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The Ayrshire Legatees-Part20_John Galt(1779-1839)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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to her charge been as it was said. Not but in any circumstance it



behoved a lady of that ancient and royal blood, to be seen beside

the queen in such a great historical case as a trial.



I hope, in the part I have taken, my people will be satisfied; but

whether they are satisfied or not, my own conscience is content with



me. I was in the House of Lords when her majesty came down for the

last time, and saw her handed up the stairs by the usher of the



black-rod, a little stumpy man, wonderful particular about the rules

of the House, insomuch that he was almost angry with me for stopping



at the stair-head. The afflicted woman was then in great spirits,

and I saw no symptoms of the swelled legs that Lord Lauderdale, that



jooking man, spoke about, for she skippit up the steps like a

lassie. But my heart was wae for her when all was over, for she



came out like an astonished creature, with a wild steadfast look,

and a sort of something in the face that was as if the rational



spirit had fled away; and she went down to her coach as if she had

submitted to be led to a dolefuldestiny. Then the shouting of the



people began, and I saw and shouted too in spite of my decorum,

which I marvel at sometimes, thinking it could be nothing less than



an involuntary testification of the spirit within me.

Anent the marriage of Rachel Pringle, it may be needful in me to



state, for the satisfaction of my people, that although by stress of

law we were obligated to conform to the practice of the



Episcopalians, by taking out a bishop's license, and going to their

church, and vowing, in a pagan fashion, before their altars, which



are an abomination to the Lord; yet, when the young folk came home,

I made them stand up, and be married again before me, according to



all regular marriages in our national Church. For this I had two

reasons: first, to satisfy myself that there had been a true and



real marriage; and, secondly, to remove the doubt of the former

ceremony being sufficient; for marriage being of divine appointment,



and the English form and ritual being a thing established by Act of

Parliament, which is of human ordination, I was not sure that



marriage performed according to a human enactment could be a

fulfilment of a divineordinance. I therefore hope that my people



will approve what I have done; and in order that there may be a

sympathising with me, you will go over to Banker M-y, and get what



he will give you, as ordered by me, and distribute it among the

poorest of the parish, according to the best of your discretion, my



long absence having taken from me the power of judgment in a matter

of this sort. I wish indeed for the glad sympathy of my people, for



I think that our Saviour turning water into wine at the wedding, was

an example set that we should rejoice and be merry at the fulfilment



of one of the great obligations imposed on us as social creatures;

and I have ever regarded the unhonoured treatment of a marriage



occasion as a thing of evil bodement, betokening heavy hearts and

light purses to the lot of the bride and bridegroom. You will hear



more from me by and by; in the meantime, all I can say is, that when

we have taken our leave of the young folks, who are going to France,



it is Mrs. Pringle's intent, as well as mine, to turn our horses'

heads northward, and make our way with what speed we can, for our



own quiet home, among you. So no more at present from your friend

and pastor,



Z. PRINGLE.

Mrs. Tod, the mother of Miss Isabella, a respectable widow lady, who



had quiescently joined the company, proposed that they should now

drink health, happiness, and all manner of prosperity, to the young



couple; and that nothing might be wanting to secure the favourable

auspices of good omens to the toast, she desired Miss Isabella to



draw fresh bottles of white and red. When all manner of felicity

was duly wished in wine to the captain and his lady, the party rose



to seek their respective homes. But a bustle at the street-door

occasioned a pause. Mrs. Tod inquired the matter; and three or four



voices at once replied, that an express had come from Garnock for

Nanse Swaddle the midwife, Mrs. Craig being taken with her pains.



"Mr. Snodgrass," said Mrs. Glibbans, instantly and emphatically, "ye

maun let me go with you, and we can spiritualise on the road; for I



hae promis't Mrs. Craig to be wi' her at the crying, to see the

upshot--so I hope you will come awa."



It would be impossible in us to suppose, that Mr. Snodgrass had any




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