guy mannering-第69部分

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ken　to　their　mighty　base；　and　that　rank；　which　forms；　as　it　were；　its　highest　grace　and　ornament；　is　mingled　and　confused　with　the　viler　parts　of　the　architecture。　Oh；　my　good　Mr。　Gilbert　Glossin；　in　my　time；　sir；　the　use　of　swords　and　pistols；　and　such　honourable　arms；　were　reserved　by　the　nobility　and　gentry　to　themselves；　and　the　disputes　of　the　vulgar　were　decided　by　the　weapons　which　nature　had　given　them；　or　by　cudgels　cut；　broken；　or　hemmed　out　of　the　next　wood。　But　now；　sir；　the　clouted　＇*Patched　＇　shoe　of　the　peasant　galls　the　kibe　of　the　courtier。　The　lower　ranks　have　their　quarrels；　sir；　and　their　points　of　honour；　and　their　revenges；　which　they　must　bring；　forsooth；　to　fatal　arbitrament。　But　well；　well！　it　will　last　my　timelet　us　have　in　this　fellow；　this　Vanbeest　Brown；　and　make　an　end　of　him　at　least　for　the　present。〃



CHAPTER　XLIII。

　　'Twas　he　ye　Gave　heat　unto　the　injury；　which　returned；　　　Like　a　petard　ill　lighted；　into　the　bosom　Of　him　gave　fire　　　to't。　Yet　I　hope　his　hurt　Is　not　so　dangerous　but　he　may　　　recover。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Fair　Maid　of　the　Inn。

The　prisoner　was　now　presented　before　the　two　worshipful　magistrates。　Glossin；　partly　from　some　compunctious　visitings；　and　partly　out　of　his　cautious　resolution　to　suffer　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　to　be　the　ostensible　manager　of　the　whole　examination；　looked　down　upon　the　table；　and　busied　himself　with　reading　and；　arranging　the　papers　respecting　the　business；　only　now　and　then　throwing　in　a　skilful　catchword　as　prompter；　when　he　saw　the　principal；　and　apparently　most　active　magistrate；　stand　in　need　of　a　hint。　As　for　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；　he　assumed　on　his　part　a　happy　mixture　of　the　austerity　of　the　justice；　combined　with　the　display　of　personal　dignity　appertaining　to　the　baronet　of　ancient　family。

〃There；　constables；　let　him　stand　there　at　the　bottom　of　the　table。Be　so　good　as　look　me　in　the　face；　sir；　and　raise　your　voice　as　you　answer　the　questions　which　I　am　going　to　put　to　you。〃

〃May　I　beg；　in　the　first　place；　to　know；　sir；　who　it　is　that　takes　the　trouble　to　interrogate　me？〃　said　the　prisoner；　〃for　the　honest　gentlemen　who　have　brought　me　here　have　not　been　pleased　to　furnish　any　information　upon　that　point。〃

〃And　pray；　sir；〃　answered　Sir　Robert；　〃what　has　my　name　and　quality　to　do　with　the　questions　I　am　about　to　ask　you？〃

〃Nothing；　perhaps；　sir；〃　replied　Bertram　but　it　may　considerably　influence　my　disposition　to　answer　them。〃

〃Why；　then；　sir；　you　will　please　to　be　informed　that　you　are　in　presence　of　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood；　and　another　justice　of　peace　for　this　countythat's　all。〃

As　this　intimation　produced　a　less　stunning　effect　upon　the　prisoner　than　he　had　anticipated；　Sir　Robert　proceeded　in　his　investigation　with　an　increasing　dislike　to　the　object　of　it。

〃Is　your　name　Vanbeest　Brown；　sir？〃

〃It　is；〃　answered　the　prisoner。

〃So　far　well；and　how　are　we　to　design　you　further；　sir？〃　demanded　the　justice。

〃Captain　in　his　Majesty's　regiment　of　horse；〃　answered　Bertram。

The　Baronet's　ears　received　this　intimation　with　astonishment；　but　he　was　refreshed　in　courage　by　an　incredulous　look　from　Glossin；　and　by　hearing　him　gently　utter　a　sort　of　interjectional　whistle；　in　a　note　of　surprise　and　contempt。　〃I　believe；　my　friend；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃we　shall　find　for　you；　before　we　part；　a　more　humble　title。〃

〃If　you　do；　sir；〃　replied　his　prisoner；　〃I　shall　willingly　submit　to　any　punishment　which　such　an　imposture　shall　be　thought　to　deserve。〃

〃Well；　sir；　we　shall　see；〃　continued　Sir　Robert。　〃Do　you　know　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood？〃

〃I　never　saw　the　gentleman　who　I　am　informed　bears　that　name　excepting　once；　and　I　regret　that　it　was　under　very　unpleasant　circumstances。〃

〃You　mean　to　acknowledge；　then；〃　said　the　Baronet；　〃that　you　inflicted　upon　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood　that　wound　which　endangered　his　life；　considerably　lacerated　the　clavicle　of　his　right　shoulder；　and　deposited；　as　the　family　surgeon　declares；　several　large　drops。　or　slugs　in　the　acromion　process？〃

〃Why；　sir；〃　replied　Bertram；　〃I　can　only　say　I　am　equally　ignorant　of　and　sorry　for　the　extent　of　the　damage　which　the　young　gentleman　has　sustained。　I　met　him　in　a　narrow　path；　walking　with　two　ladies　and　a　servant；　and　before　I　could　either　pass　them　or　address　them；　this　young　Hazlewood　took　his　gun　from　his　servant；　presented　it　against　my　body；　and　commanded　me　in　the　most　haughty　tone　to　stand　back。　I　was　neither　inclined　to　submit　to　his　authority；　nor　to　leave　him　in　possession　of　the　means　to　injure　me；　which　he　seemed　disposed　to　use　with　such　rashness。　I　therefore　closed　with　him　for　the　purpose　of　disarming　him；　and　just　as　I　had　nearly　effected　my　purpose；　the　piece　went　off　accidentally；　and；　to　my　regret　then　and　since；　inflicted　upon　the　young　gentleman　a　severer　chastisement　than　I　desired；　though　I　am　glad　to　understand　it　is　like　to　prove　no　more　than　his　unprovoked　folly　deserved。〃

〃And　so；　sir；〃　said　the　Baronet；　every　feature　swollen　with　offended　dignity；〃You；　sir；　admit；　sir；　that　it　was　your　purpose；　sir；　and　your　intention；　sir；　and　the　real　jet　and　object　of　your　assault；　sir；　to　disarm　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood　of　his　gun；　sir；　or　his　fowling…piece；　or　his　fuzee；　or　whatever　you　please　to　call　it；　sir；　upon　the　king's　highway；　sir？I　think　this　will　do；　my　worthy　neighbour！　I　think　he　should　stand　committed？〃

〃You　are　by　far　the　best　judge；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　Glossin；　in　his　most　insinuating　tone；　〃but　if　I　might　presume　to　hint；　there　was　something　about　these　smugglers。〃

〃Very　true；　good　sir。And　besides；　sir；　you；　Vanbeest　Brown；　who　call　yourself　a　captain　in　his　Majesty's　service；　are　no　better　or　worse　than　a　rascally　mate　of　a　smuggler！〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　said　Bertram；　〃you　are　an　old　gentleman；　and　acting　under　some　strange　delusion；　otherwise　I　should　be　very　angry　with　you。〃

〃Old　gentleman；　sir！　strange　delusion；　sir！〃　said　Sir　Robert；　colouring　with　indignation。　〃I　protest　and　declareWhy；　sir；　have　you　any　papers　or　letters　that　can　establish　your　pretended　rank；　and　estate；　and　commission？〃

〃None　at　present；　sir；〃　answered　Bertram；　〃but　in　the　return　of　a　post　or　two〃

〃And　how　do　you；　sir；〃　continued　the　Baronet；　〃if　you　are　a　captain　in　his　Majesty's　service；　how　do　you　chance　to　be　travelling　in　Scotland　without　letters　of　introduction；　credentials；　baggage；　or　anything　belonging　to　your　pretended　rank；　estate；　and　condition；　as　I　said　before？〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　the　prisoner；　〃I　had　the　misfortune　to　be　robbed　of　my　clothes　and　baggage。〃

〃Oho！　then　you　are　the　gentleman　who　took　a　post…chaise　fromto　Kippletringan；　gave　the　boy　the　slip　on　the　road；　and　sent　two　of　your　accomplices　to　beat　the　boy　and　bring　away　the　baggage？〃

〃I　was；　sir；　in　a　carriage　as　you　describe；　was　obliged　to　alight　in　the　snow；　and　lost　my　way　endeavouring　to　find　the　road　to　Kippletringan。　The　landlady　of　the　inn　will　inform　you　that　on　my　arrival　there　the　next　day；　my　first　inquiries　were　after　the　boy。〃

〃Then　give　me　leave　to　ask　where　you　spent　the　nightnot　in　the　snow；　I　presume？　you　do　not　suppose　that　will　pass；　or　be　taken；　credited；　and　received？〃

〃I　beg　leave；〃　said　Bertram；　his　recollection　turning　to　the　gipsy　female；　and　to　the　promise　he　had　given　her；　〃I　beg　leave　to　decline　answering　that　question。〃

〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Sir　Robert。〃Were　you　not　during　that　night　in　the　ruins　of　Derncleugh？in　the　ruins　of　Derncleugh；　sir？〃

〃I　have　told　you　that　I　do　not　intend　answering　that　question；〃　replied　Bertram。

〃Well；　sir；　then　you　will　stand　committed；　sir。〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃and　be　sent　to　prison；　sir；　that's　all；　sir。Have　the　goodness　to　look　at　these　papers；　are　you　the　Vanbeest　Brown　who　is　there　mentioned？〃

It　must　be　remarked　that　Glossin　had　shuffled　among　the　papers　some　writings　which　really　did　belong　to　Bertram；　and　which　had　been　found　by　the　officers　in　the　old　vault　where　his　portmanteau　was　ransacked。

〃Some　of　these　papers；〃　said　Bertram；　looking　over　them；　〃are　mine；　and　were　in　my　portfolio　when　it　was　stolen　from　the　post…chaise。　They　are　memoranda　of　little　value；　and；　I　see；　have　been　carefully　selected　as　affording　no　evidence　of　my　rank　or　character；　which　many　of　the　other　papers　would　have　established　fully。　They　are　mingled　with　ship…accounts　and　other　papers；　belonging　apparently　to　a　person　of　the　same　name。〃

〃And　wilt　thou　attempt　to　persuade　me；　friend；〃　demanded　Sir　Robert；　〃that　there　are　two　persons　in　this　country；　at　the　same　time；　of　thy　very　uncommon　and　awkwardly　sounding　name？〃

〃I　really　do　not　see；　sir；　as　there　is　an　old　Hazlewood　and　a　young　Hazlewood；　why　there　should　not　be　an　old　and　a　young　Vanbeest　Brown。　And；　to　speak　seriously；　I　was　educated　in　Holland；　and　I　know　that　this　name；　however　uncouth　it　may　sound　in　British　ears〃

Glossin；　conscious　that　the　prisoner　was　now　about　to　enter　upon　dangerous　ground；　interfered；　though　the　interruption　was　unnecessary；　for　the　purpose　of　diverting　the　attention　of　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；　who　was　speechless　and　motionless　with　indignation　at　the　presumptuous　comparison　implied　in　Bertram's　last　speech。　In　fact；　the　veins　of　his　throat　and　of　his　temples　swelled　almost　to　bursting；　and　he　sat　with　the　indignant　and　disconcerted　air　of　one　who　has　received　a　mortal　insult　from　a　quarter　to　which　he　holds　it　unmeet　and　indecorous　to　make　any　reply。　While　with　a　bent　brow　and　an　angry　eye　he　was　drawing　in　his　breath　slowly　and　majestically；　and　puffing　it　forth　again　with　deep　and　solemn　exertion；　Glossin　stepped　in　to　his　assistance。　〃I　should　think　now；　Sir　Robert；　with　great　submission；　that　this　matter　may　be　closed。　One　of　the　constables；　besides　the　pregnant　proof　already　produced；　offers　to　make　oath；　that　the　sword　of　which　the　prisoner　was　this　morning　deprived　（while　using　it；　by　the　way；　in　resistance　to　a　legal　warrant）　was　a　cutlass　taken　from　him　in　a　fray　between　the　officers　and　smugglers；　just　previous　to　their　attack　upon　Woodbourne。　And　yet；〃　he　added；　〃I　would　not　have　you　form　any　rash　construction　upon　that　subject；　perhaps　the　young　man　can　explain　how　he　came　by　that　weapon。〃

〃That　question；　sir；〃　said　Bertram；　〃I　shall　also　leave　unanswered。〃

〃There　is