chronicles of the canongate-第3部分

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　to　the　Highlands　to　raise　men；　he　visited　Colonel　Whitefoord　at　his　own　house；　and　spent　two　happy　days　with　him　and　his　Whig　friends；　without　thinking　on　either　side　of　the　civil　war　which　was　then　raging。

When　the　battle　of　Culloden　put　an　end　to　the　hopes　of　Charles　Edward；　Invernahyle；　wounded　and　unable　to　move；　was　borne　from　the　field　by　the　faithful　zeal　of　his　retainers。　　But　as　he　had　been　a　distinguished　Jacobite；　his　family　and　property　were　exposed　to　the　system　of　vindictive　destruction　too　generally　carried　into　execution　through　the　country　of　the　insurgents。　　It　was　now　Colonel　Whitefoord's　turn　to　exert　himself；　and　he　wearied　all　the　authorities；　civil　and　military；　with　his　solicitations　for　pardon　to　the　saver　of　his　life；　or　at　least　for　a　protection　for　his　wife　and　family。　　His　applications　were　for　a　long　time　unsuccessful。　　〃I　was　found　with　the　mark　of　the　Beast　upon　me　in　every　list；〃　was　Invernahyle's　expression。　　At　length　Colonel　Whitefoord　applied　to　the　Duke　of　Cumberland；　and　urged　his　suit　with　every　argument　which　he　could　think　of；　being　still　repulsed；　he　took　his　commission　from　his　bosom；　and　having　said　something　of　his　own　and　his　family's　exertions　in　the　cause　of　the　House　of　Hanover；　begged　to　resign　his　situation　in　their　service；　since　he　could　not　be　permitted　to　show　his　gratitude　to　the　person　to　whom　he　owed　his　life。　　The　duke；　struck　with　his　earnestness；　desired　him　to　take　up　his　commission；　and　granted　the　protection　required　for　the　family　of　Invernahyle。

The　chieftain　himself　lay　concealed　in　a　cave　near　his　own　house；　before　which　a　small　body　of　regular　soldiers　were　encamped。　　He　could　hear　their　muster…roll　called　every　morning；　and　their　drums　beat　to　quarters　at　night；　and　not　a　change　of　the　sentinels　escaped　him。　　As　it　was　suspected　that　he　was　lurking　somewhere　on　the　property；　his　family　were　closely　watched；　and　compelled　to　use　the　utmost　precaution　in　supplying　him　with　food。　　One　of　his　daughters；　a　child　of　eight　or　ten　years　old；　was　employed　as　the　agent　least　likely　to　be　suspected。　　She　was　an　instance；　among　others；　that　a　time　of　danger　and　difficulty　creates　a　premature　sharpness　of　intellect。　　She　made　herself　acquainted　among　the　soldiers；　till　she　became　so　familiar　to　them　that　her　motions　escaped　their　notice；　and　her　practice　was　to　stroll　away　into　the　neighbourhood　of　the　cave；　and　leave　what　slender　supply　of　food　she　carried　for　that　purpose　under　some　remarkable　stone；　or　the　root　of　some　tree；　where　her　father　might　find　it　as　he　crept　by　night　from　his　lurking…place。　　Times　became　milder；　and　my　excellent　friend　was　relieved　from　proscription　by　the　Act　of　Indemnity。　　Such　is　the　interesting　story　which　I　have　rather　injured　than　improved　by　the　manner　in　which　it　is　told　in　Waverley。

This　incident；　with　several　other　circumstances　illustrating　the　Tales　in　question；　was　communicated　by　me　to　my　late　lamented　friend；　William　Erskine　（a　Scottish　judge；　by　the　title　of　Lord　Kinedder）；　who　afterwards　reviewed　with　far　too　much　partiality　the　Tales　of　my　Landlord；　for　the　Quarterly　Review　of　January　1817。　　＇Lord　Kinedder　died　in　August　1822。　EHEU！　　（Aug。　1831。）＇　In　the　same　article　are　contained　other　illustrations　of　the　Novels；　with　which　I　supplied　my　accomplished　friend；　who　took　the　trouble　to　write　the　review。　　The　reader　who　is　desirous　of　such　information　will　find　the　original　of　Meg　Merrilies；　and；　I　believe；　of　one　or　two　other　personages　of　the　same　cast　of　character；　in　the　article　referred　to。

I　may　also　mention　that　the　tragic　and　savage　circumstances　which　are　represented　as　preceding　the　birth　of　Allan　MacAulay　in　the　Legend　of　Montrose；　really　happened　in　the　family　of　Stewart　of　Ardvoirlich。　　The　wager　about　the　candlesticks；　whose　place　was　supplied　by　Highland　torch…bearers；　was　laid　and　won　by　one　of　the　MacDonalds　of　Keppoch。

There　can　be　but　little　amusement　in　winnowing　out　the　few　grains　of　truth　which　are　contained　in　this　mass　of　empty　fiction。　　I　may；　however；　before　dismissing　the　subject；　allude　to　the　various　localities　which　have　been　affixed　to　some　of　the　scenery　introduced　into　these　Novels；　by　which；　for　example；　Wolf's　Hope　is　identified　with　Fast　Castle　in　Berwickshire；　Tillietudlem　with　Draphane　in　Clydesdale；　and　the　valley　in　the　Monastery；　called　Glendearg；　with　the　dale　of　the　river　Allan；　above　Lord　Somerville's　villa；　near　Melrose。　　I　can　only　say　that；　in　these　and　other　instances；　I　had　no　purpose　of　describing　any　particular　local　spot；　and　the　resemblance　must　therefore　be　of　that　general　kind　which　necessarily　exists　between　scenes　of　the　same　character。　　The　iron…bound　coast　of　Scotland　affords　upon　its　headlands　and　promontories　fifty　such　castles　as　Wolf's　Hope；　every　county　has　a　valley　more　or　less　resembling　Glendearg；　and　if　castles　like　Tillietudlem；　or　mansions　like　the　Baron　of　Bradwardine's；　are　now　less　frequently　to　be　met　with；　it　is　owing　to　the　rage　of　indiscriminate　destruction；　which　has　removed　or　ruined　so　many　monuments　of　antiquity；　when　they　were　not　protected　by　their　inaccessible　situation。　　＇I　would　particularly　intimate　the　Kaim　of　Uric；　on　the　eastern　coast　of　Scotland；　as　having　suggested　an　idea　for　the　tower　called　Wolf's　Crag；　which　the　public　more　generally　identified　with　the　ancient　tower　of　Fast　Castle。＇

The　scraps　of　poetry　which　have　been　in　most　cases　tacked　to　the　beginning　of　chapters　in　these　Novels　are　sometimes　quoted　either　from　reading　or　from　memory；　but；　in　the　general　case；　are　pure　invention。　　I　found　it　too　troublesome　to　turn　to　the　collection　of　the　British　Poets　to　discover　apposite　mottoes；　and；　in　the　situation　of　the　theatrical　mechanist；　who；　when　the　white　paper　which　represented　his　shower　of　snow　was　exhausted；　continued　the　storm　by　snowing　brown；　I　drew　on　my　memory　as　long　as　I　could；　and　when　that　failed；　eked　it　out　with　invention。　　I　believe　that　in　some　cases；　where　actual　names　are　affixed　to　the　supposed　quotations；　it　would　be　to　little　purpose　to　seek　them　in　the　works　of　the　authors　referred　to。　　In　some　cases　I　have　been　entertained　when　Dr。　Watts　and　other　graver　authors　have　been　ransacked　in　vain　for　stanzas　for　which　the　novelist　alone　was　responsible。

And　now　the　reader　may　expect　me；　while　in　the　confessional；　to　explain　the　motives　why　I　have　so　long　persisted　in　disclaiming　the　works　of　which　I　am　now　writing。　　To　this　it　would　be　difficult　to　give　any　other　reply；　save　that　of　Corporal　Nymit　was　the　author's　humour　or　caprice　for　the　time。　　I　hope　it　will　not　be　construed　into　ingratitude　to　the　public；　to　whose　indulgence　I　have　owed　my　SANG…FROID　much　more　than　to　any　merit　of　my　own；　if　I　confess　that　I　am；　and　have　been；　more　indifferent　to　success　or　to　failure　as　an　author；　than　may　be　the　case　with　others；　who　feel　more　strongly　the　passion　for　literary　fame；　probably　because　they　are　justly　conscious　of　a　better　title　to　it。　　It　was　not　until　I　had　attained　the　age　of　thirty　years　that　I　made　any　serious　attempt　at　distinguishing　myself　as　an　author；　and　at　that　period　men's　hopes；　desires；　and　wishes　have　usually　acquired　something　of　a　decisive　character；　and　are　not　eagerly　and　easily　diverted　into　a　new　channel。　　When　I　made　the　discoveryfor　to　me　it　was　onethat　by　amusing　myself　with　composition；　which　I　felt　a　delightful　occupation；　I　could　also　give　pleasure　to　others；　and　became　aware　that　literary　pursuits　were　likely　to　engage　in　future　a　considerable　portion　of　my　time；　I　felt　some　alarm　that　I　might　acquire　those　habits　of　jealousy　and　fretfulness　which　have　lessened；　and　even　degraded；　the　character　even　of　great　authors；　and　rendered　them；　by　their　petty　squabbles　and　mutual　irritability；　the　laughing…　stock　of　the　people　of　the　world。　　I　resolved；　therefore；　in　this　respect　to　guard　my　breastperhaps　an　unfriendly　critic　may　add；　my　browwith　triple　brass；　＇Not　altogether　impossible；　when　it　is　considered　that　I　have　been　at　the　bar　since　1792。　　（Aug。　1831。）＇　and　as　much　as　possible　to　avoid　resting　my　thoughts　and　wishes　upon　literary　success；　lest　I　should　endanger　my　own　peace　of　mind　and　tranquillity　by　literary　failure。　　It　would　argue　either　stupid　apathy　or　ridiculous　affectation　to　say　that　I　have　been　insensible　to　the　public　applause；　when　I　have　been　honoured　with　its　testimonies；　and　still　more　highly　do　I　prize　the　invaluable　friendships　which　some　temporary　popularity　has　enabled　me　to　form　among　those　of　my　contemporaries　most　distinguished　by　talents　and　genius；　and　which　I　venture　to　hope　now　rest　upon　a　basis　more　firm　than　the　circumstances　which　gave　rise　to　them。　　Yet；　feeling　all　these　advantages　as　a　man　ought　to　do；　and　must　do；　I　may　say；　with　truth　and　confidence；　that　I　have；　I　think；　tasted　of　the　intoxicating　cup　with　moderation；　and　that　I　have　never；　either　in　conversation　or　correspondence；　encouraged　discussions　respecting　my　own　literary　pursuits。　　On　the　contrary；　I　have　usually　found　such　topics；　even　when　introduced　from　motives　most　flattering　to　myself；　Rather　embarrassing　and　disagreeable。

I　have　now　frankly　told　my　motives　for　concealment；　so　far　as　I　am　conscious　of　having　any；　and　the　public　will　forgive　the　egotism　of　the　detail；