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christie johnstone-第4章

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he only been without a penny; how he would have handled the brush! And
then he was a mighty sailor; if he had sailed for biscuit a few years;
how he would have handled a ship!

As he was; he had the eye of a hawk for Nature's beauties; and the sea
always came back to him like a friend after an absence。

This scene; then; curled round his heart a little; and he felt the good
physician was wiser than the tribe that go by that name; and strive to
build health on the sandy foundation of drugs。

〃Saunders! do you know what Dr。 Aberford means by the lower classes?〃

〃Perfectly; my lord。〃

〃Are there any about here?〃

〃I am sorry to say they are everywhere; my lord。〃

〃Get me some〃_(cigarette)。_

Out went Saunders; with his usual graceful _empressement;_ but an
internal shrug of his shoulders。

He was absent an hour and a half; he then returned with a double
expression on his facepride at his success in diving to the very bottom
of society; and contempt of what he had fished up thence。

He approached his lord mysteriously; and said; _sotto voce;_ but
impressively; 〃This is low enough; my lord。〃 Then glided back; and
ushered in; with polite disdain; two lovelier women than he had ever
opened a door to in the whole course of his perfumed existence。

On their heads they wore caps of Dutch or Flemish origin; with a broad
lace border; stiffened and arched over the forehead; about three inches
high; leaving the brow and cheeks unencumbered。

They had cotton jackets; bright red and yellow; mixed in patterns;
confined at the waist by the apron…strings; but bobtailed below the
waist; short woolen petticoats; with broad vertical stripes; red and
white; most vivid in color; white worsted stockings; and neat; though
high…quartered shoes。 Under their jackets they wore a thick spotted
cotton handkerchief; about one inch of which was visible round the lower
part of the throat。 Of their petticoats; the outer one was kilted; or
gathered up toward the front; and the second; of the same color; hung in
the usual way。

Of these young women; one had an olive complexion; with the red blood
mantling under it; and black hair; and glorious black eyebrows。

The other was fair; with a massive but shapely throat; as white as milk;
glossy brown hair; the loose threads of which glittered like gold; and a
blue eye; which; being contrasted with dark eyebrows and lashes; took the
luminous effect peculiar to that rare beauty。

Their short petticoats revealed a neat ankle; and a leg with a noble
swell; for Nature; when she is in earnest; builds beauty on the ideas of
ancient sculptors and poets; not of modern poetasters; who; with their
airy…like sylphs and their smoke…like verses; fight for want of flesh in
woman and want of fact in poetry as parallel beauties。

_They are;_ my lads。_Continuez!_

These women had a grand corporeal trait; they had never known a corset!
so they were straight as javelins; they could lift their hands above
their heads!actually! Their supple persons moved as Nature intended;
every gesture was ease; grace and freedom。

What with their own radiance; and the snowy cleanliness and brightness of
their costume; they came like meteors into the apartment。

Lord Ipsden; rising gently from his seat; with the same quiet politeness
with which he would have received two princes of the blood; said; 〃How do
you do?〃 and smiled a welcome。

〃Fine! hoow's yoursel?〃 answered the dark lass; whose name was Jean
Carnie; and whose voice was not so sweet as her face。

〃What'n lord are ye?〃 continued she; 〃are you a juke? I wad like fine to
hae a crack wi' a juke。〃

Saunders; who knew himself the cause of this question; replied; _sotto
voce;_ 〃His lordship is a viscount。〃

〃I didna ken't;〃 was Jean's remark。 〃But it has a bonny soond。〃

〃What mair would ye hae?〃 said the fair beauty; whose name was Christie
Johnstone。 Then; appealing to his lordship as the likeliest to know; she
added; 〃Nobeelity is jist a soond itsel; I'm tauld。〃

The viscount; finding himself expected to say something on a topic he had
not attended much to; answered dryly: 〃We must ask the republicans; they
are the people that give their minds to such subjects。〃

〃And yon man;〃 asked Jean Carnie; 〃is he a lord; too?〃

〃I am his lordship's servant;〃 replied Saunders; gravely; not without a
secret misgiving whether fate had been just。

〃Na!〃 replied she; not to be imposed upon; 〃ye are statelier and prooder
than this ane。〃

〃I will explain;〃 said his master。 〃Saunders knows his value; a servant
like Saunders is rarer than an idle viscount。〃

〃My lord; my lord!〃 remonstrated Saunders; with a shocked and most
disclamatory tone。 〃Rather!〃 was his inward reflection。

〃Jean;〃 said Christie; 〃ye hae muckle to laern。 Are ye for herrin' the
day; vile count?〃

〃No! are you for this sort of thing?〃

At this; Saunders; with a world of _empressement;_ offered the Carnie
some cake that was on the table。

She took a piece; instantly spat it out into her hand; and with more
energy than delicacy flung it into the fire。

〃Augh!〃 cried she; 〃just a sugar and saut butter thegither; buy nae mair
at yon shoep; vile count。〃

〃Try this; out of Nature's shop;〃 laughed their entertainer; and he
offered them; himself; some peaches and things。

〃Hech! a medicine!〃 said Christie。

〃Nature; my lad;〃 said Miss Carnie; making her ivory teeth meet in their
first nectarine; 〃I didna ken whaur ye stoep; but ye beat the other
confectioners; that div ye。〃

The fair lass; who had watched the viscount all this time as demurely as
a cat cream; now approached him。

This young woman was the thinker; her voice was also rich; full; and
melodious; and her manner very engaging; it was half advancing; half
retiring; not easy to resist or to describe。

〃Noo;〃 said she; with a very slight blush stealing across her face; 〃ye
maun let me catecheeze ye; wull ye?〃

The last two words were said in a way that would have induced a bear to
reveal his winter residence。

He smiled assent。 Saunders retired to the door; and; excluding every
shade of curiosity from his face; took an attitude; half majesty; half
obsequiousness。

Christie stood by Lord Ipsden; with one hand on her hip (the knuckles
downward); but graceful as Antinous; and began。

〃Hoo muckle is the queen greater than y' are?〃

His lordship was obliged to reflect。

〃Let me seeas is the moon to a wax taper; so is her majesty the queen
to you and me; and the rest。〃

〃An' whaur does the Juke* come in?〃

* Buceleuch。

〃On this particular occasion; the Duke** makes one of us; my pretty
maid。〃

**Wellington

〃I see! Are na yeawfu' prood o' being a lorrd?〃

〃What an idea!〃

〃His lordship did not go to bed a spinning…jenny; and rise up a lord;
like some of them;〃 put in Saunders。

〃Saunders;〃 said the peer; doubtfully; 〃eloquence rather bores people。〃

〃Then I mustn't speak again; my lord;〃 said Saunders; respectfully。

〃Noo;〃 said the fair inquisitor; 〃ye shall tell me how ye came to be
lorrds; your faemily?〃

〃Saunders!〃

〃Na! ye manna flee to Sandy for a thing; ye are no a bairn; are ye?〃

Here was a dilemma; the Saunders 
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