christie johnstone-第17节

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Accordingly　two　pound　of　steaks　fell　before　him。　Poor　boy；　he　had　hardly
eaten　a　genuine　meal　for　a　week　past。

Christie　sat　opposite　him；　and　every　time　he　looked　off　his　plate　he　saw
her　rich　blue　eyes　dwelling　on　him。

Everything　contributed　to　warm　his　heart；　he　yielded　to　the　spell；　he
became　contented；　happy；　gay。

Flucker　ginger…cordialed　him；　his　sister　bewitched　him。

She　related　the　day's　events　in　a　merry　mood。

Mr。　Gatty　burst　forth　into　singing。

He　sung　two　light　and　somber　trifles；　such　as　in　the　present　day　are
deemed　generally　encouraging　to　spirits；　and　particularly　in　accordance
with　the　sentiment　of　supperthey　were　about　Death　and　Ivy　Green。

The　dog's　voice　was　not　very　powerful；　but　sweet　and　round　as　honey
dropping　from　the　comb。

His　two　hearers　were　entranced；　for　the　creature　sang　with　an　inspiration
good　singers　dare　not　indulge。

He　concluded　by　informing　Christie　that　the　ivy　was　symbolical　of　her；
and　the　oak　prefigured　Charles　Gatty；　Esq。

He　might　have　inverted　the　simile　with　more　truth。

In　short；　he　never　said　a　word　to　Christie　about　parting　with　her；　but
several　about　being　buried　in　the　same　grave　with　her；　sixty　years　hence；
for　which　the　spot　he　selected　was　Westminster　Abbey。

And　away　he　went；　leaving　golden　opinions　behind　him。

The　next　day　Christie　was　so　affected　with　his　conduct；　coming　as　it　did
after　an　apparent　coolness；　that　she　conquered　her　bashfulness　and　called
on　the　〃vile　count；〃　and　with　some　blushes　and　hesitation　inquired；
〃Whether　a　painter　lad　was　a　fit　subject　of　charity。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　his　lordship。

She　told　him　Gatty's　case；　and　he　instantly　promised　to　see　that　artist's
pictures；　particularly　an　〃awfu'　bonny　ane；〃　the　hero　of　which　she
described　as　an　English　minister　blessing　the　bairns　with　one　hand；　and
giving　orders　to　kill　the　puir　Scoetch　with　the　other。

〃C'est　e'gal；〃　said　Christie　in　Scotch；　〃it's　awfu'　bonny。〃

Gatty　reached　home　late；　his　mother　had　retired　to　rest。

But　the　next　morning　she　drew　from　him　what　had　happened；　and　then　ensued
another　of　those　dialogues　which　I　am　ashamed　again　to　give　the　reader。

Suffice　it　to　say；　that　she　once　more　prevailed；　though　with　far　greater
difficulty；　time　was　to　be　given　him　to　unsew　a　connection　which　he　could
not　cut　asunder；　and　he；　with　tearful　eyes　and　a　heavy　heart；　agreed　to
take　some　step　the　very　first　opportunity。

This　concession　was　hardly　out　of　his　mouth；　ere　his　mother　made　him
kneel　down　and　bestowed　her　blessing　upon　him。

He　received　it　coldly　and　dully；　and　expressed　a　languid　hope　it　might
prove　a　charm　to　save　him　from　despair；　and　sad；　bitter；　and　dejected；
forced　himself　to　sit　down　and　work　on　the　picture　that　was　to　meet　his
unrelenting　creditor's　demand。

He　was　working　on　his　picture；　and　his　mother；　with　her　needle；　at　the
table；　when　a　knock　was　heard；　and　gay　as　a　lark；　and　fresh　as　the　dew　on
the　shamrock；　Christie　Johnstone　stood　in　person　in　the　apartment。

She　was　evidently　the　bearer　of　good　tidings；　but；　before　she　could
express　them；　Mrs。　Gatty　beckoned　her　son　aside；　and　announcing；　〃she
should　be　within　hearing；〃　bade　him　take　the　occasion　that　so　happily
presented　itself；　and　make　the　first　step。

At　another　time；　Christie；　who　had　learned　from　Jean　the　arrival　of　Mrs。
Gatty；　would　have　been　struck　with　the　old　lady's　silence；　but　she　came
to　tell　the　depressed　painter　that　the　charitable　viscount　was　about　to
visit　him　and　his　picture；　and　she　was　so　full　of　the　good　fortune　likely
to　ensue；　that　she　was　neglectful　of　minor　considerations。

It　so　happened；　however；　that　certain　interruptions　prevented　her　from
ever　delivering　herself　of　the　news　in　question。

First；　Gatty　himself　came　to　her；　and；　casting　uneasy　glances　at　the　door
by　which　his　mother　had　just　gone　out；　said：

〃Christie！〃

〃My　lad！〃

〃I　want　to　paint　your　likeness。〃

This　was　for　a　_souvenir；_　poor　fellow！

〃Hech！　I　wad　like　fine　to　be　painted。〃

〃It　must　be　exactly　the　same　size　as　yourself；　and　so　like　you；　that；
should　we　be　parted；　I　may　seem　not　to　be　quite　alone　in　the　world。〃

Here　he　was　obliged　to　turn　his　head　away。

〃But　we'll　no　pairt；〃　replied　Christie；　cheerfully。　〃Suppose　ye're　puir；
I'm　rich；　and　it's　a'　one；　dinna　be　so　cast　down　for　auchty　pund。〃

At　this；　a　slipshod　servant　entered；　and　said：　〃There's　a　fisher　lad；
inquiring　for　Christie　Johnstone。〃

〃It　will　be　Flucker；〃　said　Christie；　〃show　him　ben。　What's　wrang　the　noo
I　wonder！〃

The　baddish　boy　entered；　took　up　a　position　and　remained　apparently
passive；　hands　in　pockets。

_Christie。_　〃Aweel；　what　est？〃

_Flucker。_　〃Custy。〃

_Christie。_　〃What's　your　will；　my　manny？〃

_Flucker。_　〃Custy；　I　was　at　Inch　Keith　the　day。〃

_Christie。_　〃And　hae　ye　really　come　to　Edinbro'　to　tell　me　thaat？〃

_Flucker　（dryly）。_　〃Oh！　ye　ken　the　lasses　are　a　hantle　wiser　than　we
arewill　ye　hear　me？　South　Inch　Keith；　I　played　a　bowl　i'　the　water；
just　for　divairsionand　I　catched　twarree　fish！〃

_Christie。_　〃Floonders；　I　bet。〃

_Flucker。_　〃Does　floonders　swim　high？　I'll　let　you　see　his　gills；　and　if
ye　are　a　reicht　fishwife　ye'll　smell　bluid。〃

Here　he　opened　his　jacket；　and　showed　a　bright　little　fish。

In　a　moment　all　Christie's　nonchalance　gave　way　to　a　fiery　animation。　She
darted　to　Flucker's　side。

〃Ye　hae　na　been　sae　daft　as　tell？〃　asked　she。

Flucker　shook　his　head　contemptuously。

〃Ony　birds　at　the　island；　Flucker？〃

〃Sea…maws；　plenty；　and　a　bird　I　dinna　ken；　he　moonted　sae　high；　then　doon
like　thunder　intil　the　sea；　and　gart　the　water　flee　as　high　as　Haman；　and
porpoises　as　big　as　my　boat。〃

〃Porr…poises；　fulish　laddyye　hae　seen　the　herrin　whale　at　his　wark；　and
the　solant　guse　ye　hae　seen　her　at　wark；　and　beneath　the　sea；　Flucker；
every　coedflsh　and　doegfish；　and　fish　that　has　teeth；　is　after　them；　and
half　Scotland　wad　be　at　Inch　Keith　Island　if　they　kenned　what　ye　hae
tell't　medinna　speak　to　me。〃

During　this；　Gatty；　who　did　not　comprehend　this　sudden　excitement；　or
thought　it　childish；　had　tried　in　vain　to　win　her　attention。

At　last　he　said；　a　little　peevishly；　〃Will　you　not　attend　to　me；　and　tell
me　at　least　when　you　will　sit　to　me？〃

Set！〃　cried　she。　〃When　there's　nae　wark　to　be　done　stanning。〃

And　with　this　she　was　gone。

At　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　she　said　to　her　brother：

〃Puir　lad！　I'll　sune　draw　auchty　punds　fra'　the　sea　for　him；　with　my
feyther's　nets。〃

As　she　disappeared；　Mrs。　Gatty　appeared。　〃And　this　is　the　woman　whose
mind　was　not　in　her　dirty　business；〃　cried　she。　〃Does　not　that　open　your
eyes；　Charles？〃

〃Ah！　Charles；〃　added　she；　tenderly；　〃there's　no　friend　like　a　mother。〃

And　off　she　carried　the　prizehis　vanity　had　been　mortified。

And　so　that　happened　to　Christie　Johnstone　which　has　befallen　many　a
womanthe　greatness　of　her　love　made　that　love　appear　small　to　her
lover。

〃Ah！　mother；〃　cried　he；　〃I　must　live　for　you　and　my　art；　I　am　not　so　dear
to　her　as　I　thought。〃

And　so；　with　a　sad　heart；　he　turned　away　from　her；　while　she；　with　a
light　heart；　darted　away　to　think　and　act　for　him。




CHAPTER　XII。


IT　was　some　two　hours　after　this　that　a　gentleman；　plainly　dressed；　but
whose　clothes　seemed　a　part　of　himself　（whereas　mine　I　have　observed　hang
upon　me；　and　the　Rev。　Josiah　Splitall's　stick　to　him）glided　into　the
painter's　room；　with　an　inquiry　whether　he　had　not　a　picture　or　two
disposable。

〃I　have　one　finished　picture；　sir；〃　said　the　poor　boy；　〃but　the　price　is
high！〃

He　brought　it；　in　a　faint…hearted　way；　for　he　had　shown　it　to　five
picture…dealers；　and　all　five　agreed　it　was　hard。

He　had　painted　a　lime…tree；　distant　fifty　yards；　and　so　painted　it　that
it　looked　something　like　a　lime…tree　fifty　yards　off。

〃That　was　_mesquin；〃_　said　his　judges；　〃the　poetry　of　painting　required
abstract　trees；　at　metaphysical　distance；　not　the　various　trees　of
nature；　as　they　appear　under　positive　accidents。〃

On　this　Mr。　Gatty　had　deluged　them　with　words。

〃When　it　is　art；　truth；　or　sense　to　fuse　a　cow；　a　horse；　and　a　critic
into　one　undistinguishable　quadruped；　with　six　legs；　then　it　will　be　art
to　melt　an　ash；　an　elm；　and　a　lime；　things　that　differ　more　than
quadrupeds；　into　what　you　call　abstract　trees；　that　any　man　who　has　seen
a　tree；　as　well　as　looked　at　one；　would　call　drunken　stinging…nettles。
You；　who　never　look　at　nature；　how　can　you　judge　the　arts；　which　are　all
but　copies　of　nature？　At　two　hundred　yards'　distance；　full…grown　trees
are　more　distinguishable　than　the　animal　tribe。　Paint　me　an　abstract
human　being；　neither　man　nor　a　woman；〃　said　he；　〃and　then　I　will　agree　to
paint　a　tree　that　shall　be　no　tree；　and；　if　no　man　will　buy　it；　perhaps
the　father　of　lies　will　take　it　off　my　hands；　and　hang　it　in　the　only
place　it　would　not　disgrace。〃

In　short；　he　never　left　off　till　he　had　crushed　the　non…buyers　with
eloquence　and　satire；　but　he　could　not　crush　them　into　buyersthey　beat
him　at　the　passive　retort。

Poor　Gatty；　when　the　momentary　excitement　of　argument　had　subsided；　drank
the　bitter　cup　all　must　drink　awhile；　whose　bark　is　alive　and　strong
enough　to　stem　the　current　down　which　the　dead；　weak　t