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The Ayrshire Legatees-Part12_John Galt(1779-1839)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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I anticipate great pleasure. Miss Argent says, however, she is



ignorant and presuming; but how is it possible that she can be so,

as she was an earl's daughter, and bred up for distinction? Miss



Argent may be presuming, but a countess is necessarily above that,

at least it would only become a duchess or marchioness to say so.



This, however, is not the only occasion in which I have seen the

detractive disposition of that young lady, who, with all her



simplicity of manners and great accomplishments, is, you will

perceive, just like ourselves, rustic as she doubtless thinks our



breeding has been.

I have observed that nobody in London inquires about who another is;



and that in company everyone is treated on an equality, unless when

there is some remarkable personal peculiarity, so that one really



knows nothing of those whom one meets. But my paper is full, and I

must not take another sheet, as my mother has a letter to send in



the same frank to Miss Mally Glencairn. Believe me, ever

affectionately yours, RACHEL PRINGLE.



The three ladies knew not very well what to make of this letter.

They thought there was a change in Rachel's ideas, and that it was



not for the better; and Miss Isabella expressed, with a sentiment of

sincere sorrow, that the acquisition of fortune seemed to have



brought out some unamiable traits in her character, which, perhaps,

had she not been exposed to the companions and temptations of the



great world, would have slumbered, unfelt by herself, and unknown to

her friends.



Mrs. Glibbans declared, that it was a waking of original sin, which

the iniquity of London was bringing forth, as the heat of summer



causes the rosin and sap to issue from the bark of the tree. In the

meantime, Miss Mally had opened her letter, of which we subjoin a



copy.

LETTER XX



Mrs Pringle to Miss Mally Glencairn--LONDON.

Dear Miss Mally--I greatly stand in need of your advise and counsel



at this time. The Doctor's affair comes on at a fearful slow rate,

and the money goes like snow off a dyke. It is not to be told what



has been paid for legacy-duty, and no legacy yet in hand; and we

have been obligated to lift a whole hundred pounds out of the



residue, and what that is to be the Lord only knows. But Miss Jenny

Macbride, she has got her thousand pound, all in one bank bill, sent



to her; Thomas Bowie, the doctor in Ayr, he has got his five hundred

pounds; and auld Nanse Sorrel, that was nurse to the cornal, she has



got the first year of her twenty pounds a year; but we have gotten

nothing, and I jealouse, that if things go on at this rate, there



will be nothing to get; and what will become of us then, after all

the trubble and outlay that we have been pot too by this coming to



London?

Howsomever, this is the black side of the story; for Mr. Charles



Argent, in a jocose way, proposed to get Andrew made a Parliament

member for three thousand pounds, which he said was cheap; and



surely he would not have thought of such a thing, had he not known

that Andrew would have the money to pay for't; and, over and above



this, Mrs. Argent has been recommending Captain Sabre to me for

Rachel, and she says he is a stated gentleman, with two thousand



pounds rental, and her nephew; and surely she would not think Rachel

a match for him, unless she had an inkling from her gudeman of what



Rachel's to get. But I have told her that we would think of nothing

of the sort till the counts war settled, which she may tell to her



gudeman, and if he approves the match, it will make him hasten on

the settlement, for really I am growing tired of this London, whar I



am just like a fish out of the water. The Englishers are sae

obstinate in their own way, that I can get them to do nothing like



Christians; and, what is most provoking of all, their ways are very

good when you know them; but they have no instink to teach a body



how to learn them. Just this very morning, I told the lass to get a

jiggot of mutton for the morn's dinner, and she said there was not



such a thing to be had in London, and threeppit it till I couldna

stand her; and, had it not been that Mr. Argent's French servan' man



happened to come with a cart, inviting us to a ball, and who

understood what a jiggot was, I might have reasoned till the day of



doom without redress. As for the Doctor, I declare he's like an




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