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The Provost-Part21_John Galt(1779-1839)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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this prejudicial humour, and answer him in his own way.

"Mr Peevie," quo' I, "you know that few in the town hae the repute



that ye hae for a gift of sagacity by common, and therefore I'll

open my mind to you in this matter, with a frankness that would not



be a judicious polity with folk of a lighter understanding."

This was before the counter in my shop. I then walked in behind it,



and drew the chair that stands in the corner nearer to the fire, for

Mr Peevie. When he was seated thereon, and, as was his wont in



conversation, had placed both his hands on the top of his staff, and

leant his chin on the same, I subjoined.



"Mr Peevie, I need not tell to a man of your experience, that folk

in public stations cannot always venture to lay before the world the



reasons of their conduct on particular occasions; and therefore,

when men who have been long in the station that I have filled in



this town, are seen to step aside from what has been in time past,

it is to be hoped that grave and sensible persons like you, Mr



Peevie, will no rashly condemn them unheard; nevertheless, my good

friend, I am very happy that ye have spoken to me anent the stinted



allowance of wine and punch at the dinner, because the like thing

from any other would have made me jealouse that the complaint was



altogether owing to a disappointed appetite, which is a corrupt

thing, that I am sure would never affect a man of such a public



spirit as you are well known to be."

Mr Peevie, at this, lifted his chin from off his hands, and dropping



his arms down upon his knees, held his staff by the middle, as he

replied, looking upward to me,



"What ye say, Provost Pawkie, has in it a solid commodity of

judgment and sensibility; and ye may be sure that I was not without



a cogitation of reflection, that there had been a discreet argument

of economy at the bottom of the revolution which was brought to a



criticism yesterday's afternoon. Weel aware am I, that men in

authority cannot appease and quell the inordinate concupiscence of



the multitude, and that in a' stations of life there are persons who

would mumpileese the retinue of the king and government for their



own behoof and eeteration, without any regard to the cause or effect

of such manifest predilections. But ye do me no more than a



judicature, in supposing that, in this matter, I am habituated wi'

the best intentions. For I can assure you, Mr Pawkie, that no man



in this community has a more literal respect for your character than

I have, or is more disposed for a judicious example of continence in



the way of public enterteenment than I have ever been; for, as you

know, I am of a constipent principle towards every extravagant and



costive outlay. Therefore, on my own account, I had a satisfaction

at seeing the abridgement which you made of our former inebrieties;



but there are other persons of a conjugal nature, who look upon such

castrations as a deficiency of their rights, and the like of them



will find fault with the best procedures."

"Very true, Mr Peevie," said I, "that's very true; but if his



Majesty's government, in this war for all that is dear to us as men

and Britons, wish us, who are in authority under them, to pare and



save, in order that the means of bringing the war to a happy end may

not be wasted, an example must be set, and that example, as a loyal



subject and a magistrate, it's my intent so to give, in the hope and

confidence of being backed by every person of a right way of



thinking."

"It's no to be deputed, Provost Pawkie," replied my friend, somewhat



puzzled by what I had said; "it's no to be deputed, that we live in

a gigantic vortex, and that every man is bound to make an energetic



dispensation for the good of his country; but I could not have

thought that our means had come to sic an alteration and extremity,






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