the provost-第28部分

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ce　of　great　tribulation　to　me；　for　he　was　ever　and　anon　coming　forward　with　some　new　device；　either　for　ornament　or　profit；　as　he　said；　to　the　burgh；　and　no　small　portion　of　my　time；　that　might　have　been　more　advantageously　employed；　was　wasted　in　the　thriftless　consideration　of　his　schemes：　　all　which；　with　my　advanced　years；　begat　in　me　a　sort　of　distaste　to　the　bickerings　of　the　council　chamber；　so　I　conferred　and　communed　with　myself；　anent　the　possibility　of　ruling　the　town　without　having　recourse　to　so　unwieldy　a　vehicle　as　the　wheels　within　wheels　of　the　factions　which　the　Yankee　reformator；　and　that　projectile　Mr　Plan；　as　he　was　called　by　Mr　Peevie；　had　inserted　among　us。

I　will　no　equivocate　that　there　was；　in　this　notion；　an　appearance　of　taking　more　on　me　than　the　laws　allowed；　but　then　my　motives　were　so　clean　to　my　conscience；　and　I　was　so　sure　of　satisfying　the　people　by　the　methods　I　intended　to　pursue；　that　there　could　be　no　moral　fault　in　the　trifle　of　illegality　which；　may　be；　I　might　have　been　led　on　to　commit。　　However；　I　was　fortunately　spared　from　the　experiment；　by　a　sudden　change　in　the　council。One　day　Mr　Hickery　and　Mr　Plan；　who　had　been　for　years　colleaguing　together　for　their　own　ends；　happened　to　differ　in　opinion；　and　the　one　suspecting　that　this　difference　was　the　fruit　of　some　secret　corruption；　they　taunted　each　other；　and　came　to　high　words；　and　finally　to　an　open　quarrel；　actually　shaking　their　neeves　across　the　table；　and；　I'll　no　venture　to　deny；　maybe　exchanging　blows。

Such　a　convulsion　in　the　sober　councils　of　a　burgh　town　was　never　heard　of。　　It　was　a　thing　not　to　be　endured；　and　so　I　saw　at　the　time；　and　was　resolved　to　turn　it　to　the　public　advantage。　Accordingly；　when　the　two　angry　men　had　sat　back　in　their　seats；　bleached　in　the　face　with　passion；　and　panting　and　out　of　breath；　I　rose　up　in　my　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table；　and　with　a　judicial　solemnity　addressed　the　council；　saying；　that　what　we　had　witnessed　was　a　disgrace　not　to　be　tolerated　in　a　Christian　land；　that　unless　we　obtained　indemnity　for　the　past；　and　security　for　the　future；　I　would　resign；　but　in　doing　so　I　would　bring　the　cause　thereof　before　the　Fifteen　at　Edinburgh；　yea；　even　to　the　House　of　Lords　at　London；　so　I　gave　the　offending　parties　notice；　as　well　as　those　who；　from　motives　of　personal　friendship；　might　be　disposed　to　overlook　the　insult　that　had　been　given　to　the　constituted　authority　of　the　king；　so　imperfectly　represented　in　my　person；　as　it　would　seem；　by　the　audacious　conflict　and　misdemeanour　which　had　just　taken　place。

This　was　striking　while　the　iron　was　hot：　　every　one　looked　at　my　sternness　with　surprise；　and　some　begged　me　to　be　seated；　and　to　consider　the　matter　calmly。〃Gentlemen；〃　quo'　I；　〃dinna　mistake　me。　I　never　was　in　more　composure　all　my　life。It's　indeed　no　on　my　own　account　that　I　feel　on　this　occasion。　　The　gross　violation　of　all　the　decent　decorum　of　magisterial　authority；　is　not　a　thing　that　affects　me　in　my　own　person；　it's　an　outrage　against　the　state；　the　prerogatives　of　the　king's　crown　are　endamaged；　atonement　must　be　made；　or　punishment　must　ensue。　　It's　a　thing　that　by　no　possibility　can　be　overlooked：　　it's　an　offence　committed　in　open　court；　and　we　cannot　but　take　cognizance　thereof。〃

I　saw　that　what　I　said　was　operating　to　an　effect；　and　that　the　two　troublesome　members　were　confounded。　　Mr　Hickery　rose　to　offer　some　apology；　but；　perceiving　I　had　now　got　him　in　a　girn；　I　interposed　my　authority；　and　would　not　permit　him　to　proceed。

〃Mr　Hickery；〃　said　I；　〃it's　of　no　use　to　address　yourself　to　me。　　I　am　very　sensible　that　ye　are　sorry　for　your　fault；　but　that　will　not　do。　　The　law　knows　no　such　thing　as　repentance；　and　it　is　the　law；　not　me　nor　our　worthy　friends　here；　that　ye　have　offended。　　In　short；　Mr　Hickery；　the　matter　is　such　that；　in　one　word；　either　you　and　Mr　Plan　must　quit　your　seats　at　this　table　of　your　own　free…　will；　or　I　must　quit　mine；　and　mine　I　will　not　give　up　without　letting　the　public　know　the　shame　on　your　part　that　has　compelled　me。〃

He　sat　down　and　I　sat　down；　and　for　some　time　the　other　councillors　looked　at　one　another　in　silence　and　wonder。　　Seeing；　however；　that　my　gentle　hint　was　not　likely　to　be　taken；　I　said　to　the　town…clerk；　who　was　sitting　at　the　bottom　of　the　table；

〃Sir；　it's　your　duty　to　make　a　minute　of　everything　that　is　done　and　said　at　the　sederunts　of　the　council；　and　as　provost；　I　hereby　require　of　you　to　record　the　particularities　of　this　melancholy　crisis。〃

Mr　Keelevine　made　an　endeavour　to　dissuade　me；　but　I　set　him　down　with　a　stern　voice；　striking　the　table　at　the　same　time　with　all　my　birr；　as　I　said；　〃Sir；　you　have　no　voice　here。　　Do　you　refuse　to　perform　what　I　order？　　At　your　peril　I　command　the　thing　to　be　done。〃

Never　had　such　austerity　been　seen　in　my　conduct　before。　　The　whole　council　sat　in　astonishment；　and　Mr　Keelevine　prepared　his　pen；　and　took　a　sheet　of　paper　to　draw　out　a　notation　of　the　minute；　when　Mr　Peevie　rose；　and　after　coughing　three　times；　and　looking　first　at　me　and　syne　at　the　two　delinquents；　said　…

〃My　Lord　Provost；　I　was　surprised；　and　beginning　to　be　confounded；　at　the　explosion　which　the　two　gentlemen　have　committed。　　No　man　can　designate　the　extent　of　such　an　official　malversation；　demonstrated；　as　it　has　been　here；　in　the　presence　of　us　all；　who　are　the　lawful　custodiers　of　the　kingly　dignity　in　this　his　majesty's　royal　burgh。　I　will；　therefore；　not　take　it　upon　me　either　to　apologise　or　to　obliviate　their　offence；　for；　indeed；　it　is　an　offence　that　merits　the　most　condign　animadversion；　and　the　consequences　might　be　legible　for　ever；　were　a　gentleman；　so　conspicable　in　the　town　as　you　are；　to　evacuate　the　magistracy　on　account　of　it。　　But　it　is　my　balsamic　advice；　that　rather　than　promulgate　this　matter；　the　two　malcontents　should　abdicate；　and　that　a　precept　should　be　placarded　at　this　sederunt　as　if　they　were　not　here；　but　had　resigned　and　evaded　their　places；　precursive　to　the　meeting。〃

To　this　I　answered；　that　no　one　could　suspect　me　of　wishing　to　push　the　matter　further；　provided　the　thing　could　be　otherwise　settled；　and　therefore；　if　Mr　Plan　and　Mr　Hickery　would　shake　hands；　and　agree　never　to　notice　what　had　passed　to　each　other；　and　the　other　members　and　magistrates　would　consent　likewise　to　bury　the　business　in　oblivion；　I　would　agree　to　the　balsamic　advice　of　Mr　Peevie；　and　even　waive　my　obligation　to　bind　over　the　hostile　parties　to　keep　the　king's　peace；　so　that　the　whole　affair　might　neither　be　known　nor　placed　upon　record。

Mr　Hickery；　I　could　discern；　was　rather　surprised；　but　I　found　that　I　had　thus　got　the　thief　in　the　wuddy；　and　he　had　no　choice；　so　both　he　and　Mr　Plan　rose　from　their　seats　in　a　very　sheepish　manner；　and　looking　at　us　as　if　they　had　unpleasant　ideas　in　their　minds；　they　departed　forth　the　council…chamber；　and　a　minute　was　made　by　the　town…clerk　that　they；　having　resigned　their　trust　as　councillors；　two　other　gentlemen　at　the　next　meeting　should　be　chosen　into　their　stead。

Thus　did　I；　in　a　manner　most　unexpected；　get　myself　rid　and　clear　of　the　two　most　obdurate　oppositionists；　and　by　taking　care　to　choose　discreet　persons　for　their　successors；　I　was　enabled　to　wind　the　council　round　my　finger；　which　was　a　far　more　expedient　method　of　governing　the　community　than　what　I　had　at　one　time　meditated；　even　if　I　could　have　brought　it　to　a　bearing。　　But；　in　order　to　understand　the　full　weight　and　importance　of　this；　I　must　describe　how　the　choice　and　election　was　made；　because；　in　order　to　make　my　own　power　and　influence　the　more　sicker；　it　was　necessary　that　I　should　not　be　seen　in　the　business。



CHAPTER　XLVI　THE　NEW　COUNCILLORS



Mr　Peevie　was　not　a　little　proud　of　the　part　he　had　played　in　the　storm　of　the　council；　and　his　words　grew；　if　possible；　longer…nebbit　and　more　kittle　than　before；　in　so　much　that　the　same　evening；　when　I　called　on　him　after　dusk；　by　way　of　a　device　to　get　him　to　help　the　implementing　of　my　intents　with　regard　to　the　choice　of　two　gentlemen　to　succeed　those　whom　he　called　〃the　expurgated　dislocators；〃　it　was　with　a　great　difficulty　that　I　could　expiscate　his　meaning。　　〃Mr　Peevie；〃　said　I；　when　we　were　cozily　seated　by　ourselves　in　his　little　back　parlourthe　mistress　having　set　out　the　gardevin　and　tumblers；　and　the　lass　brought　in　the　hot　water〃I　do　not　think；　Mr　Peevie；　that　in　all　my　experience；　and　I　am　now　both　an　old　man　and　an　old　magistrate；　that　I　ever　saw　any　thing　better　managed　than　the　manner　in　which　ye　quelled　the　hobleshow　this　morning；　and　therefore　we　maun　hae　a　little　more　of　your　balsamic　advice；　to　make　a'　heal　among　us　again；　and　now　that　I　think　o't；　how　has　it　happent　that　ye　hae　never　been　a　bailie？　　I'm　sure　it's　due　both　to　your　character　and　circumstance　that　ye　should　take　upon　you　a　portion　of　the　burden　of　the　town　honours。　Therefore；　Mr　Peevie；　would　it　no　be　a　very　proper　thing；　in　the　choice　of　the　new　councillors；　to　take　men　of　a　friendly　mind　towards　you；　and　of　an　easy　and　manageable　habit　of　will。〃

The　old　man　was　mightily　taken　with　this　insinuation；　and　acknowledged　that　it　would　give　him　pleasure　to　be　a　bailie　next　year。　　We　then　cannily　proceeded；　just　as　if　one　thing　begat　another；　to　discourse　anent　the　different　men　that　were　likely　to　do　as　councillors；　and　fixed　at　last　on　Alexander　Hodden　the　blanket　merchant；　and　Patrick　Fegs　the　grocer；　both　excellent　characters　of　their　kind。　　There　was　not；　indeed；　in　the　whole　burgh　at　the　time；　a　person　of　such　a　flexible　easy　nature　as　Mr　Hodden；　and　his　neighbour；　Mr　Fegs；　was　even　better；　for　he　was　so　good…tempered；　and　kindly；　and　complying；　that　the　very　callants　at　the　grammar　school　had　nicknamed　him　Barley…sugar　Pate。

〃No　better　than　them　can　be；〃　said　I　to　Mr　Peevie；　〃they　are　likewise　both　well　to　do　in　the　world；　and　should　be　brought　into　consequence；　and　the　way　o't　canna　be　in　better　hands　than　your　own。　I　would；　therefore；　recommend　it　to　you　to　see　them　on　the　subject；　and；　if　ye　find　them　willing；　lay　your　hairs　in　the　water　to　bring　the　business　to　a　bearing。〃

Accordingly；　we　settled　to　speak　of　it　as　a　matter　in　part　decided；　that　Mr　Hodden　and　Mr　Fegs　were　to　be　the　two　new　councillors；　and