tales and fantasies-第2章

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somewhat　strange　to　me；　at　this　distance　of　time；　how　it　had

acquired　its　dangerous　repute。



In　precisely　the　same　spirit　as　a　man　may　debate　a　project　to

ascend　the　Matterhorn　or　to　cross　Africa；　John　considered

Alan's　proposal；　and；　greatly　daring；　accepted　it。　　As　he

walked　home；　the　thoughts　of　this　excursion　out　of　the　safe

places　of　life　into　the　wild　and　arduous；　stirred　and

struggled　in　his　imagination　with　the　image　of　Miss　Mackenzie

…　incongruous　and　yet　kindred　thoughts；　for　did　not　each

imply　unusual　tightening　of　the　pegs　of　resolution？　did　not

each　woo　him　forth　and　warn　him　back　again　into　himself？



Between　these　two　considerations；　at　least；　he　was　more　than

usually　moved；　and　when　he　got　to　Randolph　Crescent；　he　quite

forgot　the　four　hundred　pounds　in　the　inner　pocket　of　his

greatcoat；　hung　up　the　coat；　with　its　rich　freight；　upon　his

particular　pin　of　the　hatstand；　and　in　the　very　action　sealed

his　doom。







CHAPTER　II　…　IN　WHICH　JOHN　REAPS　THE　WHIRLWIND







ABOUT　half…past　ten　it　was　John's　brave　good　fortune　to　offer

his　arm　to　Miss　Mackenzie；　and　escort　her　home。　　The　night

was　chill　and　starry；　all　the　way　eastward　the　trees　of　the

different　gardens　rustled　and　looked　black。　　Up　the　stone

gully　of　Leith　Walk；　when　they　came　to　cross　it；　the　breeze

made　a　rush　and　set　the　flames　of　the　street…lamps　quavering；

and　when　at　last　they　had　mounted　to　the　Royal　Terrace；　where

Captain　Mackenzie　lived；　a　great　salt　freshness　came　in　their

faces　from　the　sea。　　These　phases　of　the　walk　remained

written　on　John's　memory；　each　emphasised　by　the　touch　of

that　light　hand　on　his　arm；　and　behind　all　these　aspects　of

the　nocturnal　city　he　saw；　in　his　mind's…eye；　a　picture　of

the　lighted　drawing…room　at　home　where　he　had　sat　talking

with　Flora；　and　his　father；　from　the　other　end；　had　looked　on

with　a　kind　and　ironical　smile。　　John　had　read　the

significance　of　that　smile；　which　might　have　escaped　a

stranger。　　Mr。　Nicholson　had　remarked　his　son's　entanglement

with　satisfaction；　tinged　by　humour；　and　his　smile；　if　it

still　was　a　thought　contemptuous；　had　implied　consent。



At　the　captain's　door　the　girl　held　out　her　hand；　with　a

certain　emphasis；　and　John　took　it　and　kept　it　a　little

longer；　and　said；　'Good…night；　Flora；　dear；'　and　was

instantly　thrown　into　much　fear　by　his　presumption。　　But　she

only　laughed；　ran　up　the　steps；　and　rang　the　bell；　and　while

she　was　waiting　for　the　door　to　open；　kept　close　in　the

porch；　and　talked　to　him　from　that　point　as　out　of　a

fortification。　　She　had　a　knitted　shawl　over　her　head；　her

blue　Highland　eyes　took　the　light　from　the　neighbouring

street…lamp　and　sparkled；　and　when　the　door　opened　and　closed

upon　her；　John　felt　cruelly　alone。



He　proceeded　slowly　back　along　the　terrace　in　a　tender　glow；

and　when　he　came　to　Greenside　Church；　he　halted　in　a　doubtful

mind。　　Over　the　crown　of　the　Calton　Hill；　to　his　left；　lay

the　way　to　Colette's；　where　Alan　would　soon　be　looking　for

his　arrival；　and　where　he　would　now　have　no　more　consented　to

go　than　he　would　have　wilfully　wallowed　in　a　bog；　the　touch

of　the　girl's　hand　on　his　sleeve；　and　the　kindly　light　in　his

father's　eyes；　both　loudly　forbidding。　　But　right　before　him

was　the　way　home；　which　pointed　only　to　bed；　a　place　of

little　ease　for　one　whose　fancy　was　strung　to　the　lyrical

pitch；　and　whose　not　very　ardent　heart　was　just　then

tumultuously　moved。　　The　hilltop；　the　cool　air　of　the　night；

the　company　of　the　great　monuments；　the　sight　of　the　city

under　his　feet；　with　its　hills　and　valleys　and　crossing　files

of　lamps；　drew　him　by　all　he　had　of　the　poetic；　and　he　turned

that　way；　and　by　that　quite　innocent　deflection；　ripened　the

crop　of　his　venial　errors　for　the　sickle　of　destiny。



On　a　seat　on　the　hill　above　Greenside　he　sat　for　perhaps　half

an　hour；　looking　down　upon　the　lamps　of　Edinburgh；　and　up　at

the　lamps　of　heaven。　　Wonderful　were　the　resolves　he　formed；

beautiful　and　kindly　were　the　vistas　of　future　life　that　sped

before　him。　　He　uttered　to　himself　the　name　of　Flora　in　so

many　touching　and　dramatic　keys；　that　he　became　at　length

fairly　melted　with　tenderness；　and　could　have　sung　aloud。　　At

that　juncture　a　certain　creasing　in　his　greatcoat　caught　his

ear。　　He　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　pulled　forth　the

envelope　that　held　the　money；　and　sat　stupefied。　　The　Calton

Hill；　about　this　period；　had　an　ill　name　of　nights；　and　to　be

sitting　there　with　four　hundred　pounds　that　did　not　belong　to

him　was　hardly　wise。　　He　looked　up。　　There　was　a　man　in　a

very　bad　hat　a　little　on　one　side　of　him；　apparently　looking

at　the　scenery；　from　a　little　on　the　other　a　second　night…

walker　was　drawing　very　quietly　near。　　Up　jumped　John。　　The

envelope　fell　from　his　hands；　he　stooped　to　get　it；　and　at

the　same　moment　both　men　ran　in　and　closed　with　him。



A　little　after；　he　got　to　his　feet　very　sore　and　shaken；　the

poorer　by　a　purse　which　contained　exactly　one　penny　postage…

stamp；　by　a　cambric　handkerchief；　and　by　the　all…important

envelope。



Here　was　a　young　man　on　whom；　at　the　highest　point　of　lovely

exaltation；　there　had　fallen　a　blow　too　sharp　to　be　supported

alone；　and　not　many　hundred　yards　away　his　greatest　friend

was　sitting　at　supper　…　ay；　and　even　expecting　him。　　Was　it

not　in　the　nature　of　man　that　he　should　run　there？　　He　went

in　quest　of　sympathy　…　in　quest　of　that　droll　article　that　we

all　suppose　ourselves　to　want　when　in　a　strait；　and　have

agreed　to　call　advice；　and　he　went；　besides；　with　vague　but

rather　splendid　expectations　of　relief。　　Alan　was　rich；　or

would　be　so　when　he　came　of　age。　　By　a　stroke　of　the　pen　he

might　remedy　this　misfortune；　and　avert　that　dreaded

interview　with　Mr。　Nicholson；　from　which　John　now　shrunk　in

imagination　as　the　hand　draws　back　from　fire。



Close　under　the　Calton　Hill　there　runs　a　certain　narrow

avenue；　part　street；　part　by…road。　　The　head　of　it　faces　the

doors　of　the　prison；　its　tail　descends　into　the　sunless　slums

of　the　Low　Calton。　　On　one　hand　it　is　overhung　by　the　crags

of　the　hill；　on　the　other　by　an　old　graveyard。　　Between　these

two　the　roadway　runs　in　a　trench；　sparsely　lighted　at　night；

sparsely　frequented　by　day；　and　bordered；　when　it　was　cleared

the　place　of　tombs；　by　dingy　and　ambiguous　houses。　　One　of

these　was　the　house　of　Colette；　and　at　his　door　our　ill…

starred　John　was　presently　beating　for　admittance。　　In　an

evil　hour　he　satisfied　the　jealous　inquiries　of　the

contraband　hotel…keeper；　in　an　evil　hour　he　penetrated　into

the　somewhat　unsavoury　interior。　　Alan；　to　be　sure；　was

there；　seated　in　a　room　lighted　by　noisy　gas…jets；　beside　a

dirty　table…cloth；　engaged　on　a　coarse　meal；　and　in　the

company　of　several　tipsy　members　of　the　junior　bar。　　But　Alan

was　not　sober；　he　had　lost　a　thousand　pounds　upon　a　horse…

race；　had　received　the　news　at　dinner…time；　and　was　now；　in

default　of　any　possible　means　of　extrication；　drowning　the

memory　of　his　predicament。　　He　to　help　John！　　The　thing　was

impossible；　he　couldn't　help　himself。



'If　you　have　a　beast　of　a　father；'　said　he；　'I　can　tell　you　I

have　a　brute　of　a　trustee。'



'I'm　not　going　to　hear　my　father　called　a　beast；'　said　John

with　a　beating　heart；　feeling　that　he　risked　the　last　sound

rivet　of　the　chain　that　bound　him　to　life。



But　Alan　was　quite　good…natured。



'All　right；　old　fellow；'　said　he。　　'Mos'　respec'able　man　your

father。'　　And　he　introduced　his　friend　to　his　companions　as

'old　Nicholson　the　what…d'ye…call…um's　son。'



John　sat　in　dumb　agony。　　Colette's　foul　walls　and　maculate

table…linen；　and　even　down　to　Colette's　villainous　casters；

seemed　like　objects　in　a　nightmare。　　And　just　then　there　came

a　knock　and　a　scurrying；　the　police；　so　lamentably　absent

from　the　Calton　Hill；　appeared　upon　the　scene；　and　the　party；

taken　FLAGRANTE　DELICTO；　with　their　glasses　at　their　elbow；

were　seized；　marched　up　to　the　police　office；　and　all　duly

summoned　to　appear　as　witnesses　in　the　consequent　case

against　that　arch…shebeener；　Colette。



It　was　a　sorrowful　and　a　mightily　sobered　company　that　came

forth　again。　　The　vague　terror　of　public　opinion　weighed

generally　on　them　all；　but　there　were　private　and　particular

horrors　on　the　minds　of　individuals。　　Alan　stood　in　dread　of

his　trustee；　already　sorely　tried。　　One　of　the　group　was　the

son　of　a　country　minister；　another　of　a　judge；　John；　the

unhappiest　of　all；　had　David　Nicholson　to　father；　the　idea　of

facing　whom　on　such　a　scandalous　subject　was　physically

sickening。　　They　stood　awhile　consulting　under　the　buttresses

of　Saint　Giles；　thence　they　adjourned　to　the　lodgings　of　one

of　the　number　in　North　Castle　Street；　where　（for　that　matter）

they　might　have　had　quite　as　good　a　supper；　and　far　better

drink；　than　in　the　dangerous　paradise　from　which　they　had

been　routed。　　There；　over　an　almost　tearful　glass；　they

debated　their　position。　　Each　explained　he　had　the　world　to

lose　if　the　affair　went　on；　and　he　appeared　as　a　witness。　　It

was　remarkable　what　bright　prospects　were　just　then　in　the

very　act　of　opening　before　each　of　that　little　company　of

youths；　and　what　pious　consideration　for　the　feelings　of

their　families　began　now　to　well　from　them。　　Each；　moreover；

was　in　an　odd　state　of　destitution。　　Not　one　could　bear　his

share　of　the　fine；　not　one　but　evinced　a　wonderful　twinkle　of

hope　that　each　of　the　others　（in　succession）　was　the　very　man

who　could　step　in　to　make　good　the　deficit。　　One　took　a　high

hand；　he　could　not　pay　his　share；　if　it　went　to　a　trial；　he

should　bolt；　he　had　always　felt　the　English　Bar　to　be　his

true　sphere。　　Another　branched　out　into　touching　details

about　his　family；　and　was　not　listened　to。　　John；　in　the

midst　of　this　disorderly　competition　of　poverty　and　meanness；

sat　stunned；　contemplating　the　mountain　bulk　of　his

misfortunes。



At　last；　upon　a　pledge　that　each　should　apply　to　his　family

with　a　common　frankness；　this　convention　of　unhappy　young

asses　broke　up；　went　down　the　common　stair；　and　in　the　grey

of　the　spring　morning；　with　the　streets　lying　dead　empty　all

about　them；　the　lamps　burning　on　into　the　daylight　in

diminished　lustre；　and　the　birds　beginning　to　sound

premonitory　notes　from　the　groves　of　the　town　gardens；　went

each　his　own　way　with　bowed　head　and　echoing　footfall。



The　rooks　were　awake　in　Randolph　Crescent；　but　the　windows

looked　down；　discreetly　blinded；　on　the　return　of　the

prodigal。　　John's　pass…key　was　a　recent　privilege；　this　was

the　first　time　it　had　been　used；　and；　oh！　with　what　a

sickening　sense　of　his　unworthiness　he　now　inserted　it　into

the　well…oiled　lock　and　entered　that　citadel　of　the

proprieties！　　All　slept；　the　gas　in　the　hall　had　been　left

faintly　burning　to　light　his　return；　a　dreadful　stillness

reigned；　broken　by　the　deep　ticking　of　the　eight…day　clock。

He　put　the　ga