weir of hermiston-第15节
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get into his boots。 Dand said； chuckling： 〃Ay； Clem has the elements of
a corporation。〃 〃A provost and corporation；〃 returned Clem。 And his
readiness was much admired。
The fourth brother； Dand； was a shepherd to his trade； and by starts；
when he could bring his mind to it； excelled in the business。 Nobody
could train a dog like Dandie； nobody； through the peril of great storms
in the winter time； could do more gallantly。 But if his dexterity were
exquisite； his diligence was but fitful； and he served his brother for
bed and board； and a trifle of pocket…money when he asked for it。 He
loved money well enough； knew very well how to spend it； and could make
a shrewd bargain when he liked。 But he preferred a vague knowledge that
he was well to windward to any counted coins in the pocket； he felt
himself richer so。 Hob would expostulate： 〃I'm an amature herd。〃 Dand
would reply； 〃I'll keep your sheep to you when I'm so minded； but I'll
keep my liberty too。 Thir's no man can coandescend on what I'm worth。〃
Clein would expound to him the miraculous results of compound interest；
and recommend investments。 〃Ay； man？〃 Dand would say； 〃and do you
think； if I took Hob's siller； that I wouldna drink it or wear it on the
lassies？ And； anyway； my kingdom is no of this world。 Either I'm a
poet or else I'm nothing。〃 Clem would remind him of old age。 〃I'll die
young； like； Robbie Burns；〃 he would say stoutly。 No question but he
had a certain accomplishment in minor verse。 His 〃Hermiston Burn；〃 with
its pretty refrain …
〃I love to gang thinking whaur ye gang linking；
Hermiston burn； in the howe；〃
his 〃Auld； auld Elliotts； clay…cauld Elliotts； dour； bauld Elliotts of
auld；〃 and his really fascinating piece about the Praying Weaver's
Stone； had gained him in the neighbourhood the reputation； still
possible in Scotland； of a local bard； and； though not printed himself；
he was recognised by others who were and who had become famous。 Walter
Scott owed to Dandie the text of the 〃Raid of Wearie〃 in the MINSTRELSY；
and made him welcome at his house； and appreciated his talents； such as
they were； with all his usual generosity。 The Ettrick Shepherd was his
sworn crony； they would meet； drink to excess； roar out their lyrics in
each other's faces； and quarrel and make it up again till bedtime。 And
besides these recognitions； almost to be called official； Dandie was
made welcome for the sake of his gift through the farmhouses of several
contiguous dales； and was thus exposed to manifold temptations which he
rather sought than fled。 He had figured on the stool of repentance； for
once fulfilling to the letter the tradition of his hero and model。 His
humorous verses to Mr。 Torrance on that occasion … 〃Kenspeckle here my
lane I stand〃 … unfortunately too indelicate for further citation； ran
through the country like a fiery cross … they were recited； quoted；
paraphrased； and laughed over as far away as Dumfries on the one hand
and Dunbar on the other。
These four brothers were united by a close bond； the bond of that mutual
admiration … or rather mutual hero…worship … which is so strong among
the members of secluded families who have much ability and little
culture。 Even the extremes admired each other。 Hob； who had as much
poetry as the tongs； professed to find pleasure in Dand's verses； Clem；
who had no more religion than Claverhouse； nourished a heartfelt； at
least an open…mouthed； admiration of Gib's prayers； and Dandie followed
with relish the rise of Clem's fortunes。 Indulgence followed hard on
the heels of admiration。 The laird； Clem； and Dand； who were Tories and
patriots of the hottest quality； excused to themselves； with a certain
bashfulness； the radical and revolutionary heresies of Gib。 By another
division of the family； the laird； Clem； and Gib； who were men exactly
virtuous； swallowed the dose of Dand's irregularities as a kind of clog
or drawback in the mysterious providence of God affixed to bards； and
distinctly probative of poetical genius。 To appreciate the simplicity
of their mutual admiration it was necessary to hear Clem； arrived upon
one of his visits； and dealing in a spirit of continuous irony with the
affairs and personalities of that great city of Glasgow where he lived
and transacted business。 The various personages； ministers of the
church； municipal officers； mercantile big…wigs； whom he had occasion to
introduce； were all alike denigrated； all served but as reflectors to
cast back a flattering side…light on the house of Cauldstaneslap。 The
Provost； for whom Clem by exception entertained a measure of respect； he
would liken to Hob。 〃He minds me o' the laird there；〃 he would say。 〃He
has some of Hob's grand； whunstane sense； and the same way with him of
steiking his mouth when he's no very pleased。〃 And Hob； all
unconscious； would draw down his upper lip and produce； as if for
comparison； the formidable grimace referred to。 The unsatisfactory
incumbent of St。 Enoch's Kirk was thus briefly dismissed： 〃If he had but
twa fingers o' Gib's； he would waken them up。〃 And Gib； honest man！
would look down and secretly smile。 Clem was a spy whom they had sent
out into the world of men。 He had come back with the good news that
there was nobody to compare with the Four Black Brothers； no position
that they would not adorn； no official that it would not be well they
should replace； no interest of mankind； secular or spiritual； which
would not immediately bloom under their supervision。 The excuse of
their folly is in two words： scarce the breadth of a hair divided them
from the peasantry。 The measure of their sense is this： that these
symposia of rustic vanity were kept entirely within the family； like
some secret ancestral practice。 To the world their serious faces were
never deformed by the suspicion of any simper of self…contentment。 Yet
it was known。 〃They hae a guid pride o' themsel's！〃 was the word in the
country…side。
Lastly； in a Border story； there should be added their 〃two…names。〃 Hob
was The Laird。 〃Roy ne puis； prince ne daigne〃； he was the laird of
Cauldstaneslap … say fifty acres … IPSISSIMUS。 Clement was Mr。 Elliott；
as upon his door…plate； the earlier Dafty having been discarded as no
longer applicable； and indeed only a reminder of misjudgment and the
imbecility of the public； and the youngest； in honour of his perpetual
wanderings； was known by the sobriquet of Randy Dand。
It will be understood that not all this information was communicated by
the aunt； who had too much of the family failing herself to appreciate
it thoroughly in others。 But as time went on； Archie began to observe
an omission in the family chronicle。
〃Is there not a girl too？〃 he asked。
〃Ay： Kirstie。 She was named for me； or my grandmother at least … it's
the same thing；〃 returned the aunt； and went on again about Dand； whom
she secretly preferred by reason of his gallantries。
〃But what is your niece like？〃 said Archie at the next opportunity。
〃Her？ As black's your hat！ But I dinna suppose she would maybe be what
you would ca' ILL…LOOKED a'thegither。 Na； she's a kind of a handsome
jaud … a kind o' gipsy；〃 said the aunt； who had two sets of scales for
men and women … or perhaps it would be more fair to say that she had
three； and the third and the most loaded was for girls。
〃How comes it that I never see her in church？〃 said Archie。
〃 'Deed； and I believe she's in Glesgie with Clem and his wife。 A heap
good she's like to get of it！ I dinna say for men folk； but where
weemen folk are born； there let them bide。 Glory to God； I was never
far'er from here than Crossmichael。〃
In the meanwhile it began to strike Archie as strange； that while she
thus sang the praises of her kinsfolk； and manifestly relished their
virtues and （I may say） their vices like a thing creditable to herself；
there should appear not the least sign of cordiality between the house
of Hermiston and that of Cauldstaneslap。 Going to church of a Sunday；
as the lady housekeeper stepped with her skirts kilted； three tucks of
her white petticoat showing below； and her best India shawl upon her
back （if the day were fine） in a pattern of radiant dyes； she would
sometimes overtake her relatives preceding her more leisurely in the
same direction。 Gib of course was absent： by skreigh of day he had been
gone to Crossmichael and his fellow…heretics； but the rest of the family
would be seen marching in open order： Hob and Dand； stiff…necked；
straight…backed six…footers； with severe dark faces； and their plaids
about their shoulders； the convoy of children scattering （in a state of
high polish） on the wayside； and every now and again collected by the
shrill summons of the mother； and the mother herself； by a suggest
