redgauntlet-第66部分

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　to　light　two　candles　which　stood　on　the　table；　asked　if　Alan　would　choose　anything　to　eat；　recommending；　at　all　events；　a　slug　of　brandy　to　keep　out　the　night　air。　Fairford　declined　both；　but　inquired　after　his　baggage。

'The　old　master　will　take　care　of　that　himself；'　said　Job　Rutledge；　and　drawing　back　in　the　direction　in　which　he　had　entered；　he　vanished　from　the　farther　end　of　the　apartment；　by　a　mode　which　the　candles；　still　shedding　an　imperfect　light；　gave　Alan　no　means　of　ascertaining。　　Thus　the　adventurous　young　lawyer　was　left　alone　in　the　apartment　to　which　he　had　been　conducted　by　so　singular　a　passage。

In　this　condition；　it　was　Alan's　first　employment　to　survey；　with　some　accuracy；　the　place　where　he　was；　and　accordingly；　having　trimmed　the　lights；　he　walked　slowly　round　the　apartment；　examining　its　appearance　and　dimensions。　　It　seemed　to　be　such　a　small　dining…parlour　as　is　usually　found　in　the　house　of　the　better　class　of　artisans；　shopkeepers；　and　such　persons；　having　a　recess　at　the　upper　end；　and　the　usual　furniture　of　an　ordinary　description。　　He　found　a　door；　which　he　endeavoured　to　open；　but　it　was　locked　on　the　outside。　　A　corresponding　door　on　the　same　side　of　the　apartment　admitted　him　into　a　closet；　upon　the　front　shelves　of　which　were　punch…bowls；　glasses；　tea…cups；　and　the　like；　while　on　one　side　was　hung　a　horseman's　greatcoat　of　the　coarsest　materials；　with　two　great　horse…pistols　peeping　out　of　the　pocket；　and　on　the　floor　stood　a　pair　of　well…spattered　jack…　boots；　the　usual　equipment　of　the　time；　at　least　for　long　journeys；

Not　greatly　liking　the　contents　of　the　closet；　Alan　Fairford　shut　the　door；　and　resumed　his　scrutiny　round　the　walls　of　the　apartment；　in　order　to　discover　the　mode　of　Job　Rutledge's　retreat。　　The　secret　passage　was；　however；　too　artificially　concealed；　and　the　young　lawyer　had　nothing　better　to　do　than　to　meditate　on　the　singularity　of　his　present　situation。　　He　had　long　known　that　the　excise　laws　had　occasioned　an　active　contraband　trade　betwixt　Scotland　and　England；　which　then；　as　now；　existed；　and　will　continue　to　exist　until　the　utter　abolition　of　the　wretched　system　which　establishes　an　inequality　of　duties　betwixt　the　different　parts　of　the　same　kingdom；　a　system；　be　it　said　in　passing；　mightily　resembling　the　conduct　of　a　pugilist；　who　should　tie　up　one　arm　that　he　might　fight　the　better　with　the　other。　　But　Fairford　was　unprepared　for　the　expensive　and　regular　establishments　by　which　the　illicit　traffic　was　carried　on；　and　could　not　have　conceived　that　the　capital　employed　in　it　should　have　been　adequate　to　the　erection　of　these　extensive　buildings；　with　all　their　contrivances　for　secrecy　of　communication。　　He　was　musing　on　these　circumstances；　not　without　some　anxiety　for　the　progress　of　his　own　journey；　when　suddenly；　as　he　lifted　his　eyes；　he　discovered　old　Mr。　Trumbull　at　the　upper　end　of　the　apartment；　bearing　in　one　hand　a　small　bundle；　in　the　other　his　dark　lantern；　the　light　of　which；　as　he　advanced；　he　directed　full　upon　Fairford's　countenance。

Though　such　an　apparition　was　exactly　what　he　expected；　yet　he　did　not　see　the　grim；　stern　old　man　present　himself　thus　suddenly　without　emotion；　especially　when　he　recollected；　what　to　a　youth　of　his　pious　education　was　peculiarly　shocking；　that　the　grizzled　hypocrite　was　probably　that　instant　arisen　from　his　knees　to　Heaven；　for　the　purpose　of　engaging　in　the　mysterious　transactions　of　a　desperate　and　illegal　trade。

The　old　man；　accustomed　to　judge　with　ready　sharpness　of　the　physiognomy　of　those　with　whom　he　had　business；　did　not　fail　to　remark　something　like　agitation　in　Fairford's　demeanour。　　'Have　ye　taken　the　rue？'　　said　he。　　'Will　ye　take　the　sheaf　from　the　mare；　and　give　up　the　venture？'

'Never！'　　said　Fairford；　firmly；　stimulated　at　once　by　his　natural　spirit；　and　the　recollection　of　his　friend；　'never；　while　I　have　life　and　strength　to　follow　it　out！'

'I　have　brought　you；'　said　Trumbull；　'a　clean　shirt；　and　some　stockings；　which　is　all　the　baggage　you　can　conveniently　carry；　and　I　will　cause　one　of　the　lads　lend　you　a　horseman's　coat；　for　it　is　ill　sailing　or　riding　without　one；　and；　touching　your　valise；　it　will　be　as　safe　in　my　poor　house；　were　it　full　of　the　gold　of　Ophir；　as　if　it　were　in　the　depth　of　the　mine。'　　'I　have　no　doubt　of　it；'　said　Fairford。

'And　now；'　said　Trumbull；　again；　'I　pray　you　to　tell　me　by　what　name　I　am　to　name　you　to　Nanty　（which　is　Antony）　Ewart？'

'By　the　name　of　Alan　Fairford；'　answered　the　young　lawyer。

'But　that；'　said　Mr。　Trumbull；　in　reply；　'is　your　own　proper　name　and　surname。'

'And　what　other　should　I　give？'　　said　the　young　man；　'do　you　think　I　have　any　occasion　for　an　alias？　　And；　besides；　Mr。　Trumbull；'　added　Alan；　thinking　a　little　raillery　might　intimate　confidence　of　spirit；　'you　blessed　yourself；　but　a　little　while　since；　that　you　had　no　acquaintance　with　those　who　defiled　their　names　so　far　as　to　be　obliged　to　change　them。'

'True；　very　true；'　said　Mr。　Trumbull；　'nevertheless；　young　man；　my　grey　hairs　stand　unreproved　in　this　matter；　for；　in　my　line　of　business；　when　I　sit　under　my　vine　and　my　fig…tree；　exchanging　the　strong　waters　of　the　north　for　the　gold　which　is　the　price　thereof；　I　have；　I　thank　Heaven；　no　disguises　to　keep　with　any　man；　and　wear　my　own　name　of　Thomas　Trumbull；　without　any　chance　that　the　same　may　be　polluted。　　Whereas；　thou；　who　art　to　journey　in　miry　ways；　and　amongst　a　strange　people；　mayst　do　well　to　have　two　names；　as　thou　hast　two　shirts；　the　one　to　keep　the　other　clean。'

Here　he　emitted　a　chuckling　grunt；　which　lasted　for　two　vibrations　of　the　pendulum　exactly；　and　was　the　only　approach　towards　laughter　in　which　old　Turnpenny；　as　he　was　nicknamed；　was　ever　known　to　indulge。

'You　are　witty；　Mr。　Trumbull；'　said　Fairford；　'but　jests　are　no　argumentsI　shall　keep　my　own　name。'

'At　your　own　pleasure；'　said　the　merchant；　'there　is　but　one　name　which；'　&c。　&c；　&c。

We　will　not　follow　the　hypocrite　through　the　impious　cant　which　he　added；　in　order　to　close　the　subject。

Alan　followed　him；　in　silent　abhorrence；　to　the　recess　in　which　the　beaufet　was　placed；　and　which　was　so　artificially　made　as　to　conceal　another　of　those　traps　with　which　the　whole　building　abounded。　　This　concealment　admitted　them　to　the　same　winding　passage　by　which　the　young　lawyer　had　been　brought　thither。　　The　path　which　they　now　took　amid　these　mazes；　differed　from　the　direction　in　which　he　had　been　guided　by　Rutledge。　　It　led　upwards；　and　terminated　beneath　a　garret　window。　　Trumbull　opened　it；　and　with　more　agility　than　his　age　promised；　clambered　out　upon　the　leads。　　If　Fairford's　journey　had　been　hitherto　in　a　stifled　and　subterranean　atmosphere；　it　was　now　open；　lofty；　and　airy　enough；　for　he　had　to　follow　his　guide　over　leads　and　slates；　which　the　old　smuggler　traversed　with　the　dexterity　of　a　cat。　　It　is　true；　his　course　was　facilitated　by　knowing　exactly　where　certain　stepping…places　and　holdfasts　were　placed；　of　which　Fairford　could　not　so　readily　avail　himself；　but；　after　a　difficult　and　somewhat　perilous　progress　along　the　roofs　of　two　or　three　houses；　they　at　length　descended　by　a　skylight　into　a　garret　room；　and　from　thence　by　the　stairs　into　a　public…house；　for　such　it　appeared；　by　the　ringing　of　bells；　whistling　for　waiters　and　attendance；　bawling　of　'House；　house；　here！'　　chorus　of　sea　songs；　and　the　like　noises。

Having　descended　to　the　second　story；　and　entered　a　room　there　in　which　there　was　a　light；　old　Mr。　Trumbull　rang　the　bell　of　the　apartment　thrice；　with　an　interval　betwixt　each；　during　which　he　told　deliberately　the　number　twenty。　　Immediately　after　the　third　ringing　the　landlord　appeared；　with　stealthy　step；　and　an　appearance　of　mystery　on　his　buxom　visage。　　He　greeted　Mr。　Trumbull；　who　was　his　landlord　as　it　proved；　with　great　respect；　and　expressed　some　surprise　at　seeing　him　so　late；　as　he　termed　it；　'on　Saturday　e'en。'

'And　I；　Robin　Hastie；'　said　the　landlord　to　the　tenant；　am　more　surprised　than　pleased；　to　hear　sae　muckle　din　in　your　house；　Robie；　so　near　the　honourable　Sabbath；　and　I　must　mind　you　that　it　is　contravening　the　terms　of　your　tack；　whilk　stipulates　that　you　should　shut　your　public　on　Saturday　at　nine　o'clock；　at　latest。'

'Yes；　sir；'　said　Robin　Hastie；　no　way　alarmed　at　the　gravity　of　the　rebuke；　'but　you　must　take　tent　that　I　have　admitted　naebody　but　you；　Mr。　Trumbull　（who　by　the　way　admitted　yoursell）；　since　nine　o'clock　for　the　most　of　the　folk　have　been　here　for　several　hours　about　the　lading；　and　so　on；　of　the　brig。　　It　is　not　full　tide　yet；　and　I　cannot　put　the　men　out　into　the　street。　　If　I　did；　they　would　go　to　some　other　public；　and　their　souls　would　be　nane　the　better；　and　my　purse　muckle　the　waur；　for　how　am　I　to　pay　the　rent　if　I　do　not　sell　the　liquor？'

'Nay；　then；'　said　Thomas　Trumbull；　'if　it　is　a　work　of　necessity；　and　in　the　honest　independent　way　of　business；　no　doubt　there　is　balm　in　Gilead。　　But　prithee；　Robin；　wilt　thou　see　if　Nanty　Ewart　be；　as　is　most　likely；　amongst　these　unhappy　topers；　and　if　so；　let　him　step　this　way　cannily；　and　speak　to　me　and　this　young　gentleman。　　And　it's　dry　talking；　Robinyou　must　minister　to　us　a　bowl　of　punchye　ken　my　gage；'

'From　a　mutchkin　to　a　gallon；　I　ken　your　honour's　taste；　Mr。　Thomas　Trumbull；'　said　mine　host；　'and　ye　shall　hang　me　over　the　signpost　if　there　be　a　drap　mair　lemon　or　a　curn　less　sugar　than　just　suits　you。　　There　are　three　of　youyou　will　be　for　the　auld　Scots　peremptory　pint…stoup　for　the　success　of　the　voyage？'　　＇The　Scottish　pint　of　liquid　measure　comprehends　four　English　measures　of　the　same　denomination。　　The　jest　is　well　known　of　my　poor　countryman；　who；　driven　to　extremity　by　the　raillery　of　the　Southern；　on　the　small　denomination　of　the　Scottish　coin；　at　length　answered；　'Aye；　aye！　　But　the　deil　tak　them　that　has　the　LEAST　PINT…STOUP。'＇

'Better　pray　for　it　than　drink　for　it；　Robin；'　said　Mr。　Trumbull。　'Yours　is　a　dangerous　trade；　Robin；　it　hurts　mony　a　anebaith　host　and　guest。　　But　ye　will　get　the　blue　bowl；　Robinthe　blue　bowlthat　will　sloken　all　their　drouth；　and　prevent　the　sinful　repetition　of　whipping　for　an　eke　of　a　Saturday　at　e'en。　　Aye；　Robin；　it　is　a　pity　of　Nanty　EwartNanty　likes　the　turnin