christie johnstone-第13章

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upon　the　island。

He　found　them　discoursing；　as　usual；　about　the　shams　of　the　present　day；
and　the　sincerity　of　Cromwell　and　Mahomet；　and　he　found　himself　_de
trop。_

They　made　him；　for　the　first　time；　regret　the　loss　of　those　earnest　times
when；　〃to　avoid　the　inconvenience　of　both　addressing　the　same　lady；〃　you
could　cut　a　rival's　throat　at　once；　and　be　smiled　on　by　the　fair　and
society。

That　a　book…maker　should　blaspheme　high　civilization；　by　which　alone　he
exists；　and　one　of　whose　diseases　and　flying　pains　he　is；　neither
surprised　nor　moved　him；　but　that　any　human　being's　actions　should　be
affected　by　such　tempestuous　twaddle　was　ridiculous。

And　that　the　witty　Lady　Barbara　should　be　caught　by　this　chaff　was
intolerable；　he　began　to　feel　bitter。

He　had　the　blessings　of　the　poor；　the　good　opinion　of　the　world；　every
living　creature　was　prepossessed　in　his　favor　but　one；　and　that　one
despised　him；　it　was　a　diabolical　prejudice；　it　was　the　spiteful　caprice
of　his　fate。

His　heart；　for　a　moment；　was　in　danger　of　deteriorating。　He　was
miserable；　the　Devil　suggested　to　him；　〃make　others　miserable　too；〃　and
he　listened　to　the　advice。

There　was　a　fine　breeze；　but　instead　of　sailing　on　a　wind；　as　he　might
have　done；　he　made　a　series　of　tacks；　and　all　were　ill。

The　earnest　man　first；　and　Flucker　announced　the　skipper's　insanity　to
the　whole　town　of　Newhaven；　for；　of　course；　these　tacks　were　all　marine
solecisms。

The　other　discontented　Picnician　was　Christie　Johnstone。　Gatty　never
came；　and　this；　coupled　with　five　or　six　days'　previous　neglect；　could　no
longer　pass　unnoticed。

Her　gayety　failed　her　before　the　afternoon　was　ended；　and　the　last　two
hours　were　spent　by　her　alone；　watching　the　water　on　all　sides　for　him。

At　last；　long　after　the　departure　of　his　lordship's　yacht；　the　Newhaven
boat　sailed　from　Inch　Coombe　with　the　wedding　party。　There　was　now　a
strong　breeze；　and　the　water　every　now　and　then　came　on　board。　So　the　men
set　the　foresail　with　two　reefs；　and　drew　the　mainsail　over　the　women；
and　there；　as　they　huddled　together　in　the　dark；　Jean　Carnie　discovered
that　our　gay　story…teller's　eyes　were　wet　with　tears。

Jean　said　nothing；　she　embraced　her；　and　made　them　flow　faster。

But；　when　they　came　alongside　the　pier；　Jean；　who　was　the　first　to　get
her　head　from　under　the　sail；　whipped　it　back　again　and　said　to　Christie：

〃Here　he　is；　Christie；　dinna　speak　till　him。〃

And　sure　enough　there　was；　in　the　twilight；　with　a　pale　face　and　an
uneasy　lookMr。　Charles　Gatty！

He　peered　timidly　into　the　boat；　and；　when　he　saw　Christie；　an　〃Ah！〃　that
seemed　to　mean　twenty　different　things　at　once；　burst　from　his　bosom。　He
held　out　his　arm　to　assist　her。

She　cast　on　him　one　glance　of　mute　reproach；　and；　placing　her　foot　on　the
boat's　gunwale；　sprang　like　an　antelope　upon　the　pier；　without　accepting
his　assistance。

Before　going　further；　we　must　go　back　for　this　boy；　and　conduct　him　from
where　we　left　him　up　to　the　present　point。

The　moment　he　found　himself　alone　with　Jean　Carnie；　in　his　own　house；　he
began　to　tell　her　what　trouble　he　was　in；　how　his　mother　had　convinced
him　of　his　imprudence　in　falling　in　love　with　Christie　Johnstone；　and　how
she　insisted　on　a　connection　being　broken　off　which　had　given　him　his
first　glimpse　of　heaven　upon　earth；　and　was　contrary　to　common　sense。

Jean　heard　him　out；　and　then；　with　the　air　of　a　lunatic…asylum　keeper　to
a　rhodomontading　patient；　told　him　〃he　was　one　fool；　and　his　mother　was
another。〃　First　she　took　him　up　on　the　score　of　prudence。

〃You；〃　said　she；　〃are　a　beggarly　painter；　without　a　rap；　Christie　has
houses；　boats；　nets；　and　money；　you　are　in　debt；　she　lays　by　money　every
week。　It　is　not　prudent　on　her　part　to　take　up　with　youthe　better　your
bargain；　my　lad。〃

Under　the　head　of　common　sense；　which　she　maintained　was　all　on　the　same
side　of　the　question；　she　calmly　inquired：

〃How　could　an　old　woman　of　sixty　be　competent　to　judge　how　far　human
happiness　depends　on　love；　when　she　has　no　experience　of　that　passion；
and　the　reminiscences　of　her　youth　have　become　dim　and　dark？　You　might　as
well　set　a　judge　in　court；　that　has　forgotten　the　lawcommon　sense；〃
said　she；　〃the　old　wife　is　sixty；　and　you　are　twentywhat　can　she　do　for
you　the　forty　years　you　may　reckon　to　outlive　her？　Who　is　to　keep　you
through　those　weary　years　but　the　wife　of　your　own　choice；　not　your
mother's？　You　English　does　na　read　the　Bible；　or　ye'd　ken　that　a　lad　is
to　'leave　his　father　and　mother；　and　cleave　until　his　wife；'〃　added　she；
then　with　great　contempt　she　repeated；　〃common　sense；　indeed！　ye're　fou
wi'　your　common　sense；　ye　hae　the　name　o'　't　pat　eneuchbut　there's　na
muckle　o'　that　mairchandise　in　your　harns。〃

Gatty　was　astonished。　What！　was　there　really　common　sense　on　the　side　of
bliss？　and　when　Jean　told　him　to　join　her　party　at　Inch　Coombe；　or　never
look　her　in　the　face　again；　scales　seemed　to　fall　from　his　eyes；　and；
with　a　heart　that　turned　in　a　moment　from　lead　to　a　feather；　he　vowed　he
would　be　at　Inch　Coombe。

He　then　begged　Jean　on　no　account　to　tell　Christie　the　struggle　he　had
been　subjected　to；　since　his　scruples　were　now　entirely　conquered。

Jean　acquiesced　at　once；　and　said：　〃Indeed；　she　would　be　very　sorry　to
give　the　lass　that　muckle　pain。〃

She　hinted；　moreover；　that　her　neebor's　spirit　was　so　high；　she　was　quite
capable　of　breaking　with　him　at　once　upon　such　an　intimation；　and　she；
Jean；　was　〃nae　mischief…maker。〃

In　the　energy　of　his　gratitude；　he　kissed　this　dark…browed　beauty；
professing　to　see　in　her　a　sister。

And　she　made　no　resistance　to　this　way　of　showing　gratitude；　but　muttered
between　her　teeth；　〃He's　just　a　bairn！〃

And　so　she　went　about　her　business。

On　her　retreat；　his　mother　returned　to　him；　and；　with　a　sad　air；　hoped
nothing　that　that　rude　girl　had　said　had　weakened　his　filial　duty。

〃No；　mother；〃　said　he。

She　then；　without　explaining　how　she　came　acquainted　with　Jean's
arguments；　proceeded　to　demolish　them　one　by　one。

〃If　your　mother　is　old　and　experienced；〃　said　she；　〃benefit　by　her　age
and　experience。　She　has　not　forgotten　love；　nor　the　ills　it　leads　to；
when　not　fortified　by　prudence。　Scripture　says　a　man　shall　cleave　to　his
wife　when　he　has　left　his　parents；　but　in　making　that；　the　most　important
step　of　life；　where　do　you　read　that　he　is　to　break　the　fifth
commandment？　But　I　do　you　wrong；　Charles；　you　never　could　have　listened
to　that　vulgar　girl　when　she　told　you　your　mother　was　not　your　best
friend。〃

〃Nno；　mother；　of　course　not。〃

〃Then　you　will　not　go　to　that　place　to　break　my　heart；　and　undo　all　you
have　done　this　week。〃

〃I　should　like　to　go；　mother。〃

〃You　will　break　my　heart　if　you　do。〃

〃Christie　will　feel　herself　slighted；　and　she　has　not　deserved　this
treatment　from　me。〃

〃The　other　will　explain　to　her；　and　if　she　is　as　good　a　girl　as　you
say〃

〃She　is　an　angel！〃

〃How　can　a　fishwife　be　an　angel？　Well；　then；　she　will　not　set　a　son　to
disobey　his　mother。〃

〃I　don't　think　she　would！　but　is　all　the　goodness　to　be　on　her　side？〃

〃No；　Charles；　you　do　your　part；　deny　yourself；　be　an　obedient　child；　and
your　mother's　blessing　and　the　blessing　of　Heaven　will　rest　upon　you。〃

In　short；　he　was　not　to　go　to　Inch　Coombe。

He　stayed　at　home；　his　mother　set　him　to　work；　he　made　a　poor　hand　of　it；
he　was　so　wretched。　She　at　last　took　compassion　on　him；　and　in　the
evening；　when　it　was　now　too　late　for　a　sail　to　Inch　Coombe；　she　herself
recommended　a　walk　to　him。

The　poor　boy's　feet　took　him　toward　Newhaven；　not　that　he　meant　to　go　to
his　love；　but　he　could　not　forbear　from　looking　at　the　place　which　held
her。

He　was　about　to　return；　when　a　spacious　blue　jacket　hailed　him。　Somewhere
inside　this　jacket　was　Master　Flucker；　who　had　returned　in　the　yacht；
leaving　his　sister　on　the　island。

Gatty　instantly　poured　out　a　flood　of　questions。

The　baddish　boy　reciprocated　fluency。　He　informed　him　〃that　his　sister
had　been　the　star　of　a　goodly　company；　and　that；　her　own　lad　having
stayed　away；　she　had　condescended　to　make　a　conquest　of　the　skipper
himself。

〃He　had　come　in　quite　at　the　tag…end　of　one　of　her　stories；　but　it　had
been　sufficient　to　do　his　businesshe　had　danced　with　her；　had　even
whistled　while　she　sung。　（Hech；　it　was　bonny！）

〃And　when　the　cutter　sailed；　he；　Flucker；　had　seen　her　perched　on　a　rock；
like　a　mermaid；　watching　their　progress；　which　had　been　slow；　because　the
skipper；　infatuated　with　so　sudden　a　passion；　had　made　a　series　of
ungrammatical　tacks。〃

〃For　his　part　he　was　glad；〃　said　the　gracious　Flucker；　〃the　lass　was　a
prideful　hussy；　that　had　given　some　twenty　lads　a　sore　heart　and　him　many
a　sore　back；　and　he　hoped　his　skipper；　with　whom　he　naturally　identified
himself　rather　than　with　his　sister；　would　avenge　the　male　sex　upon　her。〃

In　short；　he　went　upon　this　tack　till　he　drove　poor　Gatty　nearly　mad。

Here　was　a　new　feeling　superadded；　at　first　he　felt　injured；　but　on
reflection　what　cause　of　complaint　had　he？

He　had　neglected　her；　he　might　have　been　her　partnerhe　had　left　her　to
find　one　where　she　could。

Fool；　to　suppose　that　so　beautiful　a　creature　would　ever　be
neglectedexcept　by　him！

It　was　more　than　he　could　bear。

He　determined　to　see　her；　to　ask　her　forgiveness；　to　tell　her　everything；
to　beg　her　to　decide；　and；　for　his　part；　he　would　abide　by　her　decision。

Christie　Johnstone；　as　we　have　already　related；　declined　his　arm；　sprang
like　a　deer　upon　the　pier；　and　walked　toward　her　home；　a　quarter　of　a
mile　distant。

Gatty　followed　her；　disconsolately；　hardly　knowing　what　to　do。

At　last；　observing　that　she　drew　near　enough　to　the　wall　to　allow　room
for　another　on　the　causeway；　he　had　just　nous　enough　to　creep　alongside
and　pull　her　sleeve　somewhat　timidly。

〃Christie；　I　want　to　speak　to　you：〃

〃What　can　ye　hae　to　say　till　me？〃

〃Christie；　I　am　very　unhappy；　and　I　want　to　tell　you　why；　but　I　have
hardly　the　strength　or　the　courage。〃

〃Ye　shall　come　ben　my　hoose　if　ye　are　unhappy；　and　we'll　hear　your　story；
come　away。

He　had　never　been　admitted　into　her　house　before。

They　found　it　clean　as　a　snowdrift。

They　found　a　bright　fire；　and　Flucker　frying　innumerable　steaks。

The　baddish　boy　had　obtained　them　in　his　sister's　name　and　at　her
expense；　at　the　flesher's；　and　claimed　credit　for　his　affection。

Potatoes　he　had　boiled　in　their　jackets；　and　so　skillfully；　that　those
jackets　hung　by　a　thread。

Christie　laid　an　unbleached　table…cloth；　that　somehow　looked　sweeter　than
a　white　one；　as　brown　bread　is　sweeter　than　white。

But　lo！　Gatty　could　not　eat；　so　then　Christie　would　not；　because　he
refused　her　cheer。

The　baddish　boy　chuckled；　and　addressed　himself　to　the　nice　brown　steaks
with　their　rich　gravy。

On　such　occasions　a　solo　on　the　knife　and　fork　seemed　better　than　a　trio
to　the　gracious　Flucker。

Christie　moved　about　the　room；　doing　little　household　matters；　Gatty's
eye　followed　her。

Her　beauty　lost　nothing　in　this　small　apartment；　she　was　here；　like　a
brilliant　in　some　quaint；　rough　setting；　which　all　earth's　jewelers
should　despise；　and　all　its　poets　admire；　and　it　should　show　off　the
stone　and　not　it