guy mannering-第50节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　and　a　sworn　enemy　to　the　slightest　shade　of　coquetry。

〃Well；　Matilda；　Hazlewood　heard　this　same　half…audible　sigh；　and　instantly　repented　his　temporary　attentions　to　such　an　unworthy　object　as　your　Julia；　and；　with　a　very　comical　expression　of　consciousness；　drew　near　to　Lucy's　work…table。　He　made　some　trifling　observation；　and　her　reply　was　one　in　which　nothing　but　an　ear　as　acute　as　that　of　a　lover；　or　a　curious　observer　like　myself；　could　have　distinguished　anything　more　cold　and　dry　than　usual。　But　it　conveyed　reproof　to　the　self…accusing　hero；　and　he　stood　abashed　accordingly。　You　will　admit　that　I　was　called　upon　in　generosity　to　act　as　mediator。　So　I　mingled　in　the　conversation；　in　the　quiet　tone　of　an　unobserving　and　uninterested　third　party；　led　them　into　their　former　habits　of　easy　chat；　and；　after　having　served　awhile　as　the　channel　of　communication　through　which　they　chose　to　address　each　other；　set　them　down　to　a　pensive　game　at　chess；　and　very　dutifully　went　to　tease　papa；　who　was　still　busied　with　his　drawings。　The　chess…players；　you　must　observe；　were　placed　near　the　chimney；　beside　a　little　work…table；　which　held　the　board　and　men；　the　Colonel；　at　some　distance；　with　lights　upon　a　library　table；for　it　is　a　large　old…fashioned　room；　with　several　recesses；　and　hung　with　grim　tapestry；　representing　what　it　might　have　puzzled　the　artist　himself　to　explain。

'Is　chess　a　very　interesting　game；　papa？'

'I　am　told　so；'　without　honouring　me　with　much　of　his　notice。　　〃'I　should　think　so；　from　the　attention　Mr。　Hazlewood　and　Lucy　are　bestowing　on　it。'

〃He　raised　his　head　hastily；　and　held　his　pencil　suspended　for　an　instant。　Apparently　he　saw　nothing　that　excited　his　suspicions；　for　he　was　resuming　the　folds　of　a　Mahratta's　turban　in　tranquility；　when　I　interrupted　him　with'How　old　is　Miss　Bertram；　sir？'

'How　should　I　know；　Miss？　about　your　own　age；　I　suppose。'

〃'Older；　I　should　think；　sir。　You　are　always　telling　me　how　much　more　decorously　she　goes　through　all　the　honours　of　the　tea…tableLord；　papa；　what　if　you　should　give　her　a　right　to　preside　once　and　for　ever！'

'Julia；　my；　dear；'　returned　papa　'you　are　either　a　fool　outright；　or　you　are　more　disposed　to　make　mischief　than　I　have　yet　believed　you。'

〃'Oh；　my　dear。　sir！　put　your　best　construction　upon　itI　would　not　be　thought。　a。　fool　for　all　the　world。　'

'Then　why　do　you　talk　like　one？'　said　my　father。

'Lord；　sir；　I　am　sure　there　is　nothing　so　foolish　in　what　I　said　just　noweverybody　knows　you　are　a　very　handsome　man'　（a　smile　was　just　visible）；　'that　is；　for　your　time　of　life'　（the　dawn　was　over…cast）；　'which　is　far　from　being　advanced；　and　I　am　sure　I　don't　know　why　you　should　not　please　yourself；　if　you　have　a　mind。　I　am　sensible　I　am　but　a　thoughtless　girl；　and　if　a　graver　companion　could　render　you　more　happy'

〃There　was　a　mixture　of　displeasure　and　grave　affection　in　the　manner　in　which　my　father　took　my　hand；　that　was　a　severe　reproof　to　me　for　trifling　with　his　feelings。　'Julia；'　he　said；　'I　bear　with　much　of　your　petulance；　because　I　think　I　have　in　some　degree　deserved　it；　by　neglecting　to　superintend　your　education　sufficiently　closely。　Yet　I　would　not　have　you　give　it　the　rein　upon　a　subject　so　delicate。　If　you　do　not　respect　the　feelings　of　your　surviving　parent　towards　the　memory　of　her　whom　you　have　lost；　attend　at　least　to　the　sacred　claims　of　misfortune；　and　observe；　that　the　slightest　hint　of　such　a　jest　reaching　Miss　Bertram's　ears　would　at　once　induce　her　to　renounce　her　present　asylum；　and　go　forth；　without　a　protector；　into　a　world　she　has　already　felt　so　unfriendly。'

'What　could　I　say　to　this；　Matilda？I　only　cried　heartily；　begged　pardon；　and　promised　to　be　a　good　girl　in　future。　And　so　here　am　I　neutralised　again；　for　I　cannot；　in　honour；　or　common　good…nature；　tease　poor　Lucy　by　interfering　with　Hazlewood；　although　she　has　so　little　confidence　in　me；　and　neither　can　I；　after　this　grave　appeal；　venture　again　upon　such　delicate　ground　with　papa。　So　I　burn　little　rolls　of　paper；　and　sketch　Turks'　heads　upon　visiting　cards　with　the　blackened　endI　assure　you　I　succeeded　in　making　a　superb　Hyder…Ally　last　nightand　I　jingle　on　my　unfortunate　harpsichord；　and　begin　at　the　end　of　a　grave　book　and　read　it　backward。After　all；　I　begin　to　be　very　much　vexed　about　Brown's　silence。　Had　he　been　obliged　to　leave　the　country；　I　am　sure　he　would　at　least　have　written　to　meIs　it　possible　that　my　father　can　have　intercepted　his　letters？　But　nothat　is　contrary　to　all　his　principlesI　don't　think　he　would　open　a　letter　addressed　to　me　to…night；　to　prevent　my　jumping　out　of　window　to…morrowWhat　an　expression　I　have　suffered　to　escape　my　pen！　I　should　he　ashamed　of　it；　even　to　you；　Matilda；　and　used　in　jest。　But　I　need　not　take　much　merit　for　acting　as　I　ought　to　do；　this　same　Mr。　Vanbeest　Brown　is　by　no　means　so　very　ardent　a　lover　as　to　hurry　the　object　of　his　attachment　into　such　inconsiderate　steps。　He　gives　one　full　time　to　reflect；　that　must　be　admitted。　However；　I　will　not　blame　him　unheard；　nor　permit　myself　to　doubt　the　manly　firmness　of　a　character　which　I　have　so　often　extolled　to　you。　Were　he　capable　of　doubt；　of　fear；　of　the　shadow　of　change；　I　should　have　little　to　regret。

〃And　why；　you　will　say；　when　I　expect　such　steady　and　unalterable　constancy　from　a　lover；　why　should　I　be　anxious　about　what　Hazlewood　does；　or　to　whom　he　offers　his　attentions？I　ask　myself　the　questions　a　hundred　times　a　day；　and　it　only　receives　the　very　silly　answer；　that　one　does　not　like　to　be　neglected；　though　one　would　not　encourage　a　serious　infidelity。

〃I　write　all　these　trifles；　because　you　say　that　they　amuse　you；and　yet　I　wonder　how　they　should。　I　remember；　in　our　stolen　voyages　to　the　world　of　fiction；　you　always　admired　the　grand　and　the　romantictales　of　knights；　dwarfs；　giants；　and　distressed　damsels；　soothsayers；　visions；　beckoning　ghosts；　and　bloody　hands；whereas　I　was　partial　to　the　involved　intrigues　of　private　life；　or　at　furthest；　to　so　much　only　of　the　supernatural　as　is　conferred　by　the　agency　of　an　Eastern　genie　or　a　beneficent　fairy。　You　would　have　loved　to　shape　your　course　of　life　over　the　broad　ocean；　with　its　dead　calms　and　howling　tempests；　its；　tornadoes；　and　its　billows　mountain…high；whereas　I　should　like　to　trim　my　little　pinnace　to　a　brisk　breeze　in　some　inland　lake　or　tranquil　bay　where　there　was　just　difficulty　of　navigation　sufficient　to　give　interest　and　to　require　skill；　without　any　sensible　degree　of　danger。　So　that；　upon　the　whole；　Matilda；　I　think　you　should　have　had　my　father；　with　his　pride　of　arms　and　of　ancestry；　his　chivalrous　point　of　honour；　his　high　talents；　and　his　abstruse　and　mystic　studiesYou　should　have　had　Lucy　Bertram　too　for　your　friend；　whose　fathers；　with　names　which　alike　defy　memory　and　orthography；　ruled　over　this　romantic　country；　and　whose　birth　took　place；　as　I　have　been　indistinctly　informed；　under　circumstances　of　deep　and　peculiar　interestYou　should　have　had；　too；　our　Scottish　residence；　surrounded　by　mountains；　and　our　lonely　walks　to　haunted　ruinsAnd　I　should　have　had；　in　exchange；　the　lawns　and　shrubs；　and　greenhouses；　and　conservatories；　of　Pine　Park；　with　your；　good；　quiet；　indulgent　aunt；　her　chapel　in　the　morning；　her　nap　after　dinner；　her　hand　at　whist　in　the　evening；　not　forgetting　her　fat　coach…horses　and　fatter　coachman。　Take　notice；　however；　that　Brown　is　not　included　in　this　proposed　barter　of　minehis　good…humour；

lively　conversation；　and　open　gallantry；　suit　my　plan　of　life；　as　well　as　his　athletic　form；　handsome　features；　and　high　spirit；　would　accord　with　a　character　of　chivalry。　So　as　we　cannot　change　altogether　out　and　out；　I　think　we　must　e'en　abide　as　we　are。〃



CHAPTER　XXX。

　　I　renounce　your　defiance；　if　you　parley　so　roughly　I'll　　　barricado　my　gates　against　you。Do　you　see　yon　bay　　　window？　Storm；I　care　not；　serving　the　good　Duke　of　　　Norfolk。　　　Merry　Devil　of　Edmonton。

JULIA　MANNERING　TO　MATILDA　MARCHMC）NT。

〃I　rise　from　a　sick…bed；　my　dearest　Matlida；　to　communicate　the　strange　and　frightful　scenes　which　have　just　passed。　Alas！　how　little　we　ought　to　jest　with　futurity！　I　closed　my　letter　to　you　in　high　spirits；　with　some　flippant　remarks　on　your　taste　for　the　romantic　and　extraordinary　in　fictitious　narrative。　How　little　I　expected　to　have　had　such　events　to　record　in　the　course　of　a　few　days！　and　to　witness　scenes　of　terror；　or　to　contemplate　them　in　description；　is　as　different；　my　dearest　Matilda；　as　to　bend　over　the　brink；　of　a　precipice　holding　by　the　frail　tenure　of　a　half…rotted　shrub；　or　to　admire　the　same　precipice　as　represented　in　the　landscape　of　Salvator。　But　I　will　not　anticipate　my　narrative。

〃The　first　part　of　my　story　is　frightful　enough；　though　it　had　nothing　to　interest　my　feelings。　You　must　know　that　this　country　is　particularly　favourable　to　the　commerce　of　a　set　of　desperate　men　from　the　Isle　of　Man；　which　is　nearly　opposite。　These　smugglers　are　numerous；　resolute；　and　formidable；　and　have　at　different　times　become　the　dread　of　the　neighbourhood　when　any　one　has　interfered　with　their　contraband　trade。　The　local　magistrates；　from　timidity　or　worse　motives；　have　become　shy　of　acting　against　them；　and　impunity　has　rendered　them