guy mannering-第59节

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〃How　do　you　really　know　that　he　is　in　this　country？〃

〃Why；　Gabriel　saw　him　up　among　the　hills。〃

〃Gabriel！　who　is　he？〃

A　fellow　from　the　gipsies；　that；　about　eighteen　years　since；　was　pressed　on　board　that　d…d　fellow　Pritchard's　sloop…of…war。　It　was　he　came　off　and　gave　us　warning　that　the　Shark　was　coming　round　upon　us　the　day　Kennedy　was　done；　and　he　told　us　how　Kennedy　had　given　the　information。　The　gipsies　and　Kennedy　had　some　quarrel　besides。　This　Gab　went　to　the　East　Indies　in　the　same　ship　with　your　younker；　and；　sapperment！　knew　him　well；　though　the　other　did　not　remember　him。　Gab　kept　out　of　his　eye　though；　as　he　had　served　the　States　against　England；　and　was　a　deserter　to　boot；　and　he　sent　us　word　directly；　that　we　might　know　of　his　being　herethough　it　does　not　concern　us　a　rope's　end。〃

〃So；　then；　really；　and　in　sober　earnest；　he　is　actually　in　this　country；　Hatteraick；　between　friend　and　friend？〃　asked　Glossin　seriously。

〃Wetter　and　donner；　yawl　What　do　you　take　me　for？〃

〃For　a　bloodthirsty；　fearless　miscreant！〃　thought　Glossin　internally；　but　said　aloud；　〃And　which　of　your　people　was　it　that　shot　young　Hazlewood？〃

〃Sturm…wetter！〃　said　the　Captain；　〃do　ye　think　we　were　mad？…none　of　us；　manGott！　the　country　was　too　hot　for　the　trade　already　with　that　d…d　frolic　of　Brown's；　attacking　what　you　call　Woodbourne　House。〃

〃Why；　I　am　told；〃　said　Glossin；　〃it　was　Brown　who　shot　Hazlewood？〃

〃Not　our　lieutenant；　I　promise　you；　for　he　was　laid　six　feet　deep　at　Derncleugh　the　day　before　the　thing　happened。Tausend　deyvils；　　man　I　do　ye　think　that　he　could　rise　out　of　the　earth　to　shoot　　another　man？〃

A　light　here　began　to　break　upon　Glossin's　confusion　of　ideas。　〃Did　you　not　say　that　the　younker；　as　you　call　him；　goes　by　the　name　of　Brown

〃Of　Brown？　yaw…Vanbeest　Brown；　old　Vanbeest　Brown；　of　our　Vanbeest　and　Vanbruggen；　gave　him　his　own　namehe　did。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Glossin；　rubbing　his　hands；　〃it　is　he；　by　Heaven；　who　has　committed　this　crime！〃

〃And　what　have　we　to　do　with　that？〃　demanded　Hatteraick。

Glossin　paused；　and；　fertile　in　expedients；　hastily　ran　over　his　project　in　his　own　mind；　and　then　drew　near　the　smuggler　with　a　confidential　air。　〃You　know；　my　dear　Hatteraick；　it　is　our　principal　business　to　get　rid　of　this　young　man？〃

〃Umph！〃　answered　Dirk　Hatteraick…。

〃Not；〃　continued　Glossin〃not　that　I　would　wish　any　personal　harm　to　himififif　we　can　do　without。　Now；　he　is　liable　to　be　seized　upon　by　justice；　both　as　bearing　the　same　name　with　your　lieutenant；　who　was　engaged　in　that　affair　at　Woodbourne；　and　for　firing　at　young　Hazlewood　with　intent　to　kill　or　wound。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　said　Dirk　Hatteraick；　〃but　what　good　will　that　do　you？　He'll　be　loose　again　as　soon　as　he　shows　himself　to　carry　other　colours。〃

〃True；　my　dear　Dirk；　well　noticed；　my　friend　Hatteraick！　But　there　is　ground　enough　for　a　temporary　imprisonment　till　he　fetch　his　proofs　from　England　or　elsewhere；　my　good　friend。　I　understand　the　law；　Captain　Hatteraick；　and　I'll　take　it　upon　me；　simple　Gilbert　Glossin　of　Ellangowan；　justice　of　peace　for　the　county　of；　to　refuse　his　bail；　if　he　should　offer　the　best　in　the　country；　until　he　is　brought　up　for　a　second　examinationnow　where　d'ye　think　I'll　incarcerate　him？

〃Hagel　and　wetter！　what　do　I　care？〃

〃Stay；　my　friendyou　do　care　a　great　deal。　Do　you　know　your　goods；　that　were　seized　and　carried　to　Woodbourne；　are　now　lying　in　the　Custom…house　at　Portanferry？〃　（a　small　fishing…town）。〃Now　I　will　commit　this　younker〃

〃When　you　have　caught　him？〃

〃Ay；　ay；　when　I　have　caught　him；　I　shall　not　be　long　about　thatI　will　commit　him　to　the　Workhouse；　or　Bridewell；　which　you　know　is　beside　the　Custom…house。〃

〃Yaw；　the　Rasp…house；　I　know　it　very　well。〃

〃I　will　take　care　that　the　red…coats　are　dispersed　through　the　country；　you　land　at　night　with　the　crew　of　your　lugger；　receive　your　own　goods；　and　carry　the　younker　Brown　with　you　back　to　Flushing。　Won't　that　do？〃

〃Ay；　carry　him　to　Flushing；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃orto　America？〃

〃Ay；　ay；　my　friend。〃

〃Orto　Jericho？〃

〃Psha！　Wherever　you　have　a　mind。〃

〃Ay；　orpitch　him　overboard？〃

〃Nay；　I　advise　no　violence。〃

〃Nein；　neinyou　leave　that　to　me。　Sturm…wetter！　I　know　you　of　old。　But；　hark　ye；　what　am　I；　Dirk　Hatteraick；　to　be　the　better　of　this？〃

〃Why；　is　it　not　your　interest　as　well　as　mine？〃　said　Glossin；　〃besides；　I　set　you　free　this　morning。〃

〃You　set　me　free！Donner　and　deyvil！　I　set　myself　free。　Besides；　it　was　all　in　the　way　of　your　profession；　and　happened　a　long　time　ago；　ha；　ha；　ha！〃

〃Pshaw！　pshaw！　don't　let　us　jest；　I　am　not　against　making　a　handsome　complimentbut　it's　your　affair　as　well　as　mine。〃

〃What　do　you　talk　of　my　affair？　is　it　not　you　that　keep　the　bouncer's　whole　estate　from　him？　Dirk　Hatteraick　never　touched　a　stiver　of　his　rents。〃

〃Hush…hushI　tell　you　it　shall　be　a　joint　business。〃

〃Why；　will　ye　give　me　half　the　kit？〃

〃What；　half　the　estate？d'ye　mean　。　Ye　should　set　up　house　together　at　Ellangowan；　and　take　the　barony；　ridge　about？〃

〃Sturm…wetter；　no！　but　you　might　give　me　half　the　valuehalf　the　gelt。　Live　with　you？　NeinI　would　have　a　lusthaus　of　mine　own　on　the　Middleburgh　dyke；　and　a　blumengarten　like　a　burgomaster's。〃

〃Ay；　and　a　wooden　lion　at　the　door；　and　a　painted　sentinel　in　the　garden；　with　a　pipe　in　his　mouth！But；　hark　ye；　Hatteraick；　what　will　all　the　tulips；　and　flower…gardens；　and　pleasure…houses　in　the　Netherlands　do　for　you；　if　you　are　hanged　here　in　Scotland？〃

Hatteraick's　countenance　fell。　〃Der　deyvil！　hanged？〃

〃Ay；　hanged；　meinheer　Captain。　The　devil　can　scarce　save　Dirk　Hatteraick　from　being　hanged　for　a　murderer　and　kidnapper；　if　the　younker　of　Ellangowan　should　settle　in　this　country；　and　if　the　gallant　Captain　chances　to　be　caught　here　re…establishing　his　fair　trade！　And　I　won't　say；　but；　as　peace　is　now　so　much　talked　of；　their　High　Mightinesses　may　not　hand　him　over　to　oblige　their　new　allies；　even　if　he　remained　in　faderiand。〃

〃Poz　bagel　blitzen　and　donner！　II　doubt　you　say　true。〃

〃Not；〃　said　Glossin；　perceiving　he　had　made　the　desired　impression；　〃not　that　I　am　against　being　civil；〃　and　he　slid　into　Hatteraick's　passive　hand　a　bank…note　of　some　value。

〃Is　this　all？〃　said　the　smuggler；　〃you　had　the　price　of　half　a　cargo　for　winking　at　our　job；　and　made　us　do　your　business　too。〃

〃But；　my　good　friend；　you　forgetin　this　case　you　will　recover　all　your　own　goods。〃

〃Ay；　at　the　risk　of　all　our　own　neckswe　could　do　that　without　you。〃

〃I　doubt　that；　Captain　Hatteraick；〃　said　Glossin　dryly；　〃because　you　would　probably　find　a　dozen　red…coats　at　the　Custom…house；　whom　it　must　be　my　business；　if　we　agree　about　this　matter；　to　have　removed。　Come；　come；　I　will　be　as　liberal　as　I　can；　but　you　should　have　a　conscience。〃

〃Now　strafe　mich　der　deyfel！this　provokes　me　more　than　all　the　rest。You　rob　and　you　murder；　and　you　want　me　to　rob　and　murder；　and　play　the　silver…cooper；　or　kidnapper；　as　you　call　it；　a　dozen　times　over；　and　then；　hagel　and　wind…sturm！　you　speak　to　me　of　conscience！Can　you　think　of　no　fairer　way　of　getting　rid　of　this　unlucky　lad？〃

〃No；　meinheer；　but　as　I　commit　him　to　your　charge〃

〃To　my　chargeto　the　charge　of　steel　and　gunpowder！　andwell；　if　it　must　be；　it　mustbut　you　have　a　tolerably　good　guess　what's　like　to　come　of　it。〃

〃Oh；　my　dear　friend；　I　trust　no　degree　of　severity　will　be　necessary；〃　replied　Glossin。

〃Severity！〃　said　the　fellow；　with　a　kind　of　groan；　I　wish　you　had　had　my　dreams　when　I　first　came　to　this　dog…hole；　and　tried　to　sleep　among　the　dry　seaweed。First；　there　was　that　d…d　fellow　there；　with　his　broken　back；　sprawling　as　he　did　when　I　hurled　the　rock　over　atop　on　himha；　ha；　you　would　have　sworn　he　was　lying　on　the　floor　where　you　stand；　wriggling　like　a　crushed　frogand　then〃

〃Nay；　my　friend；〃　said　Glossin；　interrupting　him；　what　signifies　going　over　this　nonsense？If　you　are　turned　chicken…hearted；　why；　the　game's　up；　that's　allthe　game's　up　with　us　both。〃

〃Chicken…hearted？No。　I　have　not　lived　so　long　upon　the　account　to　start　at　last；　neither　for　Devil　nor　Dutchman。〃

Well　then；　take　another　schnapsthe　cold's　at　your　heart　still。And　now　tell　me；　are　any　of　your　old　crew　with　you？〃

〃Neinall　dead；　shot；　hanged；　drowned；　and　damned。　Brown　was　the　lastall　dead；　but　Gipsy　Gab；　and　he　would　go　off　the　country　for　a　spill　of　moneyor　he'll　be　quiet　for　his　own　sakeor　old　Meg；　his　aunt；　will　keep　him　quiet　for　hers。〃

〃Which　Meg？〃

〃Meg　Merrilies；　the　old　devil's　limb　of　a　gipsy　witch。〃

〃Is　she　still　alive？'

〃Yaw。〃

〃And　in　this　country？〃

〃And　in　this　country。　She　was　at　the　Kaim　of　Derncleugh；　at　Vanbeest　Brown's　last　wake；　as　they　call　it；　the　other　night；　with　two　of　my　people；　and　some　of　her　own　blasted　gipsies。〃

〃That's　another　breaker　ahead；　Captain！　Will　she　not　squeak；　think　ye？〃

〃Not　sheshe　won't　startshe　swore　by　the　salmon；　＇*The　great　and　inviolable　oath　of　the　strolling　tribes＇　if　we　did　the　kinchin　no　harm；　she　would　never　tell　how　the　gauger　got　it。　Why；　man；　though　I　gave　her　a　wipe　with　my　hanger　in　the　heat　of　the　matter；　and　cut　her　arm；　and　though　she　was　so　long　after　in　trouble　about　it　up　at　your　borough…town　there；　der　deyvil！　old　Meg　was　as　true