the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第4章
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was intended to be longer； and the catastrophe more artificially brought
out； but a friendly critic； to whose opinion I subjected the work in its
progress； was of opinion； that the idea of the Solitary was of a kind too
revolting； and more likely to disgust than to interest the reader。 As I had
good right to consider my adviser as an excellent judge of public opinion；
I got off my subject by hastening the story to an end； as fast as it was
possible； and； by huddling into one volume； a tale which was designed to
occupy two； have perhaps produced a narrative as much disproportioned
and distorted； as the Black Dwarf who is its subject。
*
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THE BLACK DWARF
CHAPTER I。
PRELIMINARY。
Hast any philosophy in thee； Shepherd？ AS YOU LIKE IT。
It was a fine April morning （excepting that it had snowed hard the
night before； and the ground remained covered with a dazzling mantle of
six inches in depth） when two horsemen rode up to the Wallace Inn。 The
first was a strong； tall； powerful man； in a grey riding…coat； having a hat
covered with waxcloth； a huge silver…mounted horsewhip； boots； and
dreadnought overalls。 He was mounted on a large strong brown mare；
rough in coat； but well in condition； with a saddle of the yeomanry cut；
and a double… bitted military bridle。 The man who accompanied him was
apparently his servant； he rode a shaggy little grey pony； had a blue bonnet
on his head； and a large check napkin folded about his neck； wore a pair of
long blue worsted hose instead of boots； had his gloveless hands much
stained with tar； and observed an air of deference and respect towards his
companion； but without any of those indications of precedence and
punctilio which are preserved between the gentry and their domestics。
On the contrary； the two travellers entered the court…yard abreast； and the
concluding sentence of the conversation which had been carrying on
betwixt them was a joint ejaculation； 〃Lord guide us； an this weather last；
what will come o' the lambs！〃 The hint was sufficient for my Landlord；
who； advancing to take the horse of the principal person； and holding him
by the reins as he dismounted； while his ostler rendered the same service
to the attendant； welcomed the stranger to Gandercleugh； and； in the same
breath； enquired； 〃What news from the south hielands？〃
〃News？〃 said the farmer； 〃bad eneugh news； I think；an we can
carry through the yowes； it will be a' we can do； we maun e'en leave the
lambs to the Black Dwarfs care。〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 subjoined the old shepherd （for such he was）； shaking his
head； 〃he'll be unco busy amang the morts this season。〃 〃The Black
Dwarf！〃 said MY LEARNED FRIEND AND PATRON； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； 〃and what sort of a personage may he be？〃
＇We have； in this and other instances； printed in italics （CAPITALS in
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THE BLACK DWARF
this etext） some few words which the worthy editor； Mr。 Jedediah
Cleishbotham； seems to have interpolated upon the text of his deceased
friend； Mr。 Pattieson。 We must observe； once for all； that such liberties
seem only to have been taken by the learned gentleman where his own
character and conduct are concerned； and surely he must be the best judge
of the style in which his own character and conduct should be treated of。＇
〃Hout awa； man；〃 answered the farmer； 〃ye'll hae heard o' Canny
Elshie the Black Dwarf； or I am muckle mistaenA' the warld tells tales
about him； but it's but daft nonsense after a'I dinna believe a word o't
frae beginning to end。〃
〃Your father believed it unco stievely； though；〃 said the old man； to
whom the scepticism of his master gave obvious displeasure。
〃Ay； very true； Bauldie； but that was in the time o' the blackfacesthey
believed a hantle queer things in thae days； that naebody heeds since the
lang sheep cam in。〃
〃The mair's the pity； the mair's the pity；〃 said the old man。 〃Your father；
and sae I have aften tell'd ye； maister； wad hae been sair vexed to hae seen
the auld peel…house wa's pu'd down to make park dykes； and the bonny
broomy knowe； where he liked sae weel to sit at e'en； wi' his plaid about
him； and look at the kye as they cam down the loaning； ill wad he hae
liked to hae seen that braw sunny knowe a' riven out wi' the pleugh in the
fashion it is at this day。〃
〃Hout； Bauldie；〃 replied the principal； 〃tak ye that dram the landlord's
offering ye； and never fash your head about the changes o' the warld； sae
lang as ye're blithe and bien yoursell。〃
〃Wussing your health； sirs；〃 said the shepherd； and having taken off
his glass； and observed the whisky was the right thing； he continued； 〃It's
no for the like o' us to be judging； to be sure； but it was a bonny knowe
that broomy knowe； and an unco braw shelter for the lambs in a severe
morning like this。〃
〃Ay；〃 said his patron； 〃but ye ken we maun hae turnips for the lang
sheep； billie； and muckle hard wark to get them； baith wi' the pleugh and
the howe； and that wad sort ill wi' sitting on the broomy knowe； and
cracking about Black Dwarfs； and siccan clavers； as was the gate lang
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THE BLACK DWARF
syne； when the short sheep were in the fashion。〃
〃Aweel； aweel； maister；〃 said the attendant； 〃short sheep had short
rents； I'm thinking。〃
Here my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron again interposed； and
observed； 〃that he could never perceive any material difference； in point of
longitude； between one sheep and another。〃
This occasioned a loud hoarse laugh on the part of the farmer； and an
astonished stare on the part of the shepherd。
〃It's the woo'； man；it's the woo'； and no the beasts themsells； that
makes them be ca'd lang or short。 I believe if ye were to measure their
backs； the short sheep wad be rather the langer… bodied o' the twa； but it's
the woo' that pays the rent in thae days； and it had muckle need。〃
〃Odd； Bauldie says very true；short sheep did make short rents my
father paid for our steading just threescore punds； and it stands me in three
hundred； plack and bawbee。And that's very trueI hae nae time to be
standing here claveringLandlord； get us our breakfast； and see an' get the
yauds fedI am for doun to Christy Wilson's； to see if him and me can
gree about the luckpenny I am to gie him for his year…aulds。 We had
drank sax mutchkins to the making the bargain at St。 Boswell's fair； and
some gate we canna gree upon the particulars preceesely； for as muckle
time as we took about itI doubt we draw to a pleaBut hear ye；
neighbour；〃 addressing my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron； 〃if ye
want to hear onything about lang or short sheep； I will be back here to my
kail against ane o'clock； or； if ye want ony auld…warld stories about the
Black Dwarf； and sic…like； if ye'll ware a half mutchkin upon Bauldie there；
he'll crack t'ye like a pen…gun。 And I'se gie ye a mutchkin mysell； man； if
I can settle weel wi' Christy Wilson。〃
The farmer returned at the hour appointed； and with him came Christy
Wilson； their difference having been fortunately settled without an appeal
to the gentlemen of the long robe。 My LEARNED AND WORTHY
patron failed not to attend； both on account of the refreshment promised to
the mind and to the body； ALTHOUGH HE IS KNOWN TO PARTAKE
OF THE LATTER IN A VERY MODERATE DEGREE； and the party；
with which my Landlord was associated； continued to sit late in the
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THE BLACK DWARF
evening； seasoning their liquor with many choice tales and songs。 The
last incident which I recollect； was my LEARNED AND WORTHY
patron falling from his chair； just as he concluded a long lecture upon
temperance； by reciting； from the 〃Gentle Shepherd；〃 a couplet； which he
RIGHT HAPPILY transferred from the vice of avarice to that of ebriety：
He that has just eneugh may soundly sleep； The owercome only
fashes folk to keep。
In the course of the evening the Black Dwarf had not been forgotten；
and the old shepherd； Bauldie； told so many stories of him； that they
excited a good deal of interest。 It also appeared； though not till the third
punch…bowl was emptied； that much of the farmer's scepticism on the
subject was affected； as evincing a liberality of thinking； and a freedom
from ancient prejudices； becoming a man who paid three hundred pounds
a…year of rent； while； in fact； he had a lurking belief in the traditions of his
forefathers。 After my usual manner； I made farther enquiries of other
persons connected with the wild and pastoral district in which the scene of
the following narrative is placed； and I was fortunate enough to recover
many links of the story； not generally known； and which account； at least
in some degree； for the circumstances of exaggerated marvel with which
superstition has attired it in the more vulgar traditions。
＇The Black Dwarf； now almost forgotten； was once held a formidable
personage by the dalesmen of the Border； where he got the blame of
whatever mischief befell the sheep or cattle。 〃He was；〃 says Dr。 Leyden；
who makes considerable use of him in the ballad called the Cowt of
Keeldar； 〃a
