weir of hermiston(赫米斯顿的魏尔)-第15节
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appears she was a perfit wonder。 It was gentle blood she had； Mr。 Archie；
for it was your ain。 The country…side gaed gyte about her and her gowden
hair。 Mines is no to be mentioned wi' it； and there's few weemen has mair
hair than what I have； or yet a bonnier colour。 Often would I tell my dear
Miss Jeannie … that was your mother； dear； she was cruel ta'en up about her
hair； it was unco' tender； ye see … 'Houts； Miss Jeannie；' I would say； 'just
fling your washes and your French dentifrishes in the back o' the fire； for
that's the place for them； and awa' down to a burn side； and wash yersel' in
cauld hill water； and dry your bonny hair in the caller wind o' the muirs；
the way that my mother aye washed hers； and that I have aye made it a
practice to have wishen mines … just you do what I tell ye； my dear； and
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ye'll give me news of it！ Ye'll have hair； and routh of hair； a pigtail as
thick's my arm；' I said； ‘and the bonniest colour like the clear gowden
guineas； so as the lads in kirk'll no can keep their eyes off it！' Weel； it
lasted out her time； puir thing！ I cuttit a lock of it upon her corp that was
lying there sae cauld。 I'll show it ye some of thir days if ye're good。 But； as
I was sayin'； my mither … 〃
On the death of the father there remained golden…haired Kirstie； who
took service with her distant kinsfolk； the Rutherfords； and black…a… vised
Gilbert； twenty years older； who farmed the Cauldstaneslap； married； and
begot four sons between 1773 and 1784； and a daughter； like a postscript；
in '97； the year of Camperdown and Cape St。 Vincent。 It seemed it was a
tradition in the family to wind up with a belated girl。 In 1804； at the age of
sixty； Gilbert met an end that might be called heroic。 He was due home
from market any time from eight at night till five in the morning； and in
any condition from the quarrelsome to the speechless； for he maintained to
that age the goodly customs of the Scots farmer。 It was known on this
occasion that he had a good bit of money to bring home； the word had
gone round loosely。 The laird had shown his guineas； and if anybody had
but noticed it； there was an ill… looking； vagabond crew； the scum of
Edinburgh； that drew out of the market long ere it was dusk and took the
hill…road by Hermiston； where it was not to be believed that they had
lawful business。 One of the country…side； one Dickieson； they took with
them to be their guide； and dear he paid for it！ Of a sudden in the ford of
the Broken Dykes； this vermin clan fell on the laird； six to one； and him
three parts asleep； having drunk hard。 But it is ill to catch an Elliott。 For a
while； in the night and the black water that was deep as to his saddle…girths；
he wrought with his staff like a smith at his stithy； and great was the sound
of oaths and blows。 With that the ambuscade was burst； and he rode for
home with a pistol…ball in him； three knife wounds； the loss of his front
teeth； a broken rib and bridle； and a dying horse。 That was a race with
death that the laird rode！ In the mirk night； with his broken bridle and his
head swimming； he dug his spurs to the rowels in the horse's side； and the
horse； that was even worse off than himself； the poor creature！ screamed
out loud like a person as he went； so that the hills echoed with it； and the
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folks at Cauldstaneslap got to their feet about the table and looked at each
other with white faces。 The horse fell dead at the yard gate； the laird won
the length of the house and fell there on the threshold。 To the son that
raised him he gave the bag of money。 〃Hae；〃 said he。 All the way up the
thieves had seemed to him to be at his heels； but now the hallucination left
him … he saw them again in the place of the ambuscade … and the thirst of
vengeance seized on his dying mind。 Raising himself and pointing with an
imperious finger into the black night from which he had come； he uttered
the single command； 〃Brocken Dykes；〃 and fainted。 He had never been
loved； but he had been feared in honour。 At that sight； at that word； gasped
out at them from a toothless and bleeding mouth； the old Elliott spirit
awoke with a shout in the four sons。 〃Wanting the hat；〃 continues my
author； Kirstie； whom I but haltingly follow； for she told this tale like one
inspired； 〃wanting guns； for there wasna twa grains o' pouder in the house；
wi' nae mair weepons than their sticks into their hands； the fower o' them
took the road。 Only Hob； and that was the eldest； hunkered at the doorsill
where the blood had rin； fyled his hand wi' it … and haddit it up to Heeven
in the way o' the auld Border aith。 ‘Hell shall have her ain again this
nicht！' he raired； and rode forth upon his earrand。〃 It was three miles to
Broken Dykes； down hill； and a sore road。 Kirstie has seen men from
Edinburgh dismounting there in plain day to lead their horses。 But the four
brothers rode it as if Auld Hornie were behind and Heaven in front。 Come
to the ford； and there was Dickieson。 By all tales； he was not dead； but
breathed and reared upon his elbow； and cried out to them for help。 It was
at a graceless face that he asked mercy。 As soon as Hob saw； by the glint
of the lantern； the eyes shining and the whiteness of the teeth in the man's
face； 〃Damn you！〃 says he； 〃ye hae your teeth； hae ye？〃 and rode his horse
to and fro upon that human remnant。 Beyond that； Dandie must dismount
with the lantern to be their guide； he was the youngest son； scarce twenty
at the time。 〃A' nicht long they gaed in the wet heath and jennipers； and
whaur they gaed they neither knew nor cared； but just followed the bluid
stains and the footprints o' their faither's murderers。 And a' nicht Dandie
had his nose to the grund like a tyke； and the ithers followed and spak'
naething； neither black nor white。 There was nae noise to be heard； but just
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the sough of the swalled burns； and Hob； the dour yin； risping his teeth as
he gaed。〃 With the first glint of the morning they saw they were on the
drove road； and at that the four stopped and had a dram to their breakfasts；
for they knew that Dand must have guided them right； and the rogues
could be but little ahead； hot foot for Edinburgh by the way of the
Pentland Hills。 By eight o'clock they had word of them … a shepherd had
seen four men 〃uncoly mishandled〃 go by in the last hour。 〃That's yin a
piece；〃 says Clem； and swung his cudgel。 〃Five o' them！〃 says Hob。
〃God's death； but the faither was a man！ And him drunk！〃 And then there
befell them what my author termed 〃a sair misbegowk；〃 for they were
overtaken by a posse of mounted neighbours come to aid in the pursuit。
Four sour faces looked on the reinforcement。 〃The Deil's broughten you！〃
said Clem； and they rode thenceforward in the rear of the party with
hanging heads。 Before ten they had found and secured the rogues； and by
three of the afternoon； as they rode up the Vennel with their prisoners； they
were aware of a concourse of people bearing in their midst something that
dripped。 〃For the boady of the saxt；〃 pursued Kirstie； 〃wi' his head
smashed like a hazelnit； had been a' that nicht in the chairge o' Hermiston
Water； and it dunting it on the stanes； and grunding it on the shallows； and
flinging the deid thing heels…ower…hurdie at the Fa's o' Spango； and in the
first o' the day； Tweed had got a hold o' him and carried him off like a
wind； for it was uncoly swalled； and raced wi' him； bobbing under brae…
sides； and was long playing with the creature in the drumlie lynns under
the castle； and at the hinder end of all cuist him up on the starling of
Crossmichael brig。 Sae there they were a'thegither at last （for Dickieson
had been brought in on a cart long syne）； and folk could see what mainner
o'man my brither had been that had held his head again sax and saved the
siller； and him drunk！〃 Thus died of
