the annals of the parish-第27部分

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mong　widows　of　a　discreet　age；　and　I　had　a　glimmer　in　my　mind　of　speaking　to　Mrs　Malcolm；　but　when　I　reflected　on　the　saintly　steadiness　of　her　character；　I　was　satisfied　it　would　be　of　no　use　to　think　of　her。　　Accordingly；　I　bent　my　brows；　and　looked　towards　Irville；　which　is　an　abundant　trone　for　widows　and　other　single　women；　and　I　fixed　my　purpose　on　Mrs　Nugent；　the　relic　of　a　professor　in　the　university　of　Glasgow；　both　because　she　was　a　well…　bred　woman；　without　any　children　to　plea　about　the　interest　of　my　own　two；　and　likewise　because　she　was　held　in　great　estimation　by　all　who　knew　her；　as　a　lady　of　a　Christian　principle。

It　was　some　time　in　the　summer；　however；　before　I　made　up　my　mind　to　speak　to　her　on　the　subject；　but　one　afternoon；　in　the　month　of　August；　I　resolved　to　do　so；　and　with　that　intent　walked　leisurely　over　to　Irville；　and　after　calling　on　the　Rev。　Dr。　Dinwiddie；　the　minister；　I　stepped　in；　as　if　by　chance；　to　Mrs　Nugent's。　　I　could　see　that　she　was　a　little　surprised　at　my　visit；　however；　she　treated　me　with　every　possible　civility；　and　her　servant　lass　bringing　in　the　tea…things　in　a　most　orderly　manner；　as　punctually　as　the　clock　was　striking；　she　invited　me　to　sit　still；　and　drink　my　tea　with　her；　which　I　did；　being　none　displeased　to　get　such　encouragement。　　However；　I　said　nothing　that　time；　but　returned　to　the　manse；　very　well　content　with　what　I　had　observed；　which　made　me　fain　to　repeat　my　visit。　　So；　in　the　course　of　the　week；　taking　Janet　my　daughter　with　me；　we　walked　over　in　the　forenoon；　and　called　at　Mrs　Nugent's　first；　before　going　to　any　other　house；　and　Janet　saying；　as　we　came　out　to　go　to　the　minister's；　that　she　thought　Mrs　Nugent　an　agreeable　woman；　I　determined　to　knock　the　nail　on　the　head　without　further　delay。

Accordingly；　I　invited　the　minister　and　his　wife　to　dine　with　us　on　the　Thursday　following；　and　before　leaving　the　town；　I　made　Janet；　while　the　minister　and　me　were　handling　a　subject；　as　a　sort　of　thing　in　common　civility；　go　to　Mrs　Nugent；　and　invite　her　also。　Dr。　Dinwiddie　was　a　gleg　man；　of　a　jocose　nature；　and　he；　guessing　something　of　what　I　was　ettling　at；　was　very　mirthful　with　me；　but　I　kept　my　own　counsel　till　a　meet　season。

On　the　Thursday；　the　company　as　invited　came；　and　nothing　extraordinary　was　seen；　but　in　cutting　up　and　helping　a　hen；　Dr。　Dinwiddie　put　one　wing　on　Mrs　Nugent's　plate；　and　the　other　wing　on　my　plate；　and　said；　there　have　been　greater　miracles　than　these　two　wings　flying　together；　which　was　a　sharp　joke；　that　caused　no　little　merriment　at　the　expense　of　Mrs　Nugent　and　me。　　I；　however；　to　show　that　I　was　none　daunted；　laid　a　leg　also　on　her　plate；　and　took　another　on　my　own；　saying；　in　the　words　of　the　reverend　doctor；　there　have　been　greater　miracles　than　that　these　two　legs　should　lie　in　the　same　nest；　which　was　thought　a　very　clever　come　off；　and；　at　the　same　time；　I　gave　Mrs　Nugent　a　kindly　nip　on　her　sonsy　arm；　which　was　breaking　the　ice　in　as　pleasant　a　way　as　could　be。　　In　short；　before　anything　passed　between　ourselves　on　the　subject；　we　were　set　down　for　a　trysted　pair；　and　this　being　the　case；　we　were　married　as　soon　as　a　twelvemonth　and　a　day　had　passed　from　the　death　of　the　second　Mrs　Balwhidder；　and　neither　of　us　have　had　occasion　to　rue　the　bargain。　　It　is；　however；　but　a　piece　of　justice　due　to　my　second　wife　to　say；　that　this　was　not　a　little　owing　to　her　good　management；　for　she　had　left　such　a　well…plenished　house；　that　her　successor　said；　we　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　contribute　to　one　another's　happiness。

In　this　year　nothing　more　memorable　happened　in　the　parish；　saving　that　the　cotton…mill　dam　burst　about　the　time　of　the　Lammas　flood；　and　the　waters　went　forth　like　a　deluge　of　destruction；　carrying　off　much　victual；　and　causing　a　vast　of　damage　to　the　mills　that　are　lower　down　the　stream。　　It　was　just　a　prodigy　to　see　how　calmly　Mr　Cayenne　acted　on　that　occasion；　for；　being　at　other　times　as　crabbed　as　a　wud　terrier；　folk　were　afraid　to　tell　him；　till　he　came　out　himself　in　the　morning　and　saw　the　devastation；　at　the　sight　of　which　he　gave　only　a　shrill　whistle；　and　began　to　laugh　at　the　idea　of　the　men　fearing　to　take　him　the　news；　as　if　he　had　not　fortune　and　philosophy　enough；　as　he　called　it；　to　withstand　much　greater　misfortunes。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII　　YEAR　1797



When　I　have　seen　in　my　walks　the　irrational　creatures　of　God；　the　birds　and　the　beasts；　governed　by　a　kindly　instinct　in　attendance　on　their　young；　often　has　it　come　into　my　head　that　love　and　charity；　far　more　than　reason　or　justice；　formed　the　tie　that　holds　the　world；　with　all　its　jarring　wants　and　woes；　in　social　dependence　and　obligation　together；　and；　in　this　year；　a　strong　verification　of　the　soundness　of　this　notion　was　exemplified　in　the　conduct　of　the　poor　haverel　lassie　Meg　Gaffaw；　whose　naturality　on　the　occasion　of　her　mother's　death　I　have　related　at　length　in　this　chronicle。

In　the　course　of　the　summer；　Mr　Henry　Melcomb；　who　was　a　nephew　to　Mr　Cayenne；　came　down　from　England　to　see　his　uncle。　　He　had　just　completed　his　education　at　the　college　of　Christ　Church；　in　Oxford；　and　was　the　most　perfect　young　gentleman　that　had　ever　been　seen　in　this　part　of　the　country。

In　his　appearance　he　was　a　very　paragon；　with　a　fine　manly　countenance；　frank…hearted；　blithe；　and；　in　many　points　of　character；　very　like　my　old　friend　the　Lord　Eaglesham；　who　was　shot。　Indeed；　in　some　respects；　he　was　even　above　his　lordship；　for　he　had　a　great　turn　at　ready　wit；　and　could　joke　and　banter　in　a　most　agreeable　manner。　　He　came　very　often　to　the　manse　to　see　me；　and　took　great　pleasure　in　my　company；　and　really　used　a　freedom　that　was　so　droll；　I　could　scarcely　keep　my　composity　and　decorum　with　him。　　Among　others　that　shared　in　his　attention；　was　daft　Meg　Gaffaw；　whom　he　had　forgathered　with　one　day　in　coming　to　see　me；　and　after　conversing　with　her　for　some　time；　he　handed　her；　as　she　told　me　herself；　over　the　kirk…stile　like　a　lady　of　high　degree；　and　came　with　her　to　the　manse　door　linking　by　the　arm。

From　the　ill…timed　daffin　of　that　hour；　poor　Meg　fell　deep　in　love　with　Mr　Melcomb；　and　it　was　just　a　playacting　to　see　the　arts　and　antics　she　put　in　practice　to　win　his　attention。　　In　her　garb；　she　had　never　any　sense　of　a　proper　propriety；　but　went　about　the　country　asking　for　shapings　of　silks　and　satins；　with　which　she　patched　her　duds；　calling　them　by　the　divers　names　of　robes　and　negligees。　　All　hitherto；　however；　had　been　moderation；　compared　to　the　daffadile　of　vanity　which　she　was　now　seen；　when　she　had　searched；　as　she　said；　to　the　bottom　of　her　coffer。　　I　cannot　take　it　upon　me　to　describe　her；　but　she　kythed　in　such　a　variety　of　cuffs　and　ruffles；　feathers；　old　gumflowers；　painted　paper　knots；　ribbons；　and　furs；　and　laces；　and　went　about　gecking　and　simpering　with　an　old　fan　in　her　hand；　that　it　was　not　in　the　power　of　nature　to　look　at　her　with　sobriety。

Her　first　appearance　in　this　masquerading　was　at　the　kirk　on　the　Sunday　following　her　adventure　with　Mr　　Melcomb；　and　it　was　with　a　sore　difficulty　that　I　could　keep　my　eyes　off　her；　even　in　prayer；　and　when　the　kirk　skailed；　she　walked　before　him；　spreading　all　her　grandeur　to　catch　his　eye；　in　such　a　manner　as　had　not　been　seen　or　heard　of　since　the　prank　that　Lady　Macadam　played　Miss　Betty　Wudrife。

Any　other　but　Mr　Melcomb　would　have　been　provoked　by　the　fool's　folly；　but　he　humoured　her　wit；　and；　to　the　amazement　of　the　whole　people；　presented　her　his　hand；　and　allemanded　her　along　in　a　manner　that　should　not　have　been　seen　in　any　street　out　of　a　king's　court；　and　far　less　on　the　Lord's　day。　　But；　alas！　this　sport　did　not　last　long。　　Mr　Melcomb　had　come　from　England　to　be　'married'　to　his　cousin；　Miss　Virginia　Cayenne；　and　poor　daft　Meg　never　heard　of　it　till　the　banns　for　their　purpose　of　marriage　was　read　out　by　Mr　Lorimore　on　the　Sabbath　after。　　The　words　were　scarcely　out　of　his　mouth；　when　the　simple　and　innocent　natural　gave　a　loud　shriek；　that　terrified　the　whole　congregation；　and　ran　out　of　the　kirk　demented。　There　was　no　more　finery　for　poor　Meg；　but　she　went　and　sat　opposite　to　the　windows　of　Mr　Cayenne's　house；　where　Mr　Melcomb　was；　with　clasped　hands　and　beseeching　eyes；　like　a　monumental　statue　in　alabaster；　and　no　entreaty　could　drive　her　away。　　Mr　Melcomb　sent　her　money；　and　the　bride　many　a　fine　thing；　but　Meg　flung　them　from　her；　and　clasped　her　hands　again；　and　still　sat。　　Mr　Cayenne　would　have　let　loose　the　house…dog　on　her；　but　was　not　permitted。

In　the　evening　it　began　to　rain；　and　they　thought　that　and　the　coming　darkness　would　drive　her　away；　but　when　the　servants　looked　out　before　barring　the　doors；　there　she　was　in　the　same　posture。　　I　was　to　perform　the　marriage　ceremony　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　for　the　young　pair　were　to　go　that　night　to　Edinburgh；　and　when　I　went；　there　was　Meg　sitting　looking　at　the　windows　with　her　hands　clasped。　　When　she　saw　me　she　gave　a　shrill　cry；　and　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　wised　me　to　go　back；　crying　out　in　a　heart…breaking　voice；　〃O；　Sir！　　No　yetno　yet！　　He'll　maybe　draw　back；　and　think　of　a　far　truer　bride。〃　　I　was　wae　for　her　and　very　angry　with　the　servants　for　laughing　at　the　fond　folly　of　the　ill…less　thing。

When　the　marriage　was　over；　and　the　carriage　at　the　door；　the　bridegroom　handed　in　the　bride。　　Poor　Meg　saw　this；　and　jumping　up　from　where　she　sat；　was　at　his　side　like　a　spirit；　as　he　was　stepping　in；　and；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　she　looked　in　his　face　so　piteously；　that　every　heart　was　sorrowful；　for　she　could　say　nothing。　　When　he　pulled　away　his　hand；　and　the　door　was　shut；　she　stood　as　if　she　had　been　charmed　to　the　spot；　and　saw　the　chaise　drive　away。　　All　that　were　about　the　door　then　spoke　to　her；　but　she　heard　us　not。　　At　last　she　gave　a　deep　sigh；　and　the　water　coming　into　her　eye；　she　said；　〃The　wormthe　worm　is　my　bonny　bridegroom；　and　Jenny　with　the　many…feet　my　bridal　maid。　　The　mill…dam　water's　the　wine　o'　the　wedding；　and　the　clay　and　the　clod　shall　be　my　bedding。　　A　lang　night　is　meet　for　a　bridal；　but　none　shall　be　langer　than　mine。〃　　In　saying　which　words；　she　fled　from　among　us；　with　heels　like　the　wind。　　The　servants　pursued；　but　long　before　they　could　stop　her；　she　was　past　redempt