tales and fantasies-第19节

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you'll　laugh　at　all　these　scarecrows　like　a　High　School　boy

at　a　farce。'



And　with　that　Macfarlane　took　his　departure　and　drove　off　up

the　wynd　in　his　gig　to　get　under　cover　before　daylight。

Fettes　was　thus　left　alone　with　his　regrets。　　He　saw　the

miserable　peril　in　which　he　stood　involved。　　He　saw；　with

inexpressible　dismay；　that　there　was　no　limit　to　his

weakness；　and　that；　from　concession　to　concession；　he　had

fallen　from　the　arbiter　of　Macfarlane's　destiny　to　his　paid

and　helpless　accomplice。　　He　would　have　given　the　world　to

have　been　a　little　braver　at　the　time；　but　it　did　not　occur

to　him　that　he　might　still　be　brave。　　The　secret　of　Jane

Galbraith　and　the　cursed　entry　in　the　day…book　closed　his

mouth。



Hours　passed；　the　class　began　to　arrive；　the　members　of　the

unhappy　Gray　were　dealt　out　to　one　and　to　another；　and

received　without　remark。　　Richardson　was　made　happy　with　the

head；　and　before　the　hour　of　freedom　rang　Fettes　trembled

with　exultation　to　perceive　how　far　they　had　already　gone

toward　safety。



For　two　days　he　continued　to　watch；　with　increasing　joy；　the

dreadful　process　of　disguise。



On　the　third　day　Macfarlane　made　his　appearance。　　He　had　been

ill；　he　said；　but　he　made　up　for　lost　time　by　the　energy　with

which　he　directed　the　students。　　To　Richardson　in　particular

he　extended　the　most　valuable　assistance　and　advice；　and　that

student；　encouraged　by　the　praise　of　the　demonstrator；　burned

high　with　ambitious　hopes；　and　saw　the　medal　already　in　his

grasp。



Before　the　week　was　out　Macfarlane's　prophecy　had　been

fulfilled。　　Fettes　had　outlived　his　terrors　and　had　forgotten

his　baseness。　　He　began　to　plume　himself　upon　his　courage；

and　had　so　arranged　the　story　in　his　mind　that　he　could　look

back　on　these　events　with　an　unhealthy　pride。　　Of　his

accomplice　he　saw　but　little。　　They　met；　of　course；　in　the

business　of　the　class；　they　received　their　orders　together

from　Mr。　K…。　　At　times　they　had　a　word　or　two　in　private；　and

Macfarlane　was　from　first　to　last　particularly　kind　and

jovial。　　But　it　was　plain　that　he　avoided　any　reference　to

their　common　secret；　and　even　when　Fettes　whispered　to　him

that　he　had　cast　in　his　lot　with　the　lions　and　foresworn　the

lambs；　he　only　signed　to　him　smilingly　to　hold　his　peace。



At　length　an　occasion　arose　which　threw　the　pair　once　more

into　a　closer　union。　　Mr。　K…　was　again　short　of　subjects；

pupils　were　eager；　and　it　was　a　part　of　this　teacher's

pretensions　to　be　always　well　supplied。　　At　the　same　time

there　came　the　news　of　a　burial　in　the　rustic　graveyard　of

Glencorse。　　Time　has　little　changed　the　place　in　question。

It　stood　then；　as　now；　upon　a　cross　road；　out　of　call　of

human　habitations；　and　buried　fathom　deep　in　the　foliage　of

six　cedar　trees。　　The　cries　of　the　sheep　upon　the

neighbouring　hills；　the　streamlets　upon　either　hand；　one

loudly　singing　among　pebbles；　the　other　dripping　furtively

from　pond　to　pond；　the　stir　of　the　wind　in　mountainous　old

flowering　chestnuts；　and　once　in　seven　days　the　voice　of　the

bell　and　the　old　tunes　of　the　precentor；　were　the　only　sounds

that　disturbed　the　silence　around　the　rural　church。　　The

Resurrection　Man　…　to　use　a　byname　of　the　period　…　was　not　to

be　deterred　by　any　of　the　sanctities　of　customary　piety。　　It

was　part　of　his　trade　to　despise　and　desecrate　the　scrolls

and　trumpets　of　old　tombs；　the　paths　worn　by　the　feet　of

worshippers　and　mourners；　and　the　offerings　and　the

inscriptions　of　bereaved　affection。　　To　rustic

neighbourhoods；　where　love　is　more　than　commonly　tenacious；

and　where　some　bonds　of　blood　or　fellowship　unite　the　entire

society　of　a　parish；　the　body…snatcher；　far　from　being

repelled　by　natural　respect；　was　attracted　by　the　ease　and

safety　of　the　task。　　To　bodies　that　had　been　laid　in　earth；

in　joyful　expectation　of　a　far　different　awakening；　there

came　that　hasty；　lamp…lit；　terror…haunted　resurrection　of　the

spade　and　mattock。　　The　coffin　was　forced；　the　cerements

torn；　and　the　melancholy　relics；　clad　in　sackcloth；　after

being　rattled　for　hours　on　moonless　byways；　were　at　length

exposed　to　uttermost　indignities　before　a　class　of　gaping

boys。



Somewhat　as　two　vultures　may　swoop　upon　a　dying　lamb；　Fettes

and　Macfarlane　were　to　be　let　loose　upon　a　grave　in　that

green　and　quiet　resting…place。　　The　wife　of　a　farmer；　a　woman

who　had　lived　for　sixty　years；　and　been　known　for　nothing　but

good　butter　and　a　godly　conversation；　was　to　be　rooted　from

her　grave　at　midnight　and　carried；　dead　and　naked；　to　that

far…away　city　that　she　had　always　honoured　with　her　Sunday's

best；　the　place　beside　her　family　was　to　be　empty　till　the

crack　of　doom；　her　innocent　and　almost　venerable　members　to

be　exposed　to　that　last　curiosity　of　the　anatomist。



Late　one　afternoon　the　pair　set　forth；　well　wrapped　in　cloaks

and　furnished　with　a　formidable　bottle。　　It　rained　without

remission　…　a　cold；　dense；　lashing　rain。　　Now　and　again　there

blew　a　puff　of　wind；　but　these　sheets　of　falling　water　kept

it　down。　　Bottle　and　all；　it　was　a　sad　and　silent　drive　as

far　as　Penicuik；　where　they　were　to　spend　the　evening。　　They

stopped　once；　to　hide　their　implements　in　a　thick　bush　not

far　from　the　churchyard；　and　once　again　at　the　Fisher's

Tryst；　to　have　a　toast　before　the　kitchen　fire　and　vary　their

nips　of　whisky　with　a　glass　of　ale。　　When　they　reached　their

journey's　end　the　gig　was　housed；　the　horse　was　fed　and

comforted；　and　the　two　young　doctors　in　a　private　room　sat

down　to　the　best　dinner　and　the　best　wine　the　house　afforded。

The　lights；　the　fire；　the　beating　rain　upon　the　window；　the

cold；　incongruous　work　that　lay　before　them；　added　zest　to

their　enjoyment　of　the　meal。　　With　every　glass　their

cordiality　increased。　　Soon　Macfarlane　handed　a　little　pile

of　gold　to　his　companion。



'A　compliment；'　he　said。　　'Between　friends　these　little　d…d

accommodations　ought　to　fly　like　pipe…lights。'



Fettes　pocketed　the　money；　and　applauded　the　sentiment　to　the

echo。　　'You　are　a　philosopher；'　he　cried。　　'I　was　an　ass　till

I　knew　you。　　You　and　K…　between　you；　by　the　Lord　Harry！　but

you'll　make　a　man　of　me。'



'Of　course　we　shall；'　applauded　Macfarlane。　　'A　man？　　I　tell

you；　it　required　a　man　to　back　me　up　the　other　morning。

There　are　some　big；　brawling；　forty…year…old　cowards　who

would　have　turned　sick　at　the　look　of　the　d…d　thing；　but　not

you　…　you　kept　your　head。　　I　watched　you。'



'Well；　and　why　not？'　Fettes　thus　vaunted　himself。　　'It　was　no

affair　of　mine。　　There　was　nothing　to　gain　on　the　one　side

but　disturbance；　and　on　the　other　I　could　count　on　your

gratitude；　don't　you　see？'　　And　he　slapped　his　pocket　till

the　gold　pieces　rang。



Macfarlane　somehow　felt　a　certain　touch　of　alarm　at　these

unpleasant　words。　　He　may　have　regretted　that　he　had　taught

his　young　companion　so　successfully；　but　he　had　no　time　to

interfere；　for　the　other　noisily　continued　in　this　boastful

strain：…



'The　great　thing　is　not　to　be　afraid。　　Now；　between　you　and

me；　I　don't　want　to　hang　…　that's　practical；　but　for　all

cant；　Macfarlane；　I　was　born　with　a　contempt。　　Hell；　God；

Devil；　right；　wrong；　sin；　crime；　and　all　the　old　gallery　of

curiosities　…　they　may　frighten　boys；　but　men　of　the　world；

like　you　and　me；　despise　them。　　Here's　to　the　memory　of

Gray！'



It　was　by　this　time　growing　somewhat　late。　　The　gig；

according　to　order；　was　brought　round　to　the　door　with　both

lamps　brightly　shining；　and　the　young　men　had　to　pay　their

bill　and　take　the　road。　　They　announced　that　they　were　bound

for　Peebles；　and　drove　in　that　direction　till　they　were　clear

of　the　last　houses　of　the　town；　then；　extinguishing　the

lamps；　returned　upon　their　course；　and　followed　a　by…road

toward　Glencorse。　　There　was　no　sound　but　that　of　their　own

passage；　and　the　incessant；　strident　pouring　of　the　rain。　　It

was　pitch　dark；　here　and　there　a　white　gate　or　a　white　stone

in　the　wall　guided　them　for　a　short　space　across　the　night；

but　for　the　most　part　it　was　at　a　foot　pace；　and　almost

groping；　that　they　picked　their　way　through　that　resonant

blackness　to　their　solemn　and　isolated　destination。　　In　the

sunken　woods　that　traverse　the　neighbourhood　of　the　burying…

ground　the　last　glimmer　failed　them；　and　it　became　necessary

to　kindle　a　match　and　re…illumine　one　of　the　lanterns　of　the

gig。　　Thus；　under　the　dripping　trees；　and　environed　by　huge

and　moving　shadows；　they　reached　the　scene　of　their

unhallowed　labours。



They　were　both　experienced　in　such　affairs；　and　powerful　with

the　spade；　and　they　had　scarce　been　twenty　minutes　at　their

task　before　they　were　rewarded　by　a　dull　rattle　on　the　coffin

lid。　　At　the　same　moment　Macfarlane；　having　hurt　his　hand

upon　a　stone；　flung　it　carelessly　above　his　head。　　The　grave；

in　which　they　now　stood　almost　to　the　shoulders；　was　close　to

the　edge　of　the　plateau　of　the　graveyard；　and　the　gig　lamp

had　been