guy mannering-第41部分

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lack　gables；　rendered　more　distinguishable　by　the　contrast　with　the　whitened　surface　from　which　they　rose；　were　still　standing；　the　sidewalls　had　long　since　given　way　to　time；　and；　piled　in　shapeless　heaps；　and　covered　with　snow　offered　frequent　and　embarrassing　obstacles　toour　traveller's　progress。　Still；　however；　he　persevered；　crossed　the　rivulet；　not　without　some　trouble；　and　at　length；　by　exertions　which　became　both　painful　and　perilous；　ascended　its　opposite　and　very　rugged　bank；　until　he　came　on　a　level　with　the　building　from'　which　the　gleam　proceeded。

It　was　difficult；　especially　by　so　imperfect　a　light；　to　discover　the　nature　of　this　edifice；　but　it　seemed　a　square　building　of　small　size；　the　upper　part　of　which　was　totally　ruinous。　It　had；　perhaps；　been　the　abode；　in　former。　times；　of　some　lesser　proprietor；　or　a　place　of　strength　and　concealment；　in　case　of　need；　for　one　of　greater　importance。　But　only　the　lower　vault　remained；　the　arch　of　which　formed　the　roof　in　the　present　state　of　the　building。　Brown　first　approached　the　place　from　whence　the　light　proceeded；　which　was　a　long　narrow　slit　or　loophole；　such　as　usually　are　to　be　found　in　old　castles。　Impelled　by　curiosity　to　reconnoitre　the　interior　of　this　strange　place　before　he　entered；　Brown　gazed　in　at　this　aperture。　A　scene　of　greater　desolation　could　not　well　be　imagined。　There　was　a　fire　upon　the　floor；　the　smoke　of　which；　after　circling　through　the　apartment；　escaped　by　a　hole　broken　in　the　arch　above。　The　walls；　seen　by　this　smoky　light；　had　the　rude　and　waste　appearance　of　a　ruin　of　three　centuries　old　at　least。　A　cask　or　two；　with　some　broken　boxes　and　packages；　lay　about　the　place　in　confusion。　But　the　inmates　chiefly　occupied　Brown's　attention。　Upon　a　lair　composed　of　straw　with　a　blanket　stretched　over　it；　lay　a　figure；　so　stilly　that；　except　that　it　was　not　dressed　in　the　ordinary　habiliments　of　the　grave；　Brown　would　have　concluded　it　to　be　a　corpse。　On　a　steadier　view　he　perceived　it　was　only　on　the　point　of　becoming　so；　for　he　heard　one　or　two　of　these　low；　deep；　and　hard…drawn　sighs；　that　precede　dissolution　when　the　frame　is　tenacious　of　life。　A　female　figure；　dressed　in　a　long　cloak；　sat　on　a　stone　by　this　miserable　couch；　her　elbows　rested　upon　her　knees；　and　her　face；　averted　from　the　light　of　an　iron　lamp　beside　her；　was　bent　upon　that　of　the　dying　person。　She　moistened　his　mouth　from　time　to　time　with　some　liquid；　and　between　whiles　sung；　in　a　low　monotonous　cadence；　one　of　those　prayers；　or　rather　spells；　which；　in　some　parts　of　Scotland　and　the　north　of　England；　are　used　by　the　vulgar　and　ignorant　to　speed　the　passage　of　a　parting　spirit；　like　the　tolling；　of　the　bell　in　catholic　days。　She　accompanied　this　dismal　sound　with　a　slow　rocking　motion　of　her　body　to　and　fro；　as　if　to　keep　time　with　her　song。　The　words　ran　nearly　thus

　　Wasted；　weary；　wherefore　stay；　　　Wrestling　thus　with　earth　and　clay？　　　From　the　body　pass　away；　　　Hark！　the　mass　is　singing；

　　From　thee　doff　thy　mortal　weed；　　　Mary　Mother　be　thy　speed；　　　Saints　to　help　thee　at　thy　need；　　　Hark！　the　knell　is　ringing。

　　Fear　not　snow…drift　driving　fast　　　Sleet；　or　hail；　or　levin　blast；　　　Soon　the　shroud　shall　lap　thee　fast；　　　And　the　sleep　be　on　thee　cast

　　That　shall　ne'er　know　waking。

　　Haste　thee；　haste　thee；　to　be　gone；　　　Earth　flits　fast；　and　time　draws　on；　　　Gasp　thy　gasp；　and　groan　thy　groan；　　　Day　is　near　the　breaking。

The　songstress　paused；　and　was　answered　by　one　or　two　deep　and　hollow　groans；　that　seemed　to　proceed　from　the　very　agony　of　the　mortal　strife。　〃It　will　not　be；〃　she　muttered　to　herself〃He　cannot　pass　away　with　that　on　his　mindit　tethers　him　here

　　〃Heaven　cannot　abide　it；　　　Earth　refuses　to　hide　it。〃　　　　　＇*See　Note　V。　Gipsy　Superstitions。＇

I　must　open　the　door；〃　and；　rising；　she　faced　towards　the　door　of　the　apartment；　observing　heedfully　not　to　turn　back　her　head；　and；　withdrawing　a　bolt　or　two　（for；　notwithstanding　the　miserable　appearance　of　the　place；　the　door　was　cautiously　secured）；　she　lifted　the　latch；　saying；

〃Open　lock　end　strife；　Come　death；　and　pass　life。〃　Brown；　who　had　by　this　time　moved　from　his　post；　stood　before　her　as　she　opened　the　door。　She　stepped　back　a　pace；　and　he　entered；　instantly　recognising；　but　with　no　comfortable　sensation；　the　same　gipsy　woman　whom　he　had　met　in　Bewcastle。　She　also　knew　him　at　once；　and　her　attitude；　figure；　and　the　anxiety　of　her　countenance　assumed　the　appearance　of　the　well…disposed　ogress　of　a　fairy　tale；　warning　a　stranger　not　to　enter　the　dangerous　castle　of　her　husband。　The　first　words　she　spoke　（holding　up　her　hands　in　a　reproving　manner）　were；　〃Said　I　not　to　ye；　Make　not；　meddle　not？Beware　of　the　redding　straik！　＇*The　redding　straik；　namely；　a　blow　received　by　a　peacemaker　who　interfere　betwixt　two　combatants；　to　red　or　separate　them；　is　proverbially　said　to　be　the　most　dangerous　blow　a　man　can　receive。＇　you　are　come　to　no　house　o'　fairstrae　＇*Natural＇　death。〃　So　saying；　she　raised　the　lamp；　and　turned　its　light　on　the　dying　man；　whose　rude　and　harsh　features　were　now　convulsed　with　the　last　agony。　A　roll　of　linen　about　his　head　was　stained　with　blood；　which　had　soaked　also　through　the　blankets　and　the　straw。　It　was；　indeed；　under　no　natural　disease　that　the　wretch　was　suffering。　Brown　started　back　from　this　horrible　object；　and；　turning　to　the　gipsy；　exclaimed；　〃Wretched　woman；　who　has　done　this？〃

〃They　that　were　permitted；〃　answered　Meg　Merrilies；　while　she　scanned　with　a　close　and　keen　glance　the　features　of　the　expiring　man。〃He　has　had　a　sair　strugglebut　it's　passingI　kenn'd　he　would　pass　when　you　came　in。That　was　the　death…rucklehe's　dead。〃

Sounds　were　now　heard　at　a　distance；　as　of　voices。　〃They　are　coming；〃　said　she　to　Brown；　〃you　are　a　dead　man　if　ye　had　as　mony　lives　as　hairs。〃　Brown　eagerly　looked　round　for　some　weapon　of　defence。　There　was　none　near。　He　then　rushed　to　the　door；　with　the　intention　of　plunging　among　the　trees；　and　making　his　escape　by　flight；　from　what　he　now　esteemed　a　den　of　murderers；　but　Merrilies　held　him　with　a　masculine　grasp。　〃Here；〃　she　said；　〃here　be　still　and　you　are　safestir　not；　whatever　you　see　or　hear；　and　nothing　shall　befall　you。〃

Brown；　in　these　desperate　circumstances；　remembered　this　woman's　intimation　formerly；　and　thought　he　had　no　chance　of　safety　but　in　obeying　her。　She　caused　him　to　couch　down　among　a　parcel　of　straw　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　apartment　from　the　corpse；　covered　him　carefully；　and　flung　over　him　two　or　three　old　sacks　which　lay　about　the　place。　Anxious　to　observe　what　was　to　happen；　Brown　arranged；　as　softly　as　he　could；　the　means　of　peeping　from　under　the　coverings　by　which　he　was　hidden；　and　awaited　with　a　throbbing　heart　the　issue　of　this　strange　and　most　unpleasant　adventure。　The　old　gipsy；　in　the　meantime；　set　about　arranging　the　dead　body；　composing　its　limbs；　and　straightening　the　arms　by　its　side。　〃Best　to　do　this；〃　she　muttered；　〃ere　he　stiffen。〃　She　placed　on　the　dead　man's　breast　a　trencher；　with　salt　sprinkled　upon　it；　set　one　candle　at　the　head；　and　another　at　the　feet　of　the　body；　and　lighted　both。　Then　she　resumed　her　song；　and　awaited　the　approach　of　those　whose　voices　had　been　heard　without。

Brown　was　a　soldier；　and　a　brave　one；　but　he　was　also　a　man；　and　at　this　moment　his　fears　mastered　his　courage　so　completely　that　the　cold　drops　burst　out　from　every　pore。　The　idea　of　being　dragged　out　of　his　miserable　concealment　by　wretches；　whose　trade　was　that　of　midnight　murder；　without　weapons　or　the　slightest　means　of　defence；　except　entreaties；　which　would　be　only　their　sport；　and　cries　for　help；　which　could　never　reach　other　ear　than　their　ownhis　safety　entrusted　to　the　precarious　compassion　of　a　being　associated　with　these　felons；　and　whose　trade　of　rapine　and　imposture　must　have　hardened　her　against　every　human　feelingthe　bitterness　of　his　emotions　almost　choked　him。　He　endeavoured　to　read　in　her　withered　and　dark　countenance；　as　the　lamp　threw　its　light　upon　her　features；　something　that　promised　those　feelings　of　compassion；　which；　females；　even　in　their　most　degraded　state；　can　seldom　altogether　smother。　There　was　no　such　touch　of　humanity　about　this　woman。　The　interest；　whatever　it　was；　that　determined　her　in　his　favour；　arose　not　from　the　impulse　of　compassion；　but　from　some　internal；　and　probably　capricious；　association　of　feelings；　to　which　he　had　no　clew。　It　rested；　perhaps；　on　a　fancied　likeness；　such　as　Lady　Macbeth　found　to　her　father　in　the　sleeping　monarch。　Such　were　the　reflections　that　passed　in　rapid　succession　through　Brown's　mind；　as　he　gazed　from　his　hiding…place　upon　this　extraordinary　personage。　Meantime　the　gang　did　not　yet　approach；　and　he　was　almost　prompted　to　resume　his　original　intention　of　attempting　an　escape　from　the　hut；　and　cursed　internally　his　own　irresolution；　which　had　consented　to　his　being　cooped　up　where　he　had　neither　room　for　resistance　nor　flight。

Meg　Merrilies　seemed　equally　on　the　watch。　She　bent　her　ear　to　every　sound　that　whistled　round　the　old　walls。　Then　she　turned　again　to　the　dead　body；　and　found　something　new　to　arrange　or　alter　in　its　position。　〃He's　a　bonny　corpse；　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃and　weel　worth　the　streaking。〃And　in　this　dismal　occupation　she　appeared　to　feel　a　sort　of　professional　pleasure；　entering　slowly　into　all　the　minutiae；　as　if　with　the　skill　and　feelings　of　a　connoisseur。　A　long　dark…coloured　sea…cloak；Which　she　dragged　out　of　a　corner；　was　disposed　for　a　pall。　The　face　she　left　bare；　after　closing　the　mouth　and　eyes；　and　arranged　the　capes　of　the　cloak　so　as　to　hide　the　bloody　bandages；　and　give　the　body；　as　she　muttered；　a　mair　decent　appearance。〃

At　once　three　or　four　men；　equally　ruffians　in　appearance　and　dress　rushed　into　the　hut。　〃Meg；　ye　limb　of　Satan；　how　dare　you　leave　the　door　open？〃　was　the　first　salutation　of　the　party。

〃And　wha　ever　heard　of　a　door　being　barred　when　a　man　was　in　the　dead…thraw？how　d'ye　think　the　spirit　was　to　get　awa　through　bolts　and　bars　like　thae？

〃Is　he　dead；　then？〃　said　one　who　went　to　the　side　of　the　couch　to　look　at　the　body。

〃Ay；　aydead　enough；〃　said　another〃but　here's　what　shall　give　him　a　rousing　lykewake。〃　So　saying；　he　fetched　a　keg　of　spirits　from　a　corner；　while