guy mannering-第104节

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aunt　had　given　to　Bertram　the　treasure　of　the　tribe；　of　which　she　had　the　custody。　Three　or　four　gipsies；　by　the　express　command　of　Meg　Merrilies；　mingled　in　the　crowd　when　the　Custom…house　was　attacked；　for　the　purpose　of　liberating　Bertram；　which　he　had　himself　effected。　He　said；　that　in　obeying　Meg's　dictates　they　did　not　pretend　to　estimate　their　propriety　or　rationality；　the　respect　in　which　she　was　held　by　her　tribe　precluding　all　such　subjects　of　speculation。　Upon　further　interrogation；　the　witness　added；　that　his　aunt　had　always　said　that　Harry　Bertram　carried　that　round　his　neck　which　would　ascertain　his　birth。　It　was　a　spell；　she　said　　that　an　Oxford　scholar　had　made　for　him；　and　she　possessed　the　smugglers　with　an　opinion；　that　to　deprive　him　of　it　would　occasion　the　loss　of　the　vessel。

Bertram　here　produced　a　small　velvet　bag；　which　he　said　he　had　worn　round　his　neck　from　his　earliest　infancy；　and　which　he　had　preserved；　first　from　superstitious　reverence；　and；　latterly；　from　the　hope　that　it　might　serve　one　day　to　aid　in　the　discovery　of　his　birth。　The　bag；　being　opened；　was　found　to　contain　a　blue　silk　case；　front　which　was　drawn　a　scheme　of　nativity。　Upon　inspecting　this　paper；　Colonel　Mannering　instantly　admitted　it　was　his　own　composition；　and　afforded　the　strongest　and　most　satisfactory　evidence；　that　the　possessor　of　it　must　necessarily　be　the　young　heir　of　Ellangowan；　by　avowing　his　having　first　appeared　in　that　country　in　the　character　of　an　astrologer。

〃And　now；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃make　out　warrants　of　commitment　for　Hatteraick　and　Glossin　until　liberated　in　due　course　of　law。　Yet；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　sorry　for　Glossin。〃

〃Now；　I　think；〃　said　Mannering；　〃he's　incomparably　the　least　deserving　of　pity　of　the　two。　The　other's　a　bold　fellow；　though　as　hard　as　flint。〃

〃Very　natural；　Colonel；〃　said　the　advocate；　〃that　you　should　be　interested　in　the　ruffian；　and　I　in　the　knavethat's　all　professional　tastebut　I　can　tell　you　Glossin　would　have　been　a　pretty　lawyer；　had　he　not　had　such　a　turn　for　the　roguish　part　of　the　profession。〃

〃Scandal　would　say；〃　observed　Mannering；　〃he　might　not　be　the　worse　lawyer　for　that。〃

〃Scandal　would　tell　a　lie；　then；〃　replied　Pleydell；　〃'as　she　usually　does。　Law's　like　laudanum；　it's　much　more　easy　to　use　it　as　a　quack　does；　than　to　learn　to　apply　it　like　a　physician。〃



CHAPTER　LVII。

　　Unfit　to　live　or　dieO　marble　heart！　　　After　him；　fellows；　drag　him　to　the　block。　　　　　Measure　for　Measure

The　jail　at　the　county　town　of　the　shire　ofwas　one　of　those　old…fashioned　dungeons　which　disgraced　Scotland　until　of　late　years。　When　the　prisoners　and　their　guard　arrived　there；　Hatteraick；　whose　violence　and　strength　were　well　known；　was　secured　in　what　was　called　the　condemned　ward。　This　was　a　large　apartment　near　the　top　of　the　prison。　A　round　bar　of　iron；　about　the　thickness　of　a　man's　arm　above　the　elbow；　crossed　the　apartment　horizontally　at　the　height　of　about　six　inches　from　the　floor；　and　its　extremities　were　strongly　built　into　the　wall　at　either　end。　Hatteraick's　ankles　were　secured　within　shackles；　which　were　connected　by　a　chain　at　the　distance　of　about　four　feet；　with　a　large　iron　ring；　which　travelled　upon　the　bar　we　have　described。　Thus　a　prisoner　might　shuffle　along　the　length　of　the　bar　from　one　side　of　the　room　to　another；　but　could　not　retreat　farther　from　it　in　any　other　direction　than　the　brief　length　of　the　chain　admitted。　＇*This　mode　of　securing　prisoners　was　universally　practised　in　Scotland　after　condemnation。　When　a　man　received　sentence　of　death；　he　was　put　upon　the　Gad；　as　it　was　called；　that　is；　secured　to　the　bar　of　iron　in　the　manner　mentioned　in　the　text。　The　practice　subsisted　in　Edinburgh　till　the　old　jail　was　taken　down　some　years　since；　and　perhaps　may　be　still　in　use。＇　When　his　feet　had　been　thus　secured；　the　keeper　removed　his　handcuffs；　and　left　his　person　at　liberty　in　other　respects。　A　pallet…bed　was　placed　close　to　the　bar　of　iron；　so　that　the　shackled　prisoner　might　lie　down　at　pleasure；　still　fastened　to　the　iron　bar　in　the　manner　described。

Hatteraick　had　not　been　long　in　this　place　of　confinement　before　Glossin　arrived　at　the　same　prison…house。　In　respect　to　his　comparative　rank　and　education；　he　was　not　ironed；　but　placed　in　a　decent　apartment；　under　the　inspection　of　MacGuffog；　who；　since　the　destruction　of　the　Bridewell　of　Portanferry　by　the　mob；　had　acted　here　as　an　under…turnkey。　When　Glossin　was　enclosed　within　this　room；　and　had　solitude　and　leisure　to　calculate　all　the　chances　against　him　and　in　his　favour；　he　could　not　prevail　upon　himself　to　consider　the　game　as　desperate。

〃The　estate　is　lost；〃　he　said；　〃that　must　go；　and；　between　Pleydell　and　Mac…Morlan；　they'll　cut　down　my　claim　on　it　to　a　trifle。　My　characterbut　if　I　get　off　with　life　and　liberty；　I'll　win　money　yet；　and　varnish　that　over　again。　I　knew　not　the　gauger's　job　until　the　rascal　had　done　the　deed；　and　though　I　had　some　advantage　by　the　contraband；　that　is　no　felony。　But　the　kidnapping　of　the　boy…there　they　touch　me　closer。　Let　me　see。This　Bertram　was　a　child　at　the　time…his　evidence　must　be　imperfectthe　other　fellow　is　a　deserter；　a　gipsy；　and　an　outlawMeg　Merrilies；　d…n　her；　is　dead。　These　infernal　bills！　Hatteraick　brought　them　with　him；　I　suppose；　to　have　the　means　of　threatening　me；　or　extorting　money　from　me。　I　must　endeavour　to　see　the　rascal；must　get　him　to　stand　steady；　must　persuade　him　to　put　some　other　colour　upon　the　business。〃

His　mind　teeming　with　schemes　of　future　deceit　to　cover　former　villainy；　he　spent　the　time　in　arranging　and　combining　them　until　the　hour　of　supper。　Mac…Guffog　attended　as　turnkey　on　this　occasion。　He。　was；　as　we　know；　the　old　and　special　acquaintance　of　the　prisoner　who　was　now　under　his　charge。　After　giving　the　turnkey　a　glass　of　brandy；　and　sounding　him　with　one　or　two　cajoling　speeches；　Glossin　made　it　his　request　that　he　would　help　him；　to　an　interview　with　Dirk　Hatteraick。　〃Impossible！　utterly　impossible！　it's　contrary　to　the　express　orders　of　Mr。　Mac…Morlan；　and　the　captain〃　（as　the　head　jailor　of　a　county　jail　is　called　in　Scotland）〃　would　never　forgie　me。〃

〃But　why　should　he　know　of　it？〃　said　Glossin；　slipping　a　couple　of　guineas　into　Mac…Guffog's　hand。

The　turnkey　weighed　the　gold；　and　looked　sharp　at　Glossin。　〃Ay；　ay；　Mr。　Glossin；　ye　ken　the　ways　o'　this　place。Lookee；　at　lock…up　hour；　I'll　return　and　bring　ye　upstairs　to　himBut　ye　must　stay　a'　night　in　his　cell；　for　I　am　under　necessity　to　carry　the　keys　to　the　captain　for　the　night；　and　I　cannot　let　you　out　again　until　morningthen　I'll　visit　the　wards　half　an　hour　earlier　than　usual；　and　ye　may　get　out；　and　be　snug　in　your　ain　berth　when　the　captain　gangs　his　rounds。〃

When　the　hour　of　ten　had　pealed　from　the　neighbouring　steeple；　Mac…Guffog　came　prepared　with　a　small　dark　lantern。　He　said　softly　to　Glossin；　〃Slip　your　shoes　off；　and　follow　me。〃　When　Glossin　was　out　of　the　door；　Mac…Guffog；　as　if　in　the　execution　of　his　ordinary　duty；　and　speaking　to　a　prisoner　within；　called　aloud；　〃Good…night　to　you；　sir；〃　and　locked　the　door；　clattering　the　bolts　with　much　ostentatious　noise。　He　then　guided　Glossin　up　a　steep　and　narrow　stair；　at　the　top　of　which　was　the　door　of　the　condemned　ward；　he　unbarred　and　unlocked　it；　and；　giving　Glossin　the　lantern；　made　a　sign　to　him　to　enter；　and　locked　the　door　behind　him　with　the　same　affected　accuracy。

In　the　large　dark　cell　into　which　he　was　thus　introduced；　Glossin's　feeble　light　for　some　time　enabled　him　to　discover　nothing。　At　length　he　could　dimly　distinguish　the　pallet…bed　stretched　on　the　floor　beside　the　great　iron　bar　which　traversed　the　room；　and　on　that　pallet　reposed　the　figure　of　a　man。　Glossin　approached　him。　〃Dirk　Hatteraick！〃

〃Donner　and　hagel！　it　is　his　voice；〃　said　the　prisoner；　sitting　up；　and　clashing　his　fetters　as　he　rose；　〃then　my　dream　is　true！Begone；　and　leave　me　to　myselfit　will　be　your　best。〃

〃What！　my　good　friend；〃　said　Glossin；　〃will　you　allow　the　prospect　of　a　few　weeks'　confinement　to　depress　your　spirit？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　ruffian　sullenly〃when　I　am　only　to　be　released　by　a　halter！Let　me　alonego　about　your　business；　and　turn　the　lamp　from　my　face！〃

〃Psha！　my　dear　Dirk；　don't　be　afraid；〃　said　Glossin〃I　have　a　glorious　plan　to　make　all　right。〃

〃To　the　bottomless　pit　with　your　plans！〃　replied　his　accomplice。　〃You　have　planned　me　out　of　ship；　cargo；　and　life；　and　I　dreamt　this　moment　that　Meg　Merrilies　dragged　you　here　by　the　hair；　and　gave　me　the　long　clasped　knife　she　used　to　wearyou　don't　know　what　she　said。　Sturm　wetter！　it　will　be　your　wisdom　not　to　tempt　me！〃

〃But；　Hatteraick；　my　good　friend；　do　but　rise　and　speak　to　me；〃　said　Glossin。

〃I　will　not！〃　answered　the　savage　doggedly〃you　have　caused　all　the　mischief；　you　would　not　let　Meg　keep　the　boy；　she　would　have　returned　him　after　he　had　forgot　all。〃

〃Why；　Hatteraick；　you　are　turned　driveller！〃

〃Wetter！　will　you　deny　that　all　that　cursed　attempt　at　Portanferry；　which　lost　both　sloop　and　crew；　was　your　device　for　your　own　job？〃

〃But　the　goods；　you　know〃

〃Curse　the　goods！〃　said　the　smuggler；〃we　could　have　got　plenty　more；　but；　der　deyvil！　to　lose　the　ship　and　the　fine　follows；　and　my　own　life；　for　a　c