robert falconer-第94节

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Receiving　no　answer；　he　followed　Shargar's　gaze；　and　saw　a　strange

sight　for　London　city。



In　the　middle　of　the　crowd　of　vehicles；　with　an　omnibus　before　them；

and　a　brewer's　dray　behind　them；　came　a　line　of　three　donkey…carts；

heaped　high　with　bundles　and　articles　of　gipsy…gear。　　The　foremost

was　conducted　by　a　middle…aged　woman　of　tall；　commanding　aspect；　and

expression　both　cunning　and　fierce。　　She　walked　by　the　donkey's　head

carrying　a　short　stick；　with　which　she　struck　him　now　and　then；　but

which　she　oftener　waved　over　his　head　like　the　truncheon　of　an

excited　marshal　on　the　battle…field；　accompanying　its　movements　now

with　loud　cries　to　the　animal；　now　with　loud　response　to　the　chaff

of　the　omnibus　conductor；　the　dray　driver；　and　the　tradesmen　in

carts　about　her。　　She　was　followed　by　a　very　handsome；

olive…complexioned；　wild…looking　young　woman；　with　her　black　hair

done　up　in　a　red　handkerchief；　who　conducted　her　donkey　more

quietly。　　Both　seemed　as　much　at　home　in　the　roar　of　Gracechurch

Street　as　if　they　had　been　crossing　a　wild　common。　　A

loutish…looking　young　man　brought　up　the　rear　with　the　third　donkey。

》From　the　bundles　on　the　foremost　cart　peeped　a　lovely；　fair…haired；

English…looking　child。



Robert　took　all　this　in　in　a　moment。　　The　same　moment　Shargar's

spell　was　broken。



'Lord；　it　is　my　mither！'　he　cried；　and　darted　under　a　horse's　neck

into　the　middle　of　the　ruck。



He　needled　his　way　through　till　he　reached　the　woman。　　She　was

swearing　at　a　cabman　whose　wheel　had　caught　the　point　of　her

donkey's　shaft；　and　was　hauling　him　round。　　Heedless　of　everything；

Shargar　threw　his　arms　about　her；　crying；



'Mither！　mither！'



'Nane　o'　yer　blastit　humbug！'　she　exclaimed；　as；　with　a　vigorous

throw　and　a　wriggle；　she　freed　herself　from　his　embrace　and　pushed

him　away。



The　moment　she　had　him　at　arm's　length；　however；　her　hand　closed

upon　his　arm；　and　her　other　hand　went　up　to　her　brow。　　From

underneath　it　her　eyes　shot　up　and　down　him　from　head　to　foot；　and

he　could　feel　her　hand　closing　and　relaxing　and　closing　again；　as　if

she　were　trying　to　force　her　long　nails　into　his　flesh。　　He　stood

motionless；　waiting　the　result　of　her　scrutiny；　utterly　unconscious

that　he　caused　a　congestion　in　the　veins　of　London；　for　every

vehicle　within　sight　of　the　pair　had　stopped。　　Falconer　said　a

strange　silence　fell　upon　the　street；　as　if　all　the　things　in　it　had

been　turned　into　shadows。



A　rough　voice；　which　sounded　as　if　all　London　must　have　heard　it；

broke　the　silence。　　It　was　the　voice　of　the　cabman　who　had　been　in

altercation　with　the　woman。　　Bursting　into　an　insulting　laugh；　he

used　words　with　regard　to　her　which　it　is　better　to　leave

unrecorded。　　The　same　instant　Shargar　freed　himself　from　her　grasp；

and　stood　by　the　fore　wheel　of　the　cab。



'Get　down！'　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　not　the　less　impressive

that　it　was　low　and　hoarse。



The　fellow　saw　what　he　meant；　and　whipped　his　horse。　　Shargar　sprung

on　the　box；　and　dragged　him　down　all　but　headlong。



'Now；'　he　said；　'beg　my　mother's　pardon。'



'Be　damned　if　I　do；　&c。；　&c。；'　said　the　cabman。



'Then　defend　yourself；'　said　Shargar。　'Robert。'



Falconer　was　watching　it　all；　and　was　by　his　side　in　a　moment。



'Come　on；　you；　&c。；　&c。；'　cried　the　cabman；　plucking　up　heart　and

putting　himself　in　fighting　shape。　　He　looked　one　of　those　insolent

fellows　whom　none　see　discomfited　more　gladly　than　the　honest　men　of

his　own　class。　　The　same　moment　he　lay　between　his　horse's　feet。



Shargar　turned　to　Robert；　and　saying　only；　'There；　Robert！'　turned

again　towards　the　woman。　　The　cabman　rose　bleeding；　and；　desiring　no

more　of　the　same；　climbed　on　his　box；　and　went　off；　belabouring　his

horse；　and　pursued　by　a　roar　from　the　street；　for　the　spectators

were　delighted　at　his　punishment。



'Now；　mother；'　said　Shargar；　panting　with　excitement。



'What　ca'　they　ye？'　she　asked；　still　doubtful；　but　as　proud　of　being

defended　as　if　the　coarse　words　of　her　assailant　had　had　no　truth　in

them。　'Ye　canna　be　my　lang…leggit　Geordie。'



'What　for　no？'



'Ye're　a　gentleman；　faith！'



'An'　what　for　no；　again？'　returned　Shargar；　beginning　to　smile。



'Weel；　it's　weel　speired。　　Yer　father　was　ane　ony　gaitgin　sae　be

'at　ye　are　as　ye　say。'



Moray　put　his　head　close　to　hers；　and　whispered　some　words　that

nobody　heard　but　herself。



'It's　ower　lang　syne　to　min'　upo'　that；'　she　said　in　reply；　with　a

look　of　cunning　consciousness　ill　settled　upon　her　fine　features。

'But　ye　can　be　naebody　but　my　Geordie。　　Haith；　man！'　she　went　on；

regarding　him　once　more　from　head　to　foot；　'but　ye're　a　credit　to

me；　I　maun　alloo。　　Weel；　gie　me　a　sovereign；　an'　I　s'　never　come

near　ye。'



Poor　Shargar　in　his　despair　turned　half　mechanically　towards　Robert。

He　felt　that　it　was　time　to　interfere。



'You　forget；　mother；'　said　Shargar；　turning　again　to　her；　and

speaking　English　now；　'it　was　I　that　claimed　you；　and　not　you　that

claimed　me。'



She　seemed　to　have　no　idea　of　what　he　meant。



'Come　up　the　road　here；　to　oor　public；　an'　tak　a　glaiss；　wuman；'

said　Falconer。　'Dinna　haud　the　fowk　luikin'　at　ye。'



The　temptation　of　a　glass　of　something　strong；　and　the　hope　of

getting　money　out　of　them；　caused　an　instant　acquiescence。　　She　said

a　few　words　to　the　young　woman；　who　proceeded　at　once　to　tie　her

donkey's　head　to　the　tail　of　the　other　cart。



'Shaw　the　gait　than；'　said　the　elder；　turning　again　to　Falconer。



Shargar　and　he　led　the　way　to　St。　Paul's　Churchyard；　and　the　woman

followed　faithfully。　　The　waiter　stared　when　they　entered。



'Bring　a　glass　of　whisky；'　said　Falconer；　as　he　passed　on　to　their

private　room。　　When　the　whisky　arrived；　she　tossed　it　off；　and

looked　as　if　she　would　like　another　glass。



'Yer　father　'ill　hae　ta'en　ye　up；　I'm　thinkin'；　laddie？'　she　said；

turning　to　her　son。



'No；'　answered　Shargar；　gloomily。　'There's　the　man　that　took　me　up。'



'An'　wha　may　ye　be？'　she　asked；　turning　to　Falconer。



'Mr。　Falconer；'　said　Shargar。



'No　a　son　o'　Anerew　Faukner？'　she　asked　again；　with　evident

interest。



'The　same；'　answered　Robert。



'Well；　Geordie；'　she　said；　turning　once　more　to　her　son；　'it's　like

mither；　like　father　to　the　twa　o'　ye。'



'Did　you　know　my　father？'　asked　Robert；　eagerly。



Instead　of　answering　him　she　made　another　remark　to　her　son。



'He　needna　be　ashamed　o'　your　company；　ony　gaitqueer　kin'　o'　a

mither　'at　I　am。'



'He　never　was　ashamed　of　my　company；'　said　Shargar；　still　gloomily。



'Ay；　I　kent　yer　father　weel　eneuch；'　she　said；　now　answering

Robert'mair　by　token　'at　I　saw　him　last　nicht。　　He　was　luikin'　nae

that　ill。'



Robert　sprung　from　his　seat；　and　caught　her　by　the　arm。



'Ow！　ye　needna　gang　into　sic　a　flurry。　　He'll　no　come　near　ye；　I　s'

warran'。'



'Tell　me　where　he　is；'　said　Robert。　'Where　did　you　see　him？　　I'll

gie　ye　a'　'at　I　hae　gin　ye'll　tak　me　till　him。'



'Hooly！　hooly！　　Wha's　to　gang　luikin'　for　a　thrum　in　a　hay…sow？'

returned　she；　coolly。　'I　only　said　'at　I　saw　him。'



'But　are　ye　sure　it　was　him？'　asked　Falconer。



'Ay；　sure　eneuch；'　she　answered。



'What　maks　ye　sae　sure？'



''Cause　I　never　was　vrang　yet。　　Set　a　man　ance　atween　my　twa　een；

an'　that　'll　be　twa　'at　kens　him　whan　's　ain　mither　's　forgotten

'im。'



'Did　you　speak　to　him？'



'Maybe　ay；　an'　maybe　no。　　I　didna　come　here　to　be　hecklet　afore　a

jury。'



'Tell　me　what　he's　like；'　said　Robert；　agitated　with　eager　hope。



'Gin　ye　dinna　ken　what　he's　like；　what　for　suld　ye　tak　the　trouble

to　speir？　　But　'deed　ye'll　ken　what　he's　like　whan　ye　fa'　in　wi'

him；'　she　added；　with　a　vindictive　laughvindictive　because　he　had

given　her　only　one　glass　of　strong　drink。



With　the　laugh　she　rose；　and　made　for　the　door。　　They　rose　at　the

same　moment　to　detain　her。　　Like　one　who　knew　at　once　to　fight　and

flee；　she　turned　and　stunned　them　as　with　a　blow。



'She's　a　fine　yoong　thing；　yon　sister　o'　yours；　Geordie。　　She'll　be

worth　siller　by　the　time　she's　had　a　while　at　the　schuil。'



The　men　looked　at　each　other　aghast。　　When　they　turned　their　eyes

she　had　vanished。　　They　rushed　to　the　door；　and；　parting；　searched

in　both　directions。　　But　they　were　soon　satisfied　that　it　was　of　no

use。　　Probably　she　had　found　a　back　way　into　Paternoster　Row；　whence

the　outlets　are　numerous。









CHAPTER　IV。



THE　DOCTOR'S　DEATH。



But　now　that　Falconer　had　a　ground；　even　thus　shadowy；　for　hopingI

cannot　say　believingthat　his　father　might　be　in　London；　he　could

not　return　to　Aberdeen。　　Moray；　who　had　no　heart　to　hunt　for　his

mother；　left　the　next　day　by　the　steamer。　　Falconer　took　to

wandering　about　the　labyrinthine　city；　and　in　a　couple　of　months

knew　more　about　the　metropolisthe　west　end　exceptedthan　most

people　who　had　lived　their　lives　in　it。　　The　west　end　is　no　doubt　a