guy mannering-第95部分

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To　dismiss　the　catastrophe　of　these　two　wretched　men；　I　shall　only　add；　that　Mac…Guffog　was　turned　out　of　office；　notwithstanding　his　declaration　（which　he　offered　to　attest　by　oath）；　that　he　had　locked　Glossin　safely　in　his　own　room　upon　the　night　preceding　his　being　found　dead　in　Dirk　Hatteraick's　cell。　His　story；　however；　found　faith　with　the　worthy　Mr。　Skreigh；　and　other　lovers　of；　the　marvellous；　who　still　hold　that　the　Enemy　of　Mankind　brought　these　two　wretches　together　upon　that　night；　by　supernatural　interference；　that　they　might　fill　up　the　cup　of　their　guilt　and　receive　its　meed；　by　murder　and　suicide。



CHAPTER　LVIII。

　　To　sum　the　whole…the　close　of　all。　　　DEAN　SWIFT。

As　Glossin　died　without　heirs；　and　without　payment　of　the　price；　the　estate　of　Ellangowan　was　again　thrown　upon　the　hands　of　Mr。　Godfrey　Bertram's　creditors；　the　right　of　most　of　whom　was　however　defensible；　in　case　Henry　Bertram　should　establish　his　character　of　heir　of　entail。　This　young　gentleman　put　his　affairs　into　the　hands　of　Mr。　Pleydell　and　Mr。　Mac…Morlan；　with　one　single　proviso；　that　though　he　himself　should　be　obliged　again　to　go　to　India；　every　debt；　justly　and　honourably　due　by　his　father；　should　be　made　good　to　the　claimant。　Mannering；　who　heard　this　declaration；　grasped　him　kindly　by　the　hand；　and　from　that　moment　might　be　dated　a　thorough　understanding　between　them。

The　hoards　of　Miss　Margaret　Bertram；　and　the　liberal　assistance　of　the　Colonel；　easily　enabled　the　heir　to　make　provision　for　payment　of　the　just　creditors　of　his　father；　while　the　ingenuity　and　research　of　his　law　friends　detected；　especially　in　the　accounts　of　Glossin；　so　many　overcharges　as　greatly　diminished　the　total　amount。　In　these　circumstances　the　creditors　did　not　hesitate　to　recognise　Bertram's　right；　and　to　surrender　to　him　the　house　and　property　of　his　ancestors。　All　the　party　repaired　from　Woodbourne　to　take　possession；　amid　the　shouts　of　the　tenantry　and　the　neighbourhood；　and　so　eager　was　Colonel　Mannering　to　superintend　certain　improvements　which　he　had　recommended　to　Bertram；　that　he　removed　with　his　family　from　Woodbourne　to　Ellangowan；　although　at　present　containing　much　less　and　much　inferior　accommodation。

The　poor　Dominie's　brain　was　almost　turned　with　joy　on　returning　to　his　old　habitation。　He　posted　upstairs；　taking　three　steps　at　once；　to　a　little　shabby　attic；　his　cell　and　dormitory　in　former　days；　and　which　the　possession　of　his　much　superior　apartment　at　Woodbourne　had　never　banished　from　his　memory。　Here　one　sad　thought　suddenly　struck　the　honest　manthe　books！no　three　rooms　in　Ellangowan　were　capable　to　contain　them。　While　this　qualifying　reflection　was　passing　through　his　mind；　he　was　suddenly　summoned　by　Mannering　to　assist　in　calculating　some　proportions　relating　to　a　large　and　splendid　house；　which　was　to　be　built　on　the　site　of　the　New　Place　of　Ellangowan；　in　a　style　corresponding　to　the　magnificence　of　the　ruins　in　its　vicinity。　Among　the　various　rooms　in　the　plan；　the　Dominie　observed；　that　one　of　the　largest　。　vas　entitled　THE　LIBRARY；　and　close　beside　was　a　snug　well…proportioned　chamber；　entitled；　MR。　SAMPSON'S　APARTMENT。〃Prodigious；　prodigious；　pro…di…gi…ous！〃　shouted　the　enraptured　Dominie。

Mr。　Pleydell　had　left　the　party　for　some　time；　but　he　returned；　according　to　promise；　during　the　Christmas　recess　of　the　courts。　He　drove　up　to　Ellangowan　when　all　the　family　were　abroad　but　the　Colonel；　who　was　busy　with　plans　of　buildings　and　pleasure…grounds；　in　which　he　was　well　skilled；　and　took　great　delight。

〃Ah　ha！〃　said　the　counsellor；　〃so　here　you　are！　Where　are　the　ladies？　where　is　the　fair　Julia？〃

〃Walking　out　with　young　Haziewood；　Bertram；　and　Captain　Delaserre；　a　friend　of　his；　who　is　with　us　just　now。　They　are　gone　to　plan　out　a　cottage　at　Derncleugh。　Well；　have　you　carried　through　your　law　business？〃

〃With　a　wet　finger；〃　answered　the　lawyer；　〃got　our　youngster's　special　service　retoured　into　Chancery。　We　had　him　served　heir　before　the　macers。〃

〃Macers？　who　are　they？〃

〃Why；　it　is　a　kind　of　judicial　Saturnalia。　You　must　know；　that　one　of　the　requisites　to　be　a　macer；　or　officer　in　attendance　upon　our　supreme　court；　is；　that　they　shall　be　men　of　no　knowledge。〃

〃Very　well！〃

〃Now；　our　Scottish　legislature；　for　the　joke's　sake　I　suppose；　have　constituted　those　men　of　no　knowledge　into　a　peculiar　court　for　trying　questions　of　relationship　and　descent；　such　as　this　business　of　Bertram；　which　often　involve　the　most　nice　and　complicated　questions　of　evidence。〃

〃The　devil　they　have？　I　should　think　that　rather　inconvenient；〃　said　Mannering。

〃Oh；　we　have　a　practical　remedy　for　the　theoretical　absurdity。　One　or　two　of　the　judges　act　upon　such　occasions　as　prompters　and　assessors　to　their　own　doorkeepers。　But　you　know　what　Cujacius　says；　'Multa　sunt　in　moribus　dissentanea；　multa　sine　ratione。'　＇*The　singular　inconsistency　hinted　at　is　now；　in　a　great　degree；　removed＇　However；　this　Saturnalian　court　has　done　our　business；　and　a　glorious　batch　of　claret　we　had　afterwards　at　Walker's。　Mac…Morlan　will　stare　when　he　sees　the　bill。〃

〃Never　fear；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃we'll　face　the　shock；　and　entertain　the　county　at　my　friend　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish's　to　boot。〃

〃And　choose　Jock　Jabos　for　your　master　of　horse？〃　replied　the　lawyer。

〃Perhaps　I　may。〃

〃And　where　is　Dandie；　the　redoubted　Lord　of　Liddesdale？〃　demanded　the　advocate。

〃Returned　to　his　mountains；　but　he　has　promised　Julia　to　make　a　descent　in　summer；　with　the　good　wife；　as　he　calls　her；　and　I　don't　know　how　many　children。〃

〃Oh；　the　curly…headed　varlets！　I　must　come　to　play　at　Blind　Harry　and　Hy　Spy　with　them。But　what　is　all　this？〃　added　Pleydell；　taking　up　the　plans；〃tower　in　the　centre　to　be　an　imitation　of　the　Eagle　Tower　at　Caernarvoncorps　de　logisthe　devil！wingswings？　why；　the　house　will　take　the　estate　of　Ellangowan　on　its　back；　and　fly　away　with　it！〃

〃Why　then；　we　must　ballast　it　with　a　few　bags　of　Sicca　rupees；〃　replied　the　Colonel。

〃Aha！　sits　the　wind　there？　Then　I　suppose　the　young　dog　carries　off　my　mistress　Julia？〃

〃Even　so；　counsellor。〃

〃These　rascals；　the　post…nati；　get　the　better　of　us　of　the　old　school　at　every　turn；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell。　〃But　she　must　convey　and　make　over　her　interest　in　me　to　Lucy。〃

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　am　afraid　your　flank　will　be　turned　there　too；〃　replied　the　Colonel。

〃Indeed？〃

〃Here　has　been　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；〃　said　Mannering；　〃upon　a　visit　to　Bertram；　thinking；　and　deeming；　and　opining〃

〃O　Lord　I　pray　spare　me　the　worthy　Baronet's　triads！〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　continued　Mannering　to　make　short；　he　conceived　that　as　the　property　of　Singleside　lay　like　a　wedge　between　two　farms　of　his；　and　was　four　or　five　miles　separated　from　Ellangowan；　something　like　a　sale；　or　exchange；　or　arrangement　might　take　place。　to　the　mutual　convenience　of　both　parties。〃

〃Well；　and　Bertram〃

〃Why；　Bertram　replied；　that　he　considered　the　original　settlement　of　Mrs。　Margaret　Bertram　as　the　arrangement　most　proper　in　the　circumstances　of　the　family；　and　that　therefore　the　estate　of　Singleside　was　the　property　of　his　sister。〃

〃The　rascal！〃　said　Pleydell；　wiping　his　spectacles；　〃he'll　steal　my　heart　as　well　as　my　mistressEt　puis？〃

〃And　then；　Sir　Robert　retired　after　many　gracious　speeches；　but　last　week　he　again　took　the　field　in　force；　with　his　coach　and　six　horses；　his　laced　scarlet　waistcoat；　and　best　bob…wigall　very　grand；　as　the　good…boy　books　say。〃

〃Ay！　and　what　was　his　overture？〃　Why；　he　talked　with　great　form　of　an　attachment　on　the　part　of　Charles　Hazlewood　to　Miss　Bertram。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　he　respected　the　little　god　Cupid　when　he　saw　him　perched　on　the　Dun　of　Singleside。　And　is　poor　Lucy　to　keep　house　with　that　old　fool　and　his　wife；　who　is　just　the　knight　himself　in　petticoats？〃

〃Nowe　parried　that。　Singieside　House　is　to　be　repaired　for　the　young　people；　and　to　be　called　hereafter　Mount　Hazlewood。〃

〃And　do　you　yourself；　Colonel；　propose　to　continue　at　Woodbourne？〃

〃Only　till　we　carry　these　plans　into　effect。　See；　here's　the　plan　of　my　Bungalow；　with　all　convenience　for　being　separate　and　sulky　when　I　please。〃

〃And；　being　situated；　as　I　see；　next　door　to　the　old　castle；　you　may　repair　Donagild's　tower　for　the　nocturnal　contemplation　of　the　celestial　bodies？　Bravo；　Colonel！〃

〃No；　no；　my　dear　counsellor！　here　ends　THE　ASTROLOGER。〃



NOTES

Note；　1。MUMPS'S　HA'。

IT　is　fitting　to　explain　to　the　reader　the　locality　described　in　this　chapter。　There　is；　or　rather　I　should　say　there　was；　a　little　inn；　called　Mumps's　Hall；　that　is；　being　interpreted；　Beggar's　Hotel；　near　to　Gilsland；　which　had　not　then　attained　its　present　fame　as　a　Spa。　It　was　a　hedge　alehouse；　where　the　Bolder　farmers　of　either　country　often　stopped　to　refresh　themselves　and　their　nags；　in　their　way　to　and　from　the　fairs　and　trysts　in　Cumberland；　and　especially　those　who　came　from　or　went　to　Scotland；　through　a　barren　and　lonely　district；　without　either　road　or　pathway；　emphatically　called　the　Waste　of　Bewcastle。　At　the　period　when　the　adventures　described　in　the　novel　are　supposed　to　have　taken　place；　there　were　many　instances　of　attacks　by　freebooters　on　those　who　travelled　through　this　wild；　district；　and　Mumps's　Ha'　had　a　bad　reputation　for　harbouring　the　banditti　who　committed　such　depredations。

An　old　and　sturdy　yeoman　belonging　to　the　Scottish　side；　by　surname　an　Armstrong　or　Elliot；　but　known　by　his　soubriquet　of　Fighting　Charlie　of　Liddesdale；　and　still　remembered　for　the　courage　he　displayed　in　the　frequent　frays　which　took　place　on　the　Border　fifty　or　sixty　years　since；　had　the　following　adventure　in　the　Waste；　which　suggested　the　idea　of　the　scene　in　the　text　。

Charlie　had　been　at　Stagshaw…bank　fair；　had　sold　his　sheep　or　cattle；　or　whatever　he　had　brought　to　market；　and　was　on　his　return　to　Liddesdale。　There　were　then　no　country　banks　where　cash　could　be　deposited；　and　bills　received　instead；　which　greatly　encouraged　robbery　in　that　wild　country；　as　the　objects　of　plunder　were　usually　fraught　with　gold。　The　robbers　had　spies　in　the　fair；　by　means　of　whom　they　generally　knew　whose　purse　was　best　stocked；　and　who　took　a　lonely　and　desolate　road　homeward；those；　in　short；　who　were　best　worth　robbing