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The Provost-Part1_John Galt(1779-1839)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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towards the public was gradually growing into effect. Disputative

neighbours made me their referee, and I became, as it were, an



oracle that was better than the law, in so much that I settled their

controversies without the expense that attends the same. But what



convinced me more than any other thing that the line I pursued was

verging towards a satisfactory result, was, that the elderly folk



that came into the shop to talk over the news of the day, and to

rehearse the diverse" target="_blank" title="a.完全不同的">diverse uncos, both of a national and a domestic



nature, used to call me bailie and my lord; the which jocular

derision was as a symptom and foretaste within their spirits of what



I was ordained to be. Thus was I encouraged, by little and little,

together with a sharp remarking of the inclination and bent of men's



minds, to entertain the hope and assurance of rising to the top of

all the town, as this book maketh manifest, and the incidents



thereof will certificate.

Nothing particular, however, came to pass, till my wife lay in of



her second bairn, our daughter Sarah; at the christening of whom,

among divers friends and relations, forbye the minister, we had my



father's cousin, Mr Alexander Clues, that was then deacon convener,

and a man of great potency in his way, and possessed of an influence



in the town-council of which he was well worthy, being a person of

good discernment, and well versed in matters appertaining to the



guildry. Mr Clues, as we were mellowing over the toddy bowl, said,

that by and by the council would be looking to me to fill up the



first gap that might happen therein; and Dr Swapkirk, the then

minister, who had officiated on the occasion, observed, that it was



a thing that, in the course of nature, could not miss to be, for I

had all the douce demeanour and sagacity which it behoved a



magistrate to possess. But I cannily replied, though I was right

contented to hear this, that I had no time for governing, and it



would be more for the advantage of the commonwealth to look for the

counselling of an older head than mine, happen when a vacancy might



in the town-council.

In this conjuncture of our discoursing, Mrs Pawkie, my wife, who was



sitting by the fireside in her easy chair, with a cod at her head,

for she had what was called a sore time o't, said:-



"Na, na, gudeman, ye need na be sae mim; every body kens, and I ken

too, that ye're ettling at the magistracy. It's as plain as a



pikestaff, gudeman, and I'll no let ye rest if ye dinna mak me a

bailie's wife or a' be done" -



I was not ill pleased to hear Mrs Pawkie so spiritful; but I

replied,



"Dinna try to stretch your arm, gude-wife, further than your sleeve

will let you; we maun ca'canny mony a day yet before we think of



dignities."

The which speech, in a way of implication, made Deacon Clues to



understand that I would not absolutely refuse an honour thrust upon

me, while it maintained an outward show of humility and moderation.



There was, however, a gleg old carlin among the gossips then

present, one Mrs Sprowl, the widow of a deceased magistrate, and she



cried out aloud:-

"Deacon Clues, Deacon Clues, I redd you no to believe a word that Mr



Pawkie's saying, for that was the very way my friend that's no more

laid himself out to be fleeched to tak what he was greenan for; so



get him intill the council when ye can: we a' ken he'll be a credit

to the place," and "so here's to the health of Bailie Pawkie that is



to be," cried Mrs Sprowl. All present pledged her in the toast, by

which we had a wonderful share of diversion. Nothing, however,



immediately rose out of this, but it set men's minds a-barming and

working; so that, before there was any vacancy in the council, I was



considered in a manner as the natural successor to the first of the

counsellors that might happen to depart this life.



CHAPTER III--A DIRGIE

In the course of the summer following the baptism, of which I have






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