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lavengro-第18部分

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first came to Edinburgh!〃'



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

it was then。'



'I don't know;' said my father; 'though I daresay you are right; it 

could never have been worse than it is at present。  But now to the 

point。  Were it not for the language; which; if the boys were to 

pick it up; might ruin their prospects in life; … were it not for 

that; I should very much like to send them to a school there is in 

this place; which everybody talks about … the High School I think 

they call it。  'Tis said to be the best school in the whole island; 

but the idea of one's children speaking Scotch … broad Scotch!  I 

must think the matter over。'



And he did think the matter over; and the result of his 

deliberation was a determination to send us to the school。  Let me 

call thee up before my mind's eye; High School; to which; every 

morning; the two English brothers took their way from the proud old 

Castle through the lofty streets of the Old Town。  High School! … 

called so; I scarcely know why; neither lofty in thyself nor by 

position; being situated in a flat bottom; oblong structure of 

tawny stone; with many windows fenced with iron netting … with thy 

long hall below; and thy five chambers above; for the reception of 

the five classes; into which the eight hundred urchins who styled 

thee instructress were divided。  Thy learned rector and his four 

subordinate dominies; thy strange old porter of the tall form and 

grizzled hair; hight Boee; and doubtless of Norse ancestry; as his 

name declares; perhaps of the blood of Bui hin Digri; the hero of 

northern song … the Jomsborg Viking who clove Thorsteinn Midlangr 

asunder in the dread sea battle of Horunga Vog; and who; when the 

fight was lost and his own two hands smitten off; seized two chests 

of gold with his bloody stumps; and; springing with them into the 

sea; cried to the scanty relics of his crew; 'Overboard now; all 

Bui's lads!'  Yes; I remember all about thee; and how at eight of 

every morn we were all gathered together with one accord in the 

long hall; from which; after the litanies had been read (for so I 

will call them; being an Episcopalian); the five classes from the 

five sets of benches trotted off in long files; one boy after the 

other; up the five spiral staircases of stone; each class to its 

destination; and well do I remember how we of the third sat hushed 

and still; watched by the eye of the dux; until the door opened; 

and in walked that model of a good Scotchman; the shrewd; 

intelligent; but warm…hearted and kind dominie; the respectable 

Carson。



And in this school I began to construe the Latin language; which I 

had never done before; notwithstanding my long and diligent study 

of Lilly; which illustrious grammar was not used at Edinburgh; nor 

indeed known。  Greek was only taught in the fifth or highest class; 

in which my brother was; as for myself; I never got beyond the 

third during the two years that I remained at this seminary。  I 

certainly acquired here a considerable insight in the Latin tongue; 

and; to the scandal of my father and horror of my mother; a 

thorough proficiency in the Scotch; which; in less than two months; 

usurped the place of the English; and so obstinately maintained its 

ground; that I still can occasionally detect its lingering remains。  

I did not spend my time unpleasantly at this school; though; first 

of all; I had to pass through an ordeal。



'Scotland is a better country than England;' said an ugly; blear…

eyed lad; about a head and shoulders taller than myself; the leader 

of a gang of varlets who surrounded me in the playground; on the 

first day; as soon as the morning lesson was over。  'Scotland is a 

far better country than England; in every respect。'



'Is it?' said I。  'Then you ought to be very thankful for not 

having been born in England。'



'That's just what I am; ye loon; and every morning; when I say my 

prayers; I thank God for not being an Englishman。  The Scotch are a 

much better and braver people than the English。'



'It may be so;' said I; 'for what I know … indeed; till I came 

here; I never heard a word either about the Scotch or their 

country。'



'Are ye making fun of us; ye English puppy?' said the blear…eyed 

lad; 'take that!' and I was presently beaten black and blue。  And 

thus did I first become aware of the difference of races and their 

antipathy to each other。



'Bow to the storm; and it shall pass over you。'  I held my peace; 

and silently submitted to the superiority of the Scotch … IN 

NUMBERS。  This was enough; from an object of persecution I soon 

became one of patronage; especially amongst the champions of the 

class。  'The English;' said the blear…eyed lad; 'though a wee bit 

behind the Scotch in strength and fortitude; are nae to be sneezed 

at; being far ahead of the Irish; to say nothing of the French; a 

pack of cowardly scoundrels。  And with regard to the English 

country; it is na Scotland; it is true; but it has its gude 

properties; and; though there is ne'er a haggis in a' the land; 

there's an unco deal o' gowd and siller。  I respect England; for I 

have an auntie married there。'



The Scotch are certainly a most pugnacious people; their whole 

history proves it。  Witness their incessant wars with the English 

in the olden time; and their internal feuds; highland and lowland; 

clan with clan; family with family; Saxon with Gael。  In my time; 

the schoolboys; for want; perhaps; of English urchins to contend 

with; were continually fighting with each other; every noon there 

was at least one pugilistic encounter; and sometimes three。  In one 

month I witnessed more of these encounters than I had ever 

previously seen under similar circumstances in England。  After all; 

there was not much harm done。  Harm! what harm could result from 

short chopping blows; a hug; and a tumble?  I was witness to many a 

sounding whack; some blood shed; 'a blue ee' now and then; but 

nothing more。  In England; on the contrary; where the lads were 

comparatively mild; gentle; and pacific; I had been present at more 

than one death caused by blows in boyish combats; in which the 

oldest of the victors had scarcely reached thirteen years; but 

these blows were in the jugular; given with the full force of the 

arm shot out horizontally from the shoulder。



But the Scotch … though by no means proficients in boxing (and how 

should they box; seeing that they have never had a teacher?) … are; 

I repeat; a most pugnacious people; at least they were in my time。  

Anything served them; that is; the urchins; as a pretence for a 

fray; or; Dorically speaking; a BICKER; every street and close was 

at feud with its neighbour; the lads of the school were at feud 

with the young men of the college; whom they pelted in winter with 

snow; and in summer with stones; and then the feud between the old 

and new town!
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