首页 >出版文学> WAVERLEY>第19章

第19章

  Edward,withhorrorandalarm,beheldtheanimalmakinghisrounds,andthoughtwithgreatanxietyupontheappropriatemotto,BewaretheBear;’’butatthesametimeplainlyforesaw,thatasnoneoftheguestsscrupledtodohimthisextraordinaryhonour,arefusalonhisparttopledgetheircourtesywouldbeextremelyillreceived。Resolving,therefore,tosubmittothislastpieceoftyranny,andthentoquitthetable,ifpossible,andconfidinginthestrengthofhisconstitution,hedidjusticetothecompanyinthecontentsoftheBlessedBear,andfeltlessinconveniencefromthedraughtthanhecouldpossiblyhaveexpected。Theothers,whosetimehadbeenmoreactivelyemployed,begantoshowsymptomsofinnovation,-
  thegoodwinediditsgoodoffice。’’Thefrostofetiquette,Southey’sMadoc。
  andprideofbirth,begantogivewaybeforethegenialblessingsofthisbenignconstellation,andtheformalappellativeswithwhichthethreedignitarieshadhithertoaddressedeachother,werenowfamiliarlyabbreviatedintoTully,Bally,andKillie。
  Whenafewroundshadpassed,thetwolatter,afterwhisperingtogether,cravedpermissionajoyfulhearingforEdwardtoaskthegrace-cup。This,aftersomedelay,wasatlengthproduced,andWaverleyconcludedthattheorgiesofBacchuswereterminatedfortheevening。Hewasnevermoremistakeninhislife。
  Astheguestshadlefttheirhorsesatthesmallinn,or_change-house,_asitwascalled,ofthevillage,theBaroncouldnot,inpoliteness,avoidwalkingwiththemuptheavenue,andWaverley,fromthesamemotive,andtoenjoy,afterthisfeverishrevel,thecoolsummerevening,attendedtheparty。
  ButwhentheyarrivedatLuckieMacleary’s,theLairdsofBalmawhappleandKillancureitdeclaredtheirdeterminationtoacknowledgetheirsenseofthehospitalityofTully-Veolan,bypartakingwiththeirentertainerandhisguestCaptainWaverley,whattheytechnicallycalled_deochandoruis,_astirrup-cup,tothehonouroftheBaron’sroof-tree。
  NoteE。Stirrup-cup。
  Itmustbenoticed,thattheBailie,knowingbyexperiencethattheday’sjoviality,whichhadbeenhithertosustainedattheexpenseofhispatronmightterminatepartlyathisown,hadmountedhisspavinedgreypony,and,betweengaietyofheart,andalarmforbeinghookedintoareckoning,spurredhimintoahobblingcanteratrotwasoutofthequestion,andhadalreadyclearedthevillage。Theothersenteredthechange-house,leadingEdwardinunresistingsubmission;forhislandlordwhisperedhim,thattodemurtosuchanoverturewouldbeconstruedintoahighmisdemeanouragainstthe_legesconviviales,_orregulationsofgenialcompotation。WidowMaclearyseemedtohaveexpectedthisvisit,aswellshemight,foritwastheusualconsummationofmerrybouts,notonlyatTully-Veolan,butatmostothergentlemen’shousesinScotland,SixtyYearssince。Thegueststherebyatonceacquittedthemselvesoftheirburdenofgratitudefortheirentertainer’skindness,encouragedthetradeofhischange-house,didhonourtotheplacewhichaffordedharbourtotheirhorses,andindemnifiedthemselvesforthepreviousrestraintsimposedbyprivatehospitality,byspending,whatFalstaffcallsthesweetofthenight,inthegeniallicenseofatavern。
  Accordingly,infullexpectationofthesedistinguishedguests,LuckieMaclearyhadsweptherhouseforthefirsttimethisfortnight,temperedherturf-firetosuchaheatastheseasonrequiredinherdamphovelevenatMidsummer,setforthherdealtablenewlywashed,proppeditslamefootwithafragmentofturf,arrangedfourorfivestoolsofhugeandclumsyform,uponthesiteswhichbestsuitedtheinequalitiesofherclayfloor;andhaving,moreover,putonhercleantoy,rokelay,andscarletplaid,gravelyawaitedthearrivalofthecompany,infullhopeofcustomandprofit。WhentheywereseatedunderthesootyraftersofLuckieMacleary’sonlyapartment,thicklytapestriedwithcobwebs,theirhostess,whohadalreadytakenhercuefromtheLairdofBalmawhapple,appearedwithahugepewtermeasuring-pot,containingatleastthreeEnglishquarts,familiarlydenominateda_TappitHen,_andwhich,inthelanguageofthehostess,reamedi。e。,mantledwithexcellentclaret,justdrawnfromthecask。
  ItwassoonplainthatwhatcrumbsofreasontheBearhadnotdevoured,weretobepickedupbytheHen;buttheconfusionwhichappearedtoprevailfavouredEdward’sresolutiontoevadethegailycirclingglass。Theothersbegantotalkthickandatonce,eachperforminghisownpartintheconversation,withouttheleastrespecttohisneighbour。TheBaronofBradwardinesungFrench_chansons--boire,_andspoutedpiecesofLatin;Killancureittalked,inasteadyunalterabledullkey,oftop-dressingandbottom-dressing,andyear-olds,andgimmers,Thishasbeencensuredasananachronism;anditmustbeconfessedthatagricultureofthiskindwasunknowntotheScotchSixtyYearssince。
  anddinmonts,andstots,andrunts,andkyloes,andaproposedturnpike-act;whileBalmawhapple,innotesexaltedaboveboth,extolledhishorse,hishawks,andagreyhoundcalledWhistler。Inthemiddleofthisdin,theBaronrepeatedlyimploredsilence;andwhenatlengththeinstinctofpolitedisciplinesofarprevailed,thatforamomentheobtainedit,hehastenedtobeseechtheirattentionuntoamilitaryariette,whichwasaparticularfavouriteoftheMarechalDucdeBerwick;’’then,imitating,aswellashecould,themannerandtoneofaFrenchmusquetaire,heimmediatelycommenced,-
  Moncurvolage,dit-elle,N’estpaspourvous,garonEstpourunhommedeguerre,Quiabarbeanmenton。
  Lon,Lon,Laridon。
  Quiportchapeauplume,Soulierrougetalon,Quejouedelaflute,Aussideviolon。
  Lon,Lon,Laridon。
  Balmawhapplecouldholdnolonger,butbrokeinwithwhathecalledad-dgoodsong,composedbyGibbyGaethroughwi’t,thepiperofCupar;and,withoutwastingmoretime,struckup-
  It’supGlenbarchan’sbraesIgaed,Ando’erthebentofKilliebraid,AndmonyawearycastImade,Tocuittlethemuirfowl’stail。
  _Suumcuique。_ThissnatchofaballadwascomposedbyAndrewMacDonald,theingeniousandunfortunateauthorofVimonda。
  TheBaron,whosevoicewasdrownedinthelouderandmoreobstreperousstrainsofBalmawhapple,nowdroppedthecompetition,butcontinuedtohum,Lon,Lon,Laridon,andtoregardthesuccessfulcandidatefortheattentionofthecompanywithaneyeofdisdain,whileBalmawhappleproceeded,-
  Ifupabonnyblack-cockshouldspring,Towhistlehimdownwi’asluginhiswing,Andstraphimontomylunziestring,RightseldomwouldIfail。
  Afteranineffectualattempttorecoverthesecondverse,hesungthefirstoveragain;and,inprosecutionofhistriumph,declaredtherewasmoresenseinthatthaninallthe_derry-dongs_ofFrance,andFifeshiretothebootofit。’’TheBarononlyansweredwithalongpinchofsnuff,andaglanceofinfinitecontempt。Butthosenobleallies,theBearandtheHen,hademancipatedtheyounglairdfromthehabitualreverenceinwhichheheldBradwardineatothertimes。Hepronouncedtheclaret_shilpit,_anddemandedbrandywithgreatvociferation。
  Itwasbrought;andnowtheDemonofPoliticsenviedeventheharmonyarisingfromthisDutchconcert,merelybecausetherewasnotawrathfulnoteinthestrangecompoundofsoundswhichitproduced。Inspiredbyher,theLairdofBalmawhapple,nowsuperiortothenodsandwinkswithwhichtheBaronofBradwardine,indelicacytoEdward,hadhithertocheckedhisenteringuponpoliticaldiscussion,demandedabumper,withthelungsofaStentor,tothelittlegentlemaninblackvelvetwhodidsuchservicein1702,andmaythewhitehorsebreakhisneckoveramoundofhismaking!’’
  Edwardwasnotatthatmomentclear-headedenoughtorememberthatKingWilliam’sfall,whichoccasionedhisdeath,wassaidtobeowingtohishorsestumblingatamole-hill;yetfeltinclinedtotakeumbrageatatoast,whichseemed,fromtheglanceofBalmawhapple’seye,tohaveapeculiaranduncivilreferencetotheGovernmentwhichheserved。But,erehecouldinterfere,theBaronofBradwardinehadtakenupthequarrel。Sir,’’hesaid,whatevermysentiments,_tanquamprivatus,_maybeinsuchmatters,Ishallnottamelyendureyoursayinganythingthatmayimpingeuponthehonourablefeelingsofagentlemanundermyroof。Sir,ifyouhavenorespectforthelawsofurbanity,doyenotrespectthemilitaryoath,the_sacramentummilitare,_bywhicheveryofficerisboundtothestandardsunderwhichheisenrolled?LookatTitusLivius,whathesaysofthoseRomansoldierswhoweresounhappyas_exueresacramentum,_-torenouncetheirlegionaryoath;butyouareignorant,sir,alikeofancienthistoryandmoderncourtesy。’’
  Notsoignorantasyewouldpronounceme,’’roaredBalmawhapple。
  IkenweelthatyoumeanthesolemnLeagueandCovenant;butifalltheWhigsinhellhadtakenthe’’
  HeretheBaronandWaverleybothspokeatonce,theformercallingout,Besilent,sir!yenotonlyshowyourignorancebutdisgraceyournativecountrybeforeastrangerandanEnglishman;’’andWaverley,atthesamemoment,entreatingMr。Bradwardinetopermithimtoreplytoanaffrontwhichseemedlevelledathimpersonally。ButtheBaronwasexaltedbywine,wrath,andscorn,aboveallsublunaryconsiderations。
  Icraveyoutobehushed,CaptainWaverley;youareelsewhere,peradventure,_suijuris,_-foris-familiated,thatis,andentitled,itmaybe,tothinkandresentforyourself;butinmydomain,inthispoorBaronyofBradwardine,andunderthisroof,whichis_quasi_mine,beingheldbytacitrelocationbyatenantatwill,Iam_inlocoparentis_toyou,andboundtoseeyouscathless-Andforyou,Mr。FalconerofBalmawhapple,Iwarnye,letmeseenomoreaberrationsfromthepathsofgoodmanners。’’
  AndItellyou,Mr。CosmoComyneBradwardine,ofBradwardineandTully-Veolan,’’retortedthesportsman,inhugedisdain,thatI’llmakeamoor-cockofthemanthatrefusesmytoast,whetheritbeacrop-earedEnglishWhigwi’ablackribbandathislug,oranewhadesertshisainfriendstoclawfavourwi’theratsofHanover。’’
  Inaninstantbothrapierswerebrandished,andsomedesperatepassesexchanged。Balmawhapplewasyoung,stout,andactive;
  buttheBaron,infinitelymoremasterofhisweapon,would,likeSirTobyBelch,havetickledhisopponentothergatesthanhedid,hadhenotbeenundertheinfluenceofUrsaMajor。
  Edwardrushedforwardtointerferebetweenthecombatants,buttheprostratebulkoftheLairdofKillancureit,overwhichhestumbled,interceptedhispassage。HowKillancureithappenedtobeinthisrecumbentpostureatsointerestingamoment,wasneveraccuratelyknown。Somethoughthewasabouttoensconcehimselfunderthetable;hehimselfallegedthathestumbledintheactofliftingajoint-stool,topreventmischief,byknockingdownBalmawhapple。Bethatasitmay,ifreadieraidthaneitherhisorWaverley’shadnotinterposed,therewouldcertainlyhavebeenbloodshed。Butthewell-knownclashofswords,whichwasnostrangertoherdwelling,arousedLuckieMaclearyasshesatquietlybeyondthehallanorearthenpartitionofthecottage,witheyesemployedonBoston’sCrookoftheLot,whileherideaswereengagedinsummingupthereckoning。Sheboldlyrushedin,withtheshrillexpostulation,Wadtheirhonoursslayaneanotherthere,andbringdiscreditonanhonestwidow-woman’shouse,whentherewasa’theleelandinthecountrytofightupon?’’aremonstrancewhichshesecondedbyflingingherplaidwithgreatdexterityovertheweaponsofthecombatants。Theservantsbythistimerushedin,andbeing,bygreatchance,tolerablysober,separatedtheincensedopponents,withtheassistanceofEdwardandKillancureit。
  ThelatterledoffBalmawhapple,cursing,swearing,andvowingrevengeagainsteveryWhig,Presbyterian,andfanaticinEnglandandScotland,fromJohn-o’-Groat’stotheLand’sEnd,andwithdifficultygothimtohorse。Ourhero,withtheassistanceofSaundersSaunderson,escortedtheBaronofBradwardinetohisowndwelling,butcouldnotprevailuponhimtoretiretobeduntilhehadmadealongandlearnedapologyfortheeventsoftheevening,ofwhich,however,therewasnotawordintelligible,exceptsomethingabouttheCentaursandtheLapith。