greyfriars bobby-第22部分

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pring　turf。　But　for　the　wee；　guardian　dog　the　man　who　lay　beneath　had　long　lost　what　little　identity　he　had　ever　possessed。

Now；　as　the　three　lay　there；　the　lassie　as　flushed　and　damp　as　some　water…nymph；　Bobby　panting　and　submitting　to　a　petting；　Tammy　took　the　little　dog's　muzzle　between　his　thin　hands；　parted　the　veil；　and　looked　into　the　soft　brown　eyes。

〃Leak；　Ailie；　Bobby's　wantin'　somethin'；　an'　is　juist　haudin'　'imsel'。〃

It　was　true。　For　all　his　gaiety　in　play　and　his　energy　at　work　Bobby's　eyes　had　ever　a　patient；　wistful　look；　not　unlike　the　crippled　laddie's。　Ah；　who　can　say　that　it　did　not　require　as　much　courage　and　gallant　bravado　on　the　part　of　that　small；　bereft　creature　to　enable　him　to　live　at　all；　as　it　did　for　Tammy　to　face　his　handicapped　life　and　〃no'　to　remember　'is　bad　legs〃？

In　the　bath　on　the　rear　steps　of　the　lodge　Bobby　swam　and　splashed；　and　scattered　foam　with　his　excited　tail。　He　would　not　stand　still　to　be　groomed；　but　wriggled　and　twisted　and　leaped　upon　the　children；　putting　his　shaggy　wet　paws　roguishly　in　their　faces。　But　he　stood　there　at　last；　after　the　jolliest　romp；　in　which　the　old　kirkyard　rang　with　laughter；　and　oh！　so　bonny；　in　his　rippling　coat　of　dark　silver。　No　sooner　was　he　released　than　he　dashed　around　the　kirk　and　back　again；　bringing　his　latest　bone　in　his　mouth。　To　his　scratching　on　the　stone　sill；　for　he　had　been　taught　not　to　scratch　on　the　panel；　the　door　was　opened　by　snod　and　smiling　Mistress　Jeanie；　who　invited　these　slum　bairns　into　such　a　cozy；　spotless　kitchen　as　was　not　possible　in　the　tenements。　Mr。　Brown　sat　by　the　hearth；　bundled　in　blue　and　white　blankets　of　wonderfully　blocked　country　weaving。　Bobby　put　his　fore　paws　on　the　caretaker's　chair　and　laid　his　precious　bone　in　the　man's　lap。

〃Eh；　ye　takin'　bit　rascal；　loup！〃　Bobby　jumped　to　the　patted　knee；　turned　around　and　around　on　the　soft　bed　that　invited　him；　licked　the　beaming　old　face　to　show　his　sympathy　and　friendliness；　and　jumped　down　again。　Mr。　Brown　sighed　because　Bobby　steadily　but　amiably　refused　to　be　anybody's　lap…dog。　The　caretaker　turned　to　the　admiring　children。

〃Ilka　morn　he　fetches　'is　bit　bane　up；　thinkin'　it　a　braw　giftie　for　an　ill　man。　An'　syne　he　veesits　me　twa　times　i'　the　day；　juist　bidin'　a　wee　on　the　hearthstane；　lollin'　'is　tongue　an'　waggin'　'is　tail；　cheerfu'…like。　Bobby　has　mair　gude　sense　in　'is　heid　than　mony　a　man　wha　comes　ben　the　hoose；　wi'　a　lang　face；　to　let　me　ken　I'm　gangin'　to　dee。　Gin　I　keep　snug　an'　canny　it　wullna　gang　to　the　heart。　Jeanie；　woman；　fetch　ma　fife；　wull　ye？〃

Then　there　were　strange　doings　in　the　kirkyard　lodge。　James　Brown　〃wasna　gangin'　to　dee〃　before　his　time　came；　at　any　rate。　In　his　youth；　as　under…gardener　on　a　Highland　estate；　he　had　learned　to　play　the　piccolo　flute；　and　lately　he　had　revived　the　pastoral　art　of　piping　just　because　it　went　so　well　with　Bobby's　delighted　legs。　To　the　sonsie　air　of　〃Bonnie　Dundee〃　Bobby　hopped　and　stepped　and　louped；　and　he　turned　about　on　his　hind　feet；　his　shagged　fore　paws　drooped　on　his　breast　as　daintily　as　the　hands　in　the　portraits　of　early　Victorian　ladies。　The　fire　burned　cheerily　in　the　polished　grate；　and　winked　on　every　shining　thing　in　the　room；　primroses　bloomed　in　the　diamond…paned　casement；　the　skylark　fluttered　up　and　sang　in　its　cage；　the　fife　whistled　as　gaily　as　a　blackbird；　and　the　little　dog　danced　with　a　comic　clumsiness　that　made　them　all　double　up　with　laughter。　The　place　was　so　full　of　brightness；　and　of　kind　and　merry　hearts；　that　there　was　room　for　nothing　else。　Not　one　of　them　dreamed　that　the　shadow　of　the　law　was　even　then　over　this　useful　and　lovable　little　dog's　head。

A　glance　at　the　wag…at…the…wa'　clock　reminded　Ailie　that　Mr。　Traill　might　be　waiting　for　Bobby。

Curious　about　the　mystery；　the　children　took　the　little　dog　down　to　the　gate；　happily。　They　were　sobered；　however；　when　Mr。　Traill　appeared；　looking　very　grand　in　his　Sabbath　clothes。　He　inspected　Bobby　all　over　with　anxious　scrutiny；　and　gave　each　of　the　bairns　a　threepenny…bit；　but　he　had　no　blithe　greeting　for　them。　Much　preoccupied；　he　went　off　at　once；　with　the　animated　little　muff　of　a　dog　at　his　heels。　In　truth；　Mr。　Traill　was　thinking　about　how　he　might　best　plead　Bobby's　cause　with　the　Lord　Provost。　The　note　that　was　handed　him；　on　leaving　the　Burgh　court　the　day　before；　had　read：

〃Meet　me　at　the　Regent's　Tomb　in　St。　Giles　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　bring　the　wee　Highlander　with　you。　Glenormiston。〃

On　the　first　reading　the　landlord's　spirits　had　risen；　out　of　all　proportion　to　the　cause；　owing　to　his　previous　depression。　But；　after　all；　the　appointment　had　no　official　character；　since　the　Regent's　Tomb　in　St。　Giles　had　long　been　a　sort　of　town　pump　for　the　retailing　of　gossip　and　for　the　transaction　of　trifling　affairs　of　all　sorts。　The　fate　of　this　little　dog　was　a　small　matter；　indeed；　and　so　it　might　be　thought　fitting；　by　the　powers　that　be；　that　it　should　be　decided　at　the　Regent's　Tomb　rather　than　in　the　Burgh　court。

To　the　children；　who　watched　from　the　kirkyard　gate　until　Mr。　Traill　and　Bobby　were　hidden　by　the　buildings　on　the　bridge；　it　was　no'　canny。　The　busy　landlord　lived　mostly　in　shirt…sleeves　and　big　white　apron；　ready　to　lend　a　hand　in　the　rush　hours；　and　he　never　was　known　to　put　on　his　black　coat　and　tall　hat　on　a　week…day；　except　to　attend　a　funeral。　However；　there　was　the　day's　work　to　be　done。　Tammy　had　a　lesson　still　to　get；　and　returned　to　the　kirkyard；　and　Ailie　ran　up　to　the　dining…rooms。　On　the　step　she　collided　with　a　red　headed；　freckle…faced　young　man　who　asked　for　Mr。　Traill。

〃He　isna　here。〃　The　shy　lassie　was　made　almost　speechless　by　recognizing；　in　this　neat；　well…spoken　clerk；　an　old　Heriot　boy；　once　as　poor　as　herself。

〃Do　you　wark　for　him；　lassie？　Weel；　do　you　know　how　he　cam'　out　in　the　Burgh　court　about　the　bit　dog？〃

There　was　only　one　〃bit　dog〃　in　the　world　to　Ailie。　Wild　eyed　with　alarm　at　mention　of　the　Burgh　court；　in　connection　with　that　beloved　little　pet；　she　stammered：　〃It'sit'sno'　a　coort　he　gaed　to。　Maister　Traill's　tak'n　Bobby　awa'　to　a　braw　kirk。〃

Sandy　nodded　his　head。　〃Ay；　that　would　be　the　police　office　in　St。　Giles。　Lassie；　tell　Mr。　Traill　I　sent　the　Lord　Provost；　and　if　he's　needing　a　witness　to　ca'　on　Sandy　McGregor。　〃

Ailie　stared　after　him　with　frightened　eyes。　Into　her　mind　flashed　that　ominous　remark　of　the　policeman　two　days　before：　〃I　didna　ken　ye　had　a　dog；　John？〃　She　overtook　Sandy　in　front　of　the　sheriff's　court　on　the　bridge。

〃Whatwhat　hae　the　police　to　do　wi'　bittie　dogs？〃

〃If　a　dog　has　nae　master　to　pay　for　his　license　the　police　can　tak'　him　up　and　put　him　out　o'　the　way。〃

〃Hoo　muckle　siller　are　they　wantin'？〃

〃Seven　shullings。　Gude　day；　lassie；　I'm　fair　late。〃　Sandy　was　not　really　alarmed　about　Bobby　since　the　resourceful　Mr。　Traill　had　taken　up　his　cause；　and　he　had　no　idea　of　the　panic　of　grief　and　fright　that　overwhelmed　this　forlorn　child。

Seven　shullings！　It　was　an　enormous　sum　to　the　tenement　bairn；　whose　half…blind　grandmither　knitted　and　knitted　in　a　dimly　lighted　room；　and　hoarded　halfpennies　and　farthings　to　save　herself　from　pauper　burial。　Seven　shullings　would　pay　a　month's　rent　for　any　one　of　the　crowded　rooms　in　which　a　family　lived。　Ailie　herself；　an　untrained　lassie　who　scarcely　knew　the　use　of　a　toasting…fork；　was　overpaid　by　generous　Mr。　Traill　at　sixpence　a　day。　Seven　shullings　to　permit　one　little　dog　to　live！　It　did　not　occur　to　Ailie　that　this　was　a　sum　Mr。　Traill　could　easily　pay。　No'　onybody　at　all　had　seven　shullings　all　at　once！　But；　oh！　everybody　had　pennies　and　halfpennies　and　farthings；　and　she　and　Tammy　together　had　a　sixpence。

Darting　back　to　the　gate；　to　catch　the　laddie　before　he　could　be　off　to　school；　she　ran　straight　into　the　policeman；　who　stood　with　his　hand　on　the　wicket。　He　eyed　her　sharply。

〃Eh；　lassie；　I　was　gangin'　to　spier　at　the　lodge；　gin　there's　a　bit　dog　leevin'　i'　the　kirkyaird。〃

〃IIdinna　ken。〃　Her　voice　was　unmanageable。　She　had　left　to　her　only　the　tenement…bred　instinct　of　concealment　of　any　and　all　facts　from　an　officer　of　the　law。

〃Ye　dinna　ken！　Maister　Traill　said　i'　the　coort　a'　the　bairns　aboot　kenned　the　dog。　Was　he　leein'？〃

The　question　stung　her　into　angry　admission。　〃He　wadna　be　leein'。　Butbutthe　bittiedogisna　here　noo。〃

〃Syne；　whaur　is　he？　Oot　wi'　it！〃

〃Idinnaken！〃　She　cowered　in　abject　fear　against　the　wall。　She　could　not　know　that　this　officer　was　suffering　a　bad　attack　of　shame　for　his　shabby　part　in　the　affair。　Satisfied　that　the　little　dog　really　did　live　in　the　kirkyard；　he　turned　back　to　the　bridge。　When　Tammy　came　out　presently　he　found　Ailie　crumpled　up　in　a　limp　little　heap　in　the　gateway　alcove。　In　a　moment　the　tale　of　Bobby's　peril　was　told。　The　laddie　dropped　his　books　and　his　crutches　on　the　pavement；　and　his　head　in　his　helpless　arms；　and　cried。　He　had　small　faith　in　Ailie's　suddenly　conceived　plan　to　collect　the　seven　shullings　among　the　dwellers　in　the　tenements。

〃Do　ye　ken　hoo　muckle　siller　seven　shullin's　wad　be？　It's　auchty…fower　pennies；　a　hundred　an'　saxty…aucht　ha'pennies　an'　an'I　canna　think　hoo　mony　farthings。〃

〃I　dinna　care　a　bittie　bit。　There's　mair　folk　aroond　the　kirkyaird　than　there's　farthings　i'　twa；　three　times　seven　shullin's。　An'　maist　ilka　body　kens　Bobby。　An'　we　hae　a　saxpence　atween　us　noo。〃

〃Maister　Brown　wad　gie　us　anither　saxpence　gin　he　had　ane；〃　Tammy　suggested；　wistfully。

〃Nae；　he's　fair　ill。　Gin　he　doesna　keep　canny　it　wull　gang　to　'is　heart。　He'd　be　aff　'is　heid；　aboot　Bobby。　Oh；　Tammy；　Maister　Traill　gaed　to　gie　'im　up！　He　was　wearin'　a'　'is　gude　claes　an'　a　lang　face；　to　gang　to　Bobby's　buryin'。〃

This　dreadful　thought　spurred　them　to　instant　action。　By　way　of　mutual　encouragement　they　went　together　through　the　sculptured　doorway；　that　bore　the　arms　of　the　ancient　guild　of　the　candlemakers　on　the　lintel；　and　into　the　carting　office　on　the　front。

〃Do　ye　ken　Greyfriars　Bobby？〃　Tammy　asked；　timidly；　of　the　man　in　charge。

He　glowered　at　the　laddie　and　shook　his　head。　〃Havers；　mannie；　there's　no'　onybody　named　for　an　auld　buryin'　groond。〃

The　children　fled。　There　was　no　use　at　all　in　wasting　time　on　folk　who　did　not　know　Bobby；　for　it　would　t