st. ives-第17章

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was　no　doubt；　at　least；　that　I　was　supposed　to　have　pushed　the　

affair　too　seriously。　　Our　friends　the　enemy　removed　their　wounded　

companion　with　undisguised　consternation；　and　they　were　no　sooner　

over　the　top　of　the　brae；　than　Sim　and　Candlish　roused　up　their　

wearied　drove　and　set　forth　on　a　night　march。



'I'm　thinking　Faa's　unco　bad；'　said　the　one。



'Ay；'　said　the　other；　'he　lookit　dooms　gash。'



'He　did　that；'　said　the　first。



And　their　weary　silence　fell　upon　them　again。



Presently　Sim　turned　to　me。　　'Ye're　unco　ready　with　the　stick；'　

said　he。



'Too　ready；　I'm　afraid；'　said　I。　　'I　am　afraid　Mr。　Faa　（if　that　be　

his　name）　has　got　his　gruel。'



'Weel；　I　wouldnae　wonder；'　replied　Sim。



'And　what　is　likely　to　happen？'　I　inquired。



'Aweel；'　said　Sim；　snuffing　profoundly；　'if　I　were　to　offer　an　

opeenion；　it　would　not　be　conscientious。　　For　the　plain　fac'　is；　

Mr。　St。　Ivy；　that　I　div　not　ken。　　We　have　had　crackit　heids　…　and　

rowth　of　them　…　ere　now；　and　we　have　had　a　broken　leg　or　maybe　twa；　

and　the　like　of　that　we　drover　bodies　make　a　kind　of　a　practice　

like　to　keep　among　oursel's。　　But　a　corp　we　have　none　of　us　ever　

had　to　deal　with；　and　I　could　set　nae　leemit　to　what　Gillies　micht　

consider　proper　in　the　affair。　　Forbye　that；　he　would　be　in　raither　

a　hobble　himsel'；　if　he　was　to　gang　hame　wantin'　Faa。　　Folk　are　

awfu'　throng　with　their　questions；　and　parteecularly　when　they're　

no　wantit。'



'That's　a　fac'；'　said　Candlish。



I　considered　this　prospect　ruefully；　and　then　making　the　best　of　

it；　'Upon　all　which　accounts；'　said　I；　'the　best　will　be　to　get　

across　the　border　and　there　separate。　　If　you　are　troubled；　you　can　

very　truly　put　the　blame　upon　your　late　companion；　and　if　I　am　

pursued；　I　must　just　try　to　keep　out　of　the　way。'



'Mr。　St。　Ivy；'　said　Sim；　with　something　resembling　enthusiasm；　'no'　

a　word　mair！　　I　have　met　in　wi'　mony　kinds　o'　gentry　ere　now；　I　hae　

seen　o'　them　that　was　the　tae　thing；　and　I　hae　seen　o'　them　that　

was　the　tither；　but　the　wale　of　a　gentleman　like　you　I　have　no　sae　

very　frequently　seen　the　bate　of。'



Our　night　march　was　accordingly　pursued　with　unremitting　diligence。　　

The　stars　paled；　the　east　whitened；　and　we　were　still；　both　dogs　

and　men；　toiling　after　the　wearied　cattle。　　Again　and　again　Sim　and　

Candlish　lamented　the　necessity：　it　was　'fair　ruin　on　the　bestial；'　

they　declared；　but　the　thought　of　a　judge　and　a　scaffold　hunted　

them　ever　forward。　　I　myself　was　not　so　much　to　be　pitied。　　All　

that　night；　and　during　the　whole　of　the　little　that　remained　before　

us　of　our　conjunct　journey；　I　enjoyed　a　new　pleasure；　the　reward　of　

my　prowess；　in　the　now　loosened　tongue　of　Mr。　Sim。　　Candlish　was　

still　obdurately　taciturn：　it　was　the　man's　nature；　but　Sim；　having　

finally　appraised　and　approved　me；　displayed　without　reticence　a　

rather　garrulous　habit　of　mind　and　a　pretty　talent　for　narration。　　

The　pair　were　old　and　close　companions；　co…existing　in　these　

endless　moors　in　a　brotherhood　of　silence　such　as　I　have　heard　

attributed　to　the　trappers　of　the　west。　　It　seems　absurd　to　mention　

love　in　connection　with　so　ugly　and　snuffy　a　couple；　at　least；　

their　trust　was　absolute；　and　they　entertained　a　surprising　

admiration　for　each　other's　qualities；　Candlish　exclaiming　that　Sim　

was　'grand　company！'　and　Sim　frequently　assuring　me　in　an　aside　

that　for　'a　rale；　auld；　stench　bitch；　there　was　nae　the　bate　of　

Candlish　in　braid　Scotland。'　　The　two　dogs　appeared　to　be　entirely　

included　in　this　family　compact；　and　I　remarked　that　their　exploits　

and　traits　of　character　were　constantly　and　minutely　observed　by　

the　two　masters。　　Dog　stories　particularly　abounded　with　them；　and　

not　only　the　dogs　of　the　present　but　those　of　the　past　contributed　

their　quota。　　'But　that　was　naething；'　Sim　would　begin：　'there　was　

a　herd　in　Manar；　they　ca'd　him　Tweedie　…　ye'll　mind　Tweedie；　

Can'lish？'　　'Fine；　that！'　said　Candlish。　　'Aweel；　Tweedie　had　a　dog　

…　'　　The　story　I　have　forgotten；　I　dare　say　it　was　dull；　and　I　

suspect　it　was　not　true；　but　indeed；　my　travels　with　the　drove　

rendered　me　indulgent；　and　perhaps　even　credulous；　in　the　matter　of　

dog　stories。　　Beautiful；　indefatigable　beings！　as　I　saw　them　at　the　

end　of　a　long　day's　journey　frisking；　barking；　bounding；　striking　

attitudes；　slanting　a　bushy　tail；　manifestly　playing　to　the　

spectator's　eye；　manifestly　rejoicing　in　their　grace　and　beauty　…　

and　turned　to　observe　Sim　and　Candlish　unornamentally　plodding　in　

the　rear　with　the　plaids　about　their　bowed　shoulders　and　the　drop　

at　their　snuffy　nose　…　I　thought　I　would　rather　claim　kinship　with　

the　dogs　than　with　the　men！　　My　sympathy　was　unreturned；　in　their　

eyes　I　was　a　creature　light　as　air；　and　they　would　scarce　spare　me　

the　time　for　a　perfunctory　caress　or　perhaps　a　hasty　lap　of　the　wet　

tongue；　ere　they　were　back　again　in　sedulous　attendance　on　those　

dingy　deities；　their　masters　…　and　their　masters；　as　like　as　not；　

damning　their　stupidity。



Altogether　the　last　hours　of　our　tramp　were　infinitely　the　most　

agreeable　to　me；　and　I　believe　to　all　of　us；　and　by　the　time　we　

came　to　separate；　there　had　grown　up　a　certain　familiarity　and　

mutual　esteem　that　made　the　parting　harder。　　It　took　place　about　

four　of　the　afternoon　on　a　bare　hillside　from　which　I　could　see　the　

ribbon　of　the　great　north　road；　henceforth　to　be　my　conductor。　　I　

asked　what　was　to　pay。



'Naething；'　replied　Sim。



'What　in　the　name　of　folly　is　this？'　I　exclaimed。　　'You　have　led　

me；　you　have　fed　me；　you　have　filled　me　full　of　whisky；　and　now　you　

will　take　nothing！'



'Ye　see　we　indentit　for　that；'　replied　Sim。



　'Indented？'　I　repeated；　'what　does　the　man　mean？'



'Mr。　St。　Ivy；'　said　Sim；　'this　is　a　maitter　entirely　between　

Candlish　and　me　and　the　auld　wife；　Gilchrist。　　You　had　naething　to　

say　to　it；　weel；　ye　can　have　naething　to　do　with　it；　then。'



'My　good　man；'　said　I；　'I　can　allow　myself　to　be　placed　in　no　such　

ridiculous　position。　　Mrs。　Gilchrist　is　nothing　to　me；　and　I　refuse　

to　be　her　debtor。'



'I　dinna　exac'ly　see　what　way　ye're　gaun　to　help　it；'　observed　my　

drover。



'By　paying　you　here　and　now；'　said　I。



'There's　aye　twa　to　a　bargain；　Mr。　St。　Ives；'　said　he。



'You　mean　that　you　will　not　take　it？'　said　I。



'There　or　thereabout；'　said　he。　　'Forbye；　that　it　would　set　ye　a　

heap　better　to　keep　your　siller　for　them　you　awe　it　to。　　Ye're　

young；　Mr。　St。　Ivy；　and　thoughtless；　but　it's　my　belief　that；　wi'　

care　and　circumspection；　ye　may　yet　do　credit　to　yoursel'。　　But　

just　you　bear　this　in　mind：　that　him　that　AWES　siller　should　never　

GIE　siller。'



Well；　what　was　there　to　say？　　I　accepted　his　rebuke；　and　bidding　

the　pair　farewell；　set　off　alone　upon　my　southward　way。



'Mr。　St。　Ivy；'　was　the　last　word　of　Sim；　'I　was　never　muckle　ta'en　

up　in　Englishry；　but　I　think　that　I　really　ought　to　say　that　ye　

seem　to　me　to　have　the　makings　of　quite　a　decent　lad。'









CHAPTER　XI　…　THE　GREAT　NORTH　ROAD





IT　chanced　that　as　I　went　down　the　hill　these　last　words　of　my　

friend　the　drover　echoed　not　unfruitfully　in　my　head。　　I　had　never　

told　these　men　the　least　particulars　as　to　my　race　or　fortune；　as　

it　was　a　part；　and　the　best　part；　of　their　civility　to　ask　no　

questions：　yet　they　had　dubbed　me　without　hesitation　English。　　Some　

strangeness　in　the　accent　they　had　doubtless　thus　explained。　　And　

it　occurred　to　me；　that　if　I　could　pass　in　Scotland　for　an　

Englishman；　I　might　be　able　to　reverse　the　process　and　pass　in　

England　for　a　Scot。　　I　thought；　if　I　was　pushed　to　it；　I　could　make　

a　struggle　to　imitate　the　brogue；　after　my　experience　with　Candlish　

and　Sim；　I　had　a　rich　provision　of　outlandish　words　at　my　command；　

and　I　felt　I　could　tell　the　tale　of　Tweedie's　dog　so　as　to　deceive　

a　native。　　At　the　same　time；　I　was　afraid　my　name　of　St。　Ives　was　

scarcely　suitable；　till　I　remembered　there　was　a　town　so　called　in　

the　province　of　Cornwall；　thought　I　might　yet　be　glad　to　claim　it　

for　my　place　of　origin；　and　decided　for　a　Cornish　family　and　a　

Scots　education。　　For　a　trade；　as　I　was　equally　ignorant　of　all；　

and　as　the　most　innocent　might　at　any　moment　be　the　means　of　my　

exposure；　it　was　best　to　pretend　to　none。　　And　I　dubbed　myself　a　

young　gentleman　of　a　sufficient　fortune　and　an　idle；　curious　habit　

of　mind；　rambling　the　country　at　my　own　charges；　in　quest　of　

health；　information；　and　merry　adventures。



At　Newcastle；　which　was　the　first　town　I　reached；　I　completed　my　

preparations　for　the　part；　before　going　to　the　inn；　by　the　purchase　

of　a　knapsack　and　a　pair　of　leathern　gaiters。　　My　plaid　I　continued　

to　wear　from　sentiment。　　It　was　warm；　useful　to　sleep　in　if　I　were　

again　benighted；　and　I　had　discovered　it　to　be　not　unbecoming　for　a　

man　of　gallant　carriage。　　Thus　equipped；　I　supported　my　character　

of　the　light…hearted　pedestrian　not　amiss。　　Surprise　was　indeed　

expressed　that　I　should　have　selected　such　a　season　of　the　year；　

but　I　pleaded　some　delays　of　business；　and　smilingly　claimed　to　be　

an　eccentric。　　The　devil　was　in　it；　I　would　say；　if　any　season　of　

the　year　was　not　good　enough　for　me；　I　was　not　made　of　sugar；　I　was　

no　mollycoddle　to　be　afraid　of　an　ill…aired　bed　or　a　sprinkle　of　

snow；　and　I　would　knock　upon　the　table　with　my　fist　and　call　for　

t'other　bottle；　like　the　noisy　and　free…hearted　young　gentleman　I　

was。　　It　was　my　policy　（if　I　may　so　express　myself）　to　talk　much　

and　say　little。　　At　the　inn　tables；　the　country；　the　state　of　the　

roads；　the　business　interest　of　those　who　sat　down　with　me；　and　the　

course　of　public　events；　afforded　me　a　considerable　field　in　which　

I　might　discourse　at　large　and　still　communicate　no　information　

about　myself。　　There　was　no　one　with　less　air　of　reticence；　I　

plunged　into　my　company　up　to　the　neck；　and　I　had　a　long　cock…and…

bull　story　of　an　aunt　of　mine　which　must　have　convinced　the　most　

suspicious　of　my　innocence。　　'What！'　they　would　have　said；　'that　

young　ass　to　be　concealing　anything！　　Why；　he　has　deafened　me　with　

an　aunt　of　his　until　my　head　aches。　　He　only　wants　you　should　give　

him　a　line；　and　he　would　tell　you　his　whole　descent　from　Adam　

downward；　and　his　whole　private　fortune　to　the　last　shilling。'　A　

responsible　solid　fellow　was　even　so　much　moved　by　pity　for　my　

inexperience　as　to　give　me　a　word　or　two　of　good　advice：　that　I　was　

but　a　young　man　after　all　…　I　had　at　this　time　a　deceptive　air　of　

youth　that　made　me　easily　pass　for　one…and…twenty；　and　was；　in　the　

circumstances；　worth　a　fortune　…　that　the　company　at　inns　was　very　

mingled；　that　I　should　do　well　to　be　more　careful；　and　the　like；　to　

all　which　I　made　answer　that　I　meant　no　harm　myself　and　expected　

none　from　others；　or　the　devil　was　in　it。　　'You　are　one　of　those　d…

d　prudent　fellows　that　I　could