christie johnstone-第17章
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the Johnstone uttered this word。
_Beeny （in a voice of whining surprise）。_ 〃Hech！ what a spite Flucker
Johnstone's dochter has taen against us。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Scairt！〃
_Beeny （in a coaxing voice； and moving a step）。_ 〃Aweel！ what's a' your
paession； my boenny woman？〃
_Christie。_ 〃Scairt！〃
Beeny retired before the thunder and lightning of indignant virtue。
Then all the fishboys struck up a dismal chant of victory。
〃Yoo…hooCusty's won the dayBeeny's scair_tit；〃_ going up on the last
syllable。
Christie moved slowly away toward her own house； but before she could
reach the door she began to whimperlittle fool。
Thereat chorus of young Athenians chanted：
〃Yu…hoo！ come back； Beeny； ye'll maybe win yet。 Custy's away gree_tin〃_
_（going up on the last syllable）。_
〃I'm no greetin； ye rude bairns；〃 said Christie； bursting into tears； and
retiring as soon as she had effected that proof of her philosophy。
It was about four hours later； Christie had snatched some repose。 The
wind； as Flucker prognosticated； had grown into a very heavy gale； and
the Firth was brown and boiling。
Suddenly a clamor was heard on the shore； and soon after a fishwife made
her appearance； with rather a singular burden。
Her husband； ladies； _rien que cela。_
She had him by the scruff of the neck； he was _dos…'a…dos；_ with his
booted legs kicking in the air； and his fists making warlike but idle
demonstrations and his mouth uttering ineffectual bad language。
This worthy had been called a coward by Sandy Liston； and being about to
fight with him； and get thrashed； his wife had whipped him up and carried
him away； she now flung him down； at some risk of his equilibrium。
〃Ye are not fit to feicht wi' Sandy Liston；〃 said she； 〃if ye are for
feichtin； here's for ye。〃
As a comment to this proposal； she tucked up the sleeves of her short
gown。 He tried to run by her； she caught him by the bosom； and gave him a
violent push； that sent him several paces backward； he looked half
fierce； half astounded； ere he could quite recover himself； his little
servant forced a pipe into his hand； and he smoked contented and
peaceable。
Before tobacco the evil passions fall； they tell me。
The cause of this quarrel soon explained itself； up came Sandy Liston；
cursing and swearing。
〃What！ ye hae gotten till your wife's； that's the place for ye； to say
there's a brig in distress； and ye'll let her go on the rocks under your
noses。 But what are ye afraid o'？ there's na danger？〃
〃Nae danger！〃 said one of the reproached； 〃are ye fou？〃
〃Ye are fou wi' fear yoursel'； of a' the beasts that crawl the airth； a
cooward is the ugliest； I think。〃
〃The wifes will no let us；〃 said one； sulkily。
〃It's the woman in your hairts that keeps ye；〃 roared Sandy hoarsely；
〃curse ye； ye are sure to dee ane day； and ye are sure to be！〃 （a
past participle） 〃soon or late； what signifies when？ Oh！ curse the hour
ever I was born amang sic a cooardly crew。〃 _（Gun at sea。）_
〃There！〃
〃She speaks till ye； hersel'； she cries for maircy； to think that； of a'
that hear ye cry； Alexander Liston is the only mon mon enough to answer。〃
_（Gun。）_
〃You are mistaken； Mr。 Alexander Liston；〃 said a clear； smart voice；
whose owner had mingled unobserved with the throng； 〃there are always men
to answer such occasions； now； my lads； your boats have plenty of beam；
and； well handled； should live in any sea； who volunteers with Alexander
Liston and me？〃
The speaker was Lord Ipsden。
The fishwives of Newhaven； more accustomed to measure men than poor
little Lady Barbara Sinclair； saw in this man what in point of fact he
wasa cool； daring devil； than whom none more likely to lead men into
mortal danger； or pull them through it； for that matter。
They recognized their natural enemy； and collected together against him；
like hens at the sight of a hawk。
〃And would you really entice our men till their death？〃
〃My life's worth as much as theirs； I suppose。
〃Nae！ your life！ it's na worth a button； when you dee； your next kin will
dance； and wha'll greet？ but our men hae wife and bairns to look till。〃
_（Gun at sea。）_
〃Ah！ I didn't look at it in that light；〃 said Lord Ipsden。 He then
demanded paper and ink； Christie Johnstone； who had come out of her
house； supplied it from her treasures； and this cool hand actually began
to convey a hundred and fifty thousand pounds away； upon a sheet of paper
blowing in the wind； when he had named his residuary legatee； and
disposed of certain large bequests； he came to the point
〃Christie Johnstone； what can these people live on？ two hundred a year？
living is cheap hereconfound the wind！〃
〃Twahundred？ Fifty！ Vile count。〃
〃Don't call me vile count。 I am Ipsden； and my name's Richard。 Now； then；
be smart with your names。〃
Three men stepped forward； gave their names； had their widows provided
for； and went for their sou'westers； etc。
〃Stay；〃 said Lord Ipsden； writing。 〃To Christina Johnstone； out of
respect for her character； one thousand pounds。〃
〃Richard！ dinna gang；〃 cried Christie； 〃oh； dinna gang； dinna gang； dinna
gang； it's no your business。〃
〃Will you lend me your papa's Flushing jacket and sou'wester； my dear？ If
I was sure to be drowned； I'd go！〃
Christie ran in for them。
In the mean time； discomposed by the wind； and by feelings whose
existence neither he； nor I； nor any one suspected； Saunders； after a
sore struggle between the frail man and the perfect domestic； blurted
out：
〃My lord； I beg your lordship's pardon； but it blows tempestuous。〃
〃That is why the brig wants us；〃 was the reply。
〃My lord； I beg your lordship's pardon；〃 whimpered Saunders。 〃But； oh！ my
lord； don't go； it's all very well for fishermen to be drowned； it is
their business； but not yours； my lord。〃
〃Saunders； help me on with this coat。〃
Christie had brought it。
〃Yes； my lord；〃 said Saunders； briskly； his second nature reviving。
His lordship； while putting on the coat and hat； undertook to cool Mr。
Saunders's aristocratic prejudices。
〃Should Alexander Liston and I be drowned；〃 said he； coolly； 〃when our
bones come ashore； you will not know which are the fisherman's and which
the viscount's。〃 So saying； he joined the enterprise。
〃I shall pray for ye； lad；〃 said Christie Johnstone； and she retired for
that purpose。
Saunders； with a heavy heart； to the nearest tavern； to prepare an
account of what he called 〃Heroism in High Life；〃 large letters； and the
usual signs of great astonishment！！！！！ for the _Polytechnic Magazine。_
The commander of the distressed vessel had been penny…wise。 He had
declined a pilot off the Isle of May； trusting to fall in with one close
to the port of Leith； but a heavy gale and fog had come on； he knew
himself in the vicinity of dangerous rocks； and； to make matters worse；
his ship； old and sore battered by a long and stormy voyage； was leaky；
and unless a pilot came alongside； his fate would be； either to founder；
or run upon the rocks； where he must expect to go to pieces in a quarter
of an hour。
The Newhaven boat lay in comparatively smooth water； on the lee side of
the pier。
Our adventurers got into her； stepped the mast； set a small sail； and ran
out！ Sandy Liston held the sheet； passed once round the belaying…pin； and
whenever a larger wave than usual came at them； he slacked the sheet； and
the boat； losing her way； rose gently； like a cork； upon seas that had
seemed about to swallow her。
But seen from the shore it was enough to make the most experienced wince；
so completely was this wooden shell lost to sight； as she descended from
a wave； that each time her reappearance seemed a return from the dead。
The weather was mistythe boat was soon lost sight of； the story remains
ashore。
CHAPTER XIV。
IT was an hour later； the natives of the New Town had left the pier； and
were about their own doors； when three Buckhaven fishermen came slowly up
from the pier； these men had arrived in one of their large fishing…boats；
which defy all weather。
The men came slowly up； their petticoat trousers were drenched； and their
neck…handkerchiefs and hair were wet with spray。
At the foot of the New Town they stood still and whispered to each other。
There was something about these men that drew the eye of Newhaven upon
them。
In the first place a Buckhaven man rarely communicates with natives of
Newhaven； except at the pier； where he brings in his cod and ling from
the deep sea； flings them out like stones； and sells them to the
fishwives； then up sail and away for Fifeshire。
But these men evidently came ashore to speak to some one in the town。
They whispered together； something appeared to be proposed and demurred
to； but at last two went slowly back toward the pier； and the eldest
remained； with a fisherman's long mackintosh coat in his hand which the
others had given him as they left him。
With this in his hand； the Buckhaven fisherman stood in an irresolute
posture； he looked down； and seemed to ask himself what course he should
take。
〃What's wrang？〃 said Jean Carnie； who； with her neighbors； had observed
the men； 〃I wish yon man may na hae ill news。〃
〃What ill news wad he hae？〃 replied another。
〃Are ony freends of Liston Carnie here？〃 said the fisherman。
〃The wife's awa' to Granton； Beeny Liston they ca' herthere's his
house；〃 added Jean； pointing up the row。
〃Ay；〃 said the fisherman； 〃I ken he lived there。〃
〃Lived there！〃 cried Christie Johnstone。 〃Oh； what's this？〃
〃Freends；〃 said the man； gravely； 〃his boat is driving keel uppermost in
Kircauldy Bay。 We passed her near enough to read the name upon her。〃
〃But the men will have won to shore； please God？〃
The fisherman shook his head。
〃She'll hae coupit a mile wast Inch Keith； an' the tide rinning aff the
island an' a heavy sea gaun。 This is a' Newhaven we'll see of them
_（holding up the coat）_ 〃till they rise to the top in three weeks' time。〃
The man then took the coat； which was now seen to be drenched with water；
and hung it up on a line not very far from its unfortunate owner's house。
Then； in the same grave and subdued tone in which he had spoken all
along； he said； 〃We are sorry to bring siccan a tale into your toon；〃 and
slowly moved off to rejoin his comrades； who had waited for him at no
great distance。 They then passed through the Old Town； and in five
minutes the calamity was known to the whole place。
After the first stupor； the people in the New Town collected into knots；
and lamented their hazardous calling； and feared for the lives of those
that had just put to sea in this fatal gale for the rescue of strangers；
and the older ones failed not to match this present sorrow with others
within their recollection。
In the middle of this； Flucker Johnstone came hastily in from the Old
Town and told them he had seen the wife； Beeny Liston； coming through
from Granton。
The sympathy of all was instantly turned in this direction。
〃She would hear the news。〃
〃It would fall on her like a thunderclap。〃
〃What would become of her？〃
Every eye was strained toward the Old Town； and soon the poor woman was
seen about to emerge from it； but she was
