The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Complete

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Вальтер Скотт. The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Complete

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION TO THE HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN

INTRODUCTION TO THE HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN—(1830)

POSTSCRIPT

INTRODUCTORY

VOLUME I

CHAPTER FIRST

CHAPTER SECOND

CHAPTER THIRD

CHAPTER FOURTH

CHAPTER FIFTH

CHAPTER SIXTH

CHAPTER SEVENTH

CHAPTER EIGHTH

CHAPTER NINTH

CHAPTER TENTH

CHAPTER ELEVENTH

CHAPTER TWELFTH

CHAPTER THIRTEENTH

CHAPTER FOURTEENTH

CHAPTER FIFTEENTH

CHAPTER SIXTEENTH

CHAPTER SEVENTEENTH

CHAPTER EIGHTEENTH

CHAPTER NINETEENTH

CHAPTER TWENTIETH

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST

CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND

CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD

VOLUME II

CHAPTER FIRST

CHAPTER SECOND

CHAPTER THIRD

CHAPTER FOURTH

CHAPTER FIFTH

CHAPTER SIXTH

CHAPTER SEVENTH

CHAPTER EIGHTH

CHAPTER NINTH

CHAPTER TENTH

CHAPTER ELEVENTH

CHAPTER TWELFTH

CHAPTER THIRTEETH

CHAPTER FOURTEENTH

CHAPTER FIFTEENTH

CHAPTER SIXTEENTH

CHAPTER SEVENTEENTH

CHAPTER EIGHTEENTH

CHAPTER NINETEENTH

CHAPTER TWENTIETH

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST

CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND

CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURTH

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIFTH

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIXTH

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENTH

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTH

NOTES TO THE HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN

NOTE A—AUTHOR’S CONNECTION WITH QUAKERISM

NOTE B.—TOMBSTONE TO HELEN WALKER

NOTE C.—THE OLD TOLBOOTH

NOTE D—THE PORTEOUS MOB

NOTE E.—CARSPHARN JOHN

NOTE F.—PETER WALKER

NOTE G.—MUSCHAT’S CAIRN

NOTE H.—HANGMAN, OR LOCKMAN

NOTE I.—THE FAIRY BOY OF LEITH,

NOTE J.—INTERCOURSE OF THE COVENANTERS WITH THE INVISIBLE WORLD

NOTE K.—CHILD-MURDER

NOTE L.—CALUMNIATOR OF THE FAIR SEX

NOTE M.—Sir William Dick of Braid

NOTE N.—Doomster, or Dempster, of Court

NOTE O.—John Duke of Argyle and Greenwich

NOTE P.—Expulsion of the Bishops from the Scottish Convention

NOTE Q.—Half-hanged Maggie Dickson

NOTE R.—Madge Wildfire

NOTE S.—Death of Francis Gordon

NOTE T.—Tolling to Service in Scotland

Отрывок из книги

SCOTT began to work on “The Heart of Mid-Lothian” almost before he had completed “Rob Roy.” On Nov. 10, 1817, he writes to Archibald Constable announcing that the negotiations for the sale of the story to Messrs. Longman have fallen through, their firm declining to relieve the Ballantynes of their worthless “stock.” “So you have the staff in your own hands, and, as you are on the spot, can manage it your own way. Depend on it that, barring unforeseen illness or death, these will be the best volumes which have appeared. I pique myself on the first tale, which is called ‘The Heart of Mid-Lothian.’” Sir Walter had thought of adding a romance, “The Regalia,” on the Scotch royal insignia, which had been rediscovered in the Castle of Edinburgh. This story he never wrote. Mr. Cadell was greatly pleased at ousting the Longmans—“they have themselves to blame for the want of the Tales, and may grumble as they choose: we have Taggy by the tail, and, if we have influence to keep the best author of the day, we ought to do it.”—[Archibald Constable, iii. 104.]

Though contemplated and arranged for, “The Heart of Mid-Lothian” was not actually taken in hand till shortly after Jan. 15, 1818, when Cadell writes that the tracts and pamphlets on the affair of Porteous are to be collected for Scott. “The author was in great glee . . . he says that he feels very strong with what he has now in hand.” But there was much anxiety concerning Scott’s health. “I do not at all like this illness of Scott’s,” said James Ballantyne to Hogg. “I have eften seen him look jaded of late, and am afraid it is serious.” “Hand your tongue, or I’ll gar you measure your length on the pavement,” replied Hogg. “You fause, down-hearted loon, that ye are, you daur to speak as if Scott were on his death-bed! It cannot be, it must not be! I will not suffer you to speak that gait.” Scott himself complains to Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe of “these damned spasms. The merchant Abudah’s hag was a henwife to them when they give me a real night of it.”

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Certain it was, that the sudden and total dispersion of the rioters, when their vindictive purpose was accomplished, seemed not the least remarkable feature of this singular affair. In general, whatever may be the impelling motive by which a mob is at first raised, the attainment of their object has usually been only found to lead the way to farther excesses. But not so in the present case. They seemed completely satiated with the vengeance they had prosecuted with such stanch and sagacious activity. When they were fully satisfied that life had abandoned their victim, they dispersed in every direction, throwing down the weapons which they had only assumed to enable them to carry through their purpose. At daybreak there remained not the least token of the events of the night, excepting the corpse of Porteous, which still hung suspended in the place where he had suffered, and the arms of various kinds which the rioters had taken from the city guard-house, which were found scattered about the streets as they had thrown them from their hands when the purpose for which they had seized them was accomplished.

The ordinary magistrates of the city resumed their power, not without trembling at the late experience of the fragility of its tenure. To march troops into the city, and commence a severe inquiry into the transactions of the preceding night, were the first marks of returning energy which they displayed. But these events had been conducted on so secure and well-calculated a plan of safety and secrecy, that there was little or nothing learned to throw light upon the authors or principal actors in a scheme so audacious. An express was despatched to London with the tidings, where they excited great indignation and surprise in the council of regency, and particularly in the bosom of Queen Caroline, who considered her own authority as exposed to contempt by the success of this singular conspiracy. Nothing was spoke of for some time save the measure of vengeance which should be taken, not only on the actors of this tragedy, so soon as they should be discovered, but upon the magistrates who had suffered it to take place, and upon the city which had been the scene where it was exhibited. On this occasion, it is still recorded in popular tradition, that her Majesty, in the height of her displeasure, told the celebrated John Duke of Argyle, that, sooner than submit to such an insult, she would make Scotland a hunting-field. “In that case, Madam,” answered that high-spirited nobleman, with a profound bow, “I will take leave of your Majesty, and go down to my own country to get my hounds ready.”

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