redgauntlet-第69节

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he　matter；　if　I　am　treated　with　proportionate　frankness。'

'You　have　misunderstood　me；'　said　Maxwell；　with　a　tone　changed　to　more　composure；　'I　told　you　I　was　the　friend　of　the　late　Sir　Henry　Redgauntlet；　who　was　executed；　in　1745；　at　Hairibie；　near　Carlisle；　but　I　know　no　one　who　at　present　bears　the　name　of　Redgauntlet。'

'You　know　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；'　said　Alan；　smiling；　'to　whom　the　name　of　Redgauntlet　belongs？'

Maxwell　darted　a　keen　reproachful　look　towards　the　provost；　but　instantly　smoothed　his　brow；　and　changed　his　tone　to　that　of　confidence　and　candour。

'You　must　not　be　angry；　Mr。　Fairford；　that　the　poor　persecuted　nonjurors　are　a　little　upon　the　QUI　VIVE　when　such　clever　young　men　as　you　are　making　inquiries　after　us。　　I　myself　now；　though　I　am　quite　out　of　the　scrape；　and　may　cock　my　hat　at　the　Cross　as　I　best　like；　sunshine　or　moonshine；　have　been　yet　so　much　accustomed　to　walk　with　the　lap　of　my　cloak　cast　over　my　face；　that；　faith；　if　a　redcoat　walk　suddenly　up　to　me；　I　wish　for　my　wheel　and　whetstone　again　for　a　moment。　　Now　Redgauntlet；　poor　fellow；　is　far　worse　offhe　is；　you　may　have　heard；　still　under　the　lash　of　the　law；the　mark　of　the　beast　is　still　on　his　forehead；　poor　gentleman；and　that　makes　us　cautiousvery　cautious；　which　I　am　sure　there　is　no　occasion　to　be　towards　you；　as　no　one　of　your　appearance　and　manners　would　wish　to　trepan　a　gentleman　under　misfortune。'

'On　the　contrary；　sir；'　said　Fairford；　'I　wish　to　afford　Mr。　Redgauntlet's　friends　an　opportunity　to　get　him　out　of　the　scrape；　by　procuring　the　instant　liberation　of　my　friend　Darsie　Latimer。　　I　will　engage　that　if　he　has　sustained　no　greater　bodily　harm　than　a　short　confinement；　the　matter　may　be　passed　over　quietly；　without　inquiry；　but　to　attain　this　end；　so　desirable　for　the　man　who　has　committed　a　great　and　recent　infraction　of　the　laws；　which　he　had　before　grievously　offended；　very　speedy　reparation　of　the　wrong　must　be　rendered。'

Maxwell　seemed　lost　in　reflection；　and　exchanged　a　glance　or　two；　not　of　the　most　comfortable　or　congratulatory　kind；　with　his　host　the　provost。　　Fairford　rose　and　walked　about　the　room；　to　allow　them　an　opportunity　of　conversing　together；　for　he　was　in　hopes　that　the　impression　he　had　visibly　made　upon　Summertrees　was　likely　to　ripen　into　something　favourable　to　his　purpose。　　They　took　the　opportunity；　and　engaged　in　whispers　to　each　other；　eagerly　and　reproachfully　on　the　part　of　the　laird；　while　the　provost　answered　in　an　embarrassed　and　apologetical　tone。　　Some　broken　words　of　the　conversation　reached　Fairford；　whose　presence　they　seemed　to　forget；　as　he　stood　at　the　bottom　of　the　room；　apparently　intent　upon　examining　the　figures　upon　a　fine　Indian　screen；　a　present　to　the　provost　from　his　brother；　captain　of　a　vessel　in　the　Company's　service。　　What　he　overheard　made　it　evident　that　his　errand；　and　the　obstinacy　with　which　he　pursued　it；　occasioned　altercation　between　the　whisperers。

Maxwell　at　length　let　out　the　words；　'A　good　fright；　and　so　send　him　home　with　his　tail　scalded；　like　a　dog　that　has　come　a…　privateering　on　strange　premises。'

The　provost's　negative　was　strongly　interposed'Not　to　be　thought　of''making　bad　worse''my　situation''my　utility'　'you　cannot　conceive　how　obstinatejust　like　his　father'。

They　then　whispered　more　closely；　and　at　length　the　provost　raised　his　drooping　crest；　and　spoke　in　a　cheerful　tone。　　'Come；　sit　down　to　your　glass；　Mr。　Fairford；　we　have　laid　our　heads　thegither；　and　you　shall　see　it　will　not　be　our　fault　if　you　are　not　quite　pleased；　and　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer　let　loose　to　take　his　fiddle　under　his　neck　again。　　But　Summertrees　thinks　it　will　require　you　to　put　yourself　into　some　bodily　risk；　which　maybe　you　may　not　be　so　keen　of。'

'Gentlemen；'　said　Fairford；　'I　will　not　certainly　shun　any　risk　by　which　my　object　may　be　accomplished；　but　I　bind　it　on　your　conscienceson　yours；　Mr。　Maxwell；　as　a　man　of　honour　and　a　gentleman；　and　on　yours；　provost；　as　a　magistrate　and　a　loyal　subject；　that　you　do　not　mislead　me　in　this　matter。'

'Nay；　as　for　me；'　said　Summertrees；　'I　will　tell　you　the　truth　at　once；　and　fairly　own　that　I　can　certainly　find　you　the　means　of　seeing　Redgauntlet；　poor　man；　and　that　I　will　do；　if　you　require　it；　and　conjure　him　also　to　treat　you　as　your　errand　requires；　but　poor　Redgauntlet　is　much　changedindeed；　to　say　truth；　his　temper　never　was　the　best　in　the　world；　however；　I　will　warrant　you　from　any　very　great　danger。'

'I　will　warrant　myself　from　such；'　said　Fairford；　'by　carrying　a　proper　force　with　me。'

'Indeed；'　said　Summertrees；　'you　will；　do　no　such　thing；　for；　in　the　first　place；　do　you　think　that　we　will　deliver　up　the　poor　fellow　into　the　hands　of　the　Philistines；　when；　on　the　contrary；　my　only　reason　for　furnishing　you　with　the　clue　I　am　to　put　into　your　hands；　is　to　settle　the　matter　amicably　on　all　sides？　　And　secondly；　his　intelligence　is　so　good；　that　were　you　coming　near　him　with　soldiers；　or　constables；　or　the　like；　I　shall　answer　for　it；　you　will　never　lay　salt　on　his　tail。'

Fairford　mused　for　a　moment。　　He　considered　that　to　gain　sight　of　this　man；　and　knowledge　of　his　friend's　condition；　were　advantages　to　be　purchased　at　every　personal　risk；　and　he　saw　plainly；　that　were　he　to　take　the　course　most　safe　for　himself；　and　call　in　the　assistance　of　the　law；　it　was　clear　he　would　either　be　deprived　of　the　intelligence　necessary　to　guide　him；　or　that　Redgauntlet　would　be　apprised　of　his　danger；　and　might　probably　leave　the　country；　carrying　his　captive　along　with　him。　He　therefore　repeated；　'I　put　myself　on　your　honour；　Mr。　Maxwell；　and　I　will　go　alone　to　visit　your　friend。　　I　have　little；　doubt　I　shall　find　him　amenable　to　reason；　and　that　I　shall　receive　from　him　a　satisfactory　account　of　Mr。　Latimer。'

'I　have　little　doubt　that　you　will；'　said　Mr。　Maxwell　of　Summertrees；　'but　still　I　think　it　will　be　only　in　the　long　run；　and　after　having　sustained　some　delay　and　inconvenience。　　My　warrandice　goes　no　further。'

'I　will　take　it　as　it　is　given；'　said　Alan　Fairford。　　'But　let　me　ask；　would　it　not　be　better；　since　you　value　your　friend's　safety　so　highly　and　surely　would　not　willingly　compromise　mine；　that　the　provost　or　you　should　go　with　me　to　this　man；　if　he　is　within　any　reasonable　distance；　and　try　to　make　him　hear　reason？'

'Me！I　will　not　go　my　foot's　length；'　said　the　provost；　and　that；　Mr。　Alan；　you　may　be　well　assured　of。　　Mr。　Redgauntlet　is　my　wife's　fourth　cousin；　that　is　undeniable；　but　were　he　the　last　of　her　kin　and　mine　both；　it　would　ill　befit　my　office　to　be　communing　with　rebels。'

'Aye；　or　drinking　with　nonjurors；'　said　Maxwell；　filling　his　glass。　　'I　would　as　soon　expect；　to　have　met　Claverhouse　at　a　field…preaching。　　And　as　for　myself；　Mr。　Fairford；　I　cannot　go；　for　just　the　opposite　reason。　　It　would　be　INFRA　DIG。　in　the　provost　of　this　most　flourishing　and　loyal　town　to　associate　with　Redgauntlet；　and　for　me　it　would　be　NOSCITUR　A　SOCIO。　　There　would　be　post　to　London；　with　the　tidings　that　two　such　Jacobites　as　Redgauntlet　and　I　had　met　on　a　braesidethe　Habeas　Corpus　would　be　suspendedFame　would　sound　a　charge　from　Carlisle　to　the　Land's　Endand　who　knows　but　the　very　wind　of　the　rumour　might　blow　my　estate　from　between　my　fingers；　and　my　body　over　Errickstane…brae　again？　　No；　no；　bide　a　gliffI　will　go　into　the　provost's　closet；　and　write　a　letter　to　Redgauntlet；　and　direct　you　how　to　deliver　it。'

'There　is　pen　and　ink　in　the　office；'　said　the　provost；　pointing　to　the　door　of　an　inner　apartment；　in　which　he　had　his　walnut…　tree　desk　and　east…country　cabinet。

'A　pen　that　can　write；　I　hope？'　　said　the　old　laird。

'It　can　write　and　spell　baith　in　right　hands；'　answered　the　provost；　as　the　laird　retired　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。




CHAPTER　XII

NARRATIVE　OF　ALAN　FAIRFORD；　CONTINUED

The　room　was　no　sooner　deprived　of　Mr。　Maxwell　of　Summertrees's　presence；　than　the　provost　looked　very　warily　above；　beneath；　and　around　the　apartment；　hitched　his　chair　towards　that　of　his　remaining　guest；　and　began　to　speak　In　a　whisper　which　could　not　have　startled　'the　smallest　mouse　that　creeps　on　floor。'

'Mr。　Fairford；'　said　he；　'you　are　a　good　lad；　and；　what　is　more；　you　are　my　auld　friend　your　father's　son。　　Your　father　has　been　agent　for　this　burgh　for　years；　and　has　a　good　deal　to　say　with　the　council；　so　there　have　been　a　sort　of　obligations　between　him　and　me；　it　may　have　been　now　on　this　side　and　now　on　that；　but　obligations　there　have　been。　　I　am　but　a　plain　man；　Mr。　Fairford；　but　I　hope　you　understand　me？'

'I　believe　you　mean　me　well；　provost；　and　I　am　sure；'　replied　Fairford；　'you　can　never　better　show　your　kindness　than　on　this　occasion。'

'That's　itthat's　the　very　point　I　would　be　at；　Mr。　Alan；'　replied　the　provost；　'besides；　I　am；　as　becomes　well　my　situation；　a　stanch　friend　to　kirk　and　king；　meaning　this　present　establishment　in　church　and　state；　and　so；　as　I　was　saying；　you　may　command　my　bestadvice。'

'I　hope　for　your　assistance　and　co…operation　also；'　said　the　youth。

'Certainly；　certainly；'　said　the　wary　magistrate。　　'Well；　now；　you　see　one　may　love　the　kirk；　and　yet　not　ride　on　the　rigging　of　it；　and　one　may　love　the　king；　and　yet　not　be　cramming