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Here the horns clashed together。
〃To me； woman？〃 _（with admirably acted surprise。）_ 〃Oo； ay！ it will be
for the twa years' rent you're awin me。 Giest！〃
_Beeny Liston。_ 〃Ye're just the impudentest girrl i' the toon； an' ye hae
proved it the day〃 （her arms akimbo）。
_Christie （arms akimbo）。_ 〃Me； impudent？ how daur ye speak against my
charackter； that's kenned for decency o' baith sides the Firrth。〃
_Beeny （contemptuously）。_ 〃Oh； ye're sly enough to beguile the men； but
we ken ye。〃
_Christie。_ 〃I'm no sly； and〃 _（drawing near and hissing the words）_ 〃I'm
no like the woman Jean an' I saw in Rose Street； dead drunk on the
causeway； while her mon was working for her at sea。 If ye're no ben your
hoose in ae minute； I'll say that will gar Liston Carnie fling ye ower
the pier…head； ye fool…moothed drunken leearScairt！〃*
*A local word； a corruption from the French _Sortez。_
If my reader has seen and heard Mademoiselle Rachel utter her famous
_Sortez；_ in 〃Virginie；〃 he knows exactly with what a gesture and tone
the Johnstone uttered this word。
_Beeny （in a voice of whining surprise）。_ 〃Hech！ what a spite Flucker
Johnstone's dochter has taen against us。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Scairt！〃
_Beeny （in a coaxing voice； and moving a step）。_ 〃Aweel！ what's a' your
paession； my boenny woman？〃
_Christie。_ 〃Scairt！〃
Beeny retired before the thunder and lightning of indignant virtue。
Then all the fishboys struck up a dismal chant of victory。
〃Yoo…hooCusty's won the dayBeeny's scair_tit；〃_ going up on the last
syllable。
Christie moved slowly away toward her own house； but before she could
reach the door she began to whimperlittle fool。
Thereat chorus of young Athenians chanted：
〃Yu…hoo！ come back； Beeny； ye'll maybe win yet。 Custy's away gree_tin〃_
_（going up on the last syllable）。_
〃I'm no greetin； ye rude bairns；〃 said Christie； bursting into tears； and
retiring as soon as she had effected that proof of her philosophy。
It was about four hours later； Christie had snatched some repose。 The
wind； as Flucker prognosticated； had grown into a very heavy gale； and
the Firth was brown and boiling。
Suddenly a clamor was heard on the shore； and soon after a fishwife made
her appearance； with rather a singular burden。
Her husband； ladies； _rien que cela。_
She had him by the scruff of the neck； he was _dos…'a…dos；_ with his
booted legs kicking in the air； and his fists making warlike but idle
demonstrations and his mouth uttering ineffectual bad language。
This worthy had been called a coward by Sandy Liston； and being about to
fight with him； and get thrashed； his wife had whipped him up and carried
him away； she now flung him down； at some risk of his equilibrium。
〃Ye are not fit to feicht wi' Sandy Liston；〃 said she； 〃if ye are for
feichtin； here's for ye。〃
As a comment to this proposal； she tucked up the sleeves of her short
gown。 He tried to run by her； she caught him by the bosom； and gave him a
violent push； that sent him several paces backward； he looked half
fierce； half astounded； ere he could quite recover himself； his little
servant forced a pipe into his hand； and he smoked contented and
peaceable。
Before tobacco the evil passions fall； they tell me。
The cause of this quarrel soon explained itself； up came Sandy Liston；
cursing and swearing。
〃What！ ye hae gotten till your wife's； that's the place for ye； to say
there's a brig in distress； and ye'll let her go on the rocks under your
noses。 But what are ye afraid o'？ there's na danger？〃
〃Nae danger！〃 said one of the reproached； 〃are ye fou？〃
〃Ye are fou wi' fear yoursel'； of a' the beasts that crawl the airth； a
cooward is the ugliest； I think。〃
〃The wifes will no let us；〃 said one； sulkily。
〃It's the woman in your hairts that keeps ye；〃 roared Sandy hoarsely；
〃curse ye； ye are sure to dee ane day； and ye are sure to be！〃 （a
past participle） 〃soon or late； what signifies when？ Oh！ curse the hour
ever I was born amang sic a cooardly crew。〃 _（Gun at sea。）_
〃There！〃
〃She speaks till ye； hersel'； she cries for maircy； to think that； of a'
that hear ye cry； Alexander Liston is the only mon mon enough to answer。〃
_（Gun。）_
〃You are mistaken； Mr。 Alexander Liston；〃 said a clear； smart voice；
whose owner had mingled unobserved with the throng； 〃there are always men
to answer such occasions； now； my lads； your boats have plenty of beam；
and； well handled； should live in any sea； who volunteers with Alexander
Liston and me？〃
The speaker was Lord Ipsden。
The fishwives of Newhaven； more accustomed to measure men than poor
little Lady Barbara Sinclair； saw in this man what in point of fact he
wasa cool； daring devil； than whom none more likely to lead men into
mortal danger； or pull them through it； for that matter。
They recognized their natural enemy； and collected together against him；
like hens at the sight of a hawk。
〃And would you really entice our men till their death？〃
〃My life's worth as much as theirs； I suppose。
〃Nae！ your life！ it's na worth a button； when you dee； your next kin will
dance； and wha'll greet？ but our men hae wife and bairns to look till。〃
_（Gun at sea。）_
〃Ah！ I didn't look at it in that light；〃 said Lord Ipsden。 He then
demanded paper and ink； Christie Johnstone； who had come out of her
house； supplied it from her treasures； and this cool hand actually began
to convey a hundred and fifty thousand pounds away； upon a sheet of paper
blowing in the wind； when he had named his residuary legatee； and
disposed of certain large bequests； he came to the point
〃Christie Johnstone； what can these people live on？ two hundred a year？
living is cheap hereconfound the wind！〃
〃Twahundred？ Fifty！ Vile count。〃
〃Don't call me vile count。 I am Ipsden； and my name's Richard。 Now； then；
be smart with your names。〃
Three men stepped forward； gave their names； had their widows provided
for； and went for their sou'westers； etc。
〃Stay；〃 said Lord Ipsden； writing。 〃To Christina Johnstone； out of
respect for her character； one thousand pounds。〃
〃Richard！ dinna gang；〃 cried Christie； 〃oh； dinna gang； dinna gang； dinna
gang； it's no your business。〃
〃Will you lend me your papa's Flushing jacket and sou'wester； my dear？ If
I was sure to be drowned； I'd go！〃
Christie ran in for them。
In the mean time； discomposed by the wind； and by feelings whose
existence neither he； nor I； nor any one suspected； Saunders； after a
sore struggle between the frail man and the perfect domestic； blurted
out：
〃My lord； I beg your lordship's pardon； but it blows tempestuous。〃
〃That is why the brig wants us；〃 was the reply。
〃My lord； I beg your lordship's pardon；〃 whimpered Saunders。 〃But； oh！ my
lord； don't go； it's all very well for fishermen to be drowned； it is
their business； but not yours； my lord。〃
〃Saunders； help me on with this coat。〃
Christie had brought it。
〃Yes； my lord；〃 said Saunders； briskly； his second nature reviving。
His lordship； while putting on the coat and hat； undertook to cool Mr。
Saunders's aristocratic prejudices。
〃Should Alexander Liston and I be drowned；〃 said he； coolly； 〃when our
bones