greyfriars bobby-第26节

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ll　not　be　in　this　wee　Highlander's　day　nor；　I　fear；　in　mine。〃　About　the　speech　of　this　Peebles　man；　who　had　risen　from　poverty　to　distinction；　learning；　wealth；　and　many　varieties　of　usefulness；　there　was　still　an　engaging　burr。　And　his　manner　was　so　simple　that　he　put　the　humblest　at　his　ease。

There　had　been　no　formality　about　the　meeting　at　all。　Glenormiston　was　standing　in　a　rear　doorway　of　the　cathedral　near　the　Regent's　Tomb；　looking　out　into　the　sunny　square　of　Parliament　Close；　when　Mr。　Traill　and　Bobby　appeared。　Near　seventy；　at　that　time；　a　backward　sweep　of　white　hair　and　a　downward　flow　of　square…cut；　white　beard　framed　a　boldly　featured　face　and　left　a　generous　mouth　uncovered。

〃Gude　morning；　Mr。　Traill。　So　that　is　the　famous　dog　that　has　stood　sentinel　for　more　than　eight　years。　He　should　be　tak'n　up　to　the　Castle　and　shown　to　young　soldiers　who　grumble　at　twenty…four　hours'　guard　duty。　　How　do　you　do；　sir！〃　The　great　man；　whom　the　Queen　knighted　later；　and　whom　the　University　he　was　too　poor　to　attend　as　a　lad　honored　with　a　degree；　stooped　from　the　Regent's　Tomb　and　shook　Bobby's　lifted　paw　with　grave　courtesy。　Then；　leaving　the　little　dog　to　entertain　himself；　he　turned　easily　to　his　own　most　absorbing　interest　of　the　moment。

〃Do　you　happen　to　care　for　Edinburgh　antiquities；　Mr。　Traill？　Reformation　piety　made　sad　havoc　of　art　everywhere。　Man；　come　here！〃

Down　into　the　lime　dust　the　Lord　Provost　and　the　landlord　went；　in　their　good　black　clothes；　for　a　glimpse　of　a　bit　of　sculpturing　on　a　tomb　that　had　been　walled　in　to　make　a　passage。　A　loose　brick　removed；　behind　and　above　it；　the　sun　flashed　through　fragments　of　emerald　and　ruby　glass　of　a　saint's　robe；　in　a　bricked　up　window。　Such　buried　and　forgotten　treasure；　Glenormiston　explained；　filled　the　entire　south　transept。　In　the　High　Kirk；　that　then　filled　the　eastern　end　of　the　cathedral；　they　went　up　a　cheap　wooden　stairway；　to　the　pew…filled　gallery　that　was　built　into　the　old　choir；　and　sat　down。　Mr。　Traill's　eyes　sparkled。　Glenormiston　was　a　man　after　his　own　heart；　and　they　were　getting　along　famously；　but；　oh！　it　began　to　seem　more　and　more　unlikely　that　a　Lord　Provost；　who　was　concerned　about　such　braw　things　as　the　restoration　of　the　old　cathedral　and　letting　the　sun　into　the　ancient　tenements；　should　be　much　interested　in　a　small；　masterless　dog。

〃Man；　auld　John　Knox　will　turn　over　in　his　bit　grave　in　Parliament　Close　if　you　put　a　'kist　o'　whustles'　in　St。　Giles。〃　Mr。　Traill　laughed。

〃I　admit　I　might　have　stopped　short　of　the　organ　but　for　the　courageous　example　of　Doctor　Lee　in　Greyfriars。　It　was　from　him　that　I　had　a　quite　extravagant　account　of　this　wee；　leal　Highlander　a　few　years　ago。　I　have　aye　meant　to　go　to　see　him；　but　I'm　a　busy　man　and　the　matter　passed　out　of　mind。　Mr。　Traill；　I'm　your　sadly　needed　witness：　I　heard　you　from　the　doorway　of　the　court…room；　and　I　sent　up　a　note　confirming　your　story　and　asking；　as　a　courtesy；　that　the　case　be　turned　over　to　me　for　some　exceptional　disposal。　Would　you　mind　telling　another　man　the　tale　that　so　moved　Doctor　Lee？　I've　aye　had　a　fondness　for　the　human　document。〃

So　there；　above　the　pulpit　of　the　High　Kirk　of　St。　Giles；　the　tale　was　told　again；　so　strangely　did　this　little　dog's　life　come　to　be　linked　with　the　highest　and　lowest；　the　proudest　and　humblest　in　the　Scottish　capital。　Now；　at　mention　of　Auld　Jock；　Bobby　put　his　shagged　paws　up　inquiringly　on　the　edge　of　the　pew；　so　that　Mr。　Traill　lifted　him。　He　lay　down　flat　between　the　two　men；　with　his　nose　on　his　paws；　and　his　little　tousled　head　under　the　Lord　Provost's　hand。

Auld　Jock　lived　again　in　that　recital。　Glenormiston；　coming　from　the　country　of　the　Ettrick　shepherd；　knew　such　lonely　figures；　and　the　pathos　of　old　age　and　waning　powers　that　drove　them　in　to　the　poor　quarters　of　towns。　There　was　pictured　the　stormy　night　and　the　simple　old　man　who　sought　food　and　shelter；　with　the　devoted　little　dog　that　〃wasna　'is　ain。〃　Sick　unto　death　he　was；　and　full　of　ignorant　prejudices　and　fears　that　needed　wise　handling。　And　there　was　the　well…meaning　landlord's　blunder；　humbly　confessed；　and　the　obscure　and　tragic　result　of　it；　in　a　foul　and　swarming　rookery　〃juist　aff　the　Coogate。〃

〃Man；　it　was　Bobby　that　told　me　of　his　master's　condition。　He　begged　me　to　help　Auld　Jock；　and　what　did　I　do　but　let　my　fule　tongue　wag　about　doctors。　I　nae　more　than　turned　my　back　than　the　auld　body　was　awa'　to　his　meeserable　death。　It　has　aye　eased　my　conscience　a　bit　to　feed　the　dog。〃

〃That's　not　the　only　reason　why　you　have　fed　him。〃　There　was　a　twinkle　in　the　Lord　Provost's　eye；　and　Mr。　Traill　blushed。

〃Weel；　I'll　admit　to　you　that　I'm　fair　fulish　about　Bobby。　Man；　I've　courted　that　sma'　terrier　for　eight　and　a　half　years。　He's　as　polite　and　friendly　as　the　deil；　but　he'll　have　naething　to　do　with　me　or　with　onybody。　I　wonder　the　intelligent　bit　doesn't　bite　me　for　the　ill　turn　I　did　his　master。〃

Then　there　was　the　story　of　Bobby's　devotion　to　Auld　Jock's　memory　to　be　toldthe　days　when　he　faced　starvation　rather　than　desert　that　grave；　the　days　when　he　lay　cramped　under　the　fallen　table…tomb；　and　his　repeated；　dramatic　escapes　from　the　Pentland　farm。　His　never　broken　silence　in　the　kirkyard　was　only　to　be　explained　by　the　unforgotten　orders　of　his　dead　master。　His　intelligent　effort　to　make　himself　useful　to　the　caretaker　had　won　indulgence。　His　ready　obedience；　good　temper；　high　spirits　and　friendliness　had　made　him　the　special　pet　of　the　tenement　children　and　the　Heriot　laddies。　At　the　very　last　Mr。　Traill　repeated　the　talk　he　had　had　with　the　non…commissioned　officer　from　the　Castle；　and　confessed　his　own　fear　of　some　forlorn　end　for　Bobby。　It　was　true　he　was　nobody's　dog；　and　he　was　fascinated　by　soldiers　and　military　music；　and　so；　perhaps

〃I'll　no'　be　reconciled　to　partingEh；　man；　that's　what　Auld　Jock　himsel'　said　when　he　was　telling　me　that　the　bit　dog　must　be　returned　to　the　sheep…farm：　'It　wull　be　sair　partin'。'〃　Tears　stood　in　the　unashamed　landlord's　eyes。

Glenormiston　was　pulling　Bobby's　silkily　fringed　ears　thoughtfully。　Through　all　this　talk　about　his　dead　master　the　little　dog　had　not　stirred。　For　the　second　time　that　day　Bobby's　veil　was　pushed　back；　first　by　the　most　unfortunate　laddie　in　the　decaying　tenements　about　Greyfriars；　and　now　by　the　Lord　Provost　of　the　ancient　royal　burgh　and　capital　of　Scotland。　And　both　made　the　same　discovery。　Deep…brown　pools　of　love；　young　Bobby's　eyes　had　dwelt　upon　Auld　Jock。　Pools　of　sad　memories　they　were　now；　looking　out　wistfully　and　patiently　upon　a　masterless　world。

〃Are　you　thinking　he　would　be　reconciled　to　be　anywhere　away　from　that　grave？　Look；　man！〃

〃Lord　forgive　me！　I　aye　thought　the　wee　doggie　happy　enough。〃

After　a　moment　the　two　men　went　down　the　gallery　stairs　in　silence。　Bobby　dropped　from　the　bench　and　fell　into　a　subdued　trot　at　their　heels。　As　they　left　the　cathedral　by　the　door　that　led　into　High　Street　Glenormiston　remarked；　with　a　mysterious　smile：

〃I'm　thinking　Edinburgh　can　do　better　by　wee　Bobby　than　to　banish　him　to　the　Castle。　But　wait　a　bit；　man。　A　kirk　is　not　the　place　for　settling　a　small　dog's　affairs。〃

The　Lord　Provost　led　the　way　westward　along　the　cathedral's　front。　On　High　Street；　St。　Giles　had　three　doorways。　The　middle　door　then　gave　admittance　to　the　police　office；　the　western　opened　into　the　Little　Kirk；　popularly　known　as　Haddo's　Hole。　It　was　into　this　bare；　whitewashed　chapel　that　Glenormiston　turned　to　get　some　restoration　drawings　he　had　left　on　the　pulpit。　He　was　explaining　them　to　Mr。　Traill　when　he　was　interrupted　by　a　murmur　and　a　shuffle；　as　of　many　voices　and　feet；　and　an　odd　tap…tap…tapping　in　the　vestibule。

Of　all　the　doorways　on　the　north　and　south　fronts　of　St。　Giles　the　one　to　the　Little　Kirk　was　nearest　the　end　of　George　IV　Bridge。　Confused　by　the　vast　size　and　imposing　architecture　of　the　old　cathedral；　these　slum　children；　in　search　of　the　police　office；　went　no　farther；　but　ventured　timidly　into　the　open　vestibule　of　Haddo's　Hole。　Any　doubts　they　might　have　had　about　this　being　the　right　place　were　soon　dispelled。　Bobby　heard　them　and　darted　out　to　investigate。　And　suddenly　they　were　all　inside；　overwrought　Ailie　on　the　floor；　clasping　the　little　dog　and　crying　hysterically。

〃Bobby's　no'　deid！　Bobby's　no'　deid！　Oh；　Maister　Traill；　ye　wullna　hae　to　gie　'im　up　to　the　police！　Tammy's　got　the　seven　shullin's　in　'is　bonnet！〃

And　there　was　small　Tammy；　crutches　dropped　and　pouring　that　offering　of　love　and　mercy　out　at　the　foot　of　an　altar　in　old　St。　Giles。　Such　an　astonishing　pile　of　copper　coins　it　was；　that　it　looked　to　the　landlord　like　the　loot　of　some　shopkeeper's　change　drawer。

〃Eh；　puir　laddie；　whaur　did　ye　get　it　a'　noo？〃　he　asked；　gravely。

Tammy　was　very　self…possessed　and　proud。　〃The　bairnies　aroond　the　kirkyaird　gie'd　it　to　pay　the　police　no'　to　mak'　Bobby　be　deid。〃

Mr。　Traill　flashed　a　glance　at　Glenormiston。　It　was　a　look　at　once　of　triumph　and　of　humility　over　the　Herculean　deed　of　these　disinherited　children。　But　the　Lord　Provost　was　gazing　at　that　crowd　of　pale　bairns；　products　of　the　Old　Town's　ancient　slums；　and　feeling；　in　his　own　person；　the　civic　shame　of　it。　And　he　was　thinkin