chronicles of the canongate-第29章

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In　fact；　so　many　accidents　might　arise　to　delay　his　journey；　especially　where　there　were　many　ferries；　that　it　became　his　settled　purpose；　though　he　could　not　depart　without　bidding　his　mother　adieu；　that　he　neither　could　nor　would　abide　longer　than　for　that　object；　and　that　the　first　glimpse　of　next　day's　sun　should　see　him　many　miles　advanced　towards　Dunbarton。　　He　descended　the　path；　therefore；　and　entering　the　cottage；　he　communicated；　in　a　hasty　and　troubled　voice；　which　indicated　mental　agitation；　his　determination　to　take　his　instant　departure。　　Somewhat　to　his　surprise；　Elspat　appeared　not　to　combat　his　purpose；　but　she　urged　him　to　take　some　refreshment　ere　he　left　her　for　ever。　　He　did　so　hastily；　and　in　silence；　thinking　on　the　approaching　separation；　and　scarce　yet　believing　it　would　take　place　without　a　final　struggle　with　his　mother's　fondness。　　To　his　surprise；　she　filled　the　quaigh　with　liquor　for　his　parting　cup。

〃Go；〃　she　said；　〃my　son；　since　such　is　thy　settled　purpose；　but　first　stand　once　more　on　thy　mother's　hearth；　the　flame　on　which　will　be　extinguished　long　ere　thy　foot　shall　again　be　placed　there。〃

〃To　your　health；　mother！〃　　said　Hamish；　〃and　may　we　meet　again　in　happiness；　in　spite　of　your　ominous　words。〃

〃It　were　better　not　to　part；〃　said　his　mother；　watching　him　as　he　quaffed　the　liquor；　of　which　he　would　have　held　it　ominous　to　have　left　a　drop。

〃And　now；〃　she　said；　muttering　the　words　to　herself；　〃goif　thou　canst　go。〃

〃Mother；〃　said　Hamish；　as　he　replaced　on　the　table　the　empty　quaigh；　〃thy　drink　is　pleasant　to　the　taste；　but　it　takes　away　the　strength　which　it　ought　to　give。〃

〃Such　is　its　first　effect；　my　son；〃　replied　Elspat。　　〃But　lie　down　upon　that　soft　heather　couch；　shut　your　eyes　but　for　a　moment；　and；　in　the　sleep　of　an　hour；　you　shall　have　more　refreshment　than　in　the　ordinary　repose　of　three　whole　nights；　could　they　be　blended　into　one。〃

〃Mother；〃　said　Hamish；　upon　whose　brain　the　potion　was　now　taking　rapid　effect；　〃give　me　my　bonnetI　must　kiss　you　and　begoneyet　it　seems　as　if　my　feet　were　nailed　to　the　floor。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　his　mother；　〃you　will　be　instantly　well；　if　you　will　sit　down　for　half　an　hourbut　half　an　hour。　　It　is　eight　hours　to　dawn；　and　dawn　were　time　enough　for　your　father's　son　to　begin　such　a　journey。〃

〃I　must　obey　you；　motherI　feel　I　must；〃　said　Hamish　inarticulately；　〃but　call　me　when　the　moon　rises。〃

He　sat　down　on　the　bed；　reclined　back；　and　almost　instantly　was　fast　asleep。　　With　the　throbbing　glee　of　one　who　has　brought　to　an　end　a　difficult　and　troublesome　enterprise；　Elspat　proceeded　tenderly　to　arrange　the　plaid　of　the　unconscious　slumberer；　to　whom　her　extravagant　affection　was　doomed　to　be　so　fatal；　expressing；　while　busied　in　her　office；　her　delight；　in　tones　of　mingled　tenderness　and　triumph。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃calf　of　my　heart；　the　moon　shall　arise　and　set　to　thee；　and　so　shall　the　sun；　but　not　to　light　thee　from　the　land　of　thy　fathers；　or　tempt　thee　to　serve　the　foreign　prince　or　the　feudal　enemy！　　To　no　son　of　Dermid　shall　I　be　delivered；　to　be　fed　like　a　bondswoman；　but　he　who　is　my　pleasure　and　my　pride　shall　be　my　guard　and　my　protector。　　They　say　the　Highlands　are　changed；　but　I　see　Ben　Cruachan　rear　his　crest　as　high　as　ever　into　the　evening　sky；　no　one　hath　yet　herded　his　kine　on　the　depths　of　Loch　Awe；　and　yonder　oak　does　not　yet　bend　like　a　willow。　　The　children　of　the　mountains　will　be　such　as　their　fathers；　until　the　mountains　themselves　shall　be　levelled　with　the　strath。　　In　these　wild　forests；　which　used　to　support　thousands　of　the　brave；　there　is　still　surely　subsistence　and　refuge　left　for　one　aged　woman；　and　one　gallant　youth　of　the　ancient　race　and　the　ancient　manners。〃

While　the　misjudging　mother　thus　exulted　in　the　success　of　her　stratagem；　we　may　mention　to　the　reader　that　it　was　founded　on　the　acquaintance　with　drugs　and　simples　which　Elspat；　accomplished　in　all　things　belonging　to　the　wild　life　which　she　had　led；　possessed　in　an　uncommon　degree；　and　which　she　exercised　for　various　purposes。　　With　the　herbs；　which　she　knew　how　to　select　as　well　as　how　to　distil；　she　could　relieve　more　diseases　than　a　regular　medical　person　could　easily　believe。　　She　applied　some　to　dye　the　bright　colours　of　the　tartan；　from　others　she　compounded　draughts　of　various　powers；　and　unhappily　possessed　the　secret　of　one　which　was　strongly　soporific。　　Upon　the　effects　of　this　last　concoction；　as　the　reader　doubtless　has　anticipated；　she　reckoned　with　security　on　delaying　Hamish　beyond　the　period　for　which　his　return　was　appointed；　and　she　trusted　to　his　horror　for　the　apprehended　punishment　to　which　he　was　thus　rendered　liable；　to　prevent　him　from　returning　at　all。

Sound　and　deep；　beyond　natural　rest；　was　the　sleep　of　Hamish　MacTavish　on　that　eventful　evening；　but　not　such　the　repose　of　his　mother。　　Scarce　did　she　close　her　eyes　from　time　to　time；　but　she　awakened　again　with　a　start；　in　the　terror　that　her　son　had　arisen　and　departed；　and　it　was　only　on　approaching　his　couch；　and　hearing　his　deep…drawn　and　regular　breathing；　that　she　reassured　herself　of　the　security　of　the　repose　in　which　he　was　plunged。

Still；　dawning；　she　feared；　might　awaken　him；　notwithstanding　the　unusual　strength　of　the　potion　with　which　she　had　drugged　his　cup。　　If　there　remained　a　hope　of　mortal　man　accomplishing　the　journey；　she　was　aware　that　Hamish　would　attempt　it；　though　he　were　to　die　from　fatigue　upon　the　road。　　Animated　by　this　new　fear；　she　studied　to　exclude　the　light；　by　stopping　all　the　crannies　and　crevices　through　which；　rather　than　through　any　regular　entrance；　the　morning　beams　might　find　access　to　her　miserable　dwelling；　and　this　in　order　to　detain　amid　its　wants　and　wretchedness　the　being　on　whom；　if　the　world　itself　had　been　at　her　disposal；　she　would　have　joyfully　conferred　it。

Her　pains　were　bestowed　unnecessarily。　　The　sun　rose　high　above　the　heavens；　and　not　the　fleetest　stag　in　Breadalbane；　were　the　hounds　at　his　heels；　could　have　sped；　to　save　his　life；　so　fast　as　would　have　been　necessary　to　keep　Hamish's　appointment。　　Her　purpose　was　fully　attainedher　son's　return　within　the　period　assigned　was　impossible。　　She　deemed　it　equally　impossible；　that　he　would　ever　dream　of　returning；　standing；　as　he　must　now　do；　in　the　danger　of　an　infamous　punishment。　　By　degrees；　and　at　different　times；　she　had　gained　from　him　a　full　acquaintance　with　the　predicament　in　which　he　would　be　placed　by　failing　to　appear　on　the　day　appointed；　and　the　very　small　hope　he　could　entertain　of　being　treated　with　lenity。

It　is　well　known；　that　the　great　and　wise　Earl　of　Chatham　prided　himself　on　the　scheme；　by　which　he　drew　together　for　the　defence　of　the　colonies　those　hardy　Highlanders；　who；　until　his　time；　had　been　the　objects　of　doubt；　fear；　and　suspicion；　on　the　part　of　each　successive　administration。　　But　some　obstacles　occurred；　from　the　peculiar　habits　and　temper　of　this　people；　to　the　execution　of　his　patriotic　project。　　By　nature　and　habit；　every　Highlander　was　accustomed　to　the　use　of　arms；　but　at　the　same　time　totally　unaccustomed　to；　and　impatient　of；　the　restraints　imposed　by　discipline　upon　regular　troops。　　They　were　a　species　of　militia；　who　had　no　conception　of　a　camp　as　their　only　home。　If　a　battle　was　lost；　they　dispersed　to　save　themselves；　and　look　out　for　the　safety　of　their　families；　if　won；　they　went　back　to　their　glens　to　hoard　up　their　booty；　and　attend　to　their　cattle　and　their　farms。　　This　privilege　of　going　and　coming　at　pleasure；　they　would　not　be　deprived　of　even　by　their　chiefs；　whose　authority　was　in　most　other　respects　so　despotic。　　It　followed　as　a　matter　of　course；　that　the　new…levied　Highland　recruits　could　scarce　be　made　to　comprehend　the　nature　of　a　military　engagement；　which　compelled　a　man　to　serve　in　the　army　longer　than　he　pleased；　and　perhaps；　in　many　instances；　sufficient　care　was　not　taken　at　enlisting　to　explain　to　them　the　permanency　of　the　engagement　which　they　came　under；　lest　such　a　disclosure　should　induce　them　to　change　their　mind。　　Desertions　were　therefore　become　numerous　from　the　newly…raised　regiment；　and　the　veteran　general　who　commanded　at　Dunbarton　saw　no　better　way　of　checking　them　than　by　causing　an　unusually　severe　example　to　be　made　of　a　deserter　from　an　English　corps。　　The　young　Highland　regiment　was　obliged　to　attend　upon　the　punishment；　which　struck　a　people；　peculiarly　jealous　of　personal　honour；　with　equal　horror　and　disgust；　and　not　unnaturally　indisposed　some　of　them　to　the　service。　　The　old　general；　however；　who　had　been　regularly　bred　in　the　German　wars；　stuck　to　his　own　opinion；　and　gave　out　in　orders　that　the　first　Highlander　who　might　either　desert；　or　fail　to　appear　at　the　expiry　of　his　furlough；　should　be　brought　to　the　halberds；　and　punished　like　the　culprit　whom　they　had　seen　in　that　condition。　　No　man　doubted　that　General　　would　keep　his　word　rigorously　whenever　severity　was　required；　and　Elspat；　therefore；　knew　that　her　son；　when　he　perceived　that　due　compliance　with　his　orders　was　impossible；　must　at　the　same　time　consider　the　degrading　punishment　denounced　against　his　defection　as　inevitable；　should　he　place　himself　within　the　general's　power。　　＇See　Note　10。Fidelity　of　the　Highlanders。＇

When　noon　was　well　passed；　new　apprehensions　came　on　the　mind　of　the　lonely　woman。　　Her　son　still　slept　under　the　influence　of　the　draught；　but　what　if；　being　stronger　than　she　had　ever　known　it　administered；　his　health　or　his　reason　should　be　affected　by　its　potency？　　For　the　first　time；　likewise；　notwithstanding　her　high　ideas　on　the　subject　of　parental　authority；　she　began　to　dread　the　resentment　of　her　son；　whom　her　heart　told　her　she　had　wronged。　　Of　late；　she　had　observed　that　his　temper　was　less　docile；　and　his　determinations；　especially　upon　this　late　occasion　of　his　enlistment；　independently　formed；　and　then　boldly　carried　through。　　She　remembered　the　stern　wilfulness　of　his　father　when　he　accounted　himself　ill…used；　and　began　to　dread　that　Hamish；　upon　finding　the　deceit　she　had　put　upon　him；　might　resent　it　even　to　the　extent　of　cutting　her　off；　and　pursuing　his　own　course　through　the　world　alone。　　Such　were　the　alarming　and　yet　the　reasonable　apprehensions　which　began　to　crowd　upon　the　unfortunate　woman；　after　the　apparent　success　of　her　ill…advised　stratagem。

It　was　near　evening　when　Hamish　first　awoke；　and　then　he　was　far　from　being　in　the　full　possession　either　of　his　mental　or　bodily　powers。　　From　his　vague　expressions　and　disordered　pulse；　Elspat　at　first　experienced　much　apprehension；　but　she　used　such　expedients　as　her　medical　knowledge　suggested；　and　in　the　course　of　the　night　she　had　the　satisfaction　to　see　him　sink　once　more　into　a　deep　sleep；　which　probably　carried　off　the　greater　part　of　the　effects　of　the　drug；　for　about　sunrising　she　heard　him　arise；　and　call　to　her　for　his　bonnet。　　This　she　had　purposely　removed；　from　a　fear　that　he　might　awaken　and　depart　in　the　night…time；　without　her　knowledge。

〃My　bonnetmy　bonnet；〃　cried　Hamish；　〃it　is　time　to　take　farewell。　　Mother；　your　drink　was　too　strongthe　sun　is　upbut　with　the　next　morning　I　will　still　see　the　double　summit　of　the　ancient　Dun。　　My　bonnetmy　bonnet；　mother；　I　must　be　instant　in　my　departure。〃　　These