redgauntlet-第44节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


et；　that　being　in　a　certain　degree　warned　of　his　danger　and　furnished　with　the　means　of　obviating　it；　I　did　not　instantly　hasten　to　his　assistance；　but　preferred　giving　my　attention　to　the　business　of　this　unlucky　morning。　　No　view　of　personal　distinction；　nothing；　indeed；　short　of　your　earnest　and　often　expressed　wishes；　could　have　detained　me　in　town　till　this　day；　and　having　made　this　sacrifice　to　filial　duty；　I　trust　you　will　hold　me　excused　if　I　now　obey　the　calls　of　friendship　and　humanity。　　Do　not　be　in　the　least　anxious　on　my　account；　I　shall　know；　I　trust；　how　to　conduct　myself　with　due　caution　in　any　emergence　which　may　occur；　otherwise　my　legal　studies　for　so　many　years　have　been　to　little　purpose。　　I　am　fully　provided　with　money；　and　also　with　arms；　in　case　of　need；　but　you　may　rely　on　my　prudence　in　avoiding　all　occasions　of　using　the　latter；　short　of　the　last　necessity。　　God　almighty　bless　you；　my　dearest　father！　　and　grant　that　you　may　forgive　the　first；　and；　I　trust；　the　last　act　approaching　towards　premeditated　disobedience；　of　which　I　either　have　now；　or　shall　hereafter　have；　to　accuse　myself。　　I　remain；　till　death；　your　dutiful　and　affectionate　son；　ALAN　FAIRFORD。'

'PS。I　shall　write　with　the　utmost　regularity；　acquainting　you　with　my　motions；　and　requesting　your　advice。　　I　trust　my　stay　will　be　very　short；　and　I　think　it　possible　that　I　may　bring　back　Darsie　along　with　me。'

'The　paper　dropped　from　the　old　man's　hand　when　he　was　thus　assured　of　the　misfortune　which　he　apprehended。　　His　first　idea　was　to　get　a　postchaise　and　pursue　the　fugitive；　but　he　recollected　that；　upon　the　very　rare　occasions　when　Alan　had　shown　himself　indocile　to　the　PATRIA　POTESTAS；　his　natural　ease　and　gentleness　of　disposition　seemed　hardened　into　obstinacy；　and　that　now；　entitled；　as　arrived　at　the　years　of　majority　and　a　member　of　the　learned　faculty；　to　direct　his　own　motions；　there　was　great　doubt；　whether；　in　the　event　of　his　overtaking　his　son；　he　might　be　able　to　prevail　upon　him　to　return　back。　　In　such　a　risk　of　failure　he　thought　it　wiser　to　desist　from　his　purpose；　especially　as　even　his　success　in　such　a　pursuit　would　give　a　ridiculous　ECLAT　to　the　whole　affair；　which　could　not　be　otherwise　than　prejudicial　to　his　son's　rising　character。

Bitter；　however；　were　Saunders　Fairford's　reflections；　as　again　picking　up　the　fatal　scroll；　he　threw　himself　into　his　son's　leathern　easy…chair；　and　bestowed　upon　it　a　disjointed　commentary；　'Bring　back　Darsie？　　little　doubt　of　thatthe　bad　shilling　is　sure　enough　to　come　back　again。　　I　wish　Darsie　no　worse　ill　than　that　he　were　carried　where　the　silly　fool；　Alan；　should　never　see　him　again。　　It　was　an　ill　hour　that　he　darkened　my　doors　in；　for；　ever　since　that；　Alan　has　given　up　his　ain　old…　fashioned　mother…wit　for　the　tother's　capernoited　maggots　and　nonsense。　　Provided　with　money？　　you　must　have　more　than　I　know　of；　then；　my　friend；　for　I　trow　I　kept　you　pretty　short；　for　your　own　good。　　Can　he　have　gotten　more　fees？　　or；　does　he　think　five　guineas　has　neither　beginning　nor　end？　　Arms！　　What　would　he　do　with　arms；　or　what　would　any　man　do　with　them　that　is　not　a　regular　soldier　under　government；　or　else　a　thief…taker？　　I　have　had　enough　of　arms；　I　trow；　although　I　carried　them　for　King　George　and　the　government。　　But　this　is　a　worse　strait　than　Falkirk　field　yet。　　God　guide　us；　we　are　poor　inconsistent　creatures！　　To　think　the　lad　should　have　made　so　able　an　appearance；　and　then　bolted　off　this　gate；　after　a　glaiket　ne'er…　do…weel；　like　a　hound　upon　a　false　scent！　　Las…a…day！　　it's　a　sore　thing　to　see　a　stunkard　cow　kick　down　the　pail　when　it's　reaming　fou。　　But；　after　all；　it's　an　ill　bird　that　defiles　its　ain　nest。　I　must　cover　up　the　scandal　as　well　as　I　can。　　What's　the　matter　now；　James？'

'A　message；　sir；'　said　James　Wilkinson；　'from　my　Lord　President；　and　he　hopes　Mr。　Alan　is　not　seriously　indisposed。'

'From　the　Lord　President？　　the　Lord　preserve　us！I'll　send　an　answer　this　instant；　bid　the　lad　sit　down；　and　ask　him　to　drink；　James。　　Let　me　see；'　continued　he；　taking　a　sheet　of　gilt　paper　'how　we　are　to　draw　our　answers。'

Ere　his　pen　had　touched　the　paper；　James　was　in　the　room　again。

'What　now；　James？'

'Lord　Bladderskate's　lad　is　come　to　ask　how　Mr。　Alan　is；　as　he　left；　the　court'

'Aye；　aye；　aye；'　answered　Saunders；　bitterly；　'he　has　e'en　made　a　moonlight　flitting；　like　my　lord's　ain　nevoy。'

'Shall　I　say　sae；　sir？'　　said　James；　who；　as　an　old　soldier；　was　literal　in　all　things　touching　the　service。

'The　devil！　　no；　no！Bid　the　lad　sit　down　and　taste　our　ale。　　I　will　write　his　lordship　an　answer。'

Once　more　the　gilt　paper　was　resumed；　and　once　more　the　door　was　opened　by　James。

'Lord　　sends　his　servitor　to　ask　after　Mr。　Alan。'

'Oh；　the　deevil　take　their　civility！'　　said　poor　Saunders。　　set　him　down　to　drink　tooI　will　write　to　his　lordship。'

'The　lads　will　bide　your　pleasure；　sir；　as　lang　as　I　keep　the　bicker　fou；　but　this　ringing　is　like　to　wear　out　the　bell；　I　think；　there　are　they　at　it　again。'

He　answered　the　fresh　summons　accordingly；　and　came　back　to　inform　Mr。　Fairford　that　the　Dean　of　Faculty　was　below；　inquiring　for　Mr。　Alan。　　'Will　I　set　him　down　to　drink；　too？'　　said　James。

'Will　you　be　an　idiot；　sir？'　　said　Mr。　Fairford。　　'Show　Mr。　Dean　into　the　parlour。'

In　going　slowly　downstairs；　step　by　step；　the　perplexed　man　of　business　had　time　enough　to　reflect；　that　if　it　be　possible　to　put　a　fair　gloss　upon　a　true　story；　the　verity　always　serves　the　purpose　better　than　any　substitute　which　ingenuity　can　devise。　He　therefore　told　his　learned　visitor；　that　although　his　son　had　been　incommoded　by　the　heat　of　the　court；　and　the　long　train　of　hard　study；　by　day　and　night；　preceding　his　exertions；　yet　he　had　fortunately　so　far　recovered；　as　to　be　in　condition　to　obey　upon　the　instant　a　sudden　summons　which　had　called　him　to　the　country；　on　a　matter　of　life　and　death。

'It　should　be　a　serious　matter　indeed　that　takes　my　young　friend　away　at　this　moment；'　said　the　good…natured　dean。　　'I　wish　he　had　stayed　to　finish　his　pleading；　and　put　down　old　Tough。　　Without　compliment；　Mr。　Fairford；　it　was　as　fine　a　first　appearance　as　I　ever　heard。　　I　should　be　sorry　your　son　did　not　follow　it　up　in　a　reply。　　Nothing　like　striking　while　the　iron　is　hot。'

Mr。　Saunders　Fairford　made　a　bitter　grimace　as　he　acquiesced　in　an　opinion　which　was　indeed　decidedly　his　own；　but　he　thought　it　most　prudent　to　reply；　'that　the　affair　which　rendered　his　son　Alan's　presence　in　the　country　absolutely　necessary；　regarded　the　affairs　of　a　young　gentleman　of　great　fortune；　who　was　a　particular　friend　of　Alan's；　and　who　never　took　any　material　step　in　his　affairs　without　consulting　his　counsel　learned　in　the　law。'

'Well；　well；　Mr。　Fairford；　you　know　best；'　answered　the　learned　dean；　'if　there　be　death　or　marriage　in　the　case；　a　will　or　a　wedding　is　to　be　preferred　to　all　other　business。　　I　am　happy　Mr。　Alan　is　so　much　recovered　as　to　be　able　for　travel；　and　wish　you　a　very　good　morning。'

Having　thus　taken　his　ground　to　the　Dean　of　Faculty；　Mr。　Fairford　hastily　wrote　cards　in　answer　to　the　inquiry　of　the　three　judges；　accounting　for　Alan's　absence　in　the　same　manner。　　These；　being　properly　sealed　and　addressed；　he　delivered　to　James　with　directions　to　dismiss　the　particoloured　gentry；　who；　in　the　meanwhile；　had　consumed　a　gallon　of　twopenny　ale；　while　discussing　points　of　law；　and　addressing　each　other　by　their　masters'　titles。　　＇The　Scottish　judges　are　distinguished　by　the　title　of　lord　prefixed　to　their　own　temporal　designation。　　As　the　ladies　of　these　official　dignitaries　do　not　bear　any　share　in　their　husbands'　honours；　they　are　distinguished　only　by　their　lords'　family　name。　　They　were　not　always　contented　with　this　species　of　Salique　law；　which　certainly　is　somewhat　inconsistent。　But　their　pretensions　to　title　are　said　to　have　been　long　since　repelled　by　James　V；　the　sovereign　who　founded　the　College　of　Justice。　　'I；'　said　he；　'made　the　caries　lords；　but　who　the　devil　made　the　carlines　ladies？'＇

The　exertion　which　these　matters　demanded；　and　the　interest　which　so　many　persons　of　legal　distinction　appeared　to　have　taken　in　his　son；　greatly　relieved　the　oppressed　spirit　of　Saunders　Fairford；　who　continued；　to　talk　mysteriously　of　the　very　important　business　which　had　interfered　with　his　son's　attendance　during　the　brief　remainder　of　the　session。　　He　endeavoured　to　lay　the　same　unction　to　his　own　heart；　but　here　the　application　was　less　fortunate；　for　his　conscience　told　him　that　no　end；　however　important；　which　could　be　achieved　in　Darsie　Latimer's　affairs；　could　be　balanced　against　the　reputation　which　Alan　was　like　to　forfeit　by　deserting　the　cause　of　Poor　Peter　Peebles。

In　the　meanwhile；　although　the　haze　which　surrounded　the　cause；　or　causes；　of　that　unfortunate　litigant　had　been　for　a　time　dispelled　by　Alan's　eloquence；　like　a　fog　by　the　thunder　of　artillery；　yet　it　seemed　once　more　to　settle　down　upon　the　mass　of　litigation；　thick　as　the　palpable　darkness　of　Egypt；　at　the　very　sound　of　Mr。　Tough's　voice；　who；　on　the　second　day　after　Alan's　departure；　was　heard　in　answer　to　the　opening　counsel。　Deep…mouthed；　long…breathed；　and　pertinacious；　taking　a