redgauntlet-第70部分

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hought　some　laughed。　　I　fancy　I　had　been　making　queer　faces　enough；　and　perhaps　talking　to　myself；　When　I　saw　myself　used　in　this　manner；　I　held　out　my　clenched　fists　straight　before　me；　stooped　my　head；　and；　like　a　ram　when　be　makes　his　race；　darted　off　right　down　the　street；　scattering　groups　of　weatherbeaten　lairds　and　periwigged　burgesses；　and　bearing　down　all　before　me。　　I　heard　the　cry　of　〃Seize　the　madman！〃　echoed；　in　Celtic　sounds；　from　the　City　Guard；　with　〃Ceaze　ta　matman！〃but　pursuit　and　opposition　were　in　vain。　　I　pursued　my　career；　the　smell　of　the　sea；　I　suppose；　led　me　to　Leith；　where；　soon　after；　I　found　myself　walking　very　quietly　on　the　shore；　admiring　the　tough　round　and　sound　cordage　of　the　vessels；　and　thinking　how　a　loop；　with　a　man　at　the　end　of　one　of　them；　would　look；　by　way　of　tassel。

'I　was　opposite　to　the　rendezvous；　formerly　my　place　of　refuge　in　I　boltedfound　one　or　two　old　acquaintances；　made　half　a　dozen　new　onesdrank　for　two　dayswas　put　aboard　the　tender　off　to　Portsmouththen　landed　at　the　Haslar　hospital　in　a　fine　hissing…hot　fever。　　Never　mindI　got　betternothing　can　kill　methe　West　Indies　were　my　lot　again；　for　since　I　did　not　go　where　I　deserved　in　the　next　world；　I　had　something　as　like　such　quarters　as　can　be　had　in　thisblack　devils　for　inhabitants　flames　and　earthquakes；　and　so　forth；　for　your　element。　　Well；　brother；　something　or　other　I　did　or　saidI　can't　tell　whatHow　the　devil　should　I；　when　I　was　as　drunk　as　David's　sow；　you　know？　But　I　was　punished；　my　ladmade　to　kiss　the　wench　that　never　speaks　but　when　she　scolds；　and　that's　the　gunner's　daughter；　comrade。　　Yes；　the　minister's　son　of　no　matter　wherehas　the　cat's　scratch　on　his　back！　　This　roused　me；　and　when　we　were　ashore　with　the　boat；　I　gave　three　inches　of　the　dirk；　after　a　stout　tussle；　to　the　fellow　I　blamed　most；　and　took　the　bush　for　it。　　There　were　plenty　of　wild　lads　then　along　shoreand；　I　don't　care　who　knowsI　went　on　the　account；　look　yousailed　under　the　black　flag　and　marrow…boneswas　a　good　friend　to　the　sea；　and　an　enemy　to　all　that　sailed　on　it。'

Fairford；　though　uneasy　in　his　mind　at　finding　himself；　a　lawyer；　so　close　to　a　character　so　lawless；　thought　it　best；　nevertheless；　to　put　a　good　face　on　the　matter；　and　asked　Mr。　Ewart；　with　as　much　unconcern　as　he　could　assume；　'whether　he　was　fortunate　as　a　rover？'

'No；　nodn　it；　no；'　replied　Nanty；　'the　devil　a　crumb　of　butter　was　ever　churned　that　would　stick　upon　my　bread。　　There　was　no　order　among　ushe　that　was　captain　to…day；　was　swabber　to…morrow；　and　as　for　plunderthey　say　old　Avery；　and　one　or　two　close　hunks；　made　money；　but　in　my　time；　all　went　as　it　came；　and　reason　good；　for　if　a　fellow　had　saved　five　dollars；　his　throat　would　have　been　cut　in　his　hammock。　　And　then　it　was　a　cruel；　bloody　work。Pah；we'll　say　no　more　about　it。　　I　broke　with　them　at　last；　for　what　they　did　on　board　of　a　bit　of　a　snowno　matter　what　it　was　bad　enough；　since　it　frightened　meI　took　French　leave；　and　came　in　upon　the　proclamation；　so　I　am　free　of　all　that　business。　　And　here　I　sit；　the　skipper　of　the　JUMPING　JENNYa　nutshell　of　a　thing；　but　goes　through　the　water　like　a　dolphin。　　If　it　were　not　for　yon　hypocritical　scoundrel　at　Annan；　who　has　the　best　end　of　the　profit；　and　takes　none　of　the　risk；　I　should　be　well　enoughas　well　as　I　want　to　be。　　Here　is　no　lack　of　my　best　friend；'touching　his　case…bottle；'but；　to　tell　you　a　secret；　he　and　I　have　got　so　used　to　each　other；　I　begin　to　think　he　is　like　a　professed　joker；　that　makes　your　sides　sore　with　laughing　if　you　see　him　but　now　and　then；　but　if　you　take　up　house　with　him；　he　can　only　make　your　head　stupid。　　But　I　warrant　the　old　fellow　is　doing　the　best　he　can　for　me；　after　all。'

'And　what　may　that　be？'　　said　Fairford。

'He　is　KILLING　me；'　replied　Nanty　Ewart；　'and　I　am　only　sorry　he　is　so　long　about　it。'

So　saying　he　jumped　on　his　feet；　and；　tripping　up　and　down　the　deck；　gave　his　orders　with　his　usual　clearness　and　decision；　notwithstanding　the　considerable　quantity　of　spirits　which　he　had　contrived　to　swallow　while　recounting　his　history。

Although　far　from　feeling　well；　Fairford　endeavoured　to　rouse　himself　and　walk　to　the　head　of　the　brig；　to　enjoy　the　beautiful　prospect；　as　well　as　to　take　some　note　of　the　course　which　the　vessel　held。　　To　his　great　surprise；　instead　of　standing　across　to　the　opposite　shore　from　which　she　had　departed；　the　brig　was　going　down　the　Firth；　and　apparently　steering　into　the　Irish　Sea。　He　called　to　Nanty　Ewart；　and　expressed　his　surprise　at　the　course　they　were　pursuing；　and　asked　why　they　did　not　stand　straight　across　the　Firth　for　some　port　in　Cumberland。

'Why；　this　is　what　I　call　a　reasonable　question；　now；'　answered　Nanty；　'as　if　a　ship　could　go　as　straight　to　its　port　as　a　horse　to　the　stable；　or　a　free…trader　could　sail　the　Solway　as　securely　as　a　King's　cutter！　　Why；　I'll　tell　ye；　brotherif　I　do　not　see　a　smoke　on　Bowness；　that　is　the　village　upon　the　headland　yonder；　I　must　stand　out　to　sea　for　twenty…four　hours　at　least；　for　we　must　keep　the　weather…gage　if　there　are　hawks　abroad。'

'And　if　you　do　see　the　signal　of　safety；　Master　Ewart；　what　is　to　be　done　then？'

'Why　then；　and　in　that　case；　I　must　keep　off　till　night；　and　then　run　you；　with　the　kegs　and　the　rest　of　the　lumber；　ashore　at　Skinburness；'

'And　then　I　am　to　meet　with　this　same　laird　whom　I　have　the　letter　for？'　　continued　Fairford。

'That；'　said　Ewart；　'is　thereafter　as　it　may　be；　the　ship　has　its　coursethe　fair　trader　has　his　portbut　it　is　not　easy　to　say　where　the　laird　may　be　found。　　But　he　will　be　within　twenty　miles　of　us；　off　or　onand　it　will　be　my　business　to　guide　you　to　him。'

Fairford　could　not　withstand　the　passing　impulse　of　terror　which　crossed　him；　when　thus　reminded　that　he　was　so　absolutely　in　the　power　of　a　man；　who；　by　his　own　account；　had　been　a　pirate；　and　who　was　at　present；　in　all　probability；　an　outlaw　as　well　as　a　contraband　trader。　　Nanty　Ewart　guessed　the　cause　of　his　involuntary　shuddering。

'What　the　devil　should　I　gain；'　he　said；　'by　passing　so　poor　a　card　as　you　are？　　Have　I　not　had　ace　of　trumps　in　my　hand；　and　did　I　not　play　it　fairly？　　Aye；　I　say　the　JUMPING　JENNY　can　run　in　other　ware　as　well　as　kegs。　　Put　SIGMA　and　TAU　to　Ewart；　and　see　how　that　will　spellD'ye　take　me　now？'

'No　indeed；'　said　Fairford；　'I　am　utterly　ignorant　of　what　you　allude　to。'

'Now；　by　Jove！'　　said　Nanty　Ewart；　'thou　art　either　the　deepest　or　the　shallowest　fellow　I　ever　met　withor　you　are　not　right　after　all。　　I　wonder　where　Summertrees　could　pick　up　such　a　tender　along…shore。　　Will　you　let　me　see　his　letter？'

Fairford　did　not　hesitate　to　gratify　his　wish；　which；　he　was　aware；　he　could　not　easily　resist。　　The　master　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY　looked　at　the　direction　very　attentively；　then　turned　the　letter　to　and　fro；　and　examined　each　flourish　of　the　pen；　as　if　he　were　judging　of　a　piece　of　ornamented　manuscript；　then　handled　it　back　to　Fairford；　without　a　single　word　of　remark。

'Am　I　right　now？'　　said　the　young　lawyer。

'Why；　for　that　matter；'　answered　Nanty；　'the　letter　is　right；　sure　enough；　but　whether　you　are　right　or　not；　is　your　own　business　rather　than　mine。'　　And；　striking　upon　a　flint　with　the　back　of　a　knife；　he　kindled　a　cigar　as　thick　as　his　finger；　and　began　to　smoke　away　with　great　perseverance。

Alan　Fairford　continued　to　regard　him　with　a　melancholy　feeling；　divided　betwixt　the　interest　he　took　in　the　unhappy　man；　and　a　not　unnatural　apprehension　for　the　issue　of　his　own　adventure。

Ewart；　notwithstanding　the　stupefying　nature　of　his　pastime；　seemed　to　guess　what　was　working　in　his　passenger's　mind；　for；　after　they　had　remained　some　time　engaged　in　silently　observing　each　other；　he　suddenly　dashed　his　cigar　on　the　deck；　and　said　to　him；　'Well　then；　if　you　are　sorry　for　me；　I　am　sorry　for　you。　Dn　me；　if　I　have　cared　a　button　for　man　or　mother's　son；　since　two　years　since　when　I　had　another　peep　of　Jack　Hadaway。　　'The　fellow　was　got　as　fat　as　a　Norway　whalemarried　to　a　great　Dutch…built　quean　that　had　brought　him　six　children。　　I　believe　he　did　not　know　me；　and　thought　I　was　come　to　rob　his　house；　however；　I　made　up　a　poor　face；　and　told　him　who　I　was。　　Poor　Jack　would　have　given　me　shelter　and　clothes；　and　began　to　tell　me　of　the　moidores　that　were　in　bank；　when　I　wanted　them。　　Egad；　he　changed　his　note　when　I　told　him　what　my　life　had　been；　and　only　wanted　to　pay　me　my　cash　and　get　rid　of　me。　　I　never　saw　so　terrified　a　visage。　　I　burst　out　a…laughing　in　his　face；　told　him　it　was　all　a　humbug；　and　that　the　moidores　were　all　his　own；　henceforth　and　for　ever；　and　so　ran　off。　　I　caused　one　of　our　people　send　him　a　bag　of　tea　and　a　keg　of　brandy；　before　I　left　poor　Jack！　　I　think　you　are　the　second　person　these　ten　years；　that　has　cared　a　tobacco…stopper　for　Nanty　Ewart。'

'Perhaps；　Mr。　Ewart；'　said　Fairford；　'you　live　chiefly　with　men　too　deeply　interested　for　their　own　immediate　safety；　to　think　much　upon　the　distress　of　others？'

'And　with　whom　do　you　yourself　consort；　I　pray？'　　replied　Nanty；　smartly。　　'Why；　with　plotters；　that　can　make　no　plot　to　better　purpose　than　their　own　hanging；　and　incendiaries；　that　are　snapping　the　flint　upon　wet　tinder。　　You'll　as　soon　raise　the　dead　as　raise　the　Highlandsyou'll　as　soon　get　a　grunt　from　a　dead　sow　as　any　comfort　from　Wales　or　Cheshire。　　You　think　because　the　pot　is　boiling；　that　no　scum　but　yours　can　come　uppermostI　know　better；　by　。　　All　these　rackets　and　riots　that　you　think　are　trending　your　way　have　no　relation　at　all　to　your　interest；　and　the　best　way　to　make　the　whole　kingdom　friends　again　at　once；　would　be　the　alarm　of　such　an　undertaking　as　these　mad　old　fellows　are　trying　to　launch　into。

'I　really　am　not　in　such　secrets　as　you　seem　to　allude　to；'　said　Fairford；　and；　determined　at　the　same　time　to　avail　himself　as　far　as　possible　of　Nanty's　communicative　disposition；　he　added；　with　a　smile；'　And　if　I　were；　I　should　not　hold　it　prudent　to　make　them　much　the　subject　of　conversation。　　But　I　am　sure；　so　sensible　a　man　as　Summertrees　and　the　laird　may　correspond　together　without　offence　to　the　state。'

'I　take　you；　friendI　take　you；'　said　Nanty　Ewart；　upon　whom；　at　length；　the　liquor　and　tobacco…smoke　began　to　make　con