guy mannering-第51部分

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or　a　little　accident　that　happened　at　Warroch　Point　a　few　years　ago。〃

Hatteraick's　looks　grew　black　as　midnight。

〃For　my　part；〃　continued　Glossin；　〃I　have　no　particular　wish　to　be　hard　upon　an　old　acquaintancebut　I　must　do　my　dutyI　shall　send　you　off　to　Edinburgh　in　a　post…chaise　and　four　this　very　day。〃

〃Poz　donner！　you　would　not　do　that？〃　said　Hatteraick；in　a　lower　and　more　humbled　tone；　〃why；　you　had　the　matter　of　half　a　cargo　in　bills　on　Vanbeest　and　Vanbruggen。〃

〃It　is　so　long　since；　Captain　Hatteraick；〃　answered　Glossin　superciliously；　〃that　I　really　forget　how　I　was　recompensed　for　my　trouble。〃

〃Your　trouble？　your　silence；　you　mean。〃

〃It　was　an　affair　in　the　course　of　business；〃　said　Glossin；　〃and　I　have　retired　from　business　for　some　time。〃

〃Ay；　but　I　have　a　notion　that　I　could　make　you　go　steady　about；　and　try　the　old　course　again；〃　answered　Dirk　Hatteraick。　〃Why；　man；　hold　me　der　deyvil；　but　I　meant　to　visit　you；　and　tell　you　something　that　concerns　you。〃

〃Of　the　boy？〃　said　Glossin　eagerly。

〃Yaw；　Mynheer；〃　replied　the　Captain　coolly。

〃He　does　not　live；　does　he？〃

〃As　lifelich　as　you　or　I；〃　said　Hatteraick。

〃Good　God！But　in　India？〃　exclaimed　Glossin。

〃No；　tousand　deyvils；　here　on　this　dirty　coast　of　yours；〃　rejoined　the　prisoner。

〃But；　Hatteraick；　this；that　is；　if　it　be　true；　which　I　do　not　believe；this　will　ruin　us　both；　for　he　cannot　but　remember　your　neat　job；　and　for　meit　will　be　productive　of　the　worst　consequences。　It　will　ruin　us　both；　I　tell　you。〃

〃I　tell　you；〃　said　the　seaman；　〃it　will　ruin　none　but　youfor　I　am　done　up　already；　and　if　I　must　strap　for　it；　all　shall　out。〃

〃Zounds！〃　said　the　justice　impatiently；　〃what　brought　you　back　to　this　coast　like　a　madman？〃

〃Why；　all　the　gelt　was　gone；　and　the　house　was　shaking；　and　I　thought　the　job　was　clayed　over　and　forgotten；〃　answered　the　worthy　skipper。

〃Staywhat　can　be　done？〃　said　Glossin　anxiously。　I　dare　not　discharge　youbut　might　you　not　be　rescued　in　the　wayay　surea　word　to　Lieutenant　Brown；and　I　would　send　the　people　with　you　by　the　coast…road。〃

〃No；　no！　that　won't　doBrown's　dead…shotlaid　in　the　locker；　manthe　devil　has　the　picking　of　him。〃

〃Dead？shot？at　Woodbourne；　I　suppose？〃　replied　Glossin。

〃Yaw；　Mynheer。〃

Glossin　pausedthe　sweat　broke　upon　his　brow　with　the　agony　of　his　feelings；　while　the　hard…featured　miscreant　who　sat　opposite；　coolly　rolled　his　tobacco　in　his　cheek；　and　squirted　the　juice　into　the　fire…grate。　〃It　would　be　ruin；〃　said　Glossin　to　himself；　〃absolute　ruin；　if　the　heir　should　reappearand　then　what　might　be　the　consequence　of　conniving　with　these　men？yet　there　is　so　little　time　to　take　measuresHark　you；　Hatteraick；　I　can't　set　you　at　libertybut　I　can　put　you　where　you　may　set　yourself　at　libertyI　always　like　to　assist　an　old　friend。　I　shall　confine　you　in　the　old　castle　for　tonight；　and　give　these　people　double　allowance　of　grog。　Mac…Guffog　will　fall　in　the　trap　in　which　he　caught　you。　The　stanchions　on　the　window　of　the　strong　room；　as　they　call　it；　are　wasted　to　pieces；　and　it　is　not　above　twelve　feet　from　the　level　of　the　ground　without；　and　the　snow　lies　thick。〃

〃But　the　darbies；〃　said　Hatteraick；　looking　upon　his　fetters。

〃Hark　ye；〃　said　Glossin；　going　to　a　tool…chest；　and　taking　out　a　small　file；　〃there's　a　friend　for　you；　and　you　know　the　road　to　the　sea　by　the　stairs。〃　Hatteraick　shook　his　chains　in　ecstasy；　as　if　he　were　already　at　liberty；　and　strove　to　extend　his　lettered　hand　towards　his　protector。　Glossin　laid　his　finger　upon　his　lips　with　a　cautious　glance　at　the　door；　and　then　proceeded　in　his　instructions。　〃When　you　escape；　you　had　better　go　to　the　Kaim　of　Dernecleugh。〃

〃Donner！　that　howff　is　blown。〃

〃The　devil！well；　then；　you　may　steal　my　skiff　that　lies　on　the　beach　there；　and　away。　But　you　must　remain　snug　at　the　Point　of　Warroch　till　I　come　to　see　you。〃

〃The　Point　of　Warroch？〃　said　Hatteraick；　his　countenance　again　falling；　〃what；　in　the　cave；　I　suppose？I　would　rather　it　were　anywhere　else；es　spuckt　da！they　say　for　certain　that　he　walksBut；　donner　and　blitzen！　I　never　shunned　him　alive；　and　I　won't　shun　him　deadStrafe　mich　helle！　it　shall　never　be　said　Dirk　Hatteraick　feared　either　dog　or　devil！So　I　am　to　wait　there　till　I　see　you？〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　answered　Glossin；　〃and　now　I　must　call　in　the　men。〃　He　did　so；　accordingly。

〃I　can　make　nothing　of　Captain　Janson；　as　he　calls　himself；　Mac…Guffog；　and　it's　now　too　late　to　bundle　him　off　to　the　county　jail。　Is　there　not　a　strong　room　up　yonder　in　the　old　castle？〃

〃Ay　is　there；　sir；　my　uncle　the　constable　ance　kept　a　man　there　for　three　days　in　auld　Ellangowan's　time。　But　there　was　an　unco　dust　about　itit　was　tried　in　the　Inner　House　afore　the　Feifteen。〃

〃I　know　all　that；　but　this　person　will　not　stay　there　very　longit's　only　a　makeshift　for　a　night；　a　mere　lock…up　house　till　further　examination。　There　is　a　small　room　through　which　it　opens；　you　may　light　a　fire　for　yourselves　there；　and　I'll　send　you　plenty　of　stuff　to　make　you　comfortable。　But　be　sure　you　lock　the　door　upon　the　prisoner；　and；　hark　ye；　let　him　have　a　fire　in　the　strongroom　too；　the　season　requires　it。　Perhaps　he'll　make　a　clean　breast　to…morrow。〃

With　these　instructions；　and　with　a　large　allowance　of　food　and　liquor；　the　justice　dismissed　his　party　to　keep　guard　for　the　night　in　the　old　castle；　under　the　full　hope　and　belief　that　they　would　neither　spend　the　night　in　watching；　nor　prayer。

There　was　little　fear　that　Glossin　himself　should　that　night　sleep　over…sound。　His　situation　was　perilous　in　the　extreme；　for　the　schemes　of　a　life　of　villainy　seemed　at　once　to　be　crumbling　around　and　above　him。　He　laid　himself　to　rest；　and　tossed　upon　his　pillow　for　a　long　time　in　vain。　At　length　he　fell　asleep；　but　it　was　only　to　dream　of　his　patron；now；　as　he　had　last　seen　him；　with　the　paleness　of　death　upon　his　features；　then　again　transformed　into　all　the　vigour　and　comeliness　of　youth；　approaching　to　expel　him　from　the　mansion…house　of　his　fathers。　Then　he　dreamed；　that　after　wandering　long　over　a　wild　heath；　he　came　at　length　to　an　inn；　from　which　sounded　the　voice　of　revelry；　and　that　when　he　entered；　the　first　person　he　met　was　Frank　Kennedy；　all　smashed　and　gory；　as　he　had　lain　on　the　beach　at　Warroch　Point；　but　with　a　reeking　punch…bowl　in　his　hand。　Then　the　scene　changed　to　a　dungeon；　where　he　heard　Dirk　Hatteraick；　whom　he　imagined　to　be　under　sentence　of　death；　confessing　his　crimes　to　a　clergyman。〃After　the　bloody　deed　was　done；〃　said　the　penitent；　〃we　retreated　into　a　cave　close　beside；　the　secret　of　which　was　known　but　to　one　man　in　the　country；　we　were　debating　what　to　do　with　the　child；　and　we　thought　ofgiving　it　up　to　the　gipsies；　when　we　heard　the　cries　of　the　pursuers　hallooing　to　each　other。　One　man　alone　came　straight　to　our　cave；　and　it　was　that　man　who　knew　the　secretbut　we　made　him　our　friend　at　the　expense　of　half　the　value　of　the　goods　saved。　By　his；　advice　we　carried　off　the　child　to　Holland　in　our　consort；　which　came　the　following　night　to　take　us　from　the　coast。　That　man　was〃

〃No；　I　deny　it！it　was　not　I！〃　said　Glossin；　in　half…uttered　accents；　and；　struggling　in　his　agony　to　express　his　denial　more　distinctly；　he　awoke。

It　was；　however；　conscience　chat　had；　prepared　this　mental　phantasmagoria。　The　truth　was；　that；　knowing　much　better　than　any　other　person　the　haunts　of　the　smugglers；　he　had；　while　the　others　were　searching　in　different　directions；　gone　straight　to　the　cave；　even　before　he　had　learned　the　murder　of　Kennedy；　whom　he　expected　to　find　their　prisoner。　He　came　upon　them　with　some　idea　of　mediation；　but　found　them　in　the　midst　of　their　guilty　terrors；　while　the　rage；　which　had　hurried　them　on　to　murder；　began；　with　all　but　Hatteraick；　to　sink　into　remorse　and　fear。　Glossin　was　then　indigent　and　greatly　in　debt；　but　he　was　already　possessed　of　Mr。　Bertram's　ear；　and；　aware　of　the　facility　of　his　disposition；　he　saw　no　difficulty　in　enriching　himself　at　his　expense；　provided　the　heir…male　were　removed；　in　which　case　the　estate　became　the　unlimited　property　of　the　weak　and　prodigal　father。　Stimulated　by　present　gain　and　the　prospect　of　contingent　advantage；　he　accepted　the　bribe　which　the　smugglers　offered　in　their　terror；　and　connived　at；　or　rather　encouraged；　their　intention　of　carrying　away　the　child　of　his　benefactor；　who；　if　left　behind；　was　old　enough　to　have　described　the　scene　of　blood　which　he　had　witnessed。　The　only　palliative　which　the　ingenuity　of　Glossin　could　offer　to　his　conscience　was；　that　the　temptation　was　great；　and　came　suddenly　upon　him；　embracing　as　it　were　the　very　advantages　on　which　his　mind　had　so　long　rested；　and　promising　to　relieve　him　from　distresses　which　must　have　otherwise　speedily　overwhelmed　him。　Besides；　he　endeavoured　to　think　that　self…preservation　rendered　his　conduct　necessary。　He　was；　in　some　degree；　in　the　power　of　the　robbers；　and　pleaded　hard　with　his　conscience；　that；　had　he　declined　their　offers；　the　assistance　which　he　could　have　called　for；　though　not　distant；　might　not　have　arrived　in　time　to　save　him　from　men；　who；　on　less　provocation；　had　just　committed　murder。

Galled　with　the　anxious　forebodings　of　a　guilty　conscience；　Glossin　now　arose；　and　looked　out　upon　the　night。　The　scene　which　we　have　already　described　in　the　third　chapter　of　this　story；　was　now　covered　with　snow；　and　the　brilliant；　though　waste；　whiteness　of　the　land；　gave　to　the　sea　by　contrast　a　dark　and　livid　tinge。　A　landscape　covered　with　snow；　though　abstractedly　it　may　be　called　beautiful；　has；　both　from　the　association　of　cold　and　barrenness；　and　from　its　comparative　infrequency；　a　wild；　strange；　and　desolate　appearance。　Objects；　well　known　to　us　in　their　common　state；　have　either　disappeared；　or　are　so　strangely　varied　and　disguised；　that　we　seem　gazing　on　an　unknown　world。　But　it　was　not　with　such　reflections　that　the　mind　of　this　bad　man　was　occupied。　His　eye　was　upon　the　gigantic　and　gloomy　outlines　of　the　old　castle；　where；　in　a　flanking　tower　of　enormous　size　and　thickness；　glimmered　two　lights；　one　from　the　window　of　the　strong　room；　where　Hatteraick　was　confined；　the　other　from　that　of　the　adjacent　apartment　occupied　by　his　keepers。　〃Has　he　made　his　escape；　or　will　he　be　ab