Confessions of a Justified Sinner

James Hogg

Description

In James Hogg 1824 novel Confessions of a Justified Sinner, a young man named Robert Wringhim, or sometimes Wringham, encounters a shape-shifting devil. Robert is told that he is one of a small group of people predestined for salvation, and this doppelganger demon convinces him to commit murder and other crimes. Part Gothic novel, part case study in psychology, this is a probing quest into a world of angels and demons, predestiny and fanaticism.

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775411093
• Langue: English

Extrait

CONFESSIONS OF A JUSTIFIED SINNER
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF
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JAMES HOGG
 
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Confessions of a Justified Sinner Written By Himself First published in 1824 ISBN 978-1-775411-09-3 © 2009 The Floating Press
While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike.
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Contents
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The Editor's Narrative Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Sinner Conclusion
The Editor's Narrative
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It appears from tradition, as well as some parish registers stillextant, that the lands of Dalcastle (or Dalchastel, as it is oftenspelled) were possessed by a family of the name of Colwan,about one hundred and fifty years ago, and for at least a centuryprevious to that period. That family was supposed to have been abranch of the ancient family of Colquhoun, and it is certain thatfrom it spring the Cowans that spread towards the Border. I findthat, in the year 1687, George Colwan succeeded his uncle of thesame name, in the lands of Dalchastel and Balgrennan; and, thisbeing all I can gather of the family from history, to tradition Imust appeal for the remainder of the motley adventures of thathouse. But, of the matter furnished by the latter of these powerfulmonitors, I have no reason to complain: It has been handed downto the world in unlimited abundance; and I am certain that, inrecording the hideous events which follow, I am only relating tothe greater part of the inhabitants of at least four counties ofScotland matters of which they were before perfectly wellinformed.
This George was a rich man, or supposed to be so, and wasmarried, when considerably advanced in life, to the sole heiressand reputed daughter of a Baillie Orde, of Glasgow. This proveda conjunction anything but agreeable to the parties contracting. Itis well known that the Reformation principles had long beforethat time taken a powerful hold of the hearts and affections of thepeople of Scotland, although the feeling was by no meansgeneral, or in equal degrees; and it so happened that this marriedcouple felt completely at variance on the subject. Granting it tohave been so, one would have thought that the laird, owing to hisretiring situation, would have been the one that inclined to thestern doctrines of the reformers; and that the young and gay damefrom the city would have adhered to the free principles cherishedby the court party, and indulged in rather to extremity, inopposition to their severe and carping contemporaries.
The contrary, however, happened to be the case. The laird waswhat his country neighbours called "a droll, careless chap", with avery limited proportion of the fear of God in his heart, and verynearly as little of the fear of man. The laird had not intentionallywronged or offended either of the parties, and perceived not thenecessity of deprecating their vengeance. He had hithertobelieved that he was living in most cordial terms with the greaterpart of the inhabitants of the earth, and with the powers above inparticular: but woe be unto him if he was not soon convinced ofthe fallacy of such damning security! for his lady was the mostsevere and gloomy of all bigots to the principles of theReformation. Hers were not the tenets of the great reformers, buttheirs mightily overstrained and deformed. Theirs was an unguenthard to be swallowed; but hers was that unguent embittered andoverheated until nature could not longer bear it. She had imbibedher ideas from the doctrines of one flaming predestinarian divinealone; and these were so rigid that they became a stumbling blockto many of his brethren, and a mighty handle for the enemies ofhis party to turn the machine of the state against them.
The wedding festivities at Dalcastle partook of all the gaiety, notof that stern age, but of one previous to it. There was feasting,dancing, piping, and singing: the liquors were handed, around ingreat fulness, the ale in large wooden bickers, and the brandy incapacious horns of oxen. The laird gave full scope to his homelyglee. He danced—he snapped his fingers to the music—clapped hishands and shouted at the turn of the tune. He saluted every girl inthe hall whose appearance was anything tolerable, and requestedof their sweethearts to take the same freedom with his bride, byway of retaliation. But there she sat at the head of the hall in stilland blooming beauty, absolutely refusing to tread a singlemeasure with any gentleman there. The only enjoyment in whichshe appeared to partake was in now and then stealing a word ofsweet conversation with her favourite pastor about divine things;for he had accompanied her home after marrying her to herhusband, to see her fairly settled in her new dwelling. Headdressed her several times by her new name, Mrs. Colwan; butshe turned away her head disgusted, and looked with pity andcontempt towards the old inadvertent sinner, capering away in theheight of his unregenerated mirth. The minister perceived theworkings of her pious mind, and thenceforward addressed her bythe courteous title of Lady Dalcastle, which sounded somewhatbetter, as not coupling her name with one of the wicked: andthere is too great reason to believe that, for all the solemn vowsshe had come under, and these were of no ordinary binding,particularly on the laird's part, she at that time despised, if notabhorred him, in her heart.
The good parson again blessed her, and went away. She tookleave of him with tears in her eyes, entreating him often to visither in that heathen land of the Amorite, the Hittite, and theGirgashite: to which he assented, on many solemn and qualifyingconditions—and then the comely bride retired to her chamber topray.
It was customary, in those days, for the bride's-man and maiden,and a few select friends, to visit the new-married couple afterthey had retired to rest, and drink a cup to their healths, theirhappiness, and a numerous posterity. But the laird delighted notin this: he wished to have his jewel to himself; and, slipping awayquietly from his jovial party, he retired to his chamber to hisbeloved, and bolted the door. He found her engaged with thewritings of the Evangelists, and terribly demure. The laird wentup to caress her; but she turned away her head, and spoke of thefollies of aged men, and something of the broad way that leadethto destruction. The laird did not thoroughly comprehend thisallusion; but being considerably flustered by drinking, anddisposed to take all in good part, he only remarked, as he took offhis shoes and stockings, that, "whether the way was broad ornarrow, it was time that they were in their bed."
"Sure, Mr. Colwan, you won't go to bed to-night, at such animportant period of your life, without first saying prayers foryourself and me."
When she said this, the laird had his head down almost to theground, loosing his shoe-buckle; but when he heard of prayers, onsuch a night, he raised his face suddenly up, which was all overas flushed and red as a rose, and answered:
"Prayers, Mistress! Lord help your crazed head, is this a night forprayers?"
He had better have held his peace. There was such a torrent ofprofound divinity poured out upon him that the laird becameashamed, both of himself and his new-made spouse, and wist notwhat to say: but the brandy helped him out.
"It strikes me, my dear, that religious devotion would besomewhat out of place to-night," said he. "Allowing that it is everso beautiful, and ever so beneficial, were we to ride on therigging of it at all times, would we not be constantly making afarce of it: It would be like reading the Bible and the jestbook,verse about, and would render the life of man a medley ofabsurdity and confusion."
But, against the cant of the bigot or the hypocrite, no reasoningcan aught avail. If you would argue until the end of life, theinfallible creature must alone be right. So it proved with the laird.One Scripture text followed another, not in the least connected,and one sentence of the profound Mr. Wringhim's sermons afteranother, proving the duty of family worship, till the laird lostpatience, and tossing himself into bed, said carelessly that hewould leave that duty upon her shoulders for one night.
The meek mind of Lady Dalcastle was somewhat disarranged bythis sudden evolution. She felt that she was left rather in anawkward situation. However, to show her unconscionable spousethat she was resolved to hold fast her integrity, she kneeled downand prayed in terms so potent that she deemed she was sure ofmaking an impression on him. She did so; for in a short time thelaird began to utter a response so fervent that she was utterlyastounded, and fairly driven from the chain of her orisons. Hebegan, in truth, to sound a nasal bugle of no ordinary calibre—thenotes being little inferior to those of a military trumpet. The ladytried to proceed, but every returning note from the bed burst onher ear with a louder twang, and a longer peal, till the concord ofsweet sounds became so truly pathetic that the meek spirit of thedame was quite overcome; and, after shedding a flood of tears,she arose from her knees, and retired to the chimney-corner withher Bible in her lap, there to spend the hours in holy meditationtill such time as the inebriated trumpeter should awaken to asense of propriety.
The laird did not awake in any reasonable time; for, he beingovercome with fatigue and wassail, his sleep became sounder,and his Morphean measures more intense. These varied a little intheir structure; but the general run of the bars sounded somethingin this way: "Hic-hoc-wheew!" It was most