guy mannering-第76部分

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ere　I　stood；　when　I　tauld　the　last　Laird　o'　Ellangowan　what　was　coming　on　his　houseand　did　that　fa'　to　the　ground？nait　bit　even　ower　sair！And　here；　where　I　brake　the　wand　of　peace　ower　himhere　I　stand　againto　bid　God　bless　and　prosper　the　just　heir　of　Ellangowan　that　will　sune　be　brought　to　his　ain；　and　the　best　laird　he　shall　be　that　Ellangowan　has　seen　for　three　hundred　years。I'll　no　live　to　see　it；　maybe；　but　there　will　be　mony　a　blithe　ee　see　it　though　mine　be　closed。　And　now；　Abel　Sampson；　as　ever　ye　lo'ed　the　house　of　Ellangowan；　away　wi'　my　message；　to　the　English　Colonel；　as　if　life　and　death　were　upon　your　haste！〃

So　saying；　she　turned　suddenly　from　the　amazed　Dominie；　and　regained　with　swift　and　long　strides　the　shelter　of　the　wood　from　which　she　had　issued；　at　the　point　where　it　most　encroached　upon　the　common。　Sampson　gazed　after　her　for　a　moment　in　utter　astonishment；　and　then　obeyed　her　directions；hurrying　to　Woodbourne　at　a　pace　very　unusual　for　him；　exclaiming　three　times；　〃Prodigious！　prodigious！　prodi…gi…ous！　〃



CHAPTER　XLVII。

　　It　is　not　madness　That　I　have　utter'd；　bring　me　to　the　　　test；　And　I　the　matter　will　re…word；　which　madness　Would　　　gambol　from。　　　　　Hamlet

As　Mr。　Sampson　crossed　the　hall　with　a　bewildered　look；　Mrs。　Allan；　the　good　housekeeper；　who；　with　the　reverent　attention　which　is　usually　rendered　to　the　clergy　in　Scotland；　was　on　the　watch　for　his　return；　sallied　forth　to　meet　him〃　What's　this　o't　now；　Mr。　Sampson；　this　is　waur　than　ever！Ye'll　really　do　yourself　some　injury　wi'　these　lang　fastsnaething's　sae　hurtful　to　the　stamach；　Mr。　Sampson；if　ye　would　but　put　some　peppermint　draps　in　your　pocket；　or　let　Barnes　cut　ye　a　sandwich。〃

〃Avoid　thee！〃　quoth　the　Dominie；　his　mind　running　still　upon　his　interview　with　Meg　Merrilies；　and　making　for　the　dining…parlour。

〃Na；　ye　needna　gang　in　there；　the　cloth's　been　removed　an　hour　syne；　and　the　Colonel's　at　his　wine；　but　just　step　into　my　room；　I　have　a　nice　steak　that　the　cook　will　do　in　a　moment。〃

〃Exorciso　te！〃　said　Sampson；〃that　is；　I　have　dined。〃

〃Dined！　it's　impossiblewha　can　ye　hae　dined　wi'；　you　that　gangs　out　nae　gate？〃

〃With　Beelzebub；　I　believe；〃　said　the　minister。

〃Na；　then　he's　bewitched　for　certain；〃　said　the　housekeeper；　letting　go　her　hold；　〃he's　bewitched；　or　he's　daft；　and　ony　way　the　Colonel　maun　just　guide　him　his　ain　gateWae's　me！　Hech；　sirs！　It's　a　sair　thing　to　see　learning　bring　folk　to　this！〃　And　with　this　compassionate　ejaculation；　she　retreated　into　her　own　premises。

The　object　of　her　commiseration　had　by　this　time　entered　the　dining…parlour；　where　his　appearance　gave　great　surprise。　He　was　mud　up　to　the'　shoulders；　and　the　natural　paleness　of　his　hue　was　twice　as　cadaverous　as　usual；　through　terror；　fatigue；　and　perturbation　of　mind。　〃What　on　earth　is　the　meaning　of　this；　Mr。　Sampson？〃　said　Mannering；　who　observed　Miss　Bertram　looking　much　alarmed　for　her　simple　but　attached　friend。

〃Exorciso；〃said　the　Dominie。

〃How；　sir？〃　replied　the　astonished　Colonel。

〃I　crave　pardon；　honourable　sir！　but　my　wits〃

〃Are　gone　a　wool…gathering；　I　thinkpray；　Mr。　Sampson；　collect　yourself；　and　let　me　know　the　meaning　of　all　this。〃

Sampson　was　about　to　reply；　but　finding　his　Latin　formula　of　exorcism　still　came　most　readily　to　his　tongue；　he　prudently　desisted　from　the　attempt；　and　put　the　scrap　of　paper　which　he　had　received　from　the　gipsy　into　Mannering's　hand；　who　broke　the　seal　and　read　it　with　surprise。　〃This　seems　to　be　some　jest；〃　he　said；　〃and　a　very　dull　one。〃

〃It　came　from　no　jesting　person；〃　said　Mr。　Sampson。

〃From　whom　then　did　it　come？〃　demanded　Mannering。

The　Dominie；　who　often　displayed　some　delicacy　of　recollection　in　cases　where　Miss　Bertram　had　an　interest；　remembered　the　painful　circumstances　connected　with　Meg　Merrilies；　looked　at　the　young　ladies；　and　remained　silent。　〃We　will　join　you　at　the　tea…table　in　an　instant；　Julia；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃I　see　that　Mr。　Sampson　wishes　to　speak　to　me　alone。And　now　they　are　gone；　what；　in　heaven's　name；　Mr。　Sampson；　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？〃

〃It　may　be　a　message　from　Heaven；〃　said　the　Dominie；　〃but　it　came　by　Beelzebub's　postmistress。　It　was　that　witch；　Meg　Merrilies；　who　should　have　been　burned　with　a　tar…barrel　twenty　years　since；　for　a　harlot；　thief；　witch；　and　gipsy。〃

〃Are　you　sure　it　was　she？〃　said　the　Colonel　with　great　interest。

〃Sure；　honoured　sir？Of　a　truth　she　is　one　not　to　be　forgottenthe　like　o'　Meg　Merrilies　is　not　to　be　seen　in　any　land。〃

The　Colonel　paced　the　room　rapidly；　cogitating　with　himself。　〃To　send　out　to　apprehend　herbut　it　is　too　distant　to　send　to　Mac…Morlan；　and　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　is　a　pompous　coxcomb；　besides　the　chance　of　not　finding　her　upon　the　spot；　or　that　the　humour　of　silence　that　seized　her；　before　may　again　return；no；　I　will　not；　to　save　being　thought　a　fool；　neglect　the　course　she　points　out。　Many　of　her　class　set　out　by　being　impostors；　and　end　by　becoming　enthusiasts；　or　hold　a　kind　of　darkling　conduct　between　both　lines；　unconscious　almost　when　they　are　cheating　themselves；　or　when　imposing　on　others。Well；　my　course　is　a　plain　one　at　any　rate；　and　if　my　efforts　are　fruitless；　it　shall　not　be　owing　to　over…jealousy　of　my　own　character　for　wisdom。〃

With　this　he　rang　the　bell；　and　ordering　Barnes　into　his　private　sitting…room；　gave　him　some　orders；　with　the　result　of　which　the　reader　may　be　made　hereafter　acquainted。　We　must　now　take　up　another　adventure；　which　is　also　to　be　woven　into　the　story　of　this　remarkable　day。

Charles　Hazlewood　had　not　ventured　to　make　a　visit　at　Woodbourne　during　the　absence　of　the　Colonel。　Indeed　Mannering's　whole　behaviour　had　impressed　upon　him　an　opinion　that　this　would　be　disagreeable；　and　such　was　the　ascendency　which　the　successful　soldier　and　accomplished　gentleman　had　attained　over　the　young　man's　conduct；　that　in　no　respect　would　he　have　ventured　to　offend　him。　He　saw；　or　thought　he　saw；　in　Colonel　Mannering's　general　conduct；　an　approbation　of　his　attachment　to　Miss　Bertram。　But　then　he　saw　still　more　plainly　the　impropriety　of　any　attempt　at　a　private　correspondence；　of　which　his　parents　could　not　be　supposed　to　approve；　and　he　respected　this　barrier　interposed　betwixt　them；　both　on　Mannering's　account；　and　as　he　was　the　liberal　and　zealous　protector　of　Miss　Bertram。　〃No；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃I　will　not　endanger　the　comfort　of　my　Lucy's　present　retreat；　until　I　can　offer　her　a　home　of　her　own。〃

With　this　valorous　resolution；　which　he　maintained；　although　his　horse；　from　constant　habit；　turned　his　head　down　the　avenue　of　Woodbourne；　and　although　he　himself　passed　the　lodge　twice　every　day；　Charles　Hazlewood　withstood　a　strong　inclination　to　ride　down；　just　to　ask　how　the　young　ladies　were；　and　whether　he　could　be　of　any　service　to　them　during　Colonel　Mannering's　absence。　But　on　the　second　occasion　he　felt　the　temptation　so　severe；　that　he　resolved　not　to　expose　himself　to　it　a　third　time；　and；　contenting　himself　with　sending　hopes　and　inquiries；　and　so　forth；　to　Woodbourne；　he　resolved　to　make　a　visit　long　promised　to　a　family　at　some　distance；　and　to　return　in　such　time　as　to　be　one　of　the　earliest　among　Mannering's　visitors；　who　should　congratulate　his　safe　arrival　from　his　distant　and　hazardous　expedition　to　Edinburgh。　Accordingly；　he　made　out　his　visit；　and　having　arranged　matters　so　as　to　be　informed　within　a　few　hours　after　Colonel　Mannering　reached　home；　he　finally　resolved　to　take　leave　of　the　friends　with　whom　he　had　spent　the　intervening　time；　with　the　intention　of　dining　at　Woodbourne；　where　he　was　in　a　great　measure　domesticated；　and　this　（for　he　thought　much　more　deeply　on　the　subject　than　was　necessary）　would；　he　flattered　himself；　appear　a　simple；　natural；　and　easy　mode　of　conducting　himself。

Fate；　however；　of　which　lovers　make　so　many　complaints；　was；　in　this　case；　unfavourable　to　Charles　Hazlewood。　His　horse's　shoes　required　an　alteration；　in　consequence　of　the　fresh　weather　having　decidedly　commenced。　The　lady　of　the　house；　where　he　was　a　visitor；　chose　to　indulge　in　her　own　room　till　a　very　late　breakfast　hour。　His　friend　also　insisted　on　showing　him　a　litter　of　puppies；　which　his　favourite　pointer　bitch　had　produced　that　morning。　The　colours　had　occasioned　some　doubts　about　the　paternity；　a　weighty　question　of　legitimacy；　to　the　decision　of　which　Hazlewood's　opinion　was　called　in　as　arbiter　between　his　friend　and　his　groom；　and　which　inferred　in　its　consequences；　which　of　the　litter　should　be　drowned；　which　saved。　Besides；　the　Laird　himself　delayed　our　young　lover's　departure　for　a　considerable　time；　endeavouring；　with　long　and　superfluous　rhetoric；　to　insinuate　to　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；　through　the　medium　of　his　son；　his　own　particular　ideas　respecting　the　line　of　a　meditated　turnpike　road。　It　is　greatly　to　the　shame　of　our　young　lover's　apprehension；　that　after　the　tenth　reiterated　account　of　the　matter；　he　could　not　see　the　advantage　to　be　obtained　by　the　proposed　road　passing　over　the　Lang…hirst；　Windyknowe；　the　Goodhouse…park；　Hailziecroft；　and　then　crossing　the　river　at　Simon's　Pool；　and　so　by　the　road　to　Kippletringan；　and　the　less　eligible　line　pointed　out　by　the　English　surveyor；　which　would　go　clear　through　the　main　enclosures　at　Hazlewood；　and　cut　within　a　mile；　or　nearly　so；　of　the　house　itself；　destroying　the　privacy　and　pleasure；　as　his　informer　contended；　of　the　grounds。

In　short；　the　adviser　（whose　actual　interest　was　to　have　the　bridge　built　as　near　as　possible　to　a　farm　of　his　own）　failed　in　every　effort　to　attract　young　Hazlewood's　attention；　until　he　mentioned　by　chance　that　the　proposed　line　was　favoured　by　〃that　fellow　Glossin；〃　who　pretended　to　take　a　lead　in　the　county。　On　a　sudden　young　Hazlewood　became　attentive　and　interested；　and　having　satisfied　himself　which　was　the　line　that　Glossin　patronised；　assured　his　friend　it　should　not　be　his　fault　if　his　father　did　not　countenance　any　other　instead　of　that。　But　these　various　interruptions　consumed　the　morning。　Hazlewood　got　on　horseback　at　least　three　hours　later　than　he　intended；　and；　cursing　fine　ladies；　pointers；　puppies；　and　turnpike　acts　of　parliament；　saw　himself　detained　beyond　the　time　when　he　could；　with　propriety；　intrude　upon　the　famil