LETTER X
DARSIE LATIMER TO ALAN FAIRFORD
The plot thickens, Alan. I have your letter, and also one from yourfather. The last makes it impossible for me to comply with the kindrequest which the former urges. No--I cannot be with you, Alan; andthat, for the best of all reasons--I cannot and ought not to counteractyour father's anxious wishes. I do not take it unkind of him that hedesires my absence. It is natural that he should wish for his sonwhat his son so well deserves--the advantage of a wiser and steadiercompanion than I seem to him. And yet I am sure I have often labouredhard enough to acquire that decency of demeanour which can no more besuspected of breaking bounds, than an owl of catching a butterfly.
But it was in vain that I have knitted my brows till I had the headache,in order to acquire the reputation of a grave, solid, and well-judgingyouth. Your father always has discovered, or thought that he discovered,a hare-brained eccentricity lying folded among the wrinkles of myforehead, which rendered me a perilous associate for the futurecounsellor and ultimate judge. Well, Corporal Nym's philosophy mustbe my comfort--'Things must be as they may.'--I cannot come to yourfather's house, where he wishes not to see me; and as to your cominghither,--by all that is dear to me, I vow that if you are guilty of sucha piece of reckless folly--not to say undutiful cruelty, consideringyour father's thoughts and wishes--I will never speak to you again aslong as I live! I am perfectly serious. And besides, your father, whilehe in a manner prohibits me from returning to Edinburgh, gives me thestrongest reasons for continuing a little while longer in this country,by holding out the hope that I may receive from your old friend, Mr.Herries of Birrenswork, some particulars concerning my origin, withwhich that ancient recusant seems to be acquainted.
That gentleman mentioned the name of a family in Westmoreland, withwhich he supposes me connected. My inquiries here after such a familyhave been ineffectual, for the borderers, on either side, know littleof each other. But I shall doubtless find some English person of whom tomake inquiries, since the confounded fetterlock clapped on my movementsby old Griffiths, prevents me repairing to England in person. Atleast, the prospect of obtaining some information is greater here thanelsewhere; it will be an apology for my making a longer stay in thisneighbourhood, a line of conduct which seems to have your father'ssanction, whose opinion must be sounder than that of your wanderingdamoselle.
If the road were paved with dangers which leads to such a discovery, Icannot for a moment hesitate to tread it. But in fact there is no perilin the case. If the Tritons of the Solway shall proceed to pull downhonest Joshua's tide-nets, I am neither Quixote enough in disposition,nor Goliath enough in person, to attempt their protection. I have noidea of attempting to prop a falling house by putting my shouldersagainst it. And indeed, Joshua gave me a hint that the company which hebelongs to, injured in the way threatened (some of them being men whothought after the fashion of the world), would pursue the riotersat law, and recover damages, in which probably his own ideas ofnon-resistance will not prevent his participating. Therefore the wholeaffair will take its course as law will, as I only mean to interferewhen it may be necessary to direct the course of the plaintiffs tothy chambers; and I request they may find thee intimate with all theScottish statutes concerning salmon fisheries, from the LEX AQUARUM,downward.
As for the Lady of the Mantle, I will lay a wager that the sun sobedazzled thine eyes on that memorable morning, that everything thoudidst look upon seemed green; and notwithstanding James Wilkinson'sexperience in the Fusileers, as well as his negative whistle, I willventure to hold a crown that she is but a what-shall-call-'um after all.Let not even the gold persuade you to the contrary. She may make a shiftto cause you to disgorge that, and (immense spoil!) a session's feesto boot, if you look not all the sharper about you. Or if it should beotherwise, and if indeed there lurk some mystery under this visitation,credit me, it is one which thou canst not penetrate, nor can I as yeteven attempt to explain it; since, if I prove mistaken, and mistaken Imay easily be, I would be fain to creep into Phalaris's bull, wereit standing before me ready heated, rather than be roasted with thyraillery. Do not tax me with want of confidence; for the instant I canthrow any light on the matter thou shalt have it; but while I am onlyblundering about in the dark, I do not choose to call wise folks to seeme, perchance, break my nose against a post. So if you marvel at this,
E'en marvel on till time makes all things plain.
In the meantime, kind Alan, let me proceed in my diurnal.
On the third or fourth day after my arrival at Mount Sharon, Time, thatbald sexton to whom I have just referred you, did certainly limp moreheavily along with me than he had done at first. The quaint moralityof Joshua, and Huguenot simplicity of his sister, began to lose much oftheir raciness with their novelty, and my mode of life, by dint of beingvery quiet, began to feel abominably dull. It was, as thou say'st, asif the Quakers had put the sun in their pockets--all around was softand mild, and even pleasant; but there was, in the whole routine, auniformity, a want of interest, a helpless and hopeless languor, whichrendered life insipid. No doubt, my worthy host and hostess felt noneof this void, this want of excitation, which was becoming oppressive totheir guest. They had their little round of occupations, charities, andpleasures; Rachel had her poultry-yard and conservatory, and Joshuahis garden. Besides this, they enjoyed, doubtless, their devotionalmeditations; and, on the whole, time glided softly and imperceptiblyon with them, though to me, who long for stream and cataract, it seemedabsolutely to stand still. I meditated returning to Shepherd's Bush, andbegan to think, with some hankering, after little Benjie and the rod.The imp has ventured hither, and hovers about to catch a peep of menow and then; I suppose the little sharper is angling for a few moresixpences. But this would have been, in Joshua's eyes, a return of thewashed sow to wallowing in the mire, and I resolved, while I remainedhis guest, to spare him so violent a shock to his prejudices. The nextpoint was, to shorten the time of my proposed stay; but, alas! that Ifelt to be equally impossible. I had named a week; and however rashly mypromise had been pledged, it must be held sacred, even according to theletter, from which the Friends permit no deviation.
All these considerations wrought me up to a kind of impatience yesterdayevening; so that I snatched up my hat, and prepared for a sally beyondthe cultivated farm and ornamented grounds of Mount Sharon, just as ifI were desirous to escape from the realms of art, into those of free andunconstrained nature.
I was scarcely more delighted when I first entered this peacefuldemesne, than I now was--such is the instability and inconsistencyof human nature!--when I escaped from it to the open downs, which hadformerly seemed so waste and dreary, The air I breathed felt purer andmore bracing. The clouds, riding high upon a summer breeze, drove, ingay succession, over my head, now obscuring the sun, now letting itsrays stream in transient flashes upon various parts of the landscape,and especially upon the broad mirror of the distant Firth of Solway.
I advanced on the scene with the light step of a liberated captive; and,like John Bunyan's Pilgrim, could have found in my heart to sing asI went on my way. It seemed as if my gaiety had accumulated whilesuppressed, and that I was, in my present joyous mood, entitled toexpend the savings of the previous week. But just as I was about touplift a merry stave, I heard, to my joyful surprise, the voices ofthree or more choristers, singing, with considerable success, the livelyold catch,
For all our men were very very merry, And all our men were drinking: There were two men of mine, Three men of thine, And three that belonged to old Sir Thom o' Lyne; As they went to the ferry, they were very very merry, And all our men were drinking.'
[The original of this catch is to be found in Cowley's witty comedy ofTHE GUARDIAN, the first edition. It does not exist in the second andrevised edition, called THE CUTTER OF COLEMAN STREET.
CAPTAIN BLADE. Ha, ha, boys, another catch. AND ALL OUR MEN ARE VERY VERY MERRY, AND ALL OUR MEN WERE DRINKING. CUTTER. ONE MAN OF
MINE. DOGREL. TWO MEN OF MINE. BLADE. THREE MEN OF MINE. CUTTER. AND ONE MAN OF MINE. OMNES. AS WE WENT BY THE WAY WE WERE DRUNK, DRUNK, DAMNABLY DRUNK, AND ALL OUR MEN WERE VERY VERY MERRY, &c.
Such are the words, which are somewhat altered and amplified in thetext. The play was acted in presence of Charles II, then Prince ofWales, in 1641. The catch in the text has been happily set to music.]
As the chorus ended, there followed a loud and hearty laugh by wayof cheers. Attracted by sounds which were so congenial to my presentfeelings, I made towards the spot from which they came,--cautiously,however, for the downs, as had been repeatedly hinted to me, had no goodname; and the attraction of the music, without rivalling that of thesirens in melody, might have been followed by similarly inconvenientconsequences to an incautious amateur.
I crept on, therefore, trusting that the sinuosities of the ground,broken as it was into knells and sand-pits, would permit me to obtaina sight of the musicians before I should be observed by them. As Iadvanced, the old ditty was again raised. The voices seemed those of aman and two boys; they were rough, but kept good time, and were managedwith too much skill to belong to the ordinary country people.
Jack looked at the sun, and cried, Fire, fire, fire; Tom stabled his keffel in Birkendale mire; Jem started a calf, and halloo'd for a stag; Will mounted a gate-post instead of his nag: For all our men were very very merry, And all our men were drinking; There were two men of mine, Three men of thine, And three that belonged to old Sir Thom o' Lyne; As they went to the ferry, they were very very merry, For all our men were drinking.
The voices, as they mixed in their several parts, and ran through them,untwisting and again entwining all the links of the merry old catch,seemed to have a little touch of the bacchanalian spirit which theycelebrated, and showed plainly that the musicians were engaged in thesame joyous revel as the MENYIE of old Sir Thom o' Lyne. At length Icame within sight of them, three in number, where they sat cosily nichedinto what you might call a BUNKER, a little sand-pit, dry and snug, andsurrounded by its banks, and a screen of whins in full bloom.
The only one of the trio whom I recognized as a personal acquaintancewas the notorious little Benjie, who, having just finished his stave,was cramming a huge luncheon of pie-crust into his mouth with one hand,while in the other he held a foaming tankard, his eyes dancing with allthe glee of a forbidden revel; and his features, which have at all timesa mischievous archness of expression, confessing the full sweetness ofstolen waters, and bread eaten in secret.
There was no mistaking the profession of the male and female, who werepartners with Benjie in these merry doings. The man's long loose-bodiedgreatcoat (wrap-rascal as the vulgar term it), the fiddle-case, with itsstraps, which lay beside him, and a small knapsack which might containhis few necessaries; a clear grey eye; features which, in contendingwith many a storm, had not lost a wild and, careless expression of glee,animated at present, when he was exercising for his own pleasure thearts which he usually practised for bread,--all announced one of thoseperipatetic followers of Orpheus whom the vulgar call a strollingfiddler. Gazing more attentively, I easily discovered that though thepoor musician's eyes were open, their sense was shut, and that theecstasy with which he turned them up to heaven only derived its apparentexpression from his own internal emotions, but received no assistancefrom the visible objects around. Beside him sat his female companion, ina man's hat, a blue coat, which seemed also to have been an article ofmale apparel, and a red petticoat. She was cleaner, in person and inclothes, than such itinerants generally are; and, having been in her daya strapping BONA ROBA, she did not even yet neglect some attention toher appearance; wore a large amber necklace, and silver ear-rings, andhad her laid fastened across her breast with a brooch of the same metal.
The man also looked clean, notwithstanding the meanness of his attire,and had a decent silk handkerchief well knotted about his throat, underwhich peeped a clean owerlay. His beard, also, instead of displaying agrizzly stubble, unmowed for several days, flowed in thick and comelyabundance over the breast, to the length of six inches, and mingled withhis hair, which was but beginning to exhibit a touch of age. To sum uphis appearance, the loose garment which I have described was securedaround him by a large old-fashioned belt, with brass studs, inwhich hung a dirk, with a knife and fork, its usual accompaniments.Altogether, there was something more wild and adventurous-looking aboutthe man than I could have expected to see in an ordinary modern crowder;and the bow which he now and then drew across the violin, to direct hislittle choir, was decidedly that of no ordinary performer.
You must understand that many of these observations were the fruits ofafter remark; for I had scarce approached so near as to get a distinctview of the party, when my friend Benjie's lurching attendant, which hecalls by the appropriate name of Hemp, began to cock his tail and ears,and, sensible of my presence, flew, barking like a fury, to the placewhere I had meant to lie concealed till I heard another song. I wasobliged, however, to jump on my feet, and intimidate Hemp, who wouldotherwise have bit me, by two sound kicks on the ribs, which sent himhowling back to his master.
Little Benjie seemed somewhat dismayed at my appearance; but,calculating on my placability, and remembering, perhaps, that theill-used Solomon was no palfrey of mine, he speedily affected greatglee, and almost in one breath assured the itinerants that I was 'agrand gentleman, and had plenty of money, and was very kind to poorfolk;' and informed me that this was 'Willie Steenson--Wandering Williethe best fiddler that ever kittled thairm with horse-hair.'
The woman rose and curtsied; and Wandering Willie sanctioned his ownpraises with a nod, and the ejaculation, 'All is true that the littleboy says.'
I asked him if he was of this country.
'THIS country!' replied the blind man--'I am of every country in broadScotland, and a wee bit of England to the boot. But yet I am, in somesense, of this country; for I was born within hearing of the roar ofSolway. Will I give your honour a touch of the auld bread-winner?'
He preluded as he spoke, in a manner which really excited my curiosity;and then, taking the old tune of Galashiels for his theme, he gracedit with a number of wild, complicated, and beautiful variations; duringwhich it was wonderful to observe how his sightless face was lighted upunder the conscious pride and heartfelt delight in the exercise of hisown very considerable powers.
'What think you of that, now, for threescore and twa?'
I expressed my surprise and pleasure.
'A rant, man--an auld rant,' said Willie; 'naething like the music yehae in your ballhouses and your playhouses in Edinbro'; but it's weelaneugh anes in a way at a dykeside. Here's another--it's no a Scotchtune, but it passes for ane--Oswald made it himsell, I reckon--he hascheated mony ane, but he canna cheat Wandering Willie.'
He then played your favourite air of Roslin Castle, with a number ofbeautiful variations, some of which I am certain were almost extempore.
'You have another fiddle there, my friend,' said I--'Have you acomrade?' But Willie's ears were deaf, or his attention was still busiedwith the tune.
The female replied in his stead, 'O aye, sir--troth we have a partner--agangrel body like oursells. No but my hinny might have been better if hehad liked; for mony a bein nook in mony a braw house has been offered tomy hinny Willie, if he wad but just bide still and play to the gentles.'
'Whisht, woman! whisht!' said the blind man, angrily, shaking his locks;'dinna deave the gentleman wi' your havers. Stay in a house and play tothe gentles!--strike up when my leddy pleases, and lay down the bow whenmy lord bids! Na, na, that's nae life for Willie. Look out, Maggie--peerout, woman, and see if ye can see Robin coming. Deil be in him! He hasgot to the lee-side of some smuggler's punch-bowl, and he wunna budgethe night, I doubt.'
'That is your consort's instrument,' said I--' Will you give me leaveto try my skill?' I slipped at the same time a shilling into the woman'shand.
'I dinna ken whether I dare trust Robin'
s fiddle to ye,' said Willie,bluntly. His wife gave him a twitch. 'Hout awa, Maggie,' he said incontempt of the hint; 'though the gentleman may hae gien ye siller, hemay have nae bowhand for a' that, and I'll no trust Robin's fiddle wi'an ignoramus. But that's no sae muckle amiss,' he added, as I began totouch the instrument; 'I am thinking ye have some skill o' the craft.'
To confirm him in this favourable opinion, I began to execute sucha complicated flourish as I thought must have turned Crowdero intoa pillar of stone with envy and wonder. I scaled the top of thefinger-board, to dive at once to the bottom--skipped with flyingfingers, like Timotheus, from shift to shift--struck arpeggios andharmonic tones, but without exciting any of the astonishment which I hadexpected.
Willie indeed listened to me with considerable attention; but I was nosooner finished, than he immediately mimicked on his own instrumentthe fantastic complication of tones which I had produced, and made sowhimsical a parody of my performance, that, although somewhat angry, Icould not help laughing heartily, in which I was joined by Benjie,whose reverence for me held him under no restraint; while the poor dame,fearful, doubtless, of my taking offence at this familiarity, seemeddivided betwixt her conjugal reverence for her Willie, and her desire togive him a hint for his guidance.
At length the old man stopped of his own accord, and, as if he hadsufficiently rebuked me by his mimicry, he said, 'But for a' that, yewill play very weel wi' a little practice and some gude teaching. But yemaun learn to put the heart into it, man--to put the heart into it.'
I played an air in simpler taste, and received more decided approbation.
'That's something like it man. Od, ye are a clever birkie!'
The woman touched his coat again. 'The gentleman is a gentleman,Willie--ye maunna speak that gate to him, hinnie.'
'The deevil I maunna!' said Willie; 'and what for maunna I?--If he wasten gentles, he canna draw a bow like me, can he?'
'Indeed I cannot, my honest friend,' said I; 'and if you will go with meto a house hard by, I would be glad to have a night with you.'
Here I looked round, and observed Benjie smothering a laugh, which I wassure had mischief in it. I seized him suddenly by the ear, and made himconfess that he was laughing at the thoughts of the reception which afiddler was likely to get from the Quakers at Mount Sharon. I chuckedhim from me, not sorry that his mirth had reminded me in time of what Ihad for the moment forgotten; and invited the itinerant to go with me toShepherd's Bush, from which I proposed to send word to Mr. Geddes thatI should not return home that evening. But the minstrel declined thisinvitation also. He was engaged for the night, he said, to a dance inthe neighbourhood, and vented a round execration on the lazinessor drunkenness of his comrade, who had not appeared at the place ofrendezvous.
'I will go with you instead of him,' said I, in a sudden whim; 'and Iwill give you a crown to introduce me as your comrade.'
'YOU gang instead of Rob the Rambler! My certie, freend, ye are noblate!' answered Wandering Willie, in a tone which announced death to myfrolic.
But Maggie, whom the offer of the crown had not escaped, began to openon that scent with a maundering sort of lecture. 'Oh Willie! hinnyWillie, whan will ye learn to be wise? There's a crown to be win fornaething but saying ae man's name instead of anither. And, wae's me! Ihae just a shilling of this gentleman's gieing, and a boddle of my ain;and ye wunna, bend your will sae muckle as to take up the siller that'sflung at your feet! Ye will die the death of a cadger's powney, in awreath of drift! and what can I do better than lie doun and die wi' you?for ye winna let me win siller to keep either you or mysell leevin.'
'Haud your nonsense tongue, woman,' said Willie, but less absolutelythan before. 'Is he a real gentleman, or ane of the player-men?'
'I'se uphaud him a real gentleman,' said the woman.
'I'se uphaud ye ken little of the matter,' said Willie; 'let us see haudof your hand, neebor, gin ye like.
I gave him my hand. He said to himself, 'Aye, aye, here are fingers thathave seen canny service.' Then running his hand over my hair, my face,and my dress, he went on with his soliloquy; 'Aye, aye, muisted hair,braidclaith o' the best, and seenteen hundred linen on his back, at theleast o' it. And how do you think, my braw birkie, that you are to passfor a tramping fiddler?'
'My dress is plain,' said I,--indeed I had chosen my most ordinary suit,out of compliment to my Quaker friends,--'and I can easily pass for ayoung farmer out upon a frolic. Come, I will double the crown I promisedyou.'
'Damn your crowns!' said the disinterested man of music. 'I would liketo have a round wi' you, that's certain;--but a farmer, and with a handthat never held pleugh-stilt or pettle, that will never do. Ye may passfor a trades-lad from Dumfries, or a student upon the ramble, or thelike o' that. But hark ye, lad; if ye expect to be ranting among thequeans o' lasses where ye are gaun, ye will come by the waur, I can tellye; for the fishers are wild chaps, and will bide nae taunts.'
I promised to be civil and cautious; and, to smooth the good woman, Islipped the promised piece into her hand. The acute organs of the blindman detected this little manoeuvre.
'Are ye at it again wi' the siller, ye jaud? I'll be sworn ye wad ratherhear ae twalpenny clink against another, than have a spring from RoryDall, [Blind Rorie, a famous musician according to tradition.] ifhe was-coming alive again anes errand. Gang doun the gate to LuckyGregson's and get the things ye want, and bide there till ele'en hoursin the morn; and if you see Robin, send him on to me.'
'Am I no gaun to the ploy, then?' said Maggie, in a disappointed tone.
'And what for should ye?' said her lord and master; 'to dance a' night,I'se warrant, and no to be fit to walk your tae's-length the morn, andwe have ten Scots miles afore us? Na, na. Stable the steed, and pit yourwife to bed, when there's night wark to do.'
'Aweel, aweel, Willie hinnie, ye ken best; but oh, take an unco care o'yoursell, and mind ye haena the blessing o' sight.'
'Your tongue gars me whiles tire of the blessing of hearing, woman,'replied 'Willie, in answer to this tender exhortation.
But I now put in for my interest. 'Hollo, good folks, remember that I amto send the boy to Mount Sharon, and if you go to the Shepherd's Bush,honest woman, how the deuce am I to guide the blind man where he isgoing? I know little or nothing of the country.'
'And ye ken mickle less of my hinnie, sir,' replied Maggie, 'thatthink he needs ony guiding; he's the best guide himsell that ye'll findbetween Criffell and Carlisle. Horse-road and foot-path, parish-roadand kirk-road, high-road and cross-road, he kens ilka foot of ground inNithsdale.'
'Aye, ye might have said in braid Scotland, gudewife,' added thefiddler. 'But gang your ways, Maggie, that's the first wise word ye haespoke the day. I wish it was dark night, and rain, and wind, for thegentleman's sake, that I might show him there is whiles when ane hadbetter want een than have them; for I am as true a guide by darkness asby daylight.'
Internally as well pleased that my companion was not put to give me thislast proof of his skill, I wrote a note with a pencil, desiring Samuelto bring my horses at midnight, when I thought my frolic would bewellnigh over, to the place to which the bearer should direct him, and Isent little Benjie with an apology to the worthy Quakers.
As we parted in different directions, the good woman said, 'Oh, sir, ifye wad but ask Willie to tell ye ane of his tales to shorten the gate!He can speak like ony minister frae the pu'pit, and he might have been aminister himsell, but'--
'Haud your tongue, ye fule!' said Willie,--'But stay, Meg--gie mea kiss, ne maunna part in anger, neither.'--And thus our societyseparated.
[It is certain that in many cases the blind have, by constant exerciseof their other organs, learned to overcome a defect which one wouldthink incapable of being supplied. Every reader must remember thecelebrated Blind Jack of Knaresborough, who lived by laying out roads.]