lavengro-第19部分

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

and　new　town！



One　day　I　was　standing　on　the　ramparts　of　the　Castle　on　the　south…

western　side　which　overhangs　the　green　brae；　where　it　slopes　down　

into　what　was　in　those　days　the　green　swamp　or　morass；　called　by　

the　natives　of　Auld　Reekie　the　Nor　Loch；　it　was　a　dark　gloomy　day；　

and　a　thin　veil　of　mist　was　beginning　to　settle　down　upon　the　brae　

and　the　morass。　　I　could　perceive；　however；　that　there　was　a　

skirmish　taking　place　in　the　latter　spot。　　I　had　an　indistinct　view　

of　two　parties　…　apparently　of　urchins　…　and　I　heard　whoops　and　

shrill　cries：　　eager　to　know　the　cause　of　this　disturbance；　I　left　

the　Castle；　and　descending　the　brae　reached　the　borders　of　the　

morass；　where　were　a　runnel　of　water　and　the　remains　of　an　old　

wall；　on　the　other　side　of　which　a　narrow　path　led　across　the　

swamp：　　upon　this　path　at　a　little　distance　before　me　there　was　'a　

bicker。'　　I　pushed　forward；　but　had　scarcely　crossed　the　ruined　

wall　and　runnel；　when　the　party　nearest　to　me　gave　way；　and　in　

great　confusion　came　running　in　my　direction。　　As　they　drew　nigh；　

one　of　them　shouted　to　me；　'Wha　are　ye；　man？　are　ye　o'　the　Auld　

Toon？'　　I　made　no　answer。　　'Ha！　ye　are　o'　the　New　Toon；　De'il　tak　

ye；　we'll　moorder　ye'；　and　the　next　moment　a　huge　stone　sung　past　

my　head。　　'Let　me　be；　ye　fule　bodies；'　said　I；　'I'm　no　of　either　of　

ye；　I　live　yonder　aboon　in　the　Castle。'　　'Ah！　ye　live　in　the　

Castle；　then　ye're　an　auld　tooner；　come　gie　us　your　help；　man；　and　

dinna　stand　there　staring　like　a　dunnot；　we　want　help　sair　eneugh。　　

Here　are　stanes。'



For　my　own　part　I　wished　for　nothing　better；　and；　rushing　forward；　

I　placed　myself　at　the　head　of　my　new　associates；　and　commenced　

flinging　stones　fast　and　desperately。　　The　other　party　now　gave　way　

in　their　turn；　closely　followed　by　ourselves；　I　was　in　the　van；　and　

about　to　stretch　out　my　hand　to　seize　the　hindermost　boy　of　the　

enemy；　when；　not　being　acquainted　with　the　miry　and　difficult　paths　

of　the　Nor　Loch；　and　in　my　eagerness　taking　no　heed　of　my　footing；　

I　plunged　into　a　quagmire；　into　which　I　sank　as　far　as　my　

shoulders。　　Our　adversaries　no　sooner　perceived　this　disaster；　

than；　setting　up　a　shout；　they　wheeled　round　and　attacked　us　most　

vehemently。　　Had　my　comrades　now　deserted　me；　my　life　had　not　been　

worth　a　straw's　purchase；　I　should　either　have　been　smothered　in　

the　quag；　or；　what　is　more　probable；　had　my　brains　beaten　out　with　

stones；　but　they　behaved　like　true　Scots；　and　fought　stoutly　around　

their　comrade；　until　I　was　extricated；　whereupon　both　parties　

retired；　the　night　being　near　at　hand。



'Ye　are　na　a　bad　hand　at　flinging　stanes；'　said　the　lad　who　first　

addressed　me；　as　we　now　returned　up　the　brae；　'your　aim　is　right　

dangerous；　mon；　I　saw　how　ye　skelpit　them；　ye　maun　help　us　agin　

thae　New　Toon　blackguards　at　our　next　bicker。'



So　to　the　next　bicker　I　went；　and　to　many　more；　which　speedily　

followed　as　the　summer　advanced；　the　party　to　which　I　had　given　my　

help　on　the　first　occasion　consisted　merely　of　outlyers；　posted　

about　half…way　up　the　hill；　for　the　purpose　of　overlooking　the　

movements　of　the　enemy。



Did　the　latter　draw　nigh　in　any　considerable　force；　messengers　were　

forthwith　despatched　to　the　'Auld　Toon；'　especially　to　the　filthy　

alleys　and　closes　of　the　High　Street；　which　forthwith　would　

disgorge　swarms　of　bare…headed　and　bare…footed　'callants；'　who；　

with　gestures　wild　and　'eldrich　screech　and　hollo；'　might　

frequently　be　seen　pouring　down　the　sides　of　the　hill。　　I　have　seen　

upwards　of　a　thousand　engaged　on　either　side　in　these　frays；　which　

I　have　no　doubt　were　full　as　desperate　as　the　fights　described　in　

the　ILIAD；　and　which　were　certainly　much　more　bloody　than　the　

combats　of　modern　Greece　in　the　war　of　independence：　　the　callants　

not　only　employed　their　hands　in　hurling　stones；　but　not　

unfrequently　slings；　at　the　use　of　which　they　were　very　expert；　and　

which　occasionally　dislodged　teeth；　shattered　jaws；　or　knocked　out　

an　eye。　　Our　opponents　certainly　laboured　under　considerable　

disadvantage；　being　compelled　not　only　to　wade　across　a　deceitful　

bog；　but　likewise　to　clamber　up　part　of　a　steep　hill；　before　they　

could　attack　us；　nevertheless；　their　determination　was　such；　and　

such　their　impetuosity；　that　we　had　sometimes　difficulty　enough　to　

maintain　our　own。　　I　shall　never　forget　one　bicker；　the　last　indeed　

which　occurred　at　that　time；　as　the　authorities　of　the　town；　

alarmed　by　the　desperation　of　its　character；　stationed　forthwith　a　

body　of　police　on　the　hill…side；　to　prevent；　in　future；　any　such　

breaches　of　the　peace。



It　was　a　beautiful　Sunday　evening；　the　rays　of　the　descending　sun　

were　reflected　redly　from　the　gray　walls　of　the　Castle；　and　from　

the　black　rocks　on　which　it　was　founded。　　The　bicker　had　long　since　

commenced；　stones　from　sling　and　hand　were　flying；　but　the　callants　

of　the　New　Town　were　now　carrying　everything　before　them。



A　full…grown　baker's　apprentice　was　at　their　head；　he　was　foaming　

with　rage；　and　had　taken　the　field；　as　I　was　told；　in　order　to　

avenge　his　brother；　whose　eye　had　been　knocked　out　in　one　of　the　

late　bickers。　　He　was　no　slinger　or　flinger；　but　brandished　in　his　

right　hand　the　spoke　of　a　cart…wheel；　like　my　countryman　Tom　

Hickathrift　of　old　in　his　encounter　with　the　giant　of　the　

Lincolnshire　fen。　　Protected　by　a　piece　of　wicker…work　attached　to　

his　left　arm；　he　rushed　on　to　the　fray；　disregarding　the　stones　

which　were　showered　against　him；　and　was　ably　seconded　by　his　

followers。　　Our　own　party　was　chased　half…way　up　the　hill；　where　I　

was　struck　to　the　ground　by　the　baker；　after　having　been　foiled　in　

an　attempt　which　I　had　made　to　fling　a　handful　of　earth　into　his　

eyes。　　All　now　appeared　lost；　the　Auld　Toon　was　in　full　retreat。　　I　

myself　lay　at　the　baker's　feet；　who　had　just　raised　his　spoke；　

probably　to　give　me　the　COUP　DE　GRACE；　…　it　was　an　awful　moment。　　

Just　then　I　heard　a　shout　and　a　rushing　sound；　a　wild…looking　

figure　is　descending　the　hill　with　terrible　bounds；　it　is　a　lad　of　

some　fifteen　years；　he　is　bare…headed；　and　his　red　uncombed　hair　

stands　on　end　like　hedgehogs'　bristles：　　his　frame　is　lithy；　like　

that　of　an　antelope；　but　he　has　prodigious　breadth　of　chest；　he　

wears　a　military　undress；　that　of　the　regiment；　even　of　a　drummer；　

for　it　is　wild　Davy；　whom　a　month　before　I　had　seen　enlisted　on　

Leith　Links　to　serve　King　George　with　drum　and　drumstick　as　long　as　

his　services　might　be　required；　and　who；　ere　a　week　had　elapsed；　

had　smitten　with　his　fist　Drum…Major　Elzigood；　who；　incensed　at　his　

inaptitude；　had　threatened　him　with　his　cane；　he　has　been　in　

confinement　for　weeks；　this　is　the　first　day　of　his　liberation；　and　

he　is　now　descending　the　hill　with　horrid　bounds　and　shoutings；　he　

is　now　about　five　yards　distant；　and　the　baker；　who　apprehends　that　

something