　a　notion；　had　many　things　to　recommend　it；　but　we　had　no　funds　adequate　to　undertake　it；　so；　on　the　score　of　expense；　knowing；　as　I　did；　the　state　of　the　public　income；　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　oppose　it　IN　TOTO；　which　fired　Mr　Plan　to　such　a　degree；　that　he　immediately　insinuated　that　I　had　some　end　of　my　own　to　serve　in　objecting　to　his　scheme；　and　because　the　wall　that　it　was　proposed　to　big　round　the　moderate　building；　which　we　were　contemplating；　would　inclose　a　portion　of　the　backside　of　my　new　steading　at　the　Westergate；　he　made　no　scruple　of　speaking；　in　a　circumbendibus　manner；　as　to　the　particular　reasons　that　I　might　have　for　preferring　it　to　his　design；　which　he　roused；　in　his　way；　as　more　worthy　of　the　state　of　the　arts　and　the　taste　of　the　age。

It　was　not　easy　to　sit　still　under　his　imputations；　especially　as　I　could　plainly　see　that　some　of　the　other　members　of　the　council　leant　towards　his　way　of　thinking。　　Nor　will　I　deny　that；　in　preferring　the　more　moderate　design；　I　had　a　contemplation　of　my　own　advantage　in　the　matter　of　the　dyke；　for　I　do　not　think　it　any　shame　to　a　public　man　to　serve　his　own　interests　by　those　of　the　community；　when　he　can　righteously　do　so。

It　was　a　thing　never　questionable；　that　the　school…house　required　the　inclosure　of　a　wall；　and　the　outside　of　that　wall　was　of　a　natural　necessity　constrained　to　be　a　wing　of　inclosure　to　the　ground　beyond。　　Therefore；　I　see　not　how　a　corrupt　motive　ought　to　have　been　imputed　to　me；　merely　because　I　had　a　piece　of　ground　that　marched　with　the　spot　whereon　it　was　intended　to　construct　the　new　building；　which　spot；　I　should　remark；　belonged　to　the　town　before　I　bought　mine。　　However；　Mr　Plan　so　worked　upon　this　material；　that；　what　with　one　thing　and　what　with　another；　he　got　the　council　persuaded　to　give　up　the　moderate　plan；　and　to　consent　to　sell　the　ground　where　it　had　been　proposed　to　build　the　new　school；　and　to　apply　the　proceeds　towards　the　means　of　erecting　a　fine　academy　on　the　Green。

It　was　not　easy　to　thole　to　be　so　thwarted；　especially　for　such　an　extravagant　problem；　by　one　so　new　to　our　councils　and　deliberations。　　I　never　was　more　fashed　in　my　life；　for　having　hitherto；　in　all　my　plans　for　the　improvement　of　the　town；　not　only　succeeded；　but　given　satisfaction；　I　was　vexed　to　see　the　council　run　away　with　such　a　speculative　vagary。　　No　doubt；　the　popular　fantasy　anent　education　and　academies；　had　quite　as　muckle　to　do　in　the　matter　as　Mr　Plan's　fozey　rhetoric；　but　what　availed　that　to　me；　at　seeing　a　reasonable　undertaking　reviled　and　set　aside；　and　grievous　debts　about　to　be　laid　on　the　community　for　a　bubble　as　unsubstantial　as　that　of　the　Ayr　Bank。　　Besides；　it　was　giving　the　upper　hand　in　the　council　to　Mr　Plan；　to　which；　as　a　new　man；　he　had　no　right。　　I　said　but　little；　for　I　saw　it　would　be　of　no　use；　I；　however；　took　a　canny　opportunity　of　remarking　to　old　Mr　Dinledoup；　the　English　teacher；　that　this　castle…building　scheme　of　an　academy　would　cause　great　changes　probably　in　the　masters；　and　as；　no　doubt；　it　would　oblige　us　to　adopt　the　new　methods　of　teaching；　I　would　like　to　have　a　private　inkling　of　what　salary　he　would　expect　on　being　superannuated。

The　worthy　man　was　hale　and　hearty；　not　exceeding　three　score　and　seven；　and　had　never　dreamt　of　being　superannuated。　　He　was；　besides；　a　prideful　body；　and；　like　all　of　his　calling；　thought　not　a　little　of　himself。　　The　surprise；　therefore；　with　which　he　heard　me　was　just　wonderful。　　For　a　space　of　time　he　stood　still　and　uttered　nothing；　then　he　took　his　snuff…box　out　of　the　flap　pocket　of　his　waistcoat；　where　he　usually　carried　it；　and；　giving　three　distinct　and　very　comical　raps；　drew　his　mouth　into　a　purse。　　〃Mr　Pawkie；〃　at　last　he　said；　〃Mr　Pawkie；　there　will　be　news　in　the　world　before　I　consent　to　be　superannuated。〃

This　was　what　I　expected；　and　I　replied；　〃Then；　why　do　not　you　and　Mr　Scudmyloof；　of　the　grammar　school；　represent　to　the　magistrates　that　the　present　school…house　may；　with　a　small　repair；　serve　for　many　years。〃　　And　so　I　sowed　an　effectual　seed　of　opposition　to　Mr　Plan；　in　a　quarter　he　never　dreamt　of；　the　two　dominies；　in　the　dread　of　undergoing　some　transmogrification；　laid　their　heads　together；　and　went　round　among　the　parents　of　the　children；　and　decried　the　academy　project；　and　the　cess　that　the　cost　of　it　would　bring　upon　the　town；　by　which　a　public　opinion　was　begotten　and　brought　to　a　bearing；　that　the　magistrates　could　not　resist；　so　the　old　school…house　was　repaired；　and　Mr　Plan's　scheme；　as　well　as　the　other；　given　up。　　In　this；　it　is　true；　if　I　had　not　the　satisfaction　to　get　a　dyke　to　the　backside　of　my　property；　I　had　the　pleasure　to　know　that　my　interloping　adversary　was　disappointed；　the　which　was　a　sort　of　compensation。



CHAPTER　XLIBENEFITS　OF　NEUTRALITY



The　general　election　in　1812　was　a　source　of　trouble　and　uneasiness　to　me；　both　because　our　district　of　burghs　was　to　be　contested；　and　because　the　contest　was　not　between　men　of　opposite　principles；　but　of　the　same　side。　　To　neither　of　them　had　I　any　particular　leaning；　on　the　contrary；　I　would　have　preferred　the　old　member；　whom　I　had；　on　different　occasions；　found　an　accessible　and　tractable　instrument；　in　the　way　of　getting　small　favours　with　the　government　and　India　company；　for　friends　that　never　failed　to　consider　them　as　such　things　should　be。　　But　what　could　I　do？　　Providence　had　placed　me　in　the　van　of　the　battle；　and　I　needs　must　fight；　so　thought　every　body；　and　so　for　a　time　I　thought　myself。　　Weighing；　however；　the　matter　one　night　soberly　in　my　mind；　and　seeing　that　whichever　of　the　two　candidates　was　chosen；　I；　by　my　adherent　loyalty　to　the　cause　for　which　they　were　both　declared；　the　contest　between　them　being　a　rivalry　of　purse　and　personality；　would　have　as　much　to　say　with　the　one　as　with　the　other；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　my　prudentest　course　not　to　intermeddle　at　all　in　the　election。　Accordingly；　as　soon　as　it　was　proper　to　make　a　declaration　of　my　sentiments；　I　made　this　known；　and　it　caused　a　great　wonderment　in　the　town；　nobody　could　imagine　it　possible　that　I　was　sincere；　many　thinking　there　was　something　aneath　it；　which　would　kithe　in　time　to　the　surprise　of　the　public。　　However；　the　peutering　went　on；　and　I　took　no　part。　　The　two　candidates　were　as　civil　and　as　liberal；　the　one　after　the　other；　to　Mrs　Pawkie　and　my　daughters；　as　any　gentlemen　of　a　parliamentary　understanding　could　be。　　Indeed；　I　verily　believe；　that　although　I　had　been　really　chosen　delegate；　as　it　was　at　one　time　intended　I　should　be；　I　could　not　have　hoped　for　half　the　profit　that　came　in　from　the　dubiety　which　my　declaration　of　neutrality　caused；　for　as　often　as　I　assured　the　one　candidate　that　I　did　not　intend　even　to　be　present　at　the　choosing　of　the　delegate；　some　rich　present　was　sure　to　be　sent　to　my　wife；　of　which　the　other　no　sooner　heard　than　he　was　upsides　with　him。　　It　was　just　a　sport　to　think　of　me　protesting　my　neutrality；　and　to　see　how　little　I　was　believed。　　For　still　the　friends　of　the　two　candidates；　like　the　figures　of　the　four　quarters　of　the　world　round　Britannia　in　a　picture；　came　about　my　wife；　and　poured　into　her　lap　a　most　extraordinary　paraphernalia　from　the　horn　of　their　abundance。

The　common　talk　of　the　town　was；　that　surely　I　was　bereft　of　my　wonted　discretion；　to　traffic　so　openly　with　corruption；　and　that　it　could　not　be　doubted　I　would　have　to　face　the　House　of　Commons；　and　suffer　the　worst　pains　and　penalties　of　bribery。　　But　what　did　all　this　signify　to　me；　who　was　conscious　of　the　truth　and　integrity　of　my　motives　and　talents？　　〃They　say！what　say　they？let　them　say！〃…　…was　what　I　said；　as　often　as　any　of　my　canny　friends　came　to　me；　saying；　〃For　God's　sake；　Mr　Pawkie；　tak'tent〃〃I　hope；　Mr　Pawkie；　ye　ken　the　ground　ye　stand　on〃or；　〃I　wish　that　some　folks　were　aware　of　what's　said　about　them。〃　　In　short；　I　was　both　angered　and　diverted　by　their　clishmaclavers；　and　having　some　need　to　go　into　Glasgow　just　on　the　eve　of　the　election；　I　thought　I　would；　for　diversion；　give　them　something　in　truth　to　play　with；　so　saying　nothing　to　my　shop　lad　the　night　before；　nor　even　to　Mrs　Pawkie；　（for　the　best　of　women　are　given　to　tattling）；　till　we　were　in　our　beds；　I　went　off　early　on　the　morning　of　the　day　appointed　for　choosing　the　delegate。

The　consternation　in　the　town　at　my　evasion　was　wonderful。　　Nobody　could　fathom　it；　and　the　friends　and　supporters　of　the　rival　candidates　looked；　as　I　was　told；　at　one　another；　in　a　state　of　suspicion　that　was　just　a　curiosity　to　witness。　　Even　when　the　delegate　was　chosen；　every　body　thought　that　something　would　be　found　wanting；　merely　because　I　was　not　present。　　The　new　member　himself；　when　his　election　was　declared；　did　not　feel　quite　easy；　and　more　than　once；　when　I　saw　him　after　my　return　from　Glasgow；　he　said　to　me；　in　a　particular　manner〃But　tell　me　now；　bailie；　what　was　the　true　reason　of　your　visit　to　Glasgow？〃　　And；　in　like　manner；　his　opponent　also　hinted　that　he　would　petition　against　the　return；　but　there　were　some　facts　which　he　could　not　well　get　at　without　my　assistanceinsinuating　that　I　might　find　my　account　in　helping　him。

At　last；　the　true　policy　of　the　part　I　had　played　began　to　be　understood；　and　I　got　far　more　credit　for　the　way　in　which　I　had　turned　both　parties　so　well　to　my　own　advantage；　than　if　I　had　been　the　means　of　deciding　the　election　by　my　single　vote。



CHAPTER　XLIITHE　NEW　MEMBER



But　the　new　member　was；　in　some　points；　not　of　so　tractable　a　nature　as　many　of　his　predecessors　had　been；　and　notwithstanding　all　the　couthy　jocosity　and　curry…favouring　of　his　demeanour　towards　us　before　the　election；　he　was　no　sooner　returned；　than　he　began；　as　it　were；　to　snap　his　fingers　in　the　very　faces　of　those　of　the　council　to　whom　he　was　most　indebted；　which　was　a　thing　not　of　very　easy　endurance；　considering　how　they　had　taxed　their　consciences　in　his　behalf；　and　this　treatment　was　the　more　bitterly　felt；　as　the　old　member　had　been；　during　t