guy mannering-第5节

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w　ordinary　occasions　upon　which　Fancy　frets　herself　so　much　as　in　a　situation　like　that　of　Mannering。

As　the　light　grew　faint　and　more　faint；　and　the　morass　appeared　blacker　and　blacker；　our　traveller　questioned　more　closely　each　chance　passenger　on　his　distance　from　the　village　of　Kippletringan；　where　he　proposed　to　quarter　for　the　night。　His　queries　were　usually　answered　by　a　counter…challenge　respecting　the　place　from　whence　he　came。　While　sufficient　daylight　remained　to　show　the　dress　and　appearance　of　a　gentleman；　these　cross　interrogatories　were　usually　put　in　the　form　of　a　case　supposed；　as；　〃Ye'll　hae　been　at　the　auld　abbey　o'　Halycross；　sir？　there's　mony　English　gentlemen；　gang　to　see　that。〃Or；　〃Your　honour　will　be　come　frae　the　house　o'　Pouderloupat？〃　But　when　the　voice　of　the　querist　alone　was　distinguishable；　the　response　usually　was；　〃Where　are　ye　coming　frae　at　sic　a　time　o'　night　as　the　like　o'　this？〃or；　〃Ye'll　no　be　o'　this　country；　freend？〃　The　answers；　when　obtained；　were　neither　very　reconcilable　to　each　other；　nor　accurate　in　the　information　which　they　afforded。　Kippletringan　was　distant　at　first　〃a　gey　bit〃；　＇*　Considerable　distance＇　then　the　〃gey　bit〃　was　more　accurately　described　as　〃ablins　＇*　Perhaps＇　three　mile〃；　then　the　〃three　mile〃　diminished　into　〃like　a　mile　and　a　bittock　〃；　then　extended　themselves　into　〃four　mile　or　thereawa〃；　and；　lastly；　a　female　voice；　having　hushed　a　waiting　infant　which　the　spokeswoman　carried　in　her　arms；　assured　Guy　Mannering；　〃It　was　a　weary　lang　gate　yet　to　Kippletringan；　and　unco　heavy　road　for　foot　passengers。〃　The　poor　hack　upon　which　Mannering　was　mounted　was　probably　of　opinion　that　it　suited　him　as　ill　as　the　female　respondent；　for　he　began　to　flag　very　much；　answered　each　application　of　the　spur　with　a　groan；　and　stumbled　at　every　stone　（and　they　were　not　few）　which　lay　in　his　road。

Mannering　now　grew　impatient。　He　was　occasionally　betrayed　into　a　deceitful　hope　that　the　end　of　his　journey　was　near；　by　the　apparition　of　a　twinkling　light　or　two；　but；　as　he　came　up；　he　was　disappointed　to　find　that　the　gleams　proceeded　from　some　of　those　farm…houses　which　occasionally　ornamented　the　surface　of　the　extensive　bog。　At　length；　to　complete　his　perplexity；　he　arrived　at　a　place　where　the　road　divided　into　two。　If　there　had　been　light　to　consult　the　relics　of　a　finger…post　which　stood　there；　it　would　have　been　of　little　avail；　as；　according　to　the　good　custom　of　North　Britain；　the　inscription　had　been　defaced　shortly　after　its　erection。　Our　adventurer　was　therefore　compelled；　like　a　knight…errant　of　old；　to　trust　to　the　sagacity　of　his　horse；　which；　without　any　demur；　chose　the　left…hand　path；　and　seemed　to　proceed　at　a　somewhat　livelier　pace　than　before；　affording　thereby　a　hope　that　he　knew　he　was　drawing　near　to　his　quarters　for　the　evening。　This　hope；　however；　was　not　speedily　accomplished；　and　Mannering；　whose　impatience　made　every　furlong　seem　three；　began　to　think　that　Kippletringan　was　actually　retreating　before　him　in　proportion　to　his　advance。

It　was　now　very　cloudy；　although　the　stars；　from　time　to　time；　shed　a　twinkling　and　uncertain　light。　Hitherto　nothing　had　broken　the　silence　around　him；　but　the　deep　cry　of　the　bog…blitter；　or　bull…of…the…bog；　a　large　species　of　bittern；　and　the　sighs　of　the　wind　as　it　passed　along　the　dreary　morass。　To　these　was　now　joined　the　distant　roar　of　the　ocean；　towards　which　the　traveller　seemed　to　be　fast　approaching。　This　was　no　circumstance　to　make　his　mind　easy。　Many　of　the　roads　in　that　country　lay　along　the　sea…beach；　and　were　liable　to　be　flooded　by　the　tides；　which　rise　with　great　height；and　advance　with　extreme　rapidity。　Others　were　intersected　with　creeks　and　small　inlets；　which　it　was　only　safe　to　pass　at　particular　times　of　the　tide。　Neither　circumstance　would　have　suited　a　dark　night；　a　fatigued　horse；　and　a　traveller　ignorant　of　his　road。　Mannering　resolved；　therefore；　definitely　to　halt　for　the　night　at　the　first　inhabited　place；　however　poor；　he　might　chance　to　reach；　unless　he　could　procure　a　guide　to　this　unlucky　village　of　Kippletringan。

A　miserable　hut　gave　him　an　opportunity　to　execute　his　purpose。　He　found　out　the　door　with　no　small　difficulty；　and　for　some　time　knocked　without　producing　any　other　answer　than　a　duet　between　a　female　and　a　cur…dog；　the　latter　yelping　as　if　he　would　have　barked　his　heart　out；　the　other　screaming　in　chorus。　By　degrees　the　human　tones　predominated；　but　the　angry　bark　of　the　cur　being　at　the　instant　changed　into　a　howl；　it　is　probable　something　more　than　fair　strength　of　lungs　had　contributed　to　the　ascendency。

〃Sorrow　be　in　your　thrapple　＇*Throat＇　then　these　were　the　first　articulate　words；〃will　ye　no　let　me　hear　what　the　man　wants；　wi'　your　yaffing？〃　＇*　Barking＇

〃Am　I　far　from　Kippletringan；　good　dame？〃

〃Frae　Kippletringan！！！〃　in　an　exalted　tone　of　wonder；　which　we　can　but　faintly　express　by　three　points　of　admiration；　〃Ow；　man！　ye　should　hae　hadden　eassel　to　Kippletringanye　maun　gae　back　as　far　as　the　Whaap；　and　haud　the　Whaap　＇*The　Hope；　often　pronounced　Whaap；　is　the　sheltered　part　or　hollow　of　the　hill　Hoff；　howff；　haaf；　and　haven；　are　all　modifications　of　the　same　word。＇　till　ye　come　to　Ballenloan；　and　then〃

〃This　will　never　do；　good　dame！　my　horse　is　almost　quite　knocked　up　can　you　not　give　me　a　night's　lodgings？〃

〃Troth　can　I　noI　am　a　lone　woman；　for　James　he's　awa　to　Drumshourloch　fair　with　the　year…aulds；　and　I　daurna　for　my　life　open　the　door　to　ony　o'　your　gang…there…out　sort　o'　bodies。〃

〃But　what　must　I　do　then；　good　dame？　for　I　can't　sleep　here　upon　the　road　all　night。〃

〃Troth；　I　kenna；　unless　ye　like　to　gae　down　and　speer　＇*Ask＇　for　quarters　at　the　Place。　I'se　warrant　they'll　tak　ye　in；　whether　ye　be　gentle　or　semple。〃

〃Simple　enough；　to　be　wandering　here　at　such　a　time　of　night；〃　thought　Mannering；　who　was　ignorant　of　the　meaning　of　the　phrase；　〃but　how　shall　I　get　to　the　place；　as　you　call　it？〃

〃Ye　maun　haud　wessel　by　the　end　o'　the　loan；　and　take　tent　o'　the　jaw…hole。〃

〃Oh；　if　ye　get　to　eassel　and　wessel　＇*Eastward　and　Westward＇　again；　I　am　undone！Is　there　nobody　that　could　guide　me　to　this　place？　I　will　pay　him　handsomely。〃

The　ward　pay　operated　like　magic。　〃Jock；　ye　villain；〃　exclaimed　the　voice　from　the　interior；　〃are　ye　lying　routing　there；　and　a。　young　gentleman　seeking　the　way　to　the　Place？　Get　up；　ye　fause　loon；　＇*Young　fellow＇　and　show　him　the　way　down　the　muckle　loaning。　He'll　show　you　the　way；　sir；　and　I'se　warrant　ye'll　be　weel　put　up；　for　they　never　turn　awa　naebody　frae　the　door；　and　ye'll　be　come　in　the　canny　moment；　I'm　thinking；　for　the　Laird's　servant　that's　no　to　say　his　body…servant；　but　the　helper　likerade　express　by　this　e'en　to　fetch　the　houdie；　＇*Midwife＇　and　he　just　staid　the　drinking　o'　twa　pints　o'　tippenny；　to　tell　us　how　my　leddy　was　ta'en　wi'　her　pains。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Mannering；　〃at　such　a　time　a　stranger's　arrival　might　be　inconvenient？〃

〃Hout；　na；　ye　needna　be　blate　about　that；　their　house　is　muckle　eneugh；　and　clecking　＇*Hatching　time＇　time's　aye　canty　time。〃

By　this　time　Jock　had　found　his　way　into　all　the　intricacies　of　a　tattered　doublet；　and　more　tattered　pair　of　breeches；　and　sallied　forth；　a　great　white…headed；　bare…legged；　lubberly　boy　of　twelve　years　old；　so　exhibited　by　the　glimpse　of　a　rush…light；　which　his　half…naked　mother　held　in　such　a　manner　as　to　get　a　peep　at　the　stranger；　without　greatly　exposing　herself　to　view　in　return。　Jock　moved　on　westward；　by　the　end　of　the　house；　leading　Mannering's　horse　by　the　bridle；　and　piloting；　with　some　dexterity；　along　the　little　path　which　bordered　the　formidable　jaw…hole；　whose　vicinity　the　stranger　was　made　sensible　of　by　means　of　more　organs　than　one。　His　guide　then　dragged　the　weary　hack　along　a　broken　and　stony　cart…track；　next　over　a　ploughed　field；　then　broke　down　a　slap；　＇*A　gap＇　as　he　called　it；　in　a　dry…stone　fence；　and　lugged　the　unresisting　animal　through　the　breach；　about　a　rood　of　the　simple　masonry　giving　way　in　the　splutter　with　which　he　passed。　Finally；　he　led　the　way；　through　a　wicket；　into　something　which　had　still　the　air　of　an　avenue；　though　many　of　the　trees　were　felled。　The　roar　of　the　ocean　was　now　near　and　full；　and　the　moon；　which　began　to　make　her　appearance；　gleamed　on　a　turreted　and　apparently　a　ruined　mansion；　of　considerable　extent。　Mannering　fixed　his　eyes　upon　it　with　a　disconsolate　sensation。

〃Why；　my　little　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　a　ruin；　not　a　house？〃

〃Ah；　but　the　lairds　lived　there　langsynethat's　Ellangowan　Auld　Place；　there's　a　hantle　bogles　＇*Ghosts＇　about　itbut　ye　needna　be　fearedI　never　saw　ony　mysell；　and　we're　just　at　the　door　o'　the　New　Place。〃

Accordingly；　leaving　the　ruins　on　the　right；　a　few　steps　brought　the　traveller　in　front　of　a　modern　house　of　moderate　size；　at　which　his　guide　rapped　with　great　importance。　Mannering　told　his　circumstances　to　the　servant；　and　the　gentleman　of　the　house；　who　heard　his　tale　from　the　parlour；　stepped　forward；　and　welcomed　the　stranger　hospitably　to　Ellangowan。　The　boy；　made　happy　with　half　a　crown；　was　dismissed　to　his　cottage；　the　weary　horse　was　conducted　to　a　stall；　and　Mannering　found　himself　in　a　few　minutes　seated　by　a　comfortable　suppe