redgauntlet-第9部分

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e　as　I　could　command；　and　began　to　take；　as　I　thought；　the　path　which　he　had　pointed　out　to　me。

His　deep　voice　immediately　sounded　after　me　to　recall　me。　　'Stay；　young　man；　stayyou　have　mistaken　the　road　already。I　wonder　your　friends　sent　out　such　an　inconsiderate　youth；　without　some　one　wiser　than　himself　to　take　care　of　him。'

'Perhaps　they　might　not　have　done　so；'　said　I；　'if　I　had　any　friends　who　cared　about　the　matter。'

'Well；　sir；'　he　said；　'it　is　not　my　custom　to　open　my　house　to　strangers；　but　your　pinch　is　like　to　be　a　smart　one；　for；　besides　the　risk　from　bad　roads；　fords；　and　broken　ground；　and　the　night；　which　looks　both　black　and　gloomy；　there　is　bad　company　on　the　road　sometimesat　least　it　has　a　bad　name；　and　some　have　come　to　harm；　so　that　I　think　I　must　for　once　make　my　rule　give　way　to　your　necessity；　and　give　you　a　night's　lodging　in　my　cottage。

Why　was　it；　Alan；　that　I　could　not　help　giving　an　involuntary　shudder　at　receiving　an　invitation　so　seasonable　in　itself；　and　so　suitable　to　my　naturally　inquisitive　disposition？　　I　easily　suppressed　this　untimely　sensation；　and　as　I　returned　thanks；　and　expressed　my　hope　that　I　should　not　disarrange；　his　family；　I　once　more　dropped　a　hint　of　my　desire　to　make　compensation　for　any　trouble　I　might　occasion。　　The　man　answered　very　coldly；　'Your　presence　will　no　doubt　give　me　trouble；　sir；　but　it　is　of　a　kind　which　your　purse；　cannot　compensate；　in　a　word；　although　I　am　content　to　receive　you　as　my　guest；　I　am　no　publican　to　call　a　reckoning。'

I　begged　his　pardon；　and；　at　his　instance；　once　more　seated　myself　behind　hint　upon　the　good　horse；　which　went　forth　steady　as　beforethe　moon；　whenever　she　could　penetrate　the　clouds；　throwing　the　huge　shadow　of　the　animal；　with　its　double　burden；　on　the　wild　and　bare　ground　over　which　we　passed。

Thou　mayst　laugh　till　thou　lettest　the　letter　fall；　if　thou　wilt；　but　it　reminded　me　of　the　magician　Atlantes　on　his　hippogriff　with　a　knight　trussed　up　behind　him；　in　the　manner　Ariosto　has　depicted　that　matter。　　Thou　art　I　know；　matter…of…fact　enough　to　affect　contempt　of　that　fascinating　and　delicious　poem；　but　think　not　that；　to　conform　with　thy　bad　taste；　I　shall　forbear　any　suitable　illustration　which　now　or　hereafter　may　occur　to　me。

On　we　went；　the　sky　blackening　around　us；　and　the　wind　beginning　to　pipe　such　a　wild　and　melancholy　tune　as　best　suited　the　hollow　sounds　of　the　advancing　tide；　which　I　could　hear　at　a　distance；　like　the　roar　of　some　immense　monster　defrauded　of　its　prey。

At　length；　our　course　was　crossed　by　a　deep　dell　or　dingle；　such　as　they　call　in　some　parts　of　Scotland　a　den；　and　in　others　a　cleuch　or　narrow　glen。　　It　seemed；　by　the　broken　glances　which　the　moon　continued　to　throw　upon　it；　to　be　steep；　precipitous；　and　full　of　trees；　which　are；　generally　speaking；　rather　scarce　upon　these　shores。　　The　descent　by　which　we　plunged　into　this　dell　was　both　steep　and　rugged；　with　two　or　three　abrupt　turnings；　but　neither　danger　nor　darkness　impeded　the　motion　of　the　black　horse；　who　seemed　rather　to　slide　upon　his　haunches；　than　to　gallop　down　the　pass；　throwing　me　again　on　the　shoulders　of　the　athletic　rider；　who；　sustaining　no　inconvenience　by　the　circumstance；　continued　to　press　the　horse　forward　with　his　heel；　steadily　supporting　him　at　the　same　time　by　raising　his　bridle…　hand；　until　we　stood　in　safety　at　the　bottom　of　the　steepnot　a　little　to　my　consolation；　as；　friend　Alan；　thou　mayst　easily　conceive。

A　very　short　advance　up　the　glen；　the　bottom　of　which　we　had　attained　by　this　ugly　descent；　brought　us　in　front　of　two　or　three　cottages；　one　of　which　another　blink　of　moonshine　enabled　me　to　rate　as　rather　better　than　those　of　the　Scottish　peasantry　in　this　part　of　the　world；　for　the　sashes　seemed　glazed；　and　there　were　what　are　called　storm…windows　in　the　roof；　giving　symptoms　of　the　magnificence　of　a　second　story。　　The　scene　around　was　very　interesting；　for　the　cottages；　and　the　yards　or　crofts　annexed　to　them；　occupied　a　haugh；　or　helm；　of　two　acres；　which　a　brook　of　some　consequence　（to　judge　from　its　roar）　had　left　upon　one　side　of　the　little　glen　while　finding　its　course　close　to　the　farther　bank；　and　which　appeared　to　be　covered　and　darkened　with　trees；　while　the　level　space　beneath　enjoyed　such　stormy　smiles　as　the　moon　had　that　night　to　bestow。

I　had　little　time　for　observation；　for　my　companion's　loud　whistle；　seconded　by　an　equally　loud　halloo；　speedily　brought　to　the　door　of　the　principal　cottage　a　man　and　a　woman；　together　with　two　large　Newfoundland　dogs；　the　deep　baying　of　which　I　had　for　some　time　heard。　　A　yelping　terrier　or　two；　which　had　joined　the　concert；　were　silent　at　the　presence　of　my　conductor；　and　began　to　whine；　jump　up；　and　fawn　upon　him。　　The　female　drew　back　when　she　beheld　a　stranger；　the　man；　who　had　a　lighted　lantern；　advanced；　and；　without　any　observation；　received　the　horse　from　my　host；　and　led　him；　doubtless；　to　stable；　while　I　followed　my　conductor　into　the　house。　　When　we　had　passed　the　HALLAN；　＇The　partition　which　divides　a　Scottish　cottage。＇　　we　entered　a　well…　sized　apartment；　with　a　clean　brick　floor；　where　a　fire　blazed　（much　to　my　contentment）　in　the　ordinary　projecting　sort　of　a　chimney；　common　in　Scottish　houses。　　There　were　stone　seats　within　the　chimney；　and　ordinary　utensils；　mixed　with　fishing…　spears；　nets；　and　similar　implements　of　sport；　were　hung　around　the　walls　of　the　place。　　The　female　who　had　first　appeared　at　the　door；　had　now　retreated　into　a　side　apartment。　　She　was　presently　followed　by　my　guide；　after　he　had　silently　motioned　me　to　a　seat；　and　their　place　was　supplied　by　an　elderly　woman；　in　a　grey　stuff　gown；　with　a　check　apron　and　toy；　obviously　a　menial；　though　neater　in　her　dress　than　is　usual　in　her　apparent　rankan　advantage　which　was　counterbalanced　by　a　very　forbidding　aspect。　But　the　most　singular　part　of　her　attire；　in　this　very　Protestant　country；　was　a　rosary；　in　which　the　smaller　beads　were　black　oak；　and　those　indicating　the　PATER…NOSTER　of　silver；　with　a　crucifix　of　the　same　metal。

This　person　made　preparations　for　supper；　by　spreading　a　clean　though　coarse　cloth　over　a　large　oaken　table；　placing　trenchers　and　salt　upon　it；　and　arranging　the　fire　to　receive　a　gridiron。　I　observed　her　motions　in　silence；　for　she　took　no　sort　of　notice　of　me；　and　as　her　looks　were　singularly　forbidding；　I　felt　no　disposition　to　commence　conversation。

When　this　duenna　had　made　all　preliminary　arrangements；　she　took　from　the　well…filled　pouch　of　my　conductor；　which　he　had　hung　up　by　the　door；　one　or　two　salmon；　or　GRILSES；　as　the　smaller　sort　are　termed；　and　selecting　that　which　seemed　best　and　in　highest　season；　began　to　cut　it　into　slices；　and　to　prepare　a　GRILLADE；　the　savoury　smell　of　which　affected　me　so　powerfully　that　I　began　sincerely　to　hope　that　no　delay　would　intervene　between　the　platter　and　the　lip。

As　this　thought　came　across　me；　the　man　who　had　conducted　the　horse　to　the　stable　entered　the　apartment；　and　discovered　to　me　a　countenance　yet　more　uninviting　than　that　of　the　old　crone　who　was　performing　with　such　dexterity　the　office　of　cook　to　the　party。　　He　was　perhaps　sixty　years　old；　yet　his　brow　was　not　much　furrowed；　and　his　jet…black　hair　was　only　grizzled；　not　whitened；　by　the　advance　of　age。　　All　his　motions　spoke　strength　unabated；　and；　though　rather　undersized；　he　had　very　broad　shoulders；　was　square…made；　thin…flanked；　and　apparently　combined　in　his　frame　muscular　strength　and　activity；　the　last　somewhat　impaired　perhaps　by　years；　but　the　first　remaining　in　full　vigour。　　A　hard　and　harsh　countenanceeyes　far　sunk　under　projecting　eyebrows；　which　were　grizzled　like　his　haira　wide　mouth；　furnished　from　ear　to　ear　with　it　range　of　unimpaired　teeth；　of　uncommon　whiteness；　and　a　size　and　breadth　which　might　have　become　the　jaws　of　an　ogre；　completed　this　delightful　portrait。　　He　was　clad　like　a　fisherman；　in　jacket　and　trousers　of　the　blue　cloth　commonly　used　by　seamen；　and　had　a　Dutch　case…knife；　like　that　of　a　Hamburgh　skipper；　stuck　into　a　broad　buff　belt；　which　seemed　as　if　it　might　occasionally　sustain　weapons　of　a　description　still　less　equivocally　calculated　for　violence。

This　man　gave　me　an　inquisitive；　and；　as　I　thought；　a　sinister　look　upon　entering　the　apartment；　but　without　any　further　notice　of　me；　took　up　the　office　of　arranging　the　table；　which　the　old　lady　had　abandoned　for　that　of　cooking　the　fish；　and；　with　more　address　than　I　expected　from　a　person　of　his　coarse　appearance；　placed　two　chairs　at　the　head　of　the　table；　and　two　stools　below；　accommodating　each　seat　to　a　cover；　beside　which　he　placed　an　allowance　of　barley…bread；　and　a　small　jug；　which　he　replenished　with　ale　from　a　large　black　jack。　　Three　of　these　jugs　were　of　ordinary　earthenware；　but　the　fourth；　which　he　placed　by　the　right…hand　cover　at；　the　upper　end　of　the　table；　was　a　flagon　of　silver；　and　displayed　armorial　bearings。　　Beside　this　flagon　he　placed　a　salt…cellar　of　silver；　handsomely　wrought；　containing　salt　of　exquisite　whiteness；　with　pepper　and　other　spices。　　A　sliced　lemon　was　also　presented　on　a　small　silver　salver。　　The　two　large　water…dogs；　who　seemed　perfectly　to　understand　the　nature　of　the　preparations；　seated　themselves　one　on　each　side　of　the　table；　to　be　ready　to　receive　their　portion　of　the　entertainment。　　I　never　saw　finer　animals；　or　which　seemed　to　be　more　influenced　by　a　sense　of　decorum；　excepting　that　they　slobbered　a　little　as　the　rich　scent　from　the　chimney　was　wafted　past　their　noses。　　The　small　dogs　ensconced　themselves　beneath　the　table。

I　am　aware　that　I　am　dwelling　upon　trivial　and　ordinary　circumstances；　and　that　perhaps　I　may　weary　out　your　patience　in　doing　so。　　But　conceive　me　alone　in　this　strange　place；　which　seemed；　from　the　universal　silence；　to　be　the　very　temple　of　Harpocratesremember　that　this　is　my　first　excursion　from　home　forget　not　that　the　manner　in　which　I　had　been　brought　hither　had　the　dignity　of　danger　and　something　the　air　of　an　adventure；　and　that　there　was　a　mysterious　incongruity　in　all　I　had　hitherto　witnessed；　and　you　will　not；　I　think；　be　surprised　that　these　circumstances；　though　trifling；　should　force　themselves　on　my　notice　at　the　time；　and　dwell　in　my　memory　afterwards