guy mannering-第10部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
wards attempted the following paraphrase of what; from a few intelligible phrases; he concluded to be its purport。
Twist ye; twine ye! even so Mingle shades of joy and woe; Hope; and fear; and peace; and strife; In the thread of human life。
While the mystic twist is spinning; And the infant's life beginning; Dimly seen through twilight bending; Lo; what varied shapes attending!
Passions wild; and Follies vain; Pleasures soon exchanged for pain Doubt; and Jealousy and Fear; In the magic dance appear。
Now they wax; and now they dwindle; Whirling with the whirling spindle。 Twist ye; twine ye! even so Mingle human bliss and woe。
Ere our translator; or rather our free imitator; had arranged these stanzas in his head; and while he was yet hammering out a rhyme for dwindle; the task of the sibyl was accomplished; or her wool was expended。 She took the spindle; now charged with her labours; and; undoing the thread gradually; measured it; by casting it over her elbow; and bringing each loop round between her forefinger and thumb。 When she had measured it out; she muttered to herself〃A hank; but not a haill anethe full years o' three scare and ten; but thrice broken; and thrice to oop (ie。 to unite); he'll be a lucky lad an he win through wi't。〃
Our hero was about to speak to the prophetess; when a voice; hoarse as the waves with which it mingled; halloo'd twice; and with increasing impatience〃Meg; Meg Merrilies!Gipsyhagtousand deyvils!〃
〃I am coming; I am coming; Captain;〃 answered Meg; and in a moment or two the impatient commander whom she addressed made his appearance from the broken part of the ruins。
He was apparently a seafaring man; rather under the middle size; and with a countenance bronzed by a thousand conflicts with the north…east wind。 His frame was prodigiously muscular; strong; and thick…set; so that it seemed as if a man of much greater height would have been an inadequate match in any close personal conflict。 He was hard…favoured; and; which was worse; his face bore nothing of the insouciance; the careless frolicsome jollity and vacant curiosity of a sailor on shore。 These qualities; perhaps; as much as any others; contribute to the high popularity of our seamen; and the general good inclination which our society expresses towards them。 Their gallantry; courage; and hardihood; are qualities which excite reverence; and perhaps rather humble pacific landsmen in their presence; and neither respect; nor a sense of humiliation; are feelings easily combined with a familiar fondness towards those who inspire。 them。 But the boyish frolics; the exulting high spirits; the unreflecting mirth of a sailor; when enjoying himself on shore; temper the more formidable points of his character。 There was nothing like these in this man's face; on the contrary; a surly and even savage scowl appeared to darken features which would have been harsh and unpleasant under any expression or modification。 〃Where are you; Mother Deyvilson?〃 he said; with somewhat of a foreign accent; though speaking perfectly good English。 〃Donner and blitzen! we have been staying this half…hour。 Come; bless the good ship and the voyage; and be cursed to ye for a hag of Satan!〃
At this moment he noticed Mannering; who; from the position which he had taken to watch Meg Merrilies's incantations; had the appearance of some one who was concealing himself; being half hidden by the buttress behind which he stood。 The Captain; for such he styled himself; made a sudden and startled pause; and thrust his right hand into his bosom; between his jacket and waistcoat; as if to draw some weapon。 〃What cheer; brother?you seem on the outlookeh?〃
Ere Mannering; somewhat struck by the man's gesture and insolent tone of voice; had made any answer; the gipsy emerged from her vault and joined the stranger。 He questioned her in an undertone; looking at Mannering〃A shark alongside; eh?〃
She answered in the same tone of under…dialogue; using the cant language of her tribe〃Cut ben Whids; and stow thema gentry cove of the ken。〃 '* Meaning a Stop your uncivil tonguethat is a gentleman from the house below。'
The fellow's cloudy visage cleared up。 〃The top of the morning to you; sir; I find you are a visitor of my friend Mr。 BertramI beg pardon; but I took you for another sort of a person。〃
Mannering replied; 〃And you; sir; I presume; are the master of that vessel in the bay?〃
〃Ay; ay; sir; I am Captain Dirk Hatteraick; of the Yungfrauw Hagenslaapen; well known on this coast; I am not ashamed of my name; nor of my vessel;no; nor of my cargo neither; for that matter。〃
〃I dare say you have no reason; sir。〃
〃Tousand donnerno; I'm all in the way of fair tradejust loaded yonder at Douglas; in the Isle of Manneat cogniacreal hyson and souchongMechlin lace; if you want anyRight cogniacWe bumped ashore a hundred kegs last night。〃
〃Really; sir; I am only a traveller; and have no sort of occasion for anything of the kind at present。〃
〃Why; then; good…morning to you; for business must be minded unless ye'll go aboard and take schnaps? '*A dram of liquor。'you shall have a pouch…full of tea ashore。Dirk Hatteraick knows how to be civil。〃
There was a mixture of impudence; hardihood; and suspicious fear about this man; which was inexpressibly disgusting。 His manners were those of a ruffian; conscious of the suspicion attending his character; yet aiming to bear it down by the affectation of a careless and hardy familiarity。 Mannering briefly rejected his proffered civilities; and after a surly good…morning; Hatteraick retired with the gipsy to that part of the ruins from which he had first made his appearance。 A very narrow staircase here went down to the beach; intended probably for the convenience of the garrison during a siege。 By this stair; the couple; equally amiable in appearance; and respectable by profession; descended to the seaside。 The soi…disant captain embarked in a small boat with two men who appeared to wait for him; and the gipsy remained on the shore; reciting or singing; and gesticulating with great vehemence。
CHAPTER V。
You have fed upon my seignories; Dispark'd my parks; and fell'd my forest woods; From mine own windows torn my household coat; Razed out my impress; leaving me no sign; Save men's opinions and my living blood; To show the world I am a gentleman。
Richard II。
WHEN the boat which carried the worthy captain on board his vessel had accomplished that task; the sails began to ascend; and the ship was got under way。 She fired three guns as a salute to the house of Ellangowan; and then shot away rapidly before the wind; which blew off shore; under all the sail she could crowd。
〃Ay; ay;〃 said the Laird; who had sought Mannering for some time; and now joined him; 〃there they gothere go the free…tradersthere go Captain Dirk Hatteraick; and the Yungfrauw Hagenslaapen; half Manks; half Dutchman; half devil! run out the bowsprit; up mainsail; top and top…gallant sails; royals; and sky…scrapers; and away;follow who can! That fellow; Mr。 Mannering; is the terror of all the excise and custom…house cruisers; they can make nothing of him; he drubs them; or he distances them;and; speaking of excise; I come to bring you to breakfast; and you shall have some tea; that〃
Mannering; by this time; was aware that one thought linked strangely on to another in the concatenation of worthy Mr。 Bertram's ideas;
Like orient pearls at random strung;
and; therefore; before the current of his associations had drifted farther from the point he had left; he brought him back by some inquiry about Dirk Hatteraick。
〃Oh; he's aagude sort of blackguard fellow eneughnaebody cares to trouble himsmuggler; when his guns are in ballastprivateer; or pirate faith; when he gets them mounted。 He has done more mischief to the revenue folk than ony rogue that ever came out of Ramsay。〃
〃But; my good sir; such being his character; I wonder he has any protection and encouragement on this coast。〃 〃Why; Mr。 Mannering; people must have brandy and tea; and there's none in the country but what comes this wayand then there's short accounts; and maybe a keg or two; or a dozen pounds left at your stable door; instead of a d…d lang account at Christmas from Duncan Robb; the grocer at Kippletringan; who has aye a sum tomake up; and either wants ready money; or a short…dated bill。 Now; Hatteraick will take wood; or he'll take bark; or he'll take barley; or he'll take just what's convenient at the time。 I'll tell you a gude story about that。 There was ance a lairdthat's Macfie of Gudgeonford;he had a great number of kain hensthat's hens that the tenant pays to the landlordlike a sort of rent in kindthey aye feed mine very ill; Luckie Finniston sent up three that were a shame to be seen only last week; and yet she has twelve bows '* Bolls (a large measure of grain)' sowing of victual; indeed her goodman; Duncan Finnistonthat's him that's gone(we must all die; Mr。 Mannering; that's ower true)and speaking of that; let us live in the meanwhile; for here's breakfast on the table; and the Dominie ready to say the grace。〃
The Dominie did accordingly pronounce a benediction; that exceeded in length any speech which Mannering had yet heard him utter。 The tea; which of course belonged to the noble Captain Hatteraick's trade; was pronounced excellent。 Still Mannering hinted; though with due delicacy; at the risk of encouraging such desperate characters: 〃Were it but in justice to the revenue; I should have supposed〃
〃Ah; the revenue…lads〃for Mr。 Bertram never embraced a general or abstract idea; and his notion of the revenue was personified in the commissioners; surveyors; comptrollers; and riding officers; whom he happened to know〃the revenue…lads can look sharp eneugh out for themselvesno one needs to help themand they have a' the soldiers to assist them besidesand as to justiceyou'll be surprised to hear it; Mr。 Manneringbut I am not a justice of peace。〃
Mannering assumed the expected look of surprise; but thought within himself that the worshipful bench suffered no great deprivation from wanting the assistance of his good…humoured landlord。 Mr。 Bertram had now hit upon one of the few subjects on which he felt sore; and went on with some energy。