guy mannering-第76节

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table；　quite　sickened　me；　it　respected　a　bargain；　sir；　of　tallow；　between　a　butcher　and。　a　candle…maker；　and　I　found　it　was　expected　that　I　should　grease　my　mouth；　not　only　with　their　vulgar　names；　but　with　all　the　technical　terms　and　phrases；　and　peculiar　language；　of　their　dirty　arts。　Upon　my　honour；　my　good　sir；　I　have　never　been　able　to　bear　the　smell　of　a　tallow…candle　since。〃

Pitying；　as　seemed　to　be　expected；　the　mean　use　to　which　the　Baronet's　faculties　had　been　degraded　on　the　melancholy　occasion；　Mr；　Glossin　offered　to　officiate　as　clerk　or　assessor；　or　in　any　way　in　which　he　could　be　most　useful。　〃And　with　a　view　to　possessing　you　of　the　whole　business；　and　in　the　first　place；　there　will；　I　believe；　be　no　difficulty　in　proving　the　main　fact；　that　this　was　the　person　who　fired　the　unhappy　piece。　Should　he　deny　it；　it　can　be　proved　by　Mr。　Hazlewood；　I　presume。〃

〃Young　Hazlewood　is　not　at　home　to…day；　Mr。　Glossin。〃

〃But　we　can　have　the　oath　of　the　servant　who　attended　him；〃　said　the　ready　Mr。　Glossin；　〃indeed　I　hardly　think　the　fact　will　be　disputed。　I　am　more　apprehensive；　that；　from　the　too　favourable　and　indulgent　manner　in　which　I　have　understood　that　Mr。　Hazlewood　has　been　pleased　to　represent　the　business；　the　assault　may　be　considered　as　accidental；　and　the　injury　as　unintentional；　so　that　the　fellow　may　be　immediately　set　at　liberty；　to　do　more　mischief。〃

〃I　have　not　the　honour　to　know　the　gentleman　who　now　holds　the　office　of　king's　advocate；〃　replied　Sir　Robert　gravely；　〃but　I　presume；　sirnay；　I　am　confident；　that　he　will　consider　the　mere　fact　of　having　wounded　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood；　even　by　inadvertency；　to　take　the　matter　in　its　mildest　and　gentlest；　and　in　its　most　favourable　and　improbable　light；　as　a　crime　which　will　be　too　easily　atoned　by　imprisonment；　and　as　more　deserving　of　deportation。〃

〃Indeed；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　his　assenting　brother　in　justice；　〃I　am　entirely　of　your　opinion；　but；　I　don't　know　how　it　is；　I　have　observed　the　Edinburgh　gentlemen　of　the　bar；　and　even　the　officers　of　the　crown；　pique　themselves　upon　an　indifferent　administration　of　justice；　without　respect　to　rank　and　family；　and　I　should　fear〃

〃How；　sir；　without　respect　to　rank　and　family？　Will　you　tell　me　that　doctrine　can　be　held　by　men　of　birth　and　legal　education？　No；　sir；　if　a　trifle　stolen　in　the　street　is　termed　mere　pickery；　but　is　elevated　into　sacrilege　if　the　crime　be　committed　in　a　church；　so；　according　to　the　just　gradations　of　society；　the　guilt　of　an　injury　is　enhanced　by　the　rank　of　the　person　to　whom　it　is　offered；　done；　or　perpetrated；　sir。〃

Glossin　bowed　low　to　this　declaration　ex　cathedra；　but　observed；　that　in　case　of　the　very　worst；　and　of　such　unnatural　doctrines　being　actually　held　as　he　had　already　hinted；　〃the　law　had　another　hold　on　Mr。　Vanbeest　Brown。〃

〃Vanbeest　Brown！　is　that　the　fellow's　name？　Good　God！　that　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood　should　have　had　his　life　endangered；　the　clavicle　of　his　right　shoulder　considerably　lacerated　and　dislodged；　several　large　drops　or　slugs　deposited　in　the　acromion　process；　as　the　account　of　the　family　surgeon　expressly　bears；　and　all　by　an　obscure　wretch　named　Vanbeest　Brown！〃

〃Why；　really；　Sir　Robert；　it　is　a　thing　which　one　can　hardly　bear　to　think　of；　but；　begging　ten　thousand　pardons　for　resuming　what　I　was　about　to　say；　a　person　of　the　same　name　is；　as　appears　from　these　papers　（producing　Dirk　Hatteraick's　pocket…book）；　mate　to　the　smuggling　vessel　who　offered　such　violence　at　Woodbourne；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　this　is　the　same　individual；　which；　however；　your　acute　discrimination　will　easily　be　able　to　ascertain。〃

〃The　same；　my　good　sir；　he　must　assuredly　beit　would　be　injustice　even　to　the　meanest　of　the　people；　to　suppose　there　could　be　found　among　them　two　persons　doomed　to　bear　a　name　so　shocking　to　one's　ears　as　this　of　Vanbeest　Brown。〃

〃True；　Sir　Robert；　most　unquestionably；　there　cannot　be　a　shadow　of　doubt　of　it。　But　you　see　further；　that　this　circumstance　accounts　for　the　man's　desperate　conduct。　You；　Sir　Robert；　will　discover　the　motive　for　his　crimeyou；　I　say；　will　discover　it　without　difficulty；　on　your　giving　your　mind　to　the　examination；　for　my　part；　I　cannot　help　suspecting　the　moving　spring　to　have　been　revenge　for　the　gallantry　with　which　Mr。　Hazlewood；　with　all　the　spirit　of　his　renowned　forefathers；　defended　the　house　at　Woodbourne　against　this　villain　and　his　lawless　companions。〃

〃I　will　inquire　into　it；　my　good　sir；〃　said　the　learned　Baronet。　〃Yet　even　now　I　venture　to　conjecture　that　I　shall　adopt　the　solution　or　explanation　of　this　riddle；　enigma；　or　mystery；　which　you　have　in　some　degree　thus　started。　Yes！　revenge　it　must　beand；　good　Heaven！　entertained　by　and　against　whom？entertained；　fostered；　cherished；　against　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood；　and　in　part　carried　into　effect；　executed；　and　implemented；　by　the　hand　of　Vanbeest　Brown！　These　are　dreadful　days　indeed；　my　worthy　neighbour　（this　epithet　indicated　a　rapid　advance　in　the　Baronet's　good　graces）days　when　the　bulwarks　of　society　are　shaken　to　their　mighty　base；　and　that　rank；　which　forms；　as　it　were；　its　highest　grace　and　ornament；　is　mingled　and　confused　with　the　viler　parts　of　the　architecture。　Oh；　my　good　Mr。　Gilbert　Glossin；　in　my　time；　sir；　the　use　of　swords　and　pistols；　and　such　honourable　arms；　were　reserved　by　the　nobility　and　gentry　to　themselves；　and　the　disputes　of　the　vulgar　were　decided　by　the　weapons　which　nature　had　given　them；　or　by　cudgels　cut；　broken；　or　hemmed　out　of　the　next　wood。　But　now；　sir；　the　clouted　＇*Patched　＇　shoe　of　the　peasant　galls　the　kibe　of　the　courtier。　The　lower　ranks　have　their　quarrels；　sir；　and　their　points　of　honour；　and　their　revenges；　which　they　must　bring；　forsooth；　to　fatal　arbitrament。　But　well；　well！　it　will　last　my　timelet　us　have　in　this　fellow；　this　Vanbeest　Brown；　and　make　an　end　of　him　at　least　for　the　present。〃



CHAPTER　XLIII。

　　'Twas　he　ye　Gave　heat　unto　the　injury；　which　returned；　　　Like　a　petard　ill　lighted；　into　the　bosom　Of　him　gave　fire　　　to't。　Yet　I　hope　his　hurt　Is　not　so　dangerous　but　he　may　　　recover。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Fair　Maid　of　the　Inn。

The　prisoner　was　now　presented　before　the　two　worshipful　magistrates。　Glossin；　partly　from　some　compunctious　visitings；　and　partly　out　of　his　cautious　resolution　to　suffer　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　to　be　the　ostensible　manager　of　the　whole　examination；　looked　down　upon　the　table；　and　busied　himself　with　reading　and；　arranging　the　papers　respecting　the　business；　only　now　and　then　throwing　in　a　skilful　catchword　as　prompter；　when　he　saw　the　principal；　and　apparently　most　active　magistrate；　stand　in　need　of　a　hint。　As　for　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；　he　assumed　on　his　part　a　happy　mixture　of　the　austerity　of　the　justice；　combined　with　the　display　of　personal　dignity　appertaining　to　the　baronet　of　ancient　family。

〃There；　constables；　let　him　stand　there　at　the　bottom　of　the　table。Be　so　good　as　look　me　in　the　face；　sir；　and　raise　your　voice　as　you　answer　the　questions　which　I　am　going　to　put　to　you。〃

〃May　I　beg；　in　the　first　place；　to　know；　sir；　who　it　is　that　takes　the　trouble　to　interrogate　me？〃　said　the　prisoner；　〃for　the　honest　gentlemen　who　have　brought　me　here　have　not　been　pleased　to　furnish　any　information　upon　that　point。〃

〃And　pray；　sir；〃　answered　Sir　Robert；　〃what　has　my　name　and　quality　to　do　with　the　questions　I　am　about　to　ask　you？〃

〃Nothing；　perhaps；　sir；〃　replied　Bertram　but　it　may　considerably　influence　my　disposition　to　answer　them。〃

〃Why；　then；　sir；　you　will　please　to　be　informed　that　you　are　in　presence　of　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood；　and　another　justice　of　peace　for　this　countythat's　all。〃

As　this　intimation　produced　a　less　stunning　effect　upon　the　prisoner　than　he　had　anticipated；　Sir　Robert　proceeded　in　his　investigation　with　an　increasing　dislike　to　the　object　of　it。

〃Is　your　name　Vanbeest　Brown；　sir？〃

〃It　is；〃　answered　the　prisoner。

〃So　far　well；and　how　are　we　to　design　you　further；　sir？〃　demanded　the　justice。

〃Captain　in　his　Majesty's　regiment　of　horse；〃　answered　Bertram。

The　Baronet's　ears　received　this　intimation　with　astonishment；　but　he　was　refreshed　in　courage　by　an　incredulous　look　from　Glossin；　and　by　hearing　him　gently　utter　a　sort　of　interjectional　whistle；　in　a　note　of　surprise　and　contempt。　〃I　believe；　my　friend；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃we　shall　find　for　you；　before　we　part；　a　more　humble　title。〃

〃If　you　do；　sir；〃　replied　his　prisoner；　〃I　shall　willingly　submit　to　any　punishment　which　such　an　imposture　shall　be　thought　to　deserve。〃

〃Well；　sir；　we　shall　see；〃　continued　Sir　Robert。　〃Do　you　know　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood？〃

〃I　never　saw　the　gentleman　who　I　am　informed　bears　that　name　excepting　once；　and　I　regret　that　it　was　under　very　unpleasant　circumstances。〃

〃You　mean　to　acknowledge；　then；〃　said　the　Baronet；　〃that　you　inflicted　upon　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood　that　wound　which　endangered　his　life；　considerably　lacerated　the　clavicle　of　his　right　shoulder；　and　deposited；　as　the　family　surgeon　declares；　several　large　drops。　or　slugs　in　the　acromion　process？〃

〃Why；　sir；〃　replied　Bertram；　〃I　can　only　say　I　am　equally　ignorant　of　and　sorry　for　the　extent　of　the　damage　which　the　y