guy mannering-第105节

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〃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　cursed　coward　villain；　that　always　works　his　own　mischief　with　other　people's　hands！　Speak　to　me　no　moreI'm　dangerous。〃

〃But；　Dirkbut；　Hatteraick；　hear　me　only　a　few　words。〃

〃Hagel！　nein。〃

〃Only　one　sentence。〃

〃Tausand　cursesnein！〃

〃At　least　get　up　for　an　obstinate　Dutch　brute！〃　said　Glossin；　losing　his　temper；　and　pushing　Hatteraick　with　his　foot。

〃Donner　and　blitzen！〃　said　Hatteraick；　springing　up　and　grappling　with　him；　〃you　will　have　it　then？〃

Glossin　struggled　and　resisted；　but；　owing　to　his　surprise　at　the　fury　of　the　assault；　so　ineffectually；　that　he　fell：　under　Hatteraick；　the　back　part　of　his　neck　coming　full　upon　the　iron　bar　with　stunning　violence。　The　death…grapple　continued。　The　room　immediately　below　the　condemned　ward；　being　that　of　Glossin；　was；　of　course；　empty；　but　the　inmates　of　the　second　apartment　beneath　felt　the　shock　of　Glossin's　heavy　fall；　and　heard　a　noise　as　of　struggling　and　of　groans。　But　all　sounds　of　horror　were　too　congenial　to　this　place　to　excite　much　curiosity　or　interest。

In　the　morning；　faithful　to　his　promise；　Mac…Guffog　came〃Mr。　Glossin；〃　said　be；　in；　a　whispering　voice。

〃Call　louder；〃　answered　Dirk　Hatteraick。

〃Mr。　Glossin；　for　God's　sake　come　away！〃

〃He'll　hardly　do　that　without　help；〃　said　Hatteraick。

〃What　are　you　chattering　there　for；　Mac…Guffog？〃　called　out　the　captain　from　below。

〃Come　away；　for　God's　sake。　Mr。　Glossin！〃　repeated　the。　turnkey。

At　this　moment　the　jailor　made　his　appearance　with　a　light。　Great　was　his　surprise；　and　even　horror；　to　observe　Glossin's　body　lying　doubled　across　the　iron　bar；　in　a　posture　that　excluded　all　idea　of　his　being　alive。　Hatteraick　was　quietly　stretched　upon　his　pallet　within　a　yard　of　his　victim。　On　lifting　Glossin；　it　was　found　he　had　been　dead　for　some　hours。　His　body　bore　uncommon　marks　of　violence。　The　spine　where　it　joins　the　skull　had　received　severe　injury　by　his　first　fall。　There　were　distinct　marks　of　strangulation　about　the　throat；　which　corresponded　with　the　blackened　state　of　his　face。　The　head　was　turned　backward　over　the　shoulder；　as　if　the　neck　had　been　wrung　round　with　desperate　violence。　So　that　it　would　seem　that　his　inveterate　antagonist　had　fixed　a　fatal　gripe　upon　the　wretch's　throat；　and　never　quitted　it　while　life　lasted。　The　lantern；　crushed　and　broken　to　pieces；　lay　beneath　the　body。

Mac…Morlan　was　in　the　town；　and　came　instantly　to　examine　the　corpse。　〃What　brought　Glossin　here？〃　he　said　to　Hatteraick。

〃The　devil！〃　answered　the　ruffian。

〃And　what　did　you　do　to　him？〃

〃Sent　him　to　hell　before　me！〃　replied　the　miscreant。

〃Wretch；〃　said　Mac…Morlan；　〃you　have　crowned　a　life　spent　without　a　single　virtue；　with　the　murder　of　your　own　miserable　accomplice！〃

〃Virtue？〃　exclaimed　the　prisoner；　〃donner！　I　was　always　faithful　to　my　shipownersalways　accounted　for　cargo　to　the　last　stiver。　Hark　ye！　let　me　have　pen　and　ink；　and　I'll　write　an　account　of　the　whole　to　our　house；　and　leave　me　alone　a　couple　of　hours；　will　yeand　let　them　take　away　that　piece　of　carrion；　donner　wetter！〃

Mac…Morlan　deemed　it　the　best　way　to　humour　the　savage；　he　was　furnished　with　writing　materials　and　left　alone。　When　they　again　opened　the　door；　it　was　found　that　this　determined　villain　had　anticipated　justice。　He　had　adjusted　a　cord　taken　from　the　truckle…bed；　and　attached　it　to　a　bone；　the　relic　of　his　yesterday's　dinner；　which　he　had　contrived　to　drive　into　a　crevice　between　two　stones　in　the　wall　at　a　height　as　great　as　he　could　reach；　standing　upon　the　bar。　Having　fastened　the　noose；　he　had　the　resolution　to　drop　his　body　as　if　to　fall　on　his　knees；　and　to　retain　that　posture　until　resolution　was　no　longer　necessary。　The　letter　he　had　written　to　his　owners；　though　chiefly　upon　the　business　of　their　trade；　contained　many　allusions　to　the　younker　of　Ellangowan；　as　he　called　him；　and　afforded　absolute　confirmation　of　all　Meg　Merrilies　and　her　nephew　had　told。

To　dismiss　the　catastrophe　of　these　two　wretched　men；　I　shall　only　add；　that　Mac…Guffog　was　turned　out　of　office；　notwithstanding　his　declaration　（which　he　offered　to　attest　by　oath）；　that　he　had　locked　Glossin　safely　in　his　own　room　upon　the　night　preceding　his　being　found　dead　in　Dirk　Hatteraick's　cell。　His　story；　however；　found　faith　with　the　worthy　Mr。　Skreigh；　and　other　lovers　of；　the　marvellous；　who　still　hold　that　the　Enemy　of　Mankind　brought　these　two　wretches　together　upon　that　night；　by　supernatural　interference；　that　they　might　fill　up　the　cup　of　their　guilt　and　receive　its　meed；　by　murder　and　suicide。



CHAPTER　LVIII。

　　To　sum　the　whole…the　close　of　all。　　　DEAN　SWIFT。

As　Glossin　died　without　heirs；　and　without　payment　of　the　price；　the　estate　of　Ellangowan　was　again　thrown　upon　the　hands　of　Mr。　Godfrey　Bertram's　creditors；　the　right　of　most　of　whom　was　however　defensible；　in　case　Henry　Bertram　should　establish　his　character　of　heir　of　entail。　This　young　gentleman　put　his　affairs　into　the　hands　of　Mr。　Pleydell　and　Mr。　Mac…Morlan；　with　one　single　proviso；　that　though　he　himself　should　be　obliged　again　to　go　to　India；　every　debt；　justly　and　honourably　due　by　his　father；　should　be　made　good　to　the　claimant。　Mannering；　who　heard　this　declaration；　grasped　him　kindly　by　the　hand；　and　from　that　moment　might　be　dated　a　thorough　understanding　between　them。

The　hoards　of　Miss　Margaret　Bertram；　and　the　liberal　assistance　of　the　Colonel；　easily　enabled　the　heir　to　make　provision　for　payment　of　the　just　creditors　of　his　father；　while　the　ingenuity　and　research　of　his　law　friends　detected；　especially　in　the　accounts　of　Glossin；　so　many　overcharges　as　greatly　diminished　the　total　amount。　In　these　circumstances　the　creditors　did　not　hesitate　to　recognise　Bertram's　right；　and　to　surrender　to　him　the　house　and　property　of　his　ancestors。　All　the　party　repaired　from　Woodbourne　to　take　possession；　amid　the　shouts　of　the　tenantry　and　the　neighbourhood；　and　so　eager　was　Colonel　Mannering　to　superintend　certain　improvements　which　he　had　recommended　to　Bertram；　that　he　removed　with　his　family　from　Woodbourne　to　Ellangowan；　although　at　present　containing　much　less　and　much　inferior　accommodation。

The　poor　Dominie's　brain　was　almost　turned　with　joy　on　returning　to　his　old　habitation。　He　posted　upstairs；　taking　three　steps　at　once；　to　a　little　shabby　attic；　his　cell　and　dormitory　in　former　days；　and　which　the　possession　of　his　much　superior　apartment　at　Woodbourne　had　never　banished　from　his　memory。　Here　one　sad　thought　suddenly　struck　the　honest　manthe　books！no　three　rooms　in　Ellangowan　were　capable　to　contain　them。　While　this　qualifying　reflection　was　passing　through　his　mind；　he　was　suddenly　summoned　by　Mannering　to　assist　in　calculating　some　proportions　relating　to　a　large　and　splendid　house；　which　was　to　be　built　on　the　site　of　the　New　Place　of　Ellangowan；　in　a　style　corresponding　to　the　magnificence　of　the　ruins　in　its　vicinity。　Among　the　various　rooms　in　the　plan；　the　Dominie　observed；　that　one　of　the　largest　。　vas　entitled　THE　LIBRARY；　and　close　beside　was　a　snug　well…proportioned　chamber；　entitled；　MR。　SAMPSON'S　APARTMENT。〃Prodigious；　prodigious；　pro…di…gi…ous！〃　shouted　the　enraptured　Dominie。

Mr。　Pleydell　had　left　the　party　for　some　time；　but　he　returned；　according　to　promise；　during　the　Christmas　recess　of　the　courts。　He　drove　up　to　Ellangowan　when　all　the　family　were　abroad　but　the　Colonel；　who　was　busy　with　plans　of　buildings　and　pleasure…grounds；　in　which　he　was　well　skilled；　and　took　great　delight。

〃Ah　ha！〃　said　the　counsellor；　〃so　here　you　are！　Where　are　the　ladies？　where　is　the　fair　Julia？〃

〃Walking　out　with　young　Haziewood；　Bertram；　and　Captain　Delaserre；　a　friend　of　his；　who　is　with　us　just　now。　They　are　gone　to　plan　out　a　cottage　at　Derncleugh。　Well；　have　you　carried　through　your　law　business？〃

〃With　a　wet　finger；〃　answered　the　lawyer；　〃got　our　youngster's　special　service　retoured　into　Chancery。　We　had　him　served　heir　before　the　macers。〃

〃Macers？　who　are　they？〃

〃Why；　it　is　a　kind　of　judicial　Saturnalia。　You　must　know；　that　one　of　the　requisites　to　be　a　macer；　or　officer　in　attendance　upon　our　supreme　court；　is；　that　they　shall　be　men　of　no　knowledge。〃

〃Very　well！〃

〃Now；　our　Scottish　legislature；　for　the　joke's　sake　I　suppose；　have　constituted　those　men　of　no　knowledge　into　a　peculiar　court　for　trying　questions　of　relationship　and　descent；　such　as　this　business　of　Bertram；　which　often　involve　the　most　nice　and　complicated　questions　of　evidence。〃

〃The　devil　they　have？　I　should　think　that　rather　inconvenient；〃　said　Mannering。

〃Oh；　we　have　a　practical　remedy　for　the　theoretical　absurdity。　One　or　two　of　the　judges　act　upon　such　occasions　as　prompters　and　assessors　to　their　own　doorkeepers。　But　you　know　what　Cujacius　says；　'Multa　sunt　in　moribus　dissentanea；　multa　sine　ratione。'　＇*The　singular　inconsistency　hinted　at　is　now；　in　a　great　degree；　removed＇　However；　this　Saturnalian　court　has　done　our　business；　and　a　glorious　batch　of　claret　we　had　afterwards　at　Walker's。　Mac…Morlan　will　stare　when　he　sees　the　bill。〃

〃Never　fear