redgauntlet-第80部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


se　circumstances　have　already　separated　for　such　a　length　of　time？'

Darsie　was　again　confounded　at　the　extra　candour；　if　we　may　use　the　term；　of　this　frank　avowal。　　'One　must　love　partridge　very　well；'　thought　he；　'to　accept　it　when　thrown　in　one's　faceif　this　is　not　plain　speaking；　there　is　no　such　place　as　downright　Dunstable　in　being！'

Embarrassed　with　these　reflections；　and　himself　of　a　nature　fancifully；　almost　fastidiously；　delicate；　he　could　only　in　reply　stammer　forth　an　acknowledgement　of　his　companion's　goodness；　and　his　own　gratitude。　　She　answered　in　a　tone　partly　sorrowful　and　partly　impatient；　repeating；　with　displeased　emphasis；　the　only　distinct　words　he　had　been　able　to　bring　forth'Goodness　gratitude！O　Darsie！　　should　these　be　the　phrases　between　you　and　me？　　Alas！　　I　am　too　sure　you　are　displeased　with　me；　though　I　cannot　even　guess　on　what　account。　　Perhaps　you　think　I　have　been　too　free　in　venturing　upon　my　visit　to　your　friend。　　But　then　remember；　it　was　in　your　behalf；　and　that　I　knew　no　better　way　to　put　you　on　your　guard　against　the　misfortunes　and　restraint　which　you　have　been　subjected　to；　and　are　still　enduring。'

'Dear　Lady'said　Darsie；　rallying　his　recollection；　and　suspicious　of　some　error　in　apprehension；a　suspicion　which　his　mode　of　address　seemed　at　once　to　communicate　to　Lilias；　for　she　interrupted　him；

'LADY！　　dear　LADY！　　For　whom；　or　for　what；　in　Heaven's　name；　do　you　take　me；　that　you　address　me　so　formally？'

Had　the　question　been　asked　in　that　enchanted　hall　in　fairyland；　where　all　interrogations　must　be　answered　with　absolute　sincerity；　Darsie　had　certainly　replied；　that　he　took　her　for　the　most　frank…hearted　and　ultra…liberal　lass　that　had　ever　lived　since　Mother　Eve　eat　the　pippin　without　paring。　　But　as　he　was　still　on　middle…earth；　and　free　to　avail　himself　of　a　little　polite　deceit；　he　barely　answered　that　he　believed　he　had　the　honour　of　speaking　to　the　niece　of　Mr。　Redgauntlet；

'Surely；'　she　replied；　'but　were　it　not　as　easy　for　you　to　have　said；　to　your　own　only　sister？'

Darsie　started　in　his　saddle；　as　if　he　had　received　a　pistol…　shot。

'My　sister！'　　he　exclaimed。

'And　you　did　NOT　know　it；　then？'　　said　she。　　'I　thought　your　reception　of　me　was　cold　and　indifferent！'

A　kind　and　cordial　embrace　took　place　betwixt　the　relatives；　and　so　light　was　Darsie's　spirit；　that　he　really　felt　himself　more　relieved；　by　getting　quit　of　the　embarrassments　of　the　last　half…　hour；　during　which　he　conceived　himself　in　danger　of　being　persecuted　by　the　attachment　of　a　forward　girl；　than　disappointed　by　the　vanishing　of　so　many　day…dreams　as　he　had　been　in　the　habit　of　encouraging　during　the　time　when　the　green…mantled　maiden　was　goddess　of　his　idolatry。　　He　had　been　already　flung　from　his　romantic　Pegasus；　and　was　too　happy　at　length　to　find　himself　with　bones　unbroken；　though　with　his　back　on　the　ground。　He　was；　besides；　with　all　his　whims　and　follies；　a　generous；　kind…hearted　youth；　and　was　delighted　to　acknowledge　so　beautiful　and　amiable　a　relative；　and　to　assure　her　in　the　warmest　terms　of　his　immediate　affection　and　future　protection；　so　soon　as　they　should　be　extricated　from　their　present　situation。　　Smiles　and　tears　mingled　on　Lilias's　cheeks；　like　showers　and　sunshine　in　April　weather。

'Out　on　me；'　she　said；　'that　I　should　be　so　childish　as　to　cry　at　what　makes　me　so　sincerely　happy！　　since；　God　knows；　family…love　is　what　my　heart　has　most　longed　after；　and　to　which　it　has　been　most　a　stranger。　　My　uncle　says　that　you　and　I；　Darsie；　are　but　half　Redgauntlets；　and　that　the　metal　of　which　our　father's　family　was　made；　has　been　softened　to　effeminacy　in　our　mother's　offspring。'

'Alas！'　　said　Darsie；　'I　know　so　little　of　our　family　story；　that　I　almost　doubted　that　I　belonged　to　the　House　of　Redgauntlet；　although　the　chief　of　the　family　himself　intimated　so　much　to　me。'

'The　chief　of　the　family！'　　said　Lilias。　　'You　must　know　little　of　your　own　descent　indeed；　if　you　mean　my　uncle　by　that　expression。　You　yourself；　my　dear　Darsie；　are　the　heir　and　representative　of　our　ancient　House；　for　our　father　was　the　elder　brotherthat　brave　and　unhappy　Sir　Henry　Darsie　Redgauntlet；　who　suffered　at　Carlisle　in　the　year　1746。　　He　took　the　name　of　Darsie；　in　conjunction　with　his　own；　from　our　mother；　heiress　to　a　Cumberland　family　of　great　wealth　and　antiquity；　of　whose　large　estates　you　are　the　undeniable　heir；　although　those　of　your　father　have　been　involved　in　the　general　doom　of　forfeiture。　　But　all　this　must　be　necessarily　unknown　to　you。'

'Indeed　I　hear　it　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；'　answered　Darsie。

'And　you　knew　not　that　I　was　your　sister？'　　said　Lilias。　　'No　wonder　you　received　me　so　coldly。　　What　a　strange；　wild；　forward　young　person　you　must　have　thought　memixing　myself　in　the　fortunes　of　a　stranger　whom　I　had　only　once　spoken　to　corresponding　with　him　by　signsGood　Heaven！　　what　can　you　have　supposed　me？'

'And　how　should　I　have　come　to　the　knowledge　of　our　connexion？'　said　Darsie。　　'You　are　aware　I　was　not　acquainted　with　it　when　we　danced　together　at　Brokenburn。'

'I　saw　that　with　concern；　and　fain　I　would　have　warned　you；'　answered　Lilias；　'but　I　was　closely　watched；　and　before　I　could　find　or　make　an　opportunity　of　coming　to　a　full　explanation　with　you　on　a　subject　so　agitating；　I　was　forced　to　leave　the　room。　What　I　did　say　was；　you　may　remember；　a　caution　to　leave　the　southern　border；　for　I　foresaw　what　has　since　happened。　　But　since　my　uncle　has　had　you　in　his　power；　I　never　doubted　he　had　communicated　to　you　our　whole　family　history。'

'He　has　left　me　to　learn　it　from　you；　Lilias；　and　assure　yourself　that　I　will　hear　it　with　more　pleasure　from　your　lips　than　from　his。　　I　have　no　reason　to　be　pleased　with　his　conduct　towards　me。'

'Of　that；'　said　Lilias；　'you　will　judge　better　when　you　have　heard　what　I　have　to　tell　you；'　and　she　began　her　communication　in　the　following　manner。




CHAPTER　XVIII

NARRATIVE　OF　DARSIE　LATIMER；　CONTINUED

'The　House　of　Redgauntlet；'　said　the　young　lady；　'has　for　centuries　been　supposed　to　lie　under　a　doom；　which　has　rendered　vain　their　courage；　their　talents；　their　ambition；　and　their　wisdom。　　Often　making　a　figure　in　history；　they　have　been　ever　in　the　situation　of　men　striving　against　both　wind　and　tide；　who　distinguish　themselves　by　their　desperate　exertions　of　strength；　and　their　persevering　endurance　of　toil；　but　without　being　able　to　advance　themselves　upon　their　course　by　either　vigour　or　resolution。　　They　pretend　to　trace　this　fatality　to　a　legendary　history；　which　I　may　tell　you　at　a　less　busy　moment。'

Darsie　intimated　that　he　had　already　heard　the　tragic　story　of　Sir　Alberick　Redgauntlet。

'I　need　only　say；　then；'　proceeded　Lilias；　'that　our　father　and　uncle　felt　the　family　doom　in　its　full　extent。　　They　were　both　possessed　of　considerable　property；　which　was　largely　increased　by　our　father's　marriage；　and　were　both　devoted　to　the　service　of　the　unhappy　House　of　Stuart；　but　（as　our　mother　at　least　supposed）　family　considerations　might　have　withheld　her　husband　from　joining　openly　in　the　affair　of　1745；　had　not　the　high　influence　which　the　younger　brother　possessed　over　the　elder；　from　his　more　decided　energy　of　character；　hurried　him　along　with　himself　into　that　undertaking。

'When；　therefore；　the　enterprise　came　to　the　fatal　conclusion　which　bereaved　our　father　of　his　life　and　consigned　his　brother　to　exile；　Lady　Redgauntlet　fled　from　the　north　of　England；　determined　to　break　off　all　communication　with　her　late　husband's　family；　particularly　his　brother；　whom　she　regarded　as　having；　by　their　insane　political　enthusiasm；　been　the　means　of　his　untimely　death；　and　determined　that　you；　my　brother；　an　infant；　and　that　I；　to　whom　she　had　just　given　birth；　should　be　brought　up　as　adherents　of　the　present　dynasty。　　Perhaps　she　was　too　hasty　in　this　determinationtoo　timidly　anxious　to　exclude；　if　possible；　from　the　knowledge　of　the　very　spot　where　we　existed；　a　relation　so　nearly　connected　with　us　as　our　father's　only　brother。　　But　you　must　make　allowance　for　what　she　had　suffered。　　See；　brother；'　she　said；　pulling　her　glove　off；　'these　five　blood…　specks　on　my　arm　are　a　mark　by　which　mysterious　Nature　has　impressed；　on　an　unborn　infant；　a　record　of　its　father's　violent　death　and　its　mother's　miseries。'　　＇Several　persons　have　brought　down　to　these　days　the　impressions　which　Nature　had　thus　recorded；　when　they　were　yet　babes　unborn。　　One　lady　of　quality；　whose　father　was　long　under　sentence　of　death　previous　to　the　Rebellion；　was　marked　on　the　back　of　the　neck　by　the　sign　of　a　broad　axe。　　Another　whose　kinsmen　had　been　slain　in　battle　and　died　on　the　scaffold　to　the　number　of　seven；　bore　a　child　spattered　on　the　right　shoulder　and　down　the　arm　with　scarlet　drops；　as　if　of　blood。　　Many　other　instances　might　be　quoted。＇

'You　were　not；　then；　born　when　my　father　suffered？'　　said　Darsie。

'Alas；　no！'　　she　replied；　'nor　were　you　a　twelvemonth　old。　　It　was　no　wonder　that　my　mother；　after　going　through　such　scenes　of　agony；　became　irresistibly　anxious　for　the　sake　of　her　children　of　her　son　in　particular；　the　more　especially　as　the　late　Sir　Henry；　her　husband；　had；　by　a　settlement　of　his　affairs；　confided　the　custody　of　the　persons　of　her　children；　as　well　as　the　estates　which　descended　to　them；　independently　of　those　which　fell　under　his　forfeiture；　to　his　brother　Hugh；　in　whom　he　placed　unlimited　confidence。'

'But　my　mother　had　no　reason　to　fear　the　operation　of　such　a　deed；　conceived　in　favour　of　an　attainted　man；'　said　Darsie。

'True；'　replied　Lilias；　'but　our　uncle's　attainder　might　have　been　reversed；　like　that　of　so　many　other　persons；　and　our　mother；　who　both　feared　and　hated　him；　lived　in　continual　terror　that　this　would　be　the　case；　and　that　she　should　see　the　author；　as　she　thought　him；　of　her　husband's　death　come　armed　with　legal　powers；　and　in　a　capacity　to　use　them　for　the　purpose　of　tearing　her　children　from　her　protection。　　Besides；　she　feared；　even　in　his　incapacitated　condition；　the　adventurous　and　pertinacious　spirit　of　her　brother…in…law；　Hugh　Redgauntlet；　and　felt　assured　that　he　would　make　some　attempt　to　possess　himself　of　the　persons　of　the　children。　　On　the　other　hand；　our　uncle；