the annals of the parish-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


。　　I　should；　however；　note　the　upshot　of　the　marriage。

By　some　cause　that　I　do　not　recollect；　if　I　ever　had　it　properly　told；　the　regiment　wherein　the　captain　had　bought　his　commission　was　not　sent　to　the　plantations；　but　only　over　to　Ireland；　by　which　the　captain　and　his　lady　were　allowed　to　prolong　their　stay　in　the　parish　with　his　mother；　and　he；　coming　of　age　while　he　was　among　us；　in　making　a　settlement　on　his　wife；　bought　the　house　at　the　Braehead；　which　was　then　just　built　by　Thomas　Shivers　the　mason；　and　he　gave　that　house；　with　a　judicious　income；　to　Mrs　Malcolm；　telling　her　that　it　was　not　becoming；　he　having　it　in　his　power　to　do　the　contrary；　that　she　should　any　longer　be　dependent　on　her　own　industry。　　For　this　the　young　man　got　a　name　like　a　sweet　odour　in　all　the　country　side；　but　that　whimsical　and　prelatic　lady　his　mother；　just　went　out　of　all　bounds；　and　played　such　pranks　for　an　old　woman；　as　cannot　be　told。　　To　her　daughter…in…law；　however；　she　was　wonderful　kind；　and；　in　fitting　her　out　for　going　with　the　captain　to　Dublin；　it　was　extraordinary　to　hear　what　a　paraphernalia　she　provided　her　with。　　But　who　could　have　thought　that　in　this　kindness　a　sore　trial　was　brewing　for　me！

It　happened　that　Miss　Betty　Wudrife；　the　daughter　of　an　heritor；　had　been　on　a　visit　to　some　of　her　friends　in　Edinburgh；　and　being　in　at　Edinburgh；　she　came　out　with　a　fine　mantle；　decked　and　adorned　with　many　a　ribbon…knot；　such　as　had　never　been　seen　in　the　parish。　　The　Lady　Macadam；　hearing　of　this　grand　mantle；　sent　to　beg　Miss　Betty　to　lend　it　to　her；　to　make　a　copy　for　young　Mrs　Macadam。　　But　Miss　Betty　was　so　vogie　with　her　gay　mantle；　that　she　sent　back　word；　it　would　be　making　it　o'er　common；　which　so　nettled　the　old　courtly　lady；　that　she　vowed　revenge；　and　said　the　mantle　would　not　be　long　seen　on　Miss　Betty。　　Nobody　knew　the　meaning　of　her　words；　but　she　sent　privately　for　Miss　Sabrina；　the　schoolmistress；　who　was　aye　proud　of　being　invited　to　my　lady's；　where　she　went　on　the　Sabbath　night　to　drink　tea；　and　read　Thomson's　SEASONS　and　Hervey's　MEDITATIONS　for　her　ladyship's　recreation。　　Between　the　two；　a　secret　plot　was　laid　against　Miss　Betty　and　her　Edinburgh　mantle；　and　Miss　Sabrina；　in　a　very　treacherous　manner；　for　the　which　I　afterwards　chided　her　severely；　went　to　Miss　Betty；　and　got　a　sight　of　the　mantle；　and　how　it　was　made；　and　all　about　it；　until　she　was　in　a　capacity　to　make　another　like　it；　by　which　my　lady　and　her；　from　old　silk　and　satin　negligees　which　her　ladyship　had　worn　at　the　French　court；　made　up　two　mantles　of　the　selfsame　fashion　as　Miss　Betty's；　and；　if　possible；　more　sumptuously　garnished；　but　in　a　flagrant　fool　way。　　On　the　Sunday　morning　after；　her　ladyship　sent　for　Jenny　Gaffaw；　and　her　daft　daughter　Meg；　and　showed　them　the　mantles；　and　said　she　would　give　then　half…a…crown　if　they　would　go　with　them　to　the　kirk；　and　take　their　place　in　the　bench　beside　the　elders；　and；　after　worship；　walk　home　before　Miss　Betty　Wudrife。　The　two　poor　natural　things　were　just　transported　with　the　sight　of　such　bravery；　and　needed　no　other　bribe；　so；　over　their　bits　of　ragged　duds；　they　put　on　the　pageantry；　and　walked　away　to　the　kirk　like　peacocks；　and　took　their　place　on　the　bench；　to　the　great　diversion　of　the　whole　congregation。

I　had　no　suspicion　of　this；　and　had　prepared　an　affecting　discourse　about　the　horrors　of　war；　in　which　I　touched；　with　a　tender　hand；　on　the　troubles　that　threatened　families　and　kindred　in　America；　but　all　the　time　I　was　preaching；　doing　my　best；　and　expatiating　till　the　tears　came　into　my　eyes；　I　could　not　divine　what　was　the　cause　of　the　inattention　of　my　people。　　But　the　two　vain　haverels　were　on　the　bench　under　me；　and　I　could　not　see　them；　where　they　sat；　spreading　their　feathers　and　picking　their　wings；　stroking　down　and　setting　right　their　finery；　with　such　an　air　as　no　living　soul　could　see　and　withstand；　while　every　eye　in　the　kirk　was　now　on　them；　and　now　at　Miss　Betty　Wudrife；　who　was　in　a　worse　situation　than　if　she　had　been　on　the　stool　of　repentance。

Greatly　grieved　with　the　little　heed　that　was　paid　to　my　discourse；　I　left　the　pulpit　with　a　heavy　heart；　but　when　I　came　out　into　the　kirkyard；　and　saw　the　two　antics　linking　like　ladies；　and　aye　keeping　in　the　way　before　Miss　Betty；　and　looking　back　and　around　in　their　pride　and　admiration；　with　high　heads　and　a　wonderful　pomp；　I　was　really　overcome；　and　could　not　keep　my　gravity；　but　laughed　loud　out　among　the　graves；　and　in　the　face　of　all　my　people；　who；　seeing　how　I　was　vanquished　in　that　unguarded　moment　by　my　enemy；　made　a　universal　and　most　unreverent　breach　of　all　decorum；　at　which　Miss　Betty；　who　had　been　the　cause　of　all；　ran　into　the　first　open　door；　and　almost　fainted　away　with　mortification。

This　affair　was　regarded　by　the　elders　as　a　sinful　trespass　on　the　orderlyness　that　was　needful　in　the　Lord's　house；　and　they　called　on　me　at　the　manse　that　night；　and　said　it　would　be　a　guilty　connivance　if　I　did　not　rebuke　and　admonish　Lady　Macadam　of　the　evil　of　her　way；　for　they　had　questioned　daft　Jenny；　and　had　got　at　the　bottom　of　the　whole　plot　and　mischief。　　But　I；　who　knew　her　ladyship's　light　way；　would　fain　have　had　the　elders　to　overlook　it；　rather　than　expose　myself　to　her　tantrums；　but　they　considered　the　thing　as　a　great　scandal；　so　I　was　obligated　to　conform　to　their　wishes。　　I　might；　however；　have　as　well　stayed　at　home；　for　her　ladyship　was　in　one　of　her　jocose　humours　when　I　went　to　speak　to　her　on　the　subject；　and　it　was　so　far　from　my　power　to　make　a　proper　impression　on　her　of　the　enormity　that　had　been　committed；　that　she　made　me　laugh；　in　spite　of　my　reason；　at　the　fantastical　drollery　of　her　malicious　prank　on　Miss　Betty　Wudrife。

It；　however；　did　not　end　here；　for　the　session；　knowing　that　it　was　profitless　to　speak　to　the　daft　mother　and　daughter；　who　had　been　the　instruments；　gave　orders　to　Willy　Howking；　the　betheral；　not　to　let　them　again　so　far　into　the　kirk；　and　Willy；　having　scarcely　more　sense　than　them　both；　thought　proper　to　keep　them　out　next　Sunday　altogether。　　The　twa　said　nothing　at　the　time；　but　the　adversary　was　busy　with　them；　for；　on　the　Wednesday　following；　there　being　a　meeting　of　the　synod　at　Ayr；　to　my　utter　amazement　the　mother　and　daughter　made　their　appearance　there　in　all　their　finery；　and　raised　a　complaint　against　me　and　the　session；　for　debarring　them　from　church　privileges。　　No　stage　play　could　have　produced　such　an　effect。　　I　was　perfectly　dumfoundered；　and　every　member　of　the　synod　might　have　been　tied　with　a　straw；　they　were　so　overcome　with　this　new　device　of　that　endless　woman；　when　bent　on　provocationthe　Lady　Macadam；　in　whom　the　saying　was　verified；　that　old　folk　are　twice　bairns；　for　in　such　plays；　pranks；　and　projects；　she　was　as　playrife　as　a　very　lassie　at　her　sampler；　and　this　is　but　a　swatch　to　what　lengths　she　would　go。　　The　complaint　was　dismissed；　by　which　the　session　and　me　were　assoilzied；　but　I'll　never　forget　till　the　day　of　my　death　what　I　suffered　on　that　occasion；　to　be　so　put　to　the　wall　by　two　born　idiots。



CHAPTER　XVII　　YEAR　1776



It　belongs　to　the　chroniclers　of　the　realm　to　describe　the　damage　and　detriment　which　fell　on　the　power　and　prosperity　of　the　kingdom；　by　reason　of　the　rebellion；　that　was　fired　into　open　war；　against　the　name　and　authority　of　the　king　in　the　plantations　of　America；　for　my　task　is　to　describe　what　happened　within　the　narrow　bound　of　the　pasturage　of　the　Lord's　flock；　of　which；　in　his　bounty　and　mercy；　he　made　me　the　humble；　willing；　but　alas！　the　weak　and　ineffectual　shepherd。

About　the　month　of　February；　a　recruiting　party　came　to　our　neighbour　town　of　Irville；　to　beat　up　for　men　to　be　soldiers　against　the　rebels；　and　thus　the　battle　was　brought；　as　it　were；　to　our　gates；　for　the　very　first　man　that　took　on　with　them　was　one　Thomas　Wilson；　a　cottar　in　our　clachan；　who；　up　to　that　time；　had　been　a　decent　and　creditable　character。　　He　was　at　first　a　farmer　lad；　but　had　forgathered　with　a　doited　tawpy；　whom　he　married；　and　had　offspring　three　or　four。　　For　some　time　it　was　noticed　that　he　had　a　down　and　thoughtful　look；　that　his　cleeding　was　growing　bare；　and　that　his　wife　kept　an　untrig　house；　which；　it　was　feared　by　many；　was　the　cause　of　Thomas　going　o'er　often　to　the　change…house；　he　was；　in　short；　during　the　greater　part　of　the　winter；　evidently　a　man　foregone　in　the　pleasures　of　this　world；　which　made　all　that　knew　him　compassionate　his　situation。

No　doubt；　it　was　his　household　ills　that　burdened　him　past　bearing；　and　made　him　go　into　Irville；　when　he　heard　of　the　recruiting；　and　take　on　to　be　a　soldier。　　Such　a　wally…wallying　as　the　news　of　this　caused　at　every　door；　for　the　red…coatsfrom　the　persecuting　days；　when　the　black…cuffs　rampaged　through　the　countrysoldiers　that　fought　for　hire　were　held　in　dread　and　as　a　horror　among　us；　and　terrible　were　the　stories　that　were　told　of　their　cruelty　and　sinfulness；　indeed；　there　had　not　been　wanting　in　our　time　a　sample　of　what　they　were；　as　witness　the　murder　of　Jean　Glaikit　by　Patrick　O'Neil；　the　Irish　corporal；　anent　which　I　have　treated　at　large　in　the　memorables　of　the　year　1774。

A　meeting　of　the　session　was　forthwith　held；　for　here　was　Thomas　Wilson's　wife　and　all　his　weans；　an　awful　cess；　thrown　upon　the　parish；　and　it　was　settled　outright　among　us；　that　Mr　Docken；　who　was　then　an　elder；　but　is　since　dead；　a　worthy　man；　with　a　soft　tongue　and　a　pleasing　manner；　should　go　to　Irville；　and　get　Thomas；　if　possible；　released　from　the　recruiters。　　But　it　was　all　in　vain；　the　sergeant　would　not　listen　to　him；　for　Thomas　was　a　strapping　lad；　nor　would　the　poor　infatuated　man　himself　agree　to　go　back；　but　cursed　like　a　cadger；　and　swore　that；　if　he　stayed　any　longer　among　his　plagues；　he　would　commit　some　rash　act；　so　we　were　saddled　with　his　family；　which　was　the　first　taste　and　preeing　of　what　war　is　when　it　comes　into　our　hearths；　and　among　the　breadwinners。

The　evil；　however；　did　not　stop　here。　　Thomas；　when　he　was　dressed　out　in　the　king's　clothes；　came　over　to　see　his　bairns；　and　take　a　farewell　of　his　friends；　and　he　looked　so　gallant；　that　the　very　next　market…day　another　lad　of　the　parish　listed　with　him；　but　he　was　a　ramplor；　rov