an autobiography-第16部分

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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　of　gladness；　and　every　house…top　was　in　a　fever　of　excitement。　　As　the　red　line　passed　our　balcony；　with　Colonel　Dick　at　its　head；　we　saw　a　sight　that　can　never　be　forgotten。　　The　red…and…white　plumes；　the　tattered　colours　riddled　with　bullets；　the　glittering　bayonets；　were　seen　amidst　the　crowd　that　thronged　round　the　gallant　heroes；　amidst　tears　and　cheers　and　hand…shakings　and　shouts　of　excitement。　　The　mass　of　men　appeared　like　a　solid　body　moving　slowly　along；　the　soldiers　being　almost　hidden　amongst　the　crowd。　　At　last　they　passed；　the　pipers　and　drums　playing　a　Highland　march；　and　the　Forty…Second　slowly　entered　the　Castle。　　It　was　perhaps　the　most　extraordinary　scene　ever　witnessed　in　Edinburgh。

One　of　my　greatest　enjoyments　when　a　child　was　in　going　out　with　the　servants　to　the　Calton；　and　wait　while　the　〃claes〃　bleached　in　the　sun　on　the　grassy　slopes　of　the　hill。　　The　air　was　bright　and　fresh　and　pure。　　The　lasses　regarded　these　occasions　as　a　sort　of　holiday。　One　or　two　of　the　children　usually　accompanied　them。　　They　sat　together；　and　the　servants　told　us　their　auld…warld　stories；　common　enough　in　those　days；　but　which　have　now；　in　a　measure；　been　forgotten。　〃Steam〃　and　〃progress〃　have　made　the　world　much　less　youthful　and　joyous　than　it　was　then。

The　women　brought　their　work　and　their　needles　with　them；　and　when　they　had　told　their　stories；　the　children　ran　about　the　hill　making　bunches　of　wild　flowersincluding　harebells　and　wild　thyme。　　They　ran　after　the　butterflies　and　the　bumbees；　and　made　acquaintance　in　a　small　way　with　the　beauties　of　nature。　　Then　the　servants　opened　their　baskets　of　provisions；　and　we　had　a　delightful　picnic。　　Though　I　am　now　writing　about　seventy　years　after　the　date　of　these　events；　I　can　almost　believe　that　I　am　enjoying　the　delightful　perfume　of　the　wild　thyme　and　the　fragrant　plants　and　flowers；　wafted　around　me　by　the　warm　breezes　of　the　Calton　hillside。

In　the　days　I　refer　to；　there　was　always　a　most　cheerful　and　intimate　intercourse　kept　up　between　the　children　and　the　servants。　　They　were　members　of　the　same　family；　and　were　treated　as　such。　　The　servants　were　for　the　most　part　country…breddaughters　of　farm　servants　or　small　farmers。　　They　were　fairly　educated　at　their　parish　schools；　they　could　read　and　write；　and　had　an　abundant　store　of　old　recollections。　　Many　a　pleasant　crack　we　had　with　them　as　to　their　native　places；　their　families；　and　all　that　was　connected　with　them。　They　became　lastingly　attached　to　their　masters　and　mistresses；　as　well　as　to　the　children。　　All　this　led　to　true　attachment；　and　when　they　left；　us；　for　the　most　part　to　be　married　we　continued　to　keep　up　a　correspondence　with　them；　which　lasted　for　many　years。

While　enjoying　these　delightful　holidays；　before　my　school…days　began；　my　practical　education　was　in　progress；　especially　in　the　way　of　acquaintance　with　the　habits　of　nature　in　a　vast　variety　of　its　phases；　always　so　attractive　to　the　minds　of　healthy　children。　　It　happened　that　close　to　the　Calton　Hill；　in　the　valley　at　its　northern　side；　there　were　many　workshops　where　interesting　trades　were　carried　on；　there　were　coppersmiths；　tinsmiths；　brass…founders；　goldbeaters；　and　blacksmiths。　　Their　shops　were　all　arranged　in　a　busy　group　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　in　a　place　called　Greenside。　　The　workshops　were　open　to　the　inspection　of　passers…by。　　Little　boys　looked　in　and　saw　the　men　at　work　amidst　the　blaze　of　fires　and　the　beatings　of　hammers。

Amongst　others；　I　was　an　ardent　admirer。　　I　may　almost　say　that　this　row　of　busy　workshops　was　my　first　school　of　practical　education。　I　observed　the　mechanical　manipulation　of　the　men；　their　dexterous　use　of　the　hammer；　the　chisel；　and　the　file；　and　I　imbibed　many　lessons　which　afterwards　proved　of　use　to　me。　　Then　I　had　tools　at　home　in　my　father's　workshop。　　I　tried　to　follow　their　methods；　I　became　greatly　interested　in　the　use　of　tools　and　their　appliances；　I　could　make　things　for　myself。　　In　short；　I　became　so　skilled　that　the　people　about　the　house　called　me　〃a　little　Jack…of…all…trades。〃

While　sitting　on　the　grassy　slopes　of　the　Calton　Hill　I　would　often　hear　the　chimes　sounding　from　the　grand　old　tower　of　St。Giles。　The　cathedral　lay　on　the　other　side　of　the　valley　which　divides　the　Old　Town　from　the　New。　　The　sounds　came　over　the　murmur　of　the　traffic　in　the　streets　below。

The　chime…bells　were　played　every　day　from　twelve　till　onethe　old…fashioned　dinner…hour　of　the　citizens。　　The　practice　had　been　in　existence　for　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　years。　　The　pleasing　effect　of　the　merry　airs；　which　came　wafted　tome　by　the　warm　summer　breezes；　made　me　long　to　see　them　as　well　as　hear　them。

＇Image＇　　Mural　crown　of　St　Giles'；　Edinburgh

My　father　was　always　anxious　to　give　pleasure　to　his　children。　Accordingly；　he　took　me　one　day；　as　a　special　treat；　to　the　top　of　the　grand　old　tower；　to　see　the　chimes　played。　　As　we　passed　up　the　tower；　a　strong　vaulted　room　was　pointed　out　to　me；　where　the　witches　used　to　be　imprisoned。　　I　was　told　that　the　poor　old　women　were　often　taken　down　from　this　dark　vault　to　be　burnt　alive！　　Such　terrible　tales　enveloped　the　tower　with　a　horrible　fascination　to　my　young　mind。　What　a　fearful　contrast　to　the　merry　sound　of　the　chimes　issuing　from　its　roof　on　a　bright　summer　day。

On　my　way　up　to　the　top　flat；　where　the　chimes　were　played；　I　had　to　pass　through　the　vault　in　which　the　great　pendulum　was　slowly　swinging　in　its　ghostly…like　tick…tack；　tick…tack；　while　the　great　ancient　clock　was　keeping　time　with　its　sudden　and　startling　movement。　　The　whole　scene　was　almost　as　uncanny　as　the　witches'　cell　underneath。　　There　was　also　a　wild　rumbling　thumping　sound　overhead。　　I　soon　discovered　the　cause　of　this；　when　I　entered　the　flat　where　the　musician　was　at　work。　He　was　seen　in　violent　action；　beating　or　hammering　on　the　keys　of　a　gigantic　pianoforte…like　apparatus。　　The　instruments　he　used　were　two　great　leather…faced　mallets；　one　of　which　he　held　in　each　hand。　Each　key　was　connected　by　iron　rods　with　the　chime…bells　above。　The　frantic　and　mad…like　movements　of　the　musician；　as　he　energetically　rushed　from　one　key　to　another；　often　widely　apart　gave　me　the　idea　that　the　man　was　daftespecially　as　the　noise　of　the　mallets　was　such　that　I　heard　no　music　emitted　from　the　chimes　so　far　overhead。　It　was　only　when　I　had　climbed　up　the　stair　of　the　tower　to　where　the　bells　were　rung　that　I　understood　the　performance；　and　comprehended　the　beating　of　the　chimes　which　gave　me　so　much　pleasure　when　I　heard　them　at　a　distance。

Another　source　of　enjoyment　in　my　early　days　was　to　accompany　my　mother　to　the　market。　　As　I　have　said　before；　my　mother；　though　generous　in　her　hospitality；　was　necessarily　thrifty　and　economical　in　the　management　of　her　household。　　There　were　no　less　than　fourteen　persons　in　the　house　to　be　fed；　and　this　required　a　good　deal　of　marketing。　At　the　time　I　refer　to；　（about　1816；　it　was　the　practice　of　every　lady　who　took　pride　in　managing　economically　the　home　department　of　her　husband's　affairs；　to　go　to　market　in　person。　　The　principal　markets　in　Edinburgh　were　then　situated　in　the　valley　between　the　Old　and　New　Towns；　in　what　used　to　be　called　the　Nor　Loch。

Dealers　in　fish　and　vegetables　had　their　stalls　there：　the　market　for　butcher　meat　was　near　at　hand：　each　being　in　their　several　locations。　It　was　a　very　lively　and　bustling　sight　to　see　the　marketing　going　on。　When　a　lady　was　observed　approaching；　likely　to　be　a　customer；　she　was　at　once　surrounded　by　the　〃caddies。〃　　They　were　a　set　of　sturdy　hard…working　women；　each　with　a　creel　on　her　back。　　Their　competition　for　the　employer　sometimes　took　a　rather　energetic　form。　　The　rival　candidates　pointed　to　her　with　violent　exclamations；　〃She's　my　ledie！　she's　my　ledie！〃　ejaculated　one　and　all。　　To　dispel　the　disorder；　a　selection　of　one　of　the　caddies　would　be　made；　and　then　all　was　quiet　again　until　another　customer　appeared。

There　was　a　regular　order　in　which　the　purchases　were　deposited　in　the　creel。　　First；　there　came　the　fish；　which　were　carefully　deposited　in　the　lowest　part；　with　a　clean　deal　board　over　them。　　The　fishwives　were　a　most　sturdy　and　independent　class；　both　in　manners　and　language。　When　at　home；　at　Newhaven　or　Fisherrow；　they　made　and　mended　their　husbands'　nets；　put　their　fishing　tackle　to　rights；　and　when　the　fishing　boats　came　in　they　took　the　fish　to　market　at　Edinburgh。　To　see　the　groups　of　these　hard…working　women　trudging　along　with　their　heavy　creels　on　their　backs；　clothed　in　their　remarkable　costume；　with　their　striped　petticoats　kilted　up　and　showing　their　sturdy　legs；　was　indeed　a　remarkable　sight。　　They　were　cheerful　and　good…natured；　but　very　outspoken。　　Their　skins　were　clear　and　ruddy；　and　many　of　the　young　fishwives　were　handsome　and　pretty。　　They　were；　in　fact；　the　incarnation　of　robust　health。　　In　dealing　with　them　at　the　Fish　Market　there　was　a　good　deal　of　higgling。　　They　often　asked　two　or　three　times　more　than　the　fish　were　worthat　least；　according　to　the　then