christie johnstone-第29节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


alluded　to　the　majesty　and　freedom　of　a　certain　_pose_　Christie　had
adopted　while　hailing　him　from　the　boat；　but；　reader；　if　he　had　wanted
you　and　me　to　believe　it　was　this；　he　should　not　have　been　half　a　year
finding　it　out_increduli　odimus！_　They　landed；　and　Christie　sprang　on
shore；　while　she　was　wending　her　way　through　the　crowd；　impeded　by
greetings　and　acclamations；　with　every　now　and　then　a　lass　waving　her
kerchief　or　a　lad　his　bonnet　over　the　heroine's　head；　poor　Mrs。　Gatty　was
receiving　the　attention　of　the　New　Town；　they　brought　her　to；　they　told
her　the　good　newsshe　thanked　God。

The　whole　story　had　spread　like　wildfire；　they　expostulated　with　her；
they　told　her　now　was　the　time　to　show　she　had　a　heart；　and　bless　the
young　people。

She　rewarded　them　with　a　valuable　precept。

〃Mind　your　own　business！〃　said　she。

〃Hech！　y'　are　a　dour　wife！〃　cried　Newhaven。

The　dour　wife　bent　her　eyes　on　the　ground。

The　people　were　still　collected　at　the　foot　of　the　street；　but　they　were
now　in　knots；　when　in　dashed　Flucker；　arriving　by　a　short　cut；　and
crying：　〃She　does　na　ken；　she　does　na　ken；　she　was　ower　moedest　to　look；
I　daur　say；　and　ye'll　no　tell　her；　for　he's　a　blackguard；　an'　he's　just
making　a　fule　o'　the　puir　lass；　and　if　she　kens　what　she　has　done　for
him；　she'll　be　fonder　o'　him　than　a　coow　o'　her　cauf。〃

〃Oh；　Flucker！　we　maun　tell　her；　it's　her　lad；　her　ain　lad；　she　saved；〃
expostulated　a　woman。

〃Did　ever　my　feyther　do　a　good　turn　till　ye？〃　cried　Flucker。　〃Awel；　then；
ye'll　no　tell　the　lassie；　she's　weel　as　she　is；　he's　gaun　t'　Enngland　the
day。　I　cannie　gie　ye　a'　a　hidin'；〃　said　he；　with　an　eye　that　flashed
volumes　of　good　intention　on　a　hundred　and　fifty　people；　〃but　I　am
feytherless　and　motherless；　an'　I　can　fa'　on　my　knees　an'　curse　ye　a'　if
ye　do　us　sic　an　ill　turn；　an'　then　ye'll　see　whether　ye'll　thrive。〃

〃We'll　no　tell；　Flucker；　ye　need　na　curse　us　ony　way。〃

His　lordship；　with　all　the　sharp　authority　of　a　skipper；　ordered　Master
Flucker　to　the　pier；　with　a　message　to　the　yacht；　Flucker　_qua_　yachtsman
was　a　machine；　and　went　as　a　matter　of　course。　〃I　am　determined　to　tell
her；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden　to　Lady　Barbara。

〃But；〃　remonstrated　Lady　Barbara；　〃the　poor　boy　says　he　will　curse　us　if
we　do。〃

〃He　won't　curse　me。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃Because　the　little　blackguard's　grog　would　be　stopped　on　board　the　yacht
if　he　did。〃

Flucker　had　not　been　gone　many　minutes　before　loud　cheering　was　heard；
and　Christie　Johnstone　appeared　convoyed　by　a　large　detachment　of　the　Old
Town；　she　had　tried　to　slip　away；　but　they　would　not　let　her。　They
convoyed　her　in　triumph　till　they　saw　the　New　Town　people；　and　then　they
turned　and　left　her。

She　came　in　among　the　groups；　a　changed　womanher　pallor　and　her
listlessness　were　gonethe　old　light　was　in　her　eye；　and　the　bright
color　in　her　cheek；　and　she　seemed　hardly　to　touch　the　earth。

〃I'm　just　droukit；　lasses；〃　cried　she；　gayly；　wringing　her　sleeve。　Every
eye　was　upon　her；　did　she　know；　or　did　she　not　know；　what　she　had　done？

Lord　Ipsden　stepped　forward；　the　people　tacitly　accepted　him　as　the
vehicle　of　their　curiosity。

〃Who　was　it；　Christie？〃

〃I　dinna　ken；　for　my　pairt！〃

Mrs。　Gatty　came　out　of　the　house。

〃A　handsome　young　fellow；　I　hope；　Christie？〃　resumed　Lord　Ipsden。

〃Ye　maun　ask　Flucker；〃　was　the　reply。　〃I　could　no　tak　muckle　notice；　ye
ken；〃　putting　her　hand　before　her　eye；　and　half　smiling。

〃Well！　I　hear　he　is　very　good…looking；　and　I　hear　you　think　so；　too。〃

She　glided　to　him　and　looked　in　his　face。　He　gave　a　meaning　smile。　The
poor　girl　looked　quite　perplexed。　Suddenly　she　gave　a　violent　start。

〃Christie！　where　is　Christie？〃　had　cried　a　well…known　voice。　He　had
learned　on　the　pier　who　had　saved　himhe　had　slipped　up　among　the　boats
to　find　herhe　could　not　find　his　hathe　could　not　wait　for　ithis
dripping　hair　showed　where　he　had　beenit　was　her　love　whom　she　had　just
saved　out　of　Death's　very　jaws。

She　gave　a　cry　of　love　that　went　through　every　heart；　high　or　low；　young
or　old；　that　heard　it。　And　she　went　to　him；　through　the　air　it　seemed；
but；　quick　as　she　was；　another　was　as　quick；　the　mother　had　seen　him
first；　and　she　was　there。　Christie　saw　nothing。　With　another　cry；　the
very　keynote　of　her　great　and　loving　heart；　she　flung　her　arms
roundMrs。　Gatty；　who　was　on　the　same　errand　as　herself。

〃Hearts　are　not　steel；　and　steel　is　bent；　Hearts　are　not　flint；　and　flint
is　rent。〃

The　old　woman　felt　Christie　touch　her。　She　turned　from　her　son　in　a
moment　and　wept　upon　her　neck。　Her　lover　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it；　and
pressed　it　to　his　bosom；　and　tried　to　speak　to　her；　but　all　he　could　do
was　to　sob　and　chokeand　kiss　her　hand　again。

〃My　daughter！〃　sobbed　the　old　woman。

At　that　word　Christie　clasped　her　quickly；　and　then　Christie　began　to
cry。

〃I　am　not　a　stone；〃　cried　Mrs。　Gatty。

〃I　gave　him　life；　but　you　have　saved　him　from　death。　Oh；　Charles；　never
make　her　repent　what　she　has　done　for　you。〃

She　was　a　woman；　after　all；　and　prudence　and　prejudice　melted　like　snow
before　her　heart。

There　were　not　many　dry　eyesleast　of　all　the　heroic　Lady　Barbara's。

The　three　whom　a　moment　had　made　one　were　becoming　calmer；　and　taking　one
another's　hands　for　life；　when　a　diabolical　sound　aroseand　what　was　it
but　Sandy　Liston；　who；　after　furious　resistance；　was　blubbering　with
explosive　but　short…lived　violence？　Having　done　it；　he　was　the　first　to
draw　everybody's　attention　to　the　phenomenon；　and　affecting　to　consider
it　a　purely　physical　attack；　like　a　_coup　de　soleil；_　or　so　on；　he
proceeded　instantly　to　Drysel's　for　his　panacea。

Lady　Barbara　enjoined　Lord　Ipsden　to　watch　these　people；　and　not　to　lose
a　word　they　said；　and；　after　she　had　insisted　upon　kissing　Christie；　she
went　off　to　her　carriage。　And　she　too　was　so　happy；　she　cried　three
distinct　times　on　her　way　to　Edinburgh。

Lord　Ipsden；　having　reminded　Gatty　of　his　engagement；　begged　him　to　add
his　mother　and　Christie　to　the　party；　and　escorted　Lady　Barbara　to　her
phaeton。

So　then　the　people　dispersed　by　degrees。

〃That　old　lady's　face　seems　familiar　to　me；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden；　as　he
stood　on　the　little　natural　platform　by　the　〃Peacock。〃　〃Do　you　know　who
she　is；　Saunders？〃

〃It　is　Peggy；　that　was　cook　in　your　lordship's　uncle's　time；　my　lord。　She
married　a　green…grocer；〃　added　Saunders；　with　an　injured　air。

〃Hech！　hech！〃　cried　Flucker；　〃Christie　has　ta'en　up　her　head　wi'　a　cook's
son。〃

Mrs。　Gatty　was　ushered　into　the　〃Peacock〃　with　mock　civility　by　Mr。
Saunders。　No　recognition　took　place；　each　being　ashamed　of　the　other　as
an　acquaintance。

The　next　arrival　was　a　beautiful　young　lady　in　a　black　silk　gown；　a　plain
but　duck…like　plaid　shawl；　who　proved　to　be　Christie　Johnstone；　in　her
Sunday　attire。

When　they　met；　Mrs。　Gatty　gave　a　little　scream　of　joy；　and　said：　〃Oh；　my
child；　if　I　had　seen　you　in　that　dress；　I　should　never　have　said　a　word
against　you。〃

〃Pars　minima　est　ipsa　puella　sui！〃

His　lordship　stepped　up　to　her；　took　off　his　hat；　and　said：　〃Will　Mrs。
Gatty　take　from　me　a　commission　for　two　pictures；　as　big　as　herself；　and
as　bonny？〃　added　he；　doing　a　little　Scotch。　He　handed　her　a　check；　and；
turning　to　Gatty；　added；　〃At　your　convenience；　sir；　_bien　entendu。〃_

〃Hech！　it's　for　five　hundred　pund；　Chairles。〃

〃Good　gear　gangs　in　little　book；〃*　said　Jean。

*Bulk。

〃Ay；　does　it；〃　replied　Flucker；　assuming　the　compliment。

〃My　lord！〃　said　the　artist；　〃you　treat　Art　like　a　prince；　and　she　shall
treat　you　like　a　queen。　When　the　sun　comes　out　again；　I　will　work　for　you
and　fame。　You　shall　have　two　things　painted；　every　stroke　loyally　in　the
sunlight。　In　spite　of　gloomy　winter　and　gloomier　London；　I　will　try　if　I
can't　hang　nature　and　summer　on　your　walls　forever。　As　for　me；　you　know　I
must　go　to　Gerard　Dow　and　Cuyp；　and　Pierre　de　Hoogh；　when　my　little　sand
is　run；　but　my　handwriting　shall　warm　your　children's　children's　hearts；
sir；　when　this　hand　is　dust。〃　His　eye　turned　inward；　he　walked　to　and
fro；　and　his　companions　died　out　of　his　sighthe　was　in　the　kingdom　of
art。

His　lordship　and　Jean　entered　the　〃Peacock；〃　followed　by　Flucker；　who
merely　lingered　at　the　door　to　moralize　as　follows：

〃Hech！　hech！　isna　thaat　lamentable？　Christie's　mon's　as　daft　as　a　drunk
weaver。〃

But　one　stayed　quietly　behind；　and　assumed　that　moment　the　office　of　her
life。

〃Ay！〃　he　burst　out　again；　〃the　resources　of　our　art　are　still　unfathomed！
Pictures　are　yet　to　be　painted　that　shall　refresh　men's　inner　souls；　and
help　their　hearts　against　the　artificial　world；　and　charm　the　fiend　away；
like　David's　harp！！　The　world；　after　centuries　of　lies；　will　give　nature
and　truth　a　trial。　What　a　paradise　art　will　be；　when　truths；　instead　of
lies；　shall　be　told　on　paper；　on　marble；　on　canvas；　and　on　the　boards！！！〃

〃Dinner's　on　the　boarrd；〃　murmured　Christie；　alluding　to　Lord　Ipsden's
breakfast；　〃and　I　hae　the　charge　o'　ye；〃　pulling　his　sleeve　hard　enough
to　destroy　the　equilibrium　of　a　flea。

〃Then　don't　let　us　waste　our　time　here。　Oh；　Christie！〃

〃What　est；　my　laddy？〃

〃I'm　so　preciously　hungry！！！！〃

〃C…way*　then！〃

*　Come　away。

Off　they