a book of scoundrels-第16部分

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　at　his　approach；　women　shrank　from　the　distant　echo　of　his　name；　for　fifteen　years　he　terrorised　Scotland　from　Caithness　to　the　border；　and　the　most　partial　chronicler　never　insulted　his　memory　with　the　record　of　a　good　deed。

He　was　born　to　a　gentle　family　in　the　Calendar　of　Monteith；　and　was　celebrated　even　in　boyhood　for　his　feats　of　strength　and　daring。　　While　still　at　school　he　could　hold　a　hundredweight　at　arm's…length；　and　crumple　up　a　horseshoe　like　a　wisp　of　hay。　　The　fleetest　runner；　the　most　desperate　fighter　in　the　country；　he　was　already　famous　before　his　name　was　besmirched　with　crime；　and　he　might　have　been　immortalised　as　the　Hercules　of　the　seventeenth　century；　had　not　his　ambition　been　otherwise　flattered。　　At　the　outset；　though　the　inclination　was　never　lacking；　he　knew　small　temptation　to　break　the　sterner　laws　of　conduct。　　His　pleasures　were　abundantly　supplied　by　his　father's　generosity；　and　he　had　no　need　to　refrain　from　such　vices　as　became　a　gentleman。　　If　he　was　no　drunkard；　it　was　because　his　head　was　equal　to　the　severest　strain；　and；　despite　his　forbidding　expression；　he　was　always　a　successful　breaker　of　hearts。　　His　very　masterfulness　overcame　the　most　stubborn　resistance；　and　more　than　once　the　pressure　of　his　dishonourable　suit　converted　hatred　into　love。　　At　the　very　time　that　he　was　denounced　for　Scotland's　disgrace；　his　praises　were　chanted　in　many　a　dejected　ballad。　　‘Gilderoy　was　a　bonny　boy；'　sang　one　heart…broken　maiden：

　　　　　　　　　　Had　roses　till　his　shoon；　　　　　　His　stockings　were　of　silken　soy；　　　　　　　　　　　Wi'　garters　hanging　doon。

But　in　truth　he　was　admired　less　for　his　amiability　than　for　that　quality　of　governance　which；　when　once　he　had　torn　the　decalogue　to　pieces；　made　him　a　veritable　emperor　of　crime。

His　father's　death　was　the　true　beginning　of　his　career。　　A　modest　patrimony　was　squandered　in　six　months；　and　Gilderoy　had　no　penny　left　wherewith　to　satisfy　the　vices　which　insisted　upon　indulgence。　　He　demanded　money　at　all　hazards；　and　money　without　toil。　　For　a　while　his　more　loudly　clamant　needs　were　fulfilled　by　the　amiable　simplicity　of　his　mother；　whom　he　blackmailed　with　insolence　and　contempt。　　And　when　she；　wearied　by　his　shameless　importunity；　at　last　withdrew　her　support；　he　determined　upon　a　monstrous　act　of　vengeance。　　With　a　noble　affectation　of　penitence　he　visited　his　home；　promised　reform　at　supper；　and　said　good…night　in　the　broken　accent　of　reconciliation。　　No　sooner　was　the　house　sunk　in　slumber　than　he　crawled　stealthily　upstairs　in　order　to　forestall　by　theft　a　promised　generosity。　　He　opened　the　door　of　the　bed…chamber　in　a　hushed　silence；　but　the　wrenching　of　the　cofferlid　awoke　the　sleeper；　and　Gilderoy；　having　cut　his　mother's　throat　with　an　infamous　levity；　seized　whatever　money　and　jewels　were　in　the　house；　cruelly　maltreated　his　sister；　and　laughingly　burnt　the　house　to　the　ground；　that　the　possibility　of　evidence　might　be　destroyed。

Henceforth　his　method　of　plunder　was　assured。　　It　was　part　of　his　philosophy　to　prevent　detection　by　murder；　and　the　flames　from　the　burning　walls　added　a　pleasure　to　his　lustful　eye。　　His　march　across　Scotland　was　marked　by　slaughtered　families　and　ruined　houses。　　Plunder　was　the　first　cause　of　his　exploits；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　death　and　arson　were　a　solace　to　his　fierce　spirit；　and　for　a　while　this　giant　of　cruelty　knew　neither　check　nor　hindrance。　　Presently　it　became　a　superstition　with　him　that　death　was　the　inevitable　accompaniment　of　robbery；　and；　as　he　was　incapable　of　remorse；　he　grew　callous；　and　neglected　the　simplest　precautions。　　At　Dunkeld　he　razed　a　rifled　house　to　the　ground；　and　with　the　utmost　effrontery　repeated　the　performance　at　Aberdeen。　　But　at　last　he　had　been　tracked　by　a　company　of　soldiers；　who；　that　justice　might　not　be　cheated　of　her　prey；　carried　him　to　gaol；　where　after　the　briefest　trial　he　was　condemned　to　death。

Gilderoy；　however；　was　still　master　of　himself。　　His　immense　strength　not　only　burst　his　bonds；　but　broke　prison；　and　this　invincible　Samson　was　once　more　free　in　Aberdeen；　inspiring　that　respectable　city　with　a　legendary　dread。　　The　reward　of　one　hundred　pounds　was　offered　in　vain。　　Had　he　shown　himself　on　the　road　in　broad　daylight；　none　would　have　dared　to　arrest　him；　and　it　was　not　until　his　plans　were　deliberately　laid；　that　he　crossed　the　sea。　　The　more　violent　period　of　his　career　was　at　an　end。　　Never　again　did　he　yield　to　his　passion　for　burning　and　sudden　death；　and；　if　the　world　found　him　unconquerable；　his　self…control　is　proved　by　the　fact　that　in　the　heyday　of　his　strength　he　turned　from　his　unredeemed　brutality　to　a　gentler　method。　　He　now　deserted　Scotland　for　France；　with　which；　like　all　his　countrymen；　he　claimed　a　cousinship；　and　so　profoundly　did　he　impose　upon　Paris　with　his　immense　stature；　his　elegant　attire；　his　courtly　manners　（for　he　was　courtesy　itself；　when　it　pleased　him）；　that　he　was　taken　for　an　eminent　scholar；　or　at　least　a　soldier　of　fortune。

Prosperity　might　doubtless　have　followed　a　discreet　profession；　but　Gilderoy　must　still　be　thieving；　and　he　reaped　a　rich　harvest　among　the　unsuspicious　courtiers　of　France。　　His　most　highly　renowned　exploit　was　performed　at　St。　Denis；　and　the　record　of　France's　humiliation　is　still　treasured。　　The　great　church　was　packed　with　ladies　of　fashion　and　their　devout　admirers。　　Richelieu　attended　in　state；　the　king　himself　shone　upon　the　assembly。　　The　strange　Scotsman；　whom　no　man　knew　and　all　men　wondered　at；　attracted　a　hundred　eyes　to　himself　and　his　magnificent　equipment。　　But　it　was　not　his　to　be　idle；　and　at　the　very　moment　whereat　Mass　was　being　sung；　he　contrived　to　lighten　Richelieu's　pocket　of　a　purse。　　The　king　was　a　delighted　witness　of　the　theft；　Gilderoy；　assuming　an　air　of　facile　intimacy；　motioned　him　to　silence；　and　he；　deeming　it　a　trick　put　upon　Richelieu　by　a　friend；　hastened；　at　the　service…end；　to　ask　his　minister　if　perchance　he　had　a　purse　of　gold　upon　him。　　Richelieu　instantly　discovered　the　loss；　to　the　king's　uncontrolled　hilarity；　which　was　mitigated　when　it　was　found　that　the　thief；　having　emptied　the　king's　pocket　at　the　unguarded　moment　of　his　merriment；　had　left　them　both　the　poorer。

Such　were　Gilderoy's　interludes　of　gaiety；　and　when　you　remember　the　cynical　ferocity　of　his　earlier　performance；　you　cannot　deny　him　the　credit　of　versatility。　　He　stayed　in　France　until　his　ominous　reputation　was　too　widely　spread；　whereupon　he　crossed　the　Pyrenees；　travelling　like　a　gentleman；　in　a　brilliant　carriage　of　his　own。　　From　Spain　he　carried　off　a　priceless　collection　of　silver　plate；　and　he　returned　to　his　own　country；　fatigued；　yet　unsoftened；　by　the　grand　tour。　　Meanwhile；　a　forgetful　generation　had　not　kept　his　memory　green。　　The　monster；　who　punished　Scotland　a　year　ago　with　fire　and　sword；　had　passed　into　oblivion；　and　Gilderoy　was　able　to　establish　for　himself　a　new　reputation。　　He　departed　as　far　as　possible　from　his　ancient　custom；　joined　the　many　cavaliers；　who　were　riding　up　and　down　the　country；　pistol　in　hand；　and　presently　proved　a　dauntless　highwayman。　　He　had　not　long　ridden　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Perth　before　he　met　the　Earl　of　Linlithgow；　from　whom　he　took　a　gold　watch；　a　diamond　ring；　and　eighty　guineas。　　Being　an　outlaw；　he　naturally　espoused　the　King's　cause；　and　would　have　given　a　year　of　his　life　to　meet　a　Regicide。　　Once　upon　a　time；　says　rumour；　he　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Oliver　Cromwell；　whom　he　dragged　from　his　coach；　set　ignominiously　upon　an　ass；　and　so　turned　adrift　with　his　feet　tied　under　the　beast's　belly。　　The　story　is　incredible；　not　only　because　the　loyal　historians　of　the　time　caused　Oliver　to　be　robbed　daily　on　every　road　in　Great　Britain；　but　because　our　Gilderoy；　had　he　ever　confronted　the　Protector；　most　assuredly　would　not　have　allowed　him　to　escape　with　his　life。

Tired　of　scouring　the　highway；　Gilderoy　resolved　upon　another　enterprise。　　He　collected　a　band　of　fearless　ruffians；　and　placed　himself　at　their　head。　　With　this　army　to　aid；　he　harried　Sutherland　and　the　North；　lifting　cattle；　plundering　homesteads；　and　stopping　wayfarers　with　a　humour　and　adroitness　worthy　of　Robin　Hood。　　No　longer　a　lawless　adventurer；　he　made　his　own　conditions　of　life；　and　forced　the　people　to　obey　them。　　He　who　would　pay　Gilderoy　a　fair　contribution　ran　no　risk　of　losing　his　sheep　or　oxen。　　But　evasion　was　impossible；　and　the　smallest　suspicion　of　falsehood　was　punished　by　death。　　The　peaceably　inclined　paid　their　toll　with　regret；　the　more　daring　opposed　the　raider　to　their　miserable　undoing；　the　timid　satisfied　the　utmost　exactions　of　Gilderoy；　and　deemed　themselves　fortunate　if　they　left　the　country　with　their　lives。

Thus　Scotland　became　a　land　of　dread；　the　most　restless　man　within　her　borders　hardly　dare　travel　beyond　his　byre。　　The　law　was　powerless　against　this　indomitable　scourge；　and　the　reward　of　a　thousand　marks　would　have　been　offered　in　vain；　had　not　Gilderoy's　cruelty　estranged　his　mistress。　　This　traitressPeg　Cunningham　was　her　nameless　for　avarice　than　in　revenge　for　many　insults　and　infidelities；　at　last　betrayed　her　master。　　Having　decoyed　him　to　her　house；　she　admitted　fifty　armed　men；　and　thus　imagined　a　full　atonem