redgauntlet-第71部分

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'I　take　you；　friendI　take　you；'　said　Nanty　Ewart；　upon　whom；　at　length；　the　liquor　and　tobacco…smoke　began　to　make　considerable　innovation。　　'As　to　what　gentlemen　may　or　may　not　correspond　about；　why　we　may　pretermit　the　question；　as　the　old　professor　used　to　say　at　the　Hall；　and　as　to　Summertrees；　I　will　say　nothing；　knowing　him　to　be　an　old　fox。　　But　I　say　that　this　fellow　the　laird　is　a　firebrand　in　the　country　；　that　he　is　stirring　up　all　the　honest　fellows　who　should　be　drinking　their　brandy　quietly；　by　telling　them　stories　about　their　ancestors　and　the　Forty…five　；　and　that　he　is　trying　to　turn　all　waters　into　his　own　mill…dam；　and　to　set　his　sails　to　all　winds。　　And　because　the　London　people　are　roaring　about　for　some　pinches　of　their　own；　he　thinks　to　win　them　to　his　turn　with　a　wet　finger。　　And　he　gets　encouragement　from　some；　because　they　want　a　spell　of　money　from　him；　and　from　others；　because　they　fought　for　the　cause　once　and　are　ashamed　to　go　back；　and　others；　because　they　have　nothing　to　lose；　and　others；　because　they　are　discontented　fools。　　But　if　he　has　brought　you；　or　any　one；　I　say　not　whom；　into　this　scrape；　with　the　hope　of　doing　any　good；　he's　a　dd　decoy…duck；　and　that's　all　I　can　say　for　him；　and　you　are　geese；　which　is　worse　than　being　decoy…ducks；　or　lame…ducks　either。　　And　so　here　is　to　the　prosperity　of　King　George　the　Third；　and　the　true　Presbyterian　religion；　and　confusion　to　the　Pope；　the　Devil；　and　the　Pretender！　　I'll　tell　you　what；　Mr。　Fairbairn；　I　am　but　tenth　owner　of　this　bit　of　a　craft；　the　JUMPING　JENNYbut　tenth　owner　and　must　sail　her　by　my　owners'　directions。　　But　if　I　were　whole　owner；　I　would　not　have　the　brig　be　made　a　ferry…boat　for　your　Jacobitical；　old…fashioned　Popish　riff…raff；　Mr。　FairportI　would　not；　by　my　soul；　they　should　walk　the　plank；　by　the　gods；　as　I　have　seen　better　men　do　when　I　sailed　under　the　What…d'ye…　callum　colours。　　But　being　contraband　goods；　and　on　board　my　vessel；　and　I　with　my　sailing　orders　in　my　hand；　why；　I　am　to　forward　them　as　directedI　say；　John　Roberts；　keep　her　up　a　bit　with　the　helm。and　so；　Mr。　Fairweather；　what　I　do　isas　the　dd　villain　Turnpenny　saysall　in　the　way　of　business。'

He　had　been　speaking　with　difficulty　for　the　last　five　minutes；　and　now　at　length　dropped　on　the　deck；　fairly　silenced　by　the　quantity　of　spirits　which　he　had　swallowed；　but　without　having　showed　any　glimpse　of　the　gaiety；　or　even　of　the　extravagance；　of　intoxication。

The　old　sailor　stepped　forward　and　flung　a　sea…cloak　over　the　slumberer's　shoulders；　and　added；　looking　at　Fairford；　'Pity　of　him　he　should　have　this　fault；　for　without　it；　he　would　have　been　as　clever　a　fellow　as　ever　trod　a　plank　with　ox　leather。'

'And　what　are　we　to　do　now？'　　said　Fairford。

'Stand　off　and　on；　to　be　sure；　till　we　see　the　signal；　and　then　obey　orders。'

So　saying；　the　old　man　turned　to　his　duty；　and　left　the　passenger　to　amuse　himself　with　his　own　meditations。　　Presently　afterward　a　light　column　of　smoke　was　seen　rising　from　the　little　headland。

'I　can　tell　you　what　we　are　to　do　now；　master；'　said　the　sailor。　'We'll　stand　out　to　sea；　and　then　run　in　again　with　the　evening　tide；　and　make　Skinburness；　or；　if　there's　not　light；　we　can　run　into　the　Wampool　river；　and　put　you　ashore　about　Kirkbride　or　Leaths；　with　the　long…boat。'

Fairford；　unwell　before；　felt　this　destination　condemned　him　to　an　agony　of　many　hours；　which　his　disordered　stomach　and　aching　head　were　ill　able　to　endure。　　There　was　no　remedy；　however；　but　patience；　and　the　recollection　that　he　was　suffering　in　the　cause　of　friendship。　　As　the　sun　rose　high；　he　became　worse；　his　sense　of　smell　appeared　to　acquire　a　morbid　degree　of　acuteness；　for　the　mere　purpose　of　inhaling　and　distinguishing　all　the　various　odours　with　which　he　was　surrounded；　from　that　of　pitch　to　all　the　complicated　smells　of　the　hold。　　His　heart；　too；　throbbed　under　the　heat；　and　he　felt　as　if　in　full　progress　towards　a　high　fever。

The　seamen；　who　were　civil　and　attentive　considering　their　calling；　observed　his　distress；　and　one　contrived　to　make　an　awning　out　of　an　old　sail；　while　another　compounded　some　lemonade；　the　only　liquor　which　their　passenger　could　be　prevailed　upon　to　touch。　　After　drinking　it　off；　he　obtained；　but　could　not　be　said　to　enjoy；　a　few　hours　of　troubled　slumber。




CHAPTER　XV

NARRATIVE　OF　ALAN　FAIRFORD；　CONTINUED

Alan　Fairford's　spirit　was　more　ready　to　encounter　labour　than　his　frame　was　adequate　to　support　it。　　In　spite　of　his　exertions；　when　he　awoke；　after　five　or　six　hours'　slumber；　he　found　that　he　was　so　much　disabled　by　dizziness　in　his　head　and　pains　in　his　limbs；　that　he　could　not　raise　himself　without　assistance。　　He　heard　with　some　pleasure　that　they　were　now　running　right　for　the　Wampool　river；　and　that　he　would　be　put　on　shore　in　a　very　short　time。　　The　vessel　accordingly　lay　to；　and　presently　showed　a　weft　in　her　ensign；　which　was　hastily　answered　by　signals　from　on　shore。　　Men　and　horses　were　seen　to　come　down　the　broken　path　which　leads　to　the　shore；　the　latter　all　properly　tackled　for　carrying　their　loading。　　Twenty　fishing　barks　were　pushed　afloat　at　once；　and　crowded　round　the　brig　with　much　clamour；　laughter；　cursing；　and　jesting。　　Amidst　all　this　apparent　confusion　there　was　the　essential　regularity。　　Nanty　Ewart　again　walked　his　quarter…deck　as　if　he　had　never　tasted　spirits　in　his　life；　issued　the　necessary　orders　with　precision；　and　saw　them　executed　with　punctuality。　　In　half　an　hour　the　loading　of　the　brig　was　in　a　great　measure　disposed　in　the　boats；　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　more；　it　was　landed　on　the　beach；　and　another　interval　of　about　the　same　duration　was　sufficient　to　distribute　it　on　the　various　strings　of　packhorses　which　waited　for　that　purpose；　and　which　instantly　dispersed；　each　on　its　own　proper　adventure。　　More　mystery　was　observed　in　loading　the　ship's　boat　with　a　quantity　of　small　barrels；　which　seemed　to　contain　ammunition。　　This　was　not　done　until　the　commercial　customers　had　been　dismissed；　and　it　was　not　until　this　was　performed　that　Ewart　proposed　to　Alan；　as　he　lay　stunned　with　pain　and　noise；　to　accompany　him　ashore。

It　was　with　difficulty　that　Fairford　could　get　over　the　side　of　the　vessel；　and　he　could　not　seat　himself　on　the　stern　of　the　boat　without　assistance　from　the　captain　and　his　people。　　Nanty　Ewart；　who　saw　nothing　in　this　worse　than　an　ordinary　fit　of　sea…　sickness；　applied　the　usual　topics　of　consolation。　　He　assured　his　passenger　that　he　would　be　quite　well　by　and　by；　when　he　had　been　half　an　hour　on　terra　firma；　and　that　he　hoped　to　drink　a　can　and　smoke　a　pipe　with　him　at　Father　Crackenthorp's；　for　all　that　he　felt　a　little　out　of　the　way　for　riding　the　wooden　horse。

'Who　is　Father　Crackenthorp？'　　said　Fairford；　though　scarcely　able　to　articulate　the　question。

'As　honest　a　fellow　as　is　of　a　thousand；'　answered　Nanty。

'Ah；　how　much　good　brandy　he　and　I　have　made　little　of　in　our　day！　　By　my　soul；　Mr。　Fairbird；　he　is　the　prince　of　skinkers；　and　the　father　of　the　free　tradenot　a　stingy　hypocritical　devil　like　old　Turnpenny　Skinflint；　that　drinks　drunk　on　other　folk's　cost；　and　thinks　it　sin　when　he　has　to　pay　for　itbut　a　real　hearty　old　cock；the　sharks　have　been　at　and　about　him　this　many　a　day；　but　Father　Crackenthorp　knows　how　to　trim　his　sailsnever　a　warrant　but　he　hears　of　it　before　the　ink's　dry。　　He　is　BONUS　SOCIUS　with　headborough　and　constable。　　The　king's　exchequer　could　not　bribe　a　man　to　inform　against　him。　　If　any　such　rascal　were　to　cast　up；　why；　he　would　miss　his　ears　next　morning；　or　be　sent　to　seek　them　in　the　Solway。　　He　is　a　statesman；　＇A　small　landed　proprietor。＇　　though　he　keeps　a　public；　but；　indeed；　that　is　only　for　convenience　and　to　excuse　his　having　cellarage　and　folk　about　him；　his　wife's　a　canny　womanand　his　daughter　Doll　too。　　Gad；　you'll　be　in　port　there　till　you　get　round　again；　and　I'll　keep　my　word　with　you；　and　bring　you　to　speech　of　the　laird。

Gad；　the　only　trouble　I　shall　have　is　to　get　you　out　of　the　house；　for　Doll　is　a　rare　wench；　and　my　dame　a　funny　old　one；　and　Father　Crackenthorp　the　rarest　companion！　　He'll　drink　you　a　bottle　of　rum　or　brandy　without　starting；　but　never　wet　his　lips　with　the　nasty　Scottish　stuff　that　the　canting　old　scoundrel　Turnpenny　has　brought　into　fashion。　　He　is　a　gentleman；　every　inch　of　him；　old　Crackenthorp；　in　his　own　way；　that　is；　and　besides；　he　has　a　share　in　the　JUMPING　JENNY；　and　many　a　moonlight　outfit　besides。　　He　can　give　Doll　a　pretty　penny；　if　he　likes　the　tight　fellow　that　would　turn　in　with　her　for　life。'

In　the　midst　of　this　prolonged　panegyric　on　Father　Crackenthorp；　the　boat　touched　the　beach；　the　rowers　backed　their　oars　to　keep　her　afloat；　whilst　the　other　fellows　lumped　into　the　surf；　and；　with　the　most　rapid　dexterity；　began　to　hand　the　barrels　ashore。

'Up　with　them　higher　on　the　beach；　my　hearties；'　exclaimed　Nanty　Ewart'High　and　dryhigh　and　drythis　gear　will　not　stand　wetting。　　Now；　out　with　our　spare　hand　herehigh　and　dry　with　him　too。　　What's　that？the　galloping　of　horse！　　Oh；　I　hear　the　jingle　of　the　packsaddlesthey　are　our　own　folk。'

By　this　time　all　the　boat's　load　was　ashore；　consisting　of　the　little　barrels；　and　the　boat's　crew；　standing　to　their　arms；　ranged　themselves　in　front；　waiting　the　advance　of　the　horses　which　came　clattering　along　the　beach。　　A　man；　overgrown　with　corpulence；　who　might　be　distinguished　in　the　moonlight　panting　with　his　own　exertions；　appeared　at　the　head　of　the　cavalcade；　which　consisted　of　horses　linked　together；　and　accommodated　with　packsaddles；　and　chains　for　securing　the　kegs　which　made　a　dreadful　clattering。

'How　now；　Father　Crackenthorp？'　　said　Ewart'Why　this　hurry　with　your　horses？　　We　mean　to　stay　a　night　with　you；　and　taste　your　old　brandy；　and　my　dame's　homebrewed。　　The　signal　is　up；　man；　and　all　is　right。'

'All　is　wrong；　Captain　Nanty；'　cried　the　man　to　whom　he　spoke；　'and　you　are　the　lad　that　is　like　to　find　it　so；　unless　you　bundle　offthere　are　new　brooms　bought　at　Carlisle　yesterday　to　sweep　the　country　of　you　and　the　like　of　youso　you　were　better　be　jogging　inland。

'How　many　rogues　are　the　officers？　　If　not　more　than　ten；　I　will　make　fight。'

'The　devil　you　will！'　　answered　Crackenthorp。