robert falconer-第16节

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yet　discovered　nothing。　　The　moment　she　entered　the　upper　garret；

however



'There's　an　ill…faured　smell　here；　Betty；'　she　said；　believing　that

they　had　at　last　found　the　trail　of　the　mystery；　'but　it's　no　like

the　smell　o'　rabbits。　　Jist　luik　i'　the　nuik　there　ahin'　the　door。'



'There's　naething　here；'　responded　Betty。



'Roon　the　en'　o'　that　kist　there。　　I　s'　luik　into　the　press。'



As　Betty　rose　from　her　search　behind　the　chest　and　turned　towards

her　mistress；　her　eyes　crossed　the　cavernous　opening　of　the　bed。

There；　to　her　horror；　she　beheld　a　face　like　that　of　a　galvanised

corpse　staring　at　her　from　the　darkness。　　Shargar　was　in　a　sitting

posture；　paralysed　with　terror；　waiting；　like　a　fascinated　bird；

till　Mrs。　Falconer　and　Betty　should　make　the　final　spring　upon　him；

and　do　whatever　was　equivalent　to　devouring　him　upon　the　spot。　　He

had　sat　up　to　listen　to　the　noise　of　their　ascending　footsteps；　and

fear　had　so　overmastered　him；　that　he　either　could　not；　or　forgot

that　he　could　lie　down　and　cover　his　head　with　some　of　the　many

garments　scattered　around　him。



'I　didna　say　whusky；　did　I？'　he　kept　repeating　to　himself；　in　utter

imbecility　of　fear。



'The　Lord　preserve　's！'　exclaimed　Betty；　the　moment　she　could　speak；

for　during　the　first　few　seconds；　having　caught　the　infection　of

Shargar's　expression；　she　stood　equally　paralysed。　'The　Lord

preserve　's！'　she　repeated。



'Ance　is　eneuch；'　said　Mrs。　Falconer；　sharply；　turning　round　to　see

what　the　cause　of　Betty's　ejaculation　might　be。



I　have　said　that　she　was　dim…sighted。　　The　candle　they　had　was

little　better　than　a　penny　dip。　　The　bed　was　darker　than　the　rest　of

the　room。　　Shargar's　face　had　none　of　the　more　distinctive

characteristics　of　manhood　upon　it。



'Gude　preserve　's！'　exclaimed　Mrs。　Falconer　in　her　turn：　'it's　a

wumman。'



Poor　deluded　Shargar；　thinking　himself　safer　under　any　form　than

that　which　he　actually　bore；　attempted　no　protest　against　the

mistake。　　But；　indeed；　he　was　incapable　of　speech。　　The　two　women

flew　upon　him　to　drag　him　out　of　bed。　　Then　first　recovering　his

powers　of　motion；　he　sprung　up　in　an　agony　of　terror；　and　darted　out

between　them；　overturning　Betty　in　his　course。



'Ye　rouch　limmer！'　cried　Betty；　from　the　floor。　'Ye　lang…leggit

jaud！'　she　added；　as　she　roseand　at　the　same　moment　Shargar　banged

the　street…door　behind　him　in　his　terror'I　wat　ye　dinna　carry　yer

coats　ower　syde　（too　long）！'



For　Shargar；　having　discovered　that　the　way　to　get　the　most　warmth

from　Robert's　great…grandfather's　kilt　was　to　wear　it　in　the　manner

for　which　it　had　been　fabricated；　was　in　the　habit　of　fastening　it

round　his　waist　before　he　got　into　bed；　and　the　eye　of　Betty；　as　she

fell；　had　caught　the　swing　of　this　portion　of　his　attire。



But　poor　Mrs。　Falconer；　with　sunken　head；　walked　out　of　the　garret

in　the　silence　of　despair。　　She　went　slowly　down　the　steep　stair；

supporting　herself　against　the　wall；　her　round…toed　shoes　creaking

solemnly　as　she　went；　took　refuge　in　the　ga'le…room；　and　burst　into

a　violent　fit　of　weeping。　　For　such　depravity　she　was　not　prepared。

What　a　terrible　curse　hung　over　her　family！　　Surely　they　were　all

reprobate　from　the　womb；　not　one　elected　for　salvation　from　the

guilt　of　Adam's　fall；　and　therefore　abandoned　to　Satan　as　his

natural　prey；　to　be　led　captive　of　him　at　his　will。　　She　threw

herself　on　her　knees　at　the　side　of　the　bed；　and　prayed

heart…brokenly。　　Betty　heard　her　as　she　limped　past　the　door　on　her

way　back　to　her　kitchen。



Meantime　Shargar　had　rushed　across　the　next　street　on　his　bare　feet

into　the　Crookit　Wynd；　terrifying　poor　old　Kirstan　Peerie；　the

divisions　betwixt　the　compartments　of　whose　memory　had　broken　down；

into　the　exclamation　to　her　next　neighbour；　Tam　Rhin；　with　whom　she

was　trying　to　gossip：



'Eh；　Tammas！　that'll　be　ane　o'　the　slauchtert　at　Culloden。'



He　never　stopped　till　he　reached　his　mother's　deserted

abodestrange　instinct！　　There　he　ran　to　earth　like　a　hunted　fox。

Rushing　at　the　door；　forgetful　of　everything　but　refuge；　he　found

it　unlocked；　and　closing　it　behind　him；　stood　panting　like　the　hart

that　has　found　the　water…brooks。　　The　owner　had　looked　in　one　day　to

see　whether　the　place　was　worth　repairing；　for　it　was　a　mere

outhouse；　and　had　forgotten　to　turn　the　key　when　he　left　it。　　Poor

Shargar！　　Was　it　more　or　less　of　a　refuge　that　the　mother　that　bore

him　was　not　there　either　to　curse　or　welcome　his　return？　　Lessif

we　may　judge　from　a　remark　he　once　made　in　my　hearing　many　long

years　after：



'For；　ye　see；'　he　said；　'a　mither's　a　mither；　be　she　the　verra

de'il。'



Searching　about　in　the　dark；　he　found　the　one　article　unsold　by　the

landlord；　a　stool；　with　but　two　of　its　natural　three　legs。　　On　this

he　balanced　himself　and　waitedsimply　for　what　Robert　would　do；　for

his　faith　in　Robert　was　unbounded；　and　he　had　no　other　hope　on

earth。　　But　Shargar　was　not　miserable。　　In　that　wretched　hovel；　his

bare　feet　clasping　the　clay　floor　in　constant　search　of　a　wavering

equilibrium；　with　pitch　darkness　around　him；　and　incapable　of　the

simplest　philosophical　or　religious　reflection；　he　yet　found　life

good。　　For　it　had　interest。　　Nay；　more；　it　had　hope。　　I　doubt；

however；　whether　there　is　any　interest　at　all　without　hope。



While　he　sat　there；　Robert；　thinking　him　snug　in　the　garret；　was

walking　quietly　home　from　the　shoemaker's；　and　his　first　impulse　on

entering　was　to　run　up　and　recount　the　particulars　of　his　interview

with　Alexander。　　Arrived　in　the　dark　garret；　he　called　Shargar；　as

usual；　in　a　whisperreceived　no　replythought　he　was

asleepcalled　louder　（for　he　had　had　a　penny　from　his　grandmother

that　day　for　bringing　home　two　pails　of　water　for　Betty；　and　had

just　spent　it　upon　a　loaf　for　him）but　no　Shargar　replied。

Thereupon　he　went　to　the　bed　to　lay　hold　of　him　and　shake　him。　　But

his　searching　hands　found　no　Shargar。　　Becoming　alarmed；　he　ran

down…stairs　to　beg　a　light　from　Betty。



When　he　reached　the　kitchen；　he　found　Betty's　nose　as　much　in　the

air　as　its　construction　would　permit。　　For　a　hook…nosed　animal；　she

certainly　was　the　most　harmless　and　ovine　creature　in　the　world；　but

this　was　a　case　in　which　feminine　modesty　was　both　concerned　and

aggrieved。　　She　showed　her　resentment　no　further；　however；　than　by

simply　returning　no　answer　in　syllable；　or　sound；　or　motion；　to

Robert's　request。　　She　was　washing　up　the　tea…things；　and　went　on

with　her　work　as　if　she　had　been　in　absolute　solitude；　saving　that

her　countenance　could　hardly　have　kept　up　that　expression　of　injured

dignity　had　such　been　the　case。　　Robert　plainly　saw；　to　his　great

concern；　that　his　secret　had　been　discovered　in　his　absence；　and

that　Shargar　had　been　expelled　with　contumely。　　But；　with　an

instinct　of　facing　the　worst　at　once　which　accompanied　him　through

life；　he　went　straight　to　his　grandmother's　parlour。



'Well；　grandmamma；'　he　said；　trying　to　speak　as　cheerfully　as　he

could。



Grannie's　prayers　had　softened　her　a　little；　else　she　would　have

been　as　silent　as　Betty；　for　it　was　from　her　mistress　that　Betty　had

learned　this　mode　of　torturing　a　criminal。　　So　she　was　just　able　to

return　his　greeting　in　the　words；　'Weel；　Robert；'　pronounced　in　a

finality　of　tone　that　indicated　she　had　done　her　utmost；　and　had

nothing　to　add。



'Here's　a　browst　（brewage）！'　thought　Robert　to　himself；　and；　still

on　the　principle　of　flying　at　the　first　of　mischief　he　sawthe　best

mode　of　meeting　it；　no　doubtaddressed　his　grandmother　at　once。

The　effort　necessary　gave　a　tone　of　defiance　to　his　words。



'What　for　willna　ye　speik　to　me；　grannie？'　he　said。　'I'm　no　a

haithen；　nor　yet　a　papist。'



'Ye're　waur　nor　baith　in　ane；　Robert。'



'Hoots！　ye　winna　say　baith；　grannie；'　returned　Robert；　who；　even　at

the　age　of　fourteen；　when　once　compelled　to　assert　himself；　assumed

a　modest　superiority。



'Nane　o'　sic　impidence！'　retorted　Mrs。　Falconer。　'I　wonner　whaur　ye

learn　that。　　But　it's　nae　wonner。　　Evil　communications　corrupt　gude

mainners。　　Ye're　a　lost　prodigal；　Robert；　like　yer　father　afore　ye。

I　hae　jist　been　sittin'　here　thinkin'　wi'　mysel'　whether　it　wadna

be　better　for　baith　o'　's　to　lat　ye　gang　an'　reap　the　fruit　o'　yer

doin's　at　ance；　for　the　hard　ways　is　the　best　road　for

transgressors。　　I'm　no　bund　to　keep　ye。'



'Weel；　weel；　I　s'　awa'　to　Shargar。　　Him　and　me　'ill　haud　on

thegither　better　nor　you　an'　me；　grannie。　　He's　a　puir　cratur；　but

he　can　stick　till　a　body。'



'What　are　ye　haverin'　aboot　Shargar　for；　ye　heepocreet　loon？　　Ye'll

no　gang　to　Shargar；　I　s'　warran'！　　Ye'll　be　efter　that　vile　limmer

that's　turnt　my　honest　hoose　intil　a　sty　this　last　fortnicht。'



'Grannie；　I　dinna　ken　what　ye　mean。'



'She　kens；　than。　　I　sent　her　aff　like　ane　o'　Samson's　foxes；　wi'　a

firebrand　at　her　tail。　　It's　a　pity　it　wasna　tied　atween　the　twa　o'

ye。'



'Preserve　's；　gra