christie johnstone-第15章

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inspired。

Half　an　hour　passed　thus。

〃What　is　the　price　of　this　work　of　art？〃

〃Eighty　pounds。〃

〃I　take　it；〃　said　his　visitor；　quietly。

What；　no　more　difficulty　than　that？　He　felt　almost　disappointed　at
gaining　his　object　so　easily。

〃I　am　obliged　to　you；　sir；　much　obliged　to　you；〃　he　added；　for　he
reflected　what　eighty　pounds　were　to　him　just　then。

〃It　is　my　descendants　who　are　obliged　to　you；〃　replied　the　gentleman；
〃the　picture　is　immortal！〃

These　words　were　an　epoch　in　the　painter's　life。

The　grave；　silent　inspection　that　had　preceded　them；　the　cool；
deliberate；　masterly　tone　in　which　they　were　said；　made　them　oracular　to
him。

Words　of　such　import　took　him　by　surprise。

He　had　thirsted　for　average　praise　in　vain。

A　hand　had　taken　him；　and　placed　him　at　the　top　of　the　tree。

He　retired　abruptly；　or　he　would　have　burst　into　tears。

He　ran　to　his　mother。

〃Mother；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　a　painter；　I　always　thought　so　at　bottom；　but　I
suppose　it　is　the　height　of　my　ideas　makes　me　discontented　with　my　work。〃

〃What　has　happened？'

〃There　is　a　critic　in　my　room。　I　had　no　idea　there　was　a　critic　in　the
creation；　and　there　is　one　in　my　room。

〃Has　he　bought　your　picture；　my　poor　boy？〃　said　Mrs。　Gatty；
distrustfully。

To　her　surprise　he　replied：

〃Yes！　he　has　got　it；　only　eighty　pounds　for　an　immortal　picture。〃

Mrs。　Gatty　was　overjoyed；　Gatty　was　a　little　sad；　but；　reviving；　he
professed　himself　glad；　the　picture　was　going　to　a　judge。

〃It　is　not　much　money；〃　said　he；　〃but　the　man　has　spoken　words　that　are
ten　thousand　pounds　to　me。〃

He　returned　to　the　room；　his　visitor；　hat　in　hand；　was　about　to　go；　a　few
words　were　spoken　about　the　art　of　painting；　this　led　to　a　conversation；
and　then　to　a　short　discussion。

The　newcomer　soon　showed　Mr。　Charles　Gatty　his　ignorance　of　facts。

This　man　had　sat　quietly　before　a　multitude　of　great　pictures；　new　and
old；　in　England。

He　cooled　down　Charles　Gatty；　Esq。；　monopolist　of　nature　and　truth。

He　quoted　to　him　thirty　painters　in　Germany；　who　paint　every　stroke　of　a
landscape　in　the　open　air；　and　forty　in　various　nations　who　had　done　it
in　times　past。

〃You；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　〃appear　to　hang　on　the　skirts　of　a　certain
clique；　who　handle　the　brush　well；　but　draw　ill；　and　look　at　nature
through　the　spectacles　of　certain　ignorant　painters　who　spoiled　canvas
four　hundred　years　ago。

〃Go　no　further　in　that　direction。

〃Those　boys；　like　all　quacks；　have　one　great　truth　which　they　disfigure
with　more　than　one　falsehood。

〃Hold　fast　their　truth；　which　is　a　truth　the　world　has　always　possessed；
though　its　practice　has　been　confined　to　the　honest　and　laborious　few。

〃Eschew　their　want　of　mind　and　taste。

〃Shrink　with　horror　from　that　profane　_culte　de　laideur；_　that　'love　of
the　lopsided；'　they　have　recovered　from　the　foul　receptacles　of　decayed
art。〃

He　reminded　him　further；　that　〃Art　is　not　imitation；　but　illusion；　that　a
plumber　and　glazier　of　our　day　and　a　medieval　painter　are　more　alike　than
any　two　representatives　of　general　styles　that　can　be　found；　and　for　the
same　reason；　namely；　that　with　each　of　these　art　is　in　its　infancy；　these
two　sets　of　bunglers　have　not　learned　how　to　produce　the　illusions　of
art。〃

To　all　this　he　added　a　few　words　of　compliment　on　the　mind；　as　well　as
mechanical　dexterity；　of　the　purchased　picture；　bade　him　good　morning；
and　glided　away　like　a　passing　sunbeam。

〃A　mother's　blessing　is　a　great　thing　to　have；　and　to　deserve；〃　said　Mrs。
Gatty；　who　had　rejoined　her　son。

〃It　is；　indeed；〃　said　Charles。　He　could　not　help　being　struck　by　the
coincidence。

He　had　made　a　sacrifice　to　his　mother；　and　in　a　few　hours　one　of　his
troubles　had　melted　away。

In　the　midst　of　these　reflections　arrived　Mr。　Saunders　with　a　note。

The　note　contained　a　check　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　pounds；　with　these
lines；　in　which　the　writer　excused　himself　for　the　amendment：　〃I　am　a
painter　myself；〃　said　he；　〃and　it　is　impossible　that　eighty　pounds　can
remunerate　the　time　expended　on　this　picture；　to　say　nothing　of　the
skill。〃

We　have　treated　this　poor　boy's　picture　hitherto　with　just　contempt；　but
now　that　it　is　gone　into　a　famous　collection；　mind；　we　always　admired　it；
we　always　said　so；　we　take　our　oath　we　did；　if　we　have　hitherto　deferred
framing　it；　that　was　merely　because　it　was　not　sold。

MR。　GATTY'S　PICTURE；　AT　PRESENT　IN　THE　COLLECTION　OF　LORD　IPSDEN！

There　was；　hundreds　of　years　ago；　a　certain　Bishop　of　Durham；　who　used　to
fight　in　person　against　the　Scotch；　and　defeat　them。　When　he　was　not　with
his　flock；　the　northern　wolves　sometimes　scattered　it；　but　when　the　holy
father　was　there　with　his　prayers　and　his　battle…ax；　England　won　the　day！

This　nettled　the　Scottish　king；　so　he　penetrated　one　day；　with　a　large
band；　as　far　as　Durham　itself；　and　for　a　short　time　blocked　the　prelate
up　in　his　stronghold。　This　was　the　period　of　Mr。　Gatty's　picture。

Whose　title　was：

_〃Half　Church　of　God；　half　Tower　against　the　Scot。〃_

In　the　background　was　the　cathedral；　on　the　towers　of　which　paced　to　and
fro　men　in　armor；　with　the　western　sun　glittering　thereon。　In　the　center；
a　horse　and　cart；　led　by　a　boy；　were　carrying　a　sheaf　of　arrows；　tied
with　a　straw　band。　In　part　of　the　foreground　was　the　prelate；　in　a　half
suit　of　armor；　but　bareheaded；　he　was　turning　away　from　the　boy　to　whom
his　sinking　hand　had　indicated　his　way　into　the　holy　castle；　and　his
benignant　glance　rested　on　a　child；　whom　its　mother　was　holding　up　for
his　benediction。　In　the　foreground　the　afternoon　beams　sprinkled　gold　on
a　long　grassy　slope；　corresponding　to　the　elevation　on　which　the
cathedral　stood；　separated　by　the　river　Wear　from　the　group；　and　these
calm　beauties　of　Nature；　with　the　mother　and　child；　were　the　peaceful
side　of　this　twofold　story。

Such　are　the　dry　details。　But　the　soul　of　its　charm　no　pen　can　fling　on
paper。　For　the　stately　cathedral　stood　and　lived；　the　little　leaves
slumbered　yet　lived；　and　the　story　floated　and　lived；　in　the　potable　gold
of　summer　afternoon。

To　look　at　this　painted　poem　was　to　feel　a　thrill　of　pleasure　in　bare
existence；　it　went　through　the　eyes；　where　paintings　stop；　and　warmed　the
depths　and　recesses　of　the　heart　with　its　sunshine　and　its　glorious　air。


CHAPTER　XIII。


〃WHAT　is　in　the　wind　this　dark　night？　Six　Newhaven　boats　and　twenty　boys
and　hobbledehoys；　hired　by　the　Johnstones　at　half　a　crown　each　for　a
night's　job。〃

〃Secret　service！〃

〃What　is　it　for？〃

〃I　think　it　is　a　smuggling　lay；〃　suggested　Flucker；　〃but　we　shall　know
all　in　good　time。〃

〃Smuggling！〃　Their　countenances　fell；　they　had　hoped　for　something　more
nearly　approaching　the　illegal。

〃Maybe　she　has　fand　the　herrin'；〃　said　a　ten…year…old。

〃Haw！　haw！　haw！〃　went　the　others。　〃She　find　the　herrin'；　when　there's
five　hundred　fishermen　after　them　baith　sides　the　Firrth。〃

The　youngster　was　discomfited。

In　fact　the　expedition　bore　no　signs　of　fishing。

The　six　boats　sailed　at　sundown；　led　by　Flucker。　He　brought　to　on　the
south　side　of　Inch　Keith；　and　nothing　happened　for　about　an　hour。

Then　such　boys　as　were　awake　saw　two　great　eyes　of　light　coming　up　from
Granton；　rattle　went　the　chain　cable；　and　Lord　Ipsden's　cutter　swung　at
anchor　in　four　fathom　water。

A　thousand　questions　to　Flucker。

A　single　puff　of　tobacco…smoke　was　his　answer。

And　now　crept　up　a　single　eye　of　light　from　Leith；　she　came　among　the
boats；　the　boys　recognized　a　crazy　old　cutter　from　Leith　harbor；　with
Christie　Johnstone　on　board。

〃What　is　that　brown　heap　on　her　deck？〃

〃A　mountain　of　netsfifty　stout　herring…nets。〃

_Tunc　manifesta　fides。_

A　yell　burst　from　all　the　boys。

〃He's　gaun　to　tak　us　to　Dunbar。〃

〃Half　a　crown！　ye're　no　blate。〃

Christie　ordered　the　boats　alongside　her　cutter；　and　five　nets　were
dropped　into　each　boat；　six　into　Flucker's。

The　depth　of　the　water　was　given　them；　and　they　were　instructed　to　shoot
their　nets　so　as　to　keep　a　fathom　and　a　half　above　the　rocky　bottom。

A　herring　net　is　simply　a　wall　of　meshes　twelve　feet　deep；　fifty　feet
long；　it　sinks　to　a　vertical　position　by　the　weight　of　net　twine；　and　is
kept　from　sinking　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea　by　bladders　or　corks。　These
nets　are　tied　to　one　another；　and　paid　out　at　the　stern　of　the　boat。　Boat
and　nets　drift　with　the　tide；　if；　therefore；　the　nets　touched　the　rocks
they　would　be　torn　to　pieces；　and　the　fisherman　ruined。

And　this　saves　the　herringthat　fish　lies　hours　and　hours　at　the　very
bottom　of　the　sea　like　a　stone；　and　the　poor　fisherman　shall　drive　with
his　nets　a　yard　or　two　over　a　square　mile　of　fish；　and　not　catch　a
herring　tail；　on　the　other　hand；　if　they　rise　to　play　for　five　minutes；
in　that　five　minutes　they　shall　fill　seven　hundred　boats。

At　nine　o'clock　all　the　boats　had　shot　their　nets；　and　Christie　went
alongside　his　lordship's　cutter；　he　asked　her　many　questions　about
herring　fishery；　to　which　she　gave　clear　answers；　derived　from　her
father；　who　had　always　been　what　the　fishermen　call　a　lucky　fisherman；
that　is；　he　had　opened　his　eyes　and　judged　for　himself。

Lord　Ipsden　then　gave　her　blue　lights　to　distribute　among　the　boats；　that
the　first　which　caught　herring　might　signal　all　hands。

This　was　done；　and　all　was　expectation。　Eleven　o'clock　cameno　signal
from　any　boat。

Christie　became　anxious。　At　last　she　went　round　to　the　boats；　found　the
boys　all　asleep　except　the　baddish　boy；　waked　them　up；　and　made　them　all
haul　in　their　first　net。　The　nets　came　in　as　black　as　ink；　no　sign　of　a
herring。

There　was　but　one　opinion；　there　was　no　herring　at　Inch　Keith；　they　had
not　been　there　this　seven　years。

At　last；　Flucker；　to　whom　she　came　in　turn；　told　her　he　was　going　into
two　fathom　water；　where　he　would　let　out　the　bladders　and　drop　the　nets
on　their　cursed　backs。

A　strong　remonstrance　was　made　by　Christie；　but　the　baddish　boy　insisted
that　he　had　an　equal　right　in　all　her　nets；　and；　setting　his　sail；　he　ran
into　shoal　water。

Christie　began　to　be　sorrowful；　instead　of　making　money；　she　was　going　to
throw　it　away；　and　the　ne'er…do…weel　Flucker　would　tear　six　nets　from　the
ropes。

Flucker　hauled　down　his　sail；　and　unstepped　his　mast　in　two　fathom　water；
but　he　was　not　such　a　fool　as　to　risk　his　six　nets；　he　devoted　one　to　his
experiment；　and　did　it　well；　he　let　out　his　bladder　line　a　fathom；　so
that　one　half　his　net　would　literally　be　higgledy…piggledy　with　the
rocks；　unless　the　fish　were　there　_en　masse。_

No　long　time　was　required。

In　five　minutes　he　began　to　haul　in　the　net；　first；　the　boys　hauled　in
the　rope；　and　then　the　net　began　to　approach　the　surface。　Flucker　looked
anxiously　down；　the　other　lads　incredulously；　suddenly　they　all　gave　a
yell　of　triumphan　appearance　of　silver　and　lightning　mixed　had　glanced
up　from　the　bottom；　in　came　the　first　two　yards　of　the　netthere　were
three　herrings　in　it。　These　three　proved　Flucker's　point　as　well　as　three
million。

They　hauled　in　the　net。　Before　they　had　a　quarter　of　it　in；　the　net　came
up　to　the　surface；　and　the　sea　was　alive　with　molten　silver。　The　upper
half　of　the　net　was　empty；　but　the　lower　half　was　one　solid　mass　of　fish。

The　boys　could　no