greyfriars bobby-第31部分

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ergeant：　〃By　richts；　man；　you　ought　to　go　to　gaol；　but　I'll　just　fine　you　a　shulling　a　month　for　Bobby's　natural　lifetime；　to　give　the　wee　soldier　a　treat　of　a　steak　or　a　chop　once　a　week。〃

Hands　were　struck　heartily　on　the　bargain；　and　the　two　men　parted　good　friends。　Now；　finding　Ailie　dropping　tears　in　the　dish…water；　Mr。　Traill　sent　her　flying　down　to　the　lodge　with　instructions　to　make　herself　useful　to　Mrs。　Brown。　Then　he　was　himself　besieged　in　his　place　of　business　by　folk　of　high　and　low　degree　who　were　disappointed　by　their　failure　to　see　Bobby　in　the　kirkyard。　Greyfriars　Dining…Rooms　had　more　distinguished　visitors　in　a　day　than　they　had　had　in　all　the　years　since　Auld　Jock　died　and　a　little　dog　fell　there　at　the　landlord's　feet　〃a'　but　deid　wi'　hunger。〃

Not　one　of　all　the　grand　folk　who；　inquired　for　Bobby　at　the　kirkyard　or　at　the　restaurant　got　a　glimpse　of　him　that　day。　But　after　they　were　gone　the　tenement　dwellers　came　up　to　the　gate　again；　as　they　had　gathered　the　evening　before；　and　begged　that　they　might　just　tak'　a　look　at　him　and　his　braw　collar。　〃The　bonny　bit　is　the　bairns'　ain　doggie；　an'　the　Laird　Provost　himsel'　told　'em　he　wasna　to　be　neglectet；〃　was　one　mother's　plea。

Ah！　that　was　very　true。　To　the　grand　folk　who　had　come　to　see　him；　Bobby　was　only　a　nine…days'　wonder。　His　story　had　touched　the　hearts　of　all　orders　of　society。　For　a　time　strangers　would　come　to　see　him；　and　then　they　would　forget　all　about　him　or　remember　him　only　fitfully。　It　was　to　these　poor　people　around　the　kirkyard；　themselves　forgotten　by　the　more　fortunate；　that　the　little　dog　must　look　for　his　daily　meed　of　affection　and　companionship。　Mr。　Traill　spoke　to　them　kindly。

〃Bide　a　wee；　noo；　an'　I'll　fetch　the　doggie　doon。〃

Bobby　had　slept　blissfully　nearly　all　the　day；　after　his　exhausting　labors　and　torturing　pains。　But　with　the　sunset　bugle　he　fretted　to　be　let　out。　Ailie　had　wept　and　pleaded；　Mrs。　Brown　had　reasoned　with　him；　and　Mr。　Brown　had　scolded；　all　to　the　end　of　persuading　him　to　sleep　in　〃the　hoose　the　nicht。〃　But　when　no　one　was　watching　him　Bobby　crawled　from　his　rug　and　dragged　himself　to　the　door。　He　rapped　the　floor　with　his　tail　in　delight　when　Mr。　Traill　came　in　and　bundled　him　up　on　the　rug；　so　he　could　lie　easily；　and　carried　him　down　to　the　gate。

For　quite　twenty　minutes　these　neighbors　and　friends　of　Bobby　filed　by　silently；　patted　the　shaggy　little　head；　looked　at　the　grand　plate　with　Bobby's　and　the　Lord　Provost's　names　upon　it；　and　believed　their　own　wondering　een。　Bobby　wagged　his　tail　and　lolled　his　tongue；　and　now　and　then　he　licked　the　hand　of　a　baby　who　had　to　be　lifted　by　a　tall　brother　to　see　him。　Shy　kisses　were　dropped　on　Bobby's　head　by　toddling　bairns；　and　awkward　caresses　by　rough　laddies。　Then　they　all　went　home　quietly；　and　Mr。　Traill　carried　the　little　dog　around　the　kirk。

And　there；　ah！　so　belated；　Auld　Jock's　grave　bore　its　tribute　of　flowers。　Wreaths　and　nosegays；　potted　daffodils　and　primroses　and　daisies；　covered　the　sunken　mound　so　that　some　of　them　had　to　be　moved　to　make　room　for　Bobby。　He　sniffed　and　sniffed　at　them；　looked　up　inquiringly　at　Mr。　Traill；　and　then　snuggled　down　contentedly　among　the　blossoms。　He　did　not　understand　their　being　there　any　more　than　he　understood　the　collar　about　which　everybody　made　such　a　to…do。　The　narrow　band　of　leather　would　disappear　under　his　thatch　again；　and　would　be　unnoticed　by　the　casual　passer…by；　the　flowers　would　fade　and　never　be　so　lavishly　renewed；　but　there　was　another　more　wonderful　gift；　now；　that　would　never　fail　him。

At　nightfall；　before　the　drum　and　bugle　sounded　the　tattoo　to　call　the　scattered　garrison　in　the　Castle；　there　took　place　a　loving　ceremony　that　was　never　afterward　omitted　as　long　as　Bobby　lived。　Every　child　newly　come　to　the　tenements　learned　it；　every　weanie　lisped　it　among　his　first　words。　Before　going　to　bed　each　bairn　opened　a　casement。　Sometimes　a　candle　was　held　upa　little　star　of　love；　glimmering　for　a　moment　on　the　dark；　but　always　there　was　a　small　face　peering　into　the　melancholy　kirkyard。　In　midsummer；　and　at　other　seasons　if　the　moon　rose　full　and　early　and　the　sky　was　clear；　Bobby　could　be　seen　on　the　grave。　And　when　he　recovered　from　these　hurts　he　trotted　about；　making　the　circuit　below　the　windows。　He　could　not　speak　there；　because　he　had　been　forbidden；　but　he　could　wag　his　tail　and　look　up　to　show　his　friendliness。　And　whether　the　children　saw　him　or　not　they　knew　he　was　always　there　after　sunset；　keeping　watch　and　ward；　and　〃lanely〃　because　his　master　had　gone　away　to　heaven；　and　so　they　called　out　to　him　sweetly　and　clearly：

〃A　gude　nicht　to　ye；　Bobby。〃


XII。

In　one　thing　Mr。　Traill　had　been　mistaken：　the　grand　folk　did　not　forget　Bobby。　At　the　end　of　five　years　the　leal　Highlander　was　not　only　still　remembered；　but　he　had　become　a　local　celebrity。

Had　the　grave　of　his　haunting　been　on　the　Pentlands　or　in　one　of　the　outlying　cemeteries　of　the　city　Bobby　must　have　been　known　to　few　of　his　generation；　and　to　fame　not　at　all。　But　among　churchyards　Greyfriars　was　distinguished。　One　of　the　historic　show…places　of　Edinburgh；　and　in　the　very　heart　of　the　Old　Town；　it　was　never　missed　by　the　most　hurried　tourist；　seldom　left　unvisited；　from　year　to　year；　by　the　oldest　resident。　Names　on　its　old　tombs　had　come　to　mean　nothing　to　those　who　read　them；　except　as　they　recalled　memorable　records　of　love；　of　inspiration；　of　courage；　of　self…sacrifice。　And　this　being　so；　it　touched　the　imagination　to　see；　among　the　marbles　that　crumbled　toward　the　dust　below；　a　living　embodiment　of　affection　and　fidelity。　Indeed；　it　came　to　be　remarked；　as　it　is　　remarked　to…day；　although　four　decades　have　gone　by；　that　no　other　spot　in　Greyfriars　was　so　much　cared　for　as　the　grave　of　a　man　of　whom　nothing　was　known　except　that　the　life　and　love　of　a　little　dog　was　consecrated　to　his　memory。

At　almost　any　hour　Bobby　might　be　found　there。　As　he　grew　older　he　became　less　and　less　willing　to　be　long　absent；　and　he　got　much　of　his　exercise　by　nosing　about　among　the　neighboring　thorns。　In　fair　weather　he　took　his　frequent　naps　on　the　turf　above　his　master；　or　he　sat　on　the　fallen　table…tomb　in　the　sun。　On　foul　days　he　watched　the　grave　from　under　the　slab；　and　to　that　spot　he　returned　from　every　skirmish　against　the　enemy。　Visitors　stopped　to　speak　to　him。　Favored　ones　were　permitted　to　read　the　inscription　on　his　collar　and　to　pat　his　head。　It　seemed；　therefore；　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world　when　the　greatest　lady　in　England；　beside　the　Queen；　the　Baroness　Burdett…Coutts；　came　all　the　way　from　London　to　see　Bobby。

Except　that　it　was　the　first　Monday　in　June；　and　Founder's　Day　at　Heriot's　Hospital；　it　was　like　any　other　day　of　useful　work；　innocent　pleasure；　and　dreaming　dozes　on　Auld　Jock's　grave　to　wee　Bobby。　　As　years　go；　the　shaggy　little　Skye　was　an　old　dog；　but　he　was　not　feeble　or　blind　or　unhappy。　A　terrier；　as　a　rule；　does　not　live　as　long　as　more　sluggish　breeds　of　dogs；　but；　active　to　the　very　end；　he　literally　wears　himself　out　tearing　around；　and　then　goes；　little　soldier；　very　suddenly；　dying　gallantly　with　his　boots　on。

In　the　very　early　mornings　of　the　northern　summer　Bobby　woke　with　the　birds；　a　long　time　before　the　reveille　was　sounded　from　the　Castle。　He　scampered　down　to　the　circling　street　of　tombs　at　once；　and　not　until　the　last　prowler　had　been　dispatched；　or　frightened　into　his　burrow；　did　he　return　for　a　brief　nap　on　Auld　Jock's　grave。

All　about　him　the　birds　fluttered　and　hopped　and　gossiped　and　foraged；　unafraid。　They　were　used；　by　this　time；　to　seeing　the　little　dog　lying　motionless；　his　nose　on　his　paws。　Often　some　tidbit　of　food　lay　there；　brought　for　Bobby　by　a　stranger。　He　had　learned　that　a　Scotch　bun　dropped　near　him　was　a　feast　that　brought　feathered　visitors　about　and　won　their　confidence　and　cheerful　companionship。　When　he　awoke　he　lay　there　lolling　and　blinking；　following　the　blue　rovings　of　the　titmice　and　listening　to　the　foolish　squabbles　of　the　sparrows　and　the　shrewish　scoldings　of　the　wrens。　He　always　started　when　a　lark　sprang　at　his　feet　and　a　cataract　of　melody　tumbled　from　the　sky。

But；　best　of　all；　Bobby　loved　a　comfortable　and　friendly　robin　redbreastnot　the　American　thrush　that　is　called　a　robin；　but　the　smaller　Old　World　warbler。　It　had　its　nest　of　grass　and　moss　and　feathers；　and　many　a　silver　hair　shed　by　Bobby；　low　in　a　near…by　thorn　bush。　In　sweet　and　plaintive　talking　notes　it　told　its　little　dog　companion　all　about　the　babies　that　had　left　the　nest　and　the　new　brood　that　would　soon　be　there。　On　the　morning　of　that　wonderful　day　of　the　Grand　Leddy's　first　coming；　Bobby　and　the　redbreast　had　a　pleasant　visit　together　before　the　casements　began　to　open　and　the　tenement　bairns　called　down　their　morning　greeting：

〃A　gude　day　to　ye；　Bobby。〃

By　the　time　all　these　courtesies　had　been　returned　Tammy　came　in　at　the　gate　with　his　college　books　strapped　on　his　back。　The　old　Cunzic　Neuk　had　been　demolished　by　Glenormiston；　and　Tammy；　living　in　better　quarters；　was　studying　to　be　a　teacher　at　Heriot's。　Bobby　saw　him　settled；　and　then　he　had　to　escort　Mr。　Brown　down　from　the　lodge。　The　caretaker　made　his　way　about　stiffly　with　a　cane　and；　with　the　aid　of　a　young　helper　who　exasperated　the　old　gardener　by　his　cheerful　inefficiency；　kept　the　auld　kirkyard　in　beautiful　order。

〃Eh；　ye　gude…for…naethin'　tyke；〃　he　said　to　Bobby；　in　transparent　pretense　of　his　uselessness。　〃Get　to　wark；　or　I'll　hae　a　young　dog　in　to　gie　ye　a　lift；　an'　syne　whaur'll　ye　be？〃

Bobby　jumped　on　him　in　open　delight　at　this；　as　much　as　to　say：　〃Ye　may　be　as　dour　as　ye　like；　but　ilka　body　kens　ye're　gude…hearted。〃

Morning　and　evening　numerous　friends　passed　the　gate；。　and　the　wee　dog　waited　for　them　on　the　wicket。　Dr。　George　Ross　and　Mr。　Alexander　McGregor　shook　Bobby's　lifted　paw　and　called　him　a　sonsie　rascal。　Small　merchants；　students；　clerks；　factory　workers；　house　servants；　laborers　and　vendors；　all　honest　and　useful　people；　had　come　up　out　of　these　old　tenements　within　Bobby's　memory；　and　others　had　gone　down；　alas！　into　the　Cowgate。　But　Bobby's　tail　wagged　for　these　unfortunates；　too；　and　some　of　them　had　no　other　friend　in　the　world　beside　that　uncalculating