redgauntlet-第58部分

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nd　outgoings。　　I　am　not　a　man　for　thatI　keep　the　kirk；　and　I　abhor　PoperyI　have　stood　up　for　the　House　of　Hanover；　and　for　liberty　and　propertyI　carried　arms；　sir；　against　the　Pretender；　when　three　of　the　Highlandmen's　baggage…　carts　were　stopped　at　Ecclefechan；　and　I　had　an　especial　loss　of　a　hundred　pounds'

'Scots；'　interrupted　Fairford。　　'You　forget　you　told　me　all　this　before。'

'Scots　or　English；　it　was　too　much　for　me　to　lose；'　said　the　provost；　so　you　see　I　am　not　a　person　to　pack　or　peel　with　Jacobites；　and　such　unfreemen　as　poor　Redgauntlet。'

'Granted；　granted；　Mr。　Crosbie；　and　what　then？'　　said　Alan　Fairford。

'Why；　then；　it　follows；　that　if　I　am　to　help　you　at　this　pinch；　if　cannot　be　by　and　through　my　ain　personal　knowledge；　but　through　some　fitting　agent　or　third　person。'

'Granted　again；'　said　Fairford。　　'And　pray　who　may　this　third　person　be？'

'Wha　but　Pate　Maxwell　of　Summertreeshim　they　call　Pate…in…　Peril。'

'An　old　Forty…five　man；　of　course？'　　said　Fairford。

'Ye　may　swear　that；'　replied　the　provost'as　black　a　Jacobite　as　the　auld　leaven　can　make　him；　but　a　sonsy；　merry　companion；　that　none　of　us　think　it　worth　while　to　break　wi'　for　all　his　brags　and　his　clavers。　　You　would　have　thought；　if　he　had　had　but　his　own　way　at　Derby；　he　would　have　marched　Charlie　Stuart　through　between　Wade　and　the　Duke；　as　a　thread　goes　through　the　needle's　ee；　and　seated　him　in　Saint　James's　before　you　could　have　said　haud　your　hand。　　But　though　he　is　a　windy　body　when　he　gets　on　his　auld…warld　stories；　he　has　mair　gumption　in　him　than　most　peopleknows　business；　Mr。　Alan；　being　bred　to　the　law；　but　never　took　the　gown；　because　of　the　oaths；　which　kept　more　folk　out　then　than　they　do　nowthe　more's　the　pity。'

'What！　　are　you　sorry；　provost；　that　Jacobitism　is　upon　the　decline？'　　said　Fairford。

'No；　no；'　answered　the　provost'I　am　only　sorry　for　folks　losing　the　tenderness　of　conscience　which　they　used　to　have。　　I　have　a　son　breeding　to　the　bar；　Mr。　Fairford；　and；　no　doubt；　considering　my　services　and　sufferings；　I　might　have　looked　for　some　bit　postie　to　him；　but　if　the　muckle　tykes　come　inI　mean　a'　these　Maxwells；　and　Johnstones；　and　great　lairds；　that　the　oaths　used　to　keep　out　lang　synethe　bits　o'　messan　doggies；　like　my　son；　and　maybe　like　your　father's　son；　Mr。　Alan；　will　be　sair　put　to　the　wall。'

'But　to　return　to　the　subject；　Mr。　Crosbie；'　said　Fairford；　'do　you　really　think　it　likely　that　this　Mr。　Maxwell　will　be　of　service　in　this　matter？'

'It's　very　like　he　may　be；　for　he　is　the　tongue　of　the　trump　to　the　whole　squad　of　them；'　said　the　provost；　'and　Redgauntlet；　though　he　will　not　stick　at　times　to　call　him　a　fool；　takes　more　of　his　counsel　than　any　man's　else　that　I　am　aware　of。　　If　Fate　can　bring　him　to　a　communing；　the　business　is　done。　　He's　a　sharp　chield；　Pate…in…Peril。'

'Pate…in…Peril！'　　repeated　Alan；　'a　very　singular　name。'

'Aye；　and　it　was　in　as　queer　a　way　he　got　it；　but　I'll　say　naething　about　that；'　said　the　provost；　'for　fear　of　forestalling　his　market；　for　ye　are　sure　to　hear　it　once　at　least；　however　oftener；　before　the　punch…bowl　gives　place　to　the　teapot。And　now；　fare　ye　weel；　for　there　is　the　council…bell　clinking　in　earnest；　and　if　I　am　not　there　before　it　jows　in；　Bailie　Laurie　will　be　trying　some　of　his　manoeuvres。'

The　provost；　repeating　his　expectation　of　seeing　Mr。　Fairford　at　two　o'clock；　at　length　effected　his　escape　from　the　young　counsellor；　and　left　him　at　a　considerable　loss　how　to　proceed。　The　sheriff；　it　seems；　had　returned　to　Edinburgh；　and　he　feared　to　find　the　visible　repugnance　of　the　provost　to　interfere　with　this　Laird　of　Birrenswork；　or　Redgauntlet；　much　stronger　amongst　the　country　gentlemen；　many　of　whom　were　Catholics　as　well　as　Jacobites；　and　most　others　unwilling　to　quarrel　with　kinsmen　and　friends；　by　prosecuting　with　severity　political　offences　which　had　almost　run　a　prescription。

To　collect　all　the　information　in　his　power；　and　not　to　have　recourse　to　the　higher　authorities　until　he　could　give　all　the　light　of　which　the　case　was　capable；　seemed　the　wiser　proceeding　in　a　choice　of　difficulties。　　He　had　some　conversation　with　the　procurator…fiscal；　who；　as　well　as　the　provost；　was　an　old　correspondent　of　his　father。　　Alan　expressed　to　that　officer　a　purpose　of　visiting　Brokenburn；　but　was　assured　by　him；　that　it　would　be　a　step　attended　with　much　danger　to　his　own　person；　and　altogether　fruitless；　that　the　individuals　who　had　been　ringleaders　in　the　riot　were　long　since　safely　sheltered　in　their　various　lurking…holes　in　the　Isle　of　Man；　Cumberland；　and　elsewhere；　and　that　those　who　might　remain　would　undoubtedly　commit　violence　on　any　who　visited　their　settlement　with　the　purpose　of　inquiring　into　the　late　disturbances。

There　were　not　the　same　objections　to　his　hastening　to　Mount　Sharon；　where　he　expected　to　find　the　latest　news　of　his　friend；　and　there　was　time　enough　to　do　so；　before　the　hour　appointed　for　the　provost's　dinner。　　Upon　the　road；　he　congratulated　himself　on　having　obtained　one　point　of　almost　certain　information。　　The　person　who　had　in　a　manner　forced　himself　upon　his　father's　hospitality；　and　had　appeared　desirous　to　induce　Darsie　Latimer　to　visit　England；　against　whom；　too；　a　sort　of　warning　had　been　received　from　an　individual　connected　with　and　residing　in　his　own　family；　proved　to　be　a　promoter　of　the　disturbance　in　which　Darsie　had　disappeared。

What　could　be　the　cause　of　such　an　attempt　on　the　liberty　of　an　inoffensive　and　amiable　man？　　It　was　impossible　it　could　be　merely　owing　to　Redgauntlet's　mistaking　Darsie　for　a　spy；　for　though　that　was　the　solution　which　Fairford　had　offered　to　the　provost；　he　well　knew　that；　in　point　of　fact；　he　himself　had　been　warned　by　his　singular　visitor　of　some　danger　to　which　his　friend　was　exposed；　before　such　suspicion　could　have　been　entertained；　and　the　injunctions　received　by　Latimer　from　his　guardian；　or　him　who　acted　as　such；　Mr。　Griffiths　of　London；　pointed　to　the　same　thing。　　He　was　rather　glad；　however；　that　he　had　not　let　Provost　Crosbie　into　his　secret　further　than　was　absolutely　necessary；　since　it　was　plain　that　the　connexion　of　his　wife　with　the　suspected　party　was　likely　to　affect　his　impartiality　as　a　magistrate。

When　Alan　Fairford　arrived　at　Mount　Sharon；　Rachel　Geddes　hastened　to　meet　him；　almost　before　the　servant　could　open　the　door。　　She　drew　back　in　disappointment　when　she　beheld　a　stranger；　and　said；　to　excuse　her　precipitation；　that　'she　had　thought　it　was　her　brother　Joshua　returned　from　Cumberland。'

'Mr。　Geddes　is　then　absent　from　home？'　　said　Fairford；　much　disappointed　in　his　turn。

'He　hath　been　gone　since　yesterday；　friend；'　answered　Rachel；　once　more　composed　to　the　quietude　which　characterizes　her　sect；　but　her　pale　cheek　and　red　eye　giving　contradiction　to　her　assumed　equanimity。

'I　am；'　said　Fairford；　hastily；　'the　particular　friend　of　a　young　man　not　unknown　to　you；　Miss　Geddesthe　friend　of　Darsie　Latimerand　am　come　hither　in　the　utmost　anxiety；　having　understood　from　Provost　Crosbie；　that　he　had　disappeared　in　the　night　when　a　destructive　attack　was　made　upon　the　fishing…station　of　Mr。　Geddes。'

'Thou　dost　afflict　me；　friend；　by　thy　inquiries；'　said　Rachel；　more　affected　than　before；　'for　although　the　youth　was　like　those　of　the　worldly　generation；　wise　in　his　own　conceit；　and　lightly　to　be　moved　by　the　breath　of　vanity；　yet　Joshua　loved　him；　and　his　heart　clave　to　him　as　if　he　had　been　his　own　son。　　And　when　he　himself　escaped　from　the　sons　of　Belial；　which　was　not　until　they　had　tired　themselves　with　reviling；　and　with　idle　reproach；　and　the　jests　of　the　scoffer；　Joshua；　my　brother；　returned　to　them　once　and　again；　to　give　ransom　for　the　youth　called　Darsie　Latimer；　with　offers　of　money　and　with　promise　of　remission；　but　they　would　not　hearken　to　him。　　Also；　he　went　before　the　head　judge；　whom　men　call　the　sheriff；　and　would　have　told　him　of　the　youth's　peril；　but　he　would　in　no　way　hearken　to　him　unless　he　would　swear　unto　the　truth　of　his　words；　which　thing　he　might　not　do　without　sin；　seeing　it　is　written；　Swear　not　at　allalso；　that　our　conversation　shall　be　yea　or　nay。　　Therefore；　Joshua　returned　to　me　disconsolate；　and　said；　〃Sister　Rachel；　this　youth　hath　run　into　peril　for　my　sake；　assuredly　I　shall　not　be　guiltless　if　a　hair　of　his　head　be　harmed；　seeing　I　have　sinned　in　permitting　him　to　go　with　me　to　the　fishing　station　when　such　evil　was　to　be　feared。　　Therefore；　I　will　take　my　horse；　even　Solomon；　and　ride　swiftly　into　Cumberland；　and　I　will　make　myself　friends　with　Mammon　of　Unrighteousness；　among　the　magistrates　of　the　Gentiles；　and　among　their　mighty　men；　and　it　shall　come　to　pass　that　Darsie　Latimer　shall　be　delivered；　even　if　it　were　at　the　expense　of　half　my　substance。〃　　And　I　said；　〃Nay；　my　brother；　go　not；　for　they　will　but　scoff　at　and　revile　thee；　but　hire　with　thy　silver　one　of　the　scribes；　who　are　eager　as　hunters　in　pursuing　their　prey；　and　he　shall　free　Darsie　Latimer　from　the　men　of　violence　by　his　cunning；　and　thy　soul　shall　be　guiltless　of　evil　towards　the　lad。〃　　　But　he　answered　and　said；　〃I　will　not　be　controlled　in　this　matter。〃　　And　he　is　gone　forth　and　hath　not　returned；　and　I　fear　me　that　he　may　never　return；　for　though　he　be　peaceful；　as　becometh　one　who　holds　all　violence　as　offence　against　his　own　soul；　yet　neither　the　floods　of　water；　nor　the　fear　of　the　snare；　nor　the　drawn　sword　of　the　adversary　brandished　in　the　path；　will　overcome　his　purpose。　　Wherefore　the　Solway　may　swallow　him　up；　or　the　sword　of　the　enemy　may　devour　himnevertheless；　my　hope　is　better　in　Him　who　directeth　all　things；　and　ruleth　over　the　waves　of　the　sea；　and　overruleth　the　devices　of　the　wicked；　and　who　can　redeem　us　even　as　a　bird　from　the　fowler's　net。'

This　was　all　that　Fairford　could　learn　from　Miss　Geddes；　but　he　heard　with　pleasure　that　the　good　Quaker；　her　brother；　had　many　friends　among　those　of　his　own　profession　in　Cumberland；　and　without　exposing　himself　to　so　much　danger　as　his　sister　seemed　to　apprehend；　he　trusted　he　might　be　able　to　discover　some　traces　of　Darsie　Latimer。　　He　himself　rode　back　to　Dumfries；　having　left　with　Miss　Geddes　his　direction　in　that　place；　and　an　earnest　request　that　she　would　forward　th