lavengro-第12章

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

every　morn　we　were　all　gathered　together　with　one　accord　in　the　

long　hall；　from　which；　after　the　litanies　had　been　read　（for　so　I　

will　call　them；　being　an　Episcopalian）；　the　five　classes　from　the　

five　sets　of　benches　trotted　off　in　long　files；　one　boy　after　the　

other；　up　the　five　spiral　staircases　of　stone；　each　class　to　its　

destination；　and　well　do　I　remember　how　we　of　the　third　sat　hushed　

and　still；　watched　by　the　eye　of　the　dux；　until　the　door　opened；　

and　in　walked　that　model　of　a　good　Scotchman；　the　shrewd；　

intelligent；　but　warm…hearted　and　kind　dominie；　the　respectable　

Carson。



And　in　this　school　I　began　to　construe　the　Latin　language；　which　I　

had　never　done　before；　notwithstanding　my　long　and　diligent　study　

of　Lilly；　which　illustrious　grammar　was　not　used　at　Edinburgh；　nor　

indeed　known。　　Greek　was　only　taught　in　the　fifth　or　highest　class；　

in　which　my　brother　was；　as　for　myself；　I　never　got　beyond　the　

third　during　the　two　years　that　I　remained　at　this　seminary。　　I　

certainly　acquired　here　a　considerable　insight　in　the　Latin　tongue；　

and；　to　the　scandal　of　my　father　and　horror　of　my　mother；　a　

thorough　proficiency　in　the　Scotch；　which；　in　less　than　two　months；　

usurped　the　place　of　the　English；　and　so　obstinately　maintained　its　

ground；　that　I　still　can　occasionally　detect　its　lingering　remains。　　

I　did　not　spend　my　time　unpleasantly　at　this　school；　though；　first　

of　all；　I　had　to　pass　through　an　ordeal。



'Scotland　is　a　better　country　than　England；'　said　an　ugly；　blear…

eyed　lad；　about　a　head　and　shoulders　taller　than　myself；　the　leader　

of　a　gang　of　varlets　who　surrounded　me　in　the　playground；　on　the　

first　day；　as　soon　as　the　morning　lesson　was　over。　　'Scotland　is　a　

far　better　country　than　England；　in　every　respect。'



'Is　it？'　said　I。　　'Then　you　ought　to　be　very　thankful　for　not　

having　been　born　in　England。'



'That's　just　what　I　am；　ye　loon；　and　every　morning；　when　I　say　my　

prayers；　I　thank　God　for　not　being　an　Englishman。　　The　Scotch　are　a　

much　better　and　braver　people　than　the　English。'



'It　may　be　so；'　said　I；　'for　what　I　know　…　indeed；　till　I　came　

here；　I　never　heard　a　word　either　about　the　Scotch　or　their　

country。'



'Are　ye　making　fun　of　us；　ye　English　puppy？'　said　the　blear…eyed　

lad；　'take　that！'　and　I　was　presently　beaten　black　and　blue。　　And　

thus　did　I　first　become　aware　of　the　difference　of　races　and　their　

antipathy　to　each　other。



'Bow　to　the　storm；　and　it　shall　pass　over　you。'　　I　held　my　peace；　

and　silently　submitted　to　the　superiority　of　the　Scotch　…　IN　

NUMBERS。　　This　was　enough；　from　an　object　of　persecution　I　soon　

became　one　of　patronage；　especially　amongst　the　champions　of　the　

class。　　'The　English；'　said　the　blear…eyed　lad；　'though　a　wee　bit　

behind　the　Scotch　in　strength　and　fortitude；　are　nae　to　be　sneezed　

at；　being　far　ahead　of　the　Irish；　to　say　nothing　of　the　French；　a　

pack　of　cowardly　scoundrels。　　And　with　regard　to　the　English　

country；　it　is　na　Scotland；　it　is　true；　but　it　has　its　gude　

properties；　and；　though　there　is　ne'er　a　haggis　in　a'　the　land；　

there's　an　unco　deal　o'　gowd　and　siller。　　I　respect　England；　for　I　

have　an　auntie　married　there。'



The　Scotch　are　certainly　a　most　pugnacious　people；　their　whole　

history　proves　it。　　Witness　their　incessant　wars　with　the　English　

in　the　olden　time；　and　their　internal　feuds；　highland　and　lowland；　

clan　with　clan；　family　with　family；　Saxon　with　Gael。　　In　my　time；　

the　schoolboys；　for　want；　perhaps；　of　English　urchins　to　contend　

with；　were　continually　fighting　with　each　other；　every　noon　there　

was　at　least　one　pugilistic　encounter；　and　sometimes　three。　　In　one　

month　I　witnessed　more　of　these　encounters　than　I　had　ever　

previously　seen　under　similar　circumstances　in　England。　　After　all；　

there　was　not　much　harm　done。　　Harm！　what　harm　could　result　from　

short　chopping　blows；　a　hug；　and　a　tumble？　　I　was　witness　to　many　a　

sounding　whack；　some　blood　shed；　'a　blue　ee'　now　and　then；　but　

nothing　more。　　In　England；　on　the　contrary；　where　the　lads　were　

comparatively　mild；　gentle；　and　pacific；　I　had　been　present　at　more　

than　one　death　caused　by　blows　in　boyish　combats；　in　which　the　

oldest　of　the　victors　had　scarcely　reached　thirteen　years；　but　

these　blows　were　in　the　jugular；　given　with　the　full　force　of　the　

arm　shot　out　horizontally　from　the　shoulder。



But　the　Scotch　…　though　by　no　means　proficients　in　boxing　（and　how　

should　they　box；　seeing　that　they　have　never　had　a　teacher？）　…　are；　

I　repeat；　a　most　pugnacious　people；　at　least　they　were　in　my　time。　　

Anything　served　them；　that　is；　the　urchins；　as　a　pretence　for　a　

fray；　or；　Dorically　speaking；　a　BICKER；　every　street　and　close　was　

at　feud　with　its　neighbour；　the　lads　of　the　school　were　at　feud　

with　the　young　men　of　the　college；　whom　they　pelted　in　winter　with　

snow；　and　in　summer　with　stones；　and　then　the　feud　between　the　old　

and　new　town！



One　day　I　was　standing　on　the　ramparts　of　the　Castle　on　the　south…

western　side　which　overhangs　the　green　brae；　where　it　slopes　down　

into　what　was　in　those　days　the　green　swamp　or　morass；　called　by　

the　natives　of　Auld　Reekie　the　Nor　Loch；　it　was　a　dark　gloomy　day；　

and　a　thin　veil　of　mist　was　beginning　to　settle　down　upon　the　brae　

and　the　morass。　　I　could　perceive；　however；　that　there　was　a　

skirmish　taking　place　in　the　latter　spot。　　I　had　an　indistinct　view　

of　two　parties　…　apparently　of　urchins　…　and　I　heard　whoops　and　

shrill　cries：　　eager　to　know　the　cause　of　this　disturbance；　I　left　

the　Castle；　and　descending　the　brae　reached　the　borders　of　the　

morass；　where　were　a　runnel　of　water　and　the　remains　of　an　old　

wall；　on　the　other　side　of　which　a　narrow　path　led　across　the　

swamp：　　upon　this　path　at　a　little　distance　before　me　there　was　'a　

bicker。'　　I　pushed　forward；　but　had　scarcely　crossed　the　ruined　

wall　and　runnel；　when　the　party　nearest　to　me　gave　way；　and　in　

great　confusion　came　running　in　my　direction。　　As　they　drew　nigh；　

one　of　them　shouted　to　me；　'Wha　are　ye；　man？　are　ye　o'　the　Auld　

Toon？'　　I　made　no　answer。　　'Ha！　ye　are　o'　the　New　Toon；　De'il　tak　

ye；　we'll　moorder　ye'；　and　the　next　moment　a　huge　stone　sung　past　

my　head。　　'Let　me　be；　ye　fule　bodies；'　said　I；　'I'm　no　of　either　of　

ye；　I　live　yonder　aboon　in　the　Castle。'　　'Ah！　ye　live　in　the　

Castle；　then　ye're　an　auld　tooner；　come　gie　us　your　help；　man；　and　

dinna　stand　there　staring　like　a　dunnot；　we　want　help　sair　eneugh。　　

Here　are　stanes。'



For　my　own　part　I　wished　for　nothing　better；　and；　rushing　forward；　

I　placed　myself　at　the　head　of　my　new　associates；　and　commenced　

flinging　stones　fast　and　desperately。　　The　other　party　now　gave　way　

in　their　turn；　closely　followed　by　ourselves；　I　was　in　the　van；　and　

about　to　stretch　out　my　hand　to　seize　the　hindermost　boy　of　the　

enemy；　when；　not　being　acquainted　with　the　miry　and　difficult　paths　

of　the　Nor　Loch；　and　in　my　eagerness　taking　no　heed　of　my　footing；　

I　plunged　into　a　quagmire；　into　which　I　sank　as　far　as　my　

shoulders。　　Our　adversaries　no　sooner　perceived　this　disaster；　

than；　setting　up　a　shout；　they　wheeled　round　and　attacked　us　most　

vehemently。　　Had　my　comrades　now　deserted　me；　my　life　had　not　been　

worth　a　straw's　purchase；　I　should　either　have　been　smothered　in　

the　quag；　or；　what　is　more　probable；　had　my　brains　beaten　out　with　

stones；　but　they　behaved　like　true　Scots；　and　fought　stoutly　around　

their　comrade；　until　I　was　extricated；　whereupon　both　parties　

retired；　the　night　being　near　at　hand。



'Ye　are　na　a　bad　hand　at　flinging　stanes；'　said　the　lad　who　first　

addressed　me；　as　we　now　returned　up　the　brae；　'your　aim　is　right　

dangerous；　mon；　I　saw　how　ye　skelpit　them；　ye　maun　help　us　agin　

thae　New　Toon　blackguards　at　our　next　bicker。'



So　to　the　next　bicker　I　went；　and　to　many　more；　which　speedily　

followed　as　the　summer　advanced；　the　party　to　which　I　had　given　my　

help　on　the　first　occasion　consisted　merely　of　outlyers；　posted　

about　half…way　up　the　hill；　for　the　purpose　of　overlooking　the　

movements　of　the　enemy。



Did　the　latter　draw　nigh　in　any　considerable　force；　messengers　were　

forthwith　despatched　to　the　'Auld　Toon；'　especially　to　the　filthy　

alleys　and　closes　of　the　High　Street；　which　forthwith　would　

disgorge　swarms　of　bare…headed　and　bare…footed　'callants；'　who；　

with　gestures　wild　and　'eldrich　screech　and　hollo；'　might　

frequently　be　seen　pouring　down　the　sides　of　the　hill。　　I　have　seen　

upwards　of　a　thousand　engaged　on　either　side　in　these　frays；　which　

I　have　no　doubt　were　full　as　desperate　as　the　fights　described　in　

the　ILIAD；　and　which　were　certainly　much　more　bloody　than　the　

combats　of　modern　Greece　in　the　war　of　independence：　　the　callants　

not　only　employed　their　hands　in　hurling　stones；　but　not　

unfrequently　slings；　at　the　use　of　which　they　were　very　expert；　and　

which　occasionally　dislodged　teeth；　shattered　jaws；　or　knocked　out　

an　eye。　　Our　opponents　certainly　laboured　under　considerable　

disadvantage；　being　compelled　not　only　to　wade　across　a　deceitful　

bog；　but　likewise　to　clamber　up　part　of　a　steep　hill；　before　they　

could　attack　us；　nevertheless；　their　determination　was　such；　and　

such　their　impetuosity；　that　we　had　sometimes　difficulty　enough　to　

maintain　our　own。　　I　shall　never　forget　one　bicker；　the　last　indeed　

which　occurred　at　that　time；　as　the　authorities　of　the　town；　

alarmed　by　the　desperation　of　its　character；　stationed　forthwith　a　

body　of　police　on　the　hill…side；　to　prevent；　in　future；　any　such　

breaches　of　the　peace。



It　was　a　beautiful　Sunday　evening；　the　rays　of　the　descending　sun　

were　reflected　redly　from　the　gray　walls　of　the　Castle；　and　from　

the　black　rocks　on　which　it　was　founded。　　The　bicker　had　long　since　

commenced；　stones　from　sling　and　hand　were　flying；　but　the　callants　

of　the　New　Town　were　now　carrying　everything　before　them。



A　full…grown　baker's　apprentice　was　at　their　head；　he　was　foaming　

with　rage；　and　had　taken　the　field；　as　I　was　told；　in　order　to　

avenge　his　brother；　whose　eye　had　been　knocked　out　in　one　of　the　

late　bickers。　　He　was　no　slinger　or　flinger；　but　brandished　in　his　

right　hand　the　spoke　of　a　cart…wheel；　like　my　countryman　Tom　

Hickathrift　of　old　in　his　encounter　with　the　giant　of　the　

Lincolnshire　fen。　　Protected　by　a　piece　of　wicker…work　attached　to　

his　left　arm；　he　rushed　on　to　the　fray；　disregarding　the　stones　

which　were　showered　against　him；　and　was　ably　seconded　by　his　

followers。　　Our　own　party　was　chased　half…way　up　the　hill；　where　I　

was　struck　to　the　ground　by　the　baker；　after　having　been　foiled　in　

an　attempt　which　I　had　made　to　fling　a　handful　of　earth　into　his　

eyes。　　All　now　appeared　lost；　the　Auld　Toon　was　in　full　retreat。　　I　

myself　lay　at　the　baker's　feet；　who　had　just　raised　his　spoke；　

probably　to　give　m