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Catriona-Part1_ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON(1850-1894)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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away incontinent until but three were left. One was a girl; she was



dressed like a lady, and had a screen of the Drummond colours on her

head; but her comrades or (I should say) followers were ragged gillies,



such as I had seen the matches of by the dozen in my Highland journey.

They all spoke together earnestly in Gaelic, the sound of which was



pleasant in my ears for the sake of Alan; and, though the rain was by

again, and my porter plucked at me to be going, I even drew nearer



where they were, to listen. The lady scolded sharply, the others

making apologies and cringeing before her, so that I made sure she was



come of a chief's house. All the while the three of them sought in

their pockets, and by what I could make out, they had the matter of



half a farthing among the party; which made me smile a little to see

all Highland folk alike for fine obeisances and empty sporrans.



It chanced the girl turned suddenly about, so that I saw her face for

the first time. There is no greater wonder than the way the face of a



young woman fits in a man's mind, and stays there, and he could never

tell you why; it just seems it was the thing he wanted. She had



wonderful bright eyes like stars, and I daresay the eyes had a part in

it; but what I remember the most clearly was the way her lips were a



trifle open as she turned. And, whatever was the cause, I stood there

staring like a fool. On her side, as she had not known there was



anyone so near, she looked at me a little longer, and perhaps with more

surprise, than was entirely civil.



It went through my country head she might be wondering at my new

clothes; with that, I blushed to my hair, and at the sight of my



colouring it is to be supposed she drew her own conclusions, for she

moved her gillies farther down the close, and they fell again to this



dispute, where I could hear no more of it.

I had often admired a lassie before then, if scarce so sudden and



strong; and it was rather my disposition to withdraw than to come

forward, for I was much in fear of mockery from the womenkind. You



would have thought I had now all the more reason to pursue my common

practice, since I had met this young lady in the city street, seemingly



following a prisoner, and accompanied with two very ragged indecent-

like Highlandmen. But there was here a different ingredient; it was



plain the girl thought I had been prying in her secrets; and with my

new clothes and sword, and at the top of my new fortunes, this was more



than I could swallow. The beggar on horseback could not bear to be

thrust down so low, or, at least of it, not by this young lady.



I followed, accordingly, and took off my new hat to her the best that I

was able.



"Madam," said I, "I think it only fair to myself to let you understand

I have no Gaelic. It is true I was listening, for I have friends of my



own across the Highland line, and the sound of that tongue comes

friendly; but for your private affairs, if you had spoken Greek, I



might have had more guess at them."

She made me a little, distant curtsey. "There is no harm done," said



she, with a pretty accent, most like the English (but more agreeable).

"A cat may look at a king."



"I do not mean to offend," said I. "I have no skill of city manners; I

never before this day set foot inside the doors of Edinburgh. Take me



for a country lad - it's what I am; and I would rather I told you than

you found it out."



"Indeed, it will be a very unusual thing for strangers to be speaking

to each other on the causeway," she replied. "But if you are landward



bred it will be different. I am as landward as yourself; I am

Highland, as you see, and think myself the farther from my home."



"It is not yet a week since I passed the line," said I. "Less than a

week ago I was on the braes of Balwhidder."



"Balwhither?" she cries. "Come ye from Balwhither! The name of it

makes all there is of me rejoice. You will not have been long there,



and not known some of our friends or family?"

"I lived with a very honest, kind man called Duncan Dhu Maclaren," I



replied.

"Well, I know Duncan, and you give him the true name!" she said; "and



if he is an honest man, his wife is honest indeed."

"Ay," said I, "they are fine people, and the place is a bonny place."



"Where in the great world is such another!" she cries; "I am loving the

smell of that place and the roots that grow there."



I was infinitely taken with the spirit of the maid. "I could be

wishing I had brought you a spray of that heather," says I. "And,



though I did ill to speak with you at the first, now it seems we have

common acquaintance, I make it my petition you will not forget me.



David Balfour is the name I am known by. This is my lucky day, when I

have just come into a landed estate, and am not very long out of a






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