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against the life of a citizen； an' he behooved to give up hoose an'
lands； and be a Christian； yon was a soor draphe tarned no weel； puir
auld villain； an' scairtit； an' the lawyers sent ane o' their weary
parchments till his hoose； and the puir auld heathen signed awa' his
siller； an' Abraham； an' Isaac； an' Jacob； on the heed o' 't。 I pity him；
an auld； auld man； and his dochter had rin off wi' a Christian ladthey
ca' her Jessica； and didn't she steal his very diamond ring that his ain
lass gied him when he was young； an' maybe no sae hard…hairted？〃
_Jean Carnie。_ 〃Oh； the jaud！ suppose he was a Jew； it was na her
business to clean him oot。〃
_A young Fishwife。_ 〃Aweel； it was only a Jew body； that's my comfort。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Ye speak as a Jew was na a man； has not a Jew eyes； if ye
please？〃
_Lizzy Johnstone。_ 〃Ay； has he！and the awfuest lang neb atween 'em。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Has not a Jew affections； paassions； organs？〃
_Jean。_ 〃Na！ Christie； thir lads comes fr' Italy！〃
_Christie。_ 〃If you prick him； does he not bleed？ if you tickle him； does
na he lauch？〃
_A young Fishwife （pertly）。_ 〃I never kittlet a Jew； for my pairtsae
I'll no can tell ye。〃
_Christie。_ 〃If you poison him； does he not die？ and if you wrang him〃
（with fury） 〃shall he not revenge？〃
_Lizzie Johnstone。_ 〃Oh！ but ye're a fearsome lass。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Wha'll give me a sang for my bonny yarn？〃
Lord Ipsden； who had been an unobserved auditor of the latter part of the
tale； here inquired whether she had brought her book。
〃What'n buik？〃
〃Your music…book！〃
〃Here's my music…book；〃 said Jean； roughly tapping her head。
〃And here's mines；〃 said Christie； birdly； touching her bosom。
〃Richard；〃 said she； thoughtfully； 〃I wish ye may no hae been getting in
voolgar company。 Div ye think we hae minds like rinning water？〃
_Flucker （avec malice）。_ 〃And tongues like the mill…clack abune it？
Because if ye think sae； captainye're no far wrang！〃
_Christie。_ 〃Na！ we hae na muckle gowd maybe； but our minds are gowden
vessels。〃
_Jean。_ 〃Aha！ lad。〃
_Christie。_ 〃They are not saxpenny sieves； to let music an' meter
through； and leave us none the wiser or better。 Dinna gang in low voolgar
company； or you a lost laddy。〃
_Ipsden。_ 〃Vulgar； again！ everybody has a different sense for that word；
I think。 What is vulgar？〃
_Christie。_ 〃Voolgar folk sit on an chair； ane； twa； whiles three hours；
eatin' an' abune drinkin'； as still as hoegs； or gruntin' puir every…day
clashes； goessip； rubbich； when ye are aside them； ye might as weel be
aside a cuddy； they canna gie ye a sang； they canna gie ye a story； they
canna think ye a thoucht； to save their useless lives； that's voolgar
folk。〃
She sings。 〃A caaller herrin'！〃
_Jean。_ 〃A caaller herrin'！〃
_Omnes。_
〃Come buy my bonny caaller herrin'； Six a penny caaller from the sea；〃
etc。
The music chimed in； and the moment the song was done； without pause； or
anything to separate or chill the succession of the arts； the fiddles
diverged with a gallant plunge into 〃The Dusty Miller。〃 The dancers found
their feet by an instinct as rapid； and a rattling reel shook the floor
like thunder。 Jean Carnie assumed the privilege of a bride； and seized
his lordship； Christie； who had a mind to dance with him too； took
Flucker captive； and these four were one reel！ There were seven others。
The principle of reel dancing is articulation； the foot strikes the
ground for every _accented_ note （and； by the by； it is their weakness of
accent which makes all English reel and hornpipe players such failures）。
And in the best steps of all； which it has in common with the hornpipe；
such as the quick 〃heel and toe；〃 〃the sailor's fling；〃 and the 〃double
shuffle；〃 the foot strikes the ground for every _single_ note of the
instrument。
All good dancing is beautiful。
But this articulate dancing； compared with the loose； lawless diffluence
of motion that goes by that name； gives me （I must confess it） as much
more pleasure as articulate singing is superior to tunes played on the
voice by a young lady：
Or the clean playing of my mother to the piano…forte splashing of my
daughter； though the latter does attack the instrument as a washerwoman
her soapsuds； and the former works like a lady。
Or skating to sliding：
Or English verse to dactyls in English：
Or painting to daubing：
Or preserved strawberries to strawberry jam。
What says Goldsmith of the two styles？ 〃They swam； sprawled； frisked； and
languished； but Olivia's foot was as pat to the music as its
echo。〃_Vicar of Wakefield。_
Newhaven dancing aims also at fun； laughter mingles with agility；
grotesque yet graceful gestures are flung in； and little inspiring cries
flung out。
His lordship soon entered into the spirit of it。 Deep in the mystery of
the hornpipe； he danced one or two steps Jean and Christie had never
seen； but their eyes were instantly on his feet； and they caught in a
minute and executed these same steps。
To see Christie Johnstone do the double…shuffle with her arms so saucily
akimbo； and her quick elastic foot at an angle of forty…five； was a
treat。
The dance became inspiriting； inspiring； intoxicating； and； when the
fiddles at last left off； the feet went on another seven bars by the
enthusiastic impulse。
And so； alternately spinning yarns； singing songs； dancing； and making
fun； and mingling something of heart and brain in all； these benighted
creatures made themselves happy instead of peevish； and with a day of
stout； vigorous； healthy pleasure； refreshed； indemnified； and warmed
themselves for many a day of toil。
Such were the two picnics of Inch Coombe； and these rival cliques；
agreeing in nothing else； would have agreed in this： each； if allowed
（but we won't allow either） to judge the other； would have pronounced the
same verdict：
_〃Ils ne savent pas vivre ces gens…l'a。〃_
CHAPTER XI。
Two of our personages left Inch Coombe less happy than when they came to
it。
Lord Ipsden encountered Lady Barbara with Mr。； who had joined her
upon the island。
He found them discoursing； as usual； about the shams of the present day；
and the sincerity of Cromwell and Mahomet； and he found himself _de
trop。_
They made him； for the first time； regret the loss of those earnest times
when； 〃to avoid the inconvenience of both addressing the same lady；〃 you
could cut a rival's throat at once； and be smiled on by the fair and
society。
That a book…maker should blaspheme high civilization； by which alone he
exists； and one of whose diseases and flying pains he is； neither
surprised nor moved him； but that any human being's actions should be
affected by such tempestuous twaddle was ridiculous。
And that the witty Lady Barbara should be caught by this chaff was
intolerable； he began to feel bitter。
He had the blessings of the poor； the good opinion of the world； every
living creature was prepossessed in his favor but one； and that one
despised him； it was a diabolical prejudice； it was the spiteful caprice
of his fate。
His heart； for a moment； was in danger of deteriorating。 He was
miserable； the Devil suggested to him；