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The Provost-Part4_John Galt(1779-1839)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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eyes, and it went utterly out, as to this world, on a Saturday

night, between the hours of eleven and twelve. We had that



afternoon got an inkling that he was drawing near to his end. At

the latest, Mrs Pawkie herself went over to the manse, and stayed



till she saw him die. "It was a pleasant end," she said, for he was

a godly, patient man; and we were both sorely grieved, though it was



a thing for which we had been long prepared; and indeed, to his

family and connexions, except for the loss of the stipend, it was a



very gentle dispensation, for he had been long a heavy handful,

having been for years but, as it were, a breathing lump of



mortality, groosy, and oozy, and doozy, his faculties being shut up

and locked in by a dumb palsy.



Having had this early intimation of the doctor's removal to a better

world, on the Sabbath morning when I went to join the magistrates in



the council-chamber, as the usage is to go to the laft, with the

town-officers carrying their halberts before us, according to the



ancient custom of all royal burghs, my mind was in a degree prepared

to speak to them anent the successor. Little, however, passed at



that time, and it so happened that, by some wonder of inspiration,

(there were, however, folk that said it was taken out of a book of



sermons, by one Barrow an English Divine,) Mr Pittle that forenoon

preached a discourse that made an impression, in so much, that on



our way back to the council-chamber I said to Provost Vintner, that

then was -



"Really Mr Pittle seems, if he would exert himself, to have a nerve.

I could not have thought it was in the power of his capacity to have



given us such a sermon."

The provost thought as I did, so I replied--"We canna, I think, do



better than keep him among us. It would, indeed, provost, no be

doing justice to the young man to pass another over his head."



I could see that the provost wasna quite sure of what I had been

saying; for he replied, that it was a matter that needed



consideration.

When we separated at the council-chamber, I threw myself in the way



of Bailie Weezle, and walked home with him, our talk being on the

subject of vacancy; and I rehearsed to him what had passed between



me and the provost, saying, that the provost had made no objection

to prefer Mr Pittle, which was the truth.



Bailie Weezle was a man no overladen with worldlywisdom, and had

been chosen into the council principally on account of being easily



managed. In his business, he was originally by trade a baker in

Glasgow, where he made a little money, and came to settle among us



with his wife, who was a native of the town, and had her relations

here. Being therefore an idle man, living on his money, and of a



soft and quiet nature, he was for the reason aforesaid chosen into

the council, where he always voted on the provost's side; for in



controverted questions every one is beholden to take a part, and he

thought it was his duty to side with the chief magistrate.



Having convinced the bailie that Mr Pittle had already, as it were,

a sort of infeoffment in the kirk, I called in the evening on my old



predecessor in the guildry, Bailie M'Lucre, who was not a hand to be

so easily dealt with; but I knew his inclinations, and therefore I



resolved to go roundly to work with him. So I asked him out to take

a walk, and I led him towards the town-moor, conversing loosely



about one thing and another, and touchingsoftly here and there on

the vacancy.



When we were well on into the middle of the moor, I stopped, and,

looking round me, said, "Bailie, surely it's a great neglec of the



magistrates and council to let this braw broad piece of land, so

near the town, lie in a state o' nature, and giving pasturage to



only twa-three of the poor folk's cows. I wonder you, that's now a

rich man, and with eyne worth pearls and diamonds, that ye dinna



think of asking a tack of this land; ye might make a great thing

o't."



The fish nibbled, and told me that he had for some time entertained

a thought on the subject; but he was afraid that I would be overly



extortionate.

"I wonder to hear you, bailie," said I; "I trust and hope no one



will ever find me out of the way of justice; and to convince you

that I can do a friendly turn, I'll no objec to gie you a' my



influence free gratis, if ye'll gie Mr Pittle a lift into the kirk;

for, to be plain with you, the worthy young man, who, as ye heard



to-day, is no without an ability, has long been fond of Mrs Pawkie's

cousin, Miss Lizy Pinky; and I would fain do all that lies in my



power to help on the match.




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