christie johnstone-第21节

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dance；　and　wha'll　greet？　but　our　men　hae　wife　and　bairns　to　look　till。〃
_（Gun　at　sea。）_

〃Ah！　I　didn't　look　at　it　in　that　light；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden。　He　then
demanded　paper　and　ink；　Christie　Johnstone；　who　had　come　out　of　her
house；　supplied　it　from　her　treasures；　and　this　cool　hand　actually　began
to　convey　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　pounds　away；　upon　a　sheet　of　paper
blowing　in　the　wind；　when　he　had　named　his　residuary　legatee；　and
disposed　of　certain　large　bequests；　he　came　to　the　point

〃Christie　Johnstone；　what　can　these　people　live　on？　two　hundred　a　year？
living　is　cheap　hereconfound　the　wind！〃

〃Twahundred？　Fifty！　Vile　count。〃

〃Don't　call　me　vile　count。　I　am　Ipsden；　and　my　name's　Richard。　Now；　then；
be　smart　with　your　names。〃

Three　men　stepped　forward；　gave　their　names；　had　their　widows　provided
for；　and　went　for　their　sou'westers；　etc。

〃Stay；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden；　writing。　〃To　Christina　Johnstone；　out　of
respect　for　her　character；　one　thousand　pounds。〃

〃Richard！　dinna　gang；〃　cried　Christie；　〃oh；　dinna　gang；　dinna　gang；　dinna
gang；　it's　no　your　business。〃

〃Will　you　lend　me　your　papa's　Flushing　jacket　and　sou'wester；　my　dear？　If
I　was　sure　to　be　drowned；　I'd　go！〃

Christie　ran　in　for　them。

In　the　mean　time；　discomposed　by　the　wind；　and　by　feelings　whose
existence　neither　he；　nor　I；　nor　any　one　suspected；　Saunders；　after　a
sore　struggle　between　the　frail　man　and　the　perfect　domestic；　blurted
out：

〃My　lord；　I　beg　your　lordship's　pardon；　but　it　blows　tempestuous。〃

〃That　is　why　the　brig　wants　us；〃　was　the　reply。

〃My　lord；　I　beg　your　lordship's　pardon；〃　whimpered　Saunders。　〃But；　oh！　my
lord；　don't　go；　it's　all　very　well　for　fishermen　to　be　drowned；　it　is
their　business；　but　not　yours；　my　lord。〃

〃Saunders；　help　me　on　with　this　coat。〃

Christie　had　brought　it。

〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　said　Saunders；　briskly；　his　second　nature　reviving。

His　lordship；　while　putting　on　the　coat　and　hat；　undertook　to　cool　Mr。
Saunders's　aristocratic　prejudices。

〃Should　Alexander　Liston　and　I　be　drowned；〃　said　he；　coolly；　〃when　our
bones　come　ashore；　you　will　not　know　which　are　the　fisherman's　and　which
the　viscount's。〃　So　saying；　he　joined　the　enterprise。

〃I　shall　pray　for　ye；　lad；〃　said　Christie　Johnstone；　and　she　retired　for
that　purpose。

Saunders；　with　a　heavy　heart；　to　the　nearest　tavern；　to　prepare　an
account　of　what　he　called　〃Heroism　in　High　Life；〃　large　letters；　and　the
usual　signs　of　great　astonishment！！！！！　for　the　_Polytechnic　Magazine。_

The　commander　of　the　distressed　vessel　had　been　penny…wise。　He　had
declined　a　pilot　off　the　Isle　of　May；　trusting　to　fall　in　with　one　close
to　the　port　of　Leith；　but　a　heavy　gale　and　fog　had　come　on；　he　knew
himself　in　the　vicinity　of　dangerous　rocks；　and；　to　make　matters　worse；
his　ship；　old　and　sore　battered　by　a　long　and　stormy　voyage；　was　leaky；
and　unless　a　pilot　came　alongside；　his　fate　would　be；　either　to　founder；
or　run　upon　the　rocks；　where　he　must　expect　to　go　to　pieces　in　a　quarter
of　an　hour。

The　Newhaven　boat　lay　in　comparatively　smooth　water；　on　the　lee　side　of
the　pier。

Our　adventurers　got　into　her；　stepped　the　mast；　set　a　small　sail；　and　ran
out！　Sandy　Liston　held　the　sheet；　passed　once　round　the　belaying…pin；　and
whenever　a　larger　wave　than　usual　came　at　them；　he　slacked　the　sheet；　and
the　boat；　losing　her　way；　rose　gently；　like　a　cork；　upon　seas　that　had
seemed　about　to　swallow　her。

But　seen　from　the　shore　it　was　enough　to　make　the　most　experienced　wince；
so　completely　was　this　wooden　shell　lost　to　sight；　as　she　descended　from
a　wave；　that　each　time　her　reappearance　seemed　a　return　from　the　dead。

The　weather　was　mistythe　boat　was　soon　lost　sight　of；　the　story　remains
ashore。



CHAPTER　XIV。


IT　was　an　hour　later；　the　natives　of　the　New　Town　had　left　the　pier；　and
were　about　their　own　doors；　when　three　Buckhaven　fishermen　came　slowly　up
from　the　pier；　these　men　had　arrived　in　one　of　their　large　fishing…boats；
which　defy　all　weather。

The　men　came　slowly　up；　their　petticoat　trousers　were　drenched；　and　their
neck…handkerchiefs　and　hair　were　wet　with　spray。

At　the　foot　of　the　New　Town　they　stood　still　and　whispered　to　each　other。

There　was　something　about　these　men　that　drew　the　eye　of　Newhaven　upon
them。

In　the　first　place　a　Buckhaven　man　rarely　communicates　with　natives　of
Newhaven；　except　at　the　pier；　where　he　brings　in　his　cod　and　ling　from
the　deep　sea；　flings　them　out　like　stones；　and　sells　them　to　the
fishwives；　then　up　sail　and　away　for　Fifeshire。

But　these　men　evidently　came　ashore　to　speak　to　some　one　in　the　town。

They　whispered　together；　something　appeared　to　be　proposed　and　demurred
to；　but　at　last　two　went　slowly　back　toward　the　pier；　and　the　eldest
remained；　with　a　fisherman's　long　mackintosh　coat　in　his　hand　which　the
others　had　given　him　as　they　left　him。

With　this　in　his　hand；　the　Buckhaven　fisherman　stood　in　an　irresolute
posture；　he　looked　down；　and　seemed　to　ask　himself　what　course　he　should
take。

〃What's　wrang？〃　said　Jean　Carnie；　who；　with　her　neighbors；　had　observed
the　men；　〃I　wish　yon　man　may　na　hae　ill　news。〃

〃What　ill　news　wad　he　hae？〃　replied　another。

〃Are　ony　freends　of　Liston　Carnie　here？〃　said　the　fisherman。

〃The　wife's　awa'　to　Granton；　Beeny　Liston　they　ca'　herthere's　his
house；〃　added　Jean；　pointing　up　the　row。

〃Ay；〃　said　the　fisherman；　〃I　ken　he　lived　there。〃

〃Lived　there！〃　cried　Christie　Johnstone。　〃Oh；　what's　this？〃

〃Freends；〃　said　the　man；　gravely；　〃his　boat　is　driving　keel　uppermost　in
Kircauldy　Bay。　We　passed　her　near　enough　to　read　the　name　upon　her。〃

〃But　the　men　will　have　won　to　shore；　please　God？〃

The　fisherman　shook　his　head。

〃She'll　hae　coupit　a　mile　wast　Inch　Keith；　an'　the　tide　rinning　aff　the
island　an'　a　heavy　sea　gaun。　This　is　a'　Newhaven　we'll　see　of　them
_（holding　up　the　coat）_　〃till　they　rise　to　the　top　in　three　weeks'　time。〃

The　man　then　took　the　coat；　which　was　now　seen　to　be　drenched　with　water；
and　hung　it　up　on　a　line　not　very　far　from　its　unfortunate　owner's　house。
Then；　in　the　same　grave　and　subdued　tone　in　which　he　had　spoken　all
along；　he　said；　〃We　are　sorry　to　bring　siccan　a　tale　into　your　toon；〃　and
slowly　moved　off　to　rejoin　his　comrades；　who　had　waited　for　him　at　no
great　distance。　They　then　passed　through　the　Old　Town；　and　in　five
minutes　the　calamity　was　known　to　the　whole　place。

After　the　first　stupor；　the　people　in　the　New　Town　collected　into　knots；
and　lamented　their　hazardous　calling；　and　feared　for　the　lives　of　those
that　had　just　put　to　sea　in　this　fatal　gale　for　the　rescue　of　strangers；
and　the　older　ones　failed　not　to　match　this　present　sorrow　with　others
within　their　recollection。

In　the　middle　of　this；　Flucker　Johnstone　came　hastily　in　from　the　Old
Town　and　told　them　he　had　seen　the　wife；　Beeny　Liston；　coming　through
from　Granton。

The　sympathy　of　all　was　instantly　turned　in　this　direction。

〃She　would　hear　the　news。〃

〃It　would　fall　on　her　like　a　thunderclap。〃

〃What　would　become　of　her？〃

Every　eye　was　strained　toward　the　Old　Town；　and　soon　the　poor　woman　was
seen　about　to　emerge　from　it；　but　she　was　walking　in　her　usual　way；　and
they　felt　she　could　not　carry　her　person　so　if　she　knew。

At　the　last　house　she　was　seen　to　stop　and　speak　to　a　fisherman　and　his
wife　that　stood　at　their　own　door。

〃They　are　telling　her；〃　was　then　the　cry。

Beeny　Liston　then　proceeded　on　her　way。

Every　eye　was　strained。

No！　they　had　not　told　her。

She　came　gayly　on；　the　unconscious　object　of　every　eye　and　every　heart。

The　hands　of　this　people　were　hard；　and　their　tongues　rude；　but　they
shrunk　from　telling　this　poor　woman　of　her　bereavementthey　thought　it
kinder　she　should　know　it　under　her　own　roof；　from　her　friends　or
neighbors；　than　from　comparative　strangers。

She　drew　near　her　own　door。

And　now　a　knot　collected　round　Christie　Johnstone；　and　urged　her　to
undertake　the　sad　task。

〃You　that　speak　sa　learned；　Christie；　ye　should　tell　her；　we　daur　na。〃

〃How　can　I　tell　her？〃　said　Christie；　turning　pale。　〃How　will　I　tell　her？
I'se　try。〃

She　took　one　trembling　step　to　meet　the　woman。

Beeny's　eye　fell　upon　her。

〃Ay！　here's　the　Queen　o'　Newhaven；〃　cried　she；　in　a　loud　and　rather
coarse　voice。　〃The　men　will　hae　ta　leave　the　place　now　y'　are　turned
fisherman；　I　daur　say。〃

〃Oh；　dinna　fieicht　on　me！　dinna　fieicht　on　me！〃　cried　Christie；
trembling。

〃Maircy　on　us；〃　said　the　other；　〃auld　Flucker　Johnstone's　dochter　turned
humble。　What　next？〃

〃I'm　vexed　for　speaking　back　till　ye　the　morn；〃　faltered　Christie。

〃Hett；〃　said　the　woman　carelessly；　〃let　yon　flea　stick　i'　the　wa'。　I
fancy　I　began　on　ye。　Aweel；　Cirsty；〃　said　she；　falling　into　a　friendlier
tone；　〃it's　the　place　we　live　in　spoils　usNewhaven's　an　impudent　toon；
as　sure　as　deeth。

〃I　passed　through　the　Auld　Toon　the　nooa　place　I　never　speak　in；　an'　if
they　did　na　glower　at　me　as　I　had　been　a　strange　beast。

〃They　cam'　to　their　very　doors　to　glower　at　me；　if　ye'll　believe　me；　I
thoucht　shame。

〃At　the　hinder　end　my　paassion　got　up；　and　I　faced　a　wife　East…by；　and　I
said；　'What　gars　ye　glower　at　me　that　way；　ye　ignorant　woman？'　ye　would
na