按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e； where the witches used to be imprisoned。 I was told that the poor old women were often taken down from this dark vault to be burnt alive！ Such terrible tales enveloped the tower with a horrible fascination to my young mind。 What a fearful contrast to the merry sound of the chimes issuing from its roof on a bright summer day。
On my way up to the top flat； where the chimes were played； I had to pass through the vault in which the great pendulum was slowly swinging in its ghostly…like tick…tack； tick…tack； while the great ancient clock was keeping time with its sudden and startling movement。 The whole scene was almost as uncanny as the witches' cell underneath。 There was also a wild rumbling thumping sound overhead。 I soon discovered the cause of this； when I entered the flat where the musician was at work。 He was seen in violent action； beating or hammering on the keys of a gigantic pianoforte…like apparatus。 The instruments he used were two great leather…faced mallets； one of which he held in each hand。 Each key was connected by iron rods with the chime…bells above。 The frantic and mad…like movements of the musician； as he energetically rushed from one key to another； often widely apart gave me the idea that the man was daftespecially as the noise of the mallets was such that I heard no music emitted from the chimes so far overhead。 It was only when I had climbed up the stair of the tower to where the bells were rung that I understood the performance； and comprehended the beating of the chimes which gave me so much pleasure when I heard them at a distance。
Another source of enjoyment in my early days was to accompany my mother to the market。 As I have said before； my mother； though generous in her hospitality； was necessarily thrifty and economical in the management of her household。 There were no less than fourteen persons in the house to be fed； and this required a good deal of marketing。 At the time I refer to； （about 1816； it was the practice of every lady who took pride in managing economically the home department of her husband's affairs； to go to market in person。 The principal markets in Edinburgh were then situated in the valley between the Old and New Towns； in what used to be called the Nor Loch。
Dealers in fish and vegetables had their stalls there： the market for butcher meat was near at hand： each being in their several locations。 It was a very lively and bustling sight to see the marketing going on。 When a lady was observed approaching； likely to be a customer； she was at once surrounded by the 〃caddies。〃 They were a set of sturdy hard…working women； each with a creel on her back。 Their competition for the employer sometimes took a rather energetic form。 The rival candidates pointed to her with violent exclamations； 〃She's my ledie！ she's my ledie！〃 ejaculated one and all。 To dispel the disorder； a selection of one of the caddies would be made； and then all was quiet again until another customer appeared。
There was a regular order in which the purchases were deposited in the creel。 First； there came the fish； which were carefully deposited in the lowest part； with a clean deal board over them。 The fishwives were a most sturdy and independent class； both in manners and language。 When at home； at Newhaven or Fisherrow； they made and mended their husbands' nets； put their fishing tackle to rights； and when the fishing boats came in they took the fish to market at Edinburgh。 To see the groups of these hard…working women trudging along with their heavy creels on their backs； clothed in their remarkable costume； with their striped petticoats kilted up and showing their sturdy legs； was indeed a remarkable sight。 They were cheerful and good…natured； but very outspoken。 Their skins were clear and ruddy； and many of the young fishwives were handsome and pretty。 They were； in fact； the incarnation of robust health。 In dealing with them at the Fish Market there was a good deal of higgling。 They often asked two or three times more than the fish were worthat least； according to the then market price。 After a stormy night； during which the husbands and sons had toiled to catch the fish； on the usual question being asked； 〃Weel； Janet； hoo's haddies the day！〃 〃Haddies； mem？ Ou； haddies is men's lives the day！〃 which was often true； as haddocks were often caught at the risk of their husbands' lives。 After the usual amount of higgling； the haddies were brought down to their proper market price； sometimes a penny for a good haddock； or； when herrings were rife； a dozen herrings for twopence； crabs for a penny； and lobsters for threepence。 For there were no railways then to convey the fish to England； and thus equalise the price for all classes of the community。
Let me mention here a controversy between a fishwife and a buyer called Thomson。 the buyer offered a price so ridiculously small for a parcel of fish that the seller became quite indignant； and she terminated at once all further higgling。 Looking up to him； she said； 〃Lord help yer e'e…sight； Maister Tamson！〃 〃Lord help my e'e…sight； woman！ What has that to do with it？〃 〃Ou；〃 said she； 〃because ye ha'e nae nose to put spectacles on！〃 As it happened； poor Mr。 Thomson had； by some accident or disease； so little of a nose left； if any at all； that the bridge of the nose for holding up the spectacles was almost entirely wanting。 And thus did the fishwife retaliate on her niggardly customer。
When my mother had got her fish laid at the bottom of the creel； she next went to the 〃flesher〃 for her butcher…meat。 There was no higgling here； for the meat was sold at the ordinary market price。 Then came the poultry stratum； then the vegetables； or fruits in their season； and； finally； there was 〃the floore〃a bunch of flowers； not a costly bouquet； but a； large assortment of wallflowers； daffodils （with their early spring fragrance）； polyanthuses； lilacs； gilly…flowers； and the glorious old…fashioned cabbage rose； as well as the even more gloriously fragrant moss rose。 The caddy's creel was then topped up； and the marketing was completed。 The lady was followed home； the contents were placed in the larder； and the flowers distributed all over the house。
I have many curious traditional evidences of the great fondness for cats which distinguished the Nasmyth family for several generations。 My father had always one or two of such domestic favourites； who were； in the best sense； his 〃familiars。〃 Their quiet； companionable habits rendered them very acceptable company when engaged in his artistic work。 I know of no sound so pleasantly tranquillising as the purring of a cat； or of anything more worthy of admiration in animal habit as the neat； compact； and elegant manner in which the cat adjusts itself at the fireside； or in a snug； cosy place； when it settles down for a long quiet sleep。 Every spare moment that a cat has before lying down to rest is occupied in carefully cleaning itself； even under adverse circumstances。 The cat is the true original inventor of a sanitary process； which has lately been patented and paraded before the public as a sanitary novelty； and yet it has been in practice ever since cats were created。 Would that men