Catriona - Роберт Льюис Стивенсон 2 стр.

The Advocates! I cried. Is that.. ?

It is the house of the Lord Advocate Grant of Prestongrange, said she. There they bring my father one time and another, for what purpose I have no thought in my mind; but it seems there is some hope dawned for him. All this same time they will not let me be seeing him, nor yet him write; and we wait upon the Kings street to catch him; and now we give him his snuff as he goes by, and now something else. And here is this son of trouble, Neil, son of Duncan, has lost my four-penny piece that was to buy that snuff, and James More must go wanting, and will think his daughter has forgotten him.

I took sixpence from my pocket, gave it to Neil, and bade him go about his errand. Then to her, That sixpence came with me by Balwhidder, said I.

Ah! she said, you are a friend to the Gregara!

I would not like to deceive you, either, said I. I know very little of the Gregara and less of James More and his doings, but since the while I have been standing in this close, I seem to know something of yourself; and if you will just say a friend to Miss Catriona I will see you are the less cheated.

The one cannot be without the other, said she.

I will even try, said I.

And what will you be thinking of myself! she cried, to be holding my hand to the first stranger!

I am thinking nothing but that you are a good daughter, said I.

I must not be without repaying it, she said; where is it you stop!

To tell the truth, I am stopping nowhere yet, said I, being not full three hours in the city; but if you will give me your direction, I will be so bold as come seeking my sixpence for myself.

Will I can trust you for that? she asked.

You need have little fear, said I.

James More could not bear it else, said she. I stop beyond the village of Dean, on the north side of the water, with Mrs. Drummond-Ogilvy of Allardyce, who is my near friend and will be glad to thank you.

You are to see me, then, so soon as what I have to do permits, said I; and, the remembrance of Alan rolling in again upon my mind, I made haste to say farewell.

I could not but think, even as I did so, that we had made extraordinary free upon short acquaintance, and that a really wise young lady would have shown herself more backward. I think it was the bank-porter that put me from this ungallant train of thought.

I thoucht ye had been a lad of some kind o sense, he began, shooting out his lips. Yere no likely to gang far this gate. A fule and his sillers shune parted. Eh, but yere a green callant! he cried, an a veecious, tae! Cleikin up wi baubeejoes!

If you dare to speak of the young lady.. I began.

Leddy! he cried. Haud us and safe us, whatten leddy? Ca thon a leddy? The touns fu o them. Leddies! Man, its weel seen yere no very acquant in Embro!

A clap of anger took me.

Here, said I, lead me where I told you, and keep your foul mouth shut!

He did not wholly obey me, for, though he no more addressed me directly, he very impudent sang at me as he went in a manner of innuendo, and with an exceedingly ill voice and ear

CHAPTER II THE HIGHLAND WRITER

Mr. Charles Stewart the Writer dwelt at the top of the longest stair ever mason set a hand to; fifteen flights of it, no less; and when I had come to his door, and a clerk had opened it, and told me his master was within, I had scarce breath enough to send my porter packing.

Awa east and west wi ye! said I, took the money bag out of his hands, and followed the clerk in.

The outer room was an office with the clerks chair at a table spread with law papers. In the inner chamber, which opened from it, a little brisk man sat poring on a deed, from which he scarce raised his eyes on my entrance; indeed, he still kept his finger in the place, as though prepared to show me out and fall again to his studies. This pleased me little enough; and what pleased me less, I thought the clerk was in a good posture to overhear what should pass between us.

I asked if he was Mr. Charles Stewart the Writer.

The same, says he; and, if the question is equally fair, who may you be yourself?

You never heard tell of my name nor of me either, said I, but I bring you a token from a friend that you know well. That you know well, I repeated, lowering my voice, but maybe are not just so keen to hear from at this present being. And the bits of business that I have to propone to you are rather in the nature of being confidential. In short, I would like to think we were quite private.

He rose without more words, casting down his paper like a man ill-pleased, sent forth his clerk of an errand, and shut to the house-door behind him.

Now, sir, said he, returning, speak out your mind and fear nothing; though before you begin, he cries out, I tell you mine misgives me! I tell you beforehand, yere either a Stewart or a Stewart sent ye. A good name it is, and one it would ill-become my fathers son to lightly. But I begin to grue at the sound of it.

My name is called Balfour, said I, David Balfour of Shaws. As for him that sent me, I will let his token speak. And I showed the silver button.

Put it in your pocket, sir! cries he. Ye need name no names. The deevils buckie, I ken the button of him! And deil haet! Where is he now!

I told him I knew not where Alan was, but he had some sure place (or thought he had) about the north side, where he was to lie until a ship was found for him; and how and where he had appointed to be spoken with.

Its been always my opinion that I would hang in a tow for this family of mine, he cried, and, dod! I believe the days come now! Get a ship for him, quot he! And whos to pay for it? The mans daft!

That is my part of the affair, Mr. Stewart, said I. Here is a bag of good money, and if more be wanted, more is to be had where it came from.

I neednt ask your politics, said he.

Ye need not, said I, smiling, for Im as big a Whig as grows.

Stop a bit, stop a bit, says Mr. Stewart. Whats all this? A Whig? Then why are you here with Alans button? and what kind of a black-foot traffic is this that I find ye out in, Mr. Whig? Here is a forfeited rebel and an accused murderer, with two hundred pounds on his life, and ye ask me to meddle in his business, and then tell me yere a Whig! I have no mind of any such Whigs before, though Ive kent plenty of them.

Hes a forfeited rebel, the mores the pity, said I, for the mans my friend. I can only wish he had been better guided. And an accused murderer, that he is too, for his misfortune; but wrongfully accused.

I hear you say so, said Stewart.

More than you are to hear me say so, before long, said I. Alan Breck is innocent, and so is James.

Oh! says he, the two cases hang together. If Alan is out, James can never be in.

Hereupon I told him briefly of my acquaintance with Alan, of the accident that brought me present at the Appin murder, and the various passages of our escape among the heather, and my recovery of my estate. So, sir, you have now the whole train of these events, I went on, and can see for yourself how I come to be so much mingled up with the affairs of your family and friends, which (for all of our sakes) I wish had been plainer and less bloody. You can see for yourself, too, that I have certain pieces of business depending, which were scarcely fit to lay before a lawyer chosen at random. No more remains, but to ask if you will undertake my service?

I have no great mind to it; but coming as you do with Alans button, the choice is scarcely left me, said he. What are your instructions? he added, and took up his pen.

The first point is to smuggle Alan forth of this country, said I, but I need not be repeating that.

I am little likely to forget it, said Stewart.

The next thing is the bit money I am owing to Cluny, I went on. It would be ill for me to find a conveyance, but that should be no stick to you. It was two pounds five shillings and three-halfpence farthing sterling.

He noted it.

Then, said I, theres a Mr. Henderland, a licensed preacher and missionary in Ardgour, that I would like well to get some snuff into the hands of; and, as I daresay you keep touch with your friends in Appin (so near by), its a job you could doubtless overtake with the other.

How much snuff are we to say? he asked.

I was thinking of two pounds, said I.

Two, said he.

Then theres the lass Alison Hastie, in Lime Kilns, said I. Her that helped Alan and me across the Forth. I was thinking if I could get her a good Sunday gown, such as she could wear with decency in her degree, it would be an ease to my conscience; for the mere truth is, we owe her our two lives.

I am glad so see you are thrifty, Mr. Balfour, says he, making his notes.

I would think shame to be otherwise the first day of my fortune, said I. And now, if you will compute the outlay and your own proper charges, I would be glad to know if I could get some spending-money back. Its not that I grudge the whole of it to get Alan safe; its not that I lack more; but having drawn so much the one day, I think it would have a very ill appearance if I was back again seeking, the next. Only be sure you have enough, I added, for I am very undesirous to meet with you again.

Well, and Im pleased to see youre cautious, too, said the Writer. But I think ye take a risk to lay so considerable a sum at my discretion.

He said this with a plain sneer.

Ill have to run the hazard, I replied. O, and theres another service I would ask, and thats to direct me to a lodging, for I have no roof to my head. But it must be a lodging I may seem to have hit upon by accident, for it would never do if the Lord Advocate were to get any jealousy of our acquaintance.

Ye may set your weary spirit at rest, said he. I will never name your name, sir; and its my belief the Advocate is still so much to be sympathised with that he doesnae ken of your existence.

I saw I had got to the wrong side of the man.

Theres a braw day coming for him, then, said I, for hell have to learn of it on the deaf side of his head no later than to-morrow, when I call on him.

When ye call on him! repeated Mr. Stewart. Am I daft, or are you! What takes ye near the Advocate!

O, just to give myself up, said I.

Mr. Balfour, he cried, are ye making a mock of me?

No, sir, said I, though I think you have allowed yourself some such freedom with myself. But I give you to understand once and for all that I am in no jesting spirit.

Nor yet me, says Stewart. And I give yon to understand (if thats to be the word) that I like the looks of your behaviour less and less. You come here to me with all sorts of propositions, which will put me in a train of very doubtful acts and bring me among very undesirable persons this many a day to come. And then you tell me youre going straight out of my office to make your peace with the Advocate! Alans button here or Alans button there, the four quarters of Alan wouldnae bribe me further in.

I would take it with a little more temper, said I, and perhaps we can avoid what you object to. I can see no way for it but to give myself up, but perhaps you can see another; and if you could, I could never deny but what I would be rather relieved. For I think my traffic with his lordship is little likely to agree with my health. Theres just the one thing clear, that I have to give my evidence; for I hope itll save Alans character (whats left of it), and Jamess neck, which is the more immediate.

He was silent for a breathing-space, and then, My man, said he, youll never be allowed to give such evidence.

Well have to see about that, said I; Im stiff-necked when I like.

Ye muckle ass! cried Stewart, its James they want; James has got to hang Alan, too, if they could catch him but James whatever! Go near the Advocate with any such business, and youll see! hell find a way to muzzle, ye.

I think better of the Advocate than that, said I.

The Advocate be dammed! cries he. Its the Campbells, man! Youll have the whole clanjamfry of them on your back; and so will the Advocate too, poor body! Its extraordinar ye cannot see where ye stand! If theres no fair way to stop your gab, theres a foul one gaping. They can put ye in the dock, do ye no see that? he cried, and stabbed me with one finger in the leg.

Ay, said I, I was told that same no further back than this morning by another lawyer.

And who was he? asked Stewart, He spoke sense at least.

I told I must be excused from naming him, for he was a decent stout old Whig, and had little mind to be mixed up in such affairs.

I think all the world seems to be mixed up in it! cries Stewart. But what said you?

I told him what had passed between Rankeillor and myself before the house of Shaws.

Well, and so ye will hang! said he. Yell hang beside James Stewart. Theres your fortune told.

I hope better of it yet than that, said I; but I could never deny there was a risk.

Risk! says he, and then sat silent again. I ought to thank you for your staunchness to my friends, to whom you show a very good spirit, he says, if you have the strength to stand by it. But I warn you that youre wading deep. I wouldnt put myself in your place (me thats a Stewart born!) for all the Stewarts that ever there were since Noah. Risk? ay, I take over-many; but to be tried in court before a Campbell jury and a Campbell judge, and that in a Campbell country and upon a Campbell quarrel think what you like of me, Balfour, its beyond me.

Its a different way of thinking, I suppose, said I; I was brought up to this one by my father before me.

Glory to his bones! he has left a decent son to his name, says he. Yet I would not have you judge me over-sorely. My case is dooms hard. See, sir, ye tell me yere a Whig: I wonder what I am. No Whig to be sure; I couldnae be just that. But laigh in your ear, man Im maybe no very keen on the other side.

Is that a fact? cried I. Its what I would think of a man of your intelligence.

Hut! none of your whillywhas! [4] cries he. Theres intelligence upon both sides. But for my private part I have no particular desire to harm King George; and as for King James, God bless him! he does very well for me across the water. Im a lawyer, ye see: fond of my books and my bottle, a good plea, a well-drawn deed, a crack in the Parliament House with other lawyer bodies, and perhaps a turn at the golf on a Saturday at een. Where do ye come in with your Hieland plaids and claymores?

Well, said I, its a fact ye have little of the wild Highlandman.

Little? quoth he. Nothing, man! And yet Im Hieland born, and when the clan pipes, who but me has to dance! The clan and the name, that goes by all. Its just what you said yourself; my father learned it to me, and a bonny trade I have of it. Treason and traitors, and the smuggling of them out and in; and the French recruiting, weary fall it! and the smuggling through of the recruits; and their pleas a sorrow of their pleas! Here have I been moving one for young Ardsheil, my cousin; claimed the estate under the marriage contract a forfeited estate! I told them it was nonsense: muckle they cared! And there was I cocking behind a yadvocate that liked the business as little as myself, for it was fair ruin to the pair of us a black mark, disaffected, branded on our hurdies, like folks names upon their kye! And what can I do? Im a Stewart, ye see, and must fend for my clan and family. Then no later by than yesterday there was one of our Stewart lads carried to the Castle. What for? I ken fine: Act of 1736: recruiting for King Lewie. And youll see, hell whistle me in to be his lawyer, and therell be another black mark on my charater! I tell you fair: if I but kent the heid of a Hebrew word from the hurdies of it, be dammed but I would fling the whole thing up and turn minister!