guy mannering-第77部分

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rliament；　saw　himself　detained　beyond　the　time　when　he　could；　with　propriety；　intrude　upon　the　family　at　Woodbourne。

He　had　passed；　therefore；　the　turn　of　the　road　which　led　to　that　mansion；　only　edified　by　the　distant　appearance　of　the　blue　smoke；　curling　against　the　pale　sky　of　the　winter　evening；　when　he　thought　he　beheld　the　Dominie　taking　a　footpath　for　the　house　through　the　woods。　He　called　after　him；　but　in　vain；　for　that　honest　gentleman；　never　the　most　susceptible　of　extraneous　impressions；　had　just　that　moment　parted　from　Meg　Merrilies；　and　was　too　deeply　wrapt　up　in　pondering　upon　her　vaticinations；　to　make　any　answer　to　Hazlewood's　call。　He　was；　therefore；　obliged　to　let　him　proceed　without　inquiry　after　the　health　of　the　young　ladies；　or；　any　other　fishing　question；　to　which　he　might；　by　good　chance；　have　had　an　answer　returned　wherein　Miss　Bertram's　name　might　have　been　mentioned。　All　cause　for　haste　was　now　over；　and；　slackening　the　reinsupon　his　horse's　neck；　he　permitted　the　animal　to　ascend　at　his　own　leisure　the　steep　sandy　track　between　two　high　banks；　which；　rising　to　a　considerable　height；　commanded；　at　length；　an　extensive　view　of　the　neighbouring　country。

Hazlewood　was；　however；　so　far　from　eagerly　looking。　forward　to　this　prospect；　though　it　had　the　recommendation　that　great　part　of　the　land　was　his　father's；　and　must　necessarily　be　his　own；　that　his　head　still　turned　backward　towards　the　chimneys　of　Woodbourne；　although　at　every　step　his　horse　made　the　difficulty　of　employing　his　eyes　in　that　direction　become　greater。　From　the　reverie　in　which　he　was　sunk；　be　was　suddenly　roused　by　a　voice　too　harsh　to　be　called　female；　yet　too　shrill　for　a　man　：…〃　What's　kept　you　on　the　road　sae　lang？maun　ither　folk　do　your　wark？〃

He　looked　up；　the　spokeswoman　was　very　tall；　had　a　voluminous　handkerchief　rolled　round　her　head；　grizzled　hair　flowing　in　elf…locks　from　beneath　it；　a　long　red　cloak；　and　a　staff　in　her　band；　headed　with　a　sort　of　spear…pointit　was；　in　short；　Meg　Merrilies。　Hazlewood　had　never　seen　this　remarkable　figure　before；　he　drew　up　his　reins　in　astonishment　at　her　appearance；　and　made　a　full　stop。　〃I　think；〃　continued　she；　〃they　that　hae　taen　interest　in　the　house　of　Ellangowan　suld　sleep　nane　this　night；　three　men　hae　been　seeking　ye；　and　you　are　gaun　hame　to　sleep　in　your　bedd'ye　think　if　the　lad…bairn　fa's；　the　sister　will　do　weel？　na。　na！〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；　good　woman；〃　said　Hazlewood　。　〃If　you　speak　of　MissI　mean　of　any　of　the　late　Ellangowan　family；　tell　me　what　I　can　do　for　them。〃

〃Of　the　late　Ellangowan　family？〃　she　answered　with　great　vehemence；　〃of　the　late　Ellangowan　family！　and　when　was　there　ever；　or　when　will　there　ever　be；　a　family　of　Ellangowan；　but　bearing　the　gallant　name　of　the　bauld　Bertram？〃

〃But　what　do　you　mean；　good　woman？〃

〃I　am　nae　good　womana'　the　country　kens　I　am　bad　eneugh；　and　baith　they　and　I　may　be　sorry　eneugh　that　I　am　nae　better。　But　I　can　do　what　good　women　canna；　and　daurna　do。　I　can　do　what　would　freeze　the　blood　o'　them　that　is　bred　in　biggit　wa's　＇*Built…walls＇　for　naething　but　to　bind　bairns'　heads；　and　to　hap　them　in　the　cradle。　Hear　methe　guard's　drawn　off　at　the　Custom…house　at　Portanferry；　and　it's　brought　up　to　Hazlewood　House　by　your　father's　orders；　because　he　thinks　his　house　is　to　be　attacked　this　night　by　the　smugglers；there's　naebody　means　to　touch　his　house；　he　has　gude　blood　and　gentle　bloodI　say　little　o'　him　for　himself；　but　there's　naebody　thinks　him　worth　meddling　wi'。　Send　the　horsemen　back　to　their　post；　cannily　＇*Cautiously＇　and　quietlysee　an　they　winna　hae　wark　the　nightay　will　theythe　guns　will　flash　and　the　swords　will　glitter　in　the　braw　moon。〃

〃Good　God！　what　do　you　mean？〃　said　Hazlewood；　〃your　words　and　manner　would　persuade　me　you　are　mad；　and　yet　there　is　a　strange　combination　in　what　you　say。〃

〃I　am　not　mad！〃　exclaimed　the　gipsy；　〃I　have　been　imprisoned　for　madscourged　for　madbanished　for　madbut　mad　I　am　not。　Hear　ye；　Charles　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood　：　d'ye　bear　malice　against　him　that　wounded　you？〃

〃No；　dame；　God　forbid；　my　arm　is　quite　well；　and　I　have　always　said　the　shot　was　discharged　by　accident。　I　should　be　glad　to　tell　the　young　man　so　himself。〃

〃Then　do　what　I　bid　ye；〃　answered　Meg　Merrilies；　〃and　ye'll　do　him　mair　gude　than　ever　he　did　you　ill；　for　if　he　was　left　to　his　ill…wishers　he　would　be　a　bloody　corpse　ere　morn；　or　a　banished　manbut　there's　ane　abune　＇*Above＇　a'。Do　as　I　bid　you；　send　back　the　soldiers　to　Portanferry。　There's　nae　mair　fear　o'　Hazlewood　House　than　there's　o'　Cruffelfell。〃　And　she　vanished　with　her　usual　celerity　of　pace。

It　would　seem　that　the　appearance　of　this　female；　and　the　mixture　of　frenzy　and　enthusiasm　in　her　manner；　seldom　failed　to　produce　the　strongest　impression　upon　those　whom　she　addressed。　Her　words；　though　wild；　were　too　plain　and　intelligible　for　actual　madness；　and　yet　too　vehement　and　extravagant　for　sober…minded　communication。　She　seemed　acting　under　the　influence　of　an　imagination　rather　strongly　excited　than　deranged；　and　it　is　wonderful　how　palpably　the　difference；　in　such　cases；　is　impressed　upon　the　mind　of　the　auditor。　This　may　account　for　the　attention　with　which　her　strange　and　mysterious　hints　were　heard　and　acted　upon。　It　is　certain；　at　least；　that　young　Hazlewood　was　strongly　impressed　by　her　sudden　appearance　and　imperative　tone。　He　rode　to　Hazlewood　at　a　brisk　pace。　It　had　been　dark　fort　some　time　before　he　reached　the　house；　and　on　his　arrival　there；　he　saw　a　confirmation　of　what　the　sibyl　had　hinted。

Thirty　dragoon　horses　stood　under　a　shed　near　the　offices；　with　their　bridles　linked　together。　Three　or　four　soldiers　attended　as　a　guard；　while　others　stamped　up　and　down　with　their　long　broadswords　and　heavy　boots　in　front　of　the　house。　Hazlewood　asked　a　non…commissioned　officer　from　whence　they　came？

〃From　Portanferry。〃

〃Had　they　left　any　guard　there？〃

〃No；　they　had　been　drawn　off　by　order　of　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　for　defence　of　his　house；　against　an　attackwhich　was　threatened　by　the　smugglers。〃

Charles　Hazlewood　instantly　went　in　quest　of　his　father；　and；　having　paid　his　respects　to　him　upon　his　return；　requested　to　know　upon　what　account　he　had　thought　it　necessary　to　send　for　a　military　escort。　Sir　Robert　assured　his　son　in　reply；　that　from　the　information；　intelligence；　and　tidings；　which　had　been　communicated　to；　and　laid　before　him；　he　had　the　deepest　reason　to　believe；　credit；　and　be　convinced；　that　a　riotous　assault　would　that　night　be　attempted　and　perpetrated　against　Hazlewood　House；　by　a　set　of　smugglers；　gipsies；　and　other　desperadoes。

〃And　what；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　his　son；　〃should　direct　the　fury　of　such　persons　against　ours　rather　than　any　other　house　in　the　country？〃

〃I　should　rather　think；　suppose；　and　be　of　opinion；　sir；〃　answered　Sir　Robert；　〃with　deference　to　your　wisdom　and　experience；　that　on　these　occasions　and　times；　the　vengeance　of　such　persons　is　directed　or　levelled　against　the　most　important　and　distinguished　in　point　of　rank；　talent；　birth；　and　situation；　who　have　checked；　interfered　with；　and　discountenanced　their　unlawful　and　illegal　and　criminal　actions　or　deeds。〃

Young　Hazlewood；　who　knew　his　father's　foible　answered；　that　the　cause　of　his　surprise　did　not　lie　where　Sir　Robert　apprehended；　but　that　he　only　wondered　they　should　think　of　attacking　a　house　where　there　were　so　many　servants；　and　'where　a　signal　to　the　neighbouring　tenants　could　call　in　such　strong　assistance；　and　added　that　he　doubted　much　whether　the　reputation　of　the　family　would　not　in　some　degree　suffer　from　calling　soldiers　from　their　duty　at　the　Custom…house；　to　protect　them；　as　if　they　were　not　sufficiently　strong　to　defend　themselves　upon　any　ordinary　occasion。　He　even　hinted；　that　in　case　their　house's　enemies　should　observe　that　this　precaution　had　been　taken　unnecessarily；　there　would　be　no　end　of　their　sarcasms。

Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　was　rather　puzzled　at　this　intimation；　for；　like　most　dull　men；　he　heartily　hated　and　feared　ridicule。　He　gathered　himself　up；　and　looked　with　a　sort　of　pompous　embarrassment；　as　if　he　wished　to　be　thought　to　despise　the　opinion　of　the　public；　which　in　reality　he　dreaded。

〃I　really　should　have　thought；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　injury　which　had　already　been　aimed　at　my　house　in　your　person；　being　the　next　heir　and　representative　of　the　Hazlewood　family；　failing　meI　should　have　thought　and　believed；　I　say；　that　this　would　have　justified　me　sufficiently　in　the　eyes　of　the　most　respectable　and　the　greater　part　of　the　people；　for　taking　such　precautions　as　are　calculated　to　prevent　and　impede　a　repetition　of　outrage。〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　said　Charles；　〃I　must　remind　you　of　what　I　have　often　said　before；　that　I　am　positive　the　discharge　of　the　piece　was　accidental。〃

〃Sir；　it　was　not　accidental；〃　said　his　father　angrily　but　you　will　be　wiser　than　your　elders。〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　replied　Hazlewood；　〃in　what　so　intimately　concerns　myself〃

〃Sir；　it　does　not　concern　you　but　in　a　very　secondary　degree　that　is；　it　does　not　concern　you；　as　a　giddy　young　fellow；　who　takes　pleasure　in　contradicting　his　father；　but　it　concerns　the　country；　sir；　and　the　county；　sir；　and　the　public；　sir；　and　the　kingdom　of　Scotland；　in　so　far　as　the　interest　of　the　Hazlewood　family；　sir；　is　committed；　and　interested；　and　put　in　peril；　in；　by；　and　through　you；　sir。　And　the　fellow　is　in　safe　custody；　and　Mr。　Glossin　thinks〃

〃Mr。　Glossin；　sir？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　the　gentleman　who　has　purchased　Ellangowanyou　know　who　I　mean；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃but　I　should　hardly　have　expected　to　hear　you　quote　such　authority。　Why；　this　fellowall　the　world　knows　him　to　be　sordid；　mean；　tricking；　and　I　suspect　him　to　be　worse。　And　you　yourself；　my　dear　sir；　when　did　you　call　such　a　person　a　gentleman　in　your　life　before？〃

〃Why；　Charles；　I　did　not　mean　gentleman　in　the　precise　sense　and　meaning；　and　restricted　and　proper　use；　to　which；　no　doubt；　the　phrase　ought　legitimately　to　be　confined；　but　I　meant　to　use　it　relatively；　as　marking　something　of　that　state　to　which　he　has　elevated　and　raised　himselfas　designing；　in　short；　a　decent　and　wealthy　and　estimable　sort　of　a　person。〃

〃Allow　me　to　ask；　sir