greyfriars bobby-第8节

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All　night　Auld　Jock　was　〃aff　'is　heid。〃　When　he　muttered　in　his　sleep　or　cried　out　in　the　delirium　of　fever；　the　little　dog　put　his　paws　upon　the　bed…rail。　He　scratched　on　it　and　begged　to　be　lifted　to　where　he　could　comfort　his　master；　for　the　shelf　was　set　too　high　for　him　to　climb　into　the　bed。　Unable　to　get　his　master's　attention；　he　licked　the　hot　hand　that　hung　over　the　side。　Auld　Jock　lay　still　at　last；　not　coughing　any　more；　but　breathing　rapid；　shallow　breaths。　Just　at　dawn　he　turned　his　head　and　gazed　in　bewilderment　at　the　alert　and　troubled　little　creature　that　was　instantly　upon　the　rail。　After　a　long　time　he　recognized　the　dog　and　patted　the　shaggy　little　head。　Feeling　around　the　bed；　he　found　the　other　bun　and　dropped　it　on　the　floor。　Presently　he　said；　between　strangled　breaths：

〃PuirBobby！　Gangawa'hameladdie。〃

After　that　it　was　suddenly　very　still　in　the　brightening　room。　Bobby　gazed　and　gazed　at　his　masterone　long；　heartbroken　look；　then　dropped　to　all　fours　and　stood　trembling。　Without　another　look　he　stretched　himself　upon　the　hearthstone　below　the　bed。

Morning　and　evening　footsteps　went　down　and　came　up　on　the　stairs。　Throughout　the　daythe　babel　of　crowded　tenement　strife；　the　crying　of　fishwives　and　fagot…venders　in　the　court；　the　striking　of　the　hours；　the　boom　of　the　time　gun　and　sweet　clamor　of　music　bells；　the　failing　of　the　light　and　the　soaring　note　of　the　buglehe　watched　motionless　beside　his　master。

Very　late　at　night　shuffling　footsteps　came　up　the　stairs。　The　〃auld　wifie〃　kept　a　sharp　eye　on　the　comings　and　goings　of　her　lodgers。　It　was　〃no'　canny〃　that　this　old　man；　with　a　cauld　in　his　chest；　had　gone　up　full　two　days　before　and　had　not　come　down　again。　To　bitter　complaints　of　his　coughing　and　of　his　strange　talking　to　himself　she　gave　scant　attention；　but　foul　play　was　done　often　enough　in　these　dens　to　make　her　uneasy。　She　had　no　desire　to　have　the　Burgh　police　coming　about　and　interfering　with　her　business。　She　knocked　sharply　on　the　door　and　called：

〃Auld　Jock！〃

Bobby　trotted　over　to　the　door　and　stood　looking　at　it。　In　such　a　strait　he　would　naturally　have　welcomed　the　visitor；　scratching　on　the　panel；　and　crying　to　any　human　body　without　to　come　in　and　see　what　had　befallen　his　master。　But　Auld　Jock　had　bade　him　〃haud　'is　gab〃　there；　as　in　Greyfriars　kirkyard。　So　he　held　to　loyal　silence；　although　the　knocking　and　shaking　of　the　latch　was　insistent　and　the　lodgers　were　astir。　The　voice　of　the　old　woman　was　shrill　with　alarm。

〃Auld　Jock；　can　ye　no'　wauken？〃　And；　after　a　moment；　in　which　the　unlatched　casement　window　within　could　be　heard　creaking　on　its　hinges　in　the　chill　breeze；　there　was　a　hushed　and　frightened　question：

〃Are　ye　deid？〃

The　footsteps　fled　down　the　stairs；　and　Bobby　was　left　to　watch　through　the　long　hours　of　darkness。

Very　early　in　the　morning　the　flimsy　door　was　quietly　forced　by　authority。　The　first　man　who　enteredan　officer　of　the　Crown　from　the　sheriff's　court　on　the　bridgetook　off　his　hat　to　the　majesty　that　dominated　that　bare　cell。　The　Cowgate　region　presented　many　a　startling　contrast；　but　such　a　one　as　this　must　seldom　have　been　seen。　The　classic　fireplace；　and　the　motionless　figure　and　peaceful　face　of　the　pious　old　shepherd　within　it；　had　the　dignity　and　beauty　of　some　monumental　tomb　and　carved　effigy　in　old　Greyfriars　kirkyard。　Only　less　strange　was　the　contrast　between　the　marks　of　poverty　and　toil　on　the　dead　man　and　the　dainty　grace　of　the　little　fluff　of　a　dog　that　mourned　him。

No　such　men　as　theseofficers　of　her　Majesty　the　Queen；　Burgh　policemen；　and　learned　doctors　from　the　Royal　Infirmaryhad　ever　been　aware　of　Auld　Jock；　living。　Dead；　and　no'　needing　them　any　more；　they　stood　guard　over　him；　and　inquired　sternly　as　to　the　manner　in　which　he　had　died。　There　was　a　hysterical　breath　of　relief　from　the　crowd　of　lodgers　and　tenants　when　the　little　pile　of　coins　was　found　on　the　Bible。　There　had　been　no　foul　play。　Auld　Jock　had　died　of　heart　failure；　from　pneumonia　and　wornout　old　age。

〃There's　eneugh；〃　a　Burgh　policeman　said　when　the　money　was　counted。　He　meant　much　the　same　thing　Auld　Jock　himself　had　meant。　There　was　enough　to　save　him　from　the　last　indignity　a　life　of　useful　labor　can　thrust　upon　the　honest　poorpauper　burial。　But　when　inquiries　were　made　for　the　name　and　the　friends　of　this　old　man　there　appeared　to　be　only　〃Auld　Jock〃　to　enter　into　the　record；　and　a　little　dog　to　follow　the　body　to　the　grave。　It　was　a　Bible　reader　who　chanced　to　come　in　from　the　Medical　Mission　in　the　Cowgate　who　thought　to　look　in　the　fly…leaf　of　Auld　Jock's　Bible。

〃His　name　is　John　Gray。〃

He　laid　the　worn　little　book　on　Auld　Jock's　breast　and　crossed　the　work…scarred　hands　upon　it。　〃It's　something　by　the　ordinar'　to　find　a　gude　auld　country　body　in　such　a　foul　place。〃　He　stooped　and　patted　Bobby；　and　noted　the　bun；　untouched；　upon　the　floor。　Turning　to　a　wild　elf　of　a　barefooted　child　in　the　crowd　he　spoke　to　her。　〃Would　you　share　your　gude　brose　with　the　bit　dog；　lassie？〃

She　darted　down　the　stairs；　and　presently　returned　with　her　own　scanty　bowl　of　breakfast　porridge。　Bobby　refused　the　food；　but　he　looked　at　her　so　mournfully　that　the　first　tears　of　pity　her　unchildlike　eyes　had　ever　shed　welled　up。　She　put　out　her　hand　timidly　and　stroked　him。

It　was　just　before　the　report　of　the　time…gun　that　two　policemen　cleared　the　stairs；　shrouded　Auld　Jock　in　his　own　greatcoat　and　plaid；　and　carried　him　down　to　the　court。　There　they　laid　him　in　a　plain　box　of　white　deal　that　stood　on　the　pavement；　closed　it；　and　went　away　down　the　wynd　on　a　necessary　errand。　The　Bible…　reader　sat　on　an　empty　beer　keg　to　guard　the　box；　and　Bobby　climbed　on　the　top　and　stretched　himself　above　his　master。　The　court　was　a　well；　more　than　a　hundred　feet　deep　What　sky　might　have　been　visible　above　it　was　hidden　by　tier　above　tier　of　dingy；　tattered　washings。　The　stairway　filled　again；　and　throngs　of　outcasts　of　every　sort　went　about　their　squalid　businesses；　with　only　a　curious　glance　or　so　at　the　pathetic　group。

Presently　the　policemen　returned　from　the　Cowgate　with　a　motley　assortment　of　pallbearers。　There　was　a　good…tempered　Irish　laborer　from　a　near…by　brewery；　a　decayed　gentleman；　unsteady　of　gait　and　blear…eyed；　in　greasy　frock…coat　and　broken　hat；　a　flashily　dressed　bartender　who　found　the　task　distasteful；　a　stout；　bent…backed　fagot…carrier；　a　drunken　fisherman　from　New　Haven；　suddenly　sobered　by　this　uncanny　duty；　and　a　furtive；　gaol…bleached　thief　who　feared　a　trap　and　tried　to　escape。

Tailed　by　scuffling　gamins；　the　strange　little　procession　moved　quickly　down　the　wynd　and　turned　into　the　roaring　Cowgate。　The　policemen　went　before　to　force　a　passage　through　the　press。　The　Bible…reader　followed　the　box；　and　Bobby；　head　and　tail　down；　trotted　unnoticed；　beneath　it。　The　humble　funeral　train　passed　under　a　bridge　arch　into　the　empty　Grassmarket；　and　went　up　Candlemakers　Row　to　the　kirkyard　gate。　Such　as　Auld　Jock；　now；　by　unnumbered　thousands；　were　coming　to　lie　among　the　grand　and　great；　laird　and　leddy；　poet　and　prophet；　persecutor　and　martyr；　in　the　piled…up；　historic　burying…ground　of　old　Greyfriars。

By　a　gesture　the　caretaker　directed　the　bearers　to　the　right；　past　the　church；　and　on　down　the　crowded　slope　to　the　north；　that　was　circled　about　by　the　backs　of　the　tenements　in　the　Grassmarket　and　Candlemakers　Row。　The　box　was　lowered　at　once；　and　the　pall…bearers　hastily　departed　to　delayed　dinners。　The　policemen　had　urgent　duties　elsewhere。　Only　the　Bible　reader　remained　to　see　the　grave　partly　filled　in；　and　to　try　to　persuade　Bobby　to　go　away　with　him。　But　the　little　dog　resisted　with　such　piteous　struggles　that　the　man　put　him　down　again。　The　grave　digger　leaned　on　his　spade　for　a　bit　of　professional　talk。

〃Many　a　dog　gangs　daft　an'　greets　like　a　human　body　when　his　maister　dees。　They're　aye　put　oot；　a　time　or　twa；　an'　they　gang　to　folic　that　ken　them；　an'　syne　they　tak'　to　ithers。　Dinna　fash　yersel'　aboot　'im。　He　wullna　greet　lang。〃

Since　Bobby　would　not　go；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　leave　him　there；　but　it　was　with　many　a　backward　look　and　disturbing　doubt　that　the　good　man　turned　away。　The　grave…digger　finished　his　task　cheerfully；　shouldered　his　tools；　and　left　the　kirkyard。　The　early　dark　was　coming　on　when　the　caretaker；　in　making　his　last　rounds；　found　the　little　terrier　flattened　out　on　the　new…made　mound。

〃Gang　awa'　oot！〃　he　ordered。　Bobby　looked　up　pleadingly　and　trembled；　but　he　made　no　motion　to　obey。　James　Brown　was　not　an　unfeeling　man；　and　he　was　but　doing　his　duty。　From　an　impulse　of　pity　for　this　bonny　wee　bit　of　loyalty　and　grief　he　picked　Bobby　up；　carried　him　all　the　way　to　the　gate　and　set　him　over　the　wicket　on　the　pavement。

〃Gang　awa'　hame；　noo；　〃　he　said；　kindly。　〃A　kirkya'rd　isna　a　place　for　a　bit　dog　to　be　leevin'。〃

Bobby　lay　where　he　had　been　dropped　until　the　caretaker　was　out　of　sight。　Then；　finding　the　aperture　under　the　gate　too　small　for　him　to　squeeze　through；　he　tried；　in　his　ancestral　way；　to　enlarge　it　by　digging。　He　scratched　and　scratched　at　the　unyielding　stone　until　his　little　claws　were　broken　and　his　toes　bleeding；　before　he　stopped　and　lay　down　with　his　nose　under　the　wicket。