redgauntlet-第56部分

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　my　speedy　departure　from　my　present　place　of　residence；　by　whistling　the　well…known　air　with　which　festive　parties　in　Scotland　usually　conclude　the　dance：

　　Good　night　and　joy　be　wi'　ye　a'；　　　For　here　nae　langer　maun　I　stay；　　　There's　neither　friend　nor　foe；　of　mine　　　But　wishes　that　I　were　away。

It　appeared　that　Willie's　powers　of　intelligence　were　much　more　active　than　mine；　and　that；　like　a　deaf　person　accustomed　to　be　spoken　to　by　signs；　he　comprehended；　from　the　very　first　notes；　the　whole　meaning　I　intended　to　convey；　and　he　accompanied　me　in　the　air　with　his　violin；　in　such　a　manner　as　at　once　to　show　he　understood　my　meaning；　and　to　prevent　my　whistling　from　being　attended　to。

His　reply　was　almost　immediate；　and　was　conveyed　in　the　old　martial　air　of　'Hey；　Johnnie　lad；　cock　up　your　beaver。'　　I　ran　over　the　words；　and　fixed　on　the　following　stanza；　as　most　applicable　to　my　circumstances：

　　Cock　up　your　beaver；　and　cock　it　fu'　sprush；　　　We'll　over　the　Border　and　give　them　a　brush；　　　There's　somebody　there　we'll　teach　better　behaviour；　　　Hey；　Johnnie　lad；　cock　up　your　beaver。

If　these　sounds　alluded；　as　I　hope　they　do；　to　the　chance　of　assistance　from　my　Scottish　friends；　I　may　indeed　consider　that　a　door　is　open　to　hope　and　freedom。　　I　immediately　replied　with：

　　My　heart's　in　the　Highlands；　my　heart　is　not　here；　　　My　heart's　in　the　Highlands；　a…chasing　the　deer；　　　A…chasing　the　wild　deer；　and　following　the　roe；　　　My　heart's　in　the　Highlands　wherever　I　go。

　　Farewell　to　the　Highlands！　　farewell　to　the　North！　　　The　birth…place　of　valour；　the　cradle　of　worth；　　　Wherever　I　wander；　wherever　I　rove；　　　The　hills　of　the　Highlands　for　ever　I　love。

Willie　instantly　played；　with　a　degree　of　spirit　which　might　have　awakened　hope　in　Despair　herself；　if　Despair　could　be　supposed　to　understand　Scotch　music；　the　fine　old　Jacobite　air；

　　For　a'　that；　and　a'　that；　　　And　twice　as　much　as　a'　that。

I　next　endeavoured　to　intimate　my　wish　to　send　notice　of　my　condition　to　my　friends；　and；　despairing　to　find　an　air　sufficiently　expressive　of　my　purpose；　I　ventured　to　sing　a　verse；　which；　in　various　forms；　occurs　so　frequently　in　old　ballads

　　Whare　will　I　get　a　bonny　boy　　　That　will　win　hose　and　shoon：　　　That　will　gae　down　to　Durisdeer；　　　And　bid　my　merry　men　come？

He　drowned　the　latter　part　of　the　verse　by　playing；　with　much　emphasis；

　　Kind　Robin　loes　me。

Of　this；　though　I　ran　over　the　verses　of　the　song　in　my　mind；　I　could　make　nothing；　and　before　I　could　contrive　any　mode　of　intimating　my　uncertainty；　a　cry　arose　in　the　courtyard　that　Cristal　Nixon　was　coming。　　My　faithful　Willie　was　obliged　to　retreat；　but　not　before　he　had　half　played；　half　hummed；　by　way　of　farewell；

　　Leave　theeleave　thee；　lad　　　I'll　never　leave　thee；　　　The　stars　shall　gae　withershins　　　Ere　I　will　leave　thee。

I　am　thus；　I　think；　secure　of　one　trusty　adherent　in　my　misfortunes；　and；　however　whimsical　it　may　be　to　rely　much　on　a　man　of　his　idle　profession　and　deprived　of　sight　withal；　it　is　deeply　impressed　on　my　mind　that　his　services　may　be　both　useful　and　necessary。　　There　is　another　quarter　from　which　I　look　for　succour；　and　which　I　have　indicated　to　thee；　Alan；　in　more　than　one　passage　of　my　journal。　　Twice；　at　the　early　hour　of　daybreak；　I　have　seen　the　individual　alluded　to　in　the　court　of　the　farm；　and　twice　she　made　signs　of　recognition　in　answer　to　the　gestures　by　which　I　endeavoured　to　make　her　comprehend　my　situation；　but　on　both　occasions　she　pressed　her　finger　on　her　lips；　as　expressive　of　silence　and　secrecy。

The　manner　in　which　G。M。　entered　upon　the　scene　for　the　first　time；　seems　to　assure　me　of　her　goodwill；　so　far　as　her　power　may　reach；　and　I　have　many　reasons　to　believe　it　is　considerable。　Yet　she　seemed　hurried　and　frightened　during　the　very　transitory　moments　of　our　interview；　and　I　think　was；　upon　the　last　occasion；　startled　by　the　entrance　of　some　one　into　the　farmyard；　just　as　she　was　on　the　point　of　addressing　me。　　You　must　not　ask　whether　I　am　an　early　riser；　since　such　objects　are　only　to　be　seen　at　daybreak；　and　although　I　have　never　again　seen　her；　yet　I　have　reason　to　think　she　is　not　distant。　　It　was　but　three　nights　ago；　that；　worn　out　by　the　uniformity　of　my　confinement；　I　had　manifested　more　symptoms　of　despondence　than　I　had　before　exhibited；　which　I　conceive　may　have　attracted　the　attention　of　the　domestics；　through　whom　the　circumstance　might　transpire。　　On　the　next　morning；　the　following　lines　lay　on　my　table；　but　how　conveyed　there；　I　cannot　tell。　　The　hand　in　which　they　were　written　is　a　beautiful　Italian　manuscript：

　　As　lords　their　labourers'　hire　delay；　　　Fate　quits　our　toil　with　hopes　to　come；　　　Which；　if　far　short　of　present　pay；　　　Still；　owns　a　debt　and　names　a　sum。

　　Quit　not　the　pledge；　frail　sufferer；　then；　　　Although　a　distant　date　be　given；　　　Despair　is　treason　towards　man；　　　And　blasphemy　to　Heaven。

That　these　lines　were　written　with　the　friendly　purpose　of　inducing　me　to　keep　up　my　spirits；　I　cannot　doubt；　and　I　trust　the　manner　in　which　I　shall　conduct　myself　may　show　that　the　pledge　is　accepted。

The　dress　is　arrived　in　which　it　seems　to　be　my　self…elected　guardian's　pleasure　that　I　shall　travel；　and　what　does　it　prove　to　be？A　skirt；　or　upper…petticoat　of　camlet；　like　those　worn　by　country　ladies　of　moderate　rank　when　on　horseback；　with　such　a　riding…mask　as　they　frequently　use　on　journeys　to　preserve　their　eyes　and　complexion　from　the　sun　and　dust；　and　sometimes；　it　is　suspected；　to　enable　then　to　play　off　a　little　coquetry。　　From　the　gayer　mode　of　employing　the　mask；　however；　I　suspect　I　shall　be　precluded；　for　instead　of　being　only　pasteboard；　covered　with　black　velvet；　I　observe　with　anxiety　that　mine　is　thickened　with　a　plate　of　steel；　which；　like　Quixote's　visor；　serves　to　render　it　more　strong　and　durable。

This　apparatus；　together　with　a　steel　clasp　for　securing　the　mask　behind　me　with　a　padlock；　gave　me　fearful　recollections　of　the　unfortunate　being；　who；　never　being　permitted　to　lay　aside　such　a　visor；　acquired　the　well…known　historical　epithet　of　the　Man　in　the　Iron　Mask。　　I　hesitated　a　moment　whether　I　should；　so　far　submit　to　the　acts　of　oppression　designed　against　me　as　to　assume　this　disguise；　which　was；　of　course；　contrived　to　aid　their　purposes。　　But　when　I　remembered　Mr。　Herries's　threat；　that　I　should　be　kept　close　prisoner　in　a　carriage；　unless　I　assumed　the　dress　which　should　be　appointed　for　me；　and　I　considered　the　comparative　degree　of　freedom　which　I　might　purchase　by　wearing　the　mask　and　female　dress　as　easily　and　advantageously　purchased。　Here；　therefore；　I　must　pause　for　the　present；　and　await　what　the　morning　may　bring　forth。

＇To　carry　on　the　story　from　the　documents　before　us；　we　think　it　proper　here　to　drop　the　journal　of　the　captive　Darsie　Latimer；　and　adopt；　instead；　a　narrative　of　the　proceedings　of　Alan　Fairford　in　pursuit　of　his　friend；　which　forms　another　series　in　this　history。＇




CHAPTER　X

NARRATIVE　OF　ALAN　FAIRFORD

The　reader　ought；　by　this　time；　to　have　formed　some　idea　of　the　character　of　Alan　Fairford。　　He　had　a　warmth　of　heart　which　the　study　of　the　law　and　of　the　world　could　not　chill；　and　talents　which　they　had　rendered　unusually　acute。　　Deprived　of　the　personal　patronage　enjoyed　by　most　of　his　contemporaries；　who　assumed　the　gown　under　the　protection　of　their　aristocratic　alliances　and　descents；　he　early　saw　that　he　should　have　that　to　achieve　for　himself　which　fell　to　them　as　a　right　of　birth。　　He　laboured　hard　in　silence　and　solitude；　and　his　labours　were　crowned　with　success。　　But　Alan　doted　on　his　friend　Darsie；　even　more　than　he　loved　his　profession；　and；　as　we　have　seen；　threw　everything　aside　when　he　thought　Latimer　in　danger；　forgetting　fame　and　fortune；　and　hazarding　even　the　serious　displeasure　of　his　father；　to　rescue　him　whom　he　loved　with　an　elder　brother's　affection。　　Darsie；　though　his　parts　were　more　quick　and　brilliant　than　those　of　his　friend；　seemed　always　to　the　latter　a　being　under　his　peculiar　charge；　whom　he　was　called　upon　to　cherish　and　protect　in　cases　where　the　youth's　own　experience　was　unequal　to　the　exigency；　and　now；　when；　the　fate　of　Latimer　seeming　worse　than　doubtful；　Alan's　whole　prudence　and　energy　were　to　be　exerted　in　his　behalf；　an　adventure　which　might　have　seemed　perilous　to　most　youths　of　his　age　had　no　terrors　for　him。　He　was　well　acquainted　with　the　laws　of　his　country；　and　knew　how　to　appeal　to　them；　and；　besides　his　professional　confidence；　his　natural　disposition　was　steady；　sedate；　persevering；　and　undaunted。　　With　these　requisites　he　undertook　a　quest　which；　at　that　time；　was　not　unattended　with　actual　danger；　and　had　much　in　it　to　appal　a　more　timid　disposition。

Fairford's　first　inquiry　concerning　his　friend　was　of　the　chief　magistrate　of　Dumfries；　Provost　Crosbie；　who　had　sent　the　information　of　Darsie's　disappearance。　　On　his　first　application；　he　thought　he　discerned　in　the　honest　dignitary　a　desire　to　get　rid　of　the　subject。　　The　provost　spoke　of　the　riot　at　the　fishing　station　as　an　'outbreak　among　those　lawless　loons　the　fishermen；　which　concerned　the　sheriff；'　he　said；　'more　than　us　poor　town　council　bodies；　that　have　enough　to　do　to　keep　peace　within　burgh；　amongst　such　a　set　of　commoners　as　the　town　are　plagued　with。'

'But　this　is　not　all；　Provost　Crosbie；'　said　Mr。　Alan　Fairford；　'A　young　gentleman　of　rank　and　fortune　has　disappeared　amongst　their　handsyou　know　him。　　My　father　gave　him　a　letter　to　you　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer。'

'Lack…a…day；　yes！　　lack…a…day；　yes！'　　said　the　provost；　'Mr。　Darsie　Latimerhe　dined　at　my　houseI　hope　he　is　well？'

'I　hope　so　too；'　said　Alan；　rather　indignantly；　'but　I　desire　more　certainty　on　that　point。　　You　yourself　wrote　my　father　that　he　had　disappeared。'

'Troth；　yes；　and　that　is　true；'　said　the　provost。　　'But　did　he　not　go　back　to　his　friends　in　Scotland？　　it　was　not　natural　to　think　he　would　stay　here。'

'Not　unless　he　is　under　restraint；'　said　Fairford；　surprised　at　the　coolness　with　which　the　provost　seemed　to　take　up　the　matter。

'Rely　on　it；　sir；'　said　Mr。　Crosbie；　'that　if　he　has　not　returned　to　his　friends　in　Scotland；　he　must　have　gone　to　his　friends　in　England。'

'I　will　rely　on　no　such　thin