redgauntlet-第41部分

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professes　the　same　holy　faith；　to　take　the　speediest　measures　for　conveying　them　with　speed　and　safety　to　the　hands　of　Alan　Fairford；　Esq。；　Advocate；　residing　in　the　family　of　his　father；　Alexander　Fairford；　Esq。；　Writer　to　the　Signet；　Brown's　Square；　Edinburgh。　He　may　be　assured　of　a　liberal　reward；　besides　the　consciousness　of　having　discharged　a　real　duty　to　humanity。

MY　DEAREST　ALAN；　Feeling　as　warmly　towards　you　in　doubt　and　in　distress；　as　I　ever　did　in　the　brightest　days　of　our　intimacy；　it　is　to　you　whom　I　address　a　history　which　may　perhaps　fall　into　very　different　hands。　　A　portion　of　my　former　spirit　descends　to　my　pen　when　I　write　your　name；　and　indulging　the　happy　thought　that　you　may　be　my　deliverer　from　my　present　uncomfortable　and　alarming　situation；　as　you　have　been　my　guide　and　counsellor　on　every　former　occasion；　I　will　subdue　the　dejection　which　would　otherwise　overwhelm　me。　　Therefore；　as；　Heaven　knows；　I　have　time　enough　to　write；　I　will　endeavour　to　pour　my　thoughts　out；　as　fully　and　freely　as　of　old；　though　probably　without　the　same　gay　and　happy　levity。

If　the　papers　should　reach　other　hands　than　yours；　still　I　will　not　regret　this　exposure　of　my　feelings；　for；　allowing　for　an　ample　share　of　the　folly　incidental　to　youth　and　inexperience；　I　fear　not　that　I　have　much　to　be　ashamed　of　in　my　narrative；　nay；　I　even　hope　that　the　open　simplicity　and　frankness　with　which　I　am　about　to　relate　every　singular　and　distressing　circumstance；　may　prepossess　even　a　stranger　in　my　favour；　and　that；　amid　the　multitude　of　seemingly　trivial　circumstances　which　I　detail　at　length；　a　clue　may　be　found　to　effect　my　liberation。

Another　chance　certainly　remainsthe　Journal；　as　I　may　call　it；　may　never　reach　the　hands；　either　of　the　dear　friend　to　whom　it　is　addressed；　or　those　of　an　indifferent　stranger；　but　may　become　the　prey　of　the　persons　by　whom　I　am　at　present　treated　as　a　prisoner。　　Let　it　be　sothey　will　learn　from　it　little　but　what　they　already　know；　that；　as　a　man　and　an　Englishman；　my　soul　revolts　at　the　usage　which　I　have　received；　that　I　am　determined　to　essay　every　possible　means　to　obtain　my　freedom；　that　captivity　has　not　broken　my　spirit；　and　that；　although　they　may　doubtless　complete　their　oppression　by　murder；　I　am　still　willing　to　bequeath　my　cause　to　the　justice　of　my　country。　　Undeterred；　therefore；　by　the　probability　that　my　papers　may　be　torn　from　me；　and　subjected　to　the　inspection　of　one　in　particular；　who；　causelessly　my　enemy　already；　may　be　yet　further　incensed　at　me　for　recording　the　history　of　my　wrongs；　I　proceed　to　resume　the　history　of　events　which　have　befallen　me　since　the　conclusion　of　my　last　letter　to　my　dear　Alan　Fairford；　dated；　if　I　mistake　not；　on　the　5th　day　of　this　still　current　month　of　August。

Upon　the　night　preceding　the　date　of　that　letter；　I　had　been　present；　for　the　purpose　of　an　idle　frolic；　at　a　dancing　party　at　the　village　of　Brokenburn；　about　six　miles　from　Dumfries；　many　persons　must　have　seen　me　there；　should　the　fact　appear　of　importance　sufficient　to　require　investigation。　　I　danced；　played　on　the　violin；　and　took　part　in　the　festivity　till　about　midnight；　when　my　servant；　Samuel　Owen；　brought　me　my　horses；　and　I　rode　back　to　a　small　inn　called　Shepherd's　Bush；　kept　by　Mrs。　Gregson；　which　had　been　occasionally　my　residence　for　about　a　fortnight　past。　　I　spent　the　earlier　part　of　the　forenoon　in　writing　a　letter；　which　I　have　already　mentioned；　to　you；　my　dear　Alan；　and　which；　I　think；　you　must　have　received　in　safety。　　Why　did　I　not　follow　your　advice；　so　often　given　me？　　Why　did　I　linger　in　the　neighbourhood　of　a　danger；　of　which　a　kind　voice　had　warned　me？　　These　are　now　unavailing　questions；　I　was　blinded　by　a　fatality；　and　remained；　fluttering　like　a　moth　around　the　candle；　until　I　have　been　scorched　to　some　purpose。

The　greater　part　of　the　day　had　passed；　and　time　hung　heavy　on　my　hands。　　I　ought；　perhaps；　to　blush　at　recollecting　what　has　been　often　objected　to　me　by　the　dear　friend　to　whom　this　letter　is　addressed；　viz。　the　facility　with　which　I　have；　in　moments　of　indolence；　suffered　my　motions　to　be；　directed　by　any　person　who　chanced　to　be　near　me；　instead　of　taking　the　labour　of　thinking　or　deciding　for　myself。　　I　had　employed　for　some　time；　as　a　sort　of　guide　and　errand…boy；　a　lad　named　Benjamin；　the　son　of　one　widow　Coltherd；　who　lives　near　the　Shepherd's　Bush；　and　I　cannot　but　remember　that；　upon　several　occasions；　I　had　of　late　suffered　him　to　possess　more　influence　over　my　motions　than　at　all　became　the　difference　of　our　age　and　condition。　　At　present；　he　exerted　himself　to　persuade　me　that　it　was　the　finest　possible　sport　to　see　the　fish　taken　out　from　the　nets　placed　in　the　Solway　at　the　reflux　of　the　tide；　and　urged　my　going　thither　this　evening　so　much；　that；　looking　back　on　the　whole　circumstances；　I　cannot　but　think　he　had　some　especial　motive　for　his　conduct。　　These　particulars　I　have　mentioned；　that　if　these　papers　fall　into　friendly　hands；　the　boy　may　be　sought　after　and　submitted　to　examination。

His　eloquence　being　unable　to　persuade　me　that　I　should　take　any　pleasure　in　seeing　the　fruitless　struggles　of　the　fish　when　left　in　the　nets　and　deserted　by　the　tide；　he　artfully　suggested；　that　Mr。　and　Miss　Geddes；　a　respectable　Quaker　family　well　known　in　the　neighbourhood　and　with　whom　I　had　contracted　habits　of　intimacy；　would　possibly　be　offended　if　I　did　not　make　them　an　early　visit。　　Both；　he　said；　had　been　particularly　inquiring　the　reasons　of　my　leaving　their　house　rather　suddenly　on　the　previous　day。　　I　resolved；　therefore；　to　walk　up　to　Mount　Sharon　and　make　my　apologies；　and　I　agreed　to　permit　the　boy　to　attend　upon　me；　and　wait　my　return　from　the　house；　that　I　might　fish　on　my　way　homeward　to　Shepherd's　Bush；　for　which　amusement；　he　assured　me；　I　would　find　the　evening　most　favourable。　　I　mention　this　minute　circumstance；　because　I　strongly　suspect　that　this　boy　had　a　presentiment　how　the　evening　was　to　terminate　with　me；　and　entertained　the　selfish　though　childish　wish　of　securing　to　himself　an　angling…rod　which　he　had　often　admired；　as　a　part　of　my　spoils。　　I　may　do　the　boy　wrong；　but　I　had　before　remarked　in　him　the　peculiar　art　of　pursuing　the　trifling　objects　of　cupidity　proper　to　his　age；　with　the　systematic　address　of　much　riper　years。

When　we　had　commenced　our　walk；　I　upbraided　him　with　the　coolness　of　the　evening；　considering　the　season；　the　easterly　wind；　and　other　circumstances；　unfavourable　for　angling。　　He　persisted　in　his　own　story；　and　made　a　few　casts；　as　if　to　convince　me　of　my　error；　but　caught　no　fish；　and；　indeed；　as　I　am　now　convinced；　was　much　more　intent　on　watching　my　motions　than　on　taking　any。　When　I　ridiculed　him　once　more　on　his　fruitless　endeavours；　he　answered　with　a　sneering　smile；　that　'the　trouts　would　not　rise；　because　there　was　thunder　in　the　air；'　an　intimation　which；　in　one　sense；　I　have　found　too　true。

I　arrived　at　Mount　Sharon；　was　received　by　my　friends　there　with　their　wonted　kindness；　and　after　being　a　little　rallied　on　my　having　suddenly　left　them　on　the　preceding　evening；　I　agreed　to　make　atonement　by　staying　all　night；　and　dismissed　the　lad　who　attended　with　my　fishing…rod；　to　carry　that　information　to　Shepherd's　Bush。　　It　may　be　doubted　whether　he　went　thither；　or　in　a　different　direction。

Betwixt　eight　and　nine　o'clock；　when　it　began　to　become　dark；　we　walked　on　the　terrace　to　enjoy　the　appearance　of　the　firmament；　glittering　with　ten　million　stars；　to　which　a　slight　touch　of　early　frost　gave　tenfold　lustre。　　As　we　gazed　on　this　splendid　scene；　Miss　Geddes；　I　think；　was　the　first　to　point　out　to　our　admiration　a　shooting　or　falling　star；　which；　she　said；　drew　a　long　train　after　it。　　Looking　to　the　part　of　the　heavens　which　she　pointed　out；　I　distinctly　observed　two　successive　sky…rockets　arise　and　burst　in　the　sky。

'These　meteors；'　said　Mr。　Geddes；　in　answer　to　his　sister's　observation；　'are　not　formed　in　heaven；　nor　do　they　bode　any　good　to　the　dwellers　upon　earth。'

As　he　spoke；　I　looked　to　another　quarter　of　the　sky；　and　a　rocket；　as　if　a　signal　in　answer　to　those　which　had　already　appeared；　rose　high　from　the　earth；　and　burst　apparently　among　the　stars。

Mr。　Geddes　seemed　very　thoughtful　for　some　minutes；　and　then　said　to　his　sister；　'Rachel；　though　it　waxes　late。　　I　must　go　down　to　the　fishing　station；　and　pass　the　night　in　the　overseer's　room　there。'

'Nay；　then；'　replied　the　lady；　'I　am　but　too　well　assured　that　the　sons　of　Belial　are　menacing　these　nets　and　devices。　　Joshua；　art　thou　a　man　of　peace；　and　wilt　thou　willingly　and　wittingly　thrust　thyself　where　thou　mayst　be　tempted　by　the　old　man　Adam　within　thee；　to　enter　into　debate　and　strife？'

'I　am　a　man　of　peace；　Rachel；'　answered　Mr。　Geddes；　'even　to　the　utmost　extent　which　our　friends　can　demand　of　humanity；　and　neither　have　I　ever　used；　nor；　with　the　help　of　God；　will　I　at　any　future　time　employ；　the　arm　of　flesh　to　repel　or　to　revenge　injuries。　　But　if　I　can；　by　mild　reasons　and　firm　conduct；　save　those　rude　men　from　committing　a　crime；　and　the　property　belonging　to　myself　and　others　from　sustaining　damage；　surely　I　do　but　the　duty　of　a　man　and　a　Christian。'

With　these　words；　he　ordered　his　horse　instantly；　and　his　sister；　ceasing　to　argue　with　him；　folded　her　arms　upon　her　bosom；　and　looked　up　to　heaven　with　a　resigned　and　yet　sorrowful　countenance。

These　particulars　may　appear　trivial；　but　it　is　better；　in　my　present　condition；　to　exert　my　faculties　in　recollecting　the　past；　and　in　recording　it；　than　waste　them　in　vain　and　anxious　anticipations　of　the　future。

It　would　have　been　scarcely　proper　in　me　to　remain　in　the　house　from　which　the　master　was　thus　suddenly　summoned　away；　and　I　therefore　begged　permission　to　attend　him　to　the　fishing　station；　assuring　his　sister　that　I　would　be　a　guarantee　for　his　safety。

That　proposal　seemed　to　give　much　pleasure　to　Miss　Geddes。　　'Let　it　be　so；　brother；'　she　said；　'and　let　the　young　man　have　the　desire　of　his　heart；　that　there　may　be　a　faithful　witness　to　stand　by　thee　in　the　hour　of　need；　and　to　report　how　it　shall　fare　with　thee。

'Nay；　Rachel；'　said　the　worthy　man；　'thou　art　to　blame　in　this；　that　to　quiet　thy　apprehensions　on　my　account；　thou　sho