redgauntlet-第38节

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ven　to　your　father's　grey　hairs。　　You　may　find　wiser　advisers；　Alan；　but　none　that　can　wish　you　better。'

My　father；　you　know；　does　not　usually　give　way　to　expressions　of　affection；　and　they　are　interesting　in　proportion　to　their　rarity。　　My　eyes　began　to　fill　at　seeing　his　glisten；　and　my　delight　at　having　given　him　such　sensible　gratification　would　have　been　unmixed　but　for　the　thoughts　of　you。　　These　out　of　the　question；　I　could　have　grappled　with　the　bags；　had　they　been　as　large　as　corn…sacks。　　But；　to　turn　what　was　grave　into　farce；　the　door　opened；　and　Wilkinson　ushered　in　Peter　Peebles。

You　must　have　seen　this　original；　Darsie；　who；　like　others　in　the　same　predicament；　continues　to　haunt　the　courts　of　justice；　where　he　has　made　shipwreck　of　time；　means；　and　understanding。　　Such　insane　paupers　have　sometimes　seemed　to　me　to　resemble　wrecks　lying　upon　the　shoals　on　the　Goodwin　Sands；　or　in　Yarmouth　Roads；　warning　other　vessels　to　keep　aloof　from　the　banks　on　which　they　have　been　lost；　or　rather；　such　ruined　clients　are　like　scarecrows　and　potato…bogies；　distributed　through　the　courts　to　scare　away　fools　from　the　scene　of　litigation。

The　identical　Peter　wears　a　huge　greatcoat　threadbare　and　patched　itself；　yet　carefully　so　disposed　and　secured　by　what　buttons　remain；　and　many　supplementary　pins；　as　to　conceal　the　still　more　infirm　state　of　his　under　garments。　　The　shoes　and　stockings　of　a　ploughman　were；　however；　seen　to　meet　at　his　knees　with　a　pair　of　brownish；　blackish　breeches；　a　rusty…coloured　handkerchief；　that　has　been　black　in　its　day；　surrounded　his　throat；　and　was　an　apology　for　linen。　　His　hair；　half　grey；　half　black；　escaped　in　elf…locks　around　a　huge　wig；　made　of　tow；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　and　so　much　shrunk　that　it　stood　up　on　the　very　top　of　his　head；　above　which　he　plants；　when　covered；　an　immense　cocked　hat；　which；　like　the　chieftain's　banner　in　an　ancient　battle；　may　be　seen　any　sederunt　day　betwixt　nine　and　ten；　high　towering　above　all　the　fluctuating　and　changeful　scene　in　the　Outer　House；　where　his　eccentricities　often　make　him　the　centre　of　a　group　of　petulant　and　teasing　boys；　who　exercise　upon　him　every　art　of　ingenious　torture。　　His　countenance；　originally　that　of　a　portly；　comely　burgess；　is　now　emaciated　with　poverty　and　anxiety；　and　rendered　wild　by　an　insane　lightness　about　the　eyes；　a　withered　and　blighted　skin　and　complexion；　features　begrimed　with　snuff；　charged　with　the　self…importance　peculiar　to　insanity；　and　a　habit　of　perpetually　speaking　to　himself。　　Such　was　my　unfortunate　client；　and　I　must　allow；　Darsie；　that　my　profession　had　need　to　do　a　great　deal　of　good；　if；　as　is　much　to　be　feared；　it　brings　many　individuals　to　such　a　pass。

After　we　had　been；　with　a　good　deal　of　form；　presented　to　each　other；　at　which　time　I　easily　saw　by　my　father's　manner　that　he　was　desirous　of　supporting　Peter's　character　in　my　eyes；　as　much　as　circumstances　would　permit；　'Alan；'　he　said；　'this　is　the　gentleman　who　has　agreed　to　accept　of　you　as　his　counsel；　in　place　of　young　Dumtoustie。'

'Entirely　out　of　favour　to　my　old　acquaintance　your　father；　said　Peter。　　with　a　benign　and　patronizing　countenance；　'out　of　respect　to　your　father；　and　my　old　intimacy　with　Lord　Bladderskate。　　Otherwise；　by　the　REGIAM　MAJESTATEM！　　I　would　have　presented　a　petition　and　complaint　against　Daniel　Dumtoustie；　Advocate；　by　name　and　surnameI　would；　by　all　the　practiques！　I　know　the　forms　of　process；　and　I　am　not　to　be　triffled　with。'

My　father　here　interrupted　my　client；　and　reminded　him　that　there　was　a　good　deal　of　business　to　do；　as　he　proposed　to　give　the　young　counsel　an　outline　of　the　state　of　the　conjoined　process；　with　a　view　to　letting　him　into　the　merits　of　the　cause；　disencumbered　from　the　points　of　form。　　'I　have　made　a　short　abbreviate；　Mr。　Peebles；'　said　he；　'having　sat　up　late　last　night；　and　employed　much　of　this　morning　in　wading　through　these　papers；　to　save　Alan　some　trouble；　and　I　am　now　about　to　state　the　result。'

'I　will　state　it　myself；'　said　Peter；　breaking　in　without　reverence　upon　his　solicitor。

'No；　by　no　means；'　said　my　father；　'I　am　your　agent　for　the　time。'

'Mine　eleventh　in　number；'　said　Peter；　'I　have　a　new　one　every　year；　I　wish　I　could　get　a　new　coat　as　regularly。'

'Your　agent　for　the　time；'　resumed　my　father；　'and　you；　who　are　acquainted　with　the　forms；　know　that　the　client　states　the　cause　to　the　agentthe　agent　to　the　counsel'

'The　counsel　to　the　Lord　Ordinary；'　continued　Peter；　once　　set　a…going；　like　the　peal　of　an　alarm　clock；　'the　Ordinary　to　the　Inner　House；　the　President　to　the　Bench。　　It　is　just　like　the　rope　to　the　man；　the　man　to　the　ox；　the　ox　to　the　water；　the　water　to　the　fire'

'Hush；　for　Heaven's　sake；　Mr。　Peebles；'　said　my　father；　cutting　his　recitation　short；　'time　wears　onwe　must　get　to　business　you　must　not　interrupt　the　court；　you　know。Hem；　hem！　　From　this　abbreviate　it　appears'

'Before　you　begin；'　said　Peter　Peebles　'I'll　thank　you　to　order　me　a　morsel　of　bread　and　cheese；　or　some　cauld　meat；　or　broth；　or　the　like　alimentary　provision；　I　was　so　anxious　to　see　your　son；　that　I　could　not　eat　a　mouthful　of　dinner。'

Heartily　glad；　I　believe；　to　have　so　good　a　chance　of　stopping　his　client's　mouth　effectually；　my　father　ordered　some　cold　meat；　to　which　James　Wilkinson；　for　the　honour　of　the　house；　was　about　to　add　the　brandy　bottle；　which　remained　on　the　sideboard；　but；　at　a　wink　from　my　father；　supplied　its　place　with　small　beer。　Peter　charged　the　provisions　with　the　rapacity　of　a　famished　lion；　and　so　well　did　the　diversion　engage　him；　that　though；　while　my　father　stated　the　case；　he　looked　at　him　repeatedly；　as　if　he　meant　to　interrupt　his　statement；　yet　he　always　found　more　agreeable　employment　for　his　mouth；　and　returned　to　the　cold　beef　with　an　avidity　which　convinced　me　he　had　not　had　such　an　opportunity　for　many　a　day　of　satiating　his　appetite。　　Omitting　much　formal　phraseology；　and　many　legal　details；　I　will　endeavour　to　give　you；　in　exchange　for　your　fiddler's　tale；　the　history　of　a　litigant；　or　rather；　the　history　of　his　lawsuit。

'Peter　Peebles　and　Paul　Plainstanes；'　said　my　father；　entered　into　partnership；　in　the　year　；　as　mercers　and　linendrapers；　in　the　Luckenbooths；　and　carried　on　a　great　line　of　business　to　mutual　advantage。　　But　the　learned　counsel　needeth　not　to　be　told；　SOCIETAS　EST　MATER　DISCORDIARUM；　partnership　oft　makes　pleaship。　　The　company　being　dissolved　by　mutual　consent；　in　the　year　；　the　affairs　had　to　be　wound　up；　and　after　certain　attempts　to　settle　the　matter　extra…judicially；　it　was　at　last　brought　into　the　court；　and　has　branched　out　into　several　distinct　processes；　most　of　whilk　have　been　conjoined　by　the　Ordinary。　　It　is　to　the　state　of　these　processes　that　counsel's　attention　is　particularly　directed。　　There　is　the　original　action　of　Peebles　v。　Plainstanes；　convening　him　for　payment　of　3000l。；　less　or　more；　as　alleged　balance　due　by　Plainstanes。　　Secondly；　there　is　a　counter　action；　in　which　Plainstanes　is　pursuer　and　Peebles　defender；　for　2500l。；　less　or　more；　being　balance　alleged　per　contra；　to　be　due　by　Peebles。　　Thirdly；　Mr。　Peeble's　seventh　agent　advised　an　action　of　Compt　and　Reckoning　at　his　instance；　wherein　what　balance　should　prove　due　on　either　side　might　be　fairly　struck　and　ascertained。　　Fourthly；　to　meet　the　hypothetical　case；　that　Peebles　might　be　found　liable　in　a　balance　to　Plainstanes；　Mr。　Wildgoose；　Mr。　Peebles's　eighth　agent；　recommended　a　Multiplepoinding；　to　bring　all　parties　concerned　into　the　field。'

My　brain　was　like　to　turn　at　this　account　of　lawsuit　within　lawsuit；　like　a　nest　of　chip…boxes；　with　all　of　which　I　was　expected　to　make　myself　acquainted。

'I　understand；'　I　said；　'that　Mr。　Peebles　claims　a　sum　of　money　from　Plainstaneshow　then　can　he　be　his　debtor？　　and　if　not　his　debtor；　how　can　he　bring　a　Multiplepoinding；　the　very　summons　of　which　sets　forth；　that　the　pursuer　does　owe　certain　monies；　which　he　is　desirous　to　pay　by　warrant　of　a　judge？'　　＇Multiplepoinding　is；　I　believe；　equivalent　to　what　is　called　in　England　a　case　of　Double　Distress。＇

'Ye　know　little　of　the　matter；　I　doubt；　friend；'　said　Mr。　Peebles；　'a　Multiplepoinding　is　the　safest　REMEDIUM　JURIS　in　the　whole；　form　of　process。　　I　have　known　it　conjoined　with　a　declarator　of　marriage。Your　beef　is　excellent；'　he　said　to　my　father；　who　in　vain　endeavoured　to　resume　his　legal　disquisition；　'but　something　highly　powderedand　the　twopenny　is　undeniable；　but　it　is　small　swipessmall　swipesmore　of　hop　than　malt…with　your　leave；　I'll　try　your　black　bottle。'

My　father　started　to　help　him　with　his　own　hand；　and　in　due　measure；　but；　infinitely　to　my　amusement；　Peter　got　possession　of　the　bottle　by　the　neck；　and　my　father's　ideas　of　hospitality　were　far　too　scrupulous　to　permit　his　attempting；　by　any　direct　means；　to　redeem　it；　so　that　Peter　returned　to　the　table　triumphant；　with　his　prey　in　his　clutch。

'Better　have　a　wine…glass；　Mr。　Peebles；'　said　my　father；　in　an　admonitory　tone；　'you　will　find　it　pretty　strong。'

'If　the　kirk　is　ower　muckle；　we　can　sing　mass　in　the　quire；'　said　Peter；　helping　himself　in　the　goblet　out　of　which　he　had　been　drinking　the　small　beer。　　'What　is　it；　usquebaugh？BRANDY；　as　I　am　an　honest