the relics of general chasse-第2节

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in　these　rooms　for　the　last　hour；　and　it　appeared　as　though　they
were　never　visited。　　Even　the　guide　had　not　come　on　with　us；　but　was
employed　in　showing　other　parties　about　the　fortifications。　　It　was
clear　that　this　portion　of　the　building　was　left　desolate；　and　that
the　experiment　might　be　safely　made。　　So　the　sportive　rector
declared　that　he　would　for　a　short　time　wear　the　regimentals　which
had　once　contained　the　valorous　heart　of　General　Chasse。

With　all　decorum　the　Rev。　Mr。　Horne　divested　himself　of　the　work　of
the　London　artist's　needle；　and；　carefully　placing　his　own　garments
beyond　the　reach　of　dust；　essayed　to　fit　himself　in　military　garb。

At　that　important　momentat　the　critical　instant　of　the　attempt
the　clatter　of　female　voices　was　heard　approaching　the　chamber。
They　must　have　suddenly　come　round　some　passage　corner；　for　it　was
evident　by　the　sound　that　they　were　close　upon　us　before　we　had　any
warning　of　their　advent。　　At　this　very　minute　Mr。　Horne　was　somewhat
embarrassed　in　his　attempts；　and　was　not　fully　in　possession　of　his
usual　active　powers　of　movement；　nor　of　his　usual　presence　of　mind。
He　only　looked　for　escape；　and　seeing　a　door　partly　open；　he　with
difficulty　retreated　through　it；　and　I　followed　him。　　We　found　that
we　were　in　a　small　dressing…room；　and　as　by　good　luck　the　door　was
defended　by　an　inner　bolt；　my　friend　was　able　to　protect　himself。

〃There　shall　be　another　siege；　at　any　rate　as　stout　as　the　last；
before　I　surrender；〃　said　he。

As　the　ladies　seemed　inclined　to　linger　in　the　room　it　became　a
matter　of　importance　that　the　above…named　articles　should　fit；　not
only　for　ornament　but　for　use。　　It　was　very　cold；　and　Mr。　Horne　was
altogether　unused　to　move　in　a　Highland　sphere　of　life。　　But　alas；
alas！　　General　Chasse　had　not　been　nurtured　in　the　classical
retirement　of　Ollerton。　　The　ungiving　leather　would　stretch　no　point
to　accommodate　the　divine；　though　it　had　been　willing　to　minister　to
the　convenience　of　the　soldier。　　Mr。　Horne　was　vexed　and　chilled；
and　throwing　the　now　hateful　garments　into　a　corner；　and　protecting
himself　from　the　cold　as　best　he　might　by　standing　with　his　knees
together　and　his　body　somewhat　bent　so　as　to　give　the　skirts　of　his
coat　an　opportunity　of　doing　extra　duty；　he　begged　me　to　see　if
those　jabbering　females　were　not　going　to　leave　him　in　peace　to
recover　his　own　property。　　I　accordingly　went　to　the　door；　and
opening　it　to　a　small　extent　I　peeped　through。

Who　shall　describe　my　horror　at　the　sight　which　I　then　saw？　　The
scene；　which　had　hitherto　been　tinted　with　comic　effect；　was　now
becoming　so　decidedly　tragic　that　I　did　not　dare　at　once　to　acquaint
my　worthy　pastor　with　that　which　was　occurring；and；　alas！　had
already　occurred。

Five　country…women　of　our　ownit　was　easy　to　know　them　by　their
dress　and　general　aspectwere　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room；
and　one　of　them；　the　centre　of　the　group；　the　senior　harpy　of　the
lot；　a　maiden　ladyI　could　have　sworn　to　thatwith　a　red　nose；
held　in　one　hand　a　huge　pair　of　scissors；　and　in　the　otherthe
already　devoted　goods　of　my　most　unfortunate　companion！　　Down　from
the　waistband；　through　that　goodly　expanse；　a　fell　gash　had　already
gone　through　and　through；　and　in　useless；　unbecoming　disorder　the
broadcloth　fell　pendant　from　her　arm　on　this　side　and　on　that。　　At
that　moment　I　confess　that　I　had　not　the　courage　to　speak　to　Mr。
Horne；not　even　to　look　at　him。

I　must　describe　that　group。　　Of　the　figure　next　to　me　I　could　only
see　the　back。　　It　was　a　broad　back　done　up　in　black　silk　not　of　the
newest。　　The　whole　figure；　one　may　say；　was　dumpy。　　The　black　silk
was　not　long；　as　dresses　now　are　worn；　nor　wide　in　its　skirts。　　In
every　way　it　was　skimpy；　considering　the　breadth　it　had　to　cover；
and　below　the　silk　I　saw　the　heels　of　two　thick　shoes；　and　enough　to
swear　by　of　two　woollen　stockings。　　Above　the　silk　was　a　red　and
blue　shawl；　and　above　that　a　ponderous；　elaborate　brown　bonnet；　as
to　the　materials　of　which　I　should　not　wish　to　undergo　an
examination。　　Over　and　beyond　this　I　could　only　see　the　backs　of　her
two　hands。　　They　were　held　up　as　though　in　wonder　at　that　which　the
red…nosed　holder　of　the　scissors　had　dared　to　do。

Opposite　to　this　lady；　and　with　her　face　fully　tamed　to　me；　was　a
kindly…looking；　fat　motherly　woman；　with　light…coloured　hair；　not　in
the　best　order。　　She　was　hot　and　scarlet　with　exercise；　being
perhaps　too　stout　for　the　steep　steps　of　the　fortress；　and　in　one
hand　she　held　a　handkerchief；　with　which　from　time　to　time　she　wiped
her　brow。　　In　the　other　hand　she　held　one　of　the　extremities　of　my
friend's　property；　feelinggood；　careful　soul！what　was　the
texture　of　the　cloth。　　As　she　did　so；　I　could　see　a　glance　of
approbation　pass　across　her　warm　features。　　I　liked　that　lady's
face；　in　spite　of　her　untidy　hair；　and　felt　that　had　she　been　alone
my　friend　would　not　have　been　injured。

On　either　side　of　her　there　stood　a　flaxen…haired　maiden；　with　long
curls；　large　blue　eyes；　fresh　red　cheeks；　an　undefined　lumpy　nose；
and　large　good…humoured　mouth。　　They　were　as　like　as　two　peas；　only
that　one　was　half　an　inch　taller　than　the　other；　and　there　was　no
difficulty　in　discovering；　at　a　moment's　glance；　that　they　were　the
children　of　that　over…heated　matron　who　was　feeling　the　web　of　my
friend's　cloth。

But　the　principal　figure　was　she　who　held　the　centre　place　in　the
group。　　She　was　tall　and　thin；　with　fierce…looking　eyes；　rendered
more　fierce　by　the　spectacles　which　she　wore；　with　a　red　nose　as　I
said　before；　and　about　her　an　undescribable　something　which　quite
convinced　me　that　she　had　never　knowncould　never　knowaught　of
the　comforts　of　married　life。　　It　was　she　who　held　the　scissors　and
the　black　garments。　　It　was　she　who　had　given　that　unkind　cut。　　As　I
looked　at　her　she　whisked　herself　quickly　round　from　one　companion
to　the　other；　triumphing　in　what　she　had　done；　and　ready　to　triumph
further　in　what　she　was　about　to　do。　　I　immediately　conceived　a　deep
hatred　for　that　Queen　of　the　Harpies。

〃Well；　I　suppose　they　can't　be　wanted　again；〃　said　the　mother；
rubbing　her　forehead。

〃Oh　dear　no！〃　said　she　of　the　red　nose。　　〃They　are　relics！〃　　I
thought　to　leap　forth；　but　for　what　purpose　should　I　have　leaped？
The　accursed　scissors　had　already　done　their　work；　and　the　symmetry；
nay；　even　the　utility　of　the　vestment　was　destroyed。

〃General　Chasse　wore　a　very　good　article；I　will　say　that　for　him；〃
continued　the　mother。

〃Of　course　he　did！〃　said　the　Queen　Harpy。　　〃Why　should　he　not；
seeing　that　the　country　paid　for　it　for　him？　　Well；　ladies；　who's
for　having　a　bit？〃

〃Oh　my！　you　won't　go　for　to　cut　them　up；〃　said　the　stout　back。

〃Won't　I；〃　said　the　scissors；　and　she　immediately　made　another
incision。　　〃Who's　for　having　a　bit？　　Don't　all　speak　at　once。〃

〃I　should　like　a　morsel　for　a　pincushion；〃　said　flaxen…haired　Miss
No。　1；　a　young　lady　about　nineteen；　actuated　by　a　general　affection
for　all　sword…bearing；　fire…eating　heroes。　　〃I　should　like　to　have
something　to　make　me　think　of　the　poor　general！〃

Snip；　snip　went　the　scissors　with　professional　rapidity；　and　a　round
piece　was　extracted　from　the　back　of　the　calf　of　the　left　leg。　　I
shuddered　with　horror；　and　so　did　the　Rev。　Augustus　Horne　with　cold。

〃I　hardly　think　it's　proper　to　cut　them　up；〃　said　Miss　No。　2。

〃Oh　isn't　it？〃　said　the　harpy。　　〃Then　I'll　do　what's　improper！〃　　And
she　got　her　finger　and　thumb　well　through　the　holes　in　the　scissors'
handles。　　As　she　spoke　resolution　was　plainly　marked　on　her　brow。

〃Well；　if　they　are　to　be　cut　up；　I　should　certainly　like　a　bit　for　a
pen…wiper；〃　said　No。　2。　　No。　2　was　a　literary　young　lady　with　a
periodical　correspondence；　a　journal；　and　an　album。　　Snip；　snip　went
the　scissors　again；　and　the　broad　part　of　the　upper　right　division
afforded　ample　materials　for　a　pen…wiper。

Then　the　lady　with　the　back；　seeing　that　the　desecration　of　the
article　had　been　completed；　plucked　up　heart　of　courage　and　put　in
her　little　request；　〃I　think　I　might　have　a　needle…case　out　of　it；〃
said　she；　〃just　as　a　suvneer　of　the　poor　general〃and　a　long
fragment　cut　rapidly　out　of　the　waistband　afforded　her　unqualified
delight。

Mamma；　with　the　hot　face　and　untidy　hair；　came　next。　　〃Well；　girls；〃
she　said；　〃as　you　are　all　served；　I　don't　see　why　I'm　to　be　left
out。　　Perhaps；　Miss　Grogram〃she　was　an　old　maid；　you　see
〃perhaps；　Miss　Grogram；　you　could　get　me　as　much　as　would　make　a
decent…sized　reticule。〃

There　was　not　the　slightest　difficulty　in　doing　this。　　The　harpy　in
the　centre　again　went　to　work；　snip；　snip；　and　extracting　from　that
portion　of　the　affairs　which　usually　sustained　the　greater　portion
of　Mr。　Horne's　weight　two　large　round　pieces　of　cloth；　presented
them　to　the　well…pleased　matron。　　〃The　general　knew　well　where　to
get　a　bit　of　good　broadcloth；　certainly；〃　said　she；　again　feeling
the　pieces。

〃And　now　for　No。　1；〃　said　she　whom　I　so　absolutely　hated；　〃I　think
there　is　still　enough　for　a　pair　of　slippers。　　There's　nothing　so
nice　for　the　house　as　good　black　cloth　slippers　that　are　warm　to　the
feet　and　don't　show　the　dirt。〃　　And　so　saying；　she　spread　out　on　the
floor　the　lac