guy mannering-第66节

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m；　late　of　Singleside；　which　was　to　proceed　from　her　own　house　to　the　place　of　interment　in　the　Greyfriars　churchyard；　at　one　o'clock　afternoon。

At　the　appointed　hour；　Mannering　went　to　a　small　house　in　the　suburbs　to　the　southward　of　the　city；　where　he　found　the　place　of　mourning；　indicated；　as　usual　in　Scotland；　by　two　rueful　figures　with　long　black　cloaks；　white　crapes　and　hatbands；　holding　in　their　hands　poles；　adorned　with　melancholy　streamers　of　the　same　description。　By　two　other　mutes；　who；　from　their　visages；　seemed　suffering　under　the　pressure　of　some　strange　calamity；　he　was　ushered　into　the　dining…parlour　of　the　defunct；　where　the　company　were　assembled　for　the　funeral。

In　Scotland；　the　custom；　now　disused　in　England；　of　inviting　the　relations　of　the　deceased　to　the　interment；　is　universally　retained。　On　many　occasions　this　has　a　singular　and　striking　effect；　but　it　degenerates　into　mere　empty　form　and　grimace；　in　cases　where　the　defunct　has　had　the　misfortune　to　live　unbeloved　and　die　unlamented。　The　English　service　for　the　dead；　one　of　the　most　beautiful　and　impressive　parts　of　the　ritual　of　the　church；　would　have；　in　such　cases；　the　effect　of　fixing　the　attention；　and　uniting　the　thoughts　and　feelings　of　the　audience　present；　in　an　exercise　of　devotion　so　peculiarly　adapted　to　such　an　occasion。　But　according　to　the　Scottish　custom；　if　there　be　not　real　feeling　among　the　assistants；　there　is　nothing　to　supply　the　deficiency；　and　exalt　or　rouse　the　attention；　so　that　a　sense　of　tedious　form；　and　almost　hypocritical　restraint；　is　too　apt　to　pervade　the　company　assembled　for　the　mournful　solemnity。　Mrs。　Margaret　Bertram　was　unluckily　one　of　those　whose　good　qualities　had　attached　no　general　friendship。　She　had　no　near　relations　who　might　have　mourned　from　natural　affection；　and　therefore　her　funeral　exhibited　merely　the　exterior　trappings　of　sorrow。

Mannering；　therefore；　stood　among　this　lugubrious　company　of　cousins　in　the　third；　fourth；　fifth；　and　sixth　degree；　composing　his　countenance　to　the　decent　solemnity　of　all　who　were　around　him；　and　looking　as　much　concerned　on　Mrs。　Margaret　Bertram's　account；　as　if　the　deceased　lady　of　Singleside　had　been　his　own　sister　or　mother。　After　a　deep　and　awful　pause；　the　company　began　to　talk　aside　under　their　breaths；　however；　and　as　if　in　the　chamber　of　a　dying　person。

〃Our　poor　friend；〃　said　one　grave　gentleman；　scarcely　opening　his　mouth；　for　fear　of　deranging　the　necessary　solemnity　of　his　features；　and　sliding　his　whisper　from　between　his　lips；　which　were　as　little　unclosed　as　possible；〃Our　poor　friend　has　died　well　to　pass　in　the　world。〃

〃Nae　doubt；〃　answered　the　person　addressed；　with　half…closed　eyes；　〃poor　Mrs。　Margaret　was　aye　careful　of　the　gear。〃

〃Any　news　to…day；　Colonel　Mannering？〃　said　one　of　the　gentlemen　whom　he　had　dined　with　the　day　before；　but　in　a　tone　which　might；　for　its　impressive　gravity；　have　communicated　the　death　of　his　whole　generation。

〃Nothing　particular；　I　believe；　sir；〃　said　Mannering；　in　the　cadence　which　was；　he　observed；　appropriated　to　the　house　of　mourning。

〃I　understand；〃　continued　the　first　speaker　emphatically；　and　with　the　air　of　one　who　is　well　informed〃I　understand　there　is　a　settlement。〃

〃And　what　does　little　Jenny　Gibson　get？〃

〃A　hundred；　and　the　auld　repeater。〃

〃That's　but　sma'　gear；　puir　thing；　she　had　a　sair　time　o't　with　the　auld　leddy。　But　it's　ill　waiting　for　deadfolk's　shoon。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　the　politician；　who　was　close　by　Mannering；〃　we　have　not　done　with　your　old　friend　Tippoo　Saib　yetI　doubt　he'll　give　the　Company　more　plague；　and　I　am　told；　but　you'll　know　for　certain　that　East　India　Stock　is　not　rising。〃

〃I　trust　it　will；　sir；　soon。〃

〃Mrs。　Margaret；〃　said　another　person；　mingling　in　the　conversation；　〃had　some　India　bonds。　I　know　that；　for　I　drew　the　interest　for　herit　would　be　desirable　now　for　the　trustees　and　legatees　to　have　the　Colonel's　advice　about　the　time　and　mode　of　converting　them　into　money。　For　my　part　I　thinkBut　there's　Mr。　Mortcloke　to　tell　us　they　are　gaun　to　lift。〃

Mr。　Mortcloke　the　undertaker　did　accordingly；　with　a　visage　of　professional　length　and　most　grievous　solemnity；　distribute　among　the　pall…bearers　little　cards；　assigning　their　respective　situations　in　attendance　upon　the　coffin。　As　this　precedence　is　supposed　to　be　regulated　by　propinquity　to　the　defunct；　the　undertaker；　however　skilful　a　master　of　these　lugubrious　ceremonies；　did　not　escape　giving　some　offence。　To　be　related　to　Mrs。　Bertram　was　to　be　of　kin　to　the　lands　of　Singleside；　and　was　a　propinquity　of　which　each　relative　present　at　that　moment　was　particularly　jealous。　Some　murmurs　there　were　on　the　occasion；　and　our　friend　Dinmont　gave　more　open　offence；　being　unable　either　to　repress　his　discontent；　or　to　utter　it　in　the　key　properly　modulated　to　the　solemnity。　〃I　think　ye　might　hae　at　least　gi'en　me　a　leg　o'　her　to　carry；〃　he　exclaimed；　in　a　voice　considerably　louder　than　propriety　admitted；　〃God！　an　it　hadna　been　for　the　rigs　o'　land；　I　would　hae　gotten　her　a'　to　carry　mysell；　for　as　mony　gentles　as　are　here。〃

A　score　of　frowning　and　reproving　brows　were　bent　upon　the　unappalled　yeoman；　who；　having　given　vent　to　his　displeasure；　stalked　sturdily　downstairs　with　the　rest　of　the　company；　totally　disregarding　the　censures　of　those　whom　his　remarks　had　scandalised。

And　then　the　funeral　pomp　set　forth；　saulies　with　their　batons；　and　gumphions　of　tarnished　white　crape；　in　honour　of　the　well…preserved　maiden　fame　of　Mrs。　Margaret　Bertram。　Six　starved　horses；　themselves　the　very　emblems　of　mortality；　well　cloaked　and　plumed；　lugging　along　the　hearse　with　its　dismal　emblazonry；　crept　in　slow　state　towards　the　place　of　interment；　preceded　by　Jamie　Duff；　an　idiot；　who；　with　weepers　and　cravat　made　of　white　paper；　attended　on　every　funeral；　and　followed　by　six　mourning　coaches；　filled　with　the　company。　Many　of　these　now　gave　more　free　loose　to　their　tongues；　and　discussed　with　unrestrained　earnestness　the　amount　of　the　succession；　and　the　probability　of　its　destination。　The　principal　expectants；　however；　kept　a　prudent　silence；　indeed；　ashamed　to　express　hopes　which　might　prove　fallacious；　and　the　agent；　or　man　of　business；　who　alone　knew　exactly　how　matters　stood；　maintained　a　countenance　of　mysterious　importance；　as　if　determined　to　preserve　the　full　interest　of　anxiety　and　suspense。

At　length　they　arrived　at　the　churchyard　gates；　and　from　thence；　amid　the　gaping　of　two　or　three　dozen　of　idle　women　with　infants　in　their　arms；　and　accompanied　by　some　twenty　children；　who　ran　gambolling　and　screaming　alongside　of　the　sable　procession；　they　finally　arrived　at　the　burial…place　of　the　Singleside　family。　This　was　a　square　enclosure　in　the　Greyfriars　churchyard；　guarded　on　one　side　by　a　veteran　angel；　without　a　nose；　and　having　only　one　wing；　who　had　the　merit　of　having　maintained　his　post　for　a　century；　while　his　comrade　cherub；　who　had　stood　sentinel　on　the　corresponding　pedestal；　lay　a　broken　trunk　among　the　hemlock；　burdock；　and　nettles；　which　grew　in　gigantic　luxuriance　around　the　walls　of　the　mausoleum。　A　moss…grown　and　broken　inscription　informed　the　reader；　that　in　the　Year　1650　Captain　Andrew　Bertram；　first　of　Singleside；　descended　of　the　very　ancient　and　honourable　house　of　Ellangowan；　had　caused　this　monument　to　be　erected　for　himself　and　his　descendants。　A　reasonable　number　of　scythes　and　hour…glasses；　and　death's　heads；　and　cross…bones；　garnished　the　following　sprig　of　sepulchral　poetry；　to　the　memory　of　the　founder　of　the　mausoleum；

Nathaniel's　heart；　Bezaleel's　hand。　　If　ever　any　had；　These　boldly　do　I　say　had　he；　Who　lieth　in　this　bed。

Here　then；　amid　the　deep　black　fat　loam　into　which　her　ancestors　were　now　resolved；　they　deposited　the　body　of　Mrs。　Margaret　Bertram；　and　'like　soldiers　returning　from　a　military　funeral；　the　nearest　relations　who　might　be　interested　in　the　settlements　of　the　lady；　urged　the　dog…cattle　of　the　hackney　coaches　to　all　the　speed　of　which　they　were　capable；　in　order　to　put　an　end　to　further　suspense　on　that　interesting　topic。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

　　Die　and　endow　a　college　or　a　cat　　　　　Pope

There　is　a　fable　told　by　Lucian；　that　while　a　troop　of　monkeys；　well　drilled　by　an　intelligent　manager；　were　performing　a　tragedy　with　great　applause；　the　decorum　of　the　whole　scene　was　at　once　destroyed；　and　the　natural　passions　of　the　actors　called　forth　into　very　indecent　and　active　emulation；　by　a　wag　who　threw　a　handful　of　nuts　upon　the　stage。　In　like　manner；　the　approaching　crisis　stirred　up　among　the　expectants　feelings　of　a　nature　very　different　from　those；　of　which；　under　the　superintendence　of　Mr。　Mortcloke；　they　had　but　now　been　endeavouring　to　imitate　the　expression。　Those

eyes　which　were　lately　devoutly　cast　up　to　heaven；　or　with　greater　humility　bent　solemnly　upon　earth；　were　now　sharply　and　alertly　darting　their　glances　through　shuttles；　and　trunks；　and　drawers；　and　cabinets；　and　all　the　odd　corners　of　an　old　maiden　lady's　repositories。　Nor　was　their　search　without　interest；　though　they　did　not　find　the　will　of　which　they　were　in　quest。

Here　was　a　promissory　note　for　20L　by　the　minister　of　the　nonjuring　chapel。　interest　marked　as　paid　to