the black dwarf- 第1部分

The　Black　Dwarf

by　Walter　Scott






CONTENTS。

I。　　　　Tales　of　my　Landlord
　　　　　　　　…　Introduction　by　〃Jedediah　Cleishbotham〃
II。　　　Introduction　to　THE　BLACK　DWARF
III。　　Main　text　of　THE　BLACK　DWARF






I。　　TALES　OF　MY　LANDLORD

COLLECTED　AND　REPORTED　BY　JEDEDIAH　CLEISHBOTHAM；
SCHOOLMASTER　AND　PARISH…CLERK　OF　GANDERCLEUGH。


INTRODUCTION。

As　I　may；　without　vanity；　presume　that　the　name　and　official　description　prefixed　to　this　Proem　will　secure　it；　from　the　sedate　and　reflecting　part　of　mankind；　to　whom　only　I　would　be　understood　to　address　myself；　such　attention　as　is　due　to　the　sedulous　instructor　of　youth；　and　the　careful　performer　of　my　Sabbath　duties；　I　will　forbear　to　hold　up　a　candle　to　the　daylight；　or　to　point　out　to　the　judicious　those　recommendations　of　my　labours　which　they　must　necessarily　anticipate　from　the　perusal　of　the　title…page。　　Nevertheless；　I　am　not　unaware；　that；　as　Envy　always　dogs　Merit　at　the　heels；　there　may　be　those　who　will　whisper；　that　albeit　my　learning　and　good　principles　cannot　（lauded　be　the　heavens）　be　denied　by　any　one；　yet　that　my　situation　at　Gandercleugh　hath　been　more　favourable　to　my　acquisitions　in　learning　than　to　the　enlargement　of　my　views　of　the　ways　and　works　of　the　present　generation。　　To　the　which　objection；　if；　peradventure；　any　such　shall　be　started；　my　answer　shall　be　threefold：

First；　Gandercleugh　is；　as　it　were；　the　central　partthe　navel　（SI　FAS　SIT　DICERE）　of　this　our　native　realm　of　Scotland；　so　that　men；　from　every　corner　thereof；　when　travelling　on　their　concernments　of　business；　either　towards　our　metropolis　of　law；　by　which　I　mean　Edinburgh；　or　towards　our　metropolis　and　mart　of　gain；　whereby　I　insinuate　Glasgow；　are　frequently　led　to　make　Gandercleugh　their　abiding　stage　and　place　of　rest　for　the　night。　And　it　must　be　acknowledged　by　the　most　sceptical；　that　I；　who　have　sat　in　the　leathern　armchair；　on　the　left…hand　side　of　the　fire；　in　the　common　room　of　the　Wallace　Inn；　winter　and　summer；　for　every　evening　in　my　life；　during　forty　years　bypast　（the　Christian　Sabbaths　only　excepted）；　must　have　seen　more　of　the　manners　and　customs　of　various　tribes　and　people；　than　if　I　had　sought　them　out　by　my　own　painful　travel　and　bodily　labour。　　Even　so　doth　the　tollman　at　the　well…frequented　turn…pike　on　the　Wellbraehead；　sitting　at　his　ease　in　his　own　dwelling；　gather　more　receipt　of　custom；　than　if；　moving　forth　upon　the　road；　he　were　to　require　a　contribution　from　each　person　whom　he　chanced　to　meet　in　his　journey；　when；　according　to　the　vulgar　adage；　he　might　possibly　be　greeted　with　more　kicks　than　halfpence。

But；　secondly；　supposing　it　again　urged；　that　Ithacus；　the　most　wise　of　the　Greeks；　acquired　his　renown；　as　the　Roman　poet　hath　assured　us；　by　visiting　states　and　men；　I　reply　to　the　Zoilus　who　shall　adhere　to　this　objection；　that；　DE　FACTO；　I　have　seen　states　and　men　also；　for　I　have　visited　the　famous　cities　of　Edinburgh　and　Glasgow；　the　former　twice；　and　the　latter　three　times；　in　the　course　of　my　earthly　pilgrimage。　　And；　moreover；　I　had　the　honour　to　sit　in　the　General　Assembly　（meaning；　as　an　auditor；　in　the　galleries　thereof）；　and　have　heard　as　much　goodly　speaking　on　the　law　of　patronage；　as；　with　the　fructification　thereof　in　mine　own　understanding；　hath　made　me　be　considered　as　an　oracle　upon　that　doctrine　ever　since　my　safe　and　happy　return　to　Gandercleugh。

Againand　thirdly；　If　it　be　nevertheless　pretended　that　my　information　and　knowledge　of　mankind；　however　extensive；　and　however　painfully　acquired；　by　constant　domestic　enquiry；　and　by　foreign　travel；　is；　natheless；　incompetent　to　the　task　of　recording　the　pleasant　narratives　of　my　Landlord；　I　will　let　these　critics　know；　to　their　own　eternal　shame　and　confusion　as　well　as　to　the　abashment　and　discomfiture　of　all　who　shall　rashly　take　up　a　song　against　me；　that　I　am　NOT　the　writer；　redacter；　or　compiler；　of　the　Tales　of　my　Landlord；　nor　am　I；　in　one　single　iota；　answerable　for　their　contents；　more　or　less。　　And　now；　ye　generation　of　critics；　who　raise　yourselves　up　as　if　it　were　brazen　serpents；　to　hiss　with　your　tongues；　and　to　smite　with　your　stings；　bow　yourselves　down　to　your　native　dust；　and　acknowledge　that　yours　have　been　the　thoughts　of　ignorance；　and　the　words　of　vain　foolishness。　　Lo！　ye　are　caught　in　your　own　snare；　and　your　own　pit　hath　yawned　for　you。　　Turn；　then；　aside　from　the　task　that　is　too　heavy　for　you；　destroy　not　your　teeth　by　gnawing　a　file；　waste　not　your　strength　by　spurning　against　a　castle　wall；　nor　spend　your　breath　in　contending　in　swiftness　with　a　fleet　steed；　and　let　those　weigh　the　Tales　of　my　Landlord；　who　shall　bring　with　them　the　scales　of　candour　cleansed　from　the　rust　of　prejudice　by　the　hands　of　intelligent　modesty。　　For　these　alone　they　were　compiled；　as　will　appear　from　a　brief　narrative　which　my　zeal　for　truth　compelled　me　to　make　supplementary　to　the　present　Proem。

It　is　well　known　that　my　Landlord　was　a　pleasing　and　a　facetious　man；　acceptable　unto　all　the　parish　of　Gandercleugh；　excepting　only　the　Laird；　the　Exciseman；　and　those　for　whom　he　refused　to　draw　liquor　upon　trust。　　Their　causes　of　dislike　I　will　touch　separately；　adding　my　own　refutation　thereof。

His　honour；　the　Laird；　accused　our　Landlord；　deceased；　of　having　encouraged；　in　various　times　and　places；　the　destruction　of　hares；　rabbits；　fowls　black　and　grey；　partridges；　moor…pouts；　roe…deer；　and　other　birds　and　quadrupeds；　at　unlawful　seasons；　and　contrary　to　the　laws　of　this　realm；　which　have　secured；　in　their　wisdom；　the　slaughter　of　such　animals　for　the　great　of　the　earth；　whom　I　have　remarked　to　take　an　uncommon　（though　to　me；　an　unintelligible）　pleasure　therein。　　Now；　in　humble　deference　to　his　honour；　and　in　justifiable　defence　of　my　friend　deceased；　I　reply　to　this　charge；　that　howsoever　the　form　of　such　animals　might　appear　to　be　similar　to　those　so　protected　by　the　law；　yet　it　was　a　mere　DECEPTIO　VISUS；　for　what　resembled　hares　were；　in　fact；　HILL…KIDS；　and　those　partaking　of　the　appearance　of　moor…　fowl；　were　truly　WOOD　PIGEONS　and　consumed　and　eaten　EO　NOMINE；　and　not　otherwise。

Again；　the　Exciseman　pretended；　that　my　deceased　Landlord　did　encourage　that　species　of　manufacture　called　distillation；　without　having　an　especial　permission　from　the　Great；　technically　called　a　license；　for　doing　so。　　Now；　I　stand　up　to　confront　this　falsehood；　and　in　defiance　of　him；　his　gauging…stick；　and　pen　and　inkhorn；　I　tell　him；　that　I　never　saw；　or　tasted；　a　glass　of　unlawful　aqua　vitae　in　the　house　of　my　Landlord；　nay；　that；　on　the　contrary；　we　needed　not　such　devices；　in　respect　of　a　pleasing　and　somewhat　seductive　liquor；　which　was　vended　and　consumed　at　the　Wallace　Inn；　under　the　name　of　MOUNTAIN　DEW。　　If　there　is　a　penalty　against　manufacturing　such　a　liquor；　let　him　show　me　the　statute；　and　when　he　does；　I'll　tell　him　if　I　will　obey　it　or　no。

Concerning　those　who　came　to　my　Landlord　for　liquor；　and　went　thirsty　away；　for　lack　of　present　coin；　or　future　credit；　I　cannot　but　say　it　has　grieved　my　bowels　as　if　the　case　had　been　mine　own。　　Nevertheless；　my　Landlord　considered　the　necessities　of　a　thirsty　soul；　and　would　permit　them；　in　extreme　need；　and　when　their　soul　was　impoverished　for　lack　of　moisture；　to　drink　to　the　full　value　of　their　watches　and　wearing　apparel；　exclusively　of　their　inferior　habiliments；　which　he　was　uniformly　inexorable　in　obliging　them　to　retain；　for　the　credit　of　the　house。　　As　to　mine　own　part；　I　may　well　say；　that　he　never　refused　me　that　modicum　of　refreshment　with　which　I　am　wont　to　recruit　nature　after　the　fatigues　of　my　school。　　It　is　true；　I　taught　his　five　sons　English　and　Latin；　writing；　book…keeping；　with　a　tincture　of　mathematics；　and　that　I　instructed　his　daughter　in　psalmody。　　Nor　do　I　remember　me　of　any　fee　or　HONORARIUM　received　from　him　on　account　of　these　my　labours；　except　the　compotations　aforesaid。　　Nevertheless　this　compensation　suited　my　humour　well；　since　it　is　a　hard　sentence　to　bid　a　dry　throat　wait　till　quarter…day。

But；　truly；　were　I　to　speak　my　simple　conceit　and　belief；　I　think　my　Landlord　was　chiefly　moved　to　waive　in　my　behalf　the　usual　requisition　of　a　symbol；　or　reckoning；　from　the　pleasure　he　was　wont　to　take　in　my　conversation；　which；　though　solid　and　edifying　in　the　main；　was；　like　a　well…built　palace；　decorated　with　facetious　narratives　and　devices；　tending　much　to　the　enhancement　and　ornament　thereof。　　And　so　pleased　was　my　Landlord　of　the　Wallace　in　his　replies　during　such　colloquies；　that　there　was　no　district　in　Scotland；　yea；　and　no　peculiar；　and；　as　it　were；　distinctive　custom　therein　practised；　but　was　discussed　betwixt　us；　insomuch；　that　those　who　stood　by　were　wont　to　say；　it　was　worth　a　bottle　of　ale　to　hear　us　communicate　with　each　other。　And　not　a　few　travellers；　from　distant　parts；　as　well　as　from　the　remote　districts　of　our　kingdom；　were　wont　to　mingle　in　the　conversation；　and　to　tell　news　that　had　been　gathered　in　foreign　lands；　or　preserved　from　oblivion　in　this　our　own。

Now　I　chanced　to　have　contracted　for　teaching　the　lower　classes　with　a　young　person　called　Peter；　or　Patrick；　Pattieson；　who　had　been　educated　for　our　Holy　Kirk；　yea；　had；　by　the　license　of　presbytery；　his　voice　opened　therein　as　a　preacher；　who　delighted　in　the　collection　of　olden　tales　and　legends；　and　in　garnishing　them　with　the　flowers　of　poesy；　whereof　he　was　a　vain　and　frivolous　professor。　　For　he　followed　not　the　example　of　those　strong　poets　whom　I　preposed　to　him　as　a　pattern；　but　formed　versification　of　a　flimsy　and　modern　texture；　to　the　compounding　whereof　was　necessary　small　pains　and　less　thought。　　And　hence　I　have　chid　him　as　being　one　of　those　who　bring　forward　the　fatal　revolution　prophesied　by　Mr。　Robert　Carey；　in　his　Vaticination　on　the　Death　of　the　celebrated　Dr。　John　Donne：

　Now　thou　art　gone；　and　thy　strict　laws　will　be　　Too　hard　for　libertines　in　poetry；　　Till　verse　（by　thee　refined）　in　this　last　age　　Turn　ballad　rhyme。

I　had　also　disputations　with　him　touching　his　indulging　rather　a　flowing　and　redundant　than　a　concise　and　stately　diction　in　his　prose　exercitations。　　But　notwithstanding　these　symptoms　of　inferior　taste；　and　a　humour　of　contradicting　his　betters　upon　passages　of　du