the annals of the parish-第34节

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ade　and　saved　them　money。　　I　have；　no　doubt；　bettered　my　own　fortune　in　the　mean　time。　　Would　you　believe　it；　doctor；　they　have　written　a　letter　to　me；　saying　that　they　wish　to　provide　for　a　relation；　and　requiring　me　to　give　up　to　him　a　portion　of　my　share　in　the　concerna　pretty　sort　of　providing　this；　at　another　man's　expense！　　But　I'll　be　damn'd　if　I　do　any　such　thing！　　If　they　want　to　provide　for　their　friend；　let　them　do　so　from　themselves；　and　not　at　my　costWhat　is　your　opinion？〃

This　appeared　to　me　a　very　weighty　concern；　and；　not　being　versed　in　mercantile　dealing；　I　did　not　well　know　what　to　say；　but　I　reflected　for　some　time；　and　then　I　replied；　〃As　far；　Mr　Cayenne；　as　my　observation　has　gone　in　this　world；　I　think　that　the　giffs　and　the　gaffs　nearly　balance　one　another；　and　when　they　do　not；　there　is　a　moral　defect　on　the　failing　side。　　If　a　man　long　gives　his　labour　to　his　employer；　and　is　paid　for　that　labour；　it　might　be　said　that　both　are　equal；　but　I　say　no。　　For　it's　in　human　nature　to　be　prompt　to　change；　and　the　employer；　having　always　more　in　his　power　than　his　servant　or　agent；　it　seems　to　me　a　clear　case；　that　in　the　course　of　a　number　of　years；　the　master　of　the　old　servant　is　the　obligated　of　the　two；　and　therefore　I　say；　in　the　first　place；　in　your　case　there　is　no　tie　or　claim；　by　which　you　may；　in　a　moral　sense；　be　called　upon　to　submit　to　the　dictates　of　your　London　correspondents；　but　there　is　a　reason；　in　the　nature　of　the　thing　and　case；　by　which　you　may　ask　a　favour　from　themSo；　the　advice　I　would　give　you　would　be　this：　　write　an　answer　to　their　letter；　and　tell　them　that　you　have　no　objection　to　the　taking　in　of　a　new　partner；　but　you　think　it　would　be　proper　to　revise　all　the　copartnery；　especially　as　you　have；　considering　the　manner　in　which　you　have　advanced　the　business；　been　of　opinion；　that　your　share　should　be　considerably　enlarged。〃

I　thought　Mr　Cayenne　would　have　louped　out　of　his　skin　with　mirth　at　this　notion；　and；　being　a　prompt　man；　he　sat　down　at　my　scrutoire；　and　answered　the　letter　which　gave　him　so　much　uneasiness。　　No　notice　was　taken　of　it　for　some　time；　but　in　the　course　of　a　month　he　was　informed；　that　it　was　not　considered　expedient　at　that　time　to　make　any　change　in　the　company。　　I　thought　the　old　man　was　gone　by　himself　when　he　got　this　letter。　　He　came　over　instantly　in　his　chariot；　from　the　cotton…mill　office　to　the　manse；　and　swore　an　oath；　by　some　dreadful　name；　that　I　was　a　Solomon。　　However；　I　only　mention　this　to　show　how　experience　had　instructed　me；　and　as　a　sample　of　that　sinister　provisioning　of　friends　that　was　going　on　in　the　world　at　this　timeall　owing；　as　I　do　verily　believe；　to　the　uncertain　state　of　governments　and　national　affairs。

Besides　these　generalities；　I　observed　another　thing　working　to　effectmankind　read　more；　and　the　spirit　of　reflection　and　reasoning　was　more　awake　than　at　any　time　within　my　remembrance。　Not　only　was　there　a　handsome　bookseller's　shop　in　Cayenneville；　with　a　London　newspaper　daily；　but　magazines；　and　reviews；　and　other　new　publications。

Till　this　year；　when　a　chaise　was　wanted　we　had　to　send　to　Irville；　but　Mr　Toddy　of　the　Cross…Keys　being　in　at　Glasgow；　he　bought　an　excellent　one　at　the　second…hand；　a　portion　of　the　effects　of　a　broken　merchant；　by　which；　from　that　period；　we　had　one　of　our　own；　and　it　proved　a　great　convenience；　for　I；　who　never　but　twice　in　my　life　before　hired　that　kind　of　commodity；　had　it　thrice　during　the　summer；　for　a　bit　jaunt　with　Mrs　Balwhidder　to　divers　places　and　curiosities　in　the　county　that　I　had　not　seen　before；　by　which　our　ideas　were　greatly　enlarged；　indeed；　I　have　always　had　a　partiality　for　travelling；　as　one　of　the　best　means　of　opening　the　faculty　of　the　mind；　and　giving　clear　and　correct　notions　of　men　and　things。



CHAPTER　XLIV　　YEAR　1803



During　the　tempestuous　times　that　ensued；　from　the　death　of　the　King　of　France　by　the　hands　of　the　executioner　in　1793；　there　had　been　a　political　schism　among　my　people　that　often　made　me　very　uneasy。　The　folk　belonging　to　the　cotton…mill；　and　the　muslin…weavers　in　Cayenneville；　were　afflicted　with　the　itch　of　jacobinism；　but　those　of　the　village　were　stanch　and　true　to　king　and　country；　and　some　of　the　heritors　were　desirous　to　make　volunteers　of　the　young　men　of　them；　in　case　of　anything　like　the　French　anarchy　and　confusion　rising　on　the　side　of　the　manufacturers。　　I；　however；　set　myself；　at　that　time；　against　this；　for　I　foresaw　that　the　French　business　was　but　a　fever　which　would　soon　pass　off；　but　no　man　could　tell　the　consequence　of　putting　arms　in　the　hands　of　neighbour　against　neighbour；　though　it　was　but　in　the　way　of　policy。

But　when　Bonaparte　gathered　his　host　fornent　the　English　coast；　and　the　government　at　London　were　in　terror　of　their　lives　for　an　invasion；　all　in　the　country　saw　that　there　was　danger；　and　I　was　not　backward　in　sounding　the　trumpet　to　battle。　　For　a　time；　however；　there　was　a　diffidence　among　us　somewhere。　　The　gentry　had　a　distrust　of　the　manufacturers；　and　the　farming　lads　were　wud　with　impatience；　that　those　who　should　be　their　leaders　would　not　come　forth。　　I；　knowing　this；　prepared　a　sermon　suitable　to　the　occasion；　giving　out　from　the　pulpit　myself；　the　Sabbath　before　preaching　it；　that　it　was　my　intent；　on　the　next　Lord's　day；　to　deliver　a　religious　and　political　exhortation　on　the　present　posture　of　public　affairs。　　This　drew　a　vast　congregation　of　all　ranks。

I　trow　that　the　stoor　had　no　peace　in　the　stuffing　of　the　pulpit　in　that　day；　and　the　effect　was　very　great　and　speedy：　　for　next　morning　the　weavers　and　cotton…mill　folk　held　a　meeting；　and　they；　being　skilled　in　the　ways　of　committees　and　associating　together；　had　certain　resolutions　prepared；　by　which　a　select　few　was　appointed　to　take　an　enrolment　of　all　willing　in　the　parish　to　serve　as　volunteers　in　defence　of　their　king　and　country；　and　to　concert　with　certain　gentlemen　named　therein；　about　the　formation　of　a　corps；　of　which；　it　was　an　understood　thing；　the　said　gentlemen　were　to　be　the　officers。　　The　whole　of　this　business　was　managed　with　the　height　of　discretion；　and　the　weavers；　and　spinners；　and　farming　lads；　vied　with　one　another　who　should　be　first　on　the　list。　　But　that　which　the　most　surprised　me；　was　the　wonderful　sagacity　of　the　committee　in　naming　the　gentlemen　that　should　be　the　officers。　　I　could　not　have　made　a　better　choice　myself；　for　they　were　the　best　built；　the　best　bred；　and　the　best　natured；　in　the　parish。　　In　short；　when　I　saw　the　bravery　that　was　in　my　people；　and　the　spirit　of　wisdom　by　which　it　was　directed；　I　said　in　my　heart；　the　Lord　of　Hosts　is　with　us；　and　the　adversary　shall　not　prevail。

The　number　of　valiant　men　which　at　that　time　placed　themselves　around　the　banners　of　their　country　was　so　great；　that　the　government　would　not　accept　of　all　who　offered；　so；　like　as　in　other　parishes；　we　were　obligated　to　make　a　selection；　which　was　likewise　done　in　a　most　judicious　manner；　all　men　above　a　certain　age　being　reserved　for　the　defence　of　the　parish；　in　the　day　when　the　young　might　be　called　to　England　to　fight　the　enemy。

When　the　corps　was　formed；　and　the　officers　named；　they　made　me　their　chaplain；　and　Dr。　Marigold　their　doctor。　　He　was　a　little　man　with　a　big　belly；　and　was　as　crouse　as　a　bantam　cock；　but　it　was　not　thought　he　could　do　so　well　in　field　exercises；　on　which　account　he　was　made　the　doctor；　although　he　had　no　repute　in　that　capacity　in　comparison　with　Dr。　Tanzey；　who　was　not；　however；　liked；　being　a　stiff…mannered　man；　with　a　sharp　temper。

All　things　having　come　to　a　proper　head；　the　young　ladies　of　the　parish　resolved　to　present　the　corps　with　a　stand　of　colours；　which　they　embroidered　themselves；　and　a　day　was　fixed　for　the　presentation　of　the　same。　　Never　was　such　a　day　seen　in　Dalmailing。　The　sun　shone　brightly　on　that　scene　of　bravery　and　grandeur；　and　far　and　near　the　country　folk　came　flocking　in；　and　we　had　the　regimental　band　of　music　hired　from　the　soldiers　that　were　in　Ayr　barracks。　　The　very　first　sound　o't　made　the　hair　on　my　old　grey　head　to　prickle　up；　and　my　blood　to　rise　and　glow　as　if　youth　was　coming　again　into　my　veins。

Sir　Hugh　Montgomerie　was　the　commandant；　and　he　came　in　all　the　glory　of　war；　on　his　best　horse；　and　marched　at　the　head　of　the　men　to　the　green…head。　　The　doctor　and　me　were　the　rearguard：　　not　being　able；　on　account　of　my　age　and　his　fatness；　to　walk　so　fast　as　the　quick…step　of　the　corps。　　On　the　field；　we　took　our　place　in　front；　near　Sir　Hugh　and　the　ladies　with　the　colours；　and　after　some　salutations；　according　to　the　fashion　of　the　army；　Sir　Hugh　made　a　speech　to　the　men；　and　then　Miss　Maria　Montgomerie　came　forward；　with　her　sister　Miss　Eliza；　and　the　other　ladies；　and　the　banners　were　unfurled；　all　glittering　with　gold；　and　the　king's　arms　in　needlework。　　Miss　Maria　then　made　a　speech；　which　she　had　got　by　heart；　but　she　was　so　agitated　that　it　was　said　she　forgot　the　best　part　of　it：　　however；　it　was　very　well　considering。　　When　this　was　done；　I　then　stepped　forward；　and　laying　my　hat　on　the　ground；　every　man　and　boy　taking　off　theirs；　I　said　a　prayer；　which　I　had　conned　most　carefully；　and　which　I　thought　the　most　suitable　I　c