robert falconer-第7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！



and　a　mouth　ever　on　the　move；　as　if　masticating　something　comical。



'You　know　just　as　well　as　I　do；'　answered　Mr。　Cocker；　the　Marquis　of

Boarshead's　factor　for　the　surrounding　estate。　'He　never　was　in　the

way　of　giving　a　reason　for　anything；　least　of　all　for　his　own

movements。'



'Somebody　was　sayin'　to　me；'　resumed　MacGregor；　who；　in　all

probability；　invented　the　story　at　the　moment；　'that　the　prince　took

him　kissin'　ane　o'　his　servan'　lasses；　and　kickit　him　oot　o'　Carlton

Hoose　into　the　street；　and　he　canna　win'　ower　the　disgrace　o'　't。'



''Deed　for　the　kissin'；'　said　Mr。　Thomson；　a　portly；

comfortable…looking　man；　'that's　neither　here　nor　there；　though　it

micht　hae　been　a　duchess　or　twa；　but　for　the　kickin'；　my　word！　but

Lord　Sandy　was　mair　likly　to　kick　oot　the　prince。　　Do　ye　min'　hoo　he

did　whan　the　Markis　taxed　him　wi'？'



'Haud　a　quaiet　sough；'　interposed　Mr。　Cruickshank；　the　solicitor；

'there's　a　drap　i'　the　hoose。'



This　was　a　phrase　well　understood　by　the　company；　indicating　the

presence　of　some　one　unknown；　or　unfit　to　be　trusted。



As　he　spoke　he　looked　towards　the　farther　end　of　the　room；　which　lay

in　obscurity；　for　it　was　a　large　room；　lighted　only　by　the　four

candles　on　the　table　at　which　the　company　sat。



'Whaur；　Mr。　Cruickshank？'　asked　the　dominie　in　a　whisper。



'There；'　answered　Sampson　Peddie；　the　bookseller；　who　seized　the

opportunity　of　saying　something；　and　pointed　furtively　where　the

solicitor　had　only　looked。



A　dim　figure　was　descried　at　a　table　in　the　farthest　corner　of　the

room；　and　they　proceeded　to　carry　out　the　plan　they　generally

adopted　to　get　rid　of　a　stranger。



'Ye　made　use　o'　a　curious　auld　Scots　phrase　this　moment；　Mr。

Curshank：　can　ye　explain　hoo　it　comes　to　beir　the　meanin'　that　it's

weel　kent　to　beir？'　said　the　manufacturer。



'Not　I；　Mr。　MacGregor；'　answered　the　solicitor。　'I'm　no　philologist

or　antiquarian。　　Ask　the　chairman。'



'Gentlemen；'　responded　Mr。　Innes；　taking　a　huge　pinch　of　snuff　after

the　word；　and　then；　passing　the　box　to　Mr。　Cocker；　a　sip　from　his

glass　before　he　went　on：　'the　phrase；　gentlemen；　〃a　drap　i'　the

hoose；〃　no　doobt　refers　to　an　undesirable　presence；　for　ye're　weel

awaur　that　it's　a　most　unpleasin'　discovery；　in　winter　especially；

to　find　a　drop　o'　water　hangin'　from　yer　ceiling；　a　something；　in

short；　whaur　it　has　no　business　to　be；　and　is　not　accordingly　looked

for；　or　prepared　against。'



'It　seems　to　me；　Mr。　Innes；'　said　MacGregor；　'that　ye　hae　hit　the

nail；　but　no　upo'　the　heid。　　What　mak'　ye　o'　the　phrase；　no　confined

to　the　Scots　tongue；　I　believe；　o'　an　eaves…drapper？　　The　whilk；　no

doobt；　represents　a　body　that　hings　aboot　yer　winnock；　like　a　drap

hangin'　ower　abune　it　frae　the　eavestherefore　called　an　eaves

drapper。　　But　the　sort　of　whilk　we　noo　speak；　are　a　waur　sort

a'thegither；　for　they　come　to　the　inside　o'　yer　hoose；　o'　yer　verra

chaumer；　an'　hing　oot　their　lang　lugs　to　hear　what　ye　carena　to　be

hard　save　by　a　dooce　frien'　or　twa　ower　a　het　tum'ler。'



At　the　same　moment　the　door　opened；　and　a　man　entered；　who　was

received　with　unusual　welcome。



'Bless　my　sowl！'　said　the　president；　rising；　'it's　Mr。　Lammie！Come

awa'；　Mr。　Lammie。　　Sit　doon；　sit　doon。　　Whaur　hae　ye　been　this　mony

a　day；　like　a　pelican　o'　the　wilderness？'



Mr。　Lammie　was　a　large；　mild　man；　with　florid　cheeks；　no　whiskers；

and　a　prominent　black　eye。　　He　was　characterized　by　a　certain　simple

alacrity；　a　gentle；　but　outspeaking　readiness；　which　made　him　a

favourite。



'I　dinna　richtly　mak'　oot　wha　ye　are；'　he　answered。　'Ye　hae　unco

little　licht　here！　　Hoo　are　ye　a'；　gentlemen？　　I　s'　discover　ye　by

degrees；　and　pay　my　respecks　accordin'。'



And　he　drew　a　chair　to　the　table。



''Deed　I　wuss　ye　wad；'　returned　MacGregor；　in　a　voice　pretentiously

hushed；　but　none　the　less　audible。　'There's　a　drap　in　yon　en'　o'　the

hoose；　Mr。　Lammie。'



'Hoot！　never　min'　the　man；'　said　Lammie；　looking　round　in　the

direction　indicated。　'I　s'　warran'　he　cares　as　little　aboot　hiz　as

we　care　aboot　him。　　There's　nae　treason　noo　a…days。　　I　carena　wha

hears　what　I　say。'



'For　my　pairt；'　said　Mr。　Peddie；　'I　canna　help　wonnerin'　gin　it　cud

be　oor　auld　frien'　Mr。　Faukener。'



'Speyk　o'　the　de'il'　said　Mr。　Lammie。



'Hoot！　na；'　returned　Peddie；　interrupting。　'He　wasna　a'thegither　the

de'il。'



'Haud　the　tongue　o'　ye；'　retorted　Lammie。　'Dinna　ye　ken　a　proverb

whan　ye　hear　't？　　De'il　hae　ye！　ye're　as　sharpset　as　a　missionar'。

I　was　only　gaun　to　say　that　I'm　doobtin'　Andrew's　deid。'



'Ay！　ay！'　commenced　a　chorus　of　questioning。



'Mhm！'



'Aaay！'



'What　gars　ye　think　that？'



'And　sae　he's　deid！'



'He　was　a　great　favourite；　Anerew！'



'Whaur　dee'd　he？'



'Aye　some　upsettin'　though！'



'Ay。　He　was　aye　to　be　somebody　wi'　his　tale。'



'A　gude…hertit　crater；　but　ye　cudna　lippen　till　him。'



'Speyk　nae　ill　o'　the　deid。　　Maybe　they'll　hear　ye；　and　turn　roon'

i'　their　coffins；　and　that'll　whumle　you　i'　your　beds；'　said

MacGregor；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。



'Ring　the　bell　for　anither　tum'ler；　Sampson；'　said　the　chairman。



'What'll　be　dune　wi'　that　factory　place；　noo？　　It'll　be　i'　the

market？'



'It's　been　i'　the　market　for　mony　a　year。　　But　it's　no　his　ava。　　It

belangs　to　the　auld　leddy；　his　mither；'　said　the　weaver。



'Why　don't　you　buy　it；　Mr。　MacGregor；　and　set　up　a　cotton　mill？

There's　not　much　doing　with　the　linen　now；'　said　Mr。　Cocker。



'Me！'　returned　MacGregor；　with　indignation。　'The　Lord　forgie　ye　for

mintin'　（hinting）　at　sic　a　thing；　Mr。　Cocker！　　Me　tak'　to　coaton！　　I

wad　as　sune　spin　the　hair　frae　Sawtan's　hurdies。　　Short　fushionless

dirt；　that　canna　grow　straucht　oot　o'　the　halesome　yird；　like　the

bonnie　lint…bells；　but　maun　stick　itsel'　upo'　a　buss！set　it　up！

Coorse　vulgar　stuff；　'at　naebody　wad　weir　but　loup…coonter　lads

that　wad　fain　luik　like　gentlemen　by　means　o'　the　collars　and

rufflesan'　a'　comin'　frae　the　auld　loom！　　They　may　weel　affoord

se'enteen　hunner　linen　to　set　it　aff　wi'　'at　has　naething　but　coaton

inside　the　breeks　o'　them。'



'But　Dr。　Wagstaff　says　it's　healthier；'　interposed　Peddie。



'I'll　wag　a　staff　till　him。　　De'il　a　bit　o'　't　's　healthier！　an'

that　he　kens。　　It's　nae　sae　healthy；　an'　sae　it　mak's　him　mair　wark

wi'　's　poothers　an'　his　drauchts；　an'　ither　stinkin'　stuff。

Healthier！　　What　neist？'



'Somebody　tellt　me；'　said　the　bookseller；　inwardly　conscious　of

offence；　''at　hoo　Lord　Sandy　himsel'　weirs　cotton。'



'Ow　'deed；　maybe。　　And　he　sets　mony　a　worthy　example　furbye。　　Hoo

mony；　can　ye　tell　me；　Mr。　Peddie；　has　he　pulled　doon　frae　honest；　if

no　frae　high　estate；　and　sent　oot　to　seek　their　livin'　as　he　taucht

them？　　Hoo　mony？'



'Hoot；　hoot！　　Mr。　MacGregor；　his　lordship　hasn't　a　cotton　shirt　in

his　possession；　I'll　be　bound；'　said　Mr。　Cocker。　'And；　besides；　you

have　not　to　wash　his　dirty　linenor　cotton　either。'



'That's　as　muckle　as　to　say；　accordin'　to　Cocker；　that　I'm　no　to

speik　a　word　against　him。　　But　I'll　say　what　I　like。　　He's　no　my

maister；'　said　MacGregor；　who　could　drink　very　little　without

suffering　in　his　temper　and　manners；　and　who；　besides；　had　a　certain

shrewd　suspicion　as　to　the　person　who　still　sat　in　the　dark　end　of

the　room；　possibly　because　the　entrance　of　Mr。　Lammie　had

interrupted　the　exorcism。



The　chairman　interposed　with　soothing　words；　and　the　whole　company；

Cocker　included；　did　its　best　to　pacify　the　manufacturer；　for　they

all　knew　what　would　be　the　penalty　if　they　failed。



A　good　deal　of　talk　followed；　and　a　good　deal　of　whisky　was　drunk。

They　were　waited　upon　by　Meg；　who；　without　their　being　aware　of　it；

cast　a　keen　parting　glance　at　them　every　time　she　left　the　room。　　At

length　the　conversation　had　turned　again　to　Andrew　Falconer's　death。



'Whaur　said　ye　he　dee'd；　Mr。　Lammie？'



'I　never　said　he　was　deid。　　I　said　I　was　feared　'at　he　was　deid。'



'An'　what　gars　ye　say　that？　　It　micht　be　o'　consequence　to　hae　't

correck；'　said　the　solicitor。



'I　had　a　letter　frae　my　auld　frien'　and　his；　Dr。　Anderson。　　Ye　min'

upo'　him；　Mr。　Innes；　dunna　ye？　　He's　heid　o'　the　medical　boord　at

Calcutta　noo。　　He　says　naething　but　that　he　doobts　he's　gane。　　He

gaed　up　the　country；　and　he　hasna　hard　o'　him　for　sae　lang。　　We　hae

keepit　up　a　correspondence　for　mony　a　year　noo；　Dr。　Anderson　an'　me。

He　was　a　relation　o'　Anerew's；　ye　kena　second　cousin；　or

something。　　He'll　be　hame　or　lang；　I'm　thinkin'；　wi'　a　fine

pension。'



'He　winna　weir　a　cotton　sark；　I'll　be　boon'；'　said　MacGregor。



'What's　the　auld　leddy　gaein'　to　du　wi'　that　lang…leggit　oye

（grandson）　o'　hers；　Anerew's　son？'　asked　Sampson。



'Ow！　he'll　be　gaein'　to　the　college；　I'm　thinkin'。　　He's　a　fine　lad；

and　a　clever；　they　tell　me；'　said　Mr。　Thomson。



'Indeed；　he's　all　that；　and　more　too；'　said　the　school…master。



'There's　naething　'ull　du　but　the　colle