the provost-第5部分

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　set　them　a'　again　a　barking　worse　than　before；　whereupon；　seeing　no　likelihood　of　an　end　to　their　stramash；　I　turned　mysel'　round；　and；　taking　the　door　on　my　back；　left　them；　and　the　same　night　came　off　on　the　Fly　to　Edinburgh。　　Since　syne　they　have　been　trying　every　grip　and　wile　o'　the　law　to　punish　me　as　they　threatened；　but　the　laws　of　England　are　a　great　protection　to　the　people　against　arbitrary　power；　and　the　letter　that　I　have　got　to…day　frae　the　nabob；　tells　me　that　the　commissioners　hae　abandoned　the　plea。〃

Such　was　the　account　and　narration　that　the　bailie　gave　to　me　of　the　particulars　o'　his　journey　to　London；　and　when　he　was　done；　I　could　not　but　make　a　moral　reflection　or　two；　on　the　policy　of　gentlemen　putting　themselves　on　the　leet　to　be　members　of　Parliament；　it　being　a　clear　and　plain　thing；　that　as　they　are　sent　up　to　London　for　the　benefit　of　the　people　by　whom　they　are　chosen；　the　people　should　always　take　care　to　get　some　of　that　benefit　in　hand　paid　down；　otherwise　they　run　a　great　risk　of　seeing　their　representatives　neglecting　their　special　interests；　and　treating　them　as　entitled　to　no　particular　consideration。



CHAPTER　VIIION　THE　CHOOSING　OF　A　MINISTER



The　next　great　handling　that　we　had　in　the　council　after　the　general　election；　was　anent　the　choice　of　a　minister　for　the　parish。　　The　Rev。　Dr　Swapkirk　having　had　an　apoplexy；　the　magistrates　were　obligated　to　get　Mr　Pittle　to　be　his　helper。　　Whether　it　was　that；　by　our　being　used　to　Mr　Pittle；　we　had　ceased　to　have　a　right　respect　for　his　parts　and　talents；　or　that　in　reality　he　was　but　a　weak　brother；　I　cannot　in　conscience　take　it　on　me　to　say；　but　the　certainty　is；　that　when　the　Doctor　departed　this　life；　there　was　hardly　one　of　the　hearers　who　thought　Mr　Pittle　would　ever　be　their　placed　minister；　and　it　was　as　far　at　first　from　the　unanimous　mind　of　the　magistrates；　who　are　the　patrons　of　the　parish；　as　any　thing　could　well　be；　for　he　was　a　man　of　no　smeddum　in　discourse。　　In　verity；　as　Mrs　Pawkie；　my　wife；　said；　his　sermons　in　the　warm　summer　afternoons　were　just　a　perfect　hushabaa；　that　no　mortal　could　hearken　to　without　sleeping。　　Moreover；　he　had　a　sorning　way　with　him；　that　the　genteeler　sort　could　na　abide；　for　he　was　for　ever　going　from　house　to　house　about　tea…time；　to　save　his　ain　canister。　As　for　the　young　ladies；　they　could　na　endure　him　at　all；　for　he　had　aye　the　sough　and　sound　of　love　in　his　mouth；　and　a　round…about　ceremonial　of　joking　concerning　the　same；　that　was　just　a　fasherie　to　them　to　hear。　　The　commonality；　however；　were　his　greatest　adversaries；　for　he　was；　notwithstanding　the　spareness　of　his　abilities；　a　prideful　creature；　taking　no　interest　in　their　hamely　affairs；　and　seldom　visiting　the　aged　or　the　sick　among　them。　Shortly；　however；　before　the　death　of　the　doctor；　Mr　Pittle　had　been　very　attentive　to　my　wife's　full　cousin；　Miss　Lizy　Pinkie；　I'll　no　say　on　account　of　the　legacy　of　seven　hundred　pounds　left　her　by　an　uncle　that　made　his　money　in　foreign　parts；　and　died　at　Portsmouth　of　the　liver　complaint；　when　he　was　coming　home　to　enjoy　himself；　and　Mrs　Pawkie　told　me；　that　as　soon　as　Mr　Pittle　could　get　a　kirk；　I　needna　be　surprised　if　I　heard　o'　a　marriage　between　him　and　Miss　Lizy。

Had　I　been　a　sordid　and　interested　man；　this　news　could　never　have　given　me　the　satisfaction　it　did；　for　Miss　Lizy　was　very　fond　of　my　bairns；　and　it　was　thought　that　Peter　would　have　been　her　heir；　but　so　far　from　being　concerned　at　what　I　heard；　I　rejoiced　thereat；　and　resolved　in　secret　thought；　whenever　a　vacancy　happened；　Dr　Swapkirk　being　then　fast　wearing　away；　to　exert　the　best　of　my　ability　to　get　the　kirk　for　Mr　Pittle；　not；　however；　unless　he　was　previously　married　to　Miss　Lizy；　for；　to　speak　out；　she　was　beginning　to　stand　in　need　of　a　protector；　and　both　me　and　Mrs　Pawkie　had　our　fears　that　she　might　outlive　her　income；　and　in　her　old　age　become　a　cess　upon　us。　　And　it　couldna　be　said　that　this　was　any　groundless　fear；　for　Miss　Lizy；　living　a　lonely　maiden　life　by　herself；　with　only　a　bit　lassie　to　run　her　errands；　and　no　being　naturally　of　an　active　or　eydent　turn；　aften　wearied；　and　to　keep　up　her　spirits　gaed　may　be；　now　and　then；　oftener　to　the　gardevin　than　was　just　necessar；　by　which；　as　we　thought；　she　had　a　tavert　look。　　Howsever；　as　Mr　Pittle　had　taken　a　notion　of　her；　and　she　pleased　his　fancy；　it　was　far　from　our　hand　to　misliken　one　that　was　sib　to　us；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　a　duty　laid　on　me　by　the　ties　of　blood　and　relationship；　to　do　all　in　my　power　to　further　their　mutual　affection　into　matrimonial　fruition；　and　what　I　did　towards　that　end；　is　the　burden　of　this　current　chapter。

Dr　Swapkirk；　in　whom　the　spark　of　life　was　long　fading；　closed　his　eyes；　and　it　went　utterly　out；　as　to　this　world；　on　a　Saturday　night；　between　the　hours　of　eleven　and　twelve。　　We　had　that　afternoon　got　an　inkling　that　he　was　drawing　near　to　his　end。　　At　the　latest；　Mrs　Pawkie　herself　went　over　to　the　manse；　and　stayed　till　she　saw　him　die。　　〃It　was　a　pleasant　end；〃　she　said；　for　he　was　a　godly；　patient　man；　and　we　were　both　sorely　grieved；　though　it　was　a　thing　for　which　we　had　been　long　prepared；　and　indeed；　to　his　family　and　connexions；　except　for　the　loss　of　the　stipend；　it　was　a　very　gentle　dispensation；　for　he　had　been　long　a　heavy　handful；　having　been　for　years　but；　as　it　were；　a　breathing　lump　of　mortality；　groosy；　and　oozy；　and　doozy；　his　faculties　being　shut　up　and　locked　in　by　a　dumb　palsy。

Having　had　this　early　intimation　of　the　doctor's　removal　to　a　better　world；　on　the　Sabbath　morning　when　I　went　to　join　the　magistrates　in　the　council…chamber；　as　the　usage　is　to　go　to　the　laft；　with　the　town…officers　carrying　their　halberts　before　us；　according　to　the　ancient　custom　of　all　royal　burghs；　my　mind　was　in　a　degree　prepared　to　speak　to　them　anent　the　successor。　　Little；　however；　passed　at　that　time；　and　it　so　happened　that；　by　some　wonder　of　inspiration；　（there　were；　however；　folk　that　said　it　was　taken　out　of　a　book　of　sermons；　by　one　Barrow　an　English　Divine；）　Mr　Pittle　that　forenoon　preached　a　discourse　that　made　an　impression；　in　so　much；　that　on　our　way　back　to　the　council…chamber　I　said　to　Provost　Vintner；　that　then　was　…

〃Really　Mr　Pittle　seems；　if　he　would　exert　himself；　to　have　a　nerve。　I　could　not　have　thought　it　was　in　the　power　of　his　capacity　to　have　given　us　such　a　sermon。〃

The　provost　thought　as　I　did；　so　I　replied〃We　canna；　I　think；　do　better　than　keep　him　among　us。　　It　would；　indeed；　provost；　no　be　doing　justice　to　the　young　man　to　pass　another　over　his　head。〃

I　could　see　that　the　provost　wasna　quite　sure　of　what　I　had　been　saying；　for　he　replied；　that　it　was　a　matter　that　needed　consideration。

When　we　separated　at　the　council…chamber；　I　threw　myself　in　the　way　of　Bailie　Weezle；　and　walked　home　with　him；　our　talk　being　on　the　subject　of　vacancy；　and　I　rehearsed　to　him　what　had　passed　between　me　and　the　provost；　saying；　that　the　provost　had　made　no　objection　to　prefer　Mr　Pittle；　which　was　the　truth。

Bailie　Weezle　was　a　man　no　overladen　with　worldly　wisdom；　and　had　been　chosen　into　the　council　principally　on　account　of　being　easily　managed。　　In　his　business；　he　was　originally　by　trade　a　baker　in　Glasgow；　where　he　made　a　little　money；　and　came　to　settle　among　us　with　his　wife；　who　was　a　native　of　the　town；　and　had　her　relations　here。　　Being　therefore　an　idle　man；　living　on　his　money；　and　of　a　soft　and　quiet　nature；　he　was　for　the　reason　aforesaid　chosen　into　the　council；　where　he　always　voted　on　the　provost's　side；　for　in　controverted　questions　every　one　is　beholden　to　take　a　part；　and　he　thought　it　was　his　duty　to　side　with　the　chief　magistrate。

Having　convinced　the　bailie　that　Mr　Pittle　had　already；　as　it　were；　a　sort　of　infeoffment　in　the　kirk；　I　called　in　the　evening　on　my　old　predecessor　in　the　guildry；　Bailie　M'Lucre；　who　was　not　a　hand　to　be　so　easily　dealt　with；　but　I　knew　his　inclinations；　and　therefore　I　resolved　to　go　roundly　to　work　with　him。　　So　I　asked　him　out　to　take　a　walk；　and　I　led　him　towards　the　town…moor；　conversing　loosely　about　one　thing　and　another；　and　touching　softly　here　and　there　on　the　vacancy。

When　we　were　well　on　into　the　middle　of　the　moor；　I　stopped；　and；　looking　round　me；　said；　〃Bailie；　surely　it's　a　great　neglec　of　the　magistrates　and　council　to　let　this　braw　broad　piece　of　land；　so　near　the　town；　lie　in　a　state　o'　nature；　and　giving　pasturage　to　only　twa…three　of　the　poor　folk's　cows。　　I　wonder　you；　that's　now　a　rich　man；　and　with　eyne　worth　pearls　and　diamonds；　that　ye　dinna　think　of　asking　a　tack　of　this　land；　ye　might　make　a　great　thing　o't。〃

The　fish　nibbled；　and　told　me　that　he　had　for　some　time　entertained　a　thought　on　the　subject；　but　he　was　afraid　that　I　would　be　overly　extortionate。

〃I　wonder　to　hear　you；　bailie；〃　said　I；　〃I　trust　and　hope　no　one　will　ever　find　me　out　of　the　way　of　justice；　and　to　convince　you　that　I　can　do　a　friendly　turn；　I'll　no　objec　to　gie　you　a'　my　influence　free　gratis；　if　ye'll　gie　Mr　Pittle　a　lift　into　the　kirk；　for；　to　be　plain　with　you；　the　worthy　young　man；　who；　as　ye　heard　to…day；　is　no　without　an　ability；　has　long　been　fond　of　Mrs　Pawkie's　cousin；　Miss　Lizy　Pinky；　and　I　would　fain　do　all　that　lies　in　my　power　to　help　on　the　match。

The　bailie　was　well　pleased　with　my　frankness；　and　before　returning　home　we　came　to　a　satisfactory　understanding；　so　that　the　next　thing　I　had　to　do；　was　to　see　Mr　Pittle　himself　on　the　subject。　Accordingly；　in　the　gloaming；　I　went　over　to　where　he　stayed：　　it　was　with　Miss　Jenny　Killfuddy；　an　elderly　maiden　lady；　whose　father　was　the　minister　of　Braehill；　and　the　same　that　is　spoken　of　in　the　chronicle　of　Dalmailing；　as　having　had　his　eye　almost　put　out　by　a　clash　of　glaur；　at　the　stormy　placing　of　Mr　Balwhidder。

〃Mr　Pittle；〃　said　I；　as　soon　as　I　was　in　and　the　door　closed。　　〃I'm　come　to　you　as　a　friend；　both　Mrs　Pawkie　and　me　have　long　discerned　that　ye　have　had　a　look　more　than　common　towards　our　friend；　Miss　Lizy；　and　we　think　it　our　duty　to　enquire　your　intents；　before　matters　gang　to　greater　length。〃

He　looked　a　little　dumfoundered　at　this　salutation；　and　was　at　a　loss　for　an　answer；　so　I　continued　…

〃If　your　designs　be　honourable；　and　no　doubt　they　are；