guy mannering-第49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　of　six　feet　high；　had　a　dark　frock；　with　metal　buttons；　light…brown　hair　unpowdered；　blue　eyes；　and　a　straight　nose；　travelled　on　foot；　had　no　servant　or　baggage。you　surely　can　remember　having　seen　such　a　traveller？〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　answered　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　bent　on　baffling　his　inquiries；　〃I　canna　charge　my　memory　about　the　matterthere's　mair　to　do　in　a　house　like　this；　I　trow；　than　to　look　after　passengers'　hair；　or　their　een；　or　noses　either。〃

〃Then；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　I　must　tell　you　in　plain　terms；　that　this　person　suspected　of　having　been　guilty　of　a　crime；　and　it　is　in　consequence　of　these　suspicions　that　I；　as　a　magistrate；　require　this　information　from　you；and　if　you　refuse　to　answer　my　questions；　I　must　put　you　upon　your　oath。〃

〃Troth；　sir；　I　am　no　free　to　swear　＇*Some　of　the　strict　dissenters　decline　taking　an　oath　before　a　civil　magistrate＇we　aye　gaed　to　the　Antiburgher　meetingit's　very　true；　in　Bailie　Mac…Candlish's　time　（honest　man）；　we　keepit　the　kirk；　whilk　was　most　seemly　in　his　station；　as　having　office；　but　after　his　being　called　to　a　better　place　than　Kippletringan；　I　hae　gaen　back　to　worthy　Maister　MacGrainer。　And　so　ye　see；　sir；　I　am　no　clear　to　swear　without　speaking　to　the　ministerespecially　against　ony　sackless　puir　young　thing　that's　gaun　through　the　country；　stranger　and　freendless　like。〃

〃I　shall　relieve　your　scruples；　perhaps；　without　troubling　Mr。　Mac…Grainer；　when　I　tell　you　that　this　fellow　whom　I　Inquire　after　is　the　man　who　shot　your　young　friend　Charles　Hazlewood。〃

〃Gudeness！　wha　could　hae　thought　the　like　o'　that　o'　him？　na；　if　it　had　been　for　debt；　or　e'en　for　a　bit　tuilzie　＇*Scuffle＇　wi'　the　gauger；　the　deil　o'　Nelly　Mac…Candlish's　tongue　should　ever　hae　wranged　him。　But　if　he　really　shot　young　HazlewoodBut　I　canna　think　it；　Mr。　Glossin；　this　will　be　same　o'　your　skits　＇*Tricks＇　nowI　canna　think　it　o'　sae　douce　a　lad；na；　na；　this　is　just　some　a'　your　auld　s　'kits。Ye'll　he　for　having　a　horning　or　a　caption　after　him。〃

〃I　see　you　have　no　confidence　in　me；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　but　look　at　these　declarations；　signed　by　the　persons　who　saw　the　crime　committed；　and　judge　yourself　if　the　description　of　the　ruffian　be　not　that　of　your　guest。〃

He　put　the　papers　into　her　hand；　which　she　perused　very　carefully；　often　taking　off　her　spectacles　to　cast　her　eyes　up　to　Heaven；　or　perhaps　to　wipe　a　tear　from　them；　for　young　Hazlewood　was　an　especial　favourite　with　the　good　dame。　〃Aweel；　aweel；〃　she　said；　when　she　had　concluded　her　examination；　〃since　it's　e'en　sae；　I　gie　him　up；　the　villain　But　oh；　we　are　erring　mortals！I　never　saw　a　face　I　liked　better；　or　a　lad　that　was　mair　douce　and　cannyI　thought　he　had　been　some　gentleman　under　trouble。But　I　gie　him　up；　the　villain！to　shoot　Charles　Hazlewood　and　before　the　young　ladies；　poor　innocent　things！I　gie　him　up。

〃So　you　admit；　then；　that　such　a　person　lodged　here　the　night　before　this　vile　business？〃

〃Troth　did　he；　sir；　and　a'　the　house　were　taen　wi'　him；　he　was　sic　a　frank；　pleasant　young　man；　It　wasna　for　his　spending；　I'm　sure；　for　he　just　had　a　mutton…chop；　and　a　mug　of　ale；　and　maybe　a　glass　or　twa　o'　wine…and　I　asked　him　to　drink　tea　wi'　myself；　and　didna　put　that　into　the　bill；　and　he　took　nae　supper；　for　he　said　he　was　defeat　＇*Exhausted＇　wi'　travel　a'　the　night　aforeI　dare　say　now　it　had　been　on　some　hellicat　errand　or　other。〃

〃Did　you　by　any　chance　learn　his　name？〃

〃I　wot　weel　did　I；〃　said　the　landlady；　now　as　eager　to　communicate　her　evidence　as　formerly　desirous　to　suppress　it。　〃He　tell'd　me　his　name　was　Brown；　and　he　said　it　was　likely　that　an　auld　woman　like　a　gipsy　wife　might　be　asking　for　himAy；　ay！　tell　me　your　company；　and　I'll　tell　you　wha　ye　are！　Oh；　the　villain！Aweel；　sir；　when　he　gaed　away　in　the　morning；　he　paid　his　bill　very　honestly；　and　gae　something　to　the　chamber…maid；　nae　doubt；　for　Grizy　has　naething　frae　me；　by　twa　pair　o'　new　shoon　ilka　year；　and　maybe　a　bit　compliment　at　Hansel　Monanday〃Here　Glossin　found　it　necessary　to　interfere；　and　bring　the　good　woman　back　to　the　point。

〃Ou　than；　he　just　said；　if　there　comes　such　a　person　to　inquire　after　Mr。　Brown；　you　will　say　I　am　gone　to　look　at　the　skaters　on　Loch　Creeran；　as　you　call　it；　and　I　will　be　back　here　to　dinnerBut　he　never　came　backthough　I　expected　him　sae　faithfully；　that　I　gae　a　look　to　making　the　friar's　chicken　mysell；　and　to　the　crappit…heads　＇*Haddock…heads　stuffed＇　too；　and　that's　what　I　dinna　do　for　ordinary；　Mr。　GlossinBut　little　did　I　think　what　skating　wark　he　was　gaun　aboutto　shoot　Mr。　Charles；　the　innocent　lamb！〃

Mr。　Glossin；　having；　like　a　prudent　examinator；　suffered。　his　witness；　to　give。　vent　to　all　her　surprise　and　indignation；　now　began　to　inquire　whether　the　suspected　person　had　left　any　property　or　papers　about　the　inn。

〃Troth；　he　put　a　parcela　sma'　parcel；　under　my　charge；　and　he　gave　me　some　siller；　and　desired　me　to　get　him　half　a　dozen　ruffled　sarks；　and　Peg　Pasley's　in　bands　wi'　them　e'en　nowthey　may　serve　him　to　gang　up　the　Lawnmarket　I　in；　the　scoundrel！〃　＇*The　procession　of　the　criminals　to　the　gallows　of　old　took　that　direction；　moving；　as　the　schoolboy　rhyme　had　it；　Up　the　Lawnmarket；　Down　the　West　Bow；　Up　the　lang　ladder；　And　down　the　little　tow。＇　Mr。　Glossin　then　demanded　to　see　the　packet；　but　here　mine　hostess　demurred。

〃She　didna　kenshe　wad　not　say　but　justice　should　take　its　course　but　when　a　thing；　was　trusted　to　ane　in　her　way；　doubtless　they　were　responsiblebut　she　suld　cry　in　Deacon　Bearcliff；　and　if　Mr。　Glossin　liked　to　tak　an　inventar　o'　the　property；　and　gie　her　a　receipt　before　the　Deaconor；　what　she　wad　like　muckle　better；　an　it　could；　be　scaled　up　and　left　in　Deacon　Bearclift's　hands；　it　wad　mak　her　mind　easyShe　was　for　naething　but　justice　on　a'　sides。〃

Mrs。　Mac…Candlish's　natural　sagacity　and　acquired　suspicion　being　inflexible；　Glossin　sent　for　Deacon　Bearcliff；　to　speak　〃anent　the　villain　that　had　shot　Mr。　Charles　Hazlewood。〃　The　Deacon　accordingly　made　his　appearance；　with　his　wig　awry；　owing　to　the　hurry　with　which；　at　this　summons　of　the　Justice；　he　had　exchanged　it　for　the　Kilmarnock　cap　with　which　he　usually　attended　his　customers。　Mrs。　MacCandlish　then　produced　the　parcel　deposited　with　her　by　Brown；　in　which　was　found　the　gipsy's　purse。　On　perceiving　the　value　of　the　miscellaneous　contents；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish　internally　congratulated　herself　upon　the　precautions　she　had　taken　before　delivering　them　up　to　Glossin；　while　he；　with　an　appearance　of　disinterested　candour；　was　the　first　to　propose　they　should　be　properly　inventoried；　and　deposited　with　Deacon　Bearcliff；　until　they　should　be　sent　to　the　Crown　Office。　〃He　did　not〃　he　observed；　〃like　to　be　personally　responsible　for　articles　which　seemed　of　considerable　value；　and　had　doubtless　been　acquired　by　the　most　nefarious　practices。〃

He　then　examined　the　paper　in　which　the　purse　had　been　wrapt　up。　It　was　the　back　of　a　letter　addressed　to　V。　Brown；　Esquire；　but　the　rest　of　the　address　was　torn　away。　The　landlady；now　as　eager　to　throw　light　upon　the　criminal's　escape　as　she　had　formerly　been　desirous　of　withholding　it；　for　the　miscellaneous　contents　of　the　purse　argued　strongly　to　her　mind　that　all　was　not　right；Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　I　say；　now　gave　Glossin　to　understand；　that　her　postilion　and　hostler　had　both　seen　the　stranger　upon　the　ice　that　day　when　young　Hazlewood　was　wounded。

Our　reader's　old　acquaintance；　Jock　Jabos；　was　first　summoned；　and　admitted　frankly　that　he　had　seen　and　conversed　upon　the　ice　that　morning　with　a　stranger；　who；　he　understood；　had　lodged　at　the　Gordon　Arms　the　night　before。

〃What　turn　did　your　conversation　take？〃　said　Glossin。

〃Turn？ou；　we　turned　nae　gate　at　a'；　but　just　keepit　straight　forward　upon　the　ice　like。〃

〃Well；　but　what　did　ye　speak　about？〃

〃Ou；　he　just　asked　questions　like　ony　ither　stranger；〃　answered。　the　postilion；　possessed；　as　it　seemed；　with　the　refractory　and　uncommunicative　spirit　which　had　left　his　mistress。

〃But　about　what？〃　said　Glossin。

〃Ou；　just　about　the　folk　that　was　playing　at　the　curling；　and　about　auld　Jock　Stevenson　that　was　at　the　cock；　and　about　the　leddies；　and　sic　like。〃

〃What　ladies？　and　what　did　he　ask　about　them；　Jock？〃　said　the　interrogator。

〃What　leddies？　ou；　it　was　Miss　Jowlia　Mannering　and　Miss　Lucy　Bertram；　that　ye　ken　fu'　weel　yourself；　Mr。　Glossinthey　were　walking　wi'　the　young　Laird　of　Hazlewood　upon　the　ice。〃

〃〃And　what　did　you　tell　him　about　them？〃　demanded　Glossin。

〃Tut；　we　just　said　that　was　Miss　Lucy　Bertram　of　Ellangowan；　that　should　ance　have　had　a　great　estate　in　the　countryand　that　was　Miss　Jowlia　Mannering；　that　was　to　be　married　to　young　HazlewoodSee　as　she　was　hinging　on　his　armwe　just　spoke　about　our　country　clashes　likehe　was　a　very　frank　man。〃

〃Well；　and　what　did　he　say　in　answer？〃

〃Ou；　he　just　stared　at　the　young　leddies　very　keen　like；　and　asked　if　it　was　for　certain　that　the　marriage　was　to　be　between　Miss　Mannering　and　young　Hazlewoodand　I　answered　him　that　it　was　for　positive　and　absolute　certain；　as　I　had　an　undoubted　right　to　say　saefor　my　third　cousin　Jean　Clavers　（she's　a　relation　o'　your　ain；　Mr。　Glossin；　ye　wad　ken　Jean　lang　syne？）；　she's　sib　＇*Related＇　to　the　housekeeper　at　Woodbourne；　and　she's　tell'd　me　mair　than　ance　that　there　was　naething　could　be　mair　likely。〃

〃And　what　did　the　stranger　say　when　you　told　him　all　this？〃　said　Glossin。

〃Say？〃　echoed　the　postilion；　〃he　said　naething　at　a'he　just　stared　at　them　as　they　walked　round　the　loch　upon　the　ice；　as　if　he　could　have　eaten　them；　and　he　never　took　his　ee　aff　them；　or　said　another　word；　or　gave　another　glance　at　the　Bonspiel；　＇*playing　match＇　though　there　was　the　finest　fun　amang　the　curlers　ever　was　seenand　he　turned　round　and　gaed　aff　the　loch　by　the　kirk…stile　through　Woodbourne　fir…plantings；　and　we　saw　nae　mair　o'　him。〃

〃Only　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　〃what　a　hard　heart　he　maun　hae　had；　to　think　o'　hurting　the　poor　young　gentleman　in　the　very　presence　of　the　leddy　he　was　to　be　married　to！〃

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；'　said　Glossin；　〃there's　been　many　cases　such　as　that　on　the　record；doubtless　he　was　seeking　revenge　where　it　would　be　deepest　and　sweetest。〃

〃God　pity　us！〃　said　Deacon　Bearcliff；　〃we're　puir　frail　cr