redgauntlet-第96部分

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d　me　into　a　situation　which　places　me　so　completely　in　your　power；　to　dishonour　yourselves　by　propositions　which　dishonour　me。

'My　God；　sire！'　　exclaimed　Sir　Richard；　clasping　his　hands　together；　in　impatience；　'of　what　great　and　inexpiable　crime　can　your　Majesty's　ancestors　have　'been　guilty；　that　they　have　been　punished　by　the　infliction　of　judicial　blindness　on　their　whole　generation！Come；　my　Lord　；　we　must　to　our　friends。'

'By　your　leave；　Sir　Richard；'　said　the　young　nobleman；　'not　till　we；　have　learned　what　measures　can　be　taken　for　his　Majesty's　personal　safety。'

'Care　not　for　me；　young　man；'　said　Charles　Edward；　'when　I　was　in　the　society　of　Highland　robbers　and　cattle…drovers；　I　was　safer　than　I　now　hold　myself　among　the　representatives　of　the　best　blood　in　England。　　Farewell；　gentlemenI　will　shift　for　myself。'

'This　must　never　be；'　said　Redgauntlet。　　'Let　me　that　brought　you　to　the　point　of　danger；　at　least　provide　for　your　safe　retreat。'

So　saying；　he　hastily　left　the　apartment；　followed　by　his　nephew。　The　Wanderer；　averting　his　eyes　from　Lord　　and　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　threw　himself　into　a　seat　at　the　upper　end　of　the　apartment；　while　they；　in　much　anxiety；　stood　together；　at　a　distance　from　him；　and　conversed　in　whispers。




CHAPTER　XXIII

NARRATIVE　CONTINUED

When　Redgauntlet　left　the　room；　in　haste　and　discomposure；　the　first　person　he　met　on　the　stair；　and　indeed　so　close　by　the　door　of　the　apartment　that　Darsie　thought　he　must　have　been　listening　there；　was　his　attendant　Nixon。

'What　the　devil　do　you　here？'　　he　said；　abruptly　and　sternly。

'I　wait　your　orders；'　said　Nixon。　　'I　hope　all's　right！excuse　my　zeal。'

'All　is　wrong；　sir。　　Where　is　the　seafaring　fellowEwartwhat　do　you　call　him？'

'Nanty　Ewart；　sir。　　I　will　carry　your　commands；'　said　Nixon。

'I　will　deliver　them　myself　to　him；'　said　Redgauntlet；　call　him　hither。'

'But　should　your　honour　leave　the　presence？'　　said　Nixon；　still　lingering。

''Sdeath；　sir；　do　you　prate　to　me？'　　said　Redgauntlet；　bending　his　brows。　　'I；　sir；　transact　my　own　business；　you；　I　am　told；　act　by　a　ragged　deputy。'

Without　further　answer；　Nixon　departed；　rather　disconcerted；　as　it　seemed　to　Darsie。

'That　dog　turns　insolent　and　lazy；'　said　Redgauntlet；　but　I　must　bear　with　him　for　a　while。'

A　moment　after；　Nixon　returned　with　Ewart。

'Is　this　the　smuggling　fellow？'　　demanded　Redgauntlet。　　Nixon　nodded。

'Is　he　sober　now？　　he　was　brawling　anon。'

'Sober　enough　for　business；'　said　Nixon。

'Well　then；　hark　ye；　Ewart；man　your　boat　with　your　best　hands；　and　have　her　by　the　pierget　your　other　fellows　on　board　the　brigif　you　have　any　cargo　left；　throw　it　overboard；　it　shall　be　all　paid；　five　times　overand　be　ready　for　a　start　to　Wales　or　the　Hebrides；　or　perhaps　for　Sweden　or　Norway。'

Ewart　answered　sullenly　enough；　'Aye；　aye；　sir。'

'Go　with　him；　Nixon；'　said　Redgauntlet；　forcing　himself　to　speak　with　some　appearance　of　cordiality　to　the　servant　with　whom　he　was　offended；　'see　he　does　his　duty。'

Ewart　left　the　house　sullenly；　followed　by　Nixon。　　The　sailor　was　just　in　that　species　of　drunken　humour　which　made　him　jealous；　passionate；　and　troublesome；　without　showing　any　other　disorder　than　that　of　irritability。　　As　he　walked　towards　the　beach　he　kept　muttering　to　himself；　but　in　such　a　tone　that　his　companion　lost　not　a　word；　'Smuggling　fellowAye；　smugglerand；　start　your　cargo　into　the　seaand　be　ready　to　start　for　the　Hebrides；　or　Swedenor　the　devil；　I　suppose。　　Well；　and　what　if　I　said　in　answerRebel；　JacobitetraitorI'll　make　you　and　your　dd　confederates　walk　the　plankI　have　seen　better　men　do　ithalf　a　score　of　a　morningwhen　I　was　across　the　Line。'

'Dd　unhandsome　terms　those　Redgauntlet　used　to　you；　brother。'　said　Nixon。

'Which　do　you　mean？'　　said　Ewart；　starting；　and　recollecting　himself。　　'I　have　been　at　my　old　trade　of　thinking　aloud；　have　I？'

'No　matter；'　answered　Nixon；　'none　but　a　friend　heard　you。　　You　cannot　have　forgotten　how　Redgauntlet　disarmed　you　this　morning。'

'Why；　I　would　bear　no　malice　about　thatonly　he　is　so　cursedly　high　and　saucy；'　said　Ewart。

'And　then；'　said　Nixon；'I　know　you　for　a　true…hearted　Protestant。'

'That　I　am；　by　G；'　said　Ewart。　　'No；　the　Spaniards　could　never　get　my　religion　from　me。'

'And　a　friend　to　King　George；　and　the　Hanover　line　of　succession；'　said　Nixon；　still　walking　and　speaking　very　slow。

'You　may　swear　I　am；　excepting　in　the　way　of　business；　as　Turnpenny　says。　　I　like　King　George；　but　I　can't　afford　to　pay　duties。'

'You　are　outlawed；　I　believe；'　said　Nixon。

'Am　I？faith；　I　believe　I　am；'　said　Ewart。　　'I　wish　I　were　INLAWED　again　with　all　my　heart。　　But　come　along；　we　must　get　all　ready　for　our　peremptory　gentleman；　I　suppose。'

'I　will　teach　you　a　better　trick；'　said　Nixon。　　'There　is　a　bloody　pack　of　rebels　yonder。'

'Aye；　we　all　know　that；'　said　the　smuggler；　'but　the　snowball's　melting；　I　think。'

'There　is　some　one　yonder；　whose　head　is　worththirty　thousand　poundsof　sterling　money；'　said　Nixon；　pausing　between　each　word；　as　if　to　enforce　the　magnificence　of　the　sum。

'And　what　of　that？'　　said　Ewart；　quickly。

'Only　that；　instead　of　lying　by　the　pier　with　your　men　on　their　oars；　if　you　will　just　carry　your　boat　on　board　just　now；　and　take　no　notice　of　any　signal　from　the　shore；　by　Gd；　Nanty　Ewart。　　I　will　make　a　man　of　you　for　life！'

'Oh　ho！　　then　the　Jacobite　gentry　are　not　so　safe　as　they　think　themselves？'　　said　Nanty。

'In　an　hour　or　two；'　replied　Nixon；　'they　will　be　made　safer　in　Carlisle　Castle。'

'The　devil　they　will！'　　said　Ewart；　'and　you　have　been　the　informer；　I　suppose？'

'Yes；　I　have　been　ill　paid　for　my　service　among　the　Redgauntlets　have　scarce　got　dog's　wagesand　been　treated　worse　than　ever　dog　was　used。　　I　have　the　old　fox　and　his　cubs　in　the　same　trap　now；　Nanty；　and　we'll　see　how　a　certain　young　lady　will　look　then。　　You　see　I　am　frank　with　you；　Nanty。'

'And　I　will　be　as　frank　with　you；'　said　the　smuggler。　　'You　are　a　dd　old　scoundreltraitor　to　the　man　whose　bread　you　eat！　　Me　help　to　betray　poor　devils；　that　have　been　so　often　betrayed　myself！　　Not　if　they　were　a　hundred　Popes；　Devils；　and　Pretenders。　I　will　back　and　tell　them　their　dangerthey　are　part　of　cargoregularly　invoicedput　under　my　charge　by　the　owners　I'll　back'

'You　are　not　stark　mad？'　　said　Nixon；　who　now　saw　he　had　miscalculated　in　supposing　Nanty's　wild　ideas　of　honour　and　fidelity　could　be　shaken　even　by　resentment；　or　by　his　Protestant　partialities。　　'You　shall　not　go　backit　is　all　a　joke。'

'I'll　back　to　Redgauntlet；　and　see　whether　it　is　a　joke　he　will　laugh　at。'

'My　life　is　lost　if　you　do；'　said　Nixon'hear　reason。'

They　were　in　a　clump　or　cluster　of　tall　furze　at　the　moment　they　were　speaking；　about　half…way　between　the　pier　and　the　house；　but　not　in　a　direct　line；　from　which　Nixon；　whose　object　it　was　to　gain　time；　had　induced　Ewart　to　diverge　insensibly。

He　now　saw　the　necessity　of　taking　a　desperate　resolution。　　'Hear　reason；'　he　said；　and　added；　as　Nanty　still　endeavoured　to　pass　him；　'Or　else　hear　this！'　　discharging　a　pocket…pistol　into　the　unfortunate　man's　body。

Nanty　staggered；　but　kept　his　feet。　　'It　has　cut　my　back…bone　asunder；'　he　said；　'you　have　done　me　the　last　good　office；　and　I　will　not　die　ungrateful。'

As　he　uttered　the　last　words；　he　collected　his　remaining　strength；　stood　firm　for　an　instant；　drew　his　hanger；　and；　fetching　a　stroke　with　both　hands；　cut　Cristal　Nixon　down。　　The　blow；　struck　with　all　the　energy　of　a　desperate　and　dying　man；　exhibited　a　force　to　which　Ewart's　exhausted　frame　might　have　seemed　inadequate；it　cleft　the　hat　which　the　wretch　wore；　though　secured　by　a　plate　of　iron　within　the　lining；　bit　deep　into　his　skull；　and　there　left　a　fragment　of　the　weapon；　which　was　broke　by　the　fury　of　the　blow。

One　of　the　seamen　of　the　lugger；　who　strolled　up　attracted　by　the　firing　of　the　pistol；　though　being　a　small　one　the　report　was　very　trifling；　found　both　the　unfortunate　men　stark　dead。　Alarmed　at　what　he　saw；　which　he　conceived　to　have　been　the　consequence　of　some　unsuccessful　engagement　betwixt　his　late　commander　and　a　revenue　officer　（for　Nixon　chanced　not　to　be　personally　known　to　him）　the　sailor　hastened　back　to　the　boat；　in　order　to　apprise　his　comrades　of　Nanty's　fate；　and　to　advise　them　to　take　off　themselves　and　the　vessel。

Meantime　Redgauntlet；　having；　as　we　have　seen；　dispatched　Nixon　for　the　purpose　of　securing　a　retreat　for　the　unfortunate　Charles；　in　case　of　extremity；　returned　to　the　apartment　where　he　had　left　the　Wanderer。　　He　now　found　him　alone。

'Sir　Richard　Glendale；'　said　the　unfortunate　prince；　'with　his　young　friend；　has　gone　to　consult　their　adherents　now　in　the　house。　　Redgauntlet；　my　friend；　I　will　not　blame　you　for　the　circumstances　in　which　I　find　myself；　though　I　am　at　once　placed　in　danger；　and　rendered　contemptible。　　But　you　ought　to　have　stated　to　me　more　strongly　the　weight　which　these　gentlemen　attached　to　their　insolent　proposition。　　You　should　have　told　me　that　no　compromise　would　have　any　effectthat　they　desire　not　a　prince　to　govern　them；　but　one；　on　the　contrary；　over　whom　they　were　to　exercise　restraint　on　all　occasions；　from　the　highest　affairs　of　the　state；　down　to　the　most　intimate　and　private　concerns　of　his　own　privacy；　which　the　most　ordinary　men　desire　to　keep　secret　and　sacred　from　interference。'

'God　knows；'　said　Redgauntlet；　in　much　agitation；　'I　acted　for　the　best　when　I　pressed　your　Majesty　to　come　hitherI　never　thought　that　your　Majesty；　at　such　a　crisis；　would　have　scrupled；　when　a　kingdom　was　in　view；　to　sacrifice　an　attachment；　which'

'Peace；　sir！'　　said　Charles；　'it　is　not　for　you　to　estimate　my　feelings　upon　such　a　subject。'

Redgauntlet　coloured　high；　and　bowed　profoundly。　　'At　least；'　he　resumed；　'I　hoped　that　some　middle　way　might　be　found；　and　it　shalland　must。Come　with　me；　nephew。　　We　will　to　these　gentlemen；　and　I　am　confident　I　will　bring　back　heart…stirring　tidings。'

'I　will　do　much　to　comply　with　them；　Redgauntlet。　　I　am　loath；　having　again　set　my　foot　on　British　land；　to　quit　it　without　a　blow　for　my　right。　　But　this　which　they　demand　of　me　is　a　degradation；　and　compliance　is　impossible。'

Redgauntlet；　followed　by　his