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slept like a plowboy。
Leaving Richard； Lord Ipsden； to work out the Aberford problemto
relieve poor people； one or two of whom； like the Rutherford； were
grateful； the rest acted it to the lifeto receive now and then a visit
from Christina Johnstone； who borrowed every mortal book in his house；
who sold him fish； invariably cheated him by the indelible force of
habit； and then remorsefully undid the bargain； with a peevish entreaty
that 〃he would not be so green； for there was no doing business with
him〃to be fastened upon by Flucker； who； with admirable smoothness and
cunning； wormed himself into a cabin…boy on board the yacht； and
man…at…arms ashore。
To cruise in search of adventures； and meet nothing but disappointments；
to acquire a browner tint； a lighter step； and a jacket； our story moves
for a while toward humbler personages。
CHAPTER IV。
JESS RUTHERFORD； widow of Alexander Johnstonefor Newhaven wives； like
great artists； change their conditions without changing their nameswas
known in the town only as a dour wife； a sour old carline。 Whose fault？
Do wooden faces and iron tongues tempt sorrow to put out its snails'
horns？
She hardly spoke to any one； or any one to her； but four days after the
visit we have described people began to bend looks of sympathy on her； to
step out of their way to give her a kindly good…morrow； after a bit； fish
and meal used to be placed on her table by one neighbor or another； when
she was out； and so on。 She was at first behindhand in responding to all
this； but by degrees she thawed to those who were thawing to her。 Next；
Saunders called on her； and showed her a settlement； made for her
benefit； on certain lands in Lanarkshire。 She was at ease for life。
The Almighty had seen her all these years。
But how came her neighbors to melt？
Because a nobleman had visited her。
Not exactly； dear novel…reader。
This was it。
That same night； by a bright fire lighting up snowy walls； burnished
copper； gleaming candlesticks； and a dinner…table floor； sat the mistress
of the house； Christie Johnstone； and her brother； Flucker。
She with a book； he with his reflections opposite her。
〃Lassie； hae ye ony siller past ye？〃
〃Ay； lad； an' I mean to keep it！〃 The baddish boy had registered a vow to
the contrary； and proceeded to bleed his flint （for to do Christie
justice the process was not very dissimilar）。 Flucker had a versatile
genius for making money； he had made it in forty different ways； by land
and sea； tenpence at a time。
〃I hae gotten the life o' Jess Rutherford till ye；〃 said he。
〃Giest then。〃
〃I'm seeking half a crown for 't；〃 said he。
Now； he knew he should never get half a crown； but he also knew that if
he asked a shilling； he should be beaten down to fourpence。
So half a crown was his first bode。
The enemy； with anger at her heart； called up a humorous smile； and
saying； 〃An' ye'll get saxpence；〃 went about some household matter； in
reality； to let her proposal rankle in Flucker。
Flucker lighted his pipe slowly； as one who would not do a sister the
injustice to notice so trivial a proposition。
He waited fresh overtures。
They did not come。
Christie resumed her book。
Then the baddish boy fixed his eye on the fire； and said softly and
thoughtfully to the fire； 〃Hech； what a heap o' troubles yon woman has
come through。〃
This stroke of art was not lost。 Christie looked up from her book；
pretended he had spoken to her； gave a fictitious yawn； and renewed the
negotiation with the air of one disposed to kill time。
She was dying for the story。
Commerce was twice broken off and renewed by each power in turn。
At last the bargain was struck at fourteen…pence。
Then Flucker came out； the honest merchant。
He had listened intently； with mercantile views。
He had the widow's sorrows all off pat。
He was not a bit affected himself； but by pure memory he remembered where
she had been most agitated or overcome。
He gave it Christie； word for word； and even threw in what dramatists
call 〃the business；〃 thus：
〃Here ye suld greet〃
〃Here ye'll play your hand like a geraffe。〃
〃Geraffe？ That's a beast； I'm thinking。〃
〃Na； it's the thing on the hill that makes signals。〃
〃Telegraph； ye fulish goloshen！〃
〃Oo ay； telegraph！ Geraffe 's sunest said for a'。〃
Thus Jess Rutherford's life came into Christie Johnstone's hands。
She told it to a knot of natives next day； it lost nothing； for she was a
woman of feeling； and by intuition an artist of the tongue。 She was the
best _raconteur_ in a place where there are a hundred； male and female；
who attempt that art。
The next day she told it again； and then inferior narrators got hold of
it； and it soon circulated through the town。
And this was the cause of the sudden sympathy with Jess Rutherford。
As our prigs would say：
〃Art had adopted her cause and adorned her tale。〃
CHAPTER V。
THE fishing village of Newhaven is an unique place； it is a colony that
retains distinct features； the people seldom intermarry with their Scotch
neighbors。
Some say the colony is Dutch； some Danish； some Flemish。 The character
and cleanliness of their female costume points rather to the latter。
Fish； like horse…flesh； corrupts the mind and manners。
After a certain age； the Newhaven fishwife is always a blackguard； and
ugly； but among the younger specimens； who have not traded too much； or
come into much contact with larger towns； a charming modesty； or else
slyness （such as no man can distinguish from it； so it answers every
purpose）； is to be found； combined with rare grace and beauty。
It is a race of women that the northern sun peachifies instead of
rosewoodizing。
On Sundays the majority sacrifice appearance to fashion； these turn out
rainbows of silk； satin and lace。 In the week they were all grace； and no
stays； now they seem all stays and no grace。 They never look so ill as
when they change their 〃costume〃 for 〃dress。〃
The men are smart fishermen； distinguished from the other fishermen of
the Firth chiefly by their 〃dredging song。〃
This old song is money to them； thus：
Dredging is practically very stiff rowing for ten hours。
Now both the Newhaven men and their rivals are agreed that this song
lifts them through more work than untuned fishermen can manage。
I have heard the song； and seen the work done to it； and incline to think
it helps the oar； not only by keeping the time true； and the spirit
alive； but also by its favorable action on the lungs。 It is sung in a
peculiar way； the sound is； as it were； expelled from the chest in a sort
of musical ejaculations； and the like； we know； was done by the ancient
gymnasts； and is done by the French bakers； in lifting their enormous
dough； and by our paviors。
The song； in itself； does not contain above seventy stock verses； but
these perennial lines are a nucleus； round which the men improvise the
topics of the day； giving； I know not for what reason； the preference to
such as verge upon indelicacy。
The men and women are musical and narrative； three out of four can sing a
song or tell a story； and they omit few opportunit