greyfriars bobby-第22节

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　doesna　leuk　oot；　anither　kale　wifie　wull　be　throwin'　a　bit　stool　at　'is　meddlin'　heid。〃

〃Eh；　nae　doubt。　There's　aye　a　plentifu'　supply　o'　fules　in　the　warld。〃

Seeing　his　good　friend　so　well　entertained；　and　needing　his　society　no　longer；　Bobby　got　up；　wagged　his　tail　in　farewell；　and　started　toward　the　door。　Mr。　Traill　summoned　the　little　maid　and　spoke　to　her　kindly：　〃Give　Bobby　a　bone；　lassie；　and　then　open　the　door　for　him。〃

In　carrying　out　these　instructions　Ailie　gave　the　policeman　as　wide　leeway　as　possible　and　kept　a　wary　eye　upon　him。　The　officer's　duties　were　chiefly　up　on　High　Street。　He　seldom　crossed　the　bridge；　and　it　happened　that　he　had　never　seen　Bobby　before。　Just　by　way　of　making　conversation　he　remarked；　〃I　didna　ken　ye　had　a　dog；　John。〃

Ailie　stopped　stock　still；　the　cups　on　the　tray　she　was　taking　out　tinkling　from　her　agitation。　It　was　thus　policemen　spoke　at　private　doors　in　the　dark　tenements：　〃I　didna　ken　ye　had　the　smallpox。〃　But　Mr。　Traill　seemed　in　no　way　alarmed。　He　answered　with　easy　indulgence　〃That's　no'　surprising。　There's　mony　a　thing　you　dinna　ken；　Davie。〃

The　landlord　forgot　the　matter　at　once；　but　Ailie　did　not；　for　she　saw　the　officer　flush　darkly　and；　having　no　answer　ready；　go　out　in　silence。　In　truth；　the　good…humored　sarcasm　rankled　in　the　policeman's　breast。　An　hour　later　he　suddenly　came　to　a　standstill　below　the　clock　tower　of　the　Tron　kirk　on　High　Street；　and　he　chuckled。

〃Eh；　John　Traill。　Ye're　unco'　weel　furnished　i'　the　heid；　but　there's　ane　or　twa　things　ye　dinna　ken　yer　ainsel'。〃

Entirely　taken　up　with　his　brilliant　idea；　he　lost　no　time　in　putting　it　to　work。　He　dodged　among　the　standing　cabs　and　around　the　buttresses　of　St。　Giles　that　projected　into　the　thoroughfare。　In　the　mid…century　there　was　a　police　office　in　the　middle　of　the　front　of　the　historic　old　cathedral　that　had　then　fallen　to　its　lowest　ebb　of　fortune。　There　the　officer　reported　a　matter　that　was　strictly　within　the　line　of　his　duty。

Very　early　the　next　morning　he　was　standing　before　the　door　of　Mr。　Traill's　place；　in　the　fitful　sunshine　of　clearing　skies；　when　the　landlord　appeared　to　begin　the　business　of　the　day。

〃Are　ye　Maister　John　Traill？〃

〃Havers；　Davie！　What　ails　you；　man？　You　know　my　name　as　weel　as　you　know　your　ain。〃

〃It's　juist　a　formality　o'　the　law　to　mak'　ye　admit　yer　identity。　Here's　a　bit　paper　for　ye。〃　He　thrust　an　official…looking　document　into　Mr。　Traill's　hand　and　took　himself　away　across　the　bridge；　fair　satisfied　with　his　conduct　of　an　affair　of　subtlety。

It　required　five　minutes　for　Mr。　Traill　to　take　in　the　import　of　the　legal　form。　Then　a　wrathful　explosion　vented　itself　on　the　unruly　key　that　persisted　in　dodging　the　keyhole。　But　once　within　he　read　the　paper　again；　put　it　away　thoughtfully　in　an　inner　pocket；　and　outwardly　subsided　to　his　ordinary　aspect。　He　despatched　the　business　of　the　day　with　unusual　attention　to　details　and　courtesy　to　guests；　and　when；　in　mid　afternoon；　the　place　was　empty；　he　followed　Bobby　to　the　kirkyard　and　inquired　at　the　lodge　if　he　could　see　Mr。　Brown。

〃He　isna　so　ill；　noo；　Maister　Traill；　but　I　wadna　advise　ye　to　hae　muckle　to　say　to　'im。〃　Mistress　Jeanie　wore　the　arch　look　of　the　wifie　who　is　somewhat　amused　by　a　convalescent　husband's　ill　humors。　〃The　pains　grupped　'im　sair；　an'　noo　that　he's　easier　he'd　see　us　a'　hanged　wi'　pleesure。　Is　it　onything　by　the　ordinar'？〃

〃Nae。　It's　just　a　sma'　matter　I　can　attend　to　my　ainsel'。　Do　you　think　he　could　be　out　the　morn？〃

〃No'　afore　a　week　or　twa；　an'　syne；　gin　the　bonny　sun　comes　oot　to　bide　a　wee。〃

Mr。　Traill　left　the　kirkyard　and　went　out　to　George　Square　to　call　upon　the　minister　of　Greyfriars　auld　kirk。　The　errand　was　unfruitful；　and　he　was　back　in　ten　minutes；　to　spend　the　evening　alone；　without　even　the　consolation　of　Bobby's　company；　for　the　little　dog　was　unhappy　outside　the　kirkyard　after　sunset。　And　he　took　an　unsettling　thought　to　bed　with　him。

Here　was　a　pretty　kettle　of　fish；　indeed；　for　a　respected　member　of　a　kirk　and　middle…aged　business　man　to　fry　in。　Through　the　legal　verbiage　Mr。　Traill　made　out　that　he　was　summoned　to　appear　before　whatever　magistrate　happened　to　be　sitting　on　the　morrow　in　the　Burgh　court；　to　answer　to　the　charge　of　owning；　or　harboring；　one　dog；　upon　which　he　had　not　paid　the　license　tax　of　seven　shillings。

For　all　its　absurdity　it　was　no　laughing　matter。　The　municipal　court　of　Edinburgh　was　of　far　greater　dignity　than　the　ordinary　justice　court　of　the　United　Kingdom　and　of　America。　The　civic　bench　was　occupied；　in　turn；　by　no　less　a　personage　than　the　Lord　Provost　as　chief；　and　by　five　other　magistrates　elected　by　the　Burgh　council　from　among　its　own　membership。　Men　of　standing　in　business；　legal　and　University　circles；　considered　it　an　honor　and　a　duty　to　bring　their　knowledge　and　responsibility　to　bear　on　the　pettiest　police　cases。

It　was　morning　before　Mr。　Traill　had　the　glimmer　of　an　idea　to　take　with　him　on　this　unlucky　business。　An　hour　before　the　opening　of　court　he　crossed　the　bridge　into　High　Street；　which　was　then　as　picturesquely　Gothic　and　decaying　and　overpopulated　as　the　Cowgate；　but　high…set；　wind…swept　and　sun…searched；　all　the　way　up　the　sloping　mile　from　Holyrood　Palace　to　the　Castle。　The　ridge　fell　away　steeply；　through　rifts　of　wynds　and　closes；　to　the　Cowgate　ravine　on　the　one　hand；　and　to　Princes　Street's　parked　valley　on　the　other。　Mr。　Traill　turned　into　the　narrow　descent　of　Warriston　Close。　Little　more　than　a　crevice　in　the　precipice　of　tall；　old　buildings；　on　it　fronted　a　business　house　whose　firm　name　was　known　wherever　the　English　language　was　read：　〃W。　and　R。　Chambers；　Publishers。〃

From　top　to　bottom　the　place　was　gas…lit；　even　on　a　sunny　spring　morning；　and　it　hummed　and　clattered　with　printing…presses。　No　one　was　in　the　little　anteroom　to　the　editorial　offices　beside　a　young　clerk；　but　at　sight　of　a　red…headed；　freckle…faced　Heriot　laddie　of　Bobby's　puppyhood　days　Mr。　Traill's　spirits　rose。

〃A　gude　day　to　you；　Sandy　McGregor；　and　whaur's　your　auld　twin　conspirator；　Geordie　Ross？〃

〃He's　a　student　in　the　Medical　College；　Mr。　Traill。　He　went　by　this　meenit　to　the　Botanical　Garden　for　herbs　my　grandmither　has　aye　known　without　books。〃　Sandy　grinned　in　appreciation　of　this　foolishness；　but　he　added；　with　Scotch　shrewdness；　〃It's　gude　for　the　book…prenting　beesiness。〃

〃It　is　so；〃　the　landlord　agreed；　heartily。　〃But　you　must　no'　be　forgetting　that　the　Chambers　brothers　war　book　readers　and　sellers　before　they　war　publishers。　You　are　weel　set　up　in　life；　laddie；　and　Heriot's　has　pulled　the　warst　of　the　burrs　from　your　tongue。　I'm　wanting　to　see　Glenormiston。〃

〃Mr。　William　Chambers　is　no'　in。　Mr。　Robert　is　aye　in；　but　he's　no'　liking　to　be　fashed　about　sma'　things。〃

〃I'll　no'　trouble　him。　It's　the　Lord　Provost　I'm　wanting；　on　ofeecial　beesiness。〃　He　requested　Sandy　to　ask　Glenormiston；　if　he　came　in；　to　come　over　to　the　Burgh　court　and　spier　for　Mr。　Traill。

〃It's　no'　his　day　to　sit　as　magistrate；　and　he's　no'　like　to　go　unless　it's　a　fair　sairious　matter。〃

〃Ay；　it　is；　laddie。　It's　a　matter　of　life　and　death；　I'm　thinking！〃　He　smiled　grimly；　as　it　entered　his　head　that　he　might　be　driven　to　do　violence　to　that　meddling　policeman。　The　yellow　gas…light　gave　his　face　such　a　sardonic　aspect　that　Sandy　turned　pale。

〃Wha's　death；　man？〃

Mr。　Traill　kept　his　own　counsel；　but　at　the　door　he　turned：　〃You'll　no'　be　remembering　the　bittie　terrier　that　lived　in　the　kirkyard？〃

The　light　of　boyhood　days　broke　in　Sandy's　grin。　〃Ay；　I'll　no'　be　forgetting　the　sonsie　tyke。　He　was　a　deil　of　a　dog　to　tak'　on　a　holiday。　Is　he　still　faithfu'　to　his　dead　master？〃

〃He　is　that；　and　for　his　faithfu'ness　he's　like　to　be　dead　himsel'。　The　police　are　takin'　up　masterless　dogs　an'　putting　them　out　o'　the　way。　I'll　mak'　a　gude　fight　for　Bobby　in　the　Burgh　court。〃

〃I'll　fight　with　you；　man。〃　The　spirit　of　the　McGregor　clan；　though　much　diluted　and　subdued　by　town　living；　brought　Sandy　down　from　a　three…legged　stool。　He　called　another　clerk　to　take　his　place；　and　made　off　to　find　the　Lord　Provost；　powerful　friend　of　hameless　dogs。　Mr。　Traill　hastened　down　to　the　Royal　Exchange；　below　St。　Giles　and　on　the　northern　side　of　High　Street。

Less　than　a　century　old；　this　municipal　building　was　modern　among　ancient　rookeries。　To　High　Street　it　presented　a　classic　front　of　four　stories；　recessed　by　flanking　wings；　around　three　sides　of　a　quadrangular　courtyard。　Near　the　entrance　there　was　a　row　of　barber　shops　and　coffee…rooms。　Any　one　having　business　with　the　city　offices　went　through　a　corridor　between　these　places　of　small　trade　to　the　stairway　court　behind　them。　On　the　floor　above；　one　had　to　inquire　of　some　uniformed　attendant　in　which　of　the　oaken；　ante…roomed　halls　the　Burgh　court　was　sitting。　And　by　the　time　one　got　there　all　the　pride　of　civic　history　of　the　ancient　royal　Burgh；　as　set　forth　in　portrait　and　statue　and　a　museum　of　antiquities；　was　apt　to　take　the　lime　out　of　the　backbone　of　a　man　less　courageous　than　Mr。　Traill。　What　a　car　of　juggernaut　to　roll　over　one；　small；　masterless　terrier！

But　presently　the　landlord　found　himself　on　his　feet；　and　not　so　ill　at　ease。　A　Scottish　court；　h