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！
attained to a kind of tearful certainty。 'I'll take my davy on
it；' he asseverated。 They proved to have been as black as sloes；
very little and very near together。 So much for the evidence of
the artless！ And the fact； or rather the facts； acquired？ Well；
they had to do not with the person but with his clothing。 The man
wore knee…breeches and white stockings； his coat was 'some kind of
a lightish colour … or betwixt that and dark'； and he wore a 'mole…
skin weskit。' As if this were not enough； he presently haled me
from my breakfast in a prodigious flutter； and showed me an honest
and rather venerable citizen passing in the Square。
'That's HIM； sir；' he cried； 'the very moral of him！ Well； this
one is better dressed； and p'r'aps a trifler taller； and in the
face he don't favour him noways at all； sir。 No； not when I come
to look again； 'e don't seem to favour him noways。'
'Jackass！' said I； and I think the greatest stickler for manners
will admit the epithet to have been justified。
Meanwhile the appearance of my landlady added a great load of
anxiety to what I already suffered。 It was plain that she had not
slept； equally plain that she had wept copiously。 She sighed； she
groaned； she drew in her breath； she shook her head； as she waited
on table。 In short； she seemed in so precarious a state； like a
petard three times charged with hysteria； that I did not dare to
address her； and stole out of the house on tiptoe； and actually ran
downstairs； in the fear that she might call me back。 It was plain
that this degree of tension could not last long。
It was my first care to go to George Street； which I reached （by
good luck） as a boy was taking down the bank shutters。 A man was
conversing with him； he had white stockings and a moleskin
waistcoat； and was as ill…looking a rogue as you would want to see
in a day's journey。 This seemed to agree fairly well with Rowley's
SIGNALEMENT： he had declared emphatically （if you remember）； and
had stuck to it besides； that the companion of the great Lavender
was no beauty。
Thence I made my way to Mr。 Robbie's； where I rang the bell。 A
servant answered the summons； and told me the lawyer was engaged；
as I had half expected。
'Wha shall I say was callin'？' she pursued； and when I had told her
'Mr。 Ducie；' 'I think this'll be for you； then？' she added； and
handed me a letter from the hall table。 It ran：
'DEAR MR。 DUCIE；
'My single advice to you is to leave QUAM PRIMUM for the South。
Yours； T。 ROBBIE。'
That was short and sweet。 It emphatically extinguished hope in one
direction。 No more was to be gotten of Robbie； and I wondered；
from my heart； how much had been told him。 Not too much； I hoped；
for I liked the lawyer who had thus deserted me； and I placed a
certain reliance in the discretion of Chevenix。 He would not be
merciful； on the other hand； I did not think he would be cruel
without cause。
It was my next affair to go back along George Street； and assure
myself whether the man in the moleskin vest was still on guard。
There was no sign of him on the pavement。 Spying the door of a
common stair nearly opposite the bank； I took it in my head that
this would be a good point of observation； crossed the street；
entered with a businesslike air and fell immediately against the
man in the moleskin vest。 I stopped and apologised to him； he
replied in an unmistakable English accent； thus putting the matter
almost beyond doubt。 After this encounter I must； of course；
ascend to the top story； ring the bell of a suite of apartments；
inquire for Mr。 Vavasour； learn （with no great surprise） that he
did not live there； come down again and； again politely saluting
the man from Bow Street； make my escape at last into the street。
I was now driven back upon the Assembly Ball。 Robbie had failed
me。 The bank was watched； it would never do to risk Rowley in that
neighbourhood。 All I could do was to wait until the morrow
evening； and present myself at the Assembly； let it end as it
might。 But I must say I came to this decision with a good deal of
genuine fright； and here I came for the first time to one of those
places where my courage stuck。 I do not mean that my courage
boggled and made a bit of a bother over it； as it did over the
escape from the Castle； I mean； stuck； like a stopped watch or a
dead man。 Certainly I would go to the ball； certainly I must see
this morning about my clothes。 That was all decided。 But the most
of the shops were on the other side of the valley； in the Old Town；
and it was now my strange discovery that I was physically unable to
cross the North Bridge！ It was as though a precipice had stood
between us； or the deep sea had intervened。 Nearer to the Castle
my legs refused to bear me。
I told myself this was mere superstition； I made wagers with myself
… and gained them； I went down on the esplanade of Princes Street；
walked and stood there； alone and conspicuous； looking across the
garden at the old grey bastions of the fortress； where all these
troubles had begun。 I cocked my hat； set my hand on my hip； and
swaggered on the pavement； confronting detection。 And I found I
could do all this with a sense of exhilaration that was not
unpleasing； and with a certain CRANERIE of manner that raised me in
my own esteem。 And yet there was one thing I could not bring my
mind to face up to； or my limbs to execute； and that was to cross
the valley into the Old Town。 It seemed to me I must be arrested
immediately if I had done so； I must go straight into the twilight
of a prison cell； and pass straight thence to the gross and final
embraces of the nightcap and the halter。 And yet it was from no
reasoned fear of the consequences that I could not go。 I was
unable。 My horse baulked； and there was an end！
My nerve was gone： here was a discovery for a man in such imminent
peril； set down to so desperate a game； which I could only hope to
win by continual luck and unflagging effrontery！ The strain had
been too long continued； and my nerve was gone。 I fell into what
they call panic fear； as I have seen soldiers do on the alarm of a
night attack； and turned out of Princes Street at random as though
the devil were at my heels。 In St。 Andrew Square； I remember
vaguely hearing some one call out。 I paid no heed； but pressed on
blindly。 A moment after； a hand fell heavily on my shoulder； and I
thought I had fainted。 Certainly the world went black about me for
some seconds； and when that spasm passed I found myself standing
face to face with the 'cheerful extravagant；' in what sort of
disarray I really dare not imagine； dead white at least； shaking
like an aspen； and mowing at the man with speechless lips。 And
this was the soldier of Napoleon； and the gentleman who intended
going next night to an Assembly Ball！ I am the more particular in
telling of my breakdown； because it was my only experience of the
sort； and it is a good tale for officers。 I will allow no man to
call me coward； I have made my proofs； few men more。 And yet I
（come of the best blood in France and inured to danger from a
child） did； for some ten or twenty minutes； make this hideous
exhibition of myself on the streets of the New Town of Edinburgh。
With my first available breath I begged his pardon。 I was of an
extremely nervous disposition； recently increased by late hours； I
could not bear the slightest start。
He seemed much concerned。 'You must be in a devil of a state！'
said he； 'though of course it was my fault … damnably silly； vulgar
sort of thing to do！ A thousand apologies！ But you really must be
run down； you should consult a medico。 My dear sir； a hair of the
dog that bit you is clearly indicated。 A touch of Blue Ruin； now？
Or； come： it's early； but is man the slave of hours？ what do you
say to a chop and a bottle in Dumbreck's Hotel？'
I refused all false comfort； but when he went on to remind me that
this was the day when the University of Cramond met； and to propose
a five…mile walk into the country and a dinner in the company of
young asses like himself； I began to think otherwise。 I had to
wait until to…morrow evening； at any rate； this might serve as well
as anything else to bridge the dreary hours。 The country was the
very place for me： and walking is an excellent sedative for the
nerves。 Remembering poor Rowley； feigning a cold in our lodgings
and immediately under the guns of the formidable and now doubtful
Bethiah； I asked if I might bring my servant。 'Poor devil！ it is
dull for him；' I explained。
'The merciful man is merciful to his ass；' observed my sententious
friend。 'Bring him by all means！
〃The harp； his sole remaining joy；
Was carried by an orphan boy；〃