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The Provost-Part7_John Galt(1779-1839)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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observed the commonality gathering in the market-place, and no

sparing in their tongues to the farmers; so, upon her advice, I



directed Thomas Snakers to put on the shutters.

Some of the farmers were loading their carts to go home, when the



schools skailed, and all the weans came shouting to the market.

Still nothing happened, till tinkler Jean, a randy that had been



with the army at the siege of Gibraltar, and, for aught I ken, in

the Americas, if no in the Indies likewise;--she came with her meal-



basin in her hand, swearing, like a trooper, that if she didna get

it filled with meal at fifteen-pence a peck, (the farmers demanded



sixteen), she would have the fu' o't of their heart's blood; and the

mob of thoughtless weans and idle fellows, with shouts and yells,



encouraged Jean, and egged her on to a catastrophe. The corruption

of the farmers was thus raised, and a young rash lad, the son of



James Dyke o' the Mount, whom Jean was blackguarding at a dreadful

rate, and upbraiding on account of some ploy he had had with the



Dalmailing session anent a bairn, in an unguarded moment lifted his

hand, and shook his neive in Jean's face, and even, as she said,



struck her. He himself swore an affidavit that he gave her only a

ding out of his way; but be this as it may, at him rushed Jean with



open mouth, and broke her timbermeal-basin on his head, as it had

been an egg-shell. Heaven only knows what next ensued; but in a



jiffy the whole market-place was as white with scattered meal as if

it had been covered with snow, and the farmers were seen flying



helter skelter out at the townhead, pursued by the mob, in a hail

and whirlwind of stones and glaur. Then the drums were heard



beating to arms, and the soldiers were seen flying to their

rendezvous. I stood composedly at the dining-room window, and was



very thankful that I wasna provost in such a hurricane, when I saw

poor Mr Keg, as pale as a dish clout, running to and fro bareheaded,



with the town-officers and their halberts at his heels, exhorting

and crying till he was as hoarse as a crow, to the angry multitude,



that was raging and tossing like a sea in the market-place. Then it

was that he felt the consequence of his pridefulness towards me;



for, observing me standing in serenity at the window, he came, and

in a vehement manner cried to me for the love of heaven to come to



his assistance, and pacify the people. It would not have been

proper in me to have refused; so out I went in the very nick of



time: for when I got to the door, there was the soldiers in battle

array, coming marching with fife and drum up the gait with Major



Blaze at their head, red and furious in the face, and bent on some

bloody business. The first thing I did was to run to the major,



just as he was facing the men for a "charge bagonets" on the people,

crying to him to halt; for the riot act wasna yet read, and the



murder of all that might be slain would lie at his door; at which to

hear he stood aghast, and the men halted. Then I flew back to the



provost, and I cried to him, "Read the riot act!" which some of the

mob hearing, became terrified thereat, none knowing the penalties or



consequences thereof, when backed by soldiers; and in a moment, as

if they had seen the glimpse of a terrible spirit in the air, the



whole multitude dropped the dirt and stones out of their hands, and,

turning their backs, flew into doors and closes, and were skailed



before we knew where we were. It is not to be told the laud and

admiration that I got for my ability in this business; for the major



was so well pleased to have been saved from a battle, that, at my

suggestion, he wrote an account of the whole business to the



commander-in-chief, assuring him that, but for me, and my great

weight and authority in the town, nobody could tell what the issue



might have been; so that the Lord Advocate, to whom the report was

shown by the general, wrote me a letter of thanks in the name of the



government; and I, although not provost, was thus seen and believed

to be a person of the foremost note and consideration in the town.



But although the mob was dispersed, as I have related, the

consequences did not end there; for, the week following, none of the



farmers brought in their victual; and there was a great lamentation

and moaning in the market-place when, on the Friday, not a single



cart from the country was to be seen, but only Simon Laidlaw's, with

his timber caps and luggies; and the talk was, that meal would be






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