guy mannering-第84部分
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ling and raising the rent on my neighbours。〃 '*Whistling; among the tenantry of a large estate; is; when an individual gives such information to the proprietor; or his managers; as to occasion the rent of his neighbour's farms being raised; which; for obvious reasons; is held a very unpopular practice。'
〃What; not upon thy neighbour at DawstonDevilstonehow d'ye call the place?〃
〃What; on Jock o' Dawston? hout nahe's a camsteary '*Obstinate and unruly。' chield; and fasheous '*Troublesome' about marches; and we've had some bits o' splores thegither; but deil o' me if I wad wrang Jock o' Dawston neither。〃
〃Thou'rt an honest fellow;〃 said the lawyer; 〃get thee to bed。 Thou wilt sleep sounder; I warrant thee; than many a man that throws off an embroidered coat; and puts on a laced nightcap。Colonel; I see you are busy with our Enfant trouve。 But Barnes must give me a summons of wakening at seven to…morrow morning; for my servant's a sleepy…headed fellow; and I dare say my clerk; Driver; has had Clarence's fate; and is drowned by this time in a butt of your ale; for Mrs。 Allan promised to make him comfortable; and she'll soon discover what he expects from that engagement。 Good…night; Colonelgood…night; Dominie Sampsongood…night; Dinmont the downrightgood…night; last of all; to the new…found representative of the Bertrams; and the Mac…Dingawaies; the Knarths; the Arths; the Godfreys; the Dennises; and the Rolands; and; last and dearest title; heir of tailzie and provision of the lands and barony of Ellangowan; under the settlement of Lewis Bertram; Esq。; whose representative you are。〃
And so…saying; the old gentleman took his candle and left the room; and the company dispersed; after the Dominie had once more hugged and embraced his 〃little Harry Bertram;〃 as he continued to call the young soldier of six feet high。
CHAPTER LI。
My imagination Carries no favour in it but Bertram's; I am undone; there is no living; none; If Bertram be away。 All's well that Ends Well。
At the hour which he had appointed the preceding evening; the indefatigable lawyer was seated by a good fire; and a pair of wax candles; with a velvet cap on his head; and a quilted silk night…gown on his person; busy arranging his memoranda of proofs and indications concerning the murder of Frank Kennedy。 An express had also been despatched to Mr。 Mac…Morlan; requesting his attendance at Woodbourne as soon as possible; on business of importance。 Dinmont; fatigued with the events of the evening before; and finding the accommodations of Woodbourne much preferable to those of Mac…Guffog; was in no hurry to rise。 The impatience of Bertram might have put him earlier in motion; but Colonel Mannering had intimated an intention to visit him in his apartment in the morning; and he did not choose to leave it。 Before this interview he had dressed himself; Barnes having; by his master's orders; supplied him with every accommodation of linen; etc。; and now anxiously waited the promised visit of his landlord。
In a short time a gentle tap announced the Colonel; with whom Bertram held a long and satisfactory conversation。 Each; however; concealed from the other one circumstance。 Mannering could not bring himself to acknowledge the astrological prediction; and Bertram was; from motives which may be easily conceived; silent respecting his love for Julia。 In other respects; their intercourse was frank and grateful to both; and had latterly; upon the Colonel's part; even an approach to cordiality。 Bertram carefully measured his own conduct by that of his host; and seemed rather to receive his offered kindness with gratitude and pleasure; than to press for it with solicitation。
Miss Bertram was in the breakfast…parlour when Sampson shuffled in; his face all radiant with smiles; a circumstance so uncommon; that Lucy's first idea was; that somebody had been bantering him with an imposition; which had thrown him into this ecstasy。 Having sat for some time; rolling his eyes and gaping with his mouth like the great wooden head at Merlin's exhibition; he at length began 〃And what do you think of him; Miss Lucy?〃
〃Think of whom; Mr。 Sampson?〃 asked the young lady。
〃Of Harnoof him that you know about?〃 again demanded the Dominie。
〃That I know about?〃 replied Lucy; totally at a loss to comprehend his meaning。
〃Yes; the stranger; you know; that came last evening in the post vehiclehe who shot young Hazlewoodha; ha; ho!〃 burst forth the Dominie; with a laugh that sounded like neighing。
〃Indeed; Mr。 Sampson;〃 said his pupil; 〃you have chosen a strange subject for mirthI think nothing about the man; only I hope the outrage was accidental; and that we need not fear a repetition of it。〃
〃Accidental! ho; ho; ha!〃 again whinnied Sampson。
〃Really; Mr。 Sampson;〃 said Lucy; somewhat piqued;〃 you are unusually gay this morning。〃
〃Yes; of a surety I am I ha; ha; ho! face…ti…ousho; ho; ha!〃
〃So unusually facetious; my dear sir;〃 pursued the young lady; 〃that I would wish rather to know the meaning of your mirth; than to be amused with its effects only。〃
〃You shall know it; Miss Lucy;〃 replied poor Abel Do you remember your brother?〃
〃Good God! how can you ask me?no one knows better than you; he was lost the very day I was born。〃
〃Very true; very true;〃 answered the Dominie; saddening at the recollection; 〃I was strangely obliviousay; aytoo true。 But you remember your worthy father?〃
〃How should you doubt it; Mr。 Sampson? it is not so many weeks since〃
〃True; trueay; too true;〃 replied the Dominie; his Houyhnhnm laugh sinking into a hysterical giggle;〃I will be facetious no more under these remembrancesbut look at that young man!〃
Bertram at this instant entered the room。 〃Yes; look at him wellhe is your father's living image; and as God has deprived you of your dear parentsO my children; love one another!〃
〃It is indeed my father's face and form;〃 said Lucy; turning very pale; Bertram ran to support herthe Dominie to fetch water to throw upon her face (which in his haste he took from the boiling tea…urn)when fortunately her colour returning rapidly; saved her from the application of this ill…judged remedy。 〃I conjure you yet to tell me; Mr。 Sampson;〃 she said; in an interrupted; solemn voice; is this my brother?〃
〃It isit is!Miss Lucy; it is little Harry Bertram; as sure as God's sun is in that heaven!〃
〃And this is my sister?〃 said Bertram; giving way to all that family affection; which had so long slumbered in his bosom for want of an object to expand itself upon。
〃lt is!it is Miss Lucy Bertram;〃 ejaculated Sampson; 〃whom by my poor aid you will find perfect in the tongues of France; and Italy; and even of Spainin reading and writing her vernacular tongue; and in arithmetic and bookkeeping by double and single entryI say nothing of her talents of shaping; and hemming; and governing a household; which; to give every one their due; she acquired not from me; but from the housekeepernor do I take merit for her performance upon stringed instruments; whereunto the instructions of an honourable young lady of virtue and modesty; and very facetious withalMiss Julia Manneringhath not meanly contributedSuum cuique tribuilo。〃
〃You; then;〃 said Bertram to his sister; 〃are all that remains to me!Last night; but more fully this morning; Colonel Mannering gave me an account of our family misfortunes; though without saying I should find my sister here。〃
〃That;〃 said Lucy; 〃he left to this gentleman to tell you; one of the kindest and most faithful of friends; who soothed my father's long sickness; witnessed his dying moments; and amid the heaviest clouds of fortune would not desert his orphan。〃
〃God bless him for it!〃 said Bertram; shaking the Dominie's hand;〃 he deserves the love with which I have always regarded even that dim and imperfect shadow of his memory which my childhood retained。〃
〃And God bless you both; my dear children;〃 said Sampson; 〃if it had not been for your sake; I would have been contented (had Heaven's pleasure so been) to lay my head upon the turf beside my patron。〃
〃But; I trust;〃 said Bertram; 〃I am encouraged to hope we shall all see better days。 All our wrongs shall be redressed; since Heaven has sent me means and friends to assert my right。〃
〃Friends indeed!〃 echoed the Dominie; 〃and sent; as you truly say; by Him; to whom I early taught you to look up as the source of all that is good。 There is the great Colonel Mannering from the Eastern Indies; a man of war from his birth up…wards; but who is not the less a man of great erudition; considering his imperfect opportunities; and there is; moreover; the great advocate Mr。 Pleydell; who is also a man of great erudition; but who descendeth to trifles unbeseeming thereof; and there is Mr。 Andrew Dinmont; whom I do not understand to have possession of much erudition; but who; like the patriarchs of old; is cunning in that which belongeth to flocks and herdsLastly; there is even I myself; whose opportunities of collecting erudition; as they have been greater than those of the aforesaid valuable persons; have not; if it becomes me to speak; been pretermitted by me; in so far as my poor faculties have enabled me to profit by them。 Of a surety; little Harry; we must speedily resume our studies。 I will begin from the foundationyes; I will reform your education upward from the true knowledge of English grammar; even to that of the Hebrew or Chaldaic tongue。〃
The reader may observe; that; upon this occasion; Sampson was infinitely more profuse of words than he had hitherto exhibited himself。 The reason was; that in recovering his pupil his mind went instantly back to their original connection; and he had in his confusion of ideas; the strongest desire in the world to resume spelling lessons and half…text with young Bertram。 This was the more ridiculous; as towards Lucy he assumed no snob powers of tuition。 But she had grown up under his eye; and had been gradually emancipated from his government by increase in years and knowledge; and a latent sense of his own inferior tact in manners; whereas his first ideas went to take up Harry pretty nearly where he had left him。 From the same feelings of reviving authority; he indulged himself in what was to him a profusion of lang