guy mannering-第61部分

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〃But　recalled　or　superseded　by　another　of　posterior　date　in　your　possession；　eh？〃　said　the　counsellor。

〃Something　of　the　sort；　I　confess；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　rejoined　the　man　of　business；　producing　a　bundle　tied　with　tape；　and　sealed　at　each　fold　and　ligation　with　black　wax。　〃That　deed；　Mr。　Pleydell；　which　you　produce　and　found　upon；　is　dated　1st　June　17；　but　this〃breaking　the　seals　and　unfolding　the　document　slowly〃is　dated　the　20thno；　I　see　it　is　the　21st；　of　April　of　this　present　year；　being　ten　years　posterior。〃

〃Marry；　hang　her；　brock！〃　said　the　counsellor；　borrowing　an　exclamation　from　Sir　Toby　Belch；　〃just　the　month　in　which　Ellangowan's　distresses　became　generally　public。　But　let　us　hear　what　she　has　done。〃

Mr。　Protocol　accordingly；　having　required　silence；　began　to　read　the　settlement　aloud　in　a　slow；　steady；　businesslike　tone。　The　group　around；　in　whose　eyes　hope　alternately　awakened　and　faded；　and　who　were　straining　their　apprehensions　to　get　at　the　drift　of　the　testator's　meaning　through　the　mist　of　technical　language　in　which　the　conveyance　had　involved　it；　might　have　made　a　study　for　Hogarth。

The　deed　was　of　an　unexpected　nature。　It　set　forth　with　conveying　and　disposing　all　and　whole　the　estate　and　lands　of　Singleside　and　others；　with　the　lands　of　Loverless；　Liealone；　Spinster's　Knowe；　and　heaven　knows　what　beside；　〃to　and　in　favours　of　（here　the　reader　softened　his　voice　to　a　gentle　and　modest　piano）　Peter　Protocol；　clerk　to　the　signet；　having　the　fullest　confidence　in　his　capacity　and　integrity（these　are　the　very　words　which　my　worthy　deceased　friend　insisted　upon　my　inserting）But　in　TRUST　always〃　（here　the　reader　recovered　his　voice　and　style；　and　the　visages　of　several　of　the　bearers；　which　had　attained　a　longitude　that　Mr。　Mortcloke　might　have　envied；　were　perceptibly　shortened）；　〃in　TRUST　always；　and　for　the　uses；　ends；　and　purposes　herein　after…mentioned。〃

In　these　〃uses；　ends；　and　purposes；〃　lay　the　cream　of　the　affair。　The　first　was　introduced　by　a　preamble　setting　forth；　that　the　testatrix　was　lineally　descended　from　the　ancient　house　of　Ellangowan；　her　respected　great…grandfather；　Andrew　Bertram；　first　of　Singleside；　of　happy　memory；　having　been　second　son　to　Allan　Bertram；　fifteenth　Baron　of　Ellangowan。　It　proceeded　to　state；　that　Henry　Bertram；　son　and　heir　of　Godfrey　Bertram；　now　of　Ellangowan；　had　been　stolen　from　his　parents　in　infancy；　but　that　she；　the　testatrix；　was　well　assured　that　he　was　yet　alive　in　foreign　parts；　and　by　the　providence　of　heaven　would　be　restored　to　the　possessions　of　his　ancestorsin　which　case　the　said　Peter　Protocol　was　bound　and　obliged；　like　as　he　bound　and　obliged　himself；　by　acceptance　of　these　presents；　to　denude　himself　of　the　said　lands　of　Singleside　and　others；　and　of　all　the　other　effects　thereby　conveyed　（excepting　always　a　proper　gratification　for　his　own　trouble）　to　and　in　favour　of　the　said　Henry　Bertram　upon　his　return　to　his　native　country。　And　during　the　time　of　his　residing　in　foreign　parts；　or　in　case　of　his　never　again　returning　to　Scotland；　Mr。　Peter　Protocol；　the　trustee；　was　directed　to　distribute　the　rents　of　the　land；　and　the　interest　of　the　other　funds　（deducting　always　a　proper　gratification　for　his　trouble　in　the　premises）；　in　equal　portions；　among　four　charitable　establishments　pointed　out　in　the　will。　The　power　of　management；　of　letting　leases；　of　raising　and　lending　out　money；　in　short；　the　full　authority　of　a　proprietor；　was　vested　in　this　confidential　trustee；　and；　in　the　event　of；　his　death；　went　to　certain　official　persons　named　in　the　deed。　There　were　only　two　legacies；　one　of　a　hundred　pounds　to　a　favourite　waiting…maid；　another　of　the　like　sum　to　Janet　Gibson　（whom　the　deed　stated　to　have　been　supported　by　the　charity　of　the　testatrix）　for　the　purpose　of　binding　her　an　apprentice　to　some　honest　trade。

A　settlement　in　mortmain　is　in　Scotland　termed　a　mortification；　and　in　one　great　borough　（Aberdeen；　if　I　remember　rightly）　there　is　a　municipal　officer　who　takes　care　of　these　public　endowments；　and　is　thence　called　the　Master　of　Mortifications。　One　would　almost　presume　that　the　term　had　its　origin　in　the　effect　which　such　settlements　usually　produce　upon　the　kinsmen　of　those　by　whom　they　are　executed。　Heavy　at　least　was　the　mortification　which　befell　the　audience；　who；　in　the　late　Mrs。　Margaret　Bertram's　parlour；　had　listened　to　this　unexpected　destination　of　the　lands　of　Singleside。　There　was　a　profound　silence　after　the　deed　had　been　read　over。

Mr。　Pleydell　was　the　first　to　speak。　He　begged　to　look　at　the　deed；　and　having　satisfied　himself　that　it　was　correctly　drawn　and　executed；　he　returned　it　without　any　observation；　only　saying　aside　to　Mannering；　〃Protocol　is　not　worse　than　other　people；　I　believe；　but　this　old　lady　has　determined　that；　if　he　do　not　turn　rogue；　it　shall　not　be　for　want　of　temptation。〃

〃I　really　think；〃　said　Mr。　Mac…Casquil　of　Drumquag；　who；　having　gulped　down　one　half　of　his　vexation；　determined　to　give　vent　to　the　rest；　〃I　really　think　this　is　an　extraordinary　case！　I　should　like　now　to　know　from　Mr。　Protocol；　who；　being　sole　and　unlimited　trustee；　must　have　been　consulted　upon　this　occasion；　I　should　like；　I　say；　to　know；　how　Mrs。　Bertram　could　possibly　believe　in　the　existence　of　a　boy；　that　a'　the　world　kens　was　murdered　many　a　year　since？〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Protocol；　〃I　do　not　conceive　it　is　possible　for　me　to　explain　her　motives　more　than　she　has　done　herself。　Our　excellent　deceased　friend　was　a　good　woman；　sira　pious　womanand　might　have　grounds　for　confidence　in　the　boy's　safety　which　are　not　accessible　to　us；　sir。〃

〃Hout；〃　said　the　tobacconist；　〃I　ken　very　weel　what　were　her　grounds　for　confidence。　There's　Mrs。　Rebecca　（the　maid）　sitting　there；　has　tell'd　me　a　hundred　times　in　my　ain　shop；　there　was　nae　kenning　how　her　leddy　wad　settle　her　affairs；　for　an　auld　gipsy　witch　wife　at　Gilsland　had　possessed　her　with　a　notion；　that　the　callantHarry　Bertram　ca's　she　him？would　come　alive　again　some　day　after　a'ye'll　no　deny　that；　Mrs。　Rebecca？though　I　dare　to　say　ye　forgot　to　put　your　mistress　in　mind　of　what　ye　promised　to　say　when　I　gied　ye　mony　a　half…crownBut　ye'll　no　deny　what　I　am　saying　now；　lass？〃

〃I　ken　naething　at　a'　about　it；〃　answered　Rebecca　doggedly；　and　looking　straight　forward　with　the　firm　countenance　of　one　not　disposed　to　be　compelled　to　remember　more　than　was　agreeable　to　her。

〃Weel　said；　Rebecca！　ye're　satisfied　wi'　your　ain　share　ony　way；〃　rejoined　the　tobacconist。

The　buck　of　the　second…head；　for　a　buck　of　the　first…head　he　was　not；　had　hitherto　been　slapping　his　boots　with　his　switch…whip；　and　looking　like　a　spoiled　child　that　has　lost　its　supper。　His　murmurs；　however；　were　all　vented　inwardly；　or　at　most　in　a　soliloquy　such　as　this〃I　am　sorry；　by　G…d；　I　ever　plagued　myself　about　herI　came　here；　by　G…d；　one　night　to　drink　tea；　and　I　left　King；　and　the　Duke's　rider；　Will　Hack。　They　were　toasting　a　round　of　running　horses；　by　G…d；　I　might　have　got　leave　to　wear　the　jacket　as　well　as　other　folk；　if　I　had　carried　it　on　with　them　and　she　has　not　so　much　as　left　me　that　hundred！〃

〃We'll　make　the　payment　of　the　note　quite　agreeable；〃　said　Mr。　Protocol；　who　had　no　wish　to　increase　at　that　moment　the　odium　attached　to　his　office〃and　now；　gentlemen；　I　fancy　we　have　no　more　to　wait　for　here；　andI　shall　put　the　settlement　of　my　excellent　and　worthy　friend　on　record　to…morrow；　that　every　gentleman　may　examine　the　contents；　and　have　free　access　to　take　an　extract；　and〃he　proceeded　to　lock　up　the　repositories　of　the　deceased　with　more　speed　than　he　had　opened　them〃Mrs。　Rebecca；　ye'll　be　so　kind　as　to　keep　all　right　here　until　we　can　let　the　houseI　had　an　offer　from　a　tenant　this　morning；　if　such　a　thing　should　be；　and　if　I　was　to　have　any　management。〃

Our　friend　Dinmont；　having　had　his　hopes　as　well　as　another；　had　hitherto　sat　sulky　enough　in　the　armchair　formerly　appropriated　to　the　deceased；　and　in　which　she　would　have　been　not　a　little　scandalised　to　have　seen　this　colossal　specimen　of　the　masculine　gender　lolling　at　length。　His　employment　had　been　rolling　up；　into　the　form　of　a　coiled　snake；　the　long　lash　of　his　horsewhip；　and　then　by　a　jerk　causing　it　to　unroll　itself　into　the　middle　of　the　floor。　The　first　words　he　said　when　he　had　digested　the　shock；　contained　a　magnanimous　declaration；　which　he　probably　was　not　conscious　of　having　uttered　aloud〃Weel…blude's　thicker　than　watershe's　welcome　to　the　cheeses　and　the　hams　just　the　same。〃　But　when　the　trustee　had　made　the　above…mentioned　motion　for　the　mourners　to　depart；　and　talked　of　the　house　being　immediately　let；　honest　Dinmont　got　upon　his　feet；　and　stunned　the　company　with　this　blunt　question；　〃And　what's　to　come　o'　this　poor　lassie　then；　Jenny　Gibson？　Sae　mony　o'　us　as　thought　oursells　sib　to　the　family　when　the　gear　was　parting；　we　may　do　something　for　her　amang　us　surely。〃

This　proposal　seemed　to　dispose　most　of　the　assembly　instantly　to　evacuate　the　premises；　although　upon　Mr。　Protcol's　motion　they　had　lingered　as　if　around　the　grave　of　their　disappointed　hopes。　Drumquag　said；　or　rather　muttered；　something　of　having　a　family　of　his　own；　and　took　precedence；　in　virtue　of　his　gentle　blood；　to　depart　as　fast　as　possible。　The　tobacconist　sturdily　stood　forward；　and　scouted　the　motion〃A　little　huzzie；　like　that；　was　weel　eneugh　provided　for　already；　and　Mr。　Protocol　at　ony　rate　was　the　proper　person　to　take　direction　of　her；　as　he　had　charge　of　her　legacy；〃　and　after　uttering　such　his　opinion　in　a　steady　and　decisive　tone　of　voice；　he　also　left　the　place。　The　buck　made　a　stupid　and　brutal　attempt　at　a　jest　upon　Mrs。　Bertram's　recommendation　that　the　poor　girl　should　be　taught　some　honest　trade；　but　encountered　a　scowl　from　Colonel　Mannering's　darkening　eye　（to　whom；　in　his　ignorance　of　the　tone　of　good　society；　he　had　looked　for　applause）　that　made　him　ache　to　the　very　backbone。　He　shuffled　downstairs；　therefore；　as　fast　as　possible。

Protocol；　who　was　really　a　good　sort　of　man；　next　expressed　his　intention　to　take　a　temporary　charge　of　the　young　lady；　under　protest　always；　that　his　so　doing　should　be　considered　as　merely　eleemosynary；　when　Dinmont　at　length　got　up；　and；　having　shaken　his　huge　dreadnought　grea