robert falconer-第84节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

proceeding；　and　shook　him。



'Robert！　　Robert！'　gurgled　Shargar；　as　soon　as　his　choking　had

overcome　his　merriment；　'ye're　an　awfu'　Hielan'man。　　Hearken　to　me。

I　beggg　yer　pardon。　　What　I　was　thinkin'　o'　was'



Robert　relaxed　his　hold。　　But　Shargar；　notwithstanding　the　lesson

Robert　had　given　him；　could　hardly　speak　yet　for　the　enjoyment　of

his　own　device。



'Gin　we　could　only　get　rid　o'　Jock　Mitchell！'　he　crowed；　and　burst

out　again。



'He's　wi'　a　wuman　i'　the　Gallowgate；'　said　Robert。



'Losh；　man！'　exclaimed　Shargar；　and　started　off　at　full　speed。



He　was　no　match　for　his　companion；　however。



'Whaur　the　deevil　are　ye　rinnin'　till；　ye　wirrycow　（scarecrow）？'

panted　Robert；　as　he　laid　hold　of　his　collar。



'Lat　me　gang；　Robert；'　gasped　Shargar。　'Losh；　man！　ye'll　be　on　Black

Geordie　in　anither　ten　meenits；　an'　me　ahin'　ye　upo'　Reid　Rorie。

An'　faith　gin　we　binna　at　Stanehive　afore　the　Dutchman　wi'　's

boddom　foremost；　it'll　be　the　faut　o'　the　horse　and　no　o'　the　men。'



Robert's　heart　gave　a　bound　of　hope。



'Hoo　'ill　ye　get　them；　Shargar？'　he　asked　eagerly。



'Steal　them；'　answered　Shargar；　struggling　to　get　away　from　the

grasp　still　upon　his　collar。



'We　micht　be　hanged　for　that。'



'Weel；　Robert；　I'll　tak　a'　the　wyte　o'　't。　　Gin　it　hadna　been　for

you；　I　micht　ha'　been　hangt　by　this　time　for　ill　doin'：　for　your

sake　I'll　be　hangt　for　weel　doin'；　an'　welcome。　　Come　awa'。　　To

steal　a　mairch　upo'　brither　Sandy　wi'　aucht　（eight）　horse…huves　o'

's　ain！　　Ha！　ha！　ha！'



They　sped　along；　now　running　themselves　out　of　breath；　now　walking

themselves　into　it　again；　until　they　reached　a　retired　hostelry

between　the　two　towns。　　Warning　Robert　not　to　show　himself；　Shargar

disappeared　round　the　corner　of　the　house。



Robert　grew　weary；　and　then　anxious。　　At　length　Shargar's　face　came

through　the　darkness。



'Robert；'　he　whispered；　'gie　's　yer　bonnet。　　I'll　be　wi'　ye　in　a

moment　noo。'



Robert　obeyed；　too　anxious　to　question　him。　　In　about　three　minutes

more　Shargar　reappeared；　leading　what　seemed　the　ghost　of　a　black

horse；　for　Robert　could　see　only　his　eyes；　and　his　hoofs　made

scarcely　any　noise。　　How　he　had　managed　it　with　a　horse　of　Black

Geordie's　temper；　I　do　not　know；　but　some　horses　will　let　some

persons　do　anything　with　them：　he　had　drawn　his　own　stockings　over

his　fore　feet；　and　tied　their　two　caps　upon　his　hind　hoofs。



'Lead　him　awa'　quaietly　up　the　road　till　I　come　to　ye；'　said

Shargar；　as　he　took　the　mufflings　off　the　horse's　feet。　'An'　min'

'at　he　doesna　tak　a　nip　o'　ye。　　He's　some　ill　for　bitin'。　　I'll　be

efter　ye　direckly。　　Rorie's　saiddlet　an'　bridled。　　He　only　wants　his

carpet…shune。'



Robert　led　the　horse　a　few　hundred　yards；　then　stopped　and　waited。

Shargar　soon　joined　him；　already　mounted　on　Red　Roderick。



'Here's　yer　bonnet；　Robert。　　It's　some　foul；　I　doobt。　　But　I　cudna

help　it。　　Gang　on；　man。　　Up　wi'　ye。　　Maybe　I　wad　hae　better　keepit

Geordie　mysel'。　　But　ye　can　ride。　　Ance　ye're　on；　he　canna　bite　ye。'



But　Robert　needed　no　encouragement　from　Shargar。　　In　his　present

mood　he　would　have　mounted　a　griffin。　　He　was　on　horseback　in　a

moment。　　They　trotted　gently　through　the　streets；　and　out　of　the

town。　　Once　over　the　Dee；　they　gave　their　horses　the　rein；　and　off

they　went　through　the　dark　drizzle。　　Before　they　got　half…way　they

were　wet　to　the　skin；　but　little　did　Robert；　or　Shargar　either；　care

for　that。　　Not　many　words　passed　between　them。



'Hoo　'ill　ye　get　the　horse　（plural）　in　again；　Shargar？'　asked

Robert。



'Afore　I　get　them　back；'　answered　Shargar；　'they'll　be　tired　eneuch

to　gang　hame　o'　themsel's。　　Gin　we　had　only　had　the　luck　to　meet

Jock！that　wad　hae　been　gran'。'



'What　for　that？'



'I　wad　hae　cawed　Reid　Rorie　ower　the　heid　o'　'm；　an'　left　him

lyin'the　coorse　villain！'



The　horses　never　flagged　till　they　drew　up　in　the　main　street　of

Stonehaven。　　Robert　ran　down　to　the　harbour　to　make　inquiry；　and

left　Shargar　to　put　them　up。



The　moon　had　risen；　but　the　air　was　so　full　of　vapour　that　she　only

succeeded　in　melting　the　darkness　a　little。　　The　sea　rolled　in

front；　awful　in　its　dreariness；　under　just　light　enough　to　show　a

something　unlike　the　land。　　But　the　rain　had　ceased；　and　the　air　was

clearer。　　Robert　asked　a　solitary　man；　with　a　telescope　in　his　hand；

whether　he　was　looking　out　for　the　Amphitrite。　　The　man　asked　him

gruffly　in　return　what　he　knew　of　her。　　Possibly　the　nature　of　the

keg　to　be　put　on　board　had　something　to　do　with　his　Scotch　reply。

Robert　told　him　he　was　a　friend　of　the　captain；　had　missed　the

boat；　and　would　give　any　one　five　shillings　to　put　him　on　board。

The　man　went　away　and　returned　with　a　companion。　　After　some

further　questioning　and　bargaining；　they　agreed　to　take　him。　　Robert

loitered　about　the　pier　full　of　impatience。　　Shargar　joined　him。



Day　began　to　break　over　the　waves。　　They　gleamed　with　a　blue…gray

leaden　sheen。　　The　men　appeared　coming　along　the　harbour；　and

descended　by　a　stair　into　a　little　skiff；　where　a　barrel；　or

something　like　one；　lay　under　a　tarpaulin。　　Robert　bade　Shargar

good…bye；　and　followed。　　They　pushed　off；　rowed　out　into　the　bay；

and　lay　on　their　oars　waiting　for　the　vessel。　　The　light　grew　apace；

and　Robert　fancied　he　could　distinguish　the　two　horses　with　one

rider　against　the　sky　on　the　top　of　the　cliffs；　moving　northwards。

Turning　his　eyes　to　the　sea；　he　saw　the　canvas　of　the　brig；　and　his

heart　beat　fast。　　The　men　bent　to　their　oars。　　She　drew　nearer；　and

lay　to。　　When　they　reached　her　he　caught　the　rope　the　sailors　threw；

was　on　board　in　a　moment；　and　went　aft　to　the　captain。　　The　Dutchman

stared。　　In　a　few　words　Robert　made　him　understand　his　object；

offering　to　pay　for　his　passage；　but　the　good　man　would　not　hear　of

it。　　He　told　him　that　the　lady　and　gentleman　had　come　on　board　as

brother　and　sister：　the　baron　was　too　knowing　to　run　his　head　into

the　noose　of　Scotch　law。



'I　cannot　throw　him　over　the　board；'　said　the　skipper；　'and　what　am

I　to　do？　　I　am　afraid　it　is　of　no　use。　　Ah！　poor　thing！'



By　this　time　the　vessel　was　under　way。　　The　wind　freshened。　　Mysie

had　been　ill　ever　since　they　left　the　month　of　the　river：　now　she

was　much　worse。　　Before　another　hour　passed；　she　was　crying　to　be

taken　home　to　her　papa。　　Still　the　wind　increased；　and　the　vessel

laboured　much。



Robert　never　felt　better；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　cause　of

his　sea…faring；　would　have　thoroughly　enjoyed　it。　　He　put　on　some

sea…going　clothes　of　the　captain's；　and　set　himself　to　take　his

share　in　working　the　brig；　in　which　he　was　soon　proficient　enough　to

be　useful。　　When　the　sun　rose；　they　were　in　a　tossing　wilderness　of

waves。　　With　the　sunrise；　Robert　began　to　think　he　had　been　guilty

of　a　great　folly。　　For　what　could　he　do？　　How　was　he　to　prevent　the

girl　from　going　off　with　her　lover　the　moment　they　landed？　　But　his

poor　attempt　would　verify　his　willingness。



The　baron　came　on　deck　now　and　then；　looking　bored。　　He　had　not

calculated　on　having　to　nurse　the　girl。　　Had　Mysie　been　well；　he

could　have　amused　himself　with　her；　for　he　found　her　ignorance

interesting。　　As　it　was；　he　felt　injured；　and　indeed　disgusted　at

the　result　of　the　experiment。



On　the　third　day　the　wind　abated　a　little；　but　towards　night　it　blew

hard　again；　and　it　was　not　until　they　reached　the　smooth　waters　of

the　Scheldt　that　Mysie　made　her　appearance　on　deck；　looking

dreadfully　ill；　and　altogether　like　a　miserable；　unhappy　child。　　Her

beauty　was　greatly　gone；　and　Lord　Rothie　did　not　pay　her　much

attention。



Robert　had　as　yet　made　no　attempt　to　communicate　with　her；　for　there

was　scarcely　a　chance　of　her　concealing　a　letter　from　the　baron。

But　as　soon　as　they　were　in　smooth　water；　he　wrote　one；　telling　her

in　the　simplest　language　that　the　baron　was　a　bad　man；　who　had

amused　himself　by　making　many　women　fall　in　love　with　him；　and　then

leaving　them　miserable：　he　knew　one　of　them　himself。



Having　finished　his　letter；　he　began　to　look　abroad　over　the　smooth

water；　and　the　land　smooth　as　the　water。　　He　saw　tall　poplars；　the

spires　of　the　forest；　and　rows　of　round…headed　dumpy　trees；　like

domes。　　And　he　saw　that　all　the　buildings　like　churches；　had　either

spires　like　poplars；　or　low　round　domes　like　those　other　trees。　　The

domes　gave　an　eastern　aspect　to　the　country。　　The　spire　of　Antwerp

cathedral　especially　had　the　poplar　for　its　model。　　The　pinnacles

which　rose　from　the　base　of　each　successive　start　of　its　narrowing

height　were　just　the　clinging；　upright　branches　of　the　poplara

lovely　instance　of　Art　following　Nature's　suggestion。









CHAPTER　XXIII。



ROBERT　FINDS　A　NEW　INSTRUMENT。



At　length　the　vessel　lay　alongside　the　quay；　and　as　Mysie　stepped

from　its　side　the　skipper　found　an　opportunity　of　giving　her

Robert's　let