redgauntlet-第107节

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'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　nephew；　the　unwilling　spectator　of　this　extraordinary　scene；　left　once　more　the　apartment　of　the　adventurous　Wanderer；　and　was　met　on　the　top　of　the　stairs　by　Joe　Crackenthorp。　　'Where　are　the　other　gentlemen？'　　he　said。

'Yonder；　in　the　west　barrack；'　answered　Joe；　'but　Master　Ingoldsby；'that　was　the　name　by　which　Redgauntlet　was　most　generally　known　in　Cumberland；'I　wish　to　say　to　you　that　I　must　put　yonder　folk　together　in　one　room。'

'What　folk？'　　said　Redgauntlet；　impatiently。

'Why；　them　prisoner　stranger　folk；　as　you　bid　Cristal　Nixon　look　after。　　Lord　love　you！　　this　is　a　large　house　enow；　but　we　cannot　have　separate　lock…ups　for　folk；　as　they　have　in　Newgate　or　in　Bedlam。　　Yonder's　a　mad　beggar；　that　is　to　be　a　great　man　when　he　wins　a　lawsuit；　Lord　help　him！Yonder's　a　Quaker　and　a　lawyer　charged　with　a　riot；　and；　ecod；　I　must　make　one　key　and　one　lock　keep　them；　for　we　are　chokeful；　and　you　have　sent　off　old　Nixon　that　could　have　given　one　some　help　in　this　confusion。　　Besides；　they　take　up　every　one　a　room；　and　call　for　naughts　on　earth；　excepting　the　old　man；　who　calls　lustily　enough；but　he　has　not　a　penny　to　pay　shot。'

'Do　as　thou　wilt　with　them；'　said　Redgauntlet；　who　had　listened　impatiently　to　his　statement；　'so　thou　dost　but　keep　them　from　getting　out　and　making　some　alarm　in　the　country；　I　care　not。'

'A　Quaker　and　a　lawyer！'　　said　Darsie。　　'This　must　be　Fairford　and　Geddes。Uncle；　I　must　request　of　you'

'Nay；　nephew；'　interrupted　Redgauntlet；　'this　is　no　time　for　asking　questions。　　You　shall　yourself　decide　upon　their　fate　in　the　course　of　an　hourno　harm　whatever　is　designed　them。'

So　saying；　he　hurried　towards　the　place　where　the　Jacobite　gentlemen　were　holding　their　council；　and　Darsie　followed　him；　in　the　hope　that　the　obstacle　which　had　arisen　to　the　prosecution　of　their　desperate　adventure　would　prove　insurmountable　and　spare　him　the　necessity　of　a　dangerous　and　violent　rupture　with　his　uncle。　　The　discussions　among　them　were　very　eager；　the　more　daring　part　of　the　conspirators；　who　had　little　but　life　to　lose；　being　desirous　to　proceed　at　all　hazards；　while　the　others；　whom　a　sense　of　honour　and　a　hesitation　to　disavow　long…cherished　principles　had　brought　forward；　were　perhaps　not　ill　satisfied　to　have　a　fair　apology　for　declining　an　adventure；　into　which　they　had　entered　with　more　of　reluctance　than　zeal。

Meanwhile　Joe　Crackenthorp；　availing　himself　of　the　hasty　permission　attained　from　Redgauntlet；　proceeded　to　assemble　in　one　apartment　those　whose　safe　custody　had　been　thought　necessary；　and；　without　much　considering　the　propriety　of　the　matter；　he　selected　for　the　common　place　of　confinement；　the　room　which　Lilias　had；　since　her　brother's　departure；　occupied　alone。　It　had　a　strong　lock；　and　was　double…hinged；　which　probably　led　to　the　preference　assigned　to　it；　as　a　place　of　security。

Into　this；　Joe；　with　little　ceremony；　and　a　good　deal　of　noise；　introduced　the　Quaker　and　Fairford；　the　first　descanting　on　the　immorality；　the　other