chronicles of the canongate-第33章

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iance　to　that　which　was　about　to　come。　　But　when　she　was　beyond　the　sight　of　those　who　remained　in　the　hut；　she　could　no　longer　suppress　the　extremity　of　her　agitation。　　Drawing　her　mantle　wildly　round　her；　she　stopped　at　the　first　knoll；　and　climbing　to　its　summit；　extended　her　arms　up　to　the　bright　moon；　as　if　accusing　heaven　and　earth　for　her　misfortunes；　and　uttered　scream　on　scream；　like　those　of　an　eagle　whose　nest　has　been　plundered　of　her　brood。　　Awhile　she　vented　her　grief　in　these　inarticulate　cries；　then　rushed　on　her　way　with　a　hasty　and　unequal　step；　in　the　vain　hope　of　overtaking　the　party　which　was　conveying　her　son　a　prisoner　to　Dunbarton。　　But　her　strength；　superhuman　as　it　seemed；　failed　her　in　the　trial；　nor　was　it　possible　for　her；　with　her　utmost　efforts；　to　accomplish　her　purpose。

Yet　she　pressed　onward；　with　all　the　speed　which　her　exhausted　frame　could　exert。　　When　food　became　indispensable；　she　entered　the　first　cottage。　　〃Give　me　to　eat；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　the　widow　of　MacTavish　MhorI　am　the　mother　of　Hamish　MacTavish　Bean；　give　me　to　eat；　that　I　may　once　more　see　my　fair…haired　son。〃　Her　demand　was　never　refused；　though　granted　in　many　cases　with　a　kind　of　struggle　between　compassion　and　aversion　in　some　of　those　to　whom　she　applied；　which　was　in　others　qualified　by　fear。　　The　share　she　had　had　in　occasioning　the　death　of　Allan　Breack　Cameron；　which　must　probably　involve　that　of　her　own　son；　was　not　accurately　known；　but；　from　a　knowledge　of　her　violent　passions　and　former　habits　of　life；　no　one　doubted　that　in　one　way　or　other　she　had　been　the　cause　of　the　catastrophe；　and　Hamish　Bean　was　considered；　in　the　slaughter　which　he　had　committed；　rather　as　the　instrument　than　as　the　accomplice　of　his　mother。

This　general　opinion　of　his　countrymen　was　of　little　service　to　the　unfortunate　Hamish。　　As　his　captain；　Green　Colin；　understood　the　manners　and　habits　of　his　country；　he　had　no　difficulty　in　collecting　from　Hamish　the　particulars　accompanying　his　supposed　desertion；　and　the　subsequent　death　of　the　non…commissioned　officer。　　He　felt　the　utmost　compassion　for　a　youth；　who　had　thus　fallen　a　victim　to　the　extravagant　and　fatal　fondness　of　a　parent。　　But　he　had　no　excuse　to　plead　which　could　rescue　his　unhappy　recruit　from　the　doom　which　military　discipline　and　the　award　of　a　court…martial　denounced　against　him　for　the　crime　he　had　committed。

No　time　had　been　lost　in　their　proceedings；　and　as　little　was　interposed　betwixt　sentence　and　execution。　　General　　had　determined　to　make　a　severe　example　of　the　first　deserter　who　should　fall　into　his　power；　and　here　was　one　who　had　defended　himself　by　main　force；　and　slain　in　the　affray　the　officer　sent　to　take　him　into　custody。　　A　fitter　subject　for　punishment　could　not　have　occurred；　and　Hamish　was　sentenced　to　immediate　execution。　　All　which　the　interference　of　his　captain　in　his　favour　could　procure　was　that　he　should　die　a　soldier's　death；　for　there　had　been　a　purpose　of　executing　him　upon　the　gibbet。

The　worthy　clergyman　of　Glenorquhy　chanced　to　be　at　Dunbarton；　in　attendance　upon　some　church　courts；　at　the　time　of　this　catastrophe。　　He　visited　his　unfortunate　parishioner　in　his　dungeon；　found　him　ignorant　indeed；　but　not　obstinate；　and　the　answers　which　he　received　from　him；　when　conversing　on　religious　topics；　were　such　as　induced　him　doubly　to　regret　that　a　mind　naturally　pure　and　noble　should　have　remained　unhappily　so　wild　and　uncultivated。

When　he　ascertained　the　real　character　and　disposition　of　the　young　man；　the　worthy　pastor　made　deep　and　painful　reflections　on　his　own　shyness　and　timidity；　which；　arising　out　of　the　evil　fame　that　attached　to　the　lineage　of　Hamish；　had　restrained　him　from　charitably　endeavouring　to　bring　this　strayed　sheep　within　the　great　fold。　　While　the　good　minister　blamed　his　cowardice　in　times　past；　which　had　deterred　him　from　risking　his　person；　to　save；　perhaps；　an　immortal　soul；　he　resolved　no　longer　to　be　governed　by　such　timid　counsels；　but　to　endeavour；　by　application　to　his　officers；　to　obtain　a　reprieve；　at　least；　if　not　a　pardon；　for　the　criminal；　in　whom　he　felt　so　unusually　interested；　at　once　from　his　docility　of　temper　and　his　generosity　of　disposition。

Accordingly　the　divine　sought　out　Captain　Campbell　at　the　barracks　within　the　garrison。　　There　was　a　gloomy　melancholy　on　the　brow　of　Green　Colin；　which　was　not　lessened；　but　increased；　when　the　clergyman　stated　his　name；　quality；　and　errand。　　〃You　cannot　tell　me　better　of　the　young　man　than　I　am　disposed　to　believe；〃　answered　the　Highland　officer；　〃you　cannot　ask　me　to　do　more　in　his　behalf　than　I　am　of　myself　inclined；　and　have　already　endeavoured　to　do。　　But　it　is　all　in　vain。　　General　　is　half　a　Lowlander；　half　an　Englishman。　　He　has　no　idea　of　the　high　and　enthusiastic　character　which　in　these　mountains　often　brings　exalted　virtues　in　contact　with　great　crimes；　which；　however；　are　less　offences　of　the　heart　than　errors　of　the　understanding。　　I　have　gone　so　far　as　to　tell　him；　that　in　this　young　man　he　was　putting　to　death　the　best　and　the　bravest　of　my　company；　where　all；　or　almost　all；　are　good　and　brave。　　I　explained　to　him　by　what　strange　delusion　the　culprit's　apparent　desertion　was　occasioned；　and　how　little　his　heart　was　accessory　to　the　crime　which　his　hand　unhappily　committed。　　His　answer　was；　'These　are　Highland　visions；　Captain　Campbell；　as　unsatisfactory　and　vain　as　those　of　the　second　sight。　　An　act　of　gross　desertion　may；　in　any　case；　be　palliated　under　the　plea　of　intoxication；　the　murder　of　an　officer　may　be　as　easily　coloured　over　with　that　of　temporary　insanity。　　The　example　must　be　made；　and　if　it　has　fallen　on　a　man　otherwise　a　good　recruit；　it　will　have　the　greater　effect。'　Such　being　the　general's　unalterable　purpose；〃　continued　Captain　Campbell；　with　a　sigh；　〃be　it　your　care；　reverend　sir；　that　your　penitent　prepare　by　break　of　day　tomorrow　for　that　great　change　which　we　shall　all　one　day　be　subjected　to。〃

〃And　for　which；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃may　God　prepare　us　all；　as　I　in　my　duty　will　not　be　wanting　to　this　poor　youth！〃

Next　morning；　as　the　very　earliest　beams　of　sunrise　saluted　the　grey　towers　which　crown　the　summit　of　that　singular　and　tremendous　rock；　the　soldiers　of　the　new　Highland　regiment　appeared　on　the　parade；　within　the　Castle　of　Dunbarton；　and　having　fallen　into　order；　began　to　move　downward　by　steep　staircases；　and　narrow　passages　towards　the　external　barrier…　gate；　which　is　at　the　very　bottom　of　the　rock。　　The　wild　wailings　of　the　pibroch　were　heard　at　times；　interchanged　with　the　drums　and　fifes；　which　beat　the　Dead　March。

The　unhappy　criminal's　fate　did　not；　at　first；　excite　that　general　sympathy　in　the　regiment　which　would　probably　have　arisen　had　he　been　executed　for　desertion　alone。　　The　slaughter　of　the　unfortunate　Allan　Breack　had　given　a　different　colour　to　Hamish's　offence；　for　the　deceased　was　much　beloved；　and　besides　belonged　to　a　numerous　and　powerful　clan；　of　whom　there　were　many　in　the　ranks。　　The　unfortunate　criminal；　on　the　contrary；　was　little　known　to；　and　scarcely　connected　with；　any　of　his　regimental　companions。　　His　father　had　been；　indeed；　distinguished　for　his　strength　and　manhood；　but　he　was　of　a　broken　clan；　as　those　names　were　called　who　had　no　chief　to　lead　them　to　battle。

It　would　have　been　almost　impossible　in　another　case　to　have　turned　out　of　the　ranks　of　the　regiment　the　party　necessary　for　execution　of　the　sentence；　but　the　six　individuals　selected　for　that　purpose；　were　friends　of　the　deceased；　descended；　like　him；　from　the　race　of　MacDhonuil　Dhu；　and　while　they　prepared　for　the　dismal　task　which　their　duty　imposed；　it　was　not　without　a　stern　feeling　of　gratified　revenge。　　The　leading　company　of　the　regiment　began　now　to　defile　from　the　barrier…gate；　and　was　followed　by　the　others；　each　successively　moving　and　halting　according　to　the　orders　of　the　adjutant；　so　as　to　form　three　sides　of　an　oblong　square；　with　the　ranks　faced　inwards。　　The　fourth；　or　blank　side　of　the　square；　was　closed　up　by　the　huge　and　lofty　precipice　on　which　the　Castle　rises。　　About　the　centre　of　the　procession；　bare…headed；　disarmed；　and　with　his　hands　bound；　came　the　unfortunate　victim　of　military　law。　　He　was　deadly　pale；　but　his　step　was　firm　and　his　eye　as　bright　as　ever。　The　clergyman　walked　by　his　side；　the　coffin；　which　was　to　receive　his　mortal　remains；　was　borne　before　him。　　The　looks　of　his　comrades　were　still；　composed；　and　solemn。　　They　felt　for　the　youth；　whose　handsome　form　and　manly　yet　submissive　deportment　had；　as　soon　as　he　was　distinctly　visible　to　them；　softened　the　hearts　of　many；　even　of　some　who　had　been　actuated　by　vindictive　feelings。

The　coffin　destined　for　the　yet　living　body　of　Hamish　Bean　was　placed　at　the　bottom　of　the　hollow　square；　about　two　yards　distant　from　the　foot　of　the　precipice；　which　rises　in　that　place　as　steep　as　a　stone　wall　to　the　height　of　three　or　four　hundred　feet。　　Thither　the　prisoner　was　also　led；　the　clergyman　still　continuing　by　his　side；　pouring　forth　exhortations　of　courage　and　consolation；　to　which　the　youth　appeared　to　listen　with　respectful　devotion。　　With　slow；　and；　it　seemed；　almost　unwilling　steps；　the　firing　party　entered　the　square；　and　were　drawn　up　facing　the　prisoner；　about　ten　yards　distant。　　The　clergyman　was　now　about　to　retire。　　〃Think；　my　son；〃　he　said；　〃on　what　I　have　told　you；　and　let　your　hope　be　rested　on　the　anchor　which　I　have　given。　　You　will　then　exchange　a　short　and　miserable　existence　here　for　a　life　in　which　you　will　experience　neither　sorrow　nor　pain。　　Is　there　aught　else　which　you　can　entrust　to　me　to　execute　for　you？〃

The　youth　looked　at　his　sleeve　buttons。　　They　were　of　gold；　booty　perhaps　which　his　father　had　taken　from　some　English　officer　during　the　civil　wars。　　The　clergyman　disengaged　them　from　his　sleeves。

〃My　mother！〃　　he　said　with　some　effort〃give　them　to　my　poor　mother！　　See　her；　good　father；　and　teach　her　what　she　should　think　of　all　this。　　Tell　her　Hamish　Bean　is　more　glad　to　die　than　ever　he　was　to　rest　after　the　longest　day's　hunting。　　Farewell；　sirfarewell！〃

The　good　man　could　scarce　retire　from　the　fatal　spot。　　An　officer　afforded　him　the　support　of　his　arm。　　At　his　last　look　towards　Hamish；　he　beheld　him　alive　and　kneeling　on　the　coffin；　the　few　that　were　around　him　had　all　withdrawn。　　The　fatal　word　was　given；　the　rock　rung　sharp　to　the　sound　of　the　discharge；　and　Hamish；　falling　forward　with　a　groan；　died；　it　may　be　supposed；　without　almost　a　sense　of　the　passing　agony。

Ten　or　twelve　of　his　own　company　then　came　forward；　and　laid　with　solemn　reverence　the　remains　of　their　comrade　in　the　coffin；　while　the　Dead　March　was　again　struck　up；　and　the　several　companies；　marching　in　single　files；　passed　the　coffin　one　by　one；　in　order　that　all　might　receive　from　the　awful　spectacle　the　warning　which　it　was　peculiarly　intended　to　afford。　　The　regiment　was　then　marched　off　the　ground；　and　reascended　the　ancient　cliff；　their　music；　as　usual　on　such　occasions；　striking　lively　strains；　as　if　sorrow；　or　even　deep　thought；　should　as　short　a　while　as　possible　be　the　tenant　of　the　soldier's　bosom。

At　the　same　time　the　small　party；　which　we　before　mentioned；　bore　the　bier　of　the　ill…fated　Hamish　to　his　humb