redgauntlet-第61部分

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　my　feet；　and　down　the　brae　hurled　I；　over　heather　and　fern；　and　blackberries；　like　a　barrel　down　Chalmer's　Close；　in　Auld　Reekie。　　G；　sir；　I　never　could　help　laughing　when　I　think　how　the　scoundrel　redcoats　must　have　been　bumbazed；　for　the　mist　being；　as　I　said；　thick；　they　had　little　notion；　I　take　it；　that　they　were　on　the　verge　of　such　a　dilemma。　　I　was　half　way　down　for　rowing　is　faster　wark　than　rinningere　they　could　get　at　their　arms；　and　then　it　was　flash；　flash；　flashrap；　rap；　rap　from　the　edge　of　the　road；　but　my　head　was　too　jumbled　to　think　anything　either　of　that　or　the　hard　knocks　I　got　among　the　stones。　　I　kept　my　senses　thegither；　whilk　has　been　thought　wonderful　by　all　that　ever　saw　the　place；　and　I　helped　myself

with　my　hands　as　gallantly　as　I　could；　and　to　the　bottom　I　came。　There　I　lay　for　half　a　moment；　but　the　thoughts　of　a　gallows　is　worth　all　the　salts　and　scent…bottles　in　the　world　for　bringing　a　man　to　himself。　　Up　I　sprang；　like　a　four…year…auld　colt。　　All　the　hills　were　spinning　round　with　me；　like　so　many　great　big　humming…tops。　　But　there　was　nae　time　to　think　of　that　neither；　more　especially　as　the　mist　had　risen　a　little　with　the　firing。　I　could　see　the　villains；　like　sae　mony　craws　on　the　edge　of　the　brae；　and　I　reckon　that　they　saw　me；　for　some　of　the　loons　were　beginning　to　crawl　down　the　hill；　but　liker　auld　wives　in　their　red　cloaks；　coming　frae　a　field　preaching；　than　such　a　souple　lad　as　I　was。　　Accordingly；　they　soon　began　to　stop　and　load　their　pieces。　　Good…e'en　to　you；　gentlemen；　thought　I；　if　that　is　to　be　the　gate　of　it。　　If　you　have　any　further　word　with　me；　you　maun　come　as　far　as　Carriefraw…gauns。　　And　so　off　I　set；　and　never　buck　went　faster　ower　the　braes　than　I　did；　and　I　never　stopped　till　I　had　put　three　waters；　reasonably　deep；　as　the　season　was　rainy；　half　a　dozen　mountains；　and　a　few　thousand　acres　of　the　worst　moss　and　ling　in　Scotland；　betwixt　me　and　my　friends　the　redcoats。'

'It　was　that　job　which　got　you　the　name　of　Pate…in…Peril；'　said　the　provost；　filling　the　glasses；　and　exclaiming　with　great　emphasis；　while　his　guest；　much　animated　with　the　recollections　which　the　exploit　excited；　looked　round　with　an　air　of　triumph　for　sympathy　and　applause；'Here　is　to　your　good　health；　and　may　you　never　put　your　neck　in　such　a　venture　again。'　　＇The　escape　of　a　Jacobite　gentleman　while　on　the　road　to　Carlisle　to　take　his　trial　for　his　share　in　the　affair　of　1745；　took　place　at　Errickstane…brae；　in　the　singular　manner　ascribed　to　the　Laird　of　Summertrees　in　the　text。　　The　author　has　seen　in　his　youth　the　gentleman　to　whom　the　adventure　actually　happened。　　The　distance　of　time　makes　some　indistinctness　of　recollection；　but　it　is　believed　the　real　name　was　MacEwen　or　MacMillan。＇

'Humph！I　do　not　know；'　answered　Summertrees。　　'I　am　not　like　to　be　tempted　with　another　opportunity＇An　old　gentleman　of　the　author's　name　was　engaged　in　the　affair　of　1715；　and　with　some　difficulty　was　saved　from　the　gallows　by　the　intercession　of　the　Duchess　of　Buccleugh　and　Monmouth。　　Her　Grace；　who　maintained　a　good　deal　of　authority　over　her　clan；　sent　for　the　object　of　her　intercession；　and　warning　him　of　the　risk　which　he　had　run；　and　the　trouble　she　had　taken　on　his　account；　wound　up　her　lecture　by　intimating　that　in　case　of　such　disloyalty　again；　he　was　not　to　expect　her　interest　in　his　favour。　　'An　it　please　your　Grace；'　said　the　stout　old　Tory；　'I　fear　I　am　too　old　to　see　another　opportunity。'＇　　Yet　who　knows？'　　And　then　he　made　a　deep　pause。

'May　I　ask　what　became　of　your　friend；　sir？'　　said　Alan　Fairford。

'Ah；　poor　Harry！'　　said　Summertrees。　　'I'll　tell　you　what；　sir；　it　takes　time　to　make　up　one's　mind　to　such　a　venture；　as　my　friend　the　provost　calls　it；　and　I　was　told　by　Neil　Maclean；who　was　next　file　to　us；　but　had　the　luck　to　escape　the　gallows　by　some　sleight…of…hand　trick　or　other；that；　upon　my　breaking　off；　poor　Harry　stood　like　one　motionless；　although　all　our　brethren　in　captivity　made　as　much　tumult　as　they　could；　to　distract　the　attention　of　the　soldiers。　　And　run　he　did　at　last；　but　he　did　not　know　the　ground；　and　either　from　confusion；　or　because　he　judged　the　descent　altogether　perpendicular；　he　fled　up　the　hill　to　the　left；　instead　of　going　down　at　once；　and　so　was　easily　pursued　and　taken。　　If　he　had　followed　my　example；　he　would　have　found　enough　among　the　shepherds　to　hide　him；　and　feed　him；　as　they　did　me；　on　bearmeal　scenes　and　braxy　mutton；　till　better　days　came　round　again。'　　＇BRAXY　MUTTON。The　flesh　of　sheep　that　has　died　of　disease；　not　by　the　hand　of　the　butcher。　　In　pastoral　countries　it　is　used　as　food　with　little　scruple。＇

'He　suffered　then　for　his　share　in　the　insurrection？'　　said　Alan。

'You　may　swear　that；'　said　Summertrees。　　'His　blood　was　too　red　to　be　spared　when　that　sort　of　paint　was　in　request。　　He　suffered；　sir；　as　you　call　itthat　is；　he　was　murdered　in　cold　blood；　with　many　a　pretty　fellow　besides。　　Well；　we　may　have　our　day　nextwhat　is　fristed　is　not　forgiventhey　think　us　all　dead　and　buriedbut'Here　he　filled　his　glass；　and　muttering　some　indistinct　denunciations；　drank　it　off；　and　assumed　his　usual　manner；　which　had　been　a　little　disturbed　towards　the　end　of　the　narrative。

'What　became　of　Mr。　Redgauntlet's　child？'　　said　Fairford。

MISTER　Redgauntlet！　　He　was　Sir　Henry　Redgauntlet；　as　his　son；　if　the　child　now　lives；　will　be　Sir　ArthurI　called　him　Harry　from　intimacy；　and　Redgauntlet；　as　the　chief　of　his　nameHis　proper　style　was　Sir　Henry　Redgauntlet。'

'His　son；　therefore；　is　dead？'　　said　Alan　Fairford。　　'It　is　a　pity　so　brave　a　line　should　draw　to　a　close。'

'He　has　left　a　brother；'　said　Summertrees；　'Edward　Hugh　Redgauntlet；　who　has　now　the　representation　of　the　family。　　And　well　it　is；　for　though　he　be　unfortunate　in　many　respects；　he　will　keep　up　the　honour　of　the　house　better　than　a　boy　bred　up　amongst　these　bitter　Whigs；　the　relations　of　his　elder　brother　Sir　Henry's　lady。　　Then　they　are　on　no　good　terms　with　the　Redgauntlet　linebitter　Whigs　they　are　in　every　sense。　　It　was　a　runaway　match　betwixt　Sir　Henry　and　his　lady。　　Poor　thing；　they　would　not　allow　her　to　see　him　when　in　confinementthey　had　even　the　meanness　to　leave　him　without　pecuniary　assistance；　and　as　all　his　own　property　was　seized　upon　and　plundered；　he　would　have　wanted　common　necessaries；　but　for　the　attachment　of　a　fellow　who　was　a　famous　fiddlera　blind　manI　have　seen　him　with　Sir　Henry　myself；　both　before　the　affair　broke　out　and　while　it　was　going　on。　　I　have　heard　that　he　fiddled　in　the　streets　of　Carlisle；　and　carried　what　money　he　got　to　his　master；　while　he　was　confined　in　the　castle。'

'I　do　not　believe　a　word　of　it；'　said　Mrs。　Crosbie；　kindling　with　indignation。　　'A　Redgauntlet　would　have　died　twenty　times　before　he　had　touched　a　fiddler's　wages。'

'Hout　fyehout　fyeall　nonsense　and　pride；'　said　the　Laird　of　Summertrees。　　'Scornful　dogs　will　eat　dirty　puddings；　cousin　Crosbieye　little　ken　what　some　of　your　friends　were　obliged　to　do　yon　time　for　a　sowp　of　brose；　or　a　bit　of　bannock。　　Gd；　I　carried　a　cutler's　wheel　for　several　weeks；　partly　for　need；　and　partly　for　disguisethere　I　went　bizzbizzwhizzzizz；　at　every　auld　wife's　door；　and　if　ever　you　want　your　shears　sharpened；　Mrs。　Crosbie；　I　am　the　lad　to　do　it　for　you；　if　my　wheel　was　but　in　order。'

'You；　must　ask　my　leave　first；'　said　the　provost；　'for　I　have　been　told　you　had　some　queer　fashions　of　taking　a　kiss　instead　of　a　penny；　if　you　liked　your　customer。'

'Come；　come；　provost；'　said　the　lady；　rising；　'if　the　maut　gets　abune　the　meal　with　you；　it　is　time　for　me　to　take　myself　away　And　you　will　come　to　my　room；　gentlemen；　when　you　want　a　cup　of　tea。'

Alan　Fairford　was　not　sorry　for　the　lady's　departure。　　She　seemed　too　much　alive　to　the　honour　of　the　house　of　Redgauntlet；　though　only　a　fourth　cousin；　not　to　be　alarmed　by　the　inquiries　which　he　proposed　to　make　after　the　whereabout　of　its　present　head。　Strange　confused　suspicions　arose　in　his　mind；　from　his　imperfect　recollection　of　the　tale　of　Wandering　Willie；　and　the　idea　forced　itself　upon　him　that　his　friend　Darsie　Latimer　might　be　the　son　of　the　unfortunate　Sir　Henry。　　But　before　indulging　in　such　speculations；　the　point　was　to　discover　what　had　actually　become　of　him。　　If　he　were　in　the　hands　of　his　uncle；　might　there　not　exist　some　rivalry　in　fortune；　or　rank；　which　might　induce　so　stern　a　man　as　Redgauntlet　to　use　unfair　measures　towards　a　youth　whom　he　would　find　himself　unable　to　mould　to　his　purpose？　　He　considered　these　points　in　silence；　during　several　revolutions　of　the　glasses　as　they　wheeled　in　galaxy　round　the　bowl；　waiting　until　the　provost；　agreeably　to　his　own　proposal；　should　mention

the　subject；　for　which　he　had　expressly　introduced　him　to　Mr。　Maxwell　of　Summertrees。

Apparently　the　provost　had　forgot　his　promise；　or　at　least　was　in　no　great　haste　to　fulfil　it。　　He　debated　with　great　earnestness　upon　the　Stamp　Act；　which　was　then　impending　over　the　American　colonies；　and　upon　other　political　subjects　of　the　day；　but　said　not　a　word　of　Redgauntlet。　　Alan　soon　saw　that　the　investigation　he　meditated　must　advance；　if　at　all；　on　his　own　special　motion；　and　determined　to　proceed　accordingly。

Acting　upon　this　resolution；　he　took　the　first　opportunity　afforded　by　a　pause　in　the　discussion　of　colonial　politics；　to　say；　'I　must　remind　you；　Provost　Crosbie；　of　your　kind　promise　to　procure　some　intelligence　upon　the　subject　I　am　so　anxious　about。'

'Gadso！'　　said　the　provost；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　'it　is　very　true。Mr。　Maxwell；　we　wish　to　consult　you　on　a　piece　of　important　business。　　You　must　know　indeed　I　think　you　must　have　heard；　that　the　fishermen　at　Brokenburn；　and　higher　up　the　Solway；　have　made　a　raid　upon　Quaker　Geddes's　stake…nets；　and　levelled　all　with　the　sands。'

'In　troth　I　heard　it；　provost；　and　I　was　glad　to　hear　the　scoundrels　had　so　much　pluck　left　as　to　right　themselves　against　a　fashion　which　would　make　the　upper　heritors　a　sort　of　clocking…　hens；　to　hatch　the　fish　that　folk　below　them　were　to　catch　and　eat。'

'Well；　sir；'　said　Alan；　'that　is　not　the　present　point。　　But　a　young　friend　of　mine　was　with　Mr。　Geddes　at　the　time　this　violent　procedure　took　place；　and　he　has　not　since　been　heard　of。　　Now