guy mannering-第32节

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　aid　his　plea；　yet　how　to　extricate　myself　from　this　unhappy　labyrinth；　in　which　fate　and　folly　have　entangled　us　both！

〃I　have　thought；　upon　it；　Matilda；　till　my　head　is　almost　giddynor　can　I　conceive　a　better　plan　than　to　make　a　full　confession　to　my　father。　He　deserves　it；　for　his　kindness　is　unceasing；　and　I　think　I　have　observed　in　his　character；　since　I　have　studied　it　more　nearly；　that　his　harsher　feelings　are　chiefly　excited　where　he　suspects　deceit　or　imposition；　and　in　that　respect；　perhaps；　his　character　was　formerly　misunderstood　by　one　who　was　dear　to　him。　He　has；　too；　a　tinge　of　romance　in　his　disposition；　and　I　have　seen　the　narrative　of　a　generous　action；　a　trait　of　heroism；　or　virtuous　self…denial；　extract　tears　from　him；　which　refused　to　flow　at　a　tale　of　mere　distress。　But　then；　Brown　urges；　that　he　is　personally　hostile　to　himAnd　the　obscurity　of　his　birththat　would　be　indeed　a　stumbling…block。　O　Matilda；　I　hope　none　of　your　ancestors　ever　fought　at　Poictiers　or　Agincourt！　If　it　were　not　for　the　veneration　which　my　father　attaches　to　the　memory　of　old　Sir　Miles　Mannering；　I　should　make　out　my　explanation　with　half　the　tremor　which　must　now　attend　it。〃


Seventh　Extract。

〃I　have　this　instant　received　your　letteryour　most　welcome　letter！Thanks；　my　dearest　friend；　for　your　sympathy　and　your　counselsI　can　only　repay　them　with　unbounded　confidence。

〃You　ask　me；　what　Brown　is　by　origin；　that　his　descent　should　be　so　displeasing　to　my　father。　His　story　is　shortly　told。　He　is　of　Scottish　extraction；　but；　being　left　an　orphan；　his　education　was　undertaken　by　a　family　of　relations；　settled　in　Holland。　He　was　bred　to　commerce；　and　sent　very　early　to　one　of　our　settlements　in　the　East；　where　his　guardian　had　a　correspondent。　But　this　correspondent　was　dead　when　he　arrived　in　India；　and　he　had　no　other　resource　than　to　offer　himself　as　a　clerk　to　a　counting…house。　The　breaking　out　of　the　war；　and　the　straits　to　which　we　were　at　first　reduced；　threw　the　army　open　to　all　young　men　who　were　disposed　to　embrace　that　mode　of　life；　and　Brown；　whose　genius　had　a　strong　military　tendency；　was　the　first　to　leave　what　might　have　been　the　road　to　wealth；　and　to　choose　that　of　fame。　The　rest　of　his　history　is　well　known　to　you；　but　conceive　the　irritation　of　my　father；　who　despises　commerce　（though；　by　the　way；　the　best　part　of　his　property　was　made　in　that　honourable　profession　by　my　great…uncle）；　and　has　a　particular　antipathy　to　the　Dutch；　think　with　what　ear　he　would　be　likely　to　receive　proposals　for　his　only　child　from　Vanbeest　Brown；　educated　for　charity　by　the　house　of　Vanbeest　and　Vanbruggen！　O　Matilda；　it　will　never　donay；　so　childish　am　I；　I　hardly　can　help　sympathising　with　his　aristocratic　feelings。　Mrs。　Vanbeest　Brown！　The　name　has　little　to　recommend　it；　to　be　sure。What　children　we　are！〃


EIGHTH　EXTRACT。

〃It　is　all　over　now；　Matilda！I　shall　never　have　courage　to　tell　my　fathernay；　most　deeply　do　I　fear　he　has　already　learned　my　secret　from　another　quarter；　which　will　entirely　remove　the　grace　of　my　communication；　and　ruin　whatever　gleam　of　hope　I　had　ventured　to　connect　with　it。　Yesternight；　Brown　came　as　usual；　and　his　flageolet　on　the　lake　announced　his　approach。　We　had　agreed；　that　he　should　continue　to　use　this　signal。　These　romantic　lakes　attract　numerous　visitors；　who　indulge　their　enthusiasm　in　visiting　the　scenery　at　all　hours；　and　we　hoped；　thatif　Brown　were　noticed　from　the　house；　he　might　pass　for　one　of　those　admirers　of　nature；　who　was　giving　vent　to　his　feelings　through　the　medium　of　music。　The　sounds　might　also　be　my　apology；　should　I　be　observed　on　the　balcony。　But　last　night；　while　I　was　eagerly　enforcing　my　plan　of　a　full　confession　to　my　father；　which　he　as　earnestly　deprecated；　we　heard　the　window　of　Mr。　Mervyn's　library；　which　is　under　my　room；　open　softly。　I　signed　to　Brown　to　make　his　retreat；　and　immediately　re…entered；　with　some　faint　hopes　that　our　interview　had　not　been　observed。

〃But；　alas！　Matilda；　these　hopes　vanished　the　instant　I　beheld　Mr。　Mervyn's　countenance　at　breakfast　the　next　morning。　He　looked　so　provokingly　intelligent　and　confidential；　that；　had　I　dared；　I　could　have　been　more　angry　than　ever　I　was　in　my　life；　but　I　must　be　on　good　behaviour；　and　my　walks　are　now　limited　within　his　farm　precincts；　where　the　good　gentleman　can　amble　along　by　my　side　without　inconvenience。　I　have　detected　him　once　or　twice　attempting　to　sound　my　thoughts；　and　watch　the　expression　of　my　countenance。　He　has　talked　of　the　flageolet　more　than　once；　and　has；　at　different　times；　made　eulogiums　upon　the　watchfulness　and　ferocity　of　his　dogs；　and　the　regularity　with　which　the　keeper　makes　his　rounds　with　a　loaded　fowling…piece。　He　mentioned　even　man…traps　and　spring…guns。　I　should　be　loath　to　affront　my　father's　old　friend　in　his　own　house；　but　I　do　long　to　show　him　that　I　am　my　father's　daughter；　a　fact　of　which　Mr。　Mervyn　will　certainly　be　convinced；　if　ever　I　trust　my　voice　and　temper　with　a　reply　to　these　indirect　hints。　Of　one　thing　I　am　certainI　am　grateful　to　him　on　that　accounthe　has　not　told　Mrs。　Mervyn。　Lord　help　me；　I　should　have　had　such　lectures　about　the　dangers　of　love　and　the　night　air　on　the　lake；　the　risk　arising　from　colds　and　fortune…hunters；　the　comfort　and　convenience　of　sack…whey　and　closed　windows！I　cannot　help　trifling；　Matilda；　though　my　heart　is　sad　enough　What　Brown　will　do　I　cannot　guess。　I　presume　however；　the　fear　of　detection　prevents　his　resuming　his　nocturnal　visits。　He　lodges　at　an　inn　on　the　opposite　shore　of　the　lake；　under　the　name；　he　tells　me；　of　Dawsonhe　has　a　bad　choice　in　names；　that　be　allowed。　He　has　not　left　the　army；　I　believe；　but　he　says　nothing　of　his　present　views。

〃To　complete　my　anxiety；　my　father　is　returned　suddenly；　and　in　high　displeasure。　Our　good　hostess；　as　I　learned　from　a　bustling　conversation　between　her　housekeeper　and　her；　had　no　expectation　of　seeing　him　for　a　week；　but　I　rather　suspect　his　arrival　was　no　surprise　to　his　friend　Mr。　Mervyn。　His　manner　to　me　was　singularly　cold　and　constrainedsufficiently　so　to　have　damped　all　the　courage　with　which　I　once　resolved　to　throw　myself　on　his　generosity。　He　lays　the　blame　of　his　being　discomposed　and　out　of　humour　to　the　loss　of　a　purchase　in　the　south…west　of　Scotland；　on　which　he　had　set　his　heart；　but　I　do　not　suspect　his　equanimity　of　being　so　easily　thrown　off　its　balance。　His　first　excursion　was　with　Mr。　Mervyn's　barge　across　the　lake；　to　the　inn　I　have　mentioned。　You　may　imagine　the　agony　with　which　I　waited　his　returnHad　he　recognised　Brown；　who　can　guess　the　consequence！　He　returned；　however；　apparently　without　having　made　any　discovery。　I　understand；　that　in　consequence　of　his　late　disappointment；　he　means　now　to　hire　a　house　in　the　neighbourhood　of　this　same　Ellangowan；　of　which　I　am　doomed　to　hear　so　muchhe　seems　to　think　it　probable　that　the　estate　for　which　he　wishes　may　soon　be　again　in　the　market。　I　will　not　send　away　this　letter　until　I　hear　more　distinctly　what　are　his　intentions。〃

〃I　have　now　had　an　interview　with　my　father；　as　confidential　as；　I　presume；　he　means　to　allow　me。　He　requested　me　today；　after　breakfast；　to　walk　with　him　into　the　library；　my　knees；　Matilda；　shook　under　me；　and　it　is　no　exaggeration　to　say；　I　could　scarce　follow　him　into　the　room。　I　feared　I　knew　not　whatFrom　my　childhood　I　had　seen　all　around　him　tremble　at　his　frown。　He　motioned　me　to　seat　myself；　and　I　never　obeyed　a　command　so　readily；　for；　in　truth；　I　could　hardly　stand。　He　himself　continued　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room。　You　have　seen　my　father；　and　noticed；　I　recollect；　the　remarkably　expressive　cast　of　his　features。　His　eyes　are　naturally　rather　light　in　colour；　but　agitation　or　anger　gives　them　a　darker　and　more　fiery　glance；　he　has　a　custom　also　of　drawing　in　his　lips；　when　much　moved；　which　implies　a　combat　between　native　ardour　of　temper　and　the　habitual　power　of　self…command。　This　was　the　first　time　we　had　been　alone　since　his　return　from　Scotland；　and；　as　he　betrayed　these　tokens　of　agitation；　I　had　little　doubt　that　he　was　about　to　enter　upon　the　subject　I　most　dreaded。

〃To　my　unutterable　relief；　I　found　I　was　mistaken；　and　that　whatever　he　knew　of　Mr。　Mervyn's　suspicions　or　discoveries；　he　did　not　intend　to　converse　with　me　on　the　topic。　Coward　as　I　was；　I　was　inexpressibly　relieved；　though　if　he　had　really　investigated　the　reports　which　may　have　come　to　his　ear；　the　reality　could　have　been　nothing　to　what　his　suspicions　might　have　conceived。　But；　though　my　spirits　rose　high　at　my　unexpected　escape；　I　had　hot　courage　myself　to　provoke　the　discussion；　and　remained　silent　to　receive　his　commands。

〃'Julia；'　he　said；　'my　agent　writes　me　from　Scotland；　that　he　has　been　able　to　hire　a　house　for　me；　decently　furnished；　and　with　the　necessary　accommodation　for　my　familyit　is　within　three　miles　of　that　I　had　designed　to　purchase'　Then　he　made　a　pause；　and　seemed　to　expect　an　answer。

〃'Whatever　place　of　residence　suits　you；　sir；　must　be　perfectly　agreeable　to　me。'

〃'Umph！I　do　not　propose；　however；　Julia；　that　you　shall　reside　quite　alone　in　this　house　during　the　winter。'

〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Mervyn；　thought　I　to　myself。'Whatever　company　is　agreeable　to　you；　sir；'　I　answ