guy mannering-第80部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


weel；　e'en　sae　be　it　for　Dandie。　Odd；　if　we　were　ance　out　o'　this　trindling　kist　＇*Rolling　chest。＇　o'　a　thing；　I　am　thinking　they　wad　find　it　hard　wark　to　gar　us　gang　ony　gate　but　where　we　liked　oursells。〃

While　he　thus　spoke；　the　carriage　making　a　sudden　turn；　showed　them；　through　the　left　window；　the　village　at　some　distance；　still　widely　beaconed　by　the　fire；　which；　having　reached　a　storehouse　wherein　spirits　were　deposited；　now　rose　high　into　the　air；　a　wavering　column　of　brilliant　light。　They　had　not　long　time　to　admire　this　spectacle；　for　another　turn　of　the　road　carried　them　into　a　close　lane　between　plantations；　through　which　the　chaise　proceeded　in　nearly　total　darkness；　but　with　unabated　speed。



CHAPTER　XLIX。

　　The　night　drave　on　wi'　sangs　and　clatter；　　　And　aye　the　ale　was　growing　better。　　　　　Tam　o'　Shanter

We　must　now　return　to　Woodbourne；　which；　it　may　be　remembered；　we　left　just　after　the　Colonel　had　given　some　directions　to　his　confidential　servant。　When　he　returned；　his　absence　of　mind；　and　an　unusual　expression　of　thought　and　anxiety　upon　his　features；　struck　the　ladies　whom　he　joined　in　the　drawing…room。　Mannering　was　not；　however；　a　man　to　be　questioned；　even　by　those　whom　he　most　loved；　upon　the　cause　of　the　mental　agitation　which　these　signs　expressed。　The　hour　of　tea　arrived；　and　the　party　were　partaking　of　that　refreshment　in　silence；　when　a　carriage　drove　up　to　the　door；　and　the　bell　announced　the　arrival　of　a　visitor。　〃Surely；〃　said　Mannering；　〃it　is　too　soon　by　some　hours。〃

There　was　a　short　pause；　when　Barnes；　opening　the　door　of　the　saloon。　announced　Mr。　Pleydell。　In　marched　the　lawyer；　whose　well…brushed　black　coat；　and　well…powdered　wig；　together　with　his　point　ruffles；　brown　silk　stockings；　highly　varnished　shoes；　and　gold　buckles；　exhibited　the　pains　which　the　old　gentleman　had　taken　to　prepare　his　person　for　the　ladies'　society。　He　was　welcomed　by　Mannering　with　a　hearty　shake　by　the　hand。　〃The　very　man　I　wished　to　see　at　this　moment！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　counsellor；　〃I　told　you　I　would　take　the　first　opportunity；　so　I　have　ventured　to　leave　the　Court　for　a　week　in　session　timeno　common　sacrificebut　I　had　a　notion　I　could　be　useful；　and　I　was　to　attend　a　proof　here　about　the　same　time。　But　will　you　not　introduce　me　to　the　young　ladies？Ah！　there　is　one　I　should　have　known　at　once；　from　her　family　likeness！　Miss　Lucy　Bertram；　my　love；　I　am　most　happy　to　see　you。〃and　he　folded　her　in　his　arms；　and　gave　her　a　hearty　kiss　on　each　side　of　the　face；　to　which　Lucy　submitted　in　blushing　resignation。

〃On　n'arrete　pas　dans　un　si　beau　chemin；〃　continued　the　gay　old　gentleman；　and；　as　the　Colonel　presented　him　to　Julia；　took　the　same　liberty　with　that　fair　lady's　cheek。　Julia　laughed；　coloured；　and　disengaged　herself。　〃I　beg　a　thousand　pardons；〃　said　the　lawyer；　with　a　bow　which　was　not　at　all　professionally　awkward；　〃age　and　old　fashions　give　privileges；　and　I　can　hardly　say　whether　I　am　most　sorry　just　now　at　being　too　well　entitled　to　claim　them　at　all；　or　happy　in　having　such　an　opportunity　to　exercise　them　so　agreeably〃

〃Upon　my　word；　sir；〃　said　Miss　Mannering；　laughing；　〃If　you　make　such　flattering　apologies；　we　shall　begin　to　doubt　whether　we　can　admit　you　to　shelter　yourself　under　your　alleged　qualifications。〃

〃I　can　assure　you；　Julia；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃you　are　perfectly　right；　my　friend　the　counsellor　is　a　dangerous　person；　the　last　time　I　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　him；　he　was　closeted　with　a　fair　lady；　who；　had　granted　him　a　tete…a…tete　at　eight　in　the　morning。〃

〃Ay；　but；　Colonel；〃　said　the　counsellor；　〃you　should　add；　I　was　more　indebted　to　my　chocolate　than　my　charms　for　so　distinguished　a　favour；　from　a　person　of　such　propriety；　of　demeanour　as　Mrs。　Rebecca。〃

〃And　that　should　remind　me；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　said　Julia；　〃to　offer　you　teathat　is；　supposing　you　have　dined。〃

〃Anything；　Miss　Mannering；　from　your　hands；〃　answered　the　gallant　jurisconsult；　〃yes；　I　have　dined…that　is　to　say；　as　people　dine　at　a　Scotch　inn。〃

〃And　that　is　indifferently　enough；〃　said　the　Colonel；　with　his　hand　upon　the　bell…handle　〃give　me　leave　to　order　something。〃

〃Why；　to　say　truth；〃　replied　Mr。　Pleydell；　〃I　had　rather　not；　I　have　been　inquiring　into　that　matter；　for　you　must　know　I　stopped　an　instant　below　to　pull　off　my　boot…hose；　〃a　world　too　wide　for　my　shrunk　shanks；〃'　glancing　down　with　some　complacency　upon　limbs　which　looked　very　well　for　his　time　of　life；　〃and　I　had　some　conversation　with　your　Barnes；　and　a　very　intelligent　person　whom　I　presume　to　be　the　housekeeper；　and　it　was　settled　among　ustota　re　perspectaI　beg　Miss　Mannering's　pardon　for　my　Latinthat　the　old　lady　should　add　to　your　light　family…supper　the　more　substantial　refreshment　of　a　brace　of　wild…ducks。　I　told　her　（always　under　deep　submission）　my　poor　thoughts　about　the　sauce；　which　concurred　exactly　with　her　own；　and；　if　you　please；　I　would　rather　wait　till　they　are　ready　before　eating　anything　solid。〃

〃And　we　will　anticipate　our　usual　hour　of　supper；〃　said　the　Colonel。

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃providing　I　do　not　lose　the　ladies'　company　a　moment　the　sooner。　I　am　of　counsel　with　my　old　friend　Burnet；　＇*See　Note　VIII。　Lord　Monboddo。＇　I　love　the　caena；　the　supper　of　the　ancients；　the　pleasant　meal　and　social　glass　that　wash　out　of　one's　mind　the　cobwebs　that　business　or　gloom　have　been　spinning　in　our　brains　all　day。'　〃

Mr。　Pleydell's　look　and　manner；　and　the　quietness　with　which　he　made　himself　at　home　on　the　subject　of　his　little　Epicurean　comforts；　amused　the　ladies；　but　particularly　Miss　Mannering；　who　immediately　gave　the　counsellor　a　great　deal　of　flattering　attention；　and　more　pretty　things　were　said　on　both　sides　during　the　service　of　the　tea…table　than　we　have　leisure　to　repeat。

As　soon　as　this　was　over；　Mannering　led　the　counsellor　by　the　arm　into　a　small　study　which　opened　from　the　saloon；　and　where；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　family；　there　were　always　lights　and　a　good　fire　in　the　evening。

〃I　see；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell；　〃you　have　got　something　to　tell　me　about　the　Ellangowan　businessIs　it　terrestrial　or　celestial？　What　says　my　military　Albumazar？　　Have　you　calculated　the　course　of　futurity？　have　you　consulted　your　Ephemerides；　your　Almochoden；　your　Almuten？〃

〃No；　truly；　counsellor；〃　replied　Mannering；　〃you　are　the　only　Ptolemy　I　intend　to　resort　to　upon　the　present　occasiona　second　Prospero；　I　have　broken　my　staff；　and　drowned　my　book　far　beyond　plummet　depth。　　But　I　have　great　news　notwithstanding。　Meg　Merrilies；　our　Egyptian　sibyl；　has　appeared　to　the　Dominie　this　very　day；　and；　as　I　conjecture；　has　frightened　the　honest　man　not　a　little。〃

〃Indeed？〃

〃Ay；　and　she　has　done　me　the　honour　to　open　a　correspondence　with　me；　supposing　me　to　be　as　deep　in　astrological　mysteries　as　when　we　first　met。　　Here　is　her　scroll；　delivered　to　me　by　the　Dominie。〃

Pleydell　put　on　his　spectacles。　　〃A　vile　greasy　scrawl；　indeedand　the　letters　are　uncial　or　semi…uncial；　as　somebody　calls　your　large　text　hand；　and　in　size　and　perpendicularity　resemble　the　ribs　of　a　roasted　pigI　can　hardly　make　it　out。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　answered　the　lawyer。　〃'　You　are　a　good　seeker；　but　a　bad　finder；　you　set　yourself　to　prop　a　falling　house；　but　had　a　gey　guess　it　would　rise　again。　Lend　your　hand　to　the　wark　that's　near；　as　you　lent　your　ee　to　the　weird　＇*Destiny＇　that　was　far。　Have　a　carriage　This　night　by　ten　o'clock；　at　the　end　of　the　Crooked　Dykes　at　Portanferry；　and　let　it　bring　the　folk　to　Woodbourne　that　shall　ask　them；　if　they　be　there　IN　GOD'S　NAME。'…Stay；　here　follows　some　poetry…　Dark　shall　be　light；　And　wrong　done　to　right；　When　Bertram's　right　and　Bertram's　might　Shall　meet　on　Ellangowan's　height。'　A　most　mystic　epistle　truly；　and　closes　in　a　vein　of　poetry　worthy　of　the　Cumaean　sibyland　what　have　you　done？〃

〃Why；〃　said　Mannering；　rather　reluctantly；　〃I　was　loth　to　risk　any　opportunity　of　throwing　light　on　this　business。　The　woman　is　perhaps　crazed；　and　these　effusions　may　arise　only　from　visions　of　her　imagination；but　you　were　of　opinion　that　she　knew　more　of　that　strange　story　than　she　ever　told。　〃

〃And　so；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃you　sent　a　carriage　to　the　place　named？〃

〃You　will　laugh　at　me　if　I　own　I　did；〃　replied　the　Colonel。

〃Who；　I？〃　replied　the　advocate。　〃No；　truly；　I　think　it　was　the　wisest　thing　you　could　do。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Mannering；　well　pleased　to　have　escaped　the　ridicule　he　apprehended；　〃you　know　the　worst　is　paying　the　chaise…hireI　sent　a　post…chaise　and　four　from　Kippletringan；　with　instructions　corresponding　to　the　letterthe　horses　will　have　a　long　and　cold　station　on　the　outposts　to…night　if　our　intelligence　be　false。〃

〃Ay；　but　I　think　it　will　prove　otherwise；〃　said　the　lawyer。　〃This　woman　has　played　a　part　till　she　believes　it；　or；　if　she　be　a　thorough…paced　impostor；　without　a　single　grain　of　self…delusion　to　qualify　her　knavery；　still　she　may　think　herself　bound　to　act　in　character…this　I　know；　that　I　could　get　nothing　out　of　her　by　the　common　modes　of　interrogation；　and　the　wisest　thing　we　can　do　is　to　give　her　an　opportunity　of　making　the　discovery　her　own　way。　And　now　have　you　more　to　say；　or　shall　we　go　to　the　ladies？〃

〃Why；　my　mind　is　uncommonly　agitated；〃　answered　the　Colonel；　〃andbut　I　really　have　no　more　to　sayonly　I　shall　count　the　minutes　till　the　carriage　returns；　but　you　cannot　be　expected　to　be　so　anxious。〃

〃Why；　nouse　is　all　in　all；〃　said　the　more　experienced　lawyer；〃I　am　much　interested　certainly；　but　I　think　I　shall　be　able　to　survive　the　interval；　if　the　ladies　will　afford　us　some　music。〃

〃And　with　the　assistance　of　the　wild…ducks；　by　and　by？〃　suggested　Mannering。

〃True；　Colonel；　a　lawyer's　anxiety　about　the　fate　of　the　most　interesting　cause　has　seldom　spoiled　either　his　sleep　or　digestion。　　＇*Note　IX　Lawyers'　Sleepless　Nights。＇　　And　yet　I　shall　be　very　eager　to　hear　the　rattle　of　these　wheels　on　their　return；　notwithstanding。〃

So　saying；　he　rose　and　led　the　way　into　the　next　room；　where　Miss　Mannering；　at　his　request；　took　her　seat　at　the　harpsichord。　Lucy　Bertram；　who　sung　her　native　melodies　very　sweetly；　was　accompanied　by　her　friend　upon　the　instrument；　and　Julia　afterwards　performed　some　of　Scarlatti's　sonatas　with　great　brilli