the provost-第26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！


s　in　his　behalf；　and　this　treatment　was　the　more　bitterly　felt；　as　the　old　member　had　been；　during　the　whole　of　his　time；　as　considerate　and　obliging　as　could　reasonably　be　expected；　doing　any　little　job　that　needed　his　helping　hand　when　it　was　in　his　power；　and　when　it　was　not；　replying　to　our　letters　in　a　most　discreet　and　civil　manner。　To　be　sure；　poor　man；　he　had　but　little　to　say　in　the　way　of　granting　favours；　for　being　latterly　inclined　to　a　whiggish　principle；　he　was；　in　consequence；　debarred　from　all　manner　of　government　patronage；　and　had　little　in　his　gift　but　soft　words　and　fair　promises。　　Indeed；　I　have　often　remarked；　in　the　course　of　my　time；　that　there　is　a　surprising　difference；　in　regard　to　the　urbanities　in　use　among　those　who　have　not　yet　come　to　authority；　or　who　have　been　cast　down　from　it；　and　those　who　are　in　the　full　possession　of　the　rule　and　domination　of　office；　but　never　was　the　thing　plainer　than　in　the　conduct　of　the　new　member。

He　was　by　nature　and　inclination　one　of　the　upsetting　sort；　a　kind　of　man　who；　in　all　manner　of　business；　have　a　leaven　of　contrariness；　that　makes　them　very　hard　to　deal　with；　and　he；　being　conjunct　with　his　majesty's　ministers　at　London；　had　imbibed　and　partook　of　that　domineering　spirit　to　which　all　men　are　ordained；　to　be　given　over　whenever　they　are　clothed　in　the　garments　of　power。　Many　among　us　thought；　by　his　colleaguing　with　the　government；　that　we　had　got　a　great　catch；　and　they　were　both　blythe　and　vogie　when　he　was　chosen；　none　doubting　but　he　would　do　much　good　servitude　to　the　corporation；　and　the　interests　of　the　burgh。　　However　he　soon　gave　a　rebuff；　that　laid　us　all　on　our　backs　in　a　state　of　the　greatest　mortification。　　But　although　it　behoved　me　to　sink　down　with　the　rest；　I　was　but　little　hurt：　　on　the　contary；　I　had　a　good　laugh　in　my　sleeve　at　the　time；　and　afterwards；　many　a　merry　tumbler　of　toddy　with　my　brethren；　when　they　had　recovered　from　their　discomfiture。　　The　story　was　this：…

About　a　fortnight　after　the　election；　Mr　Scudmyloof；　the　schoolmaster；　called　one　day　on　me；　in　my　shop；　and　said；　〃That　being　of　a　nervous　turn；　the　din　of　the　school　did　not　agree　with　him；　and　that　he　would；　therefore；　be　greatly　obligated　to　me　if　I　would　get　him　made　a　gauger。〃　　There　had　been　something　in　the　carriage　of　our　new　member；　before　he　left　the　town；　that　was　not　satisfactory　to　me；　forbye　my　part　at　the　election；　the　which　made　me　loth　to　be　the　first　to　ask　for　any　grace；　though　the　master　was　a　most　respectable　and　decent　man；　so　I　advised　Mr　Scudmyloof　to　apply　to　Provost　Pickandab；　who　had　been　the　delegate；　as　the　person　to　whose　instrumentality　the　member　was　most　obliged；　and　to　whose　application；　he　of　course　would　pay　the　greatest　attention。

Whether　Provost　Pickandab　had　made　any　observe　similar　to　mine；　I　never　could　rightly　understand；　though　I　had　a　notion　to　that　effect：　　he；　however；　instead　of　writing　himself；　made　the　application　for　Mr　Scudmyloof　an　affair　of　the　council；　recommending　him　as　a　worthy　modest　man；　which　he　really　was；　and　well　qualified　for　the　post。　　Off　went　this　notable　letter；　and　by　return　of　post　from　London；　we　got　our　answer　as　we　were　all　sitting　in　council；　deliberating　anent　the　rebuilding　of　the　Crosswell；　which　had　been　for　some　time　in　a　sore　state　of　dilapidation；　and　surely　never　was　any　letter　more　to　the　point　and　less　to　the　purpose　of　an　applicant。　　It　was　very　short　and　pithy；　just　acknowledging　receipt　of　ours；　and　adding　thereto；　〃circumstances　do　not　allow　me　to　pay　any　attention　to　such　applications。〃　　We　all　with　one　accord；　in　sympathy　and　instinct；　threw　ourselves　back　in　our　chairs　at　the　words；　looking　at　Provost　Pickandab；　with　the　pragmatical　epistle　in　his　hand；　sitting　in　his　place　at　the　head　of　the　table；　with　the　countenance　of　consternation。

When　I　came　to　myself；　I　began　to　consider　that　there　must　have　been　something　no　right　in　the　provost's　own　letter　on　the　subject；　to　cause　such　an　uncourteous　rebuff；　so　after　condemning；　in　very　strong　terms；　the　member's　most　ungenteel　style；　in　order　to　procure　for　myself　a　patient　hearing；　I　warily　proposed　that　the　provost's　application　should　be　read；　a　copy　thereof　being　kept；　and　I　had　soon　a　positive　confirmation　of　my　suspicion。　　For　the　provost；　being　fresh　in　the　dignity　of　his　office；　and　naturally　of　a　prideful　turn；　had　addressed　the　parliament　man　as　if　he　was　under　an　obligation　to　him；　and　as　if　the　council　had　a　right　to　command　him　to　get　the　gauger's　post；　or　indeed　any　other；　for　whomsoever　they　might　apply。　　So；　seeing　whence　the　original　sin　of　the　affair　had　sprung；　I　said　nothing；　but　the　same　night　I　wrote　a　humiliated　letter　from　myself　to　the　member；　telling　him　how　sorry　we　all　were　for　the　indiscretion　that　had　been　used　towards　him；　and　how　much　it　would　pleasure　me　to　heal　the　breach　that　had　happened　between　him　and　the　burgh；　with　other　words　of　an　oily　and　conciliating　policy。

The　indignant　member；　by　the　time　my　letter　reached　hand；　had　cooled　in　his　passion；　and；　I　fancy；　was　glad　of　an　occasion　to　do　away　the　consequence　of　the　rupture；　for　with　a　most　extraordinary　alacrity　he　procured　Mr　Scudmyloof　the　post；　writing　me；　when　he　had　done　so；　in　the　civilest　manner；　and　saying　many　condescending　things　concerning　his　regard　for　me；　all　which　ministered　to　maintain　and　uphold　my　repute　and　consideration　in　the　town；　as　superior　to　that　of　the　provost。



CHAPTER　XLIII　MY　THIRD　PROVOSTRY



It　was　at　the　Michaelmas　1813　that　I　was　chosen　provost　for　the　third　time；　and　at　the　special　request　of　my　lord　the　earl；　who；　being　in　ill　health；　had　been　advised　by　the　faculty　of　doctors　in　London　to　try　the　medicinal　virtues　of　the　air　and　climate　of　Sicily；　in　the　Mediterranean　sea；　and　there　was　an　understanding　on　the　occasion；　that　I　should　hold　the　post　of　honour　for　two　years；　chiefly　in　order　to　bring　to　a　conclusion　different　works　that　the　town　had　then　in　hand。

At　the　two　former　times　when　I　was　raised　to　the　dignity；　and　indeed　at　all　times　when　I　received　any　advancement；　I　had　enjoyed　an　elation　of　heart；　and　was；　as　I　may　say；　crouse　and　vogie；　but　experience　had　worked　a　change　upon　my　nature；　and　when　I　was　saluted　on　my　election　with　the　customary　greetings　and　gratulations　of　those　present；　I　felt　a　solemnity　enter　into　the　frame　of　my　thoughts；　and　I　became　as　it　were　a　new　man　on　the　spot。　　When　I　returned　home　to　my　own　house；　I　retired　into　my　private　chamber　for　a　time；　to　consult　with　myself　in　what　manner　my　deportment　should　be　regulated；　for　I　was　conscious　that　heretofore　I　had　been　overly　governed　with　a　disposition　to　do　things　my　own　way；　and　although　not　in　an　avaricious　temper；　yet　something；　I　must　confess；　with　a　sort　of　sinister　respect　for　my　own　interests。　　It　may　be；　that　standing　now　clear　and　free　of　the　world；　I　had　less　incitement　to　be　so　grippy；　and　so　was　thought　of　me；　I　very　well　know；　but　in　sobriety　and　truth　I　conscientiously　affirm；　and　herein　record；　that　I　had　lived　to　partake　of　the　purer　spirit　which　the　great　mutations　of　the　age　had　conjured　into　public　affairs；　and　I　saw　that　there　was　a　necessity　to　carry　into　all　dealings　with　the　concerns　of　the　community；　the　same　probity　which　helps　a　man　to　prosperity　in　the　sequestered　traffic　of　private　life。

This　serious　and　religious　communing　wrought　within　me　to　a　benign　and　pleasant　issue；　and　when　I　went　back　in　the　afternoon　to　dine　with　the　corporation　in　the　council…room；　and　looked　around　me　on　the　bailies；　the　councillors；　and　the　deacons；　I　felt　as　if　I　was　indeed　elevated　above　them　all；　and　that　I　had　a　task　to　perform；　in　which　I　could　hope　for　but　little　sympathy　from　many；　and　the　first　thing　I　did　was　to　measure；　with　a　discreet　hand；　the　festivity　of　the　occasion。

At　all　former　and　precedent　banquets；　it　had　been　the　custom　to　give　vent　to　muckle　wanton　and　luxurious　indulgence；　and　to　galravitch；　both　at　hack　and　manger；　in　a　very　expensive　manner　to　the　funds　of　the　town。　　I　therefore　resolved　to　set　my　face　against　this　for　the　future；　and　accordingly；　when　we　had　enjoyed　a　jocose　temperance　of　loyalty　and　hilarity；　with　a　decent　measure　of　wine；　I　filled　a　glass；　and　requesting　all　present　to　do　the　same；　without　any　preliminary　reflections　on　the　gavaulling　of　past　times；　I　drank　good　afternoon　to　each　severally；　and　then　rose　from　the　table；　in　a　way　that　put　an　end　to　all　the　expectations　of　more　drink。

But　this　conduct　did　not　give　satisfaction　to　some　of　the　old　hands；　who　had　been　for　years　in　the　habit　and　practice　of　looking　forward　to　the　provost's　dinner　as　to　a　feast　of　fat　things。　　Mr　Peevie；　one　of　the　very　sickerest　of　all　the　former　sederunts；　came　to　me　next　morning；　in　a　remonstrating　disposition；　to　enquire　what　had　come　over　me；　and　to　tell　me　that　every　body　was　much　surprised；　and　many　thought　it　not　right　of　me　to　break　in　upon　ancient　and　wonted　customs　in　such　a　sudden　and　unconcerted　manner。

This　Mr　Peevie　was；　in　his　person；　a　stumpy　man；　well　advanced　in　years。　　He　had　been；　in　his　origin；　a　bonnet…maker；　but　falling　heir　to　a　friend　that　left　him　a　property；　he　retired　from　business　about　the　fiftieth　year　of　his　age；　doing　nothing　but　walking　about　with　an　ivory…headed　staff；　in　a　suit　of　dark　bluecloth　with　yellow　buttons；　wearing　a　large　cocked　hat；　and　a　white　three…tiered　wig；　which　was　well　powdered　every　morning　by　Duncan　Curl；　the　barber。　The　method　of　his　discourse　and　conversation　was　very　precise；　and　his　words　were　all　set　forth　in　a　style　of　consequence；　that　took　with　many　for　a　season　as　the　pith　and　marrow　of　solidity　and　sense。　The　body；　however；　was　but　a　pompous　trifle；　and　I　had　for　many　a　day　held　his　observes　and　admonishments　in　no　very　reverential　estimation。　　So　that；　when　I　heard　him　address　me　in　such　a　memorializing　manner；　I　was　inclined　and　tempted　to　set　him　off　with　a　flea　in　his　lug。　　However；　I　was　enabled　to　bridle　and　rein　in　this　prejudicial　humour；　and　answer　him　in　his　own　way。

〃Mr　Peevie；〃　quo'　I；　〃you　know　that　few　in　the　town　hae　the　repute　that　ye　hae　for　a　gift　of　sagacity　by　common；　and　therefore　I'll　open　my　mind　to　you　in　this　matter；　with　a　frankness　that　would　not　be　a　judicious　polity　with　f