guy mannering-第38节

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　but　constructed　out　of　their　fragments。〃　Having　thus　moralised；　he　remembered　that　he　was　hungry；　and　pursued　his　walk　to　a　small　public…house　at　which　he　proposed　to　get　some　refreshment。

The　alehouse；　for　it　was　no　better；　was　situated　in　the　bottom　of　a　little　dell；　through　which　trilled　a　small　rivulet。　It　was　shaded　by　a　large　ash　tree；　against　which　the　clay…built　shed；　that　served　the　purpose　of　a　stable；　was　erected；　and　upon　which　it　seemed　partly　to　recline。　In　this　shed　stood　a　saddled　horse；　employed　in　eating　his　corn。　The　cottages　in　this　part　of　Cumberland　partake　of　the　rudeness　which　characterises　those　of　Scotland。　The　outside　of　the　house　promised　little　for　the　interior；　notwithstanding　the　vaunt　of　a　sign；　where　a　tankard　of　ale　voluntarily　decanted　itself　into　a　tumbler；　and　a　hieroglyphical　scrawl　below　attempted　to　express　a　promise　of　〃good　entertainment　for　man　and　horse。〃　Brown　was　no　fastidious　travellerhe　stopped　and　entered　the　cabaret　＇*　See　Note　1。　Mumps's　Ha'。＇

The　first　object　which　caught。　his　eye　in　the　kitchen　was　a　tall；　stout；　country…looking　man；　in　a　large　jockey　great…coat；　the　owner　of　the　horse　which　stood　in　the　shed；　who　was　busy　discussing　huge　slices　of　cold　boiled　beef；　and　casting　from　time　to　time　an　eye　through　the　window；　to　see　how　his　steed　sped　with　his　provender。　A　large　tankard　of　ale　flanked　his　plate　of　victuals；　to　which　he　applied　himself　by　intervals。　The　good　woman　of　the　house　was　employed　in　baking。　The　fire；　as　is　usual　in　that　country；　was　on　a　stone　hearth；　in　the　midst　of　an　immensely　large　chimney；　which　had　two　seats　extended　beneath　the　vent。　On　one　of　these　sat　a　remarkably　tall　woman；　in　a　red　cloak　and　slouched　bonnet；　having　the　appearance　of　a　tinker　or　beggar。　She　was　busily　engaged　with　a　short　black　tobacco…pipe。

At　the　request　of　Brown　for　some　food；　the　landlady　wiped　with　her　mealy　apron　one　corner　of　the　deal　table；　placed　a　wooden　trencher　and　knife　and　fork　before　the　traveller；　pointed　to　the　round　of　beef；　recommended　Mr。　Dinmont's　good　example；　and；　finally；　filled　a　brown　pitcher　with　her　home…brewed。　Brown　lost　no　time　in　doing　ample　credit　to　both。　For　a　while；　his　opposite　neighbour　and　he　were　too　busy　to　take　much　notice　of　each　other；　except　by　a　good…humoured　nod　as　each　in　turn　raised　the　tankard　to　his　head。　At　length；　when　our　pedestrian　began　to　supply　the　wants　of　little　Wasp；　the　Scotch　storefarmer；　for　such　was　Mr。　Dinmont；　found　himself　at　leisure　to　enter　into　conversation。

〃A　bonny　terrier　that；　sirand　a　fell　＇*Fiery＇　chield　at　the　vermin；　I　warrant　himthat　is；　if　he's　been　weel　entered；　for　it　a'　lies　in　that。〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　said　Brown；　〃his　education　has　been　somewhat　neglected；　and　his　chief　property　is　being　pleasant　companion。〃

〃Ay；　sir？　that's　a　pity；　begging　your　pardonit's　great　pity　thatbeast　or　body；　education　should　aye　be　minded。　I　have　six　terriers　at　hame；　forbye　twa　couple　of　slow…hunds；　five　grews；　＇*Greyhounds＇　and　a　wheen　＇*Few＇　other　dogs。　There's　auld　Pepper　and　auld　Mustard；　and　young　Pepper　and　young　Mustard；　and　little　Pepper　and　little　MustardI　had　them　a'　regularly　entered；　first　wi'　rottens　＇*Rats＇then　wi'　stots　or　weaselsand　then　wi'　the　tods　and　brocks　＇*Badgers＇and　now　they　fear　naething　that　ever　cam　wi'　a　hairy　skin　on't。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt；　sir；　they　are　thoroughbredbut；　to　have　so　many　dogs；　you　seem　to　have　a　very　limited　variety　of　names　for　them？〃

〃Oh；　that's　a　fancy　o'　my　ain　to　mark　the　breed　sir；　the　Deuke　himself　has　sent　as　far　as　Charlies　hope　to　get　ane　o'　Dandie　Dinmont's　Pepper　and　Mustard　terriersLord；　man；　he　sent　Tam　Hudson　＇*　The　real　name　of　this　veteran　sportsman　is　now　restored＇　the　keeper；　and　sicken　a　day　as　we　had　wi'　the　foumarts　＇*Polecats＇　and　the　tods；　and　sicken　a　blythe　gaedown　as　we　had　again　e'en！　Faith；　that　was　a　night！

〃I　suppose　game　is　very　plenty　with　you？〃

〃Plenty；　man！I　believe　there's　mair　hares　than　sheep　on　my　farm；　and　for　the　moor…fawl；　or　the　gray…fowl；　they　lie　as　thick　as　doos　in　a　dooketDid　ye　ever　shoot　a　black…cock；　man？〃

〃Really　I　had　never　even　the　pleasure　to　see　one；　except　in　the　museum　at　Keswick。〃

〃There　nowI　could　guess　that　by　your　Southland　tongueIt's　very　odd　of　these　English　folk　that　come　here；　how　few　of　them　has　seen　a　black…cock！　I'll　tell　you　whatye　seem　to　be　an　honest　lad；　and　if　you'll　call　on　meon　Dandie　Dinmontat　Charlies…hopeye　shall　see　a　black…cock；　and　shoot　a　black…cock；　and　eat　a　black…cock　too；　man。〃

〃Why；　the　proof　of　the　matter　is　the　eating；　to　be　sure；　sir；　and　I　shall　be　happy　if　I　can　find　time　to　accept　your　invitation。〃

〃Time；　man？　what　ails　ye　to　gae　hame　wi'　me　the　now？　How　d'ye　travel？〃

〃On　foot；　sir；　and　if　that　handsome　pony　be　yours；　I　should　find　it　impossible　to　keep　up　with　you。〃

〃No　unless　ye　can　walk　up　to　fourteen　mile　an　hour。　But　ye　can　come　ower　the　night　as　far　as　Riccarton；　where　there　is　a　publicor　if　ye　like　to　stop　at　jockey　Grieve's　at　the　Heuch；　they　would　be　blythe　to　see　ye；　and　I　am　just　gaun　to　stop　and　drink　a　dram　at　the　door　wi'　him；　and　I　would　tell　him　you're　coming　upor　staygudewife；　could　ye　lend　this　gentleman　the　gudeman's　galloway；　and　I'll　send　it　ower　the　Waste　in　the　morning　wi'　the　callant？〃　＇*Lad＇

The　galloway　was　turned　out　upon　the　fell；　and　was　swear　to　catch〃Aweel；　aweel；　there's　nae　help　for't；　but　come　up　the　morn　at　ony　rate。And　now；　gudewife；　I　maun　ride；　to　get　to　the　Liddel　or　it　be　dark；　for　your　Waste　has　but　a　kittle　＇*Ticklish＇　character；　ye　ken　yourself。〃

〃Hout　fie；　Mr。　Dinmont；　that's　no　like　you；　to　gie　the　country　an　ill　nameI　wot；　there　has　been　nane　stirred　in　the　Waste　since　Sawney　Culloch；　the　travelling…merchant；　that　Rowley　Overdees　and　Jock　Penny　suffered　for　at　Carlisle　twa　years　since。　There's　no　ane　in　Bewcastle　would　do　the　like　o'　that　nowwe　be　a'　true　folk　now。〃

〃Ay；　Tib；　that　will　be　when　the　deil's　blind；and　his　een's　no　sair　yet。　But　hear　ye；　gudewife；　I　have　been　through　maist　feck　＇*Part＇　o'　Galloway　and　Dumfriesshire；　and　I　have　been　round　by　Carlisle；　and　I　was　at　the　Staneshiebank　fair　the　day；　and　I　would　like　ill　to　be　rubbit　sae　near　hame；　so　I'll　take　the　gate。〃

〃Hae　ye　been　in　Dumfries　and　Galloway？〃　said　the　old　dame；　who　sat　smoking　by　the　fireside；　and　who　had　not　yet　spoken　a　word。

〃Troth　have　I；　gudewife；　and　a　weary　round　I've　had　o't。〃

〃Then　ye'll　maybe　ken　a　place　they　ca'　Ellangowan？

〃Ellangowan；　that　was　Mr。　Bertram'sI　ken　the　place　weel　eneugh。　The　Laird　died　about　a　fortnight　since；　as　I　heard。〃

〃Died！〃said　the　old　woman；　dropping　her　pipe；　and　rising　and　coming　forward　upon　the　floordied？are　you　sure　of　that？〃

〃Troth；　am　I；〃　said　Dinmont；　〃for　it　made　nae　sma'　noise　in　the　countryside。　He　died　just　at　the　roup　of　the　stocking　and　furniture；　it　stoppit　the　roup；　and　mony　folk　were　disappointed。　They　said　he　was　the　last　of　an　auld　family　too；　and　mony　were　sorryfor　gude　blude's　scarcer　in　Scotland　than　it　has　been。〃

〃Dead！〃　replied　the　old　woman；　whom　our　readers　have　already　recognised　as　their　acquaintance　Meg　Merrilies〃dead！　that　quits　a'　scores。　And　did　ye　say　he　died　without　an　heir？〃

〃Ay　did　he；　gudewife；　and　the　estate's　sell'd　by　the　same　token；　for　they　said；　they　couldna　have　sell'd　it；　if　there　had　been　an　heir…male。〃

〃Sell'd！〃　echoed　the　gipsy；　with　something　like　a　scream；　〃and　wha　durst　buy　Ellangowan　that　was　not　of　Bertram's　blude？and　wha　could　tell　whether　the　bonny　knave…bairn　may　not　come　back　to　claim　his　ain！wha　durst　buy　the　estate　and　the　castle　of　Ellangowan？〃

〃Troth；　gudewife；　just　ane　o'　thae　writer　chields　that　buys　a'　thingthey　ca'　him　Glossin；　I　think。〃

〃Glossin！Gibbie　Glossin！that　I　have　carried　in　my　creels　a　hundred　times；　for　his　mother　wasna　muckle　better　than　mysellhe　to　presume　to　buy　the　barony　of　Ellangowan！Gude　be　wi'　usit　is　an　awfu'　warld！I　wished　him　illbut　no　sic　a　downfa'　as　a'　that　neitherwae's　me！　wae's　me　to　think　o't！〃She　remained　a　moment　silent；　but　still　opposing　with　her　hand　the　farmer's　retreat；　who；　betwixt　every　question；　was　about　to　turn　his　back；　but　good…humouredly　stopped　on　observing　the　deep　interest　his　answers　appeared　to　excite。

〃It　will　be　seen　and　heard　ofearth　and　sea　will　not　hold　their　peace　langer！Can　ye　say　if　the　same　man　be　now　the　Sheriff　of　the　county　that　has　been　sae　for　some　years　past？〃

〃Na；　he's　got　some　other　berth　in　Edinburgh；　they　saybut　gude　day；　gudewife；　I　maun　ride。〃　She　followed　him　to　his　horse；　and；　while　he　drew　the　births　of　his　saddle；　adjusted　the　walise；　and　put　on　the　bridle；　still　plied　him　with　questions　concerning　Mr。　Bertram's　death；　and　the　fate　of　his　daughter；　on　which；　however；　she　could　obtain　little　information　from　the　honest　farmer。

〃Did　ye　ever　see　a　place　they　ca'　Derncleugh；　about　a　mile　frae　the　Place　of　Ellangowan？〃

〃I　wot　weel　have　I；　gudewife；a　wild…looking　den　it　is；　wi'　a　wheen　auld　wa's　o'　shealins　sonderI　saw　it　when　I　gaed　ower　the　ground　wi'　ane　that　wanted　to　take　the　farm。〃

It　was　a　blythe　bit　ance　said　Meg；　speaking　to　herself；〃Did　ye　notice　if　there　was　an　auld　saugh　＇*Willow＇　tree　that's　maist　blawn　down；　but　yet　its　roots　are　in　the　earth；　and　it　hangs　ower　the　bit　burnmony　a　day　hae　I　wro