greyfriars bobby-第27节
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Old Town's ancient slums； and feeling； in his own person； the civic shame of it。 And he was thinking； thinking； that he must hasten that other project nearest his heart； of knocking holes in solid rows of foul cliffs； in the Cowgate； on High Street； and around Greyfriars。 It was an incredible thing that such a flower of affection should have bloomed so sweetly in such sunless cells。 And it was a new gospel； at that time； that a dog or a horse or a bird might have its mission in this world of making people kinder and happier。
They were all down on the floor； in the space before the altar； unwashed； uncombed； unconscious of the dirty rags that scarce covered them； quite happy and self…forgetful in the charming friskings and friendly lollings of the well…fed； carefully groomed； beautiful little dog。 Ailie； still so excited that she forgot to be shy； put Bobby through his pretty tricks。 He rolled over and over； he jumped； he danced to Tammy's whistling of 〃Bonnie Dundee；〃 he walked on his hind legs and louped at a bonnet； he begged； he lifted his short shagged paw and shook hands。 Then he sniffed at the heap of coins； looked up inquiringly at Mr。 Traill； and； concluding that here was some property to be guarded； stood by the 〃siller〃 as stanchly as a soldier。 It was just pure pleasure to watch him。
Very suddenly the Lord Provost changed his mind。 A sacred kirk was the very best place of all to settle this little dog's affairs。 The offering of these children could not be refused。 It should lie there； below the altar； and be consecrated to some other blessed work； and he would do now and here what he had meant to do elsewhere and in a quite different way。 He lifted Bobby to the pulpit so that all might see him； and he spoke so that all might understand。
〃Are ye kennin' what it is to gie the freedom o' the toon to grand folk？〃
〃It'sit's when the bonny Queen comes an' ye gie her the keys to the burgh gates that are no' here ony mair。〃 Tammy； being in Heriot's； was a laddie of learning。
〃Weel done； laddie。 Lang syne there was a wa' aroond Edinburgh wi' gates in it。〃 Oh yes； all these bairnies knew that； and the fragment of it that was still to be seen outside and above the Grassmarket； with its sentry tower by the old west port。 〃Gin a fey king or ither grand veesitor cam'； the Laird Provost an' the maigestrates gied 'im the keys so he could gang in an' oot at 'is pleesure。 The wa's are a' doon noo； an' the gates no' here ony mair； but we hae the keys； an' we mak' a show o' gien' 'em to veesitors wha are vera grand or wise or gude； or juist usefu' by the ordinar'。〃
〃Maister Gladstane；〃 said Tammy。
〃Ay； we honor the Queen's meenisters； an' Miss Nightingale； wha nursed the soldiers i' the war； an' Leddy Burdett…Coutts； wha gies a' her siller an' a' her heart to puir folk an' is aye kind to horses and dogs an' singin' birdies； an' we gie the keys to heroes o' the war wha are brave an' faithfu'。 An' noo； there's a wee bit beastie。 He's weel…behavin'； an' isna makin' a blatterin' i' an auld kirkyaird。 He aye minds what he's bidden to do。 He's cheerfu' an' busy； keepin' the proolin' pussies an' vermin frae the sma' birdies i' the nests。 He mak's friends o' ilka body； an' he's faithfu'。 For a deid man he lo'ed he's gaun hungry； an' he hasna forgotten 'im or left 'im by 'is lane at nicht for mair years than some o' ye are auld。 An' gin ye find 'im lyin' canny； an' ye tak' a keek into 'is bonny brown een； ye can see he's aye greetin'。 An' so； ye didna ken why； but ye a' lo'ed the lanely wee〃
〃Bobby！〃 It was an excited breath of a word from the wide…eyed bairns。
〃Bobby！ Havers！ A bittie dog wadna ken what to do wi' keys。〃
But Glenormiston was smiling； and these sharp witted slum bairns exchanged knowing glances。 〃Whaur's that sma'？〃 He dived into this pocket and that； making a great pretense of searching； until he found a narrow band of new leather； with holes in one end and a stout buckle on the other； and riveted fast in the middle of it was a shining brass plate。 Tammy read the inscription aloud：
GREYFRIARS BOBBY
FROM THE LORD PROVOST
1867 Licensed
The wonderful collar was passed from hand to hand in awed silence。 The children stared and stared at this white…haired and bearded man； who 〃wasna grand ava；〃 but who talked to them as simply and kindly as a grandfaither。 He went right on talking to them in his homely way to put them at their ease； telling them that nobody at all； not even the bonny Queen； could be more than kind and well…behaving and faithful to duty。 Wee Bobby was all that； and so 〃Gin dizzens an' dizzens o' bairns war kennin' 'im； an' wad fetch seven shullin's i' their ha'pennies to a kirk； they could buy the richt for the braw doggie to be leevin'； the care o' them a'； i' the auld kirkyaird o' Greyfriars。 An' he maun hae the collar so the police wull ken 'im an' no' ever tak' 'im up for a puir； gaen…aboot dog。〃
The children quite understood the responsibility they assumed； and their eyes shone with pride at the feeling that； if more fortunate friends failed； this little creature must never be allowed to go hungry。 And when he came to dieoh； in a very； very few years； for they must remember that 〃a doggie isna as lang…leevin' as folk〃they must not forget that Bobby would not be permitted to be buried in the kirkyard。
〃We'll gie 'im a grand buryin'；〃 said Tammy。 〃We'll find a green brae by a babblin' burn aneath a snawy hawthorn； whaur the throstle sings an' the blackbird whustles。〃 For the crippled laddie had never forgotten Mr。 Traill's description of a proper picnic； and that must； indeed； be a wee dog's heaven。
〃Ay； that wull do fair weel。〃 The collar had come back to him by this time； and the Lord Provost buckled it securely about Bobby's neck。
X。
The music of bagpipe； fife and drum brought them all out of Haddo's Hole into High Street。 It was the hour of the morning drill； and the soldiers were marching out of the Castle。 From the front of St。 Giles； that jutted into the steep thoroughfare； they could look up to where the street widened to the esplanade on Castle Hill。 Rank after rank of scarlet coats； swinging kilts and sporrans； and plumed bonnets appeared。 The sun flashed back from rifle barrels and bayonets and from countless bright buttons。
A number of the older laddies ran up the climbing street。 Mr。 Traill called Bobby back and； with a last grip of Glenormiston's hand； set off across the bridge。 To the landlord the world seemed a brave place to be living in； the fabric of earth and sky and human society to be woven of kindness。 Having urgent business of buying supplies in the markets at Broughton and Lauriston； Mr。 Traill put Bobby inside the kirkyard gate and hurried away to get into his everyday clothing。 After dinner； or tea； he promised himself the pleasure of an hour at the lodge； to tell Mr。 Brown the wonderful news； and to show him Bobby's braw collar。
When； finally； he was left alone； Bobby trotted around the kirk； to assure himself that Auld Jock's grave was unmolested。 There he turned on his back； squirmed and rocked on the crocuses； and tugged at the unaccustomed collar。 His inverted struggles； low growlings and furry contortions set the wrens to scolding and the redbreasts to making nervous inquiries。 Much nestbuilding； tuneful courtship； and masculine blustering was going on； and there was little police duty for Bobby。 After a time he sat up on the table…tomb； pensively。 With Mr。 Brown confined； to the lodge； and Mistress Jeanie in close attendance upon him there； the kirkyard was a lonely place for a sociable little dog； and a soft； spring day given over to brooding beside a beloved grave； was quite too heart…breaking a thing to contemplate。 Just for cheerful occupation Bobby had another tussle with the collar。 He pulled it so far under his thatch that no one could have guessed that he had a collar on at all； when he suddenly righted himself and scampered away to the gate。
The music grew louder and came nearer。 The first of the route…marching that the Castle garrison practiced on occasional； bright spring mornings was always a delightful surprise to the small boys and dogs of Edinburgh。 Usually the soldiers went down High Street and out to Portobello on the sea。 But a regiment of tough and wiry Highlanders often took； by preference； the mounting road to the Pentlands to get a whiff of heather in their nostrils。
On they came； band playing； colors flying； feet moving in unison with a march； across the viaduct bridge into Greyfriars Place。 Bobby was up on the wicket； his small； energetic body quivering with excitement from his muzzle to his tail。 If Mr。 Traill had been there he would surely have caught the infection； thrown care to this sweet April breeze for once； and taken the wee terrier for a run on the Pentland braes。 The temptation was going by when a preoccupied lady； with a sheaf of Easter lilies on her sable arm； opened the wicket。 Her ample Victorian skirts swept right over the little dog； and when he emerged there was the gate slightly ajar。 Widening the aperture with nose and paws； Bobby was off； skirmishing at large on the rear and flanks of the troops； down the Burghmuir。
It may never have happened； in the years
