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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
o'man my brither had been that had held his head again sax and saved the
siller； and him drunk！〃 Thus died of honourable injuries and in the savour
of fame Gilbert Elliott of the Cauldstaneslap； but his sons had scarce less
glory out of the business。 Their savage haste； the skill with which Dand
had found and followed the trail； the barbarity to the wounded Dickieson
（which was like an open secret in the county）； and the doom which it was
currently supposed they had intended for the others； struck and stirred
popular imagination。 Some century earlier the last of the minstrels might
53
… Page 54…
Weir of Hermiston
have fashioned the last of the ballads out of that Homeric fight and chase；
but the spirit was dead； or had been reincarnated already in Mr。 Sheriff
Scott； and the degenerate moorsmen must be content to tell the tale in
prose； and to make of the 〃Four Black Brothers〃 a unit after the fashion of
the 〃Twelve Apostles〃 or the 〃Three Musketeers。〃
Robert； Gilbert； Clement； and Andrew … in the proper Border
diminutives； Hob； Gib； Clem； and Dand Elliott … these ballad heroes； had
much in common； in particular； their high sense of the family and the
family honour； but they went diverse ways； and prospered and failed in
different businesses。 According to Kirstie； 〃they had a' bees in their
bonnets but Hob。〃 Hob the laird was； indeed； essentially a decent man。 An
elder of the Kirk； nobody had heard an oath upon his lips； save perhaps
thrice or so at the sheep…washing； since the chase of his father's murderers。
The figure he had shown on that eventful night disappeared as if
swallowed by a trap。 He who had ecstatically dipped his hand in the red
blood； he who had ridden down Dickieson； became； from that moment on；
a stiff and rather graceless model of the rustic proprieties； cannily profiting
by the high war prices； and yearly stowing away a little nest…egg in the
bank against calamity； approved of and sometimes consulted by the
greater lairds for the massive and placid sense of what he said； when he
could be induced to say anything； and particularly valued by the minister；
Mr。 Torrance； as a right…hand man in the parish； and a model to parents。
The transfiguration had been for the moment only； some Barbarossa； some
old Adam of our ancestors； sleeps in all of us till the fit circumstance shall
call it into action； and； for as sober as he now seemed； Hob had given once
for all the measure of the devil that haunted him。 He was married； and； by
reason of the effulgence of that legendary night； was adored by his wife。
He had a mob of little lusty； barefoot children who marched in a caravan
the long miles to school； the stages of whose pilgrimage were marked by
acts of spoliation and mischief； and who were qualified in the country…
side as 〃fair pests。〃 But in the house； if 〃faither was in；〃 they were quiet as
mice。 In short； Hob moved through life in a great peace … the reward of
any one who shall have killed his man； with any formidable and figurative
circumstance； in the midst of a country gagged and swaddled with
54
… Page 55…
Weir of Hermiston
civilisation。
It was a current remark that the Elliotts were 〃guid and bad； like
sanguishes〃； and certainly there was a curious distinction； the men of
business coming alternately with the dreamers。 The second brother； Gib；
was a weaver by trade； had gone out early into the world to Edinburgh；
and come home again with his wings singed。 There was an exaltation in
his nature which had led him to embrace with enthusiasm the principles of
the French Revolution； and had ended by bringing him under the hawse of
my Lord Hermiston in that furious onslaught of his upon the Liberals；
which sent Muir and Palmer into exile and dashed the party into chaff。 It
was whispered that my lord； in his great scorn for the movement； and
prevailed upon a little by a sense of neighbourliness； had given Gib a hint。
Meeting him one day in the Potterrow； my lord had stopped in front of him：
〃Gib； ye eediot；〃 he had said； 〃what's this I hear of you？ Poalitics； poalitics；
poalitics； weaver's poalitics； is the way of it； I hear。 If ye arena a'thegither
dozened with cediocy； ye'll gang your ways back to Cauldstaneslap； and
ca' your loom； and ca' your loom； man！〃 And Gilbert had taken him at the
word and returned； with an expedition almost to be called flight； to the
house of his father。 The clearest of his inheritance was that family gift of
prayer of which Kirstie had boasted； and the baffled politician now turned
his attention to religious matters … or； as others said； to heresy and schism。
Every Sunday morning he was in Crossmichael； where he had gathered
together； one by one； a sect of about a dozen persons； who called
themselves 〃God's Remnant of the True Faithful；〃 or； for short； 〃God's
Remnant。〃 To the profane； they were known as 〃Gib's Deils。〃 Bailie
Sweedie； a noted humorist in the town； vowed that the proceedings always
opened to the tune of 〃The Deil Fly Away with the Exciseman；〃 and that
the sacrament was dispensed in the form of hot whisky…toddy； both
wicked hits at the evangelist； who had been suspected of smuggling in his
youth； and had been overtaken （as the phrase went） on the streets of
Crossmichael one Fair day。 It was known that every Sunday they prayed
for a blessing on the arms of Bonaparte。 For this 〃God's Remnant；〃 as they
were 〃skailing〃 from the cottage that did duty for a temple； had been
repeatedly stoned by the bairns； and Gib himself hooted by a squadron of
55
… Page 56…
Weir of Hermiston
Border volunteers in which his own brother； Dand； rode in a uniform and
with a drawn sword。 The 〃Remnant〃 were believed； besides； to be
〃antinomian in principle；〃 which might otherwise have been a serious
charge； but the way public opinion then blew it was quite swallowed up
and forgotten in the scandal about Bonaparte。 For the rest； Gilbert had set
up his loom in an outhouse at Cauldstaneslap； where he laboured
assiduously six days of the week。 His brothers； appalled by his political
opinions； and willing to avoid dissension in the household； spoke but little
to him； he less to them； remaining absorbed in the study of the Bible and
almost constant prayer。 The gaunt weaver was dry…nurse at Cauldstaneslap；
and the bairns loved him dearly。 Except when he was carrying an infant in
his arms； he was rarely seen to smile … as； indeed； there were few smilers
in that family。 When his sister…in…law rallied him； and proposed that he
should get a wife and bairns of his own； since he was so fond of them； 〃I
have no clearness of mind upon that point；〃 he would reply。 If nobody
called him in to dinner； he stayed out。 Mrs。 Hob； a hard； unsympathetic
woman； once tried the experiment。 He went without food all day； but at
dusk； as the light began to fail him； he came into the house of his own
accord； looking puzzled。 〃I've had a great gale of prayer upon my speerit；〃
said he。 〃I canna mind sae muckle's what I had for denner。〃 The creed of
God's Remnant was justified in the life of its founder。 〃And yet I dinna
ken；〃 said Kirstie。 〃He's maybe no more stockfish than his neeghbours！ He
rode wi' the rest o' them； and had a good stamach to the work； by a' that I
hear！ God's Remnant！ The deil's clavers！ There wasna muckle Christianity
in the way Hob guided Johnny Dickieson； at the least of it； but Guid kens！
Is he a Christian even？ He might be a Mahommedan or a Deevil or a Fire…
worshipper； for what I ken。〃
The third brother had his name on a door…plate； no less； in the city of
Glasgow； 〃Mr。 Clement Elliott；〃 as long as your arm。 In his case； that spirit
of innovation which had shown itself timidly in the case of Hob by the
admission of new manures； and which had run to waste