redgauntlet-第21部分

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ore；　I　had　sense　enough　to　recollect　that　all　pursuit　would　be　now　in　vain。　　Besides；　I　saw　my　friend；　the　journeyman　dyer；　in　close　confabulation　with　a　pea…green　personage　of　his　own　profession；　and　was　conscious；　like　Scrub；　that　they　talked　of　me；　because　they　laughed　consumedly。　　I　had　no　mind；　by　a　second　sudden　appearance；　to　confirm　the　report　that　Advocate　Fairford　was　'gaen　daft；'　which　had　probably　spread　from　Campbell's　Close…foot　to　the　Meal…market　Stairs；　and　so　slunk　back　within　my　own　hole　again。

My　first　employment　was　to　remove　all　traces　of　that　elegant　and　fanciful　disposition　of　my　effects；　from　which　I　had　hoped　for　so　much　credit；　for　I　was　now　ashamed　and　angry　at　having　thought　an　instant　upon　the　mode　of　receiving　a　visit　which　had　commenced　so　agreeably；　but　terminated　in　a　manner　so　unsatisfactory。　　I　put　my　folios　in　their　placesthrew　the　foils　into　the　dressing…　closettormenting　myself　all　the　while　with　the　fruitless　doubt；　whether　I　had　missed　an　opportunity　or　escaped　a　stratagem；　or　whether　the　young　person　had　been　really　startled；　as　she　seemed　to　intimate；　by　the　extreme　youth　of　her　intended　legal　adviser。　The　mirror　was　not　unnaturally　called　in　to　aid；　and　that　cabinet…counsellor　pronounced　me　rather　short；　thick…set；　with　a　cast　of　features　fitter；　I　trust；　for　the　bar　than　the　ballnot　handsome　enough　for　blushing　virgins　to　pine　for　my　sake；　or　even　to　invent　sham　cases　to　bring　them　to　my　chambersyet　not　ugly　enough　either　to　scare　those　away　who　came　on　real　business　dark；　to　be　sure；　butNIGRI　SUNT　HYACINTHIthere　are　pretty　things　to　be　said　in　favour　of　that　complexion。

At　lengthas　common　sense　will　get　the　better　in　all　cases　when　a　man　will　but　give　it　fair　playI　began　to　stand　convicted　in　my　own　mind；　as　an　ass　before　the　interview；　for　having　expected　too　muchan　ass　during　the　interview；　for　having　failed　to　extract　the　lady's　real　purposeand　an　especial　ass；　now　that　it　was　over；　for　thinking　so　much　about　it。　　But　I　can　think　of　nothing　else；　and　therefore　I　am　determined　to　think　of　this　to　some　good　purpose。

You　remember　Murtough　O'Hara's　defence　of　the　Catholic　doctrine　of　confession；　because；　'by　his　soul；　his　sins　were　always　a　great　burden　to　his　mind；　till　he　had　told　them　to　the　priest；　and　once　confessed；　he　never　thought　more　about　them。'　　I　have　tried　his　receipt；　therefore；　and　having　poured　my　secret　mortification　into　thy　trusty　ear；　I　will　think　no　more　about　this　maid　of　the　mist；

　　　Who；　with　no　face；　as　'twere；　outfaced　me。


Four　o'clock。　Plague　on　her　green　mantle；　she　can　be　nothing　better　than　a　fairy；　she　keeps　possession　of　my　head　yet！　　All　during　dinner…　time　I　was　terribly　absent；　but；　luckily；　my　father　gave　the　whole　credit　of　my　reverie　to　the　abstract　nature　of　the　doctrine；　VINCO　VINCENTEM；　ERGO　VINCO　TE；　upon　which　brocard　of　law　the　professor　this　morning　lectured。　　So　I　got　an　early　dismissal　to　my　own　crib；　and　here　am　I　studying；　in　one　sense；　VINCERE　VINCENTEM；　to　get　the　better　of　the　silly　passion　of　curiosityI　thinkI　think　it　amounts　to　nothing　elsewhich　has　taken　such　possession　of　my　imagination；　and　is　perpetually　worrying　me　with　the　questionwill　she　write　or　no？　　She　will　notshe　will　not！　　So　says　Reason；　and　adds；　Why　should　she　take　the　trouble　to　enter　into　correspondence　with　one　who；　instead　of　a　bold；　alert；　prompt　gallant；　proved　a　chicken…hearted　boy；　and　left　her　the　whole　awkwardness　of　explanation；　which　he　should　have　met　half…way？　　But　then；　says　Fancy；　she　WILL　write；　for　she　was　not　a　bit　that　sort　of　person　whom　you；　Mr。　Reason；　in　your　wisdom；　take　her　to　be。　　She　was　disconcerted　enough；　without　my　adding　to　her　distress　by　any　impudent　conduct　on　my　part。　　And　she　will　write；　forBy　Heaven；　she　HAS　written；　Darsie；　and　with　a　vengeance！　　Here　is　her　letter；　thrown　into　the　kitchen　by　a　caddie；　too　faithful　to　be　bribed；　either　by　money　or　whisky；　to　say　more　than　that　he　received　it；　with　sixpence；　from　an　ordinary…looking　woman；　as　he　was　plying　on　his　station　near　the　Cross。


'FOR　ALAN　FAIRFORD；　ESQUIRE；　BARRISTER。

'SIR；　'Excuse　my　mistake　of　to…day。　　I　had　accidentally　learnt　that　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer　had　an　intimate　friend　and　associate　in　Mr。　A。　Fairford。　　When　I　inquired　for　such　a　person；　he　was　pointed　out　to　me　at　the　Cross　（as　I　think　the　Exchange　of　your　city　is　called）　in　the　character　of　a　respectable　elderly　manyour　father；　as　I　now　understand。　　On　inquiry　at　Brown's　Square；　where　I　understood　he　resided；　I　used　the　full　name　of　Alan；　which　naturally　occasioned　you　the　trouble　of　this　day's　visit。　　Upon　further　inquiry；　I　am　led　to　believe　that　you　are　likely　to　be　the　person　most　active　in　the　matter　to　which　I　am　now　about　to　direct　your　attention；　and　I　regret　much　that　circumstances；　arising　out　of　my　own　particular　situation；　prevent　my　communicating　to　you　personally　what　I　now　apprise　you　of　in　this　matter。

'Your　friend；　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer；　is　in　a　situation　of　considerable　danger。　　You　are　doubtless　aware　that　he　has　been　cautioned　not　to　trust　himself　in　England。　　Now；　if　he　has　not　absolutely　transgressed　this　friendly　injunction；　he　has　at　least　approached　as　nearly　to　the　menaced　danger　as　he　could　do；　consistently　with　the　letter　of　the　prohibition。　　He　has　chosen　his　abode　in　a　neighbourhood　very　perilous　to　him；　and　it　is　only　by　a　speedy　return　to　Edinburgh；　or　at　least　by　a　removal　to　some　more　remote　part　of　Scotland；　that　he　can　escape　the　machinations　of　those　whose　enmity　he　has　to　fear。　　I　must　speak　in　mystery；　but　my　words　are　not　the　less　certain；　and；　I　believe；　you　know　enough　of　your　friend's　fortunes　to　be　aware　that　I　could　not　write　this　much　without　being　even　more　intimate　with　them　than　you　are。

'If　he　cannot；　or　will　not；　take　the　advice　here　given；　it　is　my　opinion　that　you　should　join　him；　if　possible；　without　delay；　and　use；　by　your　personal　presence　and　entreaty；　the　arguments　which　may　prove　ineffectual　in　writing。　　One　word　more；　and　I　implore　of　your　candour　to　take　it　as　it　is　meant。　　No　one　supposes　that　Mr。　Fairford's　zeal　in　his　friend's　service　needs　to　be　quickened　by　mercenary　motives。　　'But　report　says；　that　Mr。　Alan　Fairford；　not　having　yet　entered　on　his　professional　career；　may；　in　such　a　case　as　this；　want　the　means；　though　he　cannot　want　the　inclination；　to　act　with　promptitude。　　The　enclosed　note　Mr。　Alan　Fairford　must　be　pleased　to　consider　as　his　first　professional　emolument；　and　she　who　sends　it　hopes　it　will　be　the　omen　of　unbounded　success；　though　the　fee　comes　from　a　hand　so　unknown　as　that　of　'GREEN　MANTLE'

A　bank…note　of　L20　was　the　enclosure；　and　the　whole　incident　left　me　speechless　with　astonishment。　　I　am　not　able　to　read　over　the　beginning　of　my　own　letter；　which　forms　the　introduction　to　this　extraordinary　communication。　　I　only　know　that；　though　mixed　with　a　quantity　of　foolery　（God　knows　very　much　different　from　my　present　feelings）；　it　gives　an　account　sufficiently　accurate；　of　the　mysterious　person　from　whom　this　letter　comes；　and　that　I　have　neither　time　nor　patience　to　separate　the　absurd　commentary　from　the　text；　which　it　is　so　necessary　you　should　know。

Combine　this　warning；　so　strangely　conveyed；　with　the　caution　impressed　on　you　by　your　London　correspondent；　Griffiths；　against　your　visiting　Englandwith　the　character　of　your　Laird　of　the　Solway　Lakeswith　the　lawless　habits　of　the　people　on　that　frontier　country；　where　warrants　are　not　easily　executed　owing　to　the　jealousy　entertained　by　either　country　of　the　legal　interference　of　the　other；　remember；　that　even　Sir　John　Fielding　said　to　my　father　that　he　could　never　trace　a　rogue　beyond　the　Briggend　of　Dumfriesthink　that　the　distinctions　of　Whig　and　Tory；　Papist　and　Protestant；　still　keep　that　country　in　a　loose　and　comparatively　lawless　statethink　of　all　this；　my　dearest　Darsie；　and　remember　that；　while　at　this　Mount　Sharon　of　yours；　you　are　residing　with　a　family　actually　menaced　with　forcible　interference；　and　who；　while　their　obstinacy　provokes　violence；　are　by　principle　bound　to　abstain　from　resistance。

Nay；　let　me　tell　you；　professionally；　that　the　legality　of　the　mode　of　fishing　practised　by　your　friend　Joshua　is　greatly　doubted　by　our　best　lawyers；　and　that；　if　the　stake…nets　be　considered　as　actually　an　unlawful　obstruction　raised　in　the　channel　of　the　estuary；　an　assembly　of　persons　who　shall　proceed；　VIA　FACTI；　to　pull　dawn　and　destroy　them；　would　not；　in　the　eye　of　the　law；　be　esteemed　guilty　of　a　riot。　　So；　by　remaining　where　you　are；　YOU　are　likely　to　be　engaged　in　a　quarrel　with　which　you　have　nothing　to　do；　and　thus　to　enable　your　enemies；　whoever　these　may　be；　to　execute；　amid　the　confusion　of　a　general　hubbub；　whatever　designs　they　may　have　against　your　personal　safety。　Black…fishers；　poachers；　and　smugglers　are　a　sort　of　gentry　that　will　not　be　much　checked；　either　by　your　Quaker's　texts；　or　by　your　chivalry。　　If　you　are　Don　Quixote　enough　to　lay　lance　in　rest；　in　defence　of　those　of　the　stake…net；　and　of　the　sad…　coloured　garment；　I　pronounce　you　but　a　lost　knight；　for；　as　I　said　before；　I　doubt　if　these　potent　redressers　of　wrongs；　the　justices　and　constables；　will　hold　themselves　warranted　to　interfere。　　In　a　word；　return；　my　dear　Amadis；　the　adventure　of　the　Solway…nets　is　not　reserved　for　your　worship。　　Come　back；　and　I　will　be　your　faithful　Sancho　Panza　upon　a　more　hopeful　quest。　We　will　beat　about　together；　in　search　of　this　Urganda；　the　Unknown　She　of　the　Green　Mantle；　who　can　read　this；　the　riddle　of　thy　fate；　better　than　wise　Eppie　of　Buckhaven；　＇Well　known　in　the　Chap…Book；　called　the　History　of　Buckhaven。＇　　or　Cassandra　herself。

I　would　fain　trifle；　Darsie；　for；　in　debating　with　you；　jests　will　sometimes　go　farther　than　arguments；　but　I　am　sick　at　heart　and　cannot　keep　the　ball　up。　　If　you　have　a　moment's　regard　for　the　friendship　we　have　so　often　vowed　to　each　other；　let　my　wishes　for　once　prevail　over　your　own　venturous　and　romantic　temper。　　I　am　quite　serious　in　thinking　that　the　information　communicated　to　my　father　by　this　Mr。　Herries；　and　the　admonitory　letter　of　the　young　lady；　bear　upon　each　other；　and　that；　were　you　here；　you　might　learn　something　from　one　or　other；　or　from　both；　that；　might　throw　light　on　your