the provost-第9部分

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　advocate。　　I　trow；　Bailie　Booble　never　set　himself　so　forward　from　that　day　to　this。



CHAPTER　XIIITHE　MEAL　MOB



After　the　close　of　the　American　war；　I　had；　for　various　reasons　of　a　private　nature；　a　wish　to　sequestrate　myself　for　a　time；　from　any　very　ostensible　part　in　public　affairs。　　Still；　however；　desiring　to　retain　a　mean　of　resuming　my　station；　and　of　maintaining　my　influence　in　the　council；　I　bespoke　Mr　Keg　to　act　in　my　place　as　deputy　for　My　Lord；　who　was　regularly　every　year　at　this　time　chosen　into　the　provostry。

This　Mr　Keg　was　a　man　who　had　made　a　competency　by　the　Isle…of…Man　trade；　and　had　come　in　from　the　laighlands；　where　he　had　been　apparently　in　the　farming　line；　to　live　among　us；　but　for　many　a　day；　on　account　of　something　that　happened　when　he　was　concerned　in　the　smuggling；　he　kept　himself　cannily　aloof　from　all　sort　of　town　matters；　deporting　himself　with　a　most　creditable　sobriety；　in　so　much；　that　there　was　at　one　time　a　sough　that　Mr　Pittle；　the　minister；　our　friend；　had　put　him　on　the　leet　for　an　elder。　　That　post；　however；　if　it　was　offered　to　him；　he　certainly　never　accepted；　but　I　jealouse　that　he　took　the　rumour　o't　for　a　sign　that　his　character　had　ripened　into　an　estimation　among　us；　for　he　thenceforth　began　to　kithe　more　in　public；　and　was　just　a　patron　to　every　manifestation　of　loyalty；　putting　more　lights　in　his　windows　in　the　rejoicing　nights　of　victory　than　any　other　body；　Mr　M'Creesh；　the　candlemaker；　and　Collector　Cocket；　not　excepted。　　Thus；　in　the　fulness　of　time；　he　was　taken　into　the　council；　and　no　man　in　the　whole　corporation　could　be　said　to　be　more　zealous　than　he　was。　　In　respect；　therefore；　to　him；　I　had　nothing　to　fear；　so　far　as　the　interests；　and；　over　and　above　all；　the　loyalty　of　the　corporation；　were　concerned；　but　something　like　a　quailing　came　over　my　heart；　when；　after　the　breaking　up　of　the　council　on　the　day　of　election；　he　seemed　to　shy　away　from　me；　who　had　been　instrumental　to　his　advancement。　　However；　I　trow　he　had　soon　reason　to　repent　of　that　ingratitude；　as　I　may　well　call　it；　for　when　the　troubles　of　the　meal　mob　came　upon　him；　I　showed　him　that　I　could　keep　my　distance　as　well　as　my　neighbours。

It　was　on　the　Friday；　our　market…day；　that　the　hobleshow　began；　and　in　the　afternoon；　when　the　farmers　who　had　brought　in　their　victual　for　sale　were　loading　their　carts　to　take　it　home　again；　the　price　not　having　come　up　to　their　expectation。　　All　the　forenoon；　as　the　wives　that　went　to　the　meal…market；　came　back　railing　with　toom　pocks　and　basins；　it　might　have　been　foretold　that　the　farmers　would　have　to　abate　their　extortion；　or　that　something　would　come　o't　before　night。　　My　new　house　and　shop　being　forenent　the　market；　I　had　noted　this；　and　said　to　Mrs　Pawkie；　my　wife；　what　I　thought　would　be　the　upshot；　especially　when；　towards　the　afternoon；　I　observed　the　commonality　gathering　in　the　market…place；　and　no　sparing　in　their　tongues　to　the　farmers；　so；　upon　her　advice；　I　directed　Thomas　Snakers　to　put　on　the　shutters。

Some　of　the　farmers　were　loading　their　carts　to　go　home；　when　the　schools　skailed；　and　all　the　weans　came　shouting　to　the　market。　Still　nothing　happened；　till　tinkler　Jean；　a　randy　that　had　been　with　the　army　at　the　siege　of　Gibraltar；　and；　for　aught　I　ken；　in　the　Americas；　if　no　in　the　Indies　likewise；she　came　with　her　meal…　basin　in　her　hand；　swearing；　like　a　trooper；　that　if　she　didna　get　it　filled　with　meal　at　fifteen…pence　a　peck；　（the　farmers　demanded　sixteen）；　she　would　have　the　fu'　o't　of　their　heart's　blood；　and　the　mob　of　thoughtless　weans　and　idle　fellows；　with　shouts　and　yells；　encouraged　Jean；　and　egged　her　on　to　a　catastrophe。　　The　corruption　of　the　farmers　was　thus　raised；　and　a　young　rash　lad；　the　son　of　James　Dyke　o'　the　Mount；　whom　Jean　was　blackguarding　at　a　dreadful　rate；　and　upbraiding　on　account　of　some　ploy　he　had　had　with　the　Dalmailing　session　anent　a　bairn；　in　an　unguarded　moment　lifted　his　hand；　and　shook　his　neive　in　Jean's　face；　and　even；　as　she　said；　struck　her。　　He　himself　swore　an　affidavit　that　he　gave　her　only　a　ding　out　of　his　way；　but　be　this　as　it　may；　at　him　rushed　Jean　with　open　mouth；　and　broke　her　timbermeal…basin　on　his　head；　as　it　had　been　an　egg…shell。　　Heaven　only　knows　what　next　ensued；　but　in　a　jiffy　the　whole　market…place　was　as　white　with　scattered　meal　as　if　it　had　been　covered　with　snow；　and　the　farmers　were　seen　flying　helter　skelter　out　at　the　townhead；　pursued　by　the　mob；　in　a　hail　and　whirlwind　of　stones　and　glaur。　　Then　the　drums　were　heard　beating　to　arms；　and　the　soldiers　were　seen　flying　to　their　rendezvous。　　I　stood　composedly　at　the　dining…room　window；　and　was　very　thankful　that　I　wasna　provost　in　such　a　hurricane；　when　I　saw　poor　Mr　Keg；　as　pale　as　a　dish　clout；　running　to　and　fro　bareheaded；　with　the　town…officers　and　their　halberts　at　his　heels；　exhorting　and　crying　till　he　was　as　hoarse　as　a　crow；　to　the　angry　multitude；　that　was　raging　and　tossing　like　a　sea　in　the　market…place。　　Then　it　was　that　he　felt　the　consequence　of　his　pridefulness　towards　me；　for；　observing　me　standing　in　serenity　at　the　window；　he　came；　and　in　a　vehement　manner　cried　to　me　for　the　love　of　heaven　to　come　to　his　assistance；　and　pacify　the　people。　　It　would　not　have　been　proper　in　me　to　have　refused；　so　out　I　went　in　the　very　nick　of　time：　　for　when　I　got　to　the　door；　there　was　the　soldiers　in　battle　array；　coming　marching　with　fife　and　drum　up　the　gait　with　Major　Blaze　at　their　head；　red　and　furious　in　the　face；　and　bent　on　some　bloody　business。　　The　first　thing　I　did　was　to　run　to　the　major；　just　as　he　was　facing　the　men　for　a　〃charge　bagonets〃　on　the　people；　crying　to　him　to　halt；　for　the　riot　act　wasna　yet　read；　and　the　murder　of　all　that　might　be　slain　would　lie　at　his　door；　at　which　to　hear　he　stood　aghast；　and　the　men　halted。　　Then　I　flew　back　to　the　provost；　and　I　cried　to　him；　〃Read　the　riot　act！〃　which　some　of　the　mob　hearing；　became　terrified　thereat；　none　knowing　the　penalties　or　consequences　thereof；　when　backed　by　soldiers；　and　in　a　moment；　as　if　they　had　seen　the　glimpse　of　a　terrible　spirit　in　the　air；　the　whole　multitude　dropped　the　dirt　and　stones　out　of　their　hands；　and；　turning　their　backs；　flew　into　doors　and　closes；　and　were　skailed　before　we　knew　where　we　were。　　It　is　not　to　be　told　the　laud　and　admiration　that　I　got　for　my　ability　in　this　business；　for　the　major　was　so　well　pleased　to　have　been　saved　from　a　battle；　that；　at　my　suggestion；　he　wrote　an　account　of　the　whole　business　to　the　commander…in…chief；　assuring　him　that；　but　for　me；　and　my　great　weight　and　authority　in　the　town；　nobody　could　tell　what　the　issue　might　have　been；　so　that　the　Lord　Advocate；　to　whom　the　report　was　shown　by　the　general；　wrote　me　a　letter　of　thanks　in　the　name　of　the　government；　and　I；　although　not　provost；　was　thus　seen　and　believed　to　be　a　person　of　the　foremost　note　and　consideration　in　the　town。

But　although　the　mob　was　dispersed；　as　I　have　related；　the　consequences　did　not　end　there；　for；　the　week　following；　none　of　the　farmers　brought　in　their　victual；　and　there　was　a　great　lamentation　and　moaning　in　the　market…place　when；　on　the　Friday；　not　a　single　cart　from　the　country　was　to　be　seen；　but　only　Simon　Laidlaw's；　with　his　timber　caps　and　luggies；　and　the　talk　was；　that　meal　would　be　half…a…crown　the　peck。　　The　grief；　however；　of　the　business　wasna　visible　till　the　Saturdaythe　wonted　day　for　the　poor　to　seek　their　meatwhen　the　swarm　of　beggars　that　came　forth　was　a　sight　truly　calamitous。　　Many　a　decent　auld　woman　that　had　patiently　eiked　out　the　slender　thread　of　a　weary　life　with　her　wheel；　in　privacy；　her　scant　and　want　known　only　to　her　Maker；　was　seen　going　from　door　to　door　with　the　salt　tear　in　her　e'e；　and　looking　in　the　face　of　the　pitiful；　being　as　yet　unacquainted　with　the　language　of　beggary；　but　the　worst　sight　of　all　was　two　bonny　bairns；　dressed　in　their　best；　of　a　genteel　demeanour；　going　from　house　to　house　like　the　hungry　babes　in　the　wood：　　nobody　kent　who　they　were；　nor　whar　they　came　from；　but　as　I　was　seeing　them　served　myself　at　our　door；　I　spoke　to　them；　and　they　told　me　that　their　mother　was　lying　sick　and　ill　at　home。　　They　were　the　orphans　of　a　broken　merchant　from　Glasgow；　and；　with　their　mother；　had　come　out　to　our　town　the　week　before；　without　knowing　where　else　to　seek　their　meat。

Mrs　Pawkie；　who　was　a　tender…hearted　mother　herself；　took　in　the　bairns　on　hearing　this；　and　we　made　of　them；　and　the　same　night；　among　our　acquaintance；　we　got　a　small　sum　raised　to　assist　their　mother；　who　proved　a　very　well…bred　and　respectable　lady…like　creature。　　When　she　got　better；　she　was　persuaded　to　take　up　a　school；　which　she　kept　for　some　years；　with　credit　to　herself　and　benefit　to　the　community；　till　she　got　a　legacy　left　her　by　a　brother　that　died　in　India；　the　which；　being　some　thousands；　caused　her　to　remove　into　Edinburgh；　for　the　better　education　of　her　own　children；　and　its　seldom　that　legacies　are　so　well　bestowed；　for　she　never　forgot　Mrs　Pawkie's　kindness；　and　out　of　the　fore…end　of　her　wealth　she　sent　her　a　very　handsome　present。　　Divers　matters　of　elegance　have　come　to　us　from　her；　year　by　year；　since　syne；　and　regularly　on　the　anniversary　day　of　that　sore　Saturday；　as　the　Saturday　following　the　meal　mob　was　ever　after　called。



CHAPTER　XIVTHE　SECOND　PROVOSTRY



I　have　had　occasion　to　observe　in　the　course　of　my　experience；　that　there　is　not　a　greater　mollifier　of　the　temper　and　nature　of　man　than　a　constant　flowing　in　of　success　and　prosperity。　　From　the　time　that　I　had　been　dean　of　guild；　I　was　sensible　of　a　considerable　increase　of　my　worldly　means　and　substance；　and　although　Bailie　M'Lucre　played　me　a　soople　trick　at　the　election；　by　the　inordinate　sale　and　roup　of　his　potatoe…rig；　the　which　tried　me；　as　I　do　confess；　and　nettled　me　with　disappointment；　yet　things；　in　other　respects；　went　so　well　with　me　that；　about　the　eighty…eight；　I　began　to　put　forth　my　hand　again　into　public　affairs；　endowed　both　with　more　vigour　and　activity　than　it　was　in　the　first　period　of　my　magisterial　functions。　　Indeed；　it　may　be　here　proper　for　me　to　narrate；　that　my　retiring　into　the　background　during　the　last　two　or　three　years；　was　a　thing；　as　I　have　said；　don