robert falconer-第83节

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have　spoken　thus。



'But　what　am　I　aboot！'　she　said；　checking　herself。　'I　didna　fess　ye

here　to　speyk　aboot　mysel'。　　He's　efter　mair　mischeef；　and　gin

onything　cud　be　dune　to　haud　him　frae　't'



'Wha's　efter　mischeef；　Jessie？'　interrupted　Robert。



'Lord　Rothie。　　He's　gaein'　aff　the　nicht　in　Skipper　Hornbeck's　boat

to　Antwerp；　I　think　they　ca'　't；　an'　a　bonnie　young　leddy　wi'　'im。

They　war　to　sail　wi'　the　first　o'　the　munelicht。Surely　I'm　nae

ower　late；'　she　added；　going　to　the　window。　'Na；　the　mune　canna　be

up　yet。'



'Na；'　said　Robert；　'I　dinna　think　she　rises　muckle　afore　twa　o'clock

the　nicht。　　But　hoo　ken　ye？　　Are　ye　sure　o'　't？　　It's　an　awfu'　thing

to　think　o'。'



'To　convence　ye；　I　maun　jist　tell　ye　the　trowth。　　The　hoose　we're　in

hasna　a　gude　character。　　We're　middlin'　dacent　up　here；　but　the　lave

o'　the　place　is　dreadfu'。　　Eh　for　the　bonnie　leys　o'　Bodyfauld！　　Gin

ye　see　my　father；　tell　him　I'm　nane　waur　than　I　was。'



'They　think　ye　droont　i'　the　Dyer's　Pot；　as　they　ca'　't。'



'There　I　am　again！'　she　said'miles　awa'　an'　nae　time　to　be

lost！My　lord　has　a　man　they　ca'　Mitchell。　　Ower　weel　I　ken　him。

There's　a　wuman　doon　the　stair　'at　he　comes　to　see　whiles；　an'　twa

or　three　nichts　ago；　I　heard　them　lauchin'　thegither。　　Sae　I

hearkened。　　They　war　baith　some　fou；　I'm　thinkin'。　　I　cudna　tell　ye

a'　'at　they　said。　　That's　a　punishment　noo；　gin　ye　liketo　see　and

hear　the　warst　o'　yer　ain　ill　doin's。　　He　tellt　the　limmer　a　heap　o'

his　lord's　secrets。　　Ay；　he　tellt　her　aboot　me；　an'　hoo　I　had　gane

and　droont　mysel'。　　I　could　hear　'maist　ilka　word　'at　he　said；　for

ye　see　the　flurin'　here　's　no　verra　soon'；　and　I　was　jist　'at　I

cudna　help　hearkenin'。　　My　lord's　aff　the　nicht；　as　I　tell　ye。　　It's

a　queer　gait；　but　a　quaiet；　he　thinks；　nae　doobt。　　Gin　onybody　wad

but　tell　her　hoo　mony　een　the　baron's　made　sair　wi'　greitin'！'



'But　hoo's　that　to　be　dune？'　said　Robert。



'I　dinna　ken。　　But　I　hae　been　watchin'　to　see　you　ever　sin'　syne。　　I

hae　seen　ye　gang　by　mony　a　time。　　Ye're　the　only　man　I　ken　'at　I

could　speyk　till　aboot　it。　　Ye　maun　think　what　ye　can　do。　　The　warst

o'　't　is　I　canna　tell　wha　she　is　or　whaur　she　bides。'



'In　that　case；　I　canna　see　what's　to　be　dune。'



'Cudna　ye　watch　them　aboord；　an'　slip　a　letter　intil　her　han'？　　Or

ye　cud　gie　't　to　the　skipper　to　gie　her。'



'I　ken　the　skipper　weel　eneuch。　　He's　a　respectable　man。　　Gin　he

kent　what　the　baron　was　efter；　he　wadna　tak　him　on　boord。'



'That　wad　do　little　guid。　　He　wad　only　hae　her　aff　some　ither　gait。'



'Weel；'　said　Robert；　rising；　'I'll　awa'　hame；　an'　think　aboot　it　as

I　gang。Wad　ye　tak　a　feow　shillin's　frae　an　auld　frien'？'　he　added

with　hesitation；　putting　his　hand　in　his　pocket。



'Nano　a　baubee；'　she　answered。　'Nobody　sall　say　it　was　for　mysel'

I　broucht　ye　here。　　Come　efter　me；　an'　min'　whaur　ye　pit　doon　yer

feet。　　It's　no　sicker。'



She　led　him　to　the　door。　　He　bade　her　good…night。



'Tak　care　ye　dinna　fa'　gaein'　doon　the　stair。　　It's　maist　as　steep

's　a　wa'。'



As　Robert　came　from　between　the　houses；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　man

in　a　groom's　dress　going　in　at　the　street　door　of　that　he　had　left。



All　the　natural　knighthood　in　him　was　roused。　　But　what　could　he　do？

To　write　was　a　sneaking　way。　　He　would　confront　the　baron。　　The

baron　and　the　girl　would　both　laugh　at　him。　　The　sole　conclusion　he

could　arrive　at　was　to　consult　Shargar。



He　lost　no　time　in　telling　him　the　story。



'I　tauld　ye　he　was　up　to　some　deevilry　or　ither；'　said　Shargar。　'I

can　shaw　ye　the　verra　hoose　he　maun　be　gaein'　to　tak　her　frae。'



'Ye　vratch！　what　for　didna　ye　tell　me　that　afore？'



'Ye　wadna　hear　aboot　ither　fowk's　affairs。　　Na；　not　you！　　But　some

fowk　has　no　richt　to　consideration。　　The　verra　stanes　they　say　'ill

cry　oot　ill　secrets　like　brither　Sandy's。'



'Whase　hoose　is　't？'



'I　dinna　ken。　　I　only　saw　him　come　oot　o'　't　ance；　an'　Jock　Mitchell

was　haudin'　Black　Geordie　roon'　the　neuk。　　It　canna　be　far　frae　Mr。

Lindsay's　'at　you　an'　Mr。　Ericson　used　to　gang　till。'



'Come　an'　lat　me　see　't　direckly；'　cried　Robert；　starting　up；　with　a

terrible　foreboding　at　his　heart。



They　were　in　the　street　in　a　moment。　　Shargar　led　the　way　by　a

country　lane　to　the　top　of　the　hill　on　the　right；　and　then　turning

to　the　left；　brought　him　to　some　houses　standing　well　apart　from

each　other。　　It　was　a　region　unknown　to　Robert。　　They　were　the　backs

of　the　houses　of　which　Mr。　Lindsay's　was　one。



'This　is　the　hoose；'　said　Shargar。



Robert　rushed　into　action。　　He　knocked　at　the　door。　　Mr。　Lindsay's

Jenny　opened　it。



'Is　yer　mistress　in；　Jenny？'　he　asked　at　once。



'Na。　Ay。　The　maister's　gane　to　Bors　Castle。'



'It's　Miss　Lindsay　I　want　to　see。'



'She's　up　in　her　ain　room　wi'　a　sair　heid。'



Robert　looked　her　hard　in　the　face；　and　knew　she　was　lying。



'I　want　to　see　her　verra　partic'lar；'　he　said。



'Weel；　ye　canna　see　her；'　returned　Jenny　angrily。　'I'll　tell　her

onything　ye　like。'



Concluding　that　little　was　to　be　gained　by　longer　parley；　but　quite

uncertain　whether　Mysie　was　in　the　house　or　not；　Robert　turned　to

Shargar；　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　walked　away　in　silence。　　When　they

were　beyond　earshot　of　Jenny；　who　stood　looking　after　them；



'Ye're　sure　that's　the　hoose；　Shargar？'　said　Robert　quietly。



'As　sure's　deith；　and　maybe　surer；　for　I　saw　him　come　oot　wi'　my　ain

een。'



'Weel；　Shargar；　it's　grown　something　awfu'　noo。　　It's　Miss　Lindsay。

Was　there　iver　sic　a　villain　as　that　Lord　Rothiethat　brither　o'

yours！'



'I　disoun　'im　frae　this　verra　'oor；'　said　Shargar　solemnly。



'Something　maun　be　dune。　　We'll　awa'　to　the　quay；　an'　see　what'll

turn　up。　　I　wonner　hoo's　the　tide。'



'The　tide's　risin'。　　They'll　never　try　to　win　oot　till　it's　slack

watterfurbye　'at　the　Amphitrite；　for　as　braid　's　she　is；　and　her

bows　modelled　efter　the　cheeks　o'　a　resurrection　cherub　upo'　a

gravestane；　draws　a　heap　o'　watter：　an'　the　bar　they　say　's　waur　to

win　ower　nor　usual：　it's　been　gatherin'　again。'



As　they　spoke；　the　boys　were　making　for　the　new　town；　eagerly。　　Just

opposite　where　the　Amphitrite　lay　was　a　public…house：　into　that　they

made　up　their　minds　to　go；　and　there　to　write　a　letter；　which　they

would　give　to　Miss　Lindsay　if　they　could；　or；　if　not；　leave　with

Skipper　Hoornbeek。　　Before　they　reached　the　river；　a　thick　rain　of

minute　drops　began　to　fall；　rendering　the　night　still　darker；　so

that　they　could　scarcely　see　the　vessels　from　the　pavement　on　the

other　side　of　the　quay；　along　which　they　were　hurrying；　to　avoid　the

cables；　rings；　and　stone　posts　that　made　its　margin　dangerous　in　the

dim　light。　　When　they　came　to　The　Smack　Inn　they　crossed　right　over

to　reach　the　Amphitrite。　　A　growing　fear　kept　them　silent　as　they

approached　her　berth。　　It　was　empty。　　They　turned　and　stared　at　each

other　in　dismay。



One　of　those　amphibious　animals　that　loiter　about　the　borders　of　the

water　was　seated　on　a　stone　smoking；　probably　fortified　against　the

rain　by　the　whisky　inside　him。



'Whaur's　the　Amphitrite；　Alan？'　asked　Shargar；　for　Robert　was　dumb

with　disappointment　and　rage。



'Half　doon　to　Stanehive　by　this　time；　I'm　thinkin'；'　answered　Alan。

'For　a　brewin'　tub　like　her；　she　fummles　awa　nae　ill　wi'　a　licht

win'　astarn　o'　her。　　But　I'm　doobtin'　afore　she　win　across　the

herrin…pot　her　fine　passengers　'll　win　at　the　boddom　o'　their

stamacks。　　It's　like　to　blaw　a　bonnetfu'；　and　she　rows　awfu'　in　ony

win'。　　I　dinna　think　she　cud　capsize；　but　for　wamlin'　she's　waur　nor

a　bairn　with　the　grips。'



In　absolute　helplessness；　the　boys　had　let　him　talk　on：　there　was

nothing　more　to　be　done；　and　Alan　was　in　a　talkative　mood。



'Fegs！　gin　't　come　on　to　blaw；'　he　resumed；　'I　wadna　wonner　gin　they

got　the　skipper　to　set　them　ashore　at　Stanehive。　　I　heard　auld　Horny

say　something　aboot　lyin'　to　there　for　a　bit；　to　tak　a　keg　or

something　aboord。'



The　boys　looked　at　each　other；　bade　Alan　good…night；　and　walked

away。



'Hoo　far　is　't　to　Stonehaven；　Shargar？'　said　Robert。



'I　dinna　richtly　ken。　　Maybe　frae　twal　to　fifteen　mile。'



Robert　stood　still。　　Shargar　saw　his　face　pale　as　death；　and

contorted　with　the　effort　to　control　his　feelings。



'Shargar；'　he　said；　'what　am　I　to　do？　　I　vowed　to　Mr。　Ericson　that；

gin　he　deid；　I　wad　luik　efter　that　bonny　lassie。　　An'　noo　whan　he's

lyin'　a'　but　deid；　I　hae　latten　her　slip　throu'　my　fingers　wi'　clean

carelessness。　　What　am　I　to　do？　　Gin　I　cud　only　win　to　Stonehaven

afore　the　Amphitrite！　　I　cud　gang　aboord　wi'　the　keg；　and　gin　I　cud

do　naething　mair；　I　wad　hae　tried　to　do　my　best。　　Gin　I　do　naething；

my　hert　'll　brak　wi'　the　weicht　o'　my　shame。'



Shargar　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter。　　Robert　was　on　the　point　of

knocking　him　down；　but　took　him　by　the　throat　as　a　milder

proceeding；　and　shook　him。



'Robert！　　Robert！'　gurgled　Sharga