guy mannering-第63节

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but　more　especially　towards　evening。　Corresponding　to　this　window　was　a　borrowed　light　on　the　other　side　of　the　passage；　looking　into　the　kitchen；　which　had　no　direct　communication　with　the　free　air；　but　received　in　the　daytime；　at　second　hand；　such　straggling　and　obscure　light　as　found　its　way　from　the　lane　through　the　window　opposite。　At　present；　the　interior　of　the　kitchen　was　visible　by　its　own　huge　firesa　sort　of　Pandemonium；　where　men　and　women；　half　undressed；　were　busied　in　baking；　broiling；　roasting　oysters；　and　preparing　devils　on　the　gridiron；　the　mistress　of　the　place；　with　her　shoes　slipshod；　and　her　hair　straggling　like　that　of　Megaera　from　under　a　round…eared　cap；　toiling；　scolding；　receiving　orders；　giving　them；　and　obeying　them　all　at　once；　seemed　the　presiding　enchantress　of　that　gloomy　and　fiery　region。

Loud　and　repeated　bursts　of　laughter；　from　different　quarters　of　the　house；　proved　that　her　labours　were　acceptable；　and　not　unrewarded　by　a　generous　public。　With　some　difficulty　a　waiter　was　prevailed　upon　to　show　Colonel　Mannering　and　Dinmont　the　room　where　their　friend；　learned　in　the　law；　held　his　hebdomadal　carousals。　The　scene　which　it　exhibited；　and　particularly　the　attitude　of　the　counsellor　himself；　the　principal　figure　therein；　struck　his　two　clients　with　amazement。

Mr。　Pleydell　was　a　lively；　sharp…looking　gentleman；　with　a　professional　shrewdness　in　his　eye；　and；　generally　speaking；　a　professional　formality　in　his　manners。　But　this；　like　his　three…tailed　wig　and　black　coat；　he　could　slip　off　on　a　Saturday　evening；　when　surrounded　by　a　party　of　jolly　companions；　and　disposed　for　what　he　called　his　altitudes。　On　the　present　occasion；　the　revel　had　lasted　since　four　o'clock；　and；　at　length；　under　the　direction　of　a　venerable　compotater；　who　had　shared　the　sports　and　festivity　of　three　generations；　the　frolicsome　company　had　begun　to　practise　the　ancient　and　now　forgotten　pastime　of　High…jinks。　This　game　was　played　in　several　different　ways。　Most　frequently　the　dice　were　thrown　by　the　company；　and　those　upon　whom　the　lot　fell　were　obliged　to　assume　and　maintain；　for　a　time；　a　certain　fictitious　character；　or　to　repeat　a　certain　number　of　fescennine　verses　in　a　particular　order。　If　they　departed　from　the　characters　assigned；　or　if　their　memory　proved　treacherous　in　the　repetition；　they　incurred　forfeits；　which　were　either　compounded　for　by　swallowing　an　additional　bumper；　or　by　paying　a　small　sum　towards　the　reckoning。　At　this　sport　the　jovial　company　were　closely　engaged；　when　Mannering　entered　the　room。

Mr。　Counsellor　Pleydell；　such　as　we　have　described　him；　was　enthroned　as　a　monarch；　in　an　elbow…chair；　placed；　on　the　dining…table；　his　scratch　wig　on　one　side；　his　head　crowned　with　a　bottle…slider；　his　eye　leering　with　an　expression　betwixt　fun　and　the　effects　of　wine；　while　his　court　around　him　resounded　with　such　crambo　scraps　of　verse　as　these　。

　　Where　is　Gerunto　now？　and　what's　become　of　him？

　　Gerunto's　drowned　because　he　could　not　swim；　etc。　etc。

Such；　O　Themis；　were　anciently　the　sports　of　thy　Scottish　children！　Dinmont　was　first　in　the　room。　He　stood　aghast　a　moment；and　then　exclaimed；　〃It's　him；　sure　enough…Deil　o'　the　like　o'　that　ever　saw！〃

At　the　sound　of　〃Mr。　Dinmont　and　Colonel　Mannering　wanted　to　speak　to　you；　sir；〃　Pleydell　turned　his　head；　and　blushed　a　little　when　he　saw　the　very　genteel　figure　of　the　English　stranger。　He　was；　however；　of　the　opinion　of　Falstaff；　〃Out；　ye　villains；　play　out　the　play！〃　wisely　judging　it　the　better　way　to　appear　totally　unconcerned。　〃Where　be　our　guards？〃　exclaimed　this　second　Justinian；　〃see　ye　not　a　stranger　knight　from　foreign　parts　arrived　at　this　our　court　of　Holyroodwith　our　bold　yeoman　Andrew　Dinmont；　who　has　succeeded　to　the　keeping　of　our　royal　flocks　within　the　forest　of　Jedwood；　where；　thanks　to　our　royal　care　in　the　administration　of　justice；　they　feed　as　safe　as　if　they　were　within　the　bounds　of　Fife？　Where　be　our　heralds；　our　pursuivants；　our　Lyon；　our　Marchmount；　our　Carrick；　and　our　Snowdown？　Let　the　strangers　be　placed　at　our　board；　and　regaled　as　beseemeth　their　quality；　and　this　our　high　holidayto…morrow　we　will　hear　their　tidings。〃

〃So　please　you；　my　liege；　to…morrow's　Sunday；〃　said　one　of　the　company。

〃Sunday；　is　it？　then　we　will　give　no　offence　to　the　assembly　of　the　kirkon　Monday　shall　be。　their　audience。〃

Mannering；　who　had　stood　at　first　uncertain　whether　to　advance　or　retreat；　now　resolved　to　enter　for　the　moment　into　the　whim　of　the　scene；　though　internally　fretting　at　Mac…Morlan　for　sending　him　to　consult　with　a　crack…brained　humorist。　He　therefore　advanced　with　three　profound　congees；　and　craved　permission　to　lay　his　credentials　at　the　feet　of　the　Scottish　monarch；　in　order　to　be　perused　at　his　best　leisure。　The　gravity　with　which　he　accommodated　himself　to　the　humour　of　the　moment；　and　the　deep　and　humble　inclination　with　which　he　at　first　declined；　and　then　accepted；　a　seat　presented　by　the　master　of　the　ceremonies；　procured　him　three　rounds　of　applause。

〃Deil　hae　me；　if　they　arena　a'　mad　thegither！〃　said　Dinmont；　occupying　with　less　ceremony　a　seat　at　the　bottom　of　the　table；　〃or　else　they　hae　taen　Yule　before　it　comes；　and　are　gaun　a…guisarding。〃

A　large　glass　of　claret　was　offered　to　Mannering；　who　drank　it　to　the　health　of　the　reigning　prince。　〃You　are；　I　presume　to　guess；〃　said　the　monarch；　〃that　celebrated　Sir　Miles　Mannering；　so　renowned　in　the　French　wars；　and　may　well　pronounce　to　us　if　the　wines　of　Gascony　lose　their　flavour　in　our　more　northern　realm。〃

Mannering；　agreeably　flattered　by　this　allusion　to　the　fame　of　his　celebrated　ancestor；　replied；　by　professing　himself　only　a　distant　relation　of　the　preux　chevalier；　and　added；　〃that　in　his　opinion　the　wine　was　superlatively　good。〃

〃It's　owre　cauld　for　my　stamach；〃　said　Dinmont；　setting　down　the　glass　（empty；　however）。

〃We　will　correct　that　quality；〃　answered　King　Paulus；　the　first　of　the　name；　〃we　have　not　forgotten　that　the　moist　and　humid　air　of　our　valley　of　Liddel　inclines　to　stronger　potations。Seneschal；　let　our　faithful　yeoman　have　a　cup　of　brandy；　it　will　be　more　germain　to　the　matter。〃

〃And　now；〃　said　Mannering；　〃since　we　have　unwarily　intruded　upon　your　majesty　at　a　moment　of　mirthful　retirement；　be　pleased　to　say　when　you　will　indulge　a　stranger　with　an　audience　on　those　affairs　of　weight　which　have　brought　him　to　your　northern　capital。〃

The　monarch　opened　Mac…Morlan's　letter；　and；　running　it　hastily　over；　exclaimed；　with　his　natural　voice　and。　manner；　〃Lucy　Bertram　of　Ellangowan；　poor　dear　lassie！〃

〃A　forfeit！　a　forfeit！〃　exclaimed　a　dozen　voices；　his　majesty　has　forgot　his　kingly　character。〃

〃Not　a　whit！　not　a　whit！〃　replied　the　king；　〃I'll　be　judged　by　this　courteous　knight。　May　not　a　monarch　love　a　maid　of　low　degree？　Is　not　King　Cophetua　and　the　Beggar…maid；　an　adjudged　case　in　point？〃

〃Professional！　professional！another　forfeit；〃　exclaimed　the　tumultuary　nobility。

〃Had　not　our　royal　predecessors；〃　continued　the　monarch；　exalting　his　sovereign　voice　to　drown　these　disaffected　clamours；〃Had　they　not　their　Jean　Logies；　their　Bessie　Carmichaels；　their　Oliphants；　their　Sandilands；　and　their　Weirs；　and　shall　it　be　denied　to　us　even　to　name　a　maiden　whom　we　delight　to　honour？　Nay；　then；　sink　state　and　perish　sovereignty！　for；　like　a　second　Charles　V。；　we　will　abdicate；　and　seek　in　the　private　shades　of　life　those　pleasures　which　are　denied　to　a　throne。〃

So　saying；　he　flung　away　his　crown；　and　sprung　from　his　exalted　station　with　more　agility　than　could　have　been　expected　from　his　age；　ordered　lights　and　a　wash…hand　basin　and　towel；　with　a　cup　of　green　tea；　into　another　room；　and　made　a　sign　to　Mannering　to　accompany　him。　In　less　than　two　minutes　he　washed　his　face　and　hands；　settled　his　wig　in　the　glass；　and；　to　Mannering's　great　surprise；　looked　quite　a　different　man　from　the　childish　Bacchanal　he　bad　seen　a　moment　before。

〃There　are　folks；〃　he　said；　〃Mr。　Mannering；　before　whom　one　should　take　care　how　they　play　the　foolbecause　they　have　either　too　much　malice；　or　too　little　wit；　as　the　poet　says。　The　best　compliment　I　can　pay　Colonel　Mannering；　is　to　show　I　am　not　ashamed　to　expose　myself　before　himand　truly　I　think　it　is　a　compliment　I　have　not　spared　to…night　on　your　good…nature。But　what's　that　great　strong　fellow　wanting？〃

Dinmont；　who　had　pushed　after　Mannering　into　the　room；　began　with　a　scrape　with　his　foot　and　a　scratch　of　his　head　in　unison。　〃I　am　Dandie　Dinmont；　sir；　of　the　Charlies…hopethe　Liddesdale　ladye'll　mind　me？it　was　for　me　ye　won　yon　grand　plea。〃

〃What　plea；　you　loggerhead〃　said　the　lawyer　〃d'ye　think　I　can　remember　all　the　fools　that　come　to　plague　me？〃

〃Lord；　sir；　it　was　the　grand　plea　about　the　grazing　o'　the　Langtae　Head！〃　said　the　farmer。

〃Well；　curse　thee；　never　mind；　give　me　the　memorial　＇*The　Scottish　memorial　corresponds　to　the　English　brief。＇　and　come　to　me　on　Monday　at　ten；〃　replied　the　learned　counsel。

〃But；　sir；　I　haena　got　ony　distinct　memorial。〃

〃No　memorial；　man？〃　said　Pleydell。

〃Na；　sir；　nae　memorial；〃　answered　Dandie　〃for　your　honour　said　before；　Mr。　Pleydell；　ye'll　mind；　that　ye　liked　best　to　bear　us　hill…folk　tell　our　ain　tale　by　word