an autobiography-第15部分

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itical　about　the　article。

On　one　of　these　occasions；　when　I　was　about　four　years　old；　and　being　the　youngest　of　the　family；　I　was　taken　into　the　company　after　the　dinner　was　over；　and　held　up　by　my　sister　Jane　to　sing　a　verse　from　a　little　song　which　my　nurse　Mary　Peterkin　had　taught　me；　and　Which　ran　thus：

　〃I'll　no　bide　till　Saturday；　　But　I'll　awa'　tile　morn；　　An'　follow　Donald　Hielandman；　　An'　carry　his　poother…horn。〃

This　was　my　first　and　last　vocal　performance。　　It　was　received　with　great　applause。　　In　fact；　it　was　encored。　　The　word　〃poother；〃　which　I　pronounced　〃pootle〃；　excited　the　enthusiasm　of　the　audience。　I　was　then　sent　to　bed　with　a　bit　of　plum…cake；　and　was　doubtless　awakened　early　next　morning　by　the　irritation　of　the　dried　crumbs　of　the　previous　night's　feast。

I　am　reminded；　by　reading　over　a　letter　of　my　brother　Patrick's；　of　an　awkward　circumstance　that　happened　to　me　when　I　was　six　years　old。　In　his　letter　to　my　father；　dated　London；　22d　September　1814；　he　says：　〃I　did　get　a　surprise　when　Margaret's　letter　informed　me　of　my　little　brother　Jamie's　fall。　　It　was　a　wonderful　escape。　　For　God's　sake　keep　an　eye　upon　him！〃　　Like　other　strong　and　healthy　boys；　I　had　a　turn　for　amusing　myself　in　my　own　way。　　When　sliding　down　the　railing　of　the　stairs　I　lost　my　grip　and　fell　suddenly　over。　　The　steps　were　of　stone。　Fortunately；　the　servants　were　just　coming　up　laden　with　carpets　which　they　had　been　beating。　　I　fell　into　their　midst　and　knocked　them　out　of　their　hands。　　I　was　thus　saved　from　cracking　my　poor　little　skull。　But　for　that　there　might　have　been　no　steam　hammerat　least　of　my　contrivance！

Everything　connected　with　war　and　warlike　exploits　is　interesting　to　a　boy。　　The　war　with　France　was　then　in　full　progress。　　Troops　and　bands　paraded　the　streets。　　Recruits　were　sent　away　as　fast　as　they　could　be　drilled。　　The　whole　air　was　filled　with　war。　　Everybody　was　full　of　excitement　about　the　progress　of　events　in　Spain。　　When　the　great　guns　boomed　forth　from　the　Castle；　the　people　were　first　startled。　Then　they　were　surprised　and　anxious。　　There　had　been　a　battle　and　a　victory！　　〃Who　had　fallen？〃　was　the　first　thought　in　many　minds。　Where　had　the　battle　been；　and　what　was　the　victory？　　Business　was　suspended。　　People　rushed　about　the　streets　to　ascertain　the　facts。　It　might　have　been　at　Salamanca；　Talavera；　or　Vittoria。　　But　a　long　time　elapsed　before　the　details　could　be　received；　and　during　that　time　sad　suspense　and　anxiety　prevailed　in　almost　every　household。　There　was　no　telegraph　then。　　It　was　only　after　the　Gazette　had　been　published　that　people　knew　who　had　fallen　and　who　had　survived。

The　war　proceeded。　　The　volunteering　which　went　on　at　the　time　gave　quite　a　military　aspect　to　the　city。　　I　remember　how　odd　it　appeared　to　me　to　see　some　well…known　faces　and　figures　metamorphosed　into　soldiers　It　was　considered　a　test　of　loyalty　as　well　as　of　patriotism；　to　give　time；　money；　and　leisure　to　take　up　the　arms　of　defence；　and　to　practise　daily　in　military　uniform　in　the　Meadows　or　on　Bruntsfield　Links。　　Windows　were　thrown　up　to　hear　the　bands　playing　at　the　head　of　the　troops；　and　crowds　of　boys；　full　of　military　ardour；　went；　as　usual；　hand　to　hand　in　front　of　the　drums　and　fifes。　　The　most　interesting　part　of　the　procession　to　my　mind　was　the　pioneers　in　front；　with　their　leather　aprons；　their　axes　and　saws；　and　their　big　hairy　caps　and　beards。　　They　were　to　me　so　suggestive　of　clearing　the　way　through　hedges　and　forests；　and　of　what　war　was　in　its　actual　progress。

Every　victory　was　followed　by　the　importation　of　large　numbers　of　French　prisoners。　　Many　of　them　were　sent　to　Edinburgh　Castle。　They　were　permitted　to　relieve　the　tedium　of　their　confinement　by　manufacturing　and　selling　toys；　workboxes；　brooches；　and　carved　work　of　different　kinds。　　In　the　construction　of　these　they　exhibited　great　skill；　taste；　and　judgment。　　They　carved　them　out　of　bits　of　bone　and　wood。　　The　patterns　were　most　beautiful；　and　they　were　ingeniously　and　tastefully　ornamented。　　The　articles　were　to　be　had　for　a　mere　trifle；　although　fit　to　be　placed　with　the　most　choice　objects　of　artistic　skill。

These　poor　prisoners　of　war　were　allowed　to　work　at　their　tasteful　handicrafts　in　small　sheds　or　temporary　workshops　at　the　Castle；　behind　the　palisades　which　separated　them　from　their　free　customers　outside。　There　was　just　room　between　the　bars　of　the　palisades　for　them　to　hand　through　their　exquisite　works；　and　to　receive　in　return　the　modest　prices　which　they　charged。　　The　front　of　these　palisades　became　a　favourite　resort　for　the　inhabitants　of　Edinburgh；　and　especially　for　the　young　folks。　　I　well　remember　being　impressed　with　the　contrast　between　the　almost　savage　aspect　of　these　dark…haired　foreigners；　and　the　neat　and　delicate　produce　of　their　skilful　fingers。

At　the　peace　of　1814；　which　followed　the　siege　of　Paris；　great　rejoicings　and　illuminations　took　place；　in　the　belief　that　the　war　was　at　an　end。　　The　French　prisoners　were　sent　back　to　their　own　country；　alas！　to　appear　again　before　us　at　Waterloo。　　The　liberation　of　those　confined　in　Edinburgh　Castle　was　accompanied　by　an　extraordinary　scene。　The　French　prisoners　marched　down　to　the　transport　ships　at　Leith　by　torchlight。　　All　the　town　was　out　to　see　them。　　They　passed　in　military　procession　through　the　principal　streets；　singing　as　they　marched　along　their　revolutionary　airs；　〃Ca　lra〃　and　〃The　Marseillaise。〃　　The　wild　enthusiasm　of　these　haggard…looking　men；　lit　up　by　torchlight　and　accompanied　by　the　cheers　of　the　dense　crowd　which　lined　the　streets　and　filled　the　windows；　made　an　impression　on　my　mind　that　I　can　never　forget。

A　year　passed。　　Napoleon　returned　from　Elba；　and　was　rejoined　by　nearly　all　his　old　fighting…men。　　I　well　remember；　young　as　I　was；　an　assembly　of　the　inhabitants　of　Edinburgh　in　Charlotte　Square；　to　bid　farewell　to　the　troops　and　officers　then　in　garrison。　　It　was　a　fine　summer　evening　when　this　sad　meeting　took　place。　　The　bands　were　playing　as　their　last　performance；　〃Go　where　glory　waits　thee！〃　　The　air　brought　tears　to　many　eyes；　for　many　who　were　in　the　ranks　might　never　return。　After　many　a　hand…shaking；　the　troops　marched　to　the　Castle；　previous　to　their　early　embarkation　for　the　Low　Countries　on　the　following　morning。

Then　came　Waterloo　and　the　victory！　　The　Castle　guns　boomed　forth　again；　and　the　streets　were　filled　with　people　anxious　to　hear　the　news。　At　last　came　the　Gazette　filled　with　the　details　of　the　killed　and　wounded。　　Many　a　heart　was　broken；　many　a　fireside　was　made　desolate。　It　was　indeed　a　sad　time。　　The　terrible　anxiety　that　pervaded　so　many　families；　the　dreadful　sacrifice　of　lives　on　so　many　battlefields；　and　the　enormously　increased　taxation；　which　caused　so　many　families　to　stint　themselves　to　even　the　barest　necessaries　of　life；such　was　the　inglorious　side　of　war。

But　there　was　also　the　glory；　which　almost　compensated　for　the　sorrow。　I　cannot　resist　narrating　the　entry　of　the　Forty…second　Regiment　into　Edinburgh　shortly　after　the　battle　of　Waterloo。　　The　old　〃Black　Watch〃　is　a　regiment　dear　to　every　Scottish　heart。　　It　has　fought　and　struggled　when　resistance　was　almost　certain　death。　　At　Quatre　Bras　two　flank　companies　were　cut　to　pieces　by　Pire's　cavalry。　　The　rest　of　the　regiment　was　assailed　by　Reille's　furious　cannonade；　and　suffered　severely。　　The　French　were　beaten　back；　and　the　remnant　of　the　Forty…second　retired　to　Waterloo；　where　they　formed　part　of　the　brigade　under　Major…General　Pack。　　At　the　first　grand　charge　of　the　French；　Picton　fell　and　many　were　killed。　　Then　the　charge　of　the　Greys　took　place；　and　the　Highland　regiments　rushed　forward；　with　cries　of　〃Scotland　for　ever！〃　　Only　a　remnant　of　the　Forty…second　survived。　They　were　however　recruited；　and　marched　into　France　with　the　rest　of　the　army。

Towards　the　end　of　the　year　the　Forty…Second　returned　to　England；　and　in　the　beginning　of　1816　they　set　out　on　their　march　towards　Edinburgh。　　They　were　everywhere　welcomed　with　enthusiasm。　　Crowds　turned　out　to　meet　them　and　cheer　them。　　When　the　first　division　of　the　regiment　approached　Edinburgh；　almost　the　entire　population　turned　out　to　welcome　them。　　At　Musselburgh；　six　miles　off；　the　road　was　thronged　with　people。　　When　the　soldiers　reached　Piershill；　two　miles　off；　the　road　was　so　crowded　that　it　took　them　two　hours　to　reach　the　Castle。　I　was　on　a　balcony　in　the　upper　part　of　the　High　Street；　and　my　father；　mother；　and　sisters　were　with　me。　　We　had　waited　very　long；　but　at　last　we　heard　the　distant　sound　of　the　cheers；　which　came　on　and　on；　louder　and　louder。

The　High　Street　was　wedged　with　people　excited　and　anxious。　There　seemed　scarcely　room　for　a　regiment　to　march　through　them。　The　house…tops　and　windows　were　crowded　with　spectators。　　It　was　a　grand　sight。　　The　high…gabled　houses　reaching　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　St。　Giles'　with　its　mural　crown；　the　Tron　Kirk　in　the　distance；　and　the　picturesque　details　of　the　buildings；　all　added　to　the　effectiveness　of　the　scene。

At　last　the　head　of　the　gallant　band　appeared。　　The　red　coats　gradually　wedged　their　way　through　the　crowd；　amidst　the　ringing　of　bells　and　the　cheers　of　the　spectators。　　Every　window　was　in　a　wave