greyfriars bobby-第24部分

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t　grave；　the　days　when　he　lay　cramped　under　the　fallen　table…tomb；　and　his　repeated；　dramatic　escapes　from　the　Pentland　farm。　His　never　broken　silence　in　the　kirkyard　was　only　to　be　explained　by　the　unforgotten　orders　of　his　dead　master。　His　intelligent　effort　to　make　himself　useful　to　the　caretaker　had　won　indulgence。　His　ready　obedience；　good　temper；　high　spirits　and　friendliness　had　made　him　the　special　pet　of　the　tenement　children　and　the　Heriot　laddies。　At　the　very　last　Mr。　Traill　repeated　the　talk　he　had　had　with　the　non…commissioned　officer　from　the　Castle；　and　confessed　his　own　fear　of　some　forlorn　end　for　Bobby。　It　was　true　he　was　nobody's　dog；　and　he　was　fascinated　by　soldiers　and　military　music；　and　so；　perhaps

〃I'll　no'　be　reconciled　to　partingEh；　man；　that's　what　Auld　Jock　himsel'　said　when　he　was　telling　me　that　the　bit　dog　must　be　returned　to　the　sheep…farm：　'It　wull　be　sair　partin'。'〃　Tears　stood　in　the　unashamed　landlord's　eyes。

Glenormiston　was　pulling　Bobby's　silkily　fringed　ears　thoughtfully。　Through　all　this　talk　about　his　dead　master　the　little　dog　had　not　stirred。　For　the　second　time　that　day　Bobby's　veil　was　pushed　back；　first　by　the　most　unfortunate　laddie　in　the　decaying　tenements　about　Greyfriars；　and　now　by　the　Lord　Provost　of　the　ancient　royal　burgh　and　capital　of　Scotland。　And　both　made　the　same　discovery。　Deep…brown　pools　of　love；　young　Bobby's　eyes　had　dwelt　upon　Auld　Jock。　Pools　of　sad　memories　they　were　now；　looking　out　wistfully　and　patiently　upon　a　masterless　world。

〃Are　you　thinking　he　would　be　reconciled　to　be　anywhere　away　from　that　grave？　Look；　man！〃

〃Lord　forgive　me！　I　aye　thought　the　wee　doggie　happy　enough。〃

After　a　moment　the　two　men　went　down　the　gallery　stairs　in　silence。　Bobby　dropped　from　the　bench　and　fell　into　a　subdued　trot　at　their　heels。　As　they　left　the　cathedral　by　the　door　that　led　into　High　Street　Glenormiston　remarked；　with　a　mysterious　smile：

〃I'm　thinking　Edinburgh　can　do　better　by　wee　Bobby　than　to　banish　him　to　the　Castle。　But　wait　a　bit；　man。　A　kirk　is　not　the　place　for　settling　a　small　dog's　affairs。〃

The　Lord　Provost　led　the　way　westward　along　the　cathedral's　front。　On　High　Street；　St。　Giles　had　three　doorways。　The　middle　door　then　gave　admittance　to　the　police　office；　the　western　opened　into　the　Little　Kirk；　popularly　known　as　Haddo's　Hole。　It　was　into　this　bare；　whitewashed　chapel　that　Glenormiston　turned　to　get　some　restoration　drawings　he　had　left　on　the　pulpit。　He　was　explaining　them　to　Mr。　Traill　when　he　was　interrupted　by　a　murmur　and　a　shuffle；　as　of　many　voices　and　feet；　and　an　odd　tap…tap…tapping　in　the　vestibule。

Of　all　the　doorways　on　the　north　and　south　fronts　of　St。　Giles　the　one　to　the　Little　Kirk　was　nearest　the　end　of　George　IV　Bridge。　Confused　by　the　vast　size　and　imposing　architecture　of　the　old　cathedral；　these　slum　children；　in　search　of　the　police　office；　went　no　farther；　but　ventured　timidly　into　the　open　vestibule　of　Haddo's　Hole。　Any　doubts　they　might　have　had　about　this　being　the　right　place　were　soon　dispelled。　Bobby　heard　them　and　darted　out　to　investigate。　And　suddenly　they　were　all　inside；　overwrought　Ailie　on　the　floor；　clasping　the　little　dog　and　crying　hysterically。

〃Bobby's　no'　deid！　Bobby's　no'　deid！　Oh；　Maister　Traill；　ye　wullna　hae　to　gie　'im　up　to　the　police！　Tammy's　got　the　seven　shullin's　in　'is　bonnet！〃

And　there　was　small　Tammy；　crutches　dropped　and　pouring　that　offering　of　love　and　mercy　out　at　the　foot　of　an　altar　in　old　St。　Giles。　Such　an　astonishing　pile　of　copper　coins　it　was；　that　it　looked　to　the　landlord　like　the　loot　of　some　shopkeeper's　change　drawer。

〃Eh；　puir　laddie；　whaur　did　ye　get　it　a'　noo？〃　he　asked；　gravely。

Tammy　was　very　self…possessed　and　proud。　〃The　bairnies　aroond　the　kirkyaird　gie'd　it　to　pay　the　police　no'　to　mak'　Bobby　be　deid。〃

Mr。　Traill　flashed　a　glance　at　Glenormiston。　It　was　a　look　at　once　of　triumph　and　of　humility　over　the　Herculean　deed　of　these　disinherited　children。　But　the　Lord　Provost　was　gazing　at　that　crowd　of　pale　bairns；　products　of　the　Old　Town's　ancient　slums；　and　feeling；　in　his　own　person；　the　civic　shame　of　it。　And　he　was　thinking；　thinking；　that　he　must　hasten　that　other　project　nearest　his　heart；　of　knocking　holes　in　solid　rows　of　foul　cliffs；　in　the　Cowgate；　on　High　Street；　and　around　Greyfriars。　It　was　an　incredible　thing　that　such　a　flower　of　affection　should　have　bloomed　so　sweetly　in　such　sunless　cells。　And　it　was　a　new　gospel；　at　that　time；　that　a　dog　or　a　horse　or　a　bird　might　have　its　mission　in　this　world　of　making　people　kinder　and　happier。

They　were　all　down　on　the　floor；　in　the　space　before　the　altar；　unwashed；　uncombed；　unconscious　of　the　dirty　rags　that　scarce　covered　them；　quite　happy　and　self…forgetful　in　the　charming　friskings　and　friendly　lollings　of　the　well…fed；　carefully　groomed；　beautiful　little　dog。　Ailie；　still　so　excited　that　she　forgot　to　be　shy；　put　Bobby　through　his　pretty　tricks。　He　rolled　over　and　over；　he　jumped；　he　danced　to　Tammy's　whistling　of　〃Bonnie　Dundee；〃　he　walked　on　his　hind　legs　and　louped　at　a　bonnet；　he　begged；　he　lifted　his　short　shagged　paw　and　shook　hands。　Then　he　sniffed　at　the　heap　of　coins；　looked　up　inquiringly　at　Mr。　Traill；　and；　concluding　that　here　was　some　property　to　be　guarded；　stood　by　the　〃siller〃　as　stanchly　as　a　soldier。　It　was　just　pure　pleasure　to　watch　him。

Very　suddenly　the　Lord　Provost　changed　his　mind。　A　sacred　kirk　was　the　very　best　place　of　all　to　settle　this　little　dog's　affairs。　The　offering　of　these　children　could　not　be　refused。　It　should　lie　there；　below　the　altar；　and　be　consecrated　to　some　other　blessed　work；　and　he　would　do　now　and　here　what　he　had　meant　to　do　elsewhere　and　in　a　quite　different　way。　He　lifted　Bobby　to　the　pulpit　so　that　all　might　see　him；　and　he　spoke　so　that　all　might　understand。

〃Are　ye　kennin'　what　it　is　to　gie　the　freedom　o'　the　toon　to　grand　folk？〃

〃It'sit's　when　the　bonny　Queen　comes　an'　ye　gie　her　the　keys　to　the　burgh　gates　that　are　no'　here　ony　mair。〃　Tammy；　being　in　Heriot's；　was　a　laddie　of　learning。

〃Weel　done；　laddie。　Lang　syne　there　was　a　wa'　aroond　Edinburgh　wi'　gates　in　it。〃　Oh　yes；　all　these　bairnies　knew　that；　and　the　fragment　of　it　that　was　still　to　be　seen　outside　and　above　the　Grassmarket；　with　its　sentry　tower　by　the　old　west　port。　〃Gin　a　fey　king　or　ither　grand　veesitor　cam'；　the　Laird　Provost　an'　the　maigestrates　gied　'im　the　keys　so　he　could　gang　in　an'　oot　at　'is　pleesure。　The　wa's　are　a'　doon　noo；　an'　the　gates　no'　here　ony　mair；　but　we　hae　the　keys；　an'　we　mak'　a　show　o'　gien'　'em　to　veesitors　wha　are　vera　grand　or　wise　or　gude；　or　juist　usefu'　by　the　ordinar'。〃

〃Maister　Gladstane；〃　said　Tammy。

〃Ay；　we　honor　the　Queen's　meenisters；　an'　Miss　Nightingale；　wha　nursed　the　soldiers　i'　the　war；　an'　Leddy　Burdett…Coutts；　wha　gies　a'　her　siller　an'　a'　her　heart　to　puir　folk　an'　is　aye　kind　to　horses　and　dogs　an'　singin'　birdies；　an'　we　gie　the　keys　to　heroes　o'　the　war　wha　are　brave　an'　faithfu'。　An'　noo；　there's　a　wee　bit　beastie。　He's　weel…behavin'；　an'　isna　makin'　a　blatterin'　i'　an　auld　kirkyaird。　He　aye　minds　what　he's　bidden　to　do。　He's　cheerfu'　an'　busy；　keepin'　the　proolin'　pussies　an'　vermin　frae　the　sma'　birdies　i'　the　nests。　He　mak's　friends　o'　ilka　body；　an'　he's　faithfu'。　For　a　deid　man　he　lo'ed　he's　gaun　hungry；　an'　he　hasna　forgotten　'im　or　left　'im　by　'is　lane　at　nicht　for　mair　years　than　some　o'　ye　are　auld。　An'　gin　ye　find　'im　lyin'　canny；　an'　ye　tak'　a　keek　into　'is　bonny　brown　een；　ye　can　see　he's　aye　greetin'。　An'　so；　ye　didna　ken　why；　but　ye　a'　lo'ed　the　lanely　wee〃

〃Bobby！〃　It　was　an　excited　breath　of　a　word　from　the　wide…eyed　bairns。

〃Bobby！　Havers！　A　bittie　dog　wadna　ken　what　to　do　wi'　keys。〃

But　Glenormiston　was　smiling；　and　these　sharp　witted　slum　bairns　exchanged　knowing　glances。　〃Whaur's　that　sma'？〃　He　dived　into　this　pocket　and　that；　making　a　great　pretense　of　searching；　until　he　found　a　narrow　band　of　new　leather；　with　holes　in　one　end　and　a　stout　buckle　on　the　other；　and　riveted　fast　in　the　middle　of　it　was　a　shining　brass　plate。　Tammy　read　the　inscription　aloud：

　　　　　GREYFRIARS　BOBBY

　　　　FROM　THE　LORD　PROVOST

　　　　　　1867　　　Licensed

The　wonderful　collar　was　passed　from　hand　to　hand　in　awed　silence。　The　children　stared　and　stared　at　this　white…haired　and　bearded　man；　who　〃wasna　grand　ava；〃　but　who　talked　to　them　as　simply　and　kindly　as　a　grandfaither。　He　went　right　on　talking　to　them　in　his　homely　way　to　put　them　at　their　ease；　telling　them　that　nobody　at　all；　not　even　the　bonny　Queen；　could　be　more　than　kind　and　well…behaving　and　faithful　to　duty。　Wee　Bobby　was　all　that；　and　so　〃Gin　dizzens　an'　dizzens　o'　bairns　war　kennin'　'im；　an'　wad　fetch　seven　shullin's　i'　their　ha'pennies　to　a　kirk；　they　could　buy　the　richt　for　the　braw　doggie　to　be　leevin'；　the　care　o'　them　a'；　i'　the　auld　kirkyaird　o'　Greyfriars。　An'　he　maun　hae　the　collar　so　the　police　wull　ken　'im　an'　no'　ever　tak'　'im　up　for　a　puir；　gaen…aboot　dog。〃

The　children　quite　understood　the　responsibility　they　assumed；　and　their　eyes　shone　with　pride　at　the　feeling　that；　if　more　fortunate　friends　failed；　this　little　creature　must　never　be　allowed　to　go　hungry。　And　when　he　came　to　dieoh；　in　a　very；　very　few　years；　for　they　must　remember　that　〃a　doggie　isna　as　lang…leevin'　as　folk〃they　must　not　forget　that　Bobby　would　not　be　permitted　to　be　buried　in　the　kirkyard。

〃We'll　gie　'im　a　grand　buryin'；〃　said　Tammy。　〃We'll　find　a　green　brae　by　a　babblin'　burn　aneath　a　snawy　hawthorn；　whaur　the　throstle　sings　an'　the　blackbird　whustles。〃　For　the　crippled　laddie　had　never　forgotten　Mr。　Traill's　description　of　a　proper　picnic；　and　that　must；　indeed；　be　a　wee　dog's　heaven。

〃Ay；　that　wull　do　fair　weel。〃　The　collar　had　come　back　to　him　by　this　time；　and　the　Lord　Provost　buckled　it　securely　about　Bobby's　neck。



X。

The　music　of　bagpipe；　fife　and　drum　brought　them　all　out　of　Haddo's　Hole　into　High　Street。　It　was　the　hour　of　the　morning　drill；　and　the　soldiers　were　marching　out　of　the　Castle。　From　the　front　of　St。　Giles；　that　jutted　into　the　steep　thoroughfare；　they　could　look　up　to　where　the　street　widened　to　the　esplanade　on　Castle　Hill。　Rank　after　rank　of　scarlet　coats；　swinging　kilts　and　sporrans；　and　plumed　bonn