第9章

Hereitwasthatmyfirsttourofinspectionbegan，earlyonableakeasterlymorning。Therewasacrashingrunofseaupontheshore，Irecollect，andmyfatherandthemanoftheharbourlightmustsometimesraisetheirvoicestobeaudible。Perhapsitisfromthiscircumstance，thatIalwaysimagineSt。Andrewstobeanineffectualseatoflearning，andthesoundoftheeastwindandtheburstingsurftolingerinitsdrowsyclassroomsandconfoundtheutteranceoftheprofessor，untilteacherandtaughtarealikedrownedinoblivion，andonlythesea-gullbeatsonthewindowsandthedraughtofthesea-airrustlesinthepagesoftheopenlecture。Butuponallthis，andtheromanceofSt。Andrewsingeneral，thereadermustconsulttheworksofMr。AndrewLang；whohaswrittenofitbuttheotherdayinhisdaintyproseandwithhisincommunicablehumour，andlongagoinoneofhisbestpoems，withgrace，andlocaltruth，andanoteofunaffectedpathos。Mr。 Langknowsallabouttheromance，Isay，andtheeducationaladvantages，butIdoubtifhehadturnedhisattentiontotheharbourlights；anditmaybenewseventohim，thatintheyear1863theircasewaspitiable。Hangingaboutwiththeeastwindhumminginmyteeth，andmyhands(Imakenodoubt)inmypockets，Ilookedforthefirsttimeuponthattragi-comedyofthevisitingengineerwhichIhaveseensooftenre-enactedonamoreimportantstage。Eightyyearsago，Ifindmygrandfatherwriting:\"Itisthemostpainfulthingthatcanoccurtometohaveacorrespondenceofthiskindwithanyofthekeepers，andwhenI cometotheLightHouse，insteadofhavingthesatisfactiontomeetthemwithapprobationandwelcometheirFamily，itisdistressingwhenone-isobligedtoputonamostangrycountenanceanddemeanour。\"Thispainfulobligationhasbeenhereditaryinmyrace。Ihavemyself，onaperfectlyamateurandunauthorisedinspectionofTurnberryPoint，bentmybrowsuponthekeeperonthequestionofstorm-panes；andfeltakeenpangofself-reproach，whenwewentdownstairsagainandIfoundhewasmakingacoffinforhisinfantchild；andthenregainedmyequanimitywiththethoughtthatIhaddonethemanaservice，andwhentheproperinspectorcame，hewouldbereadierwithhispanes。Thehumanraceisperhapscreditedwithmoreduplicitythanitdeserves。Thevisitationofalighthouseatleastisabusinessofthemosttransparentnature。Assoonastheboatgratesontheshore，andthekeepersstepforwardintheiruniformedcoats，theveryslouchofthefellows\'shoulderstellstheirstory，andtheengineermaybeginatoncetoassumehis\"angrycountenance。\"Certainlythebrassofthehandrailwillbeclouded；andifthebrassbenotimmaculate，certainlyallwillbetomatch-thereflectorsscratched，thesparelampunready，thestorm-panesinthestorehouse。Ifalightisnotrathermorethanmiddlinggood，itwillberadicallybad。Mediocrity(exceptinliterature)appearstobeunattainablebyman。ButofcoursetheunfortunateofSt。 Andrewswasonlyanamateur，hewasnotintheService，hehadnouniformcoat，hewas(Ibelieve)aplumberbyhistradeandstood(inthemediaevalphrase)quiteoutofthedangerofmyfather；buthehadapainfulinterviewforallthat，andperspiredextremely。 FromSt。Andrews，wedroveoverMagusMuir。Myfatherhadannouncedwewere\"topost，\"andthephrasecalledupinmyhopefulmindvisionsoftop-bootsandthepicturesinRowlandson\'sDANCEOF DEATH；butitwasonlyajinglingcabthatcametotheinndoor，suchasIhaddriveninathousandtimesatthelowpriceofoneshillingonthestreetsofEdinburgh。Beyondthisdisappointment，Iremembernothingofthatdrive。ItisaroadIhaveoftentravelled，andofnotoneofthesejourneysdoIrememberanysingletrait。Thefacthasnotbeensufferedtoencroachonthetruthoftheimagination。IstillseeMagusMuirtwohundredyearsago；adesertplace，quiteuninclosed；inthemidst，theprimate\'scarriagefleeingatthegallop；theassassinsloose-reinedinpursuit，BurleyBalfour，pistolinhand，amongthefirst。Nosceneofhistoryhaseverwrittenitselfsodeeplyonmymind；notbecauseBalfour，thatquestionablezealot，wasanancestralcousinofmyown；notbecauseofthepleadingsofthevictimandhisdaughter；notevenbecauseofthelivebum-beethatflewoutofSharpe\'s\'bacco-box，thusclearlyindicatinghiscomplicitywithSatan；normerelybecause，asitwasafterallacrimeofafinereligiousflavour，itfiguredinSundaybooksandaffordedagratefulrelieffromMINISTERINGCHILDRENortheMEMOIRSOFMRS。 KATHATINEWINSLOWE。ThefigurethatalwaysfixedmyattentionisthatofHackstonofRathillet，sittinginthesaddlewithhiscloakabouthismouth，andthroughallthatlong，bungling，vociferoushurly-burly，revolvingprivatelyacaseofconscience。Hewouldtakenohandinthedeed，becausehehadaprivatespiteagainstthevictim，and\"thataction\"mustbesulliedwithnosuggestionofaworldlymotive；ontheotherhand，\"thataction，\"initself，washighlyjustified，hehadcastinhislotwith\"theactors，\"andhemuststaythere，inactivebutpubliclysharingtheresponsibility。 \"Youareagentleman-youwillprotectme!\"criedthewoundedoldman，crawlingtowardshim。\"Iwillneverlayahandonyou，\"saidHackston，andputhiscloakabouthismouth。Itisanoldtemptationwithme，topluckawaythatcloakandseetheface-toopenthatbosomandtoreadtheheart。WithincompleteromancesaboutHackston，thedrawersofmyyouthwerelumbered。IreadhimupineveryprintedbookthatIcouldlaymyhandson。IevendugamongtheWodrowmanuscripts，sittingshame-facedintheveryroomwheremyherohadbeentorturedtwocenturiesbefore，andkeenlyconsciousofmyyouthinthemidstofotherand(asIfondlythought)moregiftedstudents。Allwasvain:thathehadpassedariotousnonage，thathewasazealot，thathetwicedisplayed(comparedwithhisgrotesquecompanions)sometinctureofsoldierlyresolutionandevenofmilitarycommonsense，andthathefiguredmemorablyinthesceneonMagusMuir，somuchandnomorecouldI makeout。ButwheneverIcastmyeyesbackward，itistoseehimlikealandmarkontheplainsofhistory，sittingwithhiscloakabouthismouth，inscrutable。Howsmallathingcreatesanimmortality!Idonotthinkhecanhavebeenamanentirelycommonplace；buthadhenotthrownhiscloakabouthismouth，orhadthewitnessesforgottochronicletheaction，hewouldnotthushavehauntedtheimaginationofmyboyhood，andto-dayhewouldscarcedelaymeforaparagraph。Anincident，atonceromanticanddramatic，whichatonceawakesthejudgmentandmakesapicturefortheeye，howlittledowerealiseitsperdurablepower!Perhapsnoonedoessobuttheauthor，justasnonebutheappreciatestheinfluenceofjinglingwords；sothathelooksonuponlife，withsomethingofacovertsmile，seeingpeopleledbywhattheyfancytobethoughtsandwhatarereallytheaccustomedartificesofhisowntrade，orrousedbywhattheytaketobeprinciplesandarereallypicturesqueeffects。Inapleasantbookaboutaschool- classclub，ColonelFergussonhasrecentlytoldalittleanecdote。 A\"PhilosophicalSociety\"wasformedbysomeAcademyboys-amongthem，ColonelFergussonhimself，FleemingJenkin，andAndrewWilson，theChristianBuddhistandauthorofTHEABODEOFSNOW。 Beforetheselearnedpundits，onememberlaidthefollowingingeniousproblem:\"Whatwouldbetheresultofputtingapoundofpotassiuminapotofporter？\"\"Ishouldthinktherewouldbeanumberofinterestingbi-products，\"saidasmattereratmyelbow； butformethetaleitselfhasabi-product，andstandsasatypeofmuchthatismosthuman。Forthisinquirerwhoconceivedhimselftoburnwithazealentirelychemical，wasreallyimmersedinadesignofaquitedifferentnature；unconsciouslytohisownrecentlybreechedintelligence，hewasengagedinliterature。 Putting，pound，potassium，pot，porter；initialp，mediantt-thatwashisidea，poorlittleboy!Sowithpoliticsandthatwhichexcitesmeninthepresent，sowithhistoryandthatwhichrousestheminthepast:therelieattherootofwhatappears，mostseriousunsuspectedelements。 ThetripletownofAnstrutherWester，AnstrutherEaster，andCellardyke，allthreeRoyalBurghs-ortwoRoyalBurghsandalessdistinguishedsuburb，Iforgetwhich-liescontinuouslyalongtheseaside，andboastsofeithertwoorthreeseparateparishchurches，andeithertwoorthreeseparateharbours。Theseambiguitiesarepainful；butthefactis(althoughitarguemeuncultured)，IambutpoorlyposteduponCellardyke。MybusinesslayinthetwoAnstruthers。Atrickletofastreamdividesthem，spannedbyabridge；andoverthebridgeatthetimeofmyknowledge，thecelebratedShellHousestoodoutpostonthewest。 Thishadbeentheresidenceofanagreeableeccentric；duringhisfondtenancy，hehadillustratedtheouterwalls，ashigh(ifI rememberrightly)astheroof，withelaboratepatternsandpictures，andsnatchesofverseintheveinofEXEGIMONUMENTUM； shellsandpebbles，artfullycontrastedandconjoined，hadbeenhismedium；andIliketothinkofhimstandingbackuponthebridge，whenallwasfinished，drinkinginthegeneraleffectand(likeGibbon)alreadylamentinghisemployment。 Thesamebridgesawanothersightintheseventeenthcentury。Mr。 Thomson，the\"curat\"ofAnstrutherEaster，wasamanhighlyobnoxioustothedevout:inthefirstplace，becausehewasa\"curat\"；inthesecondplace，becausehewasapersonofirregularandscandalouslife；andinthethirdplace，becausehewasgenerallysuspectedofdealingswiththeEnemyofMan。Thesethreedisqualifications，inthepopularliteratureofthetime，gohandinhand；buttheendofMr。Thomsonwasathingquitebyitself，andintheproperphrase，amanifestjudgment。Hehadbeenatafriend\'shouseinAnstrutherWester，where(andelsewhere，I suspect)hehadpartakenofthebottle；indeed，toputthethinginourcoldmodernway，thereverendgentlemanwasonthebrinkofDELIRIUMTREMENS。Itwasadarknight，itseems；alittlelassiecamecarryingalanterntofetchthecuratehome；andawaytheywentdownthestreetofAnstrutherWester，thelanternswingingabitinthechild\'shand，thebarredlustretossingupanddownalongthefrontofslumberinghouses，andMr。Thomsonnotaltogethersteadyonhislegsnor(toallappearance)easyinhismind。Thepairhadreachedthemiddleofthebridgewhen(asI conceivethescene)thepoortipplerstartedinsomebaselessfearandlookedbehindhim；thechild，alreadyshakenbytheminister\'sstrangebehaviour，startedalso；insodoing，shewouldjerkthelantern；andforthespaceofamomentthelightsandtheshadowswouldbeallconfounded。Thenitwasthattotheunhingedtoperandthetwitteringchild，ahugebulkofblacknessseemedtosweepdown，topassthemclosebyastheystooduponthebridge，andtovanishonthefarthersideinthegeneraldarknessofthenight。 \"PlainlythedevilcomeforMr。Thomson!\"thoughtthechild。WhatMr。Thomsonthoughthimself，wehavenogroundofknowledge；buthefelluponhiskneesinthemidstofthebridgelikeamanpraying。 Ontherestofthejourneytothemanse，historyissilent；butwhentheycametothedoor，thepoorcaitiff，takingthelanternfromthechild，lookeduponherwithsolostacountenancethatherlittlecouragediedwithinher，andshefledhomescreamingtoherparents。Notasoulwouldventureout；allthatnight，theministerdweltalonewithhisterrorsinthemanse；andwhenthedaydawned，andmenmadeboldtogoaboutthestreets，theyfoundthedevilhadcomeindeedforMr。Thomson。 ThismanseofAnstrutherEasterhasanotherandamorecheerfulassociation。Itwasearlyinthemorning，aboutacenturybeforethedaysofMr。Thomson，thathispredecessorwascalledoutofbedtowelcomeaGrandeeofSpain，theDukeofMedinaSidonia，justlandedintheharbourunderneath。Butsuretherewasneverseenamoredecayedgrandee；suretherewasneveradukewelcomedfromastrangerplaceofexile。Half-waybetweenOrkneyandShetland，thereliesacertainisle；ontheonehandtheAtlantic，ontheothertheNorthSea，bombarditspillaredcliffs；sore-eyed，short- living，inbredfishersandtheirfamiliesherdinitsfewhuts；inthegraveyardpiecesofwreck-woodstandformonuments；thereisnowhereamoreinhospitablespot。BELLE-ISLE-EN-MER-Fair-Isle- at-Sea-thatisanamethathasalwaysrunginmymind\'searlikemusic；buttheonly\"FairIsle\"onwhichIeversetmyfoot，wasthisunhomely，ruggedturret-topofsubmarinesierras。Here，whenhisshipwasbroken，mylordDukejoyfullygotashore；hereforlongmonthsheandcertainofhismenwereharboured；anditwasfromthisdurancethathelandedatlasttobewelcomed(aswellassuchapapistdeserved，nodoubt)bythegodlyincumbentofAnstrutherEaster；andaftertheFairIsle，whatafinecitymustthathaveappeared!andaftertheislanddiet，whatahospitablespottheminister\'stable!Andyethemusthavelivedonfriendlytermswithhisoutlandishhosts。FortothisdaytherestillsurvivesarelicofthelongwintereveningswhenthesailorsofthegreatArmadacrouchedaboutthehearthsoftheFair-Islanders，theplanksoftheirownlostgalleonperhapslightingupthescene，andthegaleandthesurfthatbeataboutthecoastcontributingtheirmelancholyvoices。Allthefolkofthenorthislesaregreatartificersofknitting:theFair-IslandersalonedyetheirfabricsintheSpanishmanner。Tothisday，glovesandnightcaps，innocentlydecorated，maybeseenforsaleintheShetlandwarehouseatEdinburgh，orontheFairIsleitselfinthecatechist\'shouse；andtothisday，theytellthestoryoftheDukeofMedinaSidonia\'sadventure。 ItwouldseemasiftheFairIslehadsomeattractionfor\"personsofquality。\"WhenIlandedtheremyself，anelderlygentleman，unshaved，poorlyattired，hisshoulderswrappedinaplaid，wasseenwalkingtoandfro，withabookinhishand，uponthebeach。 Hepaidnoheedtoourarrival，whichwethoughtastrangethinginitself；butwhenoneoftheofficersofthePHAROS，passingnarrowlybyhim，observedhisbooktobeaGreekTestament，ourwonderandinteresttookahigherflight。Thecatechistwascross- examined；hesaidthegentlemanhadbeenputacrosssometimebeforeinMr。BruceofSumburgh\'sschooner，theonlylinkbetweentheFairIsleandtherestoftheworld；andthatheheldservicesandwasdoing\"good。\"Somuchcamegliblyenough；butwhenpressedalittlefarther，thecatechistdisplayedembarrassment。A singulardiffidenceappeareduponhisface:\"Theytellme，\"saidhe，inlowtones，\"thathe\'salord。\"Andalordhewas；apeeroftherealmpacingthatinhospitablebeachwithhisGreekTestament，andhisplaidabouthisshoulders，setupondoinggood，asheunderstoodit，worthyman!Andhisgrandson，agood-lookinglittleboy，muchbetterdressedthanthelordlyevangelist，andspeakingwithasilkenEnglishaccentveryforeigntothescene，accompaniedmeforawhileinmyexplorationoftheisland。Isupposethislittlefellowisnowmylord，andwonderhowmuchheremembersoftheFairIsle。Perhapsnotmuch；forheseemedtoacceptveryquietlyhissavagesituation；andundersuchguidance，itislikethatthiswasnothisfirstnoryethislastadventure。 CHAPTERVI-RANDOMMEMORIES II-THEEDUCATIONOFANENGINEER ANSTRUTHERisaplacesacredtotheMuse；sheinspired(reallytoaconsiderableextent)Tennant\'svernacularpoemANST\'ERFAIR；andI havetherewaiteduponhermyselfwithmuchdevotion。ThiswaswhenIcameasayoungmantogleanengineeringexperiencefromthebuildingofthebreakwater。WhatIgleaned，IamsureIdonotknow；butindeedIhadalreadymyownprivatedeterminationtobeanauthor；Ilovedtheartofwordsandtheappearancesoflife； andTRAVELLERS，andHEADERS，andRUBBLE，andPOLISHEDASHLAR，andPIERRESPERDUES，andeventhethrillingquestionoftheSTRING- COURSE，interestedmeonly(iftheyinterestedmeatall)aspropertiesforsomepossibleromanceoraswordstoaddtomyvocabulary。Togrowalittlecatholicisthecompensationofyears；youthisone-eyed；andinthosedays，thoughIhauntedthebreakwaterbyday，andevenlovedtheplaceforthesakeofthesunshine，thethrillingseasideair，thewashofwavesonthesea- face，thegreenglimmerofthedivers\'helmetsfarbelow，andthemusicalchinkingofthemasons，myonegenuinepreoccupationlayelsewhere，andmyonlyindustrywasinthehourswhenIwasnotonduty。IlodgedwithacertainBailieBrown，acarpenterbytrade； andthere，assoonasdinnerwasdespatched，inachamberscentedwithdryrose-leaves，drewinmychairtothetableandproceededtopourforthliterature，atsuchaspeed，andwithsuchintimationsofearlydeathandimmortality，asInowlookbackuponwithwonder。ThenitwasthatIwroteVOCESFIDELIUM，aseriesofdramaticmonologuesinverse；thenthatIinditedthebulkofacovenantingnovel-likesomanyothers，neverfinished。LateI satintothenight，toiling(asIthought)undertheverydartofdeath，toilingtoleaveamemorybehindme。Ifeelmovedtothrustasidethecurtainoftheyears，tohailthatpoorfeverishidiot，tobidhimgotobedandclapVOCESFIDELIUMonthefirebeforehegoes；socleardoesheappearbeforeme，sittingtherebetweenhiscandlesintherose-scentedroomandthelatenight；soridiculousapicture(tomyelderlywisdom)doesthefoolpresent!Buthewasdriventohisbedatlastwithoutmiraculousintervention；andthemannerofhisdrivingsetsthelasttouchuponthiseminentlyyouthful business。TheweatherwasthensowarmthatImustkeepthewindowsopen；thenightwithoutwaspopulouswithmoths。Asthelatedarknessdeepened，myliterarytapersbeaconedforthmorebrightly；thickerandthickercamethedustynight-fliers，togyrateforonebrilliantinstantroundtheflameandfallinagoniesuponmypaper。Fleshandbloodcouldnotendurethespectacle；tocaptureimmortalitywasdoubtlessanobleenterprise，butnottocaptureitatsuchacostofsuffering；andoutwouldgothecandles，andoffwouldIgotobedinthedarknessragingtothinkthattheblowmightfallonthemorrow，andtherewasVOCES FIDELIUMstillincomplete。Well，themothsare-allgone，andVOCESFIDELIUMalongwiththem；onlythefoolisstillonhandandpractisesnewfollies。 Onlyonethinginconnectionwiththeharbourtemptedme，andthatwasthediving，anexperienceIburnedtotasteof。Butthiswasnottobe，atleastinAnstruther；andthesubjectinvolvesachangeofscenetothesub-arctictownofWick。YoucanneverhavedweltinacountrymoreunsightlythanthatpartofCaithness，thelandfaintlyswelling，faintlyfalling，notatree，notahedgerow，thefieldsdividedbysingleslatestonessetupontheiredge，thewindalwayssinginginyourearsand(downthelongroadthatlednowhere)thrumminginthetelegraphwires。Onlyasyouapproachedthecoastwasthereanythingtostirtheheart。TheplateaubrokedowntotheNorthSeainformidablecliffs，thetallout-stacksroselikepillarsringedaboutwithsurf，thecoveswereover- brimmedwithclamorousfroth，thesea-birdsscreamed，thewindsanginthethymeonthecliff\'sedge；hereandthere，smallancientcastlestoppledonthebrim；hereandthere，itwaspossibletodipintoadellofshelter，whereyoumightlieandtellyourselfyouwerealittlewarm，andhear(nearathand)thewhin-podsburstingintheafternoonsun，and(fartheroff)therumouroftheturbulentsea。AsforWickitself，itisoneofthemeanestofman\'stowns，andsituatecertainlyonthebaldestofGod\'sbays。Itlivesforherring，andastrangesightitistosee(ofanafternoon)theheightsofPulteneyblackenedbyseaward-lookingfishers，aswhenacitycrowdstoareview-or，aswhenbeeshaveswarmed，thegroundishorriblewithlumpsandclusters；andastrangesight，andabeautiful，toseethefleetputsilentlyoutagainstarisingmoon，thesea-lineroughasawoodwithsails，andeverandagainandoneafteranother，aboatflittingswiftlybythesilverdisk。Thismassoffishers，thisgreatfleetofboats，isoutofallproportiontothetownitself；andtheoarsaremannedandthenetshauledbyimmigrantsfromtheLongIsland(aswecalltheouterHebrides)，whocomeforthatseasononly，anddepartagain，if\"thetake\"bepoor，leavingdebtsbehindthem。Inabadyear，theendoftheherringfisheryisthereforeanexcitingtime；fightsarecommon，riotsoftenpossible；anappleknockedfromachild\'shandwasoncethesignalforsomethinglikeawar；andevenwhenIwasthere，agunboatlayinthebaytoassisttheauthorities。Tocontraryinterests，itshouldbeobserved，thecurseofBabelishereadded；theLewsmenareGaelicspeakers。CaithnesshasadoptedEnglish；anoddcircumstance，ifyoureflectthatbothmustbelargelyNorsemenbydescent。Irememberseeingoneofthestrongestinstancesofthisdivision:athinglikeaPunch-and-