lavengro-第17部分

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half…wild　creature　…　I　was　not　insensible　to　the　loveliness　of　

nature；　and　took　pleasure　in　the　happiness　and　handiworks　of　my　

fellow…creatures。　　Yet；　perhaps；　in　something　more　deep　and　

mysterious　the　feelings　which　then　pervaded　me　might　originate。　　

Who　can　lie　down　on　Elvir　Hill　without　experiencing　something　of　

the　sorcery　of　the　place？　　Flee　from　Elvir　Hill；　young　swain；　or　

the　maids　of　Elle　will　have　power　over　you；　and　you　will　go　elf…

wild！　…　so　say　the　Danes。　　I　had　unconsciously　laid　myself　down　

upon　haunted　ground；　and　I　am　willing　to　imagine　that　what　I　then　

experienced　was　rather　connected　with　the　world　of　spirits　and　

dreams　than　with　what　I　actually　saw　and　heard　around　me。　　Surely　

the　elves　and　genii　of　the　place　were　conversing；　by　some　

inscrutable　means；　with　the　principle　of　intelligence　lurking　

within　the　poor　uncultivated　clod！　　Perhaps　to　that　ethereal　

principle　the　wonders　of　the　past；　as　connected　with　that　stream；　

the　glories　of　the　present；　and　even　the　history　of　the　future；　

were　at　that　moment　being　revealed！　　Of　how　many　feats　of　chivalry　

had　those　old　walls　been　witness；　when　hostile　kings　contended　for　

their　possession！　…　how　many　an　army　from　the　south　and　from　the　

north　had　trod　that　old　bridge！　…　what　red　and　noble　blood　had　

crimsoned　those　rushing　waters！…what　strains　had　been　sung；　ay；　

were　yet　being　sung；　on　its　banks！　…　some　soft　as　Doric　reed；　some　

fierce　and　sharp　as　those　of　Norwegian　Skaldaglam；　some　as　replete　

with　wild　and　wizard　force　as　Finland's　runes；　singing　of　

Kalevala's　moors；　and　the　deeds　of　Woinomoinen！　　Honour　to　thee；　

thou　island　stream！　　Onward　may　thou　ever　roll；　fresh　and　green；　

rejoicing　in　thy　bright　past；　thy　glorious　present；　and　in　vivid　

hope　of　a　triumphant　future！　　Flow　on；　beautiful　one！　…　which　of　

the　world's　streams　canst　thou　envy；　with　thy　beauty　and　renown？　　

Stately　is　the　Danube；　rolling　in　its　might　through　lands　romantic　

with　the　wild　exploits　of　Turk；　Polak；　and　Magyar！　　Lovely　is　the　

Rhine！　on　its　shelvy　banks　grows　the　racy　grape；　and　strange　old　

keeps　of　robber…knights　of　yore　are　reflected　in　its　waters；　from　

picturesque　crags　and　airy　headlands！　…　yet　neither　the　stately　

Danube　nor　the　beauteous　Rhine；　with　all　their　fame；　though　

abundant；　needst　thou　envy；　thou　pure　island　stream！　…　and　far　less　

yon　turbid　river　of　old；　not　modern　renown；　gurgling　beneath　the　

walls　of　what　was　once　proud　Rome；　towering　Rome；　Jupiter's　town；　

but　now　vile　Rome；　crumbling　Rome；　Batuscha's　town；　far　less　needst　

thou　envy　the　turbid　Tiber　of　bygone　fame；　creeping　sadly　to　the　

sea；　surcharged　with　the　abominations　of　modern　Rome　…　how　unlike　

to　thee；　thou　pure　island　stream！



And；　as　I　lay　on　the　bank　and　wept；　there　drew　nigh　to　me　a　man　in　

the　habiliments　of　a　fisher。　　He　was　bare…legged；　of　a　weather…

beaten　countenance；　and　of　stature　approaching　to　the　gigantic。　　

'What　is　the　callant　greeting　for？'　said　he；　as　he　stopped　and　

surveyed　me。　　'Has　onybody　wrought　ye　ony　harm？'



'Not　that　I　know　of；'　I　replied；　rather　guessing　at　than　

understanding　his　question；　'I　was　crying　because　I　could　not　help　

it！　　I　say；　old　one；　what　is　the　name　of　this　river？'



'Hout！　　I　now　see　what　you　was　greeting　at　…　at　your　ain　ignorance；　

nae　doubt　…　'tis　very　great！　　Weel；　I　will　na　fash　you　with　

reproaches；　but　even　enlighten　ye；　since　you　seem　a　decent　man's　

bairn；　and　you　speir　a　civil　question。　　Yon　river　is　called　the　

Tweed；　and　yonder；　over　the　brig；　is　Scotland。　　Did　ye　never　hear　

of　the　Tweed；　my　bonny　man？'



'No；'　said　I；　as　I　rose　from　the　grass；　and　proceeded　to　cross　the　

bridge　to　the　town　at　which　we　had　arrived　the　preceding　night；　'I　

never　heard　of　it；　but　now　I　have　seen　it；　I　shall　not　soon　forget　

it！'







CHAPTER　VII







The　Castle　…　A　father's　inquiries　…　Scotch　language　…　A　

determination　…　Bui　hin　Digri　…　Good　Scotchman　…　Difference　of　

races　…　Ne'er　a　haggis　…　Pugnacious　people　…　Wha　are　ye；　man？　…　The　

Nor　Loch　…　Gestures　wild　…　The　bicker　…　New　Town　champion　…　Wild…

looking　figure　…　Headlong。



IT　was　not　long　before　we　found　ourselves　at　Edinburgh；　or　rather　

in　the　Castle；　into　which　the　regiment　marched　with　drums　beating；　

colours　flying；　and　a　long　train　of　baggage…waggons　behind。　　The　

Castle　was；　as　I　suppose　it　is　now；　a　garrison　for　soldiers。　　Two　

other　regiments　were　already　there；　the　one　an　Irish；　if　I　remember　

right；　the　other　a　small　Highland　corps。



It　is　hardly　necessary　to　say　much　about　this　Castle；　which　

everybody　has　seen；　on　which　account；　doubtless；　nobody　has　ever　

yet　thought　fit　to　describe　it　…　at　least　that　I　am　aware。　　Be　this　

as　it　may；　I　have　no　intention　of　describing　it；　and　shall　content　

myself　with　observing　that　we　took　up　our　abode　in　that　immense　

building；　or　caserne；　of　modern　erection；　which　occupies　the　entire　

eastern　side　of　the　bold　rock　on　which　the　Castle　stands。　　A　

gallant　caserne　it　was　…　the　best　and　roomiest　that　I　had　hitherto　

seen　…　rather　cold　and　windy；　it　is　true；　especially　in　the　winter；　

but　commanding　a　noble　prospect　of　a　range　of　distant　hills；　which　

I　was　told　were　'the　hieland　hills；'　and　of　a　broad　arm　of　the　sea；　

which　I　heard　somebody　say　was　the　Firth　of　Forth。



My　brother；　who；　for　some　years　past；　had　been　receiving　his　

education　in　a　certain　celebrated　school　in　England；　was　now　with　

us；　and　it　came　to　pass；　that　one　day　my　father；　as　he　sat　at　

table；　looked　steadfastly　on　my　brother　and　myself；　and　then　

addressed　my　mother：　　…　'During　my　journey　down　hither；　I　have　lost　

no　opportunity　of　making　inquiries　about　these　people；　the　Scotch；　

amongst　whom　we　now　are；　and　since　I　have　been　here　I　have　observed　

them　attentively。　　From　what　I　have　heard　and　seen；　I　should　say　

that　upon　the　whole　they　are　a　very　decent　set　of　people；　they　seem　

acute　and　intelligent；　and　I　am　told　that　their　system　of　education　

is　so　excellent　that　every　person　is　learned　…　more　or　less　

acquainted　with　Greek　and　Latin。　　There　is　one　thing；　however；　

connected　with　them；　which　is　a　great　drawback　…　the　horrid　jargon　

which　they　speak。　　However　learned　they　may　be　in　Greek　and　Latin；　

their　English　is　execrable；　and　yet　I'm　told　it　is　not　so　bad　as　it　

was。　　I　was　in　company；　the　other　day；　with　an　Englishman　who　has　

resided　here　many　years。　　We　were　talking　about　the　country　and　the　

people。　　〃I　should　like　both　very　well；〃　said　I；　〃were　it　not　for　

the　language。　　I　wish　sincerely　our　Parliament；　which　is　passing　so　

many　foolish　acts　every　year；　would　pass　one　to　force　these　Scotch　

to　speak　English。〃　　〃I　wish　so；　too；〃　said　he。　　〃The　language　is　a　

disgrace　to　the　British　Government；　but；　if　you　had　heard　it　twenty　

years　ago；　captain！　…　if　you　had　heard　it　as　it　was　spoken　when　I　

first　came　to　Edinburgh！〃'



'Only　custom；'　said　my　mother。　　'I　daresay　the　language　is　now　what　

it　was　then。'