the provost-第27部分

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'll　open　my　mind　to　you　in　this　matter；　with　a　frankness　that　would　not　be　a　judicious　polity　with　folk　of　a　lighter　understanding。〃

This　was　before　the　counter　in　my　shop。　　I　then　walked　in　behind　it；　and　drew　the　chair　that　stands　in　the　corner　nearer　to　the　fire；　for　Mr　Peevie。　　When　he　was　seated　thereon；　and；　as　was　his　wont　in　conversation；　had　placed　both　his　hands　on　the　top　of　his　staff；　and　leant　his　chin　on　the　same；　I　subjoined。

〃Mr　Peevie；　I　need　not　tell　to　a　man　of　your　experience；　that　folk　in　public　stations　cannot　always　venture　to　lay　before　the　world　the　reasons　of　their　conduct　on　particular　occasions；　and　therefore；　when　men　who　have　been　long　in　the　station　that　I　have　filled　in　this　town；　are　seen　to　step　aside　from　what　has　been　in　time　past；　it　is　to　be　hoped　that　grave　and　sensible　persons　like　you；　Mr　Peevie；　will　no　rashly　condemn　them　unheard；　nevertheless；　my　good　friend；　I　am　very　happy　that　ye　have　spoken　to　me　anent　the　stinted　allowance　of　wine　and　punch　at　the　dinner；　because　the　like　thing　from　any　other　would　have　made　me　jealouse　that　the　complaint　was　altogether　owing　to　a　disappointed　appetite；　which　is　a　corrupt　thing；　that　I　am　sure　would　never　affect　a　man　of　such　a　public　spirit　as　you　are　well　known　to　be。〃

Mr　Peevie；　at　this；　lifted　his　chin　from　off　his　hands；　and　dropping　his　arms　down　upon　his　knees；　held　his　staff　by　the　middle；　as　he　replied；　looking　upward　to　me；

〃What　ye　say；　Provost　Pawkie；　has　in　it　a　solid　commodity　of　judgment　and　sensibility；　and　ye　may　be　sure　that　I　was　not　without　a　cogitation　of　reflection；　that　there　had　been　a　discreet　argument　of　economy　at　the　bottom　of　the　revolution　which　was　brought　to　a　criticism　yesterday's　afternoon。　　Weel　aware　am　I；　that　men　in　authority　cannot　appease　and　quell　the　inordinate　concupiscence　of　the　multitude；　and　that　in　a'　stations　of　life　there　are　persons　who　would　mumpileese　the　retinue　of　the　king　and　government　for　their　own　behoof　and　eeteration；　without　any　regard　to　the　cause　or　effect　of　such　manifest　predilections。　　But　ye　do　me　no　more　than　a　judicature；　in　supposing　that；　in　this　matter；　I　am　habituated　wi'　the　best　intentions。　　For　I　can　assure　you；　Mr　Pawkie；　that　no　man　in　this　community　has　a　more　literal　respect　for　your　character　than　I　have；　or　is　more　disposed　for　a　judicious　example　of　continence　in　the　way　of　public　enterteenment　than　I　have　ever　been；　for；　as　you　know；　I　am　of　a　constipent　principle　towards　every　extravagant　and　costive　outlay。　　Therefore；　on　my　own　account；　I　had　a　satisfaction　at　seeing　the　abridgement　which　you　made　of　our　former　inebrieties；　but　there　are　other　persons　of　a　conjugal　nature；　who　look　upon　such　castrations　as　a　deficiency　of　their　rights；　and　the　like　of　them　will　find　fault　with　the　best　procedures。〃

〃Very　true；　Mr　Peevie；〃　said　I；　〃that's　very　true；　but　if　his　Majesty's　government；　in　this　war　for　all　that　is　dear　to　us　as　men　and　Britons；　wish　us；　who　are　in　authority　under　them；　to　pare　and　save；　in　order　that　the　means　of　bringing　the　war　to　a　happy　end　may　not　be　wasted；　an　example　must　be　set；　and　that　example；　as　a　loyal　subject　and　a　magistrate；　it's　my　intent　so　to　give；　in　the　hope　and　confidence　of　being　backed　by　every　person　of　a　right　way　of　thinking。〃

〃It's　no　to　be　deputed；　Provost　Pawkie；〃　replied　my　friend；　somewhat　puzzled　by　what　I　had　said；　〃it's　no　to　be　deputed；　that　we　live　in　a　gigantic　vortex；　and　that　every　man　is　bound　to　make　an　energetic　dispensation　for　the　good　of　his　country；　but　I　could　not　have　thought　that　our　means　had　come　to　sic　an　alteration　and　extremity；　as　that　the　reverent　homage　of　the　Michaelmas　dinners　could　have　been　enacted；　and　declared　absolute　and　abolished；　by　any　interpolation　less　than　the　omnipotence　of　parliament。〃

〃Not　abolished；　Mr　Peevie；〃　cried　I；　interrupting　him；　〃that　would　indeed　be　a　stretch　of　power。　　No；　no；　I　hope　we're　both　ordained　to　partake　of　many　a　Michaelmas　dinner　thegether　yet；　but　with　a　meted　measure　of　sobriety。　　For　we　neither　live　in　the　auld　time　nor　the　golden　age；　and　it　would　not　do　now　for　the　like　of　you　and　me；　Mr　Peevie；　to　be　seen　in　the　dusk　of　the　evening；　toddling　home　from　the　town…hall　wi'　goggling　een　and　havering　tongues；　and　one　of　the　town…officers　following　at　a　distance　in　case　of　accidents；　sic　things　ye　ken；　hae　been；　but　nobody　would　plead　for　their　continuance。〃

Mr　Peevie　did　not　relish　this；　for　in　truth　it　came　near　his　own　doors；　it　having　been　his　annual　practice　for　some　years　at　the　Michaelmas　dinner　to　give　a　sixpence　to　James　Hound；　the　officer；　to　see　him　safe　home；　and　the　very　time　before　he　had　sat　so　long；　that　honest　James　was　obligated　to　cleek　and　oxter　him　the　whole　way；　and　in　the　way　home；　the　old　man；　cagie　with　what　he　had　gotten；　stood　in　the　causey　opposite　to　Mr　M'Vest's　door；　then　deacon　of　the　taylors；　and　trying　to　snap　his　fingers；　sang　like　a　daft　man；


'The　sheets　they　were　thin　and　the　blankets　were　sma'；　And　the　taylor　fell　through　the　bed；　thimble　and　a'。〃


So　that　he　was　disconcerted　by　my　innuendo；　and　shortly　after　left　the　shop；　I　trow；　with　small　inclination　to　propagate　any　sedition　against　me；　for　the　abbreviation　I　had　made　of　the　Michaelmas　galravitching。



CHAPTER　XLIVTHE　CHURCH　VACANT



I　had　long　been　sensible　that；　in　getting　Mr　Pittle　the　kirk；　I　had　acted　with　the　levity　and　indiscretion　of　a　young　man；　but　at　that　time　I　understood　not　the　nature　of　public　trust；　nor；　indeed；　did　the　community　at　large。　　Men　in　power　then　ruled　more　for　their　own　ends　than　in　these　latter　times；　and　use　and　wont　sanctioned　and　sanctified　many　doings；　from　the　days　of　our　ancestors；　that；　but　to　imagine；　will　astonish　and　startle　posterity。　　Accordingly；　when　Mr　Pittle；　after　a　lingering　illness；　was　removed　from　us；　which　happened　in　the　first　year　of　my　third　provostry；　I　bethought　me　of　the　consequences　which　had　ensued　from　his　presentation；　and　resolved　within　myself　to　act　a　very　different　part　in　the　filling　up　of　the　vacancy。　　With　this　intent；　as　soon　as　the　breath　was　out　of　his　body；　I　sent　round　for　some　of　the　most　weighty　and　best　considered　of　the　councillors　and　elders；　and　told　them　that　a　great　trust　was；　by　the　death　of　the　minister；　placed　in　our　hands；　and　that；　in　these　times；　we　ought　to　do　what　in　us　lay　to　get　a　shepherd　that　would　gather　back　to　the　establishment　the　flock　which　had　been　scattered　among　the　seceders；　by　the　feckless　crook　and　ill…guiding　of　their　former　pastor。

They　all　agreed　with　me　in　this；　and　named　one　eminent　divine　after　another；　but　the　majority　of　voices　were　in　favour　of　Dr　Whackdeil　of　Kirkbogle；　a　man　of　weight　and　example；　both　in　and　out　the　pulpit；　so　that　it　was　resolved　to　give　the　call　to　him；　which　was　done　accordingly。

It　however　came　out　that　the　Kirkbogle　stipend　was　better　than　ours；　and　the　consequence　was；　that　having　given　the　call；　it　became　necessary　to　make　up　the　deficiency；　for　it　was　not　reasonable　to　expect　that　the　reverend　doctor；　with　his　small　family　of　nine　children；　would　remove　to　us　at　a　loss。　　How　to　accomplish　this　was　a　work　of　some　difficulty；　for　the　town　revenues　were　all　eaten　up　with　one　thing　and　another；　but　upon　an　examination　of　the　income；　arising　from　what　had　been　levied　on　the　seats　for　the　repair　of　the　church；　it　was　discovered　that；　by　doing　away　a　sinking　fund；　which　had　been　set　apart　to　redeem　the　debt　incurred　for　the　same；　and　by　the　town　taking　the　debt　on　itself；　we　could　make　up　a　sufficiency　to　bring　the　doctor　among　us。　　And　in　so　far　as　having　an　orthodox　preacher；　and　a　very　excellent　man　for　our　minister；　there　was　great　cause　to　be　satisfied　with　that　arrangement。

But　the　payment　of　the　interest　on　the　public　debt；　with　which　the　town　was　burdened；　began　soon　after　to　press　heavily　on　us；　and　we　were　obligated　to　take　on　more　borrowed　money；　in　order　to　keep　our　credit；　and　likewise　to　devise　ways　and　means；　in　the　shape　of　public　improvements；　to　raise　an　income　to　make　up　what　was　required。　　This　led　me　to　suggest　the　building　of　the　new　bridge；　the　cost　of　which；　by　contract；　there　was　no　reason　to　complain　of；　and　the　toll　thereon；　while　the　war　lasted；　not　only　paid　the　interest　of　the　borrowed　money　by　which　it　was　built；　but　left　a　good　penny　in　the　nook　of　the　treasurer's　box　for　other　purposes。

Had　the　war　continued；　and　the　nation　to　prosper　thereby　as　it　did；　nobody　can　doubt　that　a　great　source　of　wealth　and　income　was　opened　to　the　town；　but　when　peace　came　round；　and　our　prosperity　began　to　fall　off；　the　traffic　on　the　bridge　grew　less　and　less；　insomuch　that　the　toll；　as　I　now　understand；　（for　since　my　resignation；　I　meddle　not　with　public　concerns；）　does　not　yield　enough　to　pay　the　five　per　cent　on　the　prime　cost　of　the　bridge；　by　which　my　successors　suffer　much　molestation　in　raising　the　needful　money　to　do　the　same。　　However；　every　body　continues　well　satisfied　with　Dr　Whackdeil；　who　was　the　original　cause　of　this　perplexity；　and　it　is　to　be　hoped　that；　in　time；　things　will　grow　better；　and　the　revenues　come　round　again　to　idemnify　the　town　for　its　present　tribulation。



CHAPTER　XLVTHE　STRAMASH　IN　THE　COUNCIL



As　I　have　said；　my　third　provostry　was　undertaken　in　a　spirit　of　sincerity；　different　in　some　degree　from　that　of　the　two　former；　but　strange　and　singular　as　it　may　seem；　I　really　think　I　got　less　credit　for　the　purity　of　my　intents；　than　I　did　even　in　the　first。　During　the　whole　term　from　the　election　in　the　year　1813　to　the　Michaelmas　following；　I　verily　believe　that　no　one　proposal　which　I　made　to　the　council　was　construed　in　a　right　sense；　this　was　partly　owing　to　the　repute　I　had　acquired　for　canny　management；　but　chiefly　to　the　perverse　views　and　misconceptions　of　that　Yankee　thorn…in…　the…side；　Mr　Hickery；　who　never　desisted　from　setting　himself　against　every　thing　that　sprang　from　me；　and　as　often　found　some　show　of　plausibility　to　maintain　his　argumentations。　　And　yet；　for　all　that；　he　was　a　man　held　in　no　esteem　or　respect　in　the　town；　for　he　had　wearied　every　body　out　by　his　everlasting　contradictions。　　Mr　Plan　was　likewise　a　source　of　great　tribulation　to　me；　for　he　was　ever　and　anon　coming　forward　with　some　new　device；　either