christie johnstone-第9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！


should　induce　her；　and　eating　it　almost　contemporaneously。

〃Put　plenty　sugar；〃　added　she；　referring　to　the　Chinese　infusion；　〃mind；
I　hae　a　sweet　tooth。〃

〃You　have　a　sweet　set；〃　said　he；　approaching　another　morsel。

They　showed　themselves　by　way　of　smile；　and　confirmed　the　accusation。

〃Aha！　lad；〃　answered　she；　〃they've　been　the　death　o'　mony　a　herrin'！〃

〃Now；　what　does　that　mean　in　English；　Christie？〃

〃My　grinders（a　full　stop。）

〃Which　you　approve（a　full　stop。）

〃Have　been　fatal（a　full　stop。）

〃To　many　fishes！〃

Christie　prided　herself　on　her　English；　which　she　had　culled　from　books。

Then　he　made　her　drink　from　the　cup；　and　was　ostentatious　in　putting　his
lips　to　the　same　part　of　the　brim。

Then　she　left　the　table；　and　inspected　all　things。

She　came　to　his　drawers；　opened　one；　and　was　horror…struck。

There　were　coats　and　trousers；　with　their　limbs　interchangeably
intertwined；　waistcoats；　shirts；　and　cigars；　hurled　into　chaos。

She　instantly　took　the　drawer　bodily　out；　brought　it；　leaned　it　against
the　tea…table；　pointed　silently　into　it；　with　an　air　of　majestic
reproach；　and　awaited　the　result。

〃I　can　find　whatever　I　want；〃　said　the　unblushing　bachelor；　〃except
money。〃

〃Siller　does　na　bide　wi'　slovens！　hae　ye　often　siccan　a　gale　o'　wind　in
your　drawer？〃

〃Every　day！　Speak　English！〃

〃Aweel！　How　_do_　you　_do？_　that's　Ennglish！　I　daur　say。〃

〃Jolly！〃　cried　he；　with　his　mouth　full。　Christie　was　now　folding　up　and
neatly　arranging　his　clothes。

〃Will　you　ever；　ever　be　a　painter？〃

〃I　am　a　painter！　I　could　paint　the　Devil　pea…green！〃

〃Dinna　speak　o'　yon　lad；　Chairles；　it's　no　canny。〃

〃No！　I　am　going　to　paint　an　angel；　the　prettiest；　cleverest　girl　in
Scotland；　'The　Snowdrop　of　the　North。'〃

And　he　dashed　into　his　bedroom　to　find　a　canvas。

〃Hech！〃　reflected　Christie。　〃Thir　Ennglish　hae　flattering　tongues；　as
sure　as　Dethe；　'The　Snawdrap　o'　the　Norrth！'〃


CHAPTER　VIII。


GATTY'S　back　was　hardly　turned　when　a　visitor　arrived；　and　inquired；　〃Is
Mr。　Gatty　at　home？〃

〃What's　your　will　wi'　him？〃　was　the　Scottish　reply。

〃Will　you　give　him　this？〃

〃　What　est？〃

〃Are　you　fond　of　asking　questions？〃　inquired　the　man。

〃Ay！　and　fules　canna　answer　them；〃　retorted　Christie。

The　little　document　which　the　man；　in　retiring；　left　with　Christie
Johnstone　purported　to　come　from　one　Victoria；　who　seemed；　at　first
sight；　disposed　to　show　Charles　Gatty　civilities。　〃Victoriato　Charles
Gatty；　greeting！　（salutem）。〃　Christie　was　much　struck　with　this　instance
of　royal　affability；　she　read　no　further；　but　began　to　think；　〃Victoree！
that's　the　queen　hersel。　A　letter　fra　the　queen　to　a　painter　lad！　Picters
will　rise　i'　the　mairketit　will　be　an　order　to　paint　the　bairns。　I　hae
brought　him　luck；　I　am　real　pleased。〃　And　on　Gatty's　return；　canvas　in
hand；　she　whipped　the　document　behind　her；　and　said　archly；　〃I　hae
something　for　ye；　a　tecket　fra　a　leddy；　ye'll　no　want　siller　fra　this
day。〃

〃Indeed！〃

〃Ay！　indeed；　fra　a　great　leddy；　it's　vara　gude　o'　me　to　gie　ye　it；　heh！
tak　it。〃

He　did　take　it；　looked　stupefied；　looked　again；　sunk　into　a　chair；　and
glared　at　it。

〃Laddy！〃　said　Christie。

〃This　is　a　new　step　on　the　downward　path；〃　said　the　poor　painter。

〃Is　it　no　an　orrder　to　paint　the　young　prence？〃　said　Christie；　faintly。

〃No！〃　almost　shrieked　the　victim。　〃It's　a　writ！　I　owe　a　lot　of　money。

〃Oh；　Chairles！〃

〃See！　I　borrowed　sixty　pounds　six　months　ago　of　a　friend；　so　now　I　owe
eighty！〃

〃All　right！〃　giggled　the　unfriendly　visitor　at　the　door；　whose　departure
had　been　more　or　less　fictitious。

Christie；　by　an　impulse；　not　justifiable；　but　natural；　drew　her
oyster…knife　out；　and　this　time　the　man　really　went　away。

〃Hairtless　mon！〃　cried　she；　〃could　he　no　do　his　am　dirrty　work；　and　no
gar　me　gie　the　puir　lad　th'　action；　and　he　likeit　me　sae　weel！〃　and　she
began　to　whimper。

〃And　love　you　more　now；〃　said　he；　〃don't　you　cry；　dear；　to　add　to　my
vexation。〃

〃Na！　I'll　no　add　to　your　vexation；〃　and　she　gulped　down　her　tears。

〃Besides；　I　have　pictures　painted　worth　two　hundred　pounds；　this　is　only
for　eighty。　To　be　sure　you　can't　sell　them　for　two　hundred　pence　when　you
want。　So　I　shall　go　to　jail；　but　they　won't　keep　me　long。

Then　he　took　a　turn；　and　began　to　fall　into　the　artistic；　or　true　view　of
matters；　which；　indeed；　was　never　long　absent　from　him。

〃Look　here；　Christie；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　sick　of　conventional　assassins；
humbugging　models；　with　dirty　beards；　that　knit　their　brows；　and　try　to
look　murder；　they　never　murdered　so　much　as　a　tom…cat。　I　always　go　in　for
the　real　thing；　and　here　I　shall　find　it。〃

〃Dinna　gang　in　there；　lad；　for　ony　favor。〃

〃Then　I　shall　find　the　accessories　of　a　picture　I　have　in　my　headchains
with　genuine　rust　and　ancient　mouldering　stones　with　the　stains　of　time。〃
His　eye　brightened　at　the　prospect。

〃You　among　fiefs；　and　chains；　and　stanes！　Ye'll　break　my　hairt；　laddy；
ye'll　no　be　easy　till　you　break　my　hairt。〃　And　this　time　the　tears　would
not　be　denied。

〃I　love　you　for　crying；　don't　cry；〃　and　he　fished　from　the　chaotic　drawer
a　cambric　handkerchief；　with　which　he　dried　her　tears　as　they　fell。

It　is　my　firm　belief　she　cried　nearly　twice　as　much　as　she　really　wanted
to；　she　contrived　to　make　the　grief　hers；　the　sympathy　his。　Suddenly　she
stopped；　and　said：

〃I'm　daft；　ye'll　accept　a　lane　o'　the　siller　fra　me；　will　ye　no？〃

〃No！〃　said　he。　〃And　where　could　you　find　eighty　pound？〃

〃Auchty　pund；〃　cried　she；　〃it's　no　auchty　pund　that　will　ding　Christie
Johnstone；　laddy。　I　hae　boats　and　nets　worth　twa　auchtys；　and　I　hae　forty
pund　laid　by；　and　I　hae　seven　hundred　pund　at　London；　but　that　I　canna
meddle。　My　feyther　lent　it　the　king　or　the　queen；　I　dinna　justly　mind；
she　pays　me　the　interest　twice　the　year。　Sac　ye　ken　I　could　na　be　sae
dirty　as　seek　my　siller；　when　she　pays　me　th'　interest。　To　the　very　day；
ye　ken。　She's　just　the　only　one　o'　a'　my　debtors　that's　hoenest；　but
never　heed；　ye'll　no　gang　to　jail。〃

〃I'll　hold　my　tongue；　and　sacrifice　my　pictures；〃　thought　Charles。

〃Cheer　up！〃　said　Christie；　mistaking　the　nature　of　his　thoughts；　〃for　it
did　na　come　fra　Victoree　hersel'。　It　wad　smell　o'　the　musk；　ye　ken。　Na；
it's　just　a　wheen　blackguards　at　London　that　makes　use　o'　her　name　to
torment　puir　folk。　Wad　she　pairsecute　a　puir　lad？　No　likely。〃

She　then　asked　questions；　some　of　which　were　embarrassing。　One　thing　he
could　never　succeed　in　making　her　understand；　how；　since　it　was　sixty
pounds　he　borrowed；　it　could　be　eighty　pounds　he　owed。

Then　once　more　she　promised　him　her　protection；　bade　him　be　of　good
cheer；　and　left　him。

At　the　door　she　turned；　and　said：　〃Chairles；　here's　an　auld　wife　seeking
ye；〃　and　vanished。

These　two　young　people　had　fallen　acquainted　at　a　Newhaven　wedding。
Christie；　belonging　to　no　one；　had　danced　with　him　all　the　night；　they
had　walked　under　the　stars　to　cool　themselves；　for　dancing　reels；　with
heart　and　soul；　is　not　quadrilling。

Then　he　had　seen　his　beautiful　partner　in　Edinburgh；　and　made　a　sketch　of
her；　which　he　gave　her；　and　by　and　by　he　used　to　run　down　to　Newhaven；
and　stroll　up　and　down　a　certain　green　lane　near　the　town。

Next；　on　Sunday　evenings；　a　long　walk　together；　and　then　it　came　to
visits　at　his　place　now　and　then。

And　here。　Raphael　and　Fornarina　were　inverted；　our　artist　used　to　work；
and　Christie　tell　him　stories　the　while。

And；　as　her　voice　curled　round　his　heart；　he　used　to　smile　and　look；　and
lay　inspired　touches　on　his　subject。

And　she；　an　artist　of　the　tongue　（without　knowing　herself　one）；　used　to
make　him　grave；　or　gay；　or　sad；　at　will；　and　watch　the　effect　of　her　art
upon　his　countenance；　and　a　very　pretty　art　it　isthe　_viva　voce_
story…teller'sand　a　rare　one　among　the　nations　of　Europe。

Christie　had　not　learned　it　in　a　day；　when　she　began；　she　used　to　tell
them　like　the　other　Newhaven　people；　with　a　noble　impartiality　of　detail；
wearisome　to　the　hearer。

But　latterly　she　had　learned　to　seize　the　salient　parts　of　a　narrative；
her　voice　had　compass；　and；　like　all　fine　speakers；　she　traveled　over　a
great　many　notes　in　speaking；　her　low　tones　were　gorgeously　rich；　her
upper　tones　full　and　sweet；　all　this；　and　her　beauty；　made　the　hours　she
gave　him　very　sweet　to　our　poor　artist。

He　was　wont　to　bask　in　her　music；　and　tell　her　in　return　how　he　loved
her；　and　how　happy　they　were　both　to　be　as　soon　as　he　had　acquired　a
name；　for　a　name　was　wealth；　he　told　her。　And　although　Christie　Johnstone
did　not　let　him　see　how　much　she　took　all　this　to　heart　and　believed　it；
it　was　as　sweet　music　to　her　as　her　own　honeysuckle　breath　to　him。

She　improved　him。

He　dropped　cigars；　and　medical　students；　and　similar　abominations。

Christie's　cool；　fresh　breath；　as　she　hung　over　him　while　painting；
suggested　to　him　that　smoking　might；　peradventure；　be　a　sin　against
nature　as　well　as　against　cleanliness。

And　he　improved　her；　she　learned　from　art　to　look　into　nature　（the　usual
process　of　mind）。

She　had　noticed　too　little　the　flickering　gold　of　the　leaves　at　evening；
the　purple　hills；　and　the　shifting　stories　and　glories　of　the　sky；　but
now；　whatever　she　saw