tales and fantasies-第16章

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from　pond　to　pond；　the　stir　of　the　wind　in　mountainous　old

flowering　chestnuts；　and　once　in　seven　days　the　voice　of　the

bell　and　the　old　tunes　of　the　precentor；　were　the　only　sounds

that　disturbed　the　silence　around　the　rural　church。　　The

Resurrection　Man　…　to　use　a　byname　of　the　period　…　was　not　to

be　deterred　by　any　of　the　sanctities　of　customary　piety。　　It

was　part　of　his　trade　to　despise　and　desecrate　the　scrolls

and　trumpets　of　old　tombs；　the　paths　worn　by　the　feet　of

worshippers　and　mourners；　and　the　offerings　and　the

inscriptions　of　bereaved　affection。　　To　rustic

neighbourhoods；　where　love　is　more　than　commonly　tenacious；

and　where　some　bonds　of　blood　or　fellowship　unite　the　entire

society　of　a　parish；　the　body…snatcher；　far　from　being

repelled　by　natural　respect；　was　attracted　by　the　ease　and

safety　of　the　task。　　To　bodies　that　had　been　laid　in　earth；

in　joyful　expectation　of　a　far　different　awakening；　there

came　that　hasty；　lamp…lit；　terror…haunted　resurrection　of　the

spade　and　mattock。　　The　coffin　was　forced；　the　cerements

torn；　and　the　melancholy　relics；　clad　in　sackcloth；　after

being　rattled　for　hours　on　moonless　byways；　were　at　length

exposed　to　uttermost　indignities　before　a　class　of　gaping

boys。



Somewhat　as　two　vultures　may　swoop　upon　a　dying　lamb；　Fettes

and　Macfarlane　were　to　be　let　loose　upon　a　grave　in　that

green　and　quiet　resting…place。　　The　wife　of　a　farmer；　a　woman

who　had　lived　for　sixty　years；　and　been　known　for　nothing　but

good　butter　and　a　godly　conversation；　was　to　be　rooted　from

her　grave　at　midnight　and　carried；　dead　and　naked；　to　that

far…away　city　that　she　had　always　honoured　with　her　Sunday's

best；　the　place　beside　her　family　was　to　be　empty　till　the

crack　of　doom；　her　innocent　and　almost　venerable　members　to

be　exposed　to　that　last　curiosity　of　the　anatomist。



Late　one　afternoon　the　pair　set　forth；　well　wrapped　in　cloaks

and　furnished　with　a　formidable　bottle。　　It　rained　without

remission　…　a　cold；　dense；　lashing　rain。　　Now　and　again　there

blew　a　puff　of　wind；　but　these　sheets　of　falling　water　kept

it　down。　　Bottle　and　all；　it　was　a　sad　and　silent　drive　as

far　as　Penicuik；　where　they　were　to　spend　the　evening。　　They

stopped　once；　to　hide　their　implements　in　a　thick　bush　not

far　from　the　churchyard；　and　once　again　at　the　Fisher's

Tryst；　to　have　a　toast　before　the　kitchen　fire　and　vary　their

nips　of　whisky　with　a　glass　of　ale。　　When　they　reached　their

journey's　end　the　gig　was　housed；　the　horse　was　fed　and

comforted；　and　the　two　young　doctors　in　a　private　room　sat

down　to　the　best　dinner　and　the　best　wine　the　house　afforded。

The　lights；　the　fire；　the　beating　rain　upon　the　window；　the

cold；　incongruous　work　that　lay　before　them；　added　zest　to

their　enjoyment　of　the　meal。　　With　every　glass　their

cordiality　increased。　　Soon　Macfarlane　handed　a　little　pile

of　gold　to　his　companion。



'A　compliment；'　he　said。　　'Between　friends　these　little　d…d

accommodations　ought　to　fly　like　pipe…lights。'



Fettes　pocketed　the　money；　and　applauded　the　sentiment　to　the

echo。　　'You　are　a　philosopher；'　he　cried。　　'I　was　an　ass　till

I　knew　you。　　You　and　K…　between　you；　by　the　Lord　Harry！　but

you'll　make　a　man　of　me。'



'Of　course　we　shall；'　applauded　Macfarlane。　　'A　man？　　I　tell

you；　it　required　a　man　to　back　me　up　the　other　morning。

There　are　some　big；　brawling；　forty…year…old　cowards　who

would　have　turned　sick　at　the　look　of　the　d…d　thing；　but　not

you　…　you　kept　your　head。　　I　watched　you。'



'Well；　and　why　not？'　Fettes　thus　vaunted　himself。　　'It　was　no

affair　of　mine。　　There　was　nothing　to　gain　on　the　one　side

but　disturbance；　and　on　the　other　I　could　count　on　your

gratitude；　don't　you　see？'　　And　he　slapped　his　pocket　till

the　gold　pieces　rang。



Macfarlane　somehow　felt　a　certain　touch　of　alarm　at　these

unpleasant　words。　　He　may　have　regretted　that　he　had　taught

his　young　companion　so　successfully；　but　he　had　no　time　to

interfere；　for　the　other　noisily　continued　in　this　boastful

strain：…



'The　great　thing　is　not　to　be　afraid。　　Now；　between　you　and

me；　I　don't　want　to　hang　…　that's　practical；　but　for　all

cant；　Macfarlane；　I　was　born　with　a　contempt。　　Hell；　God；

Devil；　right；　wrong；　sin；　crime；　and　all　the　old　gallery　of

curiosities　…　they　may　frighten　boys；　but　men　of　the　world；

like　you　and　me；　despise　them。　　Here's　to　the　memory　of

Gray！'



It　was　by　this　time　growing　somewhat　late。　　The　gig；

according　to　order；　was　brought　round　to　the　door　with　both

lamps　brightly　shining；　and　the　young　men　had　to　pay　their

bill　and　take　the　road。　　They　announced　that　they　were　bound

for　Peebles；　and　drove　in　that　direction　till　they　were　clear

of　the　last　houses　of　the　town；　then；　extinguishing　the

lamps；　returned　upon　their　course；　and　followed　a　by…road

toward　Glencorse。　　There　was　no　sound　but　that　of　their　own

passage；　and　the　incessant；　strident　pouring　of　the　rain。　　It

was　pitch　dark；　here　and　there　a　white　gate　or　a　white　stone

in　the　wall　guided　them　for　a　short　space　across　the　night；

but　for　the　most　part　it　was　at　a　foot　pace；　and　almost

groping；　that　they　picked　their　way　through　that　resonant

blackness　to　their　solemn　and　isolated　destination。　　In　the

sunken　woods　that　traverse　the　neighbourhood　of　the　burying…

ground　the　last　glimmer　failed　them；　and　it　became　necessary

to　kindle　a　match　and　re…illumine　one　of　the　lanterns　of　the

gig。　　Thus；　under　the　dripping　trees；　and　environed　by　huge

and　moving　shadows；　they　reached　the　scene　of　their

unhallowed　labours。



They　were　both　experienced　in　such　affairs；　and　powerful　with

the　spade；　and　they　had　scarce　been　twenty　minutes　at　their

task　before　they　were　rewarded　by　a　dull　rattle　on　the　coffin

lid。　　At　the　same　moment　Macfarlane；　having　hurt　his　hand

upon　a　stone；　flung　it　carelessly　above　his　head。　　The　grave；

in　which　they　now　stood　almost　to　the　shoulders；　was　close　to

the　edge　of　the　plateau　of　the　graveyard；　and　the　gig　lamp

had　been　propped；　the　better　to　illuminate　their　labours；

against　a　tree；　and　on　the　immediate　verge　of　the　steep　bank

descending　to　the　stream。　　Chance　had　taken　a　sure　aim　with

the　stone。　　Then　came　a　clang　of　broken　glass；　night　fell

upon　them；　sounds　alternately　dull　and　ringing　announced　the

bounding　of　the　lantern　down　the　bank；　and　its　occasional

collision　with　the　trees。　　A　stone　or　two；　which　it　had

dislodged　in　its　descent；　rattled　behind　it　into　the

profundities　of　the　glen；　and　then　silence；　like　night；

resumed　its　sway；　and　they　might　bend　their　hearing　to　its

utmost　pitch；　but　naught　was　to　be　heard　except　the　rain；　now

marching　to　the　wind；　now　steadily　falling　over　miles　of　open

country。



They　were　so　nearly　at　an　end　of　their　abhorred　task　that

they　judged　it　wisest　to　complete　it　in　the　dark。　　The　coffin

was　exhumed　and　broken　open；　the　body　inserted　in　the

dripping　sack　and　carried　between　them　to　the　gig；　one

mounted　to　keep　it　in　its　place；　and　the　other；　taking　the

horse　by　the　mouth；　groped　along　by　wall　and　bush　until　they

reached　the　wider　road　by　the　Fisher's　Tryst。　　Here　was　a

faint；　diffused　radiancy；　which　they　hailed　like　daylight；　by

that　they　pushed　the　horse　to　a　good　pace　and　began　to　rattle

along　merrily　in　the　direction　of　the　town。



They　had　both　been　wetted　to　the　skin　during　their

operations；　and　now；　as　the　gig　jumped　among　the　deep　ruts；

the　thing　that　stood　propped　between　them　fell　now　upon　one

and　now　upon　the　other。　　At　every　repetition　of　the　horrid

contact　each　instinctively　repelled　it　with　the　greater

haste；　and　the　process；　natural　although　it　was；　began　to

tell　upon　the　nerves　of　the　companions。　　Macfarlane　made　some

ill…favoured　jest　about　the　farmer's　wife；　but　it　came

hollowly　from　his　lips；　and　was　allowed　to　drop　in　silence。

Still　their　unnatural　burden　bumped　from　side　to　side；　and

now　the　head　would　be　laid；　as　if　in　confidence；　upon　their

shoulders；　and　now　the　drenching　sack…cloth　would　flap　icily

about　their　faces。　　A　creeping　chill　began　to　possess　the

soul　of　Fettes。　　He　peered　at　the　bundle；　and　it　seemed

somehow　larger　than　at　first。　　All　over　the　country…side；　and

from　every　degree　of　distance；　the　farm　dogs　accompanied

their　passage　with　tragic　ululations；　and　it　grew　and　grew

upon　his　mind　that　some　unnatural　miracle　had　been

accomplished；　that　some　nameless　change　had　befallen　the　dead

body；　and　that　it　was　in　fear　of　their　unholy　burden　that　the

dogs　were　howling。



'For　God's　sake；'　said　he；　making　a　great　effort　to　arrive　at

speech；　'for　God's　sake；　let's　have　a　light！'



Seemingly　Macfarlane　was　affected　in　the　same　direction；　for；

though　he　made　no　reply；　he　stopped　the　horse；　passed　the

reins　to　his　companion；　got　down；　and　proceeded　to　kindle　the

remaining　lamp。　　They　had　by　that　time　got　no　farther　than

the　cross…road　down　to　Auchenclinny。　　The　rain　still　poured

as　though　the　deluge　were　returning；　and　it　was　no　easy

matter　to　make　a　light　in　such　a　world　of　wet　and　darkness。

When　at　last　the　flickering　blue　flame　had　been　transferred

to　the　wick　and　began　to　expand　and　clarify；　and　shed　a　wide

circle　of　misty　brightness　round　the　gig；　it　became　possible

for　the　two　young　men　to　see　each　other　and　the　thing　they

had　along　with　them。　　The　rain　had　moulded　the　rough　sacking

to　the　outlines　of　the　body　underneath；　the　head　was　distinct

from　the　trunk；　the　shoulders　plainly　modelled；　something　at

once　spectral　and　human　riveted　their　eyes　upon　the　ghastly

comrade　of　their　drive。



For　some　time　Macfarlane　stood　motionless；　holding　up　the

lamp。　　A　nameless　dread　was　swathed；　like　a　wet　sheet；　about

the　body；　and　tightened　the　white　skin　upon　the　face　of

Fettes；　a　fear　that　was　meaningless；　a　horror　of　what　could

not　be；　kept　mounting　to　his　brain。　　Another　beat　of　the

watch；　and　he　had　spoken。　　But　his　comrade　forestalled　him。



'That　is　not　a　woman；'　said　Macfarlane；　in　a　hushed　voice。



'It　was　a　woman　when　we　put　her　in；'　whispered　Fettes。



'Hold　that　lamp；'　said　the　other。　　'I　must　see　her　face。'



And　as　Fettes　took　the　lamp　his　companion　untied　the

fastenings　of　the　sack　and　drew　down　the　cover　from　the　head。

The　light　fell　very　clear　upon　the　dark；　well…moulded

features　and　smooth…shaven　cheeks　of　a　too　familiar

countenance；　often　beheld　in　dreams　of　both　of　these　young

men。　　A　wild　yell　rang　up　into　the　night；　each　leaped　from

his　own　side　into　the　roadway：　the　lamp　fell；　broke；　and　was

extinguished；　and　the　horse；　terrified　by　this　unusual

commotion；　bounded　and　went　off　toward　Edinburgh　at　a　gallop；

bearing　along　with　it；　sole　occupant　of　the　gig；　the　body　of

the　dead　and　long…dissected　Gray。







THE　STORY　OF　A　LIE







CHAPTER　I　…　INTRODUCES　THE　ADMIRAL







WHEN　Dick　Naseby　was　in　Paris　he　made　some　odd　acquaintances；

for　he　was　one　of　those　who　have　ears