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The Provost-Part2_John Galt(1779-1839)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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"It does not, perhaps, just now do for me to be more particular, and



I hope what I have said to you will gang no further; but it's a

great pity that ye're no even a bailie this year, far less the



provost, otherwise I would have great confidence."

"Then," said the dean of guild, "you have reason to believe that



there is to be a dissolution, and that we are to be contested?"

"Mr M'Lucre, dinna speer any questions," was my answer, "but look at



that and say nothing;" so I pulled out of my pocket a letter that

had been franked to me by the earl. The letter was from James



Portoport, his lordship's butler, who had been a waiter with Mrs

Pawkie's mother, and he was inclosing to me a five-pound note to be



given to an auld aunty that was in need. But the dean of guild knew

nothing of our correspondence, nor was it required that he should.



However, when he saw my lord's franking, he said, "Are the boroughs,

then, really and truly to be contested?"



"Come into the shop, Mr M'Lucre," said I sedately; "come in, and

hear what I have to say."



And he came in, and I shut and barred the half-door, in order that

we might not be suddenly interrupted.



"You are a man of experience, Mr M'Lucre," said I, "and have a

knowledge of the world, that a young man, like me, would be a fool



to pretend to. But I have shown you enough to convince you that I

would not be worthy of a trust, were I to answer any improper



questions. Ye maun, therefore, gie me some small credit for a

little discretion in this matter, while I put a question to



yourself. 'Is there no a possibility of getting you made the

provost at Michaelmas, or, at the very least, a bailie, to the end



that ye might be chosen delegate, it being an unusual thing for

anybody under the degree of a bailie to be chosen thereto?'"



"I have been so long in the guildry," was his thoughtful reply,

"that I fear it canna be very well managed without me."



"Mr M'Lucre," said I, and I took him cordially by the hand, "a

thought has just entered my head. Couldna we manage this matter



between us? It's true I'm but a novice in public affairs, and with

the mystery of the guildry quite unacquaint--if, however, you could



be persuaded to allow yourself to be made a bailie, I would, subject

to your directions, undertake the office of dean of guild, and all



this might be so concerted between us, that nobody would ken the

nature of our paction--for, to be plain with you, it's no to be



hoped that such a young counsellor as myself can reasonably expect

to be raised, so soon as next Michaelmas, to the magistracy, and



there is not another in the council that I would like to see chosen

delegate at the election but yourself."



Mr M'Lucre swithered a little at this, fearing to part with the bird

he had in hand; but, in the end, he said, that he thought what was



proposed no out of the way, and that he would have no objection to

be a bailie for the next year, on condition that I would, in the



following, let him again be dean of guild, even though he should be

called a Michaelmas mare, for it did not so well suit him to be a



bailie as to be dean of guild, in which capacity he had been long

used.



I guessed in this that he had a vista in view of the tacks and

leases that were belyve to fall in, and I said -



"Nothing can be more reasonable, Mr M'Lucre; for the office of dean

of guild must be a very fashious one, to folks like me, no skilled



in its particularities; and I'm sure I'll be right glad and willing

to give it up, when we hae got our present turn served.--But to keep



a' things quiet between us, let us no appear till after the election

overly thick; indeed, for a season, we maun fight, as it were, under



different colours."

Thus was the seed sown of a great reformation in the burgh, the



sprouting whereof I purpose to describe in due season.

CHAPTER V--THE FIRST CONTESTED ELECTION



The sough of the dissolution of parliament, during the whole of the

summer, grew stronger and stronger, and Mr M'Lucre and me were



seemingly pulling at opposite ends of the rope. There was nothing

that he proposed in the council but what I set myself against with



such bir and vigour, that sometimes he could scarcely keep his




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