guy mannering-第16部分
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d goods? Frank Kennedy will show you the penalties in the Act; and ye ken yourself they used to put their run goods into the Auld Place of Ellangowan up by there。〃
〃Oh; dear; Mr。 Bertram; and what the waur were the wa's and the vault o' the old castle for having a whin kegs o' brandy in them at an orra time? I am sure ye were not obliged to ken onything about it; and what the waur was the King that the lairds here got a soup o' drink; and the ladies their drap o' tea; at a reasonable rate?it's a shame to them to pit such taxes on them!and was na I much the better of these Flanders head and pinners; '*A head…dress with lappets' that Dirk Hatteraick sent me a' the way from Antwerp? It will be lang or the King sends me onything; or Frank Kennedy either。 And then ye would quarrel with these gipsies too! I expect every day to hear the barn…yard's in a low。〃 '*A flame'
〃I tell you once more; my dear; you don't understand these thingsand there's Frank Kennedy; coming galloping up the avenue。〃
〃Aweel! aweel! Ellangowan;〃 said the lady; raising her voice as the Laird left the room; 〃I wish ye may understand them yourself; that's a'!〃
From this nuptial dialogue the Laird joyfully escaped to meet his faithful friend; Mr。 Kennedy who arrived in high spirits。 〃For the love of life; Ellangowan;〃 he said; 〃get up to the castle! you'll see that old fox Dirk Hatteraick; and his Majesty's hounds in full cry after him。 〃So saying; he flung his horse's bridle to a boy; and ran up the ascent to the old castle; followed by the Laird; and indeed by several others of the family; alarmed by the sound of guns from the sea; now distinctly heard。
On gaining that part of the ruins which commanded the most extensive outlook; they saw a lugger; with all her canvas crowded; standing across the bay; closely pursued by a sloop of war; that kept firing upon the chase from her bows; which the lugger returned with her stern…chasers。 〃They're but at long bowls yet;〃 cried Kennedy; in great exultation; 〃but they will be closer by and by。D…n him; he's starting his cargo! I see the good Nantz pitching overboard; keg after keg!that's a d…d ungenteel thing of Mr。 Hatteraick; as I shall let him know by and by。Now; now! they've got the wind of him!that's it; that's it!Hark to him; hark to him! Now; my dogs! now; my dogs!hark to Ranger; hark!〃
〃I think;〃 said the old gardener to one of the maids; 〃the gauger's fie;〃 by which word the common people express those violent spirits which they think a presage of death。
Meantime the chase continued。 The lugger; being piloted with great ability; and using every nautical shift to make her escape; had now reached; and was about to double; the headland which formed the extreme point of land on the left side of the bay; when a ball having hit the yard in the slings; the main…sail fell upon the deck。 The consequence of this accident appeared inevitable; but could not be seen by the spectators; for the vessel; which had just doubled the headland; lost steerage; and fell out of their sight behind the promontory。 The sloop of war crowded all sail to pursue; but she had stood too close upon the cape; so that they were obliged to wear the vessel for fear of going ashore; and to make a large tack back into the bay; in order to recover sea…room enough to double the headland。
〃They'll lose her; by; cargo and lugger; one or both;〃 said Kennedy; 〃I must gallop away to the Point of Warroch (this was the headland so often mentioned); and make them a signal where she has drifted to on the other side。 Good…bye for an hour; Ellangowanget out the gallon punchbowl and plenty of lemons。 I'll stand for the French article by the time I come back; and we'll drink the young Laird's health in a bowl that would swim the Collector's yawl。〃 So saying; he mounted his horse; and galloped off。
About a mile from the house; and upon the verge of the woods; which; as we have said; covered a promontory terminating in the cape called the Point of Warroch; Kennedy met young Harry Bertram; attended by his tutor; Dominie Sampson。 He had often promised the child a ride upon his galloway; and; from singing; dancing; and playing Punch for his amusement; was a particular favourite。 He no sooner came scampering up the path; than the boy loudly claimed his promise; and Kennedy; who saw no risk in indulging him; and wished to tease the Dominie; in whose visage he read a remonstrance; caught up Harry from the ground; placed him before him; and continued his route; Sampson's 〃Peradventure; Master Kennedy〃 being lost in the clatter of his horse's feet。 The pedagogue hesitated a moment whether he should go after them; but Kennedy being a person in full confidence of the family; and with whom he himself had no delight in associating; 〃being that he was addicted unto profane and scurrilous jests;〃 he continued his own walk at his own pace; till he reached the Place of Ellangowan。
The spectators from the ruined walls of the castle were still watching the sloop of war; which at length; but not without the loss of considerable time; recovered sea…room enough to weather the Point of Warroch; and was lost to their sight behind that wooded promontory。 Some time afterwards the discharges of several cannon were heard at a distance; and; after an interval; a still louder explosion; as of a vessel blown up; and a cloud of smoke rose above the trees; and mingled with the blue sky。 All then separated on their different occasions; auguring variously upon the fate of the smuggler; but the majority insisting that her capture was inevitable; if she had not already gone to the bottom。
〃It is near our dinner…time; my dear;〃 said Mrs。 Bertram to her husband; 〃will it be lang before Mr。 Kennedy comes back?〃
〃I expect him every moment; my dear;〃 said the Laird; 〃perhaps he is bringing some of the officers of the sloop with him。〃
〃My stars; Mr。 Bertram! why did not ye tell me this before; that we might have had the large round table?and then; they're a' tired o' saut meat; and; to tell you the plain truth; a rump o' beef is the best part of your dinnerand then I wad have put on another gown; and ye wadna have been the waur o' a clean neckcloth yoursellBut ye delight in surprising and hurrying oneI am sure I am no to haud out for ever against this sort of going onBut when folk's missed; then they are moaned。〃
〃Pshaw; pshaw! deuce take the beef; and the gown; and table; and the neckcloth!we shall doall very well。Where's the Dominie; John?(to a servant who was busy about the table)where's the Dominie and little Harry?〃
〃Mr。 Sampson's been at hame these twa hours and mair; but I dinna think Mr。 Harry cam hame wi' him。〃
〃Not come hame wi' him?〃 said the lady; 〃desire Mr。 Sampson to step this way directly。〃
〃Mr。 Sampson;〃 said she; upon his entrance; 〃is it not the most extraordinary tiring in this world wide; that you; that have free up…puttingbed; board; and washingand twelve pounds sterling a year; just to look after that boy; should let him out of your sight for twa or three hours?〃
Sampson made a bow of humble acknowledgment at each pause which the angry lady made in her enumeration of the advantages of his situation; in order to give more weight to her remonstrance; and then; in words which we will not do him the injustice to imitate; told how Mr。 Francis Kennedy 〃had assumed spontaneously the charge of Master Harry; in despite of his remonstrances in the contrary。〃
〃I am very little obliged to Mr。 Francis Kennedy for his pains;〃 said the lady peevishly; 〃suppose he lets the boy drop from his horse; and lames him? or suppose one of the cannons comes ashore and kills him?or suppose〃
〃Or suppose; my dear;〃 said Ellangowan; 〃what is much more likely than anything else; that they have gone aboard the sloop or the prize; and are to come round the Point with the tide?〃
〃And then they may be drowned;〃 said the lady。
〃Verily;〃 said Sampson; 〃I thought M r。 Kennedy had returned an hour sinceOf a surety I deemed I heard his horse's feet。〃
〃That;〃 said John; with a broad grin; 〃was Grizzel chasing the humble…cow 'A cow without horns' out of the close。〃
Sampson coloured up to the eyesnot at the implied taunt; which he would never have discovered; or resented if he had; but at some idea which crossed his own mind。 〃I have been in an error;〃 he said; 〃of a surety I should have tarried for the babe。〃 So saying; he snatched his bone…headed cane and hat; and hurried away towards Warroch wood; faster than he was ever known to walk before; or after。
The Laird lingered some time; debating the point with the lady。 At length; he saw the sloop of war again make her appearance; but; without approaching the shore; she stood away to the westward with all her sails set; and was soon out of sight。 The lady's state of timorous and fretful apprehension was so habitual; that her fears went for nothing with her lord and master; but an appearance of disturbance and anxiety among the servants now excited his alarm; especially; when he was called out of the room; and told in private that Mr。 Kennedy's horse had come to the stable door alone; with the saddle turned round below its belly; and the reins of the bridle broken; and that a farmer had informed them in passing; that there was a smuggling lugger burning like a furnace on the other side of the Point of Warroch; and that; though he had come through the wood; he had seen or heard nothing of Kennedy or the young Laird; 〃only there was Dominie Sampson; gaun rumpaugin about; like mad; seeking for them。〃
All was now bustle at Ellangowan。 The Laird and his servants; male and female; hastened to the wood of Warroch。 The tenants and cottagers in the neighbourhood lent their assistance; partly out of zeal; partly from curiosity。 Boats were manned to search the seashore; which; on the other side of the Point; rose into high and indented rocks。 A vague suspicion was entertained; though too horrible to be expressed; that the child might have fallen from one of these cliffs。
The evening had begun to close when the parties entered the wood; and dispersed different ways in quest of the boy and his companion。 The darkening of the atmosphere; and the hoarse sighs of the November wind through the naked trees; the rustling of the withered