chronicles of the canongate-第32章

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But　though　he　spoke　thus；　to　escape　the　almost　persecuting　urgency　of　his　mother；　Hamish　would　have　found　it；　at　that　moment；　impossible　to　say　upon　what　course　of　conduct　he　had　thus　fixed。　　On　one　point　alone　he　was　determinednamely；　to　abide　his　destiny；　be　what　it　might；　and　not　to　add　to　the　breach　of　his　word；　of　which　he　had　been　involuntarily　rendered　guilty；　by　attempting　to　escape　from　punishment。　　This　act　of　self…devotion　he　conceived　to　be　due　to　his　own　honour　and　that　of　his　countrymen。　　Which　of　his　comrades　would　in　future　be　trusted；　if　he　should　be　considered　as　having　broken　his　word；　and　betrayed　the　confidence　of　his　officers？　　and　whom　but　Hamish　Bean　MacTavish　would　the　Gael　accuse　for　having　verified　and　confirmed　the　suspicions　which　the　Saxon　General　was　well　known　to　entertain　against　the　good　faith　of　the　Highlanders？　　He　was；　therefore；　bent　firmly　to　abide　his　fate。　　But　whether　his　intention　was　to　yield　himself　peaceably　into　the　bands　of　the　party　who　should　come　to　apprehend　him；　or　whether　he　purposed；　by　a　show　of　resistance；　to　provoke　them　to　kill　him　on　the　spot；　was　a　question　which　he　could　not　himself　have　answered。　　His　desire　to　see　Barcaldine；　and　explain　the　cause　of　his　absence　at　the　appointed　time；　urged　him　to　the　one　course；　his　fear　of　the　degrading　punishment；　and　of　his　mother's　bitter　upbraidings；　strongly　instigated　the　latter　and　the　more　dangerous　purpose。　He　left　it　to　chance　to　decide　when　the　crisis　should　arrive；　nor　did　he　tarry　long　in　expectation　of　the　catastrophe。

Evening　approached；　the　gigantic　shadows　of　the　mountains　streamed　in　darkness　towards　the　east；　while　their　western　peaks　were　still　glowing　with　crimson　and　gold。　　The　road　which　winds　round　Ben　Cruachan　was　fully　visible　from　the　door　of　the　bothy；　when　a　party　of　five　Highland　soldiers；　whose　arms　glanced　in　the　sun；　wheeled　suddenly　into　sight　from　the　most　distant　extremity；　where　the　highway　is　hidden　behind　the　mountain。　　One　of　the　party　walked　a　little　before　the　other　four；　who　marched　regularly　and　in　files；　according　to　the　rules　of　military　discipline。　　There　was　no　dispute；　from　the　firelocks　which　they　carried；　and　the　plaids　and　bonnets　which　they　wore；　that　they　were　a　party　of　Hamish's　regiment；　under　a　non…commissioned　officer；　and　there　could　be　as　little　doubt　of　the　purpose　of　their　appearance　on　the　banks　of　Loch　Awe。

〃They　come　briskly　forward〃said　the　widow　of　MacTavish　Mhor；　〃I　wonder　how　fast　or　how　slow　some　of　them　will　return　again！　But　they　are　five；　and　it　is　too　much　odds　for　a　fair　field。　Step　back　within　the　hut；　my　son；　and　shoot　from　the　loophole　beside　the　door。　　Two　you　may　bring　down　ere　they　quit　the　highroad　for　the　footpaththere　will　remain　but　three；　and　your　father；　with　my　aid；　has　often　stood　against　that　number。〃

Hamish　Bean　took　the　gun　which　his　mother　offered；　but　did　not　stir　from　the　door　of　the　hut。　　He　was　soon　visible　to　the　party　on　the　highroad；　as　was　evident　from　their　increasing　their　pace　to　a　runthe　files；　however；　still　keeping　together　like　coupled　greyhounds；　and　advancing　with　great　rapidity。　　In　far　less　time　than　would　have　been　accomplished　by　men　less　accustomed　to　the　mountains；　they　had　left　the　highroad；　traversed　the　narrow　path；　and　approached　within　pistol…shot　of　the　bothy；　at　the　door　of　which　stood　Hamish；　fixed　like　a　statue　of　stone；　with　his　firelock　in　his　band；　while　his　mother；　placed　behind　him；　and　almost　driven　to　frenzy　by　the　violence　of　her　passions；　reproached　him　in　the　strongest　terms　which　despair　could　invent；　for　his　want　of　resolution　and　faintness　of　heart。　　Her　words　increased　the　bitter　gall　which　was　arising　in　the　young　man's　own　spirit；　as　he　observed　the　unfriendly　speed　with　which　his　late　comrades　were　eagerly　making　towards　him；　like　hounds　towards　the　stag　when　he　is　at　bay。　　The　untamed　and　angry　passions　which　he　inherited　from　father　and　mother；　were　awakened　by　the　supposed　hostility　of　those　who　pursued　him；　and　the　restraint　under　which　these　passions　had　been　hitherto　held　by　his　sober　judgment　began　gradually　to　give　way。　　The　sergeant　now　called　to　him；　〃Hamish　Bean　MacTavish；　lay　down　your　arms　and　surrender。〃

〃Do　YOU　stand；　Allan　Breack　Cameron；　and　command　your　men　to　stand；　or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　us　all。〃

〃Halt；　men；〃　said　the　sergeant；　but　continuing　himself　to　advance。　　〃Hamish；　think　what　you　do；　and　give　up　your　gun；　you　may　spill　blood；　but　you　cannot　escape　punishment。〃

〃The　scourgethe　scourgemy　son；　beware　the　scourge！〃　whispered　his　mother。

〃Take　heed；　Allan　Breack；〃　said　Hamish。　　〃I　would　not　hurt　you　willingly；　but　I　will　not　be　taken　unless　you　can　assure　me　against　the　Saxon　lash。〃

〃Fool！〃　　answered　Cameron；　〃you　know　I　cannot。　　Yet　I　will　do　all　I　can。　　I　will　say　I　met　you　on　your　return；　and　the　punishment　will　be　light；　but　give　up　your　musketCome　on；　men。〃

Instantly　he　rushed　forward；　extending　his　arm　as　if　to　push　aside　the　young　man's　levelled　firelock。　　Elspat　exclaimed；　〃Now；　spare　not　your　father's　blood　to　defend　your　father's　hearth！〃　Hamish　fired　his　piece；　and　Cameron　dropped　dead。　　All　these　things　happened；　it　might　be　said；　in　the　same　moment　of　time。　The　soldiers　rushed　forward　and　seized　Hamish；　who；　seeming　petrified　with　what　he　had　done；　offered　not　the　least　resistance。　　Not　so　his　mother；　who；　seeing　the　men　about　to　put　handcuffs　on　her　son；　threw　herself　on　the　soldiers　with　such　fury；　that　it　required　two　of　them　to　hold　her；　while　the　rest　secured　the　prisoner。

〃Are　you　not　an　accursed　creature；〃　said　one　of　the　men　to　Hamish；　〃to　have　slain　your　best　friend；　who　was　contriving；　during　the　whole　march；　how　he　could　find　some　way　of　getting　you　off　without　punishment　for　your　desertion？〃

〃Do　you　hear　THAT；　mother？〃　　said　Hamish；　turning　himself　as　much　towards　her　as　his　bonds　would　permit；　but　the　mother　heard　nothing；　and　saw　nothing。　　She　had　fainted　on　the　floor　of　her　hut。　　Without　waiting　for　her　recovery；　the　party　almost　immediately　began　their　homeward　march　towards　Dunbarton；　leading　along　with　them　their　prisoner。　　They　thought　it　necessary；　however；　to　stay　for　a　little　space　at　the　village　of　Dalmally；　from　which　they　despatched　a　party　of　the　inhabitants　to　bring　away　the　body　of　their　unfortunate　leader；　while　they　themselves　repaired　to　a　magistrate；　to　state　what　had　happened；　and　require　his　instructions　as　to　the　farther　course　to　be　pursued。　　The　crime　being　of　a　military　character；　they　were　instructed　to　march　the　prisoner　to　Dunbarton　without　delay。

The　swoon　of　the　mother　of　Hamish　lasted　for　a　length　of　time　the　longer　perhaps　that　her　constitution；　strong　as　it　was；　must　have　been　much　exhausted　by　her　previous　agitation　of　three　days'　endurance。　　She　was　roused　from　her　stupor　at　length　by　female　voices；　which　cried　the　coronach；　or　lament　for　the　dead；　with　clapping　of　hands　and　loud　exclamations；　while　the　melancholy　note　of　a　lament；　appropriate　to　the　clan　Cameron；　played　on　the　bagpipe；　was　heard　from　time　to　time。

Elspat　started　up　like　one　awakened　from　the　dead；　and　without　any　accurate　recollection　of　the　scene　which　had　passed　before　her　eyes。　　There　were　females　in　the　hut　who　were　swathing　the　corpse　in　its　bloody　plaid　before　carrying　it　from　the　fatal　spot。　　〃Women；〃　she　said；　starting　up　and　interrupting　their　chant　at　once　and　their　labour〃Tell　me；　women；　why　sing　you　the　dirge　of　MacDhonuil　Dhu　in　the　house　of　MacTavish　Mhor？〃

〃She…wolf；　be　silent　with　thine　ill…omened　yell；〃　answered　one　of　the　females；　a　relation　of　the　deceased；　〃and　let　us　do　our　duty　to　our　beloved　kinsman。　　There　shall　never　be　coronach　cried；　or　dirge　played；　for　thee　or　thy　bloody　wolf…burd。　　＇Wolf…brood　that　is；　wolf…cub。＇　The　ravens　shall　eat　him　from　the　gibbet；　and　the　foxes　and　wild…cats　shall　tear　thy　corpse　upon　the　hill。　Cursed　be　he　that　would　sain　＇Bless。＇　your　bones；　or　add　a　stone　to　your　cairn！〃

〃Daughter　of　a　foolish　mother；〃　answered　the　widow　of　MacTavish　Mhor；　〃know　that　the　gibbet　with　which　you　threaten　us　is　no　portion　of　our　inheritance。　　For　thirty　years　the　Black　Tree　of　the　Law；　whose　apples　are　dead　men's　bodies；　hungered　after　the　beloved　husband　of　my　heart；　but　he　died　like　a　brave　man；　with　the　sword　in　his　hand；　and　defrauded　it　of　its　hopes　and　its　fruit。〃

〃So　shall　it　not　be　with　thy　child；　bloody　sorceress；〃　replied　the　female　mourner；　whose　passions　were　as　violent　as　those　of　Elspat　herself。　　〃The　ravens　shall　tear　his　fair　hair　to　line　their　nests；　before　the　sun　sinks　beneath　the　Treshornish　islands。〃

These　words　recalled　to　Elspat's　mind　the　whole　history　of　the　last　three　dreadful　days。　　At　first　she　stood　fixed；　as　if　the　extremity　of　distress　had　converted　her　into　stone；　but　in　a　minute；　the　pride　and　violence　of　her　temper；　outbraved　as　she　thought　herself　on　her　own　threshold；　enabled　her　to　reply；　〃Yes；　insulting　hag；　my　fair…haired　boy　may　die；　but　it　will　not　be　with　a　white　hand。　　It　has　been　dyed　in　the　blood　of　his　enemy；　in　the　best　blood　of　a　Cameronremember　that；　and　when　you　lay　your　dead　in　his　grave；　let　it　be　his　best　epitaph　that　he　was　killed　by　Hamish　Bean　for　essaying　to　lay　hands　on　the　son　of　MacTavish　Mhor　on　his　own　threshold。　　Farewellthe　shame　of　defeat；　loss；　and　slaughter　remain　with　the　clan　that　has　endured　it！〃

The　relative　of　the　slaughtered　Cameron　raised　her　voice　in　reply；　but　Elspat；　disdaining　to　continue　the　objurgation；　or　perhaps　feeling　her　grief　likely　to　overmaster　her　power　of　expressing　her　resentment；　had　left　the　hut；　and　was　walking　forth　in　the　bright　moonshine。

The　females　who　were　arranging　the　corpse　of　the　slaughtered　man　hurried　from　their　melancholy　labour　to　look　after　her　tall　figure　as　it　glided　away　among　the　cliffs。　　〃I　am　glad　she　is　gone；〃　said　one　of　the　younger　persons　who　assisted。　　〃I　would　as　soon　dress　a　corpse　when　the　great　fiend　himselfGod　sain　us！　stood　visibly　before　us；　as　when　Elspat　of　the　Tree　is　amongst　us。　　Ay；　ay；　even　overmuch　intercourse　hath　she　had　with　the　enemy　in　her　day。〃

〃Silly　woman；〃　answered　the　female　who　had　maintained　the　dialogue　with　the　departed　Elspat；　〃thinkest　thou　that　there　is　a　worse　fiend　on　earth；　or　beneath　it；　than　the　pride　and　fury　of　an　offended　woman；　like　yonder　bloody…minded　hag？　　Know　that　blood　has　been　as　familiar　to　her　as　the　dew　to　the　mountain　daisy。　Many　and　many　a　brave　man　has　she　caused　to　breathe　their　last　for　little　wrong　they　had　done　to　her　or　theirs。　　But　her　hough…sinews　are　cut；　now　that　her　wolf…burd　must；　like　a　murderer　as　he　is；　make　a　murderer's　end。〃

Whilst　the　women　thus　discoursed　together；　as　they　watched　the　corpse　of　Allan　Breack　Cameron；　the　unhappy　cause　of　his　death　pursued　her　lonely　way　across　the　mountain。　　While　she　remained　within　sight　of　the　bothy；　she　put　a　strong　constraint　on　herself；　that　by　no　alteration　of　pace　or　gesture　she　might　afford　to　her　enemies　the　triumph　of　calculating　the　excess　of　her　mental　agitation；　nay；　despair。　　She　stalked；　therefore；　with　a　slow　rather　than　a　swift　step；　and；　holding　herself　upright；　seemed　at　once　to　endure　with　firmness　that　woe　which　was　passed；　and　bid　defiance　to　that　which　was　about　to　come。　　But　when　she　was　beyond　the　sight　of　thos