greyfriars bobby-第25节

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tak'n　Bobby　awa'　to　a　braw　kirk。〃

Sandy　nodded　his　head。　〃Ay；　that　would　be　the　police　office　in　St。　Giles。　Lassie；　tell　Mr。　Traill　I　sent　the　Lord　Provost；　and　if　he's　needing　a　witness　to　ca'　on　Sandy　McGregor。　〃

Ailie　stared　after　him　with　frightened　eyes。　Into　her　mind　flashed　that　ominous　remark　of　the　policeman　two　days　before：　〃I　didna　ken　ye　had　a　dog；　John？〃　She　overtook　Sandy　in　front　of　the　sheriff's　court　on　the　bridge。

〃Whatwhat　hae　the　police　to　do　wi'　bittie　dogs？〃

〃If　a　dog　has　nae　master　to　pay　for　his　license　the　police　can　tak'　him　up　and　put　him　out　o'　the　way。〃

〃Hoo　muckle　siller　are　they　wantin'？〃

〃Seven　shullings。　Gude　day；　lassie；　I'm　fair　late。〃　Sandy　was　not　really　alarmed　about　Bobby　since　the　resourceful　Mr。　Traill　had　taken　up　his　cause；　and　he　had　no　idea　of　the　panic　of　grief　and　fright　that　overwhelmed　this　forlorn　child。

Seven　shullings！　It　was　an　enormous　sum　to　the　tenement　bairn；　whose　half…blind　grandmither　knitted　and　knitted　in　a　dimly　lighted　room；　and　hoarded　halfpennies　and　farthings　to　save　herself　from　pauper　burial。　Seven　shullings　would　pay　a　month's　rent　for　any　one　of　the　crowded　rooms　in　which　a　family　lived。　Ailie　herself；　an　untrained　lassie　who　scarcely　knew　the　use　of　a　toasting…fork；　was　overpaid　by　generous　Mr。　Traill　at　sixpence　a　day。　Seven　shullings　to　permit　one　little　dog　to　live！　It　did　not　occur　to　Ailie　that　this　was　a　sum　Mr。　Traill　could　easily　pay。　No'　onybody　at　all　had　seven　shullings　all　at　once！　But；　oh！　everybody　had　pennies　and　halfpennies　and　farthings；　and　she　and　Tammy　together　had　a　sixpence。

Darting　back　to　the　gate；　to　catch　the　laddie　before　he　could　be　off　to　school；　she　ran　straight　into　the　policeman；　who　stood　with　his　hand　on　the　wicket。　He　eyed　her　sharply。

〃Eh；　lassie；　I　was　gangin'　to　spier　at　the　lodge；　gin　there's　a　bit　dog　leevin'　i'　the　kirkyaird。〃

〃IIdinna　ken。〃　Her　voice　was　unmanageable。　She　had　left　to　her　only　the　tenement…bred　instinct　of　concealment　of　any　and　all　facts　from　an　officer　of　the　law。

〃Ye　dinna　ken！　Maister　Traill　said　i'　the　coort　a'　the　bairns　aboot　kenned　the　dog。　Was　he　leein'？〃

The　question　stung　her　into　angry　admission。　〃He　wadna　be　leein'。　Butbutthe　bittiedogisna　here　noo。〃

〃Syne；　whaur　is　he？　Oot　wi'　it！〃

〃Idinnaken！〃　She　cowered　in　abject　fear　against　the　wall。　She　could　not　know　that　this　officer　was　suffering　a　bad　attack　of　shame　for　his　shabby　part　in　the　affair。　Satisfied　that　the　little　dog　really　did　live　in　the　kirkyard；　he　turned　back　to　the　bridge。　When　Tammy　came　out　presently　he　found　Ailie　crumpled　up　in　a　limp　little　heap　in　the　gateway　alcove。　In　a　moment　the　tale　of　Bobby's　peril　was　told。　The　laddie　dropped　his　books　and　his　crutches　on　the　pavement；　and　his　head　in　his　helpless　arms；　and　cried。　He　had　small　faith　in　Ailie's　suddenly　conceived　plan　to　collect　the　seven　shullings　among　the　dwellers　in　the　tenements。

〃Do　ye　ken　hoo　muckle　siller　seven　shullin's　wad　be？　It's　auchty…fower　pennies；　a　hundred　an'　saxty…aucht　ha'pennies　an'　an'I　canna　think　hoo　mony　farthings。〃

〃I　dinna　care　a　bittie　bit。　There's　mair　folk　aroond　the　kirkyaird　than　there's　farthings　i'　twa；　three　times　seven　shullin's。　An'　maist　ilka　body　kens　Bobby。　An'　we　hae　a　saxpence　atween　us　noo。〃

〃Maister　Brown　wad　gie　us　anither　saxpence　gin　he　had　ane；〃　Tammy　suggested；　wistfully。

〃Nae；　he's　fair　ill。　Gin　he　doesna　keep　canny　it　wull　gang　to　'is　heart。　He'd　be　aff　'is　heid；　aboot　Bobby。　Oh；　Tammy；　Maister　Traill　gaed　to　gie　'im　up！　He　was　wearin'　a'　'is　gude　claes　an'　a　lang　face；　to　gang　to　Bobby's　buryin'。〃

This　dreadful　thought　spurred　them　to　instant　action。　By　way　of　mutual　encouragement　they　went　together　through　the　sculptured　doorway；　that　bore　the　arms　of　the　ancient　guild　of　the　candlemakers　on　the　lintel；　and　into　the　carting　office　on　the　front。

〃Do　ye　ken　Greyfriars　Bobby？〃　Tammy　asked；　timidly；　of　the　man　in　charge。

He　glowered　at　the　laddie　and　shook　his　head。　〃Havers；　mannie；　there's　no'　onybody　named　for　an　auld　buryin'　groond。〃

The　children　fled。　There　was　no　use　at　all　in　wasting　time　on　folk　who　did　not　know　Bobby；　for　it　would　take　too　long　to　explain　him。　But；　alas；　they　soon　discovered　that　〃maist　ilka　body〃　did　not　know　the　little　dog；　as　they　had　so　confidently　supposed。　He　was　sure　to　be　known　only　in　the　rooms　at　the　rear　that　overlooked　the　kirkyard；　and；　as　one　went　upward；　his　identity　became　less　and　less　distinct。　He　was　such　a　wee；　wee；　canny　terrier；　and　so　many　of　the　windows　had　their　views　constantly　shut　out　by　washings。　Around　the　inner　courts；　where　unkempt　women　brought　every　sort　of　work　out　to　the　light　on　the　galleries　and　mended　worthless　rags；　gossiped；　and　nursed　their　babies　on　the　stairs；　Bobby　had　sometimes　been　heard　of；　but　almost　never　seen。　Children　often　knew　him　where　their　elders　did　not。　By　the　time　Ailie　and　Tammy　had　worked　swiftly　down。　to　the　bottom　of　the　Row　other　children　began　to　follow　them；　moved　by　the　peril　of　the　little　dog　to　sympathy　and　eager　sacrifice。

〃Bide　a　wee；　Ailie！〃　cried　one；　running　to　overtake　the　lassie。　〃Here's　a　penny。　I　was　gangin'　for　milk　for　the　porridge。　We　can　do　wi'oot　the　day。〃

And　there　was　the　money　for　the　broth　bone；　and　the　farthing　that　would　have　filled　the　gude…man's　evening　pipe；　and　the　ha'penny　for　the　grandmither's　tea。　It　was　the　world…over　story　of　the　poor　helping　the　poor。　The　progress　of　Ailie　and　Tammy　through　the　tenements　was　like　that　of　the　piper　through　Hamelin。　The　children　gathered　and　gathered；　and　followed　at　their　heels；　until　a　curiously　quiet　mob　of　threescore　or　more　crouched　in　the　court　of　the　old　hall　of　the　Knights　of　St。　John；　in　the　Grassmarket；　to　count　the　many　copper　coins　in　Tammy's　woolen　bonnet。

〃Five　shullin's；　ninepence；　an'　a　ha'penny；〃　Tammy　announced。　And　then；　after　calculation　on　his　fingers；　〃It'll　tak'　a　shullin'　an'　twapenny　ha'penny　mair。〃

There　was　a　gasping　breath　of　bitter　disappointment；　and　one　wee　laddie　wailed　for　lost　Bobby。　At　that　Ailie　dashed　the　tears　from　her　own　eyes　and　sprang　up；　spurred　to　desperate　effort。　She　would　storm　the　all　but　hopeless　attic　chambers。　Up　the　twisting　turnpike　stairs　on　the　outer　wall　she　ran；　to　where　the　swallows　wheeled　about　the　cornices；　and　she　could　hear　the　iron　cross　of　the　Knights　Templars　creak　above　the　gable。　Then；　all　the　way　along　a　dark　passage；　at　one　door　after　another；　she　knocked；　and　cried；

〃Do　ye　ken　Greyfriars　Bobby？〃

At　some　of　the　doors　there　was　no　answer。　At　others　students　stared　out　at　the　bairn；　not　in　the　least　comprehending　this　wild　crying。　Tears　of　anger　and　despair　flooded　the　little　maid's　blue　eyes　when　she　beat　on　the　last　door　of　the　row　with　her　doubled　fist。

〃Do　ye　ken　Greyfriars　Bobby？　The　police　are　gangin'　to　mak'　'im　be　deid〃　As　the　door　was　flung　open　she　broke　into　stormy　weeping。

〃Hey；　lassie。　I　know　the　dog。　What　fashes　you？〃

There　stood　a　tall　student；　a　wet　towel　about　his　head；　and；　behind　him；　the　rafters　of　the　dormer…lighted　closet　were　as　thickly　hung　with　bunches　of　dried　herbs　from　the　Botanical　Garden　as　any　auld　witch　wife's　kitchen。

〃Oh；　are　ye　kennin'　'im？　Isna　he　bonny　an'　sonsie？　Gie　me　the　shullin'　an'　twapenny　ha'　penny　we're　needin'；　so　the　police　wullna　put　'im　awa'。〃

〃Losh！　It's　a　license　you're　wanting？　I　wish　I　had　as　many　shullings　as　I've　had　gude　times　with　Bobby；　and　naething　to　pay　for　his　braw　company。〃

For　this　was　Geordie　Ross；　going　through　the　Medical　College　with　the　help　of　Heriot's　fund　that；　large　as　it　was；　was　never　quite　enough　for　all　the　poor　and　ambitious　youths　of　Edinburgh。　And　so；　although　provided　for　in　all　necessary　ways；　his　pockets　were　nearly　as　empty　as　of　old。　He　could　spare　a　sixpence　if　he　made　his　dinner　on　a　potato　and　a　smoked　herring。　That　he　was　very　willing　to　do；　once　he　had　heard　the　tale；　and　he　went　with　Ailie　to　the　lodgings　of　other　students；　and　demanded　their　siller　with　no　explanation　at　all。

〃Give　the　lassie　what　you　can　spare；　man；　or　I'll　have　to　give　you　a　licking；〃　was　his　gay　and　convincing　argument；　from　door　to　door；　until　the　needed　amount　was　made　up。　Ailie　fled　recklessly　down　the　stairs；　and　cried　triumphantly　to　the　upward…looking；　silent　crowd　that　had　grown　and　grown　around　Tammy；　like　some　host　of　children　crusaders。

While　Ailie　and　Tammy　were　collecting　the　price　of　his　ransom　Bobby　was　exploring　the　intricately　cut…up　interior　of　old　St。　Giles；　sniffing　at　the　rifts　in　flimsily　plastered　partitions　that　the　Lord　Provost　pointed　out　to　Mr。　Traill。　Rats　were　in　those　crumbling　walls。　If　there　had　been　a　hole　big　enough　to　admit　him；　the　plucky　little　dog　would　have　gone　in　after　them。　Forbidden　to　enlarge　one；　Bobby　could　only　poke　his　indignant　muzzle　into　apertures；　and　brace　himself　as　for　a　fray。　And；　at　the　very　smell　of　him；　there　were　such　squeakings　and　scamperings　in　hidden　runways　as　to　be　almost　beyond　a　terrier's　endurance。　The　Lord　Provost　watched　him　with　an　approving　eye。

〃When　these　partitions　are　tak'n　down　Bobby　would　be　vera　useful　in　ridding　our　noble　old　cathedral　of　vermin。　But　that　will　not　be　in　this　wee　Highlander's　day　nor；　I　fear；　in　mine。〃　About　the　speech　of　this　Peebles　man；