the annals of the parish-第19部分

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m　London；　as　he　was　riding　past　the　manse；　his　lordship　stopped　to　enquire　for　my　health；　and　I　went　to　the　door　to　speak　to　him。　　I　thought　that　he　did　not　meet　me　with　that　blithe　countenance　he　was　wont；　and　in　going　away；　he　said　with　a　blush；　〃I　fear　I　dare　not　ask　you　to　come　to　the　castle。〃　　I　had　heard　of　his　concubine；　and　I　said；　〃In　saying　so；　my　lord；　you　show　a　spark　of　grace；　for　it　would　not　become　me　to　see　what　I　have　heard；　and　I　am　surprised；　my　lord；　you　will　not　rather　take　a　lady　of　your　own。〃　He　looked　kindly；　but　confused；　saying；　he　did　not　know　where　to　get　one；　so　seeing　his　shame；　and　not　wishing　to　put　him　out　of　conceit　entirely　with　himself；　I　replied；　〃Na；　na；　my　lord；　there's　nobody　will　believe　that；　for　there　never　was　a　silly　Jock；　but　there　was　as　silly　a　Jenny；〃　at　which　he　laughed　heartily；　and　rode　away。　　But　I　know　not　what　was　in't；　I　was　troubled　in　mind　about　him；　and　thought；　as　he　was　riding　away；　that　I　would　never　see　him　again；　and　sure　enough　it　so　happened；　for　the　next　day；　being　airing　in　his　coach　with　Miss　Spangle；　the　lady　he　had　brought；　he　happened　to　see　Mungo　Argyle　with　his　dogs　and　his　gun；　and　my　lord　being　as　particular　about　his　game　as　the　other　was　about　boxes　of　tea　and　kegs　of　brandy；　he　jumped　out　of　the　carriage；　and　ran　to　take　the　gun。　　Words　passed；　and　the　exciseman　shot　my　lord。　　Never　shall　I　forget　that　day；　such　riding；　such　running；　the　whole　country　side　afoot；　but　the　same　night　my　lord　breathed　his　last；　and　the　mad　and　wild　reprobate　that　did　the　deed　was　taken　up　and　sent　off　to　Edinburgh。　　This　was　a　woeful　riddance　of　that　oppressor；　for　my　lord　was　a　good　landlord　and　a　kind…hearted　man；　and　albeit；　though　a　little　thoughtless；　was　aye　ready　to　make　his　power；　when　the　way　was　pointed　out；　minister　to　good　works。　　The　whole　parish　mourned　for　him；　and　there　was　not　a　sorer　heart　in　all　its　bounds　than　my　own。　　Never　was　such　a　sight　seen　as　his　burial：　　the　whole　country　side　was　there；　and　all　as　solemn　as　if　they　had　been　assembled　in　the　valley　of　Jehoshaphat　in　the　latter　day。　　The　hedges　where　the　funeral　was　to　pass　were　clad　with　weans；　like　bunches　of　hips　and　haws；　and　the　kirkyard　was　as　if　all　its　own　dead　were　risen。　Never；　do　I　think；　was　such　a　multitude　gathered　together。　　Some　thought　there　could　not　be　less　than　three　thousand　grown　men；　besides　women　and　children。

Scarcely　was　this　great　public　calamity　past；　for　it　could　be　reckoned　no　less；　when　one　Saturday　afternoon；　as　Miss　Sabrina；　the　schoolmistress；　was　dining　with　Lady　Macadam；　her　ladyship　was　stricken　with　the　paralytics；　and　her　face　so　thrown　in　the　course　of　a　few　minutes；　that　Miss　Sabrina　came　flying　to　the　manse　for　the　help　and　advice　of　Mrs　Balwhidder。　　A　doctor　was　gotten　with　all　speed　by　express；　but　her　ladyship　was　smitten　beyond　the　reach　of　medicine。　　She　lived；　however；　some　time　after；　but　oh！　she　was　such　an　object；　that　it　was　a　grief　to　see　her。　　She　could　only　mutter　when　she　tried　to　speak；　and　was　as　helpless　as　a　baby。　　Though　she　never　liked　me；　nor　could　I　say　there　was　many　things　in　her　demeanour　that　pleased　me；　yet　she　was　a　free…handed　woman　to　the　needful；　and　when　she　died　she　was　more　missed　than　it　was　thought　she　could　have　been。

Shortly　after　her　funeral；　which　was　managed　by　a　gentleman　sent　from　her　friends　in　Edinburgh；　that　I　wrote　to　about　her　condition；　the　Major；　her　son；　with　his　lady；　Kate　Malcolm；　and　two　pretty　bairns；　came　and　stayed　in　her　house　for　a　time；　and　they　were　a　great　happiness　to　us　all；　both　in　the　way　of　drinking　tea；　and　sometimes　taking　a　bit　of　dinner；　their　only　mother　now；　the　worthy　and　pious　Mrs　Malcolm；　being　regularly　of　the　company。

Before　the　end　of　the　year；　I　should　mention；　that　the　fortune　of　Mrs　Malcolm's　family　got　another　shove　upwards；　by　the　promotion　of　her　second　son；　Robert　Malcolm；　who；　being　grown　an　expert　and　careful　mariner；　was　made　captain　of　a　grand　ship；　whereof　Provost　Maitland　of　Glasgow；　that　was　kind　to　his　mother　in　her　distresses；　was　the　owner。　　But　that　douce　lad　Willie；　her　youngest　son；　who　was　at　the　university　of　Glasgow　under　the　Lord　Eaglesham's　patronage；　was　like　to　have　suffered　a　blight。　　However；　Major　Macadam；　when　I　spoke　to　him　anent　the　young　man's　loss　of　his　patron；　said；　with　a　pleasant　generosity；　he　should　not　be　stickit；　and；　accordingly；　he　made　up；　as　far　as　money　could；　for　the　loss　of　his　lordship；　but　there　was　none　that　made　up　for　the　great　power　and　influence；　which；　I　have　no　doubt；　the　Earl　would　have　exerted　in　his　behalf；　when　he　was　ripened　for　the　church。　　So　that；　although　in　time　William　came　out　a　sound　and　heart…searching　preacher；　he　was　long　obliged；　like　many　another　unfriended　saint；　to　cultivate　sand；　and　wash　Ethiopians　in　the　shape　of　an　east　country　gentleman's　camstrairy　weans；　than　which；　as　he　wrote　me　himself；　there　cannot　be　on　earth　a　greater　trial　of　temper。　　However；　in　the　end　he　was　rewarded；　and　is　not　only　now　a　placed　minister；　but　a　doctor　of　divinity。

The　death　of　Lady　Macadam　was　followed　by　another　parochial　misfortune；　for；　considering　the　time　when　it　happened；　we　could　count　it　as　nothing　less。　　Auld　Thomas　Howkings；　the　betheral；　fell　sick；　and　died　in　the　course　of　a　week's　illness；　about　the　end　of　November；　and　the　measles　coming　at　that　time　upon　the　parish；　there　was　such　a　smashery　of　the　poor　weans　as　had　not　been　known　for　an　age；　insomuch　that　James　Banes；　the　lad　who　was　Thomas　Howkings'　helper；　rose　in　open　rebellion　against　the　session　during　his　superior's　illness；　and　we　were　constrained　to　augment　his　pay；　and　to　promise　him　the　place　if　Thomas　did　not　recover；　which　it　was　then　thought　he　could　not　do。　　On　the　day　this　happened；　there　were　three　dead　children　in　the　clachan；　and　a　panic　and　consternation　spread　about　the　burial　of　them　when　James　Bane's　insurrection　was　known；　which　made　both　me　and　the　session　glad　to　hush　up　the　affair；　that　the　heart　of　the　public　might　have　no　more　than　the　sufferings　of　individuals　to　hurt　it。Thus　ended　a　year；　on　many　accounts；　heavy　to　be　remembered。



CHAPTER　XXIII　　YEAR　1782



Although　I　have　not　been　particular　in　noticing　it；　from　time　to　time；　there　had　been　an　occasional　going　off；　at　fairs　and　on　market…days；　of　the　lads　of　the　parish　as　soldiers；　and　when　Captain　Malcolm　got　the　command　of　his　ship；　no　less　than　four　young　men　sailed　with　him　from　the　clachan；　so　that　we　were　deeper　and　deeper　interested　in　the　proceedings　of　the　doleful　war　that　was　raging　in　the　plantations。　　By　one　post　we　heard　of　no　less　than　three　brave　fellows　belonging　to　us　being　slain　in　one　battle；　for　which　there　was　a　loud　and　general　lamentation。

Shortly　after　this；　I　got　a　letter　from　Charles　Malcolm；　a　very　pretty　letter　it　indeed　was：　　he　had　heard　of　my　Lord　Eaglesham's　murder；　and　grieved　for　the　loss；　both　because　his　lordship　was　a　good　man；　and　because　he　had　been　such　a　friend　to　him　and　his　family。　　〃But；〃　said　Charles；　〃the　best　way　I　can　show　my　gratitude　for　his　patronage；　is　to　prove　myself　a　good　officer　to　my　king　and　country。〃　　Which　I　thought　a　brave　sentiment；　and　was　pleased　thereat；　for　somehow　Charles；　from　the　time　he　brought　me　the　limes　to　make　a　bowl　of　punch；　in　his　pocket　from　Jamaica；　had　built　a　nest　of　affection　in　my　heart。　　But；　oh！　the　wicked　wastry　of　life　in　war。　　In　less　than　a　month　after；　the　news　came　of　a　victory　over　the　French　fleet；　and　by　the　same　post　I　got　a　letter　from　Mr　Howard；　that　was　the　midshipman　who　came　to　see　us　with　Charles；　telling　me　that　poor　Charles　had　been　mortally　wounded　in　the　action；　and　had　afterwards　died　of　his　wounds。　　〃He　was　a　hero　in　the　engagement；〃　said　Mr　Howard；　〃and　he　died　as　a　good　and　a　brave　man　should。〃These　tidings　gave　me　one　of　the　sorest　hearts　I　ever　suffered；　and　it　was　long　before　I　could　gather　fortitude　to　disclose　the　tidings　to　poor　Charles's　mother。　　But　the　callants　of　the　school　had　heard　of　the　victory；　and　were　going　shouting　about；　and　had　set　the　steeple　bell　a…ringing；　by　which　Mrs　Malcolm　heard　the　news；　and　knowing　that　Charles's　ship　was　with　the　fleet；　she　came　over　to　the　manse　in　great　anxiety　to　hear　the　particulars；　somebody　telling　her　that　there　had　been　a　foreign　letter　to　me　by　the　postman。

When　I　saw　her　I　could　not　speak；　but　looked　at　her　in　pity；　and；　the　tear　fleeing　up　into　my　eyes；　she　guessed　what　had　happened。　After　giving　a　deep　and　sore　sigh；　she　enquired；　〃How　did　he　behave？　I　hope　well；　for　he　was　aye　a　gallant　laddie！〃and　then　she　wept　very　bitterly。　　However；　growing　calmer；　I　read　to　her　the　letter；　and；　when　I　had　done；　she　begged　me　to　give　it　to　her　to　keep；　saying；　〃It's　all　that　I　have　now　left　of　my　pretty　boy；　but　it's　mair　precious　to　me　than　the　wealth　of　the　Indies；〃　and　she　begged　me　to　return　thanks　to　the　Lord　for　all　the　comforts　and　manifold　mercies　with　which　her　lot　had　been　blessed；　since　the　hour　she　put　her　trust　in　him　alone；　and　that　was　when　she　was　left　a　penniless　widow；　with　her　five　fatherless　bairns。

It　was　just　an　edification　of　the　spirit　to　see　the　Christian　resignation　of　this　worthy　woman。　　Mrs　Balwhidder　was　confounded；　and　said；　there　was　more　sorrow　in　seeing　the　deep　grief　of　her　fortitude　than　tongue　could　tell。

Having　taken　a　glass　of　wine　with　her；　I　walked　out　to　conduct　her　to　her　own　house；　but　in　the　way　we　met　with　a　severe　trial。　　All　the　weans　were　out　parading　with　napkins　and　kail…blades　on　sticks；　rejoicing　and　triumphing　in　the　glad　tidings　of　victory。　　But　when　they　saw　me　and　Mrs　Malcolm　coming　slowly　along；　they　guessed　what　had　happened；　and　threw　away　their　banners　of　joy；　and　standing　all　up　in　a　row；　with　silence　and　sadness；　along　the　kirkyard　wall　as　we　passed；　showed　an　instinct　of　compassion　that　penetrated　to　my　very　soul。　　The　poor　mother　burst　into　fresh　affliction；　and　some　of　the　bairns　into　an　audible　weeping；　and；　taking　one　another　by　the　hand；　they　followed　us　to　her　door；　like　mourners　at　a　funeral。　　Never　was　such　a　sight　seen　in　any　town　before。　　The　neighbours　came　to　look　at　it　as　we　walked　along；　and　the　men　turned　aside　to　hide　their　faces；　while　the　mothers　pressed　their　babies　fondlier　to　their　bosoms；　and　watered　their　in