redgauntlet-第95部分

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to　avoid。

Sir　Richard　Glendale　seemed　personally　known　to　Charles　Edward；　who　received　him　with　a　mixture　of　dignity　and　affection；　and　seemed　to　sympathize　with　the　tears　which　rushed　into　that　gentleman's　eyes　as　he　bade　his　Majesty　welcome　to　his　native　kingdom；

'Yes；　my　good　Sir　Richard；'　said　the　unfortunate　prince　in　a　tone　melancholy；　yet　resolved；　'Charles　Edward　is　with　his　faithful　friends　once　morenot；　perhaps；　with　his　former　gay　hopes　which　undervalued　danger；　but　with　the　same　determined　contempt　of　the　worst　which　can　befall　him；　in　claiming　his　own　rights　and　those　of　his　country。'

'I　rejoice；　sireand　yet；　alas！　　I　must　also　grieve；　to　see　you　once　more　on　the　British　shores；'　said　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　and　stopped　shorta　tumult　of　contradictory　feelings　preventing　his　further　utterance。

'It　is　the　call　of　my　faithful　and　suffering　people　which　alone　could　have　induced　me　to　take　once　more　the　sword　in　my　hand。　For　my　own　part；　Sir　Richard；　when　I　have　reflected　how　many　of　my　loyal　and　devoted　friends　perished　by　the　sword　and　by　proscription；　or　died　indigent　and　neglected　in　a　foreign　land；　I　have　often；　sworn　that　no　view　to　my　personal　aggrandizement　should　again　induce　me　to　agitate　a　title　which　has　cost　my　followers　so　dear。　　But　since　so　many　men　of　worth　and　honour　conceive　the　cause　of　England　and　Scotland　to　be　linked　with　that　of　Charles　Stuart；　I　must　follow　their　brave　example；　and；　laying　aside　all　other　considerations；　once　more　stand　forward　as　their　deliverer。　　I　am；　however；　come　hither　upon　your　invitation；　and　as　you　are　so　completely　acquainted　with　circumstances　to　which　my　absence　must　necessarily　have　rendered　me　a　stranger；　I　must　be　a　mere　tool　in　the　hands　of　my　friends。　　I　know　well　I　never　can　refer　myself　implicitly　to　more　loyal　hearts　or　wiser　heads；　than　Herries　Redgauntlet；　and　Sir　Richard　Glendale。　　Give　me　your　advice；　then；　how　we　are　to　proceed；　and　decide　upon　the　fate　of　Charles　Edward。'

Redgauntlet　looked　at　Sir　Richard；　as　if　to　say；　'Can　you　press　any　additional　or　unpleasant　condition　at　a　moment　like　this？'　And　the　other　shook　his　head　and　looked　down；　as　if　his　resolution　was　unaltered；　and　yet　as　feeling　all　the　delicacy　of　the　situation。

There　was　a　silence；　which　was　broken　by　the　unfortunate　representative　of　an　unhappy　dynasty；　with　some　appearance　of　irritation。　　'This　is　strange；　gentlemen；'　he　said；　'you　have　sent　for　me　from　the　bosom　of　my　family；　to　head　an　adventure　of　doubt　and　danger；　and　when　I　come；　your　own　minds　seem　to　be　still　irresolute。　　I　had　not　expected　this　on　the　part　of　two　such　men。'

'For　me；　sire；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'the　steel　of　my　sword　is　not　truer　than　the　temper　of　my　mind。'

'My　Lord　's　and　mine　are　equally　so；'　said　Sir　Richard；　'but　you　had　in　charge；　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　to　convey　our　request　to　his　Majesty；　coupled　with　certain　conditions。'

'And　I　discharged　my　duty　to　his　Majesty　and　to　you；'　said　Redgauntlet。

'I　looked　at　no　condition；　gentlemen；'　said　their　king；　with　dignity；'　save　that　which　called　me　here　to　assert　my　rights　in　person。　　That　I　have　fulfilled　at　no　common　risk。　　Here　I　stand　to　keep　my　word；　and　I　expect　of　you　to　be　true　to　yours。'

'There　was；　or　should　have　been；　something　more　than　that　in　our　proposal；　please　your　Majesty；'　said　Sir　Richard。　　'There　was　a　condition　annexed　to　it。'

'I　saw　it　not；'　said　Charles；　interrupting　him。　　'Out　of　tenderness　towards　the　noble　hearts　of　whom　I　think　so　highly；　I　would　neither　see　nor　read　anything　which　could　lessen　them　in　my　love　and　my　esteem。　　Conditions　can　have　no　part　betwixt　prince　and　subject。'

'Sire；'　said　Redgauntlet；　kneeling　on　one　knee；　'I　see　from　Sir　Richard's　countenance　he　deems　it　my　fault　that　your　Majesty　seems　ignorant　of　what　your　subjects　desired　that　I　should　communicate　to　your　Majesty。　　For　Heaven's　sake！　　for　the　sake　of　all　my　past　services　and　sufferings；　leave　not　such　a　stain　upon　my　honour！　　The　note；　Number　D；　of　which　this　is　a　copy；　referred　to　the　painful　subject　to　which　Sir　Richard　again　directs　your　attention。'

'You　press　upon　me；　gentlemen；'　said　the　prince；　colouring　highly；'　recollections；　which；　as　I　hold　them　most　alien　to　your　character；　I　would　willingly　have　banished　from　my　memory。　　I　did　not　suppose　that　my　loyal　subjects　would　think　so　poorly　of　me；　as　to　use　my　depressed　circumstances　as　a　reason　for　forcing　themselves　into　my　domestic　privacies；　and　stipulating　arrangements　with　their　king　regarding　matters　in　which　the　meanest　minds　claim　the　privilege　of　thinking　for　themselves。　　In　affairs　of　state　and　public　policy；　I　will　ever　be　guided　as　becomes　a　prince；　by　the　advice　of　my　wisest　counsellors；　in　those　which　regard　my　private　affections　and　my　domestic　arrangements；　I　claim　the　same　freedom　of　will　which　I　allow　to　all　my　subjects；　and　without　which　a　crown　were　less　worth　wearing　than　a　beggar's　bonnet。'

'May　it　please　your　Majesty；'　said　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　'I　see　it　must　be　my　lot　to　speak　unwilling　truths；　but　believe　me；　I　do　so　with　as　much　profound　respect　as　deep　regret。　　It　is　true；　we　have　called　you　to　head　a　mighty　undertaking；　and　that　your　Majesty；　preferring　honour　to　safety；　and　the　love　of　your　country　to　your　own　ease；　has　condescended　to　become　our　leader。　But　we　also　pointed　out　as　a　necessary　and　indispensable　preparatory　step　to　the　achievement　of　our　purposeand；　I　must　say；　as　a　positive　condition　of　our　engaging　in　itthat　an　individual；　supposed；I　presume　not　to　guess　how　truly；to　have　your　Majesty's　more　intimate　confidence；　and　believed；　I　will　not　say　on　absolute　proof　but　upon　the　most　pregnant　suspicion；　to　be　capable　of　betraying　that　confidence　to　the　Elector　of　Hanover；　should　be　removed　from　your　royal　household　and　society。'

'This　is　too　insolent；　Sir　Richard！'　　said　Charles　Edward。　　'Have　you　inveigled　me　into　your　power　to　bait　me　in　this　unseemly　manner？　　And　you；　Redgauntlet；　why　did　you　suffer　matters　to　come　to　such　a　point　as　this；　without　making　me　more　distinctly　aware　what　insults　were　to　be　practised　on　me？'

'My　gracious　prince；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　am　so　far　to　blame　in　this；　that　I　did　not　think　so　slight　an　impediment　as　that　of　a　woman's　society　could　have　really　interrupted　an　undertaking　of　this　magnitude。　　I　am　a　plain　man；　sire；　and　speak　but　bluntly；　I　could　not　have　dreamt　but　what；　within　the　first　five　minutes　of　this　interview；　either　Sir　Richard　and　his　friends　would　have　ceased　to　insist　upon　a　condition　so　ungrateful　to　your　Majesty；　or　that　your　Majesty　would　have　sacrificed　this　unhappy　attachment　to　the　sound　advice；　or　even　to　the　over…anxious　suspicions；　of　so　many　faithful　subjects。　　I　saw　no　entanglement　in　such　a　difficulty　which　on　either　side　might　not　have　been　broken　through　like　a　cobweb。'

'You　were　mistaken；　sir；'　said　Charles　Edward；　'entirely　mistakenas　much　so　as　you　are　at　this　moment；　when　you　think　in　your　heart　my　refusal　to　comply　with　this　insolent　proposition　is　dictated　by　a　childish　and　romantic　passion　for　an　individual；　I　tell　you；　sir；　I　could　part　with　that　person　to…morrow；　without　an　instant's　regretthat　I　have　had　thoughts　of　dismissing　her　from　my　court；　for　reasons　known　to　myself；　but　that　I　will　never　betray　my　rights　as　a　sovereign　and　a　man；　by　taking　this　step　to　secure　the　favour　of　any　one；　or　to　purchase　that　allegiance　which；　if　you　owe　it　to　me　at　all；　is　due　to　me　as　my　birthright。'

'I　am　sorry　for　this；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　hope　both　your　Majesty　and　Sir　Richard　will　reconsider　your　resolutions；　or　forbear　this　discussion；　in　a　conjuncture　so　pressing。　　I　trust　your　Majesty　will　recollect　that　you　are　on　hostile　ground；　that　our　preparations　cannot　have　so　far　escaped　notice　as　to　permit　us　now　with　safety　to　retreat　from　our　purpose；　insomuch；　that　it　is　with　the　deepest　anxiety　of　heart　I　foresee　even　danger　to　your　own　royal　person；　unless　you　can　generously　give　your　subjects　the　satisfaction；　which　Sir　Richard　seems　to　think　they　are　obstinate　in　demanding；'

'And　deep　indeed　your　anxiety　ought　to　be；'　said　the　prince。　　'Is　it　in　these　circumstances　of　personal　danger　in　which　you　expect　to　overcome　a　resolution；　which　is　founded　on　a　sense　of　what　is　due　to　me　as　a　man　or　a　prince？　　If　the　axe　and　scaffold　were　ready　before　the　windows　of　Whitehall；　I　would　rather　tread　the　same　path　with　my　great…grandfather；　than　concede　the　slightest　point　in　which　my　honour　is　concerned。'

He　spoke　these　words　with　a　determined　accent；　and　looked　around　him　on　the　company；　all　of　whom　（excepting　Darsie；　who　saw；　he　thought；　a　fair　period　to　a　most　perilous　enterprise）　seemed　in　deep　anxiety　and　confusion。　　At　length；　Sir　Richard　spoke　in　a　solemn　and　melancholy　tone。　　'If　the　safety；'　he　said；　'of　poor　Richard　Glendale　were　alone　concerned　in　this　matter；　I　have　never　valued　my　life　enough　to　weigh　it　against　the　slightest　point　of　your　Majesty's　service。　　But　I　am　only　a　messengera　commissioner；　who　must　execute　my　trust；　and　upon　whom　a　thousand　voices　will　cry；　Curse　and　woe；　if　I　do　it　not　with　fidelity。　All　of　your　adherents；　even　Redgauntlet　himself；　see　certain　ruin　to　this　enterprisethe　greatest　danger　to　your　Majesty's　person　the　utter　destruction　of　all　your　party　and　friends；　if　they　insist　not　on　the　point；　which；　unfortunately；　your　Majesty　is　so　unwilling　to　concede。　　I　speak　it　with　a　heart　full　of　anguish　with　a　tongue　unable　to　utter　my　emotionsbut　it　must　be　spoken　the　fatal　truththat　if　your　royal　goodness　cannot　yield　to　us　a　boon　which　we　hold　necessary　to　our　security　and　your　own；　your　Majesty　with　one　word　disarms　ten　thousand　men；　ready　to　draw　their　swords　in　your　behalf；　or；　to　speak　yet　more　plainly；　you　annihilate　even　the　semblance　of　a　royal　party　in　Great　Britain。'

'And　why　do　you　not　add；'　said　the　prince；　scornfully；　'that　the　men　who　have　been　ready　to　assume　arms　in　my　behalf；　will　atone　for　their　treason　to　the　Elector；　by　delivering　me　up　to　the　fate　for　which　so　many　proclamations　have　destined　me？　　Carry　my　head　to　St。　James's；　gentlemen；　you　will　do　a　more　acceptable　and　a　more　honourable　action；　than；　having　inveigled　me　into　a　situation　which　places　me　so　completely　in　your　power；　to　dishonour　yourselves　by　propos