the annals of the parish-第21部分

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it　out；　which　put　him　quite　wud；　and　he　attempted　to　fling　it　at　Sambo；　the　black　lad's　head；　but　it　stottit　against　the　wall；　and　the　lid　flying　open；　the　whole　mustard　flew　in　his　own　face；　which　made　him　a　sight　not　to　be　spoken　of。　　However　it　calmed　him；　but　really；　as　I　had　never　seen　such　a　man　before；　I　could　not　but　consider　the　accident　as　a　providential　reproof；　and　trembled　to　think　what　greater　evil　might　fall　out　in　the　hands　of　a　man　so　left　to　himself　in　the　intemperance　of　passion。

But　the　worst　thing　about　Mr　Cayenne　was　his　meddling　with　matters　in　which　he　had　no　concern；　for　he　had　a　most　irksome　nature；　and　could　not　be　at　rest；　so　that　he　was　truly　a　thorn　in　our　side。　Among　other　of　his　strange　doings；　was　the　part　he　took　in　the　proceedings　of　the　session；　with　which　he　had　as　little　to　do；　in　a　manner；　as　the　man　in　the　moon；　but　having　no　business　on　his　hands；　he　attended　every　sederunt；　and　from　less　to　more；　having　no　self…　government；　he　began　to　give　his　opinion　in　our　deliberations；　and　often　bred　us　trouble；　by　causing　strife　to　arise。

It　happened；　as　the　time　of　the　summer　occasion　was　drawing　near；　that　it　behoved　us　to　make　arrangements　about　the　assistance；　and　upon　the　suggestion　of　the　elders；　to　which　I　paid　always　the　greatest　deference；　I　invited　Mr　Keekie　of　Loupinton；　who　was　a　sound　preacher；　and　a　great　expounder　of　the　kittle　parts　of　the　Old　Testament；　being　a　man　well　versed　in　the　Hebrew　and　etymologies；　for　which　he　was　much　reverenced　by　the　old　people　that　delighted　to　search　the　Scriptures。　　I　had　also　written　to　Mr　Sprose　of　Annock；　a　preacher　of　another　sort；　being　a　vehement　and　powerful　thresher　of　the　word；　making　the　chaff　and　vain　babbling　of　corrupt　commentators　to　fly　from　his　hand。　　He　was　not；　however；　so　well　liked；　as　he　wanted　that　connect　method　which　is　needful　to　the　enforcing　of　doctrine。　　But　he　had　never　been　among　us；　and　it　was　thought　it　would　be　a　godly　treat　to　the　parish　to　let　the　people　hear　him。　Besides　Mr　Sprose；　Mr　Waikle　of　Gowanry；　a　quiet　hewer　out　of　the　image　of　holiness　in　the　heart；　was　likewise　invited；　all　in　addition　to　our　old　stoops　from　the　adjacent　parishes。

None　of　these　three　preachers　were　in　any　estimation　with　Mr　Cayenne；　who　had　only　heard　each　of　them　once；　and　he；　happening　to　be　present　in　the　session…house　at　the　time；　enquired　how　we　had　settled。　　I　thought　this　not　a　very　orderly　question；　but　I　gave　him　a　civil　answer；　saying；　that；　Mr　Keekie　of　Loupinton　would　preach　on　the　morning　of　the　fast…day；　Mr　Sprose　of　Annock　in　the　afternoon；　and　Mr　Waikle　of　Gowanry　on　the　Saturday。　　Never　shall　I　or　the　elders；　while　the　breath　of　life　is　in　our　bodies；　forget　the　reply。　Mr　Cayenne　struck　the　table　like　a　clap　of　thunder；　and　cried；　〃Mr　Keekie　of　Loupinton；　and　Mr　Sprose　of　Annock；　and　Mr　Waikle　of　Gowanry；　and　all　suck　trash；　may　go　toand　be　…！〃　and　out　of　the　house　he　bounced；　like　a　hand…ball　stotting　on　a　stone。

The　elders　and　me　were　confounded；　and　for　some　time　we　could　not　speak；　but　looked　at　each　other；　doubtful　if　our　ears　heard　aright。　At　long　and　length　I　came　to　myself；　and；　in　the　strength　of　God；　took　my　place　at　the　table；　and　said；　this　was　an　outrageous　impiety　not　to　be　borne；　which　all　the　elders　agreed　to；　and　we　thereupon　came　to　a　resolve；　which　I　dictated　myself；　wherein　we　debarred　Mr　Cayenne　from　ever　after　entering；　unless　summoned；　the　session…　house；　the　which　resolve　we　directed　the　session…clerk　to　send　to　him　direct；　and　thus　we　vindicated　the　insulted　privileges　of　the　church。

Mr　Cayenne　had　cooled　before　he　got　home；　and　our　paper　coming　to　him　in　his　appeased　blood；　he　immediately　came　to　the　manse；　and　made　a　contrite　apology　for　his　hasty　temper；　which　I　reported　in　due　time　and　form；　to　the　session；　and　there　the　matter　ended。　　But　here　was　an　example　plain　to　be　seen　of　the　truth　of　the　old　proverb；　that　as　one　door　shuts　another　opens；　for　scarcely　were　we　in　quietness　by　the　decease　of　that　old　light…headed　woman；　the　Lady　Macadam；　till　a　full　equivalent　for　her　was　given　in　this　hot　and　fiery　Mr　Cayenne。



CHAPTER　XXVII　　YEAR　1786



From　the　day　of　my　settlement；　I　had　resolved；　in　order　to　win　the　affections　of　my　people；　and　to　promote　unison　among　the　heritors；　to　be　of　as　little　expense　to　the　parish　as　possible；　but　by　this　time　the　manse　had　fallen　into　a　sore　state　of　decaythe　doors　were　wormed　on　the　hingesthe　casements　of　the　windows　chattered　all　the　winter；　like　the　teeth　of　a　person　perishing　with　cold；　so　that　we　had　no　comfort　in　the　house；　by　which；　at　the　urgent　instigations　of　Mrs　Balwhidder；　I　was　obligated　to　represent　our　situation　to　the　session。　　I　would　rather；　having　so　much　saved　money　in　the　bank；　paid　the　needful　repairs　myself；　than　have　done　this；　but　she　said　it　would　be　a　rank　injustice　to　our　own　family；　and　her　father；　Mr　Kibbock；　who　was　very　long…headed；　with　more　than　a　common　man's　portion　of　understanding；　pointed　out　to　me；　that；　as　my　life　was　but　in　my　lip；　it　would　be　a　wrong　thing　towards　whomsoever　was　ordained　to　be　my　successor；　to　use　the　heritors　to　the　custom　of　the　minister　paying　for　the　reparations　of　the　manse；　as　it　might　happen　he　might　not　be　so　well　able　to　afford　it　as　me。　　So　in　a　manner；　by　their　persuasion；　and　the　constraint　of　the　justice　of　the　case；　I　made　a　report　of　the　infirmities　both　of　doors　and　windows；　as　well　as　of　the　rotten　state　of　the　floors；　which　were　constantly　in　want　of　cobbling。　　Over　and　above　all；　I　told　them　of　the　sarking　of　the　roof；　which　was　as　frush　as　a　puddock…stool；　insomuch；　that　in　every　blast　some　of　the　pins　lost　their　grip；　and　the　slates　came　hurling　off。

The　heritors　were　accordingly　convened；　and；　after　some　deliberation；　they　proposed　that　the　house　should　be　seen　to；　and　whitewashed　and　painted；　and　I　thought　this　might　do；　for　I　saw　they　were　terrified　at　the　expense　of　a　thorough　repair；　but　when　I　went　home　and　repeated　to　Mrs　Balwhidder　what　had　been　said　at　the　meeting；　and　my　thankfulness　at　getting　the　heritors'　consent　to　do　so　much；　she　was　excessively　angry；　and　told　me；　that　all　the　painting　and　whitewashing　in　the　world　would　avail　nothing；　for　that　the　house　was　as　a　sepulchre　full　of　rottenness；　and　she　sent　for　Mr　Kibbock；　her　father；　to　confer　with　him　on　the　way　of　getting　the　matter　put　to　rights。

Mr　Kibbock　came；　and　hearing　of　what　had　passed；　pondered　for　some　time；　and　then　said；　〃All　was　very　right！　the　minister　（meaning　me）　has　just　to　get　tradesmen　to　look　at　the　house；　and　write　out　their　opinion　of　what　it　needs。　　There　will　be　plaster　to　mend；　so；　before　painting；　he　will　get　a　plasterer。　　There　will　be　a　slater　wanted；　he　has　just　to　get　a　slater's　estimate；　and　a　wright's；　and　so　forth；　and　when　all　is　done；　he　will　lay　them　before　the　session　and　the　heritors；　who；　no　doubt；　will　direct　the　reparations　to　go　forward。〃

This　was　very　pawkie；　counselling；　of　Mr　Kibbock；　and　I　did　not　see　through　it　at　the　time；　but　did　as　he　recommended；　and　took　all　the　different　estimates；　when　they　came　in；　to　the　session。　　The　elders　commended　my　prudence　exceedingly　for　so　doing；　before　going　to　work；　and　one　of　them　asked　me　what　the　amount　of　the　whole　would　be；　but　I　had　not　cast　it　up。　　Some　of　the　heritors　thought　that　a　hundred　pounds　would　be　sufficient　for　the　outlay；　but　judge　of　our　consternation；　when；　in　counting　up　all　the　sums　of　the　different　estimates　together；　we　found　them　well　on　towards　a　thousand　pounds。　〃Better　big　a　new　house　at　once；　than　do　this！〃　cried　all　the　elders；　by　which　I　then　perceived　the　draughtiness　of　Mr　Kibbock's　advice。　　Accordingly；　another　meeting　of　the　heritors　was　summoned；　and　after　a　great　deal　of　controversy；　it　was　agreed　that　a　new　manse　should　be　erected；　and；　shortly　after；　we　contracted　with　Thomas　Trowel；　the　mason　to　build　one　for　six　hundred　pounds；　with　all　the　requisite　appurtenances；　by　which　a　clear　gain　was　saved　to　the　parish；　by　the　foresight　of　Mr　Kibbock；　to　the　amount　of　nearly　four　hundred　pounds。　　But　the　heritors　did　not　mean　to　have　allowed　the　sort　of　repair　that　his　plan　comprehended。　　He　was；　however；　a　far　forecasting　man；　the　like　of　him　for　natural　parts　not　being　in　our　country　side；　and　nobody　could　get　the　whip…hand　of　him；　either　in　a　bargain　or　an　improvement；　when　he　once　was　sensible　of　the　advantage。　　He　was；　indeed；　a　blessing　to　the　shire；　both　by　his　example　as　a　farmer；　and　by　his　sound　and　discreet　advice　in　the　contentions　of　his　neighbours；　being　a　man；　as　was　a　saying　among　the　commonality；　〃wiser　than　the　law　and　the　fifteen　Lords　of　Edinburgh。〃

The　building　of　the　new　manse　occasioned　a　heavy　cess　on　the　heritors；　which　made　them　overly　ready　to　pick　holes　in　the　coats　of　me　and　the　elders；　so　that；　out　of　my　forbearance　and　delicacy　in　time　past；　grew　a　lordliness　on　their　part；　that　was　an　ill　return　for　the　years　that　I　had　endured　no　little　inconveniency　for　their　sake。　　It　was　not　in　my　heart　or　principles　to　harm　the　hair　of　a　dog；　but　when　I　discerned　the　austerity　with　which　they　were　disposed　to　treat　their　minister；　I　bethought　me　that；　for　the　preservation　of　what　was　due　to　the　establishment　and　the　upholding　of　the　decent　administration　of　religion；　I　ought　to　set　my　face　against　the　sordid　intolerance　by　which　they　were　actuated。　　This　notion　I　weighed　well　before　divulging　it　to　any　person；　but　when　I　had　assured　myself　as　to　the　rectitude　thereof；　I　rode　over　one　day　to　Mr　Kibbock's；　and　broke　my　mind　to　him　about　claiming　out　of　the　teinds　an　augmentation　of　my　stipend；　not　because　I　needed　it；　but　in　case；　after　me；　some　bare　and　hungry　gorbie　of　the　Lord　should　be　sent　upon　the　parish；　in　no　such　condition　to　plea　with　the　heritors　as　I　was。　　Mr　Kibbock　highly　approved　of　my　intent；　and　by　his　help；　after　much　tribulation；　I　got　an　augmentation　both　in　glebe　and　income；　and　to　mark　my　reason　for　what　I　did；　I　took　upon　me　to　keep　and　clothe　the　wives　and　orphans　of　the　parish；　who　lost　their　breadwinners　in　the　American　war。　　But　for　all　that；　the　heritors　spoke　of　me　as　an　avaricious　Jew；　and　made　the　hard…won　fruits　of　Mrs　Balwhidder's　great　thrift　and　good　management　a　matter　of　reproach　against　me。　　Few　of　them　would　come　t