redgauntlet-第85部分

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'Three；　and　have　letters　from　many　more。　　They　are　unanimous　on　the　subject　you　wot　ofand　the　point　must　be　conceded　to　them；　or；　far　as　the　matter　has　gone；　it　will　go　no　further。'

'You　will　hardly　bring　the　father　to　stoop　to　his　flock；'　said　Cristal；　with　a　sneer。

'He　must　and　shall！'　　answered　Redgauntlet；　briefly。　　'Go　to　the　front；　CristalI　would　speak　with　my　nephew。　　I　trust；　Sir　Arthur　Redgauntlet；　you　are　satisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　I　have　discharged　my　duty　to　your　sister？'

'There　can　be　no　fault　found　to　her　manners　or　sentiments；'　answered　Darsie；　'I　am　happy　in　knowing　a　relative　so　amiable。'

'I　am　glad　of　it；'　answered　Mr。　Redgauntlet。　　'I　am　no　nice　judge　of　women's　qualifications；　and　my　life　has　been　dedicated　to　one　great　object；　so　that　since　she　left　France　she　has　had　but　little　opportunity　of　improvement。　　I　have　subjected　her；　however；　as　little　as　possible　to　the　inconveniences　and　privations　of　my　wandering　and　dangerous　life。　　From　time　to　time　she　has　resided　for　weeks　and　months　with　families　of　honour　and　respectability；　and　I　am　glad　that　she　has；　in；　your　opinion；　the　manners　and　behaviour　which　become　her　birth。'

Darsie　expressed　himself　perfectly　satisfied；　and　there　was　a　little　pause；　which　Redgauntlet　broke　by　solemnly　addressing　his　nephew。

'For　you；　my　nephew；　I　also　hoped　to　have　done　much。　　The　weakness　and　timidity　of　your　mother　sequestered　you　from　my　care；　or　it　would　have　been　my　pride　and　happiness　to　have　trained　up　the　son　of　my　unhappy　brother　in　those　paths　of　honour　in　which　our　ancestors　have　always　trod。'

'Now　comes　the　storm；'　thought　Darsie　to　himself；　and　began　to　collect　his　thoughts；　as　the　cautious　master　of　a　vessel　furls　his　sails　and　makes　his　ship　snug　when　he　discerns　the　approaching　squall。

'My　mother's　conduct　in　respect　to　me　might　be　misjudged；'　he　said；　'but　it　was　founded　on　the　most　anxious　affection。'

'Assuredly；'　said　his　uncle；　'and　I　have　no　wish　to　reflect　on　her　memory；　though　her　mistrust　has　done　so　much　injury；　I　will　not　say　to　me；　but　to　the　cause　of　my　unhappy　country。　　Her　scheme　was；　I　think；　to　have　made　you　that　wretched　pettifogging　being；　which　they　still　continue　to　call　in　derision　by　the　once　respectable　name　of　a　Scottish　Advocate；　one　of　those　mongrel　things　that　must　creep　to　learn　the　ultimate　decision　of　his　causes　to　the　bar　of　a　foreign　court；　instead　of　pleading　before　the　independent　and　august　Parliament　of　his　own　native　kingdom；'

'I　did　prosecute　the　study　of　law　for　a　year　or　two；　said　Darsie；　'but　I　found　I　had　neither　taste　nor　talents　for　the　science。'

'And　left　it　with　scorn；　doubtless；'　said　Mr。　Redgauntlet。　'Well；　I　now　hold　up　to　you；　my　dearest　nephew；　a　more　worthy　object　of　ambition。　　Look　eastwarddo　you　see　a　monument　standing　on　yonder　plain；　near　a　hamlet？'

Darsie　replied　that　he　did；

'The　hamlet　is　called　Burgh…upon…Sands；　and　yonder　monument　is　erected　to　the　memory　of　the　tyrant　Edward　I　The　just　hand　of　Providence　overtook　him　on　that　spot；　as　he　was　leading　his　bands　to　complete　the　subjugation　of　Scotland　whose　civil　dissensions　began　under　his　accursed　policy。　　The　glorious　career　of　Bruce　might　have　been　stopped　in　its　outset；　the　field　of　Bannockburn　might　have　remained　a　bloodless　turf；　if　God　had　not　removed；　in　the　very　crisis；　the　crafty　and　bold　tyrant　who　had　so　long　been　Scotland's　scourge。　　Edward's　grave　is　the　cradle　of　our　national　freedom。　　It　is　within　sight　of　that　great　landmark　of　our　liberty　that　I　have　to　propose　to　you　an　undertaking；　second　in　honour　and　importance　to　none　since　the　immortal　Bruce　stabbed　the　Red　Comyn；　and　grasped　with　his　yet　bloody　hand　the　independent　crown　of　Scotland。'

He　paused　for　an　answer；　but　Darsie；　overawed　by　the　energy　of　his　manner；　and　unwilling　to　commit　himself　by　a　hasty　explanation；　remained　silent。

'I　will　not　suppose；'　said　Hugh　Redgauntlet；　after　a　pause；　that　you　are　either　so　dull　as　not　to　comprehend　the　import　of　my　wordsor　so　dastardly　as　to　be　dismayed　by　my　proposalor　so　utterly　degenerate　from　the　blood　and　sentiments　of　your　ancestors；　as　not　to　feel　my　summons　as　the　horse　hears　the　war…　trumpet。'

'I　will　not　pretend　to　misunderstand　you；　sir；'　said　Darsie；　'but　an　enterprise　directed　against　a　dynasty　now　established　for　three　reigns　requires　strong　arguments；　both　in　point　of　justice　and　of　expediency；　to　recommend　it　to　men　of　conscience　and　prudence。'

'I　will　not；'　said　Redgauntlet；　while　his　eyes　sparkled　with　anger；'I　will　not　hear　you　speak　a　word　against　the　justice　of　that　enterprise；　for　which　your　oppressed　country　calls　with　the　voice　of　a　parent；　entreating　her　children　for　aidor　against　that　noble　revenge　which　your　father's　blood　demands　from　his　dishonoured　grave。　　His　skull　is　yet　standing　over　the　Rikargate；　＇The　northern　gate　of　Carlisle　was　long　garnished　with　the　heads　of　the　Scottish　rebels　executed　in　1746。＇　and　even　its　bleak　and　mouldered　jaws　command　you　to　be　a　man。　　I　ask　you；　in　the　name　of　God　and　of　your　country；　will　you　draw　your　sword　and　go　with　me　to　Carlisle；　were　it　but　to　lay　your　father's　head；　now　the　perch　of　the　obscene　owl　and　carrion　crow　and　the　scoff　of　every　ribald　clown；　in　consecrated　earth　as　befits　his　long　ancestry？'

Darsie；　unprepared　to　answer　an　appeal　urged　with　so　much　passion；　and　not　doubting　a　direct　refusal　would　cost　him　his　liberty　or　life；　was　again　silent。

'I　see；'　said　his　uncle；　in　a　more　composed　tone；　'that　it　is　not　deficiency　of　spirit；　but　the　grovelling　habits　of　a　confined　education；　among　the　poor…spirited　class　you　were　condemned　to　herd　with；　that　keeps　you　silent。　　You　scarce　yet　believe　yourself　a　Redgauntlet；　your　pulse　has　not　yet　learned　the　genuine　throb　that　answers　to　the　summons　of　honour　and　of　patriotism。'

'I　trust；'　replied　Darsie；　at　last；　'that　I　shall　never　be　found　indifferent　to　the　call　of　either；　but　to　answer　them　with　effecteven　were　I　convinced　that　they　now　sounded　in　my　earI　must　see　some　reasonable　hope　of　success　in　the　desperate　enterprise　in　which　you　would　involve　me。　　I　look　around　me；　and　I　see　a　settled　governmentan　established　authoritya　born　Briton　on　the　thronethe　very　Highland　mountaineers；　upon　whom　alone　the　trust　of　the　exiled　family　reposed；　assembled　into　regiments　which　act　under　the　orders　of　the　existing　dynasty。　＇The　Highland　regiments　were　first　employed　by　the　celebrated　Earl　of　Chatham；　who　assumed　to　himself　no　small　degree　of　praise　for　having　called　forth　to　the　support　of　the　country　and　the　government；　the　valour　which　had　been　too　often　directed　against　both。＇　　France　has　been　utterly　dismayed　by　the　tremendous　lessons　of　the　last　war；　and　will　hardly　provoke　another。　　All　without　and　within　the　kingdom　is　adverse　to　encountering　a　hopeless　struggle；　and　you　alone；　sir；　seem　willing　to　undertake　a　desperate　enterprise。'

'And　would　undertake　it　were　it　ten　times　more　desperate；　and　have　agitated　it　when　ten　times　the　obstacles　were　interposed。　Have　I　forgot　my　brother's　blood？　　Can　Idare　I　even　now　repeat　the　Pater　Noster；　since　my　enemies　and　the　murderers　remain　unforgiven？　　Is　there　an　art　I　have　not　practiseda　privation　to　which　I　have　not　submitted；　to　bring　on　the　crisis；　which　I　now　behold　arrived？　　Have　I　not　been　a　vowed　and　a　devoted　man；　forgoing　every　comfort　of　social　life；　renouncing　even　the　exercise　of　devotion　unless　when　I　might　name　in　prayer　my　prince　and　country；　submitting　to　everything　to　make　converts　to　this　noble　cause？　　Have　I　done　all　this；　and　shall　I　now　stop　short？'　Darsie　was　about　to　interrupt　him；　but　he　pressed　his　hand　affectionately　upon　his　shoulder；　and　enjoining；　or　rather　imploring；　silence；　'Peace；'　he　said；　'heir　of　my　ancestors'　fameheir　of　all　my　hopes　and　wishes。　　Peace；　son　of　my　slaughtered　brother！　　I　have　sought　for　thee；　and　mourned　for　thee；　as　a　mother　for　an　only　child。　　Do　not　let　me　again　lose　you　in　the　moment　when　you　are　restored　to　my　hopes。　　Believe　me；　I　distrust　so　much　my　own　impatient　temper；　that　I　entreat　you；　as　the　dearest　boon；　do　naught　to　awaken　it　at　this　crisis。'

Darsie　was　not　sorry　to　reply　that　his　respect　for　the　person　of　his　relation　would　induce　him　to　listen　to　all　which　he　had　to　apprise　him　of；　before　he　formed　any　definite　resolution　upon　the　weighty　subjects　of　deliberation　which　he　proposed　to　him。

'Deliberation！'　　repeated　Redgauntlet；　impatiently；　'and　yet　it　is　not　ill　said。　　I　wish　there　had　been　more　warmth　in　thy　reply；　Arthur；　but　I　must　recollect；　were　an　eagle　bred　in　a　falcon's　mew　and　hooded　like　a　reclaimed　hawk；　he　could　not　at　first　gaze　steadily　on　the　sun。　　Listen　to　me；　my　dearest　Arthur。　　The　state　of　this　nation　no　more　implies　prosperity；　than　the　florid　colour　of　a　feverish　patient　is　a　symptom　of　health。　　All　is　false　and　hollow。　　The　apparent　success　of　Chatham's　administration　has　plunged　the　country　deeper　in　debt　than　all　the　barren　acres　of　Canada　are　worth；　were　they　as　fertile　as　Yorkshirethe　dazzling　lustre　of　the　victories　of　Minden　and　Quebec　have　been　dimmed　by　the　disgrace　of　the　hasty　peaceby　the　war；　England；　at　immense　expense；　gained　nothing　but　honour；　and　that　she　has　gratuitously　resigned。　　Many　eyes；　formerly　cold　and　indifferent；　are　now　looking　towards　the　line　of　our　ancient　and　rightful　monarchs；　as　the　only　refuge　in　the　approaching　stormthe　rich　are　alarmed　the　nobles　are　disgustedthe　populace　are　inflamedand　a　band　of　patriots；　whose　measures　are　more　safe　than　their　numbers　are　few；　have　resolved　to　set　up　King　Charles's　standard；'

'But　the　military；'　said　Darsie'how　can　you；　with　a　body　of　unarmed　and　disorderly　insurgents；　propose　to　encounter　a　regular　army。　　The　Highlanders　are　now　totally　disarmed。'

'In　a　great　measure；　perhaps；'　answered　Redgauntlet；　'but　the　policy　which　raised　the　Highland　regiments　has　provided　for　that。　We　have　already　friends　in　these　corps；　nor　can　we　doubt　for　a　moment　what　their　conduct　will　be　when　the　white　cockade　is　once　more　mounted。　　The　rest　of　the　standing　army　has　been　greatly　reduced　since　the　peace；　and　we　reckon　confidently　on　our　standard　being　joined　by　thousands　of　the　disbanded　troops。'

'Alas！'　　said　Darsie；　'and　is　it　upon　such　vague　hopes　as　these；　th