lavengro-第11章

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I　often　wondered　where　we　could　be　going；　for　I　was　at　this　time　

about　as　ignorant　of　geography　as　I　was　of　most　other　things。　　

However；　I　held　my　peace；　asked　no　questions；　and　patiently　awaited　

the　issue。



Northward；　northward；　still！　　And　it　came　to　pass　that；　one　

morning；　I　found　myself　extended　on　the　bank　of　a　river。　　It　was　a　

beautiful　morning　of　early　spring；　small　white　clouds　were　floating　

in　the　heaven；　occasionally　veiling　the　countenance　of　the　sun；　

whose　light；　as　they　retired；　would　again　burst　forth；　coursing　

like　a　race…horse　over　the　scene　…　and　a　goodly　scene　it　was！　　

Before　me；　across　the　water；　on　an　eminence；　stood　a　white　old　

city；　surrounded　with　lofty　walls；　above　which　rose　the　tops　of　

tall　houses；　with　here　and　there　a　church　or　steeple。　　To　my　right　

hand　was　a　long　and　massive　bridge；　with　many　arches；　and　of　

antique　architecture；　which　traversed　the　river。　　The　river　was　a　

noble　one；　the　broadest　that　I　had　hitherto　seen。　　Its　waters；　of　a　

greenish　tinge；　poured　with　impetuosity　beneath　the　narrow　arches　

to　meet　the　sea；　close　at　hand；　as　the　boom　of　the　billows　breaking　

distinctly　upon　a　beach　declared。　　There　were　songs　upon　the　river　

from　the　fisher…barks；　and　occasionally　a　chorus；　plaintive　and　

wild；　such　as　I　had　never　heard　before；　the　words　of　which　I　did　

not　understand；　but　which；　at　the　present　time；　down　the　long　

avenue　of　years；　seem　in　memory's　ear　to　sound　like　'Horam；　coram；　

dago。'　　Several　robust　fellows　were　near　me；　some　knee…deep　in　

water；　employed　in　hauling　the　seine　upon　the　strand。　　Huge　fish　

were　struggling　amidst　the　meshes　…　princely　salmon；　…　their　

brilliant　mail　of　blue　and　silver　flashing　in　the　morning　beam；　so　

goodly　and　gay　a　scene；　in　truth；　had　never　greeted　my　boyish　eye。



And；　as　I　gazed　upon　the　prospect；　my　bosom　began　to　heave；　and　my　

tears　to　trickle。　　Was　it　the　beauty　of　the　scene　which　gave　rise　

to　these　emotions？　　Possibly；　for　though　a　poor　ignorant　child　…　a　

half…wild　creature　…　I　was　not　insensible　to　the　loveliness　of　

nature；　and　took　pleasure　in　the　happiness　and　handiworks　of　my　

fellow…creatures。　　Yet；　perhaps；　in　something　more　deep　and　

mysterious　the　feelings　which　then　pervaded　me　might　originate。　　

Who　can　lie　down　on　Elvir　Hill　without　experiencing　something　of　

the　sorcery　of　the　place？　　Flee　from　Elvir　Hill；　young　swain；　or　

the　maids　of　Elle　will　have　power　over　you；　and　you　will　go　elf…

wild！　…　so　say　the　Danes。　　I　had　unconsciously　laid　myself　down　

upon　haunted　ground；　and　I　am　willing　to　imagine　that　what　I　then　

experienced　was　rather　connected　with　the　world　of　spirits　and　

dreams　than　with　what　I　actually　saw　and　heard　around　me。　　Surely　

the　elves　and　genii　of　the　place　were　conversing；　by　some　

inscrutable　means；　with　the　principle　of　intelligence　lurking　

within　the　poor　uncultivated　clod！　　Perhaps　to　that　ethereal　

principle　the　wonders　of　the　past；　as　connected　with　that　stream；　

the　glories　of　the　present；　and　even　the　history　of　the　future；　

were　at　that　moment　being　revealed！　　Of　how　many　feats　of　chivalry　

had　those　old　walls　been　witness；　when　hostile　kings　contended　for　

their　possession！　…　how　many　an　army　from　the　south　and　from　the　

north　had　trod　that　old　bridge！　…　what　red　and　noble　blood　had　

crimsoned　those　rushing　waters！…what　strains　had　been　sung；　ay；　

were　yet　being　sung；　on　its　banks！　…　some　soft　as　Doric　reed；　some　

fierce　and　sharp　as　those　of　Norwegian　Skaldaglam；　some　as　replete　

with　wild　and　wizard　force　as　Finland's　runes；　singing　of　

Kalevala's　moors；　and　the　deeds　of　Woinomoinen！　　Honour　to　thee；　

thou　island　stream！　　Onward　may　thou　ever　roll；　fresh　and　green；　

rejoicing　in　thy　bright　past；　thy　glorious　present；　and　in　vivid　

hope　of　a　triumphant　future！　　Flow　on；　beautiful　one！　…　which　of　

the　world's　streams　canst　thou　envy；　with　thy　beauty　and　renown？　　

Stately　is　the　Danube；　rolling　in　its　might　through　lands　romantic　

with　the　wild　exploits　of　Turk；　Polak；　and　Magyar！　　Lovely　is　the　

Rhine！　on　its　shelvy　banks　grows　the　racy　grape；　and　strange　old　

keeps　of　robber…knights　of　yore　are　reflected　in　its　waters；　from　

picturesque　crags　and　airy　headlands！　…　yet　neither　the　stately　

Danube　nor　the　beauteous　Rhine；　with　all　their　fame；　though　

abundant；　needst　thou　envy；　thou　pure　island　stream！　…　and　far　less　

yon　turbid　river　of　old；　not　modern　renown；　gurgling　beneath　the　

walls　of　what　was　once　proud　Rome；　towering　Rome；　Jupiter's　town；　

but　now　vile　Rome；　crumbling　Rome；　Batuscha's　town；　far　less　needst　

thou　envy　the　turbid　Tiber　of　bygone　fame；　creeping　sadly　to　the　

sea；　surcharged　with　the　abominations　of　modern　Rome　…　how　unlike　

to　thee；　thou　pure　island　stream！



And；　as　I　lay　on　the　bank　and　wept；　there　drew　nigh　to　me　a　man　in　

the　habiliments　of　a　fisher。　　He　was　bare…legged；　of　a　weather…

beaten　countenance；　and　of　stature　approaching　to　the　gigantic。　　

'What　is　the　callant　greeting　for？'　said　he；　as　he　stopped　and　

surveyed　me。　　'Has　onybody　wrought　ye　ony　harm？'



'Not　that　I　know　of；'　I　replied；　rather　guessing　at　than　

understanding　his　question；　'I　was　crying　because　I　could　not　help　

it！　　I　say；　old　one；　what　is　the　name　of　this　river？'



'Hout！　　I　now　see　what　you　was　greeting　at　…　at　your　ain　ignorance；　

nae　doubt　…　'tis　very　great！　　Weel；　I　will　na　fash　you　with　

reproaches；　but　even　enlighten　ye；　since　you　seem　a　decent　man's　

bairn；　and　you　speir　a　civil　question。　　Yon　river　is　called　the　

Tweed；　and　yonder；　over　the　brig；　is　Scotland。　　Did　ye　never　hear　

of　the　Tweed；　my　bonny　man？'



'No；'　said　I；　as　I　rose　from　the　grass；　and　proceeded　to　cross　the　

bridge　to　the　town　at　which　we　had　arrived　the　preceding　night；　'I　

never　heard　of　it；　but　now　I　have　seen　it；　I　shall　not　soon　forget　

it！'







CHAPTER　VII







The　Castle　…　A　father's　inquiries　…　Scotch　language　…　A　

determination　…　Bui　hin　Digri　…　Good　Scotchman　…　Difference　of　

races　…　Ne'er　a　haggis　…　Pugnacious　people　…　Wha　are　ye；　man？　…　The　

Nor　Loch　…　Gestures　wild　…　The　bicker　…　New　Town　champion　…　Wild…

looking　figure　…　Headlong。



IT　was　not　long　before　we　found　ourselves　at　Edinburgh；　or　rather　

in　the　Castle；　into　which　the　regiment　marched　with　drums　beating；　

colours　flying；　and　a　long　train　of　baggage…waggons　behind。　　The　

Castle　was；　as　I　suppose　it　is　now；　a　garrison　for　soldiers。　　Two　

other　regiments　were　already　there；　the　one　an　Irish；　if　I　remember　

right；　the　other　a　small　Highland　corps。



It　is　hardly　necessary　to　say　much　about　this　Castle；　which　

everybody　has　seen；　on　which　account；　doubtless；　nobody　has　ever　

yet　thought　fit　to　describe　it　…　at　least　that　I　am　aware。　　Be　this　

as　it　may；　I　have　no　intention　of　describing　it；　and　shall　content　

myself　with　observing　that　we　took　up　our　abode　in　that　immense　

building；　or　caserne；　of　modern　erection；　which　occupies　the　entire　

eastern　side　of　the　bold　rock　on　which　the　Castle　stands。　　A　

gallant　caserne　it　was　…　the　best　and　roomiest　that　I　had　hitherto　

seen　…　rather　cold　and　windy；　it　is　true；　especially　in　the　winter；　

but　commanding　a　noble　prospect　of　a　range　of　distant　hills；　which　

I　was　told　were　'the　hieland　hills；'　and　of　a　broad　arm　of　the　sea；　

which　I　heard　somebody　say　was　the　Firth　of　Forth。



My　brother；　who；　for　some　years　past；　had　been　receiving　his　

education　in　a　certain　celebrated　school　in　England；　was　now　with　

us；　and　it　came　to　pass；　that　one　day　my　father；　as　he　sat　at　

table；　looked　steadfastly　on　my　brother　and　myself；　and　then　

addressed　my　mother：　　…　'During　my　journey　down　hither；　I　have　lost　

no　opportunity　of　making　inquiries　about　these　people；　the　Scotch；　

amongst　whom　we　now　are；　and　since　I　have　been　here　I　have　observed　

them　attentively。　　From　what　I　have　heard　and　seen；　I　should　say　

that　upon　the　whole　they　are　a　very　decent　set　of　people；　they　seem　

acute　and　intelligent；　and　I　am　told　that　their　system　of　education　

is　so　excellent　that　every　person　is　learned　…　more　or　less　

acquainted　with　Greek　and　Latin。　　There　is　one　thing；　however；　

connected　with　them；　which　is　a　great　drawback　…　the　horrid　jargon　

which　they　speak。　　However　learned　they　may　be　in　Greek　and　Latin；　

their　English　is　execrable；　and　yet　I'm　told　it　is　not　so　bad　as　it　

was。　　I　was　in　company；　the　other　day；　with　an　Englishman　who　has　

resided　here　many　years。　　We　were　talking　about　the　country　and　the　

people。　　〃I　should　like　both　very　well；〃　said　I；　〃were　it　not　for　

the　language。　　I　wish　sincerely　our　Parliament；　which　is　passing　so　

many　foolish　acts　every　year；　would　pass　one　to　force　these　Scotch　

to　speak　English。〃　　〃I　wish　so；　too；〃　said　he。　　〃The　language　is　a　

disgrace　to　the　British　Government；　but；　if　you　had　heard　it　twenty　

years　ago；　captain！　…　if　you　had　heard　it　as　it　was　spoken　when　I　

first　came　to　Edinburgh！〃'



'Only　custom；'　said　my　mother。　　'I　daresay　the　language　is　now　what　

it　was　then。'



'I　don't　know；'　said　my　father；　'though　I　daresay　you　are　right；　it　

could　never　have　been　worse　than　it　is　at　present。　　But　now　to　the　

point。　　Were　it　not　for　the　language；　which；　if　the　boys　were　to　

pick　it　up；　might　ruin　their　prospects　in　life；　…　were　it　not　for　

that；　I　should　very　much　like　to　send　them　to　a　school　there　is　in　

this　place；　which　everybody　talks　about　…　the　High　School　I　think　

they　call　it。　　'Tis　said　to　be　the　best　school　in　the　whole　island；　

but　the　idea　of　one's　children　speaking　Scotch　…　broad　Scotch！　　I　

must　think　the　matter　over。'



And　he　did　think　the　matter　over；　and　the　result　of　his　

deliberation　was　a　determination　to　send　us　to　the　school。　　Let　me　

call　thee　up　before　my　mind's　eye；　High　School；　to　which；　every　

morning；　the　two　English　brothers　took　their　way　from　the　proud　old　

Castle　through　the　lofty　streets　of　the　Old　Town。　　High　School！　…　

called　so；　I　scarcely　know　why；　neither　lofty　in　thyself　nor　by　

position；　being　situated　in　a　flat　bottom；　oblong　structure　of　

tawny　stone；　with　many　windows　fenced　with　iron　netting　…　with　thy　

long　hall　below；　and　thy　five　chambers　above；　for　the　reception　of　

the　five　classes；　into　which　the　eight　hundred　urchins　who　styled　

thee　instructress　were　divided。　　Thy　learned　rector　and　his　four　

subordinate　dominies；　thy　strange　old　porter　of　the　tall　form　and　

grizzled　hair；　hight　Boee；　and　doubtless　of　Norse　ancestry；　as　his　

name　declares；　perhaps　of　the　blood　of　Bui　hin　Digri；　the　hero　of　

northern　song　…　the　Jomsborg　Viking　who　clove　Thorsteinn　Midlangr　

asunder　in　the　dread　sea　battle　of　Horunga　Vog；　and　who；　when　the　

fight　was　lost　and　his　own　two　hands　smitten　off；　seized　two　chests　

of　gold　with　his　bloody　stumps；　and；　springing　with　them　into　the　

sea；　cried　to　the　scanty　relics　of　his　crew；　'Overboard　now；　all　

Bui's　lads！'　　Yes；　I　remember　all　about　thee；　and　how　at　eight　of　

every