greyfriars bobby-第33部分

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　neck；　and　brought　him　up　on　a　platform　before　a　crowd　of　people。　Everybody　laughed；　for　he　was　a　clumsy　and　comical　beast　to　be　decorated　with　roses　and　daisies。　But　the　lady　is　proud　of　him；　and　now　that　pampered　donkey　has　nothing　to　do　but　pull　her　Bath　chair　about；　when　she　is　at　Holly　Lodge；　and　kick　up　his　heels　on　a　clover　pasture。〃

〃Are　ye　kennin'　anither　tale；　Leddy？〃

〃Oh；　a　number　of　them。　Prince；　the　fox　terrier；　was　ill　once；　and　the　doctor　who　came　to　see　him　said　his　mistress　gave　him　too　much　to　eat。　That　was　very　probable；　because　that　lady　likes　to　see　children　and　animals　have　too　much　to　eat。　There　are　dozens　and　dozens　of　poor　children　that　the　lady　knows　and　loves。　Once　they　lived　in　a　very　dark　and　dirty　and　crowded　tenement；　quite　as　bad　as　some　that　were　torn　down　in　the　Cowgate　and　the　Grassmarket。〃

〃It　mak's　ye　fecht　ane　anither；〃　said　one　laddie；　soberly。　〃Gin　they　had　a　sonsie　doggie　like　Bobby　to　lo'e；　an'　an　auld　kirkyaird　wi'　posies　an'　birdies　to　leuk　into；　they　wadna　fecht　sae　muckle。〃

〃I'm　very　sure　of　that。　Well；　the　lady　built　a　new　tenement　with　plenty　of　room　and　light　and　air；　and　a　market　so　they　can　get　better　food　more　cheaply；　and　a　large　church；　that　is　also　a　kind　of　school　where　big　and　little　people　can　learn　many　things。　She　gives　the　children　of　the　neighborhood　a　Christmas　dinner　and　a　gay　tree；　and　she　strips　the　hedges　of　Holly　Lodge　for　them；　and　then　she　takes　Peter　and　Prince；and　Cocky　the　parrot；　to　help　along　　the　fun；　and　she　tells　her　newest　stories。　Next　Christmas　she　means　to　tell　the　story　of　Greyfriars　Bobby；　and　how　all　his　little　Scotch　friends　are　better…behaving　and　cleaner　and　happier　because　they　have　that　wee　dog　to　love。〃

〃Ilka　body　lo'es　Bobby。　He　wasna　ever　mistreatet　or　neglectet；〃　said　Ailie；　thoughtfully。

〃Ohmydear！；　That's　the　very　best　part　of　the　story！〃　The　Grand　Leddy　had　a　shining　look。

The　rain　had　ceased　and　the　sun　come　out；　and　the　children　began　to　be　called　away。　There　was　quite　a　little　ceremony　of　lingering　leave…taking　with　the　lady　and　with　Bobby；　and　while　this　was　going　on　Ailie　had　a　〃sairious〃　confidence　　for　her　old　playfellow。

〃Tammy；　as　the　leddy　says；　Bobby's　gettin'　auld。　I　ken　whaur's　a　snawy　hawthorn　aboon　the　burn　in　Swanston　Dell。　The　throstles　nest　there；　an'　the　blackbirds　whustle　bonny。　It　isna　so　far　but　the　bairnies　could　march　oot　wi'　posies。〃　She　turned　to　the　lady；　who　had　overheard　her。　〃We　gied　a　promise　to　the　Laird　Provost　to　gie　Bobby　a　grand　funeral。　Ye　ken　he　wullna　be　permittet　to　be　buried　i'　the　kirkyaird。〃

〃Will　he　not？　I　had　not　thought　of　that。〃　Her　tone　was　at　once　hushed　and　startled。

Then　she　was　down　in　the　grass；　brooding　over　the　little　dog；　and　Bobby　had　the　pathetic　look　of　trying　to　understand　what　this　emotional　talk；　that　seemed　to　concern　himself；　was　about。　Tammy　and　Ailie　were　down；　too。

〃Are　ye　thinkin'　Bobby　wall　be　kennin'　the　deeference？〃　Ailie's　bluebell　eyes　were　wide　at　the　thought　of　pain　for　this　little　pet。

〃I　do　not　know；　my　dear。　But　there　cannot　well　be　more　love　in　this　world　than　there　is　room　for　in　God's　heaven。〃

She　was　silent　all　the　way　to　the　gate；　some　thought　in　her　mind　already　working　toward　a　gracious　deed。　At　the　last　she　said：　〃The　little　dog　is　fond　of　you　both。　Be　with　him　all　you　can；　for　I　think　his　beautiful　life　is　near　its　end。〃　After　a　pause；　during　which　her　face　was　lighted　by　a　smile；　as　if　from　a　lovely　thought　within；　she　added：　〃Don't　let　Bobby　die　before　my　return　from　London。〃

In　a　week　she　was　back；　and　in　the　meantime　letters　and　telegrams　had　been　flying；　and　many　wheels　set　in　motion　in　wee　Bobby's　affairs。　When　she　returned　to　the　churchyard；　very　early　one　morning；　no　less　a　person　than　the　Lord　Provost　himself　was　with　her。　Five　years　had　passed；　but　Mr。no；　Sir　WilliamChambers；　Laird　of　Glenormiston；　for　he　had　been　knighted　by　the　Queen；　was　still　Lord　Provost　of　Edinburgh。

Almost　immediately　Mr。　Traill　appeared；　by　appointment；　and　was　made　all　but　speechless　for　once　in　his　loquacious　life　by　the　honor　of　being　asked　to　tell　Bobby's　story　to　the　Baroness　Burdett…Coutts。　But　not　even　a　tenement　child　or　a　London　coster　could　be　ill　at　ease　with　the　Grand　Leddy　for　very　long；　and　presently　the　three　were　in　close　conference　in　the　portico。　Bobby　welcomed　them；　and　then　dozed　in　the　sun　and　visited　with　the　robin　on　Auld　Jock's　grave。　Far　from　being　tongue…tied；　the　landlord　was　inspired。　What　did　he　not　remember；　from　the　pathetic　renunciation；　〃Bobby　isna　ma　ain　dog；〃　down　to　the　leal　Highlander's　last；　near　tragic　reminder　to　men　that　in　the　nameless　grave　lay　his　unforgotten　master。

He　sketched　the　scene　in　Haddo's　Hole；　where　the　tenement　bairns　poured　out　as　pure　a　gift　of　love　and　mercy　and　self…sacrifice　as　had　ever　been　laid　at　the　foot　of　a　Scottish　altar。　He　told　of　the　search　for　the　lately　ransomed　and　lost　terrier；　by　the　lavish　use　of　oil　and　candles；　of　Bobby's　coming　down　Castle　Rock　in　the　fog；　battered　and　bruised　for　a　month's　careful　tending　by　an　old　Heriot　laddie。　His　feet　still　showed　the　scars　of　that　perilous　descent。　He　himself；　remorseful；　had　gone　with　the　Biblereader　from　the　Medical　Mission　in　the　Cowgate　to　the　dormer…lighted　closet　in　College　Wynd；　where　Auld　Jock　had　died。　Now　he　described　the　classic　fireplace　of　white　freestone；　with　its　boxed…in　bed；　where　the　Pentland　shepherd　lay　like　some　effigy　on　a　bier；　with　the　wee　guardian　dog　stretched　on　the　flagged　hearth　below。

〃What　a　subject　for　a　monument！〃　The　Grand　Leddy　looked　across　the　top　of　the　slope　at　the　sleeping　Skye。　〃I　suppose　there　is　no　portrait　of　Bobby。〃

〃Ay；　your　Leddyship；　I　have　a　drawing　in　the　dining　rooms；　sketched　by　Mr。　Daniel　Maclise。　He　was　here　a　year　or　twa　ago；　just　before　his　death；　doing　some　commission；　and　often　had　his　tea　in　my　bit　place。　I　told　him　Bobby's　story；　and　he　made　the　sketch　for　me　as　a　souvenir　of　his　veesit。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　prize　it；　Mr。　Traill。　Mr。　Maclise　was　a　talented　artist；　but　he　was　not　especially　an　animal　painter。　There　really　is　no　one　since　Landseer　paints　no　more。〃

〃I　would　advise　you；　Baroness；　not　to　make　that　remark　at　an　Edinburgh　dinner…table。〃　Glenormiston　was　smiling。　〃The　pride　of　Auld　Reekie　just　now　is　Mr。　Gourlay　Stelle；　who　was　lately　commanded　to　Balmoral　Castle　to　paint　the　Queen's　dogs。〃

〃The　very　person！　I　have　seen　his　beautiful　canvas'Burns　and　the　Field　Mouse。'　Is　he　not　a　younger　brother　of　Sir　John　Stelle；　the　sculptor　of　the　statue　and　character　figures　in　the　Scott　monument？〃　Her　eyes　sparkled　as　she　added：　〃You　have　so　much　talent　of　the　right；　sorts　here　that　it　would　be　wicked　not　to　employ　it　in　the　good　cause。〃

What　〃the　good　cause〃　was　came　out　presently；　in　the　church；　where　she　startled　even　Glenormiston　and　Mr。　Traill　by　saying　quietly　to　the　minister　and　the　church　officers　of　Greyfriars　auld　kirk：　〃When　Bobby　dies　I　want　him　laid　in　the　grave　with　his　master。〃

Every　member　of　both　congregations　knew　Bobby　and　was　proud　of　his　fame；　but　no　official　notice　had　ever　been　taken　of　the　little　dog's　presence　in　the　churchyard。　The　elders　and　deacons　were；　in　truth；　surprised　that　such　distinguished　attention　should　be　directed　to　him　now；　and　they　were　embarrassed　by　it。　　It　was　not　easy　for　any　body　of　men　in　the　United　Kingdom　to　refuse　anything　to　Lady　Burdett…Coutts；　because　she　could　always　count　upon　having　the　sympathy　of　the　public。　But　this；　they　declared；　could　not　be　considered。　To　propose　to　bury　a　dog　in　the　historic　churchyard　would　scandalize　the　city。　To　this　objection　Glenormiston　said；　seriously：　〃The　feeling　about　Bobby　is　quite　exceptional。　I　would　be　willing　to　put　the　matter　to　the　test　of　heading　a　petition。〃

At　that　the　church　officers　threw　up　their　hands。　They　preferred　to　sound　public　sentiment　themselves；　and　would　consider　it。　But　if　Bobby　was　permitted　to　be　buried　with　his　master　there　must　be　no　notice　taken　of　it。　Well；　the　Heriot　laddies　might　line　up　along　the　wall；　and　the　tenement　bairns　look　down　from　the　windows。　Would　that　satisfy　her　ladyship？

〃As　far　as　it　goes。〃　The　Grand　Leddy　was　smiling；　but　a　little　tremulous　about　the　mouth。

That　was　a　day　when　women　had　little　to　say　in　public；　and　she　meant　to　make　a　speech；　and　to　ask　to　be　allowed　to　do　an　unheard…of　thing。

〃I　want　to　put　up　a　monument　to　the　nameless　man　who　inspired　such　love；　and　to　the　little　dog　that　was　capable　of　giving　it。　Ah　gentlemen；　do　not　refuse；　now。〃　She　sketched　her　idea　of　the　classic　fireplace　bier；　the　dead　shepherd　of　the　Pentlands；　and　the　little　prostrate　terrier。　〃Immemorial　man　and　his　faithful　dog。　Our　society　for　the　prevention　of　cruelty　to　animals　is　finding　it　so　hard　to　get　people　even　to　admit　the　sacredness　of　life　in　dumb　creatures；　the　brutalizing　effects　of　abuse　of　them　on　human　beings；　and　the　moral　and　practical　worth　to　us　of　kindness。　To　insist　that　a　dog　feels；　that　he　loves　devotedly　and　with　less　calculation　than　men；　that　he　grieves　at　a　master's　death　and　remembers　him　long　years；　brings　a　smile　of　amusement。　Ah　yes！　Here　in　Scotland；　too；　where　your　own　great　Lord　Erskine　was　a　pioneer　of　pity　two　generations　ago；　and　with　Sir　Walter's　dogs　beloved　of　the　literary；　and　Doctor　Brown's　immortal　'Rab；'　we　find　it　uphill　work。

〃The　story　of　Greyfriars　Bobby　is　quite　the　most　complete　and　remarkable　ever　recorded　in　dog　annals。　His　lifetime　of　devotion　has　been　witnessed　by　thousands；　and　honored　publicly；　by　your　own　Lord　Provost；　with　the　freedom　of　the　city；　a　thing　that；　I　believe；　has　no　precedent。　All　the　endearing　qualities　of　the　dog　reach　their　height　in　this　loyal　and　lovable　Highland　terrier；　and　he　seems　to　have　brought　out　the　best　qualities　of　the　people　who　have　known　him。　Indeed；　for　fourteen　years　hundreds　of　disinherited　children　have　been　made　kinder　and　happier　by　knowing　Bobby's　story　and　having　that　little　dog　to　love。〃

She　stopped　in　some　embarrassment；　seeing　how　she　had　let　herself　go；　in　this　warm　championship；　　and　then　she　added：

〃Bobby　does　not　need　a　monument；　but　I　think　we　need　one　of　him；　that　future　generations　may　never　forget　what　the　love　of　a　dog　may　mean；　to　himself　and　to　us。〃

The　Grand　Leddy　must　have　won　he