chronicles of the canongate-第24章

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rer　to　her。〃　　And　then；　in　a　few　hurried　words；　he　made　me　acquainted　with　the　story　which　I　am　now　to　tell　more　in　detail。　　I　heard　the　narrative　with　a　mixture　of　horror　and　sympathy；　which　at　once　impelled　me　to　approach　the　sufferer；　and　speak　to　her　the　words　of　comfort；　or　rather　of　pity；　and　at　the　same　time　made　me　afraid　to　do　so。

This　indeed　was　the　feeling　with　which　she　was　regarded　by　the　Highlanders　in　the　neighbourhood；　who　looked　upon　Elspat　MacTavish；　or　the　Woman　of　the　Tree；　as　they　called　her；　as　the　Greeks　considered　those　who　were　pursued　by　the　Furies；　and　endured　the　mental　torment　consequent　on　great　criminal　actions。　They　regarded　such　unhappy　beings　as　Orestes　and　OEdipus；　as　being　less　the　voluntary　perpetrators　of　their　crimes　than　as　the　passive　instruments　by　which　the　terrible　decrees　of　Destiny　had　been　accomplished；　and　the　fear　with　which　they　beheld　them　was　not　unmingled　with　veneration。

I　also　learned　further　from　Donald　MacLeish；　that　there　was　some　apprehension　of　ill　luck　attending　those　who　had　the　boldness　to　approach　too　near；　or　disturb　the　awful　solitude　of　a　being　so　unutterably　miserablethat　it　was　supposed　that　whosoever　approached　her　must　experience　in　some　respect　the　contagion　of　her　wretchedness。

It　was　therefore　with　some　reluctance　that　Donald　saw　me　prepare　to　obtain　a　nearer　view　of　the　sufferer；　and　that　he　himself　followed　to　assist　me　in　the　descent　down　a　very　rough　path。　　I　believe　his　regard　for　me　conquered　some　ominous　feelings　in　his　own　breast；　which　connected　his　duty　on　this　occasion　with　the　presaging　fear　of　lame　horses；　lost　linch…pins；　overturns；　and　other　perilous　chances　of　the　postilion's　life。

I　am　not　sure　if　my　own　courage　would　have　carried　me　so　close　to　Elspat　had　he　not　followed。　　There　was　in　her　countenance　the　stern　abstraction　of　hopeless　and　overpowering　sorrow；　mixed　with　the　contending　feelings　of　remorse；　and　of　the　pride　which　struggled　to　conceal　it。　　She　guessed；　perhaps；　that　it　was　curiosity；　arising　out　of　her　uncommon　story；　which　induced　me　to　intrude　on　her　solitude；　and　she　could　not　be　pleased　that　a　fate　like　hers　had　been　the　theme　of　a　traveller's　amusement。　　Yet　the　look　with　which　she　regarded　me　was　one　of　scorn　instead　of　embarrassment。　　The　opinion　of　the　world　and　all　its　children　could　not　add　or　take　an　iota　from　her　load　of　misery；　and；　save　from　the　half　smile　that　seemed　to　intimate　the　contempt　of　a　being　rapt　by　the　very　intensity　of　her　affliction　above　the　sphere　of　ordinary　humanities；　she　seemed　as　indifferent　to　my　gaze；　as　if　she　had　been　a　dead　corpse　or　a　marble　statue。

Elspat　was　above　the　middle　stature。　　Her　hair；　now　grizzled；　was　still　profuse；　and　it　had　been　of　the　most　decided　black。　　So　were　her　eyes；　in　which；　contradicting　the　stern　and　rigid　features　of　her　countenance；　there　shone　the　wild　and　troubled　light　that　indicates　an　unsettled　mind。　　Her　hair　was　wrapt　round　a　silver　bodkin　with　some　attention　to　neatness；　and　her　dark　mantle　was　disposed　around　her　with　a　degree　of　taste；　though　the　materials　were　of　the　most　ordinary　sort。

After　gazing　on　this　victim　of　guilt　and　calamity　till　I　was　ashamed　to　remain　silent；　though　uncertain　how　I　ought　to　address　her；　I　began　to　express　my　surprise　at　her　choosing　such　a　desert　and　deplorable　dwelling。　　She　cut　short　these　expressions　of　sympathy；　by　answering　in　a　stern　voice；　without　the　least　change　of　countenance　or　posture；　〃Daughter　of　the　stranger；　he　has　told　you　my　story。〃　　I　was　silenced　at　once；　and　felt　how　little　all　earthly　accommodation　must　seem　to　the　mind　which　had　such　subjects　as　hers　for　rumination。　　Without　again　attempting　to　open　the　conversation；　I　took　a　piece　of　gold　from　my　purse；　（for　Donald　had　intimated　she　lived　on　alms）；　expecting　she　would　at　least　stretch　her　hand　to　receive　it。　　But　she　neither　accepted　nor　rejected　the　gift；　she　did　not　even　seem　to　notice　it；　though　twenty　times　as　valuable；　probably；　as　was　usually　offered。　　I　was　obliged　to　place　it　on　her　knee；　saying　involuntarily；　as　I　did　so；　〃May　God　pardon　you　and　relieve　you！〃　　I　shall　never　forget　the　look　which　she　cast　up　to　Heaven；　nor　the　tone　in　which　she　exclaimed；　in　the　very　words　of　my　old　friend　John　Home；

　　〃My　beautifulmy　brave！〃

It　was　the　language　of　nature；　and　arose　from　the　heart　of　the　deprived　mother；　as　it　did　from　that　gifted　imaginative　poet　while　furnishing　with　appropriate　expressions　the　ideal　grief　of　Lady　Randolph。



CHAPTER　II。

　　Oh；　I'm　come　to　the　Low　Country；　　　　　Och；　och；　ohonochie；　　　Without　a　penny　in　my　pouch　　　　　To　buy　a　meal　for　me。　　　I　was　the　proudest　of　my　clan；　　　　　Long；　long　may　I　repine；　　　And　Donald　was　the　bravest　man；　　　　　And　Donald　he　was　mine。　　　　　　　　　　OLD　SONG。

Elspat　had　enjoyed　happy　days；　though　her　age　had　sunk　into　hopeless　and　inconsolable　sorrow　and　distress。　　She　was　once　the　beautiful　and　happy　wife　of　Hamish　MacTavish；　for　whom　his　strength　and　feats　of　prowess　had　gained　the　title　of　MacTavish　Mhor。　　His　life　was　turbulent　and　dangerous；　his　habits　being　of　the　old　Highland　stamp　which　esteemed　it　shame　to　want　anything　that　could　be　had　for　the　taking。　　Those　in　the　Lowland　line　who　lay　near　him；　and　desired　to　enjoy　their　lives　and　property　in　quiet；　were　contented　to　pay　him　a　small　composition；　in　name　of　protection　money；　and　comforted　themselves　with　the　old　proverb　that　it　was　better　to　〃fleech　the　deil　than　fight　him。〃　　Others；　who　accounted　such　composition　dishonourable；　were　often　surprised　by　MacTavish　Mhor　and　his　associates　and　followers；　who　usually　inflicted　an　adequate　penalty；　either　in　person　or　property；　or　both。　　The　creagh　is　yet　remembered　in　which　he　swept　one　hundred　and　fifty　cows　from　Monteith　in　one　drove；　and　how　he　placed　the　laird　of　Ballybught　naked　in　a　slough；　for　having　threatened　to　send　for　a　party　of　the　Highland　Watch　to　protect　his　property。

Whatever　were　occasionally　the　triumphs　of　this　daring　cateran；　they　were　often　exchanged　for　reverses；　and　his　narrow　escapes；　rapid　flights；　and　the　ingenious　stratagems　with　which　he　extricated　himself　from　imminent　danger；　were　no　less　remembered　and　admired　than　the　exploits　in　which　he　had　been　successful。　In　weal　or　woe；　through　every　species　of　fatigue；　difficulty；　and　danger；　Elspat　was　his　faithful　companion。　　She　enjoyed　with　him　the　fits　of　occasional　prosperity；　and　when　adversity　pressed　them　hard；　her　strength　of　mind；　readiness　of　wit；　and　courageous　endurance　of　danger　and　toil；　are　said　often　to　have　stimulated　the　exertions　of　her　husband。

Their　morality　was　of　the　old　Highland　castfaithful　friends　and　fierce　enemies。　　The　Lowland　herds　and　harvests　they　accounted　their　own；　whenever　they　had　the　means　of　driving　off　the　one　or　of　seizing　upon　the　other；　nor　did　the　least　scruple　on　the　right　of　property　interfere　on　such　occasions。　　Hamish　Mhor　argued　like　the　old　Cretan　warrior：

　　〃My　sword；　my　spear；　my　shaggy　shield；　　　　　　They　make　me　lord　of　all　below；　　　　For　he　who　dreads　the　lance　to　wield；　　　　　　Before　my　shaggy　shield　must　bow。　　　　His　lands；　his　vineyards；　must　resign；　　　　　　And　all　that　cowards　have　is　mine。〃

But　those　days　of　perilous；　though　frequently　successful　depredation；　began　to　be　abridged　after　the　failure　of　the　expedition　of　Prince　Charles　Edward。　　MacTavish　Mhor　had　not　sat　still　on　that　occasion；　and　he　was　outlawed；　both　as　a　traitor　to　the　state　and　as　a　robber　and　cateran。　　Garrisons　were　now　settled　in　many　places　where　a　red…coat　had　never　before　been　seen；　and　the　Saxon　war…drum　resounded　among　the　most　hidden　recesses　of　the　Highland　mountains。　The　fate　of　MacTavish　became　every　day　more　inevitable；　and　it　was　the　more　difficult　for　him　to　make　his　exertions　for　defence　or　escape；　that　Elspat；　amid　his　evil　days；　had　increased　his　family　with　an　infant　child；　which　was　a　considerable　encumbrance　upon　the　necessary　rapidity　of　their　motions。

At　length　the　fatal　day　arrived。　　In　a　strong　pass　on　the　skirts　of　Ben　Crunchan；　the　celebrated　MacTavish　Mhor　was　surprised　by　a　detachment　of　the　Sidier　Roy。　　＇The　Red　Soldier。＇　　His　wife　assisted　him　heroically；　charging　his　piece　from　time　to　time；　and　as　they　were　in　possession　of　a　post　that　was　nearly　unassailable；　he　might　have　perhaps　escaped　if　his　ammunition　had　lasted。　　But　at　length　his　balls　were　expended；　although　it　was　not　until　he　had　fired　off　most　of　the　silver　buttons　from　his　waistcoat；　and　the　soldiers；　no　longer　deterred　by　fear　of　the　unerring　marksman；　who　had　slain　three　and　wounded　more　of　their　number；　approached　his　stronghold；　and；　unable　to　take　him　alive；　slew　him　after　a　most　desperate　resistance。

All　this　Elspat　witnessed　and　survived；　for　she　had；　in　the　child　which　relied　on　her　for　support；　a　motive　for　strength　and　exertion。　　In　what　manner　she　maintained　herself　it　is　not　easy　to　say。　　Her　only　ostensible　means　of　support　were　a　flock　of　three　or　four　goats；　which　she　fed　wherever　she　pleased　on　the　mountain　pastures；　no　one　challenging　the　intrusion。　　In　the　general　distress　of　the　country；　her　ancient　acquaintances　had　little　to　bestow；　but　what　they　could　part　with　from　their　own　necessities；　they　willingly　devoted　to　the　relief　of　others；　From　Lowlanders　she　sometimes　demanded　tribute；　rather　than　requested　alms。　　She　had　not　forgotten　she　was　the　widow　of　MacTavish　Mhor；　or　that　the　child　who　trotted　by　her　knee　might；　such　were　her　imaginations；　emulate　one　day　the　fame　of　his　father；　and　command　the　same　influence　which　he　had　once　exerted　without　control。　She　associated　so　little　with　others；　went　so　seldom　and　so　unwillingly　from　the　wildest　recesses　of　the　mountains；　where　she　usually　dwelt　with　her　goats；　that　she　was　quite　unconscious　of　the　great　change　which　had　taken　place　in　the　country　around　her　the　substitution　of　civil　order　for　military　violence；　and　the　strength　gained　by　the　law　and　its　adherents　over　those　who　were　called　in　Gaelic　song；　〃the　stormy　sons　of　the　sword。〃　　Her　own　diminished　consequence　and　straitened　circumstances　she　indeed　felt；　but　for　this　the　death　of　MacTavish　Mhor　was；　in　her　apprehension；　a　sufficing　reason；　and　she　doubted　not　that　she　should　rise　to　her　former　state　of　importance　when　Hamish　Bean　（or　fair…haired　James）　should　be　able　to　wield　the　arms　of　his　father。　　If；　then；　Elspat　was　repelled；　rudely　when　she　demanded　anything　necessary　for　her　wants；　or　the　accommodation　of　her　little　flock；　by　a　churlish　farmer；　her　threats　of　vengeance；　obscurely　expressed；　yet　terrible　in　their　tenor；　used　frequently　to　extort；　through　fear　of　her　maledictions；　the　relief　which　was　denied　to　her　necessities；　and　the　trembling　goodwife；　who　gave　meal　or　money　to　the　widow　of　MacTavish　Mhor；　wished　in　her　heart　that　the　stern　old　carlin　had　been　burnt　on　the　day　her　husband　had　his　due。

Years　thus　ran　on；　and　Hamish　Bean　grew　upnot；　indeed；　to　be　of　his　father's　size　or　strength；　but　to　become　an　active；　high…　spirited；　fair…haired　youth；　with　a　ruddy　cheek；　an　eye　like　an　eagle's；　and　all　the　agility；　if　not　all　the　strength；　of　his　formidable　father；　upon　whose　history　and　achievements　his　mother　dwelt；　in　order　to　form　her　son's　mind　to　a　similar　course　of　adventures。　　But　the　young　see　the　present　state　of　this