guy mannering-第77节

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〃Why；　sir；〃　replied　Bertram；　〃I　can　only　say　I　am　equally　ignorant　of　and　sorry　for　the　extent　of　the　damage　which　the　young　gentleman　has　sustained。　I　met　him　in　a　narrow　path；　walking　with　two　ladies　and　a　servant；　and　before　I　could　either　pass　them　or　address　them；　this　young　Hazlewood　took　his　gun　from　his　servant；　presented　it　against　my　body；　and　commanded　me　in　the　most　haughty　tone　to　stand　back。　I　was　neither　inclined　to　submit　to　his　authority；　nor　to　leave　him　in　possession　of　the　means　to　injure　me；　which　he　seemed　disposed　to　use　with　such　rashness。　I　therefore　closed　with　him　for　the　purpose　of　disarming　him；　and　just　as　I　had　nearly　effected　my　purpose；　the　piece　went　off　accidentally；　and；　to　my　regret　then　and　since；　inflicted　upon　the　young　gentleman　a　severer　chastisement　than　I　desired；　though　I　am　glad　to　understand　it　is　like　to　prove　no　more　than　his　unprovoked　folly　deserved。〃

〃And　so；　sir；〃　said　the　Baronet；　every　feature　swollen　with　offended　dignity；〃You；　sir；　admit；　sir；　that　it　was　your　purpose；　sir；　and　your　intention；　sir；　and　the　real　jet　and　object　of　your　assault；　sir；　to　disarm　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood　of　his　gun；　sir；　or　his　fowling…piece；　or　his　fuzee；　or　whatever　you　please　to　call　it；　sir；　upon　the　king's　highway；　sir？I　think　this　will　do；　my　worthy　neighbour！　I　think　he　should　stand　committed？〃

〃You　are　by　far　the　best　judge；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　Glossin；　in　his　most　insinuating　tone；　〃but　if　I　might　presume　to　hint；　there　was　something　about　these　smugglers。〃

〃Very　true；　good　sir。And　besides；　sir；　you；　Vanbeest　Brown；　who　call　yourself　a　captain　in　his　Majesty's　service；　are　no　better　or　worse　than　a　rascally　mate　of　a　smuggler！〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　said　Bertram；　〃you　are　an　old　gentleman；　and　acting　under　some　strange　delusion；　otherwise　I　should　be　very　angry　with　you。〃

〃Old　gentleman；　sir！　strange　delusion；　sir！〃　said　Sir　Robert；　colouring　with　indignation。　〃I　protest　and　declareWhy；　sir；　have　you　any　papers　or　letters　that　can　establish　your　pretended　rank；　and　estate；　and　commission？〃

〃None　at　present；　sir；〃　answered　Bertram；　〃but　in　the　return　of　a　post　or　two〃

〃And　how　do　you；　sir；〃　continued　the　Baronet；　〃if　you　are　a　captain　in　his　Majesty's　service；　how　do　you　chance　to　be　travelling　in　Scotland　without　letters　of　introduction；　credentials；　baggage；　or　anything　belonging　to　your　pretended　rank；　estate；　and　condition；　as　I　said　before？〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　the　prisoner；　〃I　had　the　misfortune　to　be　robbed　of　my　clothes　and　baggage。〃

〃Oho！　then　you　are　the　gentleman　who　took　a　post…chaise　fromto　Kippletringan；　gave　the　boy　the　slip　on　the　road；　and　sent　two　of　your　accomplices　to　beat　the　boy　and　bring　away　the　baggage？〃

〃I　was；　sir；　in　a　carriage　as　you　describe；　was　obliged　to　alight　in　the　snow；　and　lost　my　way　endeavouring　to　find　the　road　to　Kippletringan。　The　landlady　of　the　inn　will　inform　you　that　on　my　arrival　there　the　next　day；　my　first　inquiries　were　after　the　boy。〃

〃Then　give　me　leave　to　ask　where　you　spent　the　nightnot　in　the　snow；　I　presume？　you　do　not　suppose　that　will　pass；　or　be　taken；　credited；　and　received？〃

〃I　beg　leave；〃　said　Bertram；　his　recollection　turning　to　the　gipsy　female；　and　to　the　promise　he　had　given　her；　〃I　beg　leave　to　decline　answering　that　question。〃

〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Sir　Robert。〃Were　you　not　during　that　night　in　the　ruins　of　Derncleugh？in　the　ruins　of　Derncleugh；　sir？〃

〃I　have　told　you　that　I　do　not　intend　answering　that　question；〃　replied　Bertram。

〃Well；　sir；　then　you　will　stand　committed；　sir。〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃and　be　sent　to　prison；　sir；　that's　all；　sir。Have　the　goodness　to　look　at　these　papers；　are　you　the　Vanbeest　Brown　who　is　there　mentioned？〃

It　must　be　remarked　that　Glossin　had　shuffled　among　the　papers　some　writings　which　really　did　belong　to　Bertram；　and　which　had　been　found　by　the　officers　in　the　old　vault　where　his　portmanteau　was　ransacked。

〃Some　of　these　papers；〃　said　Bertram；　looking　over　them；　〃are　mine；　and　were　in　my　portfolio　when　it　was　stolen　from　the　post…chaise。　They　are　memoranda　of　little　value；　and；　I　see；　have　been　carefully　selected　as　affording　no　evidence　of　my　rank　or　character；　which　many　of　the　other　papers　would　have　established　fully。　They　are　mingled　with　ship…accounts　and　other　papers；　belonging　apparently　to　a　person　of　the　same　name。〃

〃And　wilt　thou　attempt　to　persuade　me；　friend；〃　demanded　Sir　Robert；　〃that　there　are　two　persons　in　this　country；　at　the　same　time；　of　thy　very　uncommon　and　awkwardly　sounding　name？〃

〃I　really　do　not　see；　sir；　as　there　is　an　old　Hazlewood　and　a　young　Hazlewood；　why　there　should　not　be　an　old　and　a　young　Vanbeest　Brown。　And；　to　speak　seriously；　I　was　educated　in　Holland；　and　I　know　that　this　name；　however　uncouth　it　may　sound　in　British　ears〃

Glossin；　conscious　that　the　prisoner　was　now　about　to　enter　upon　dangerous　ground；　interfered；　though　the　interruption　was　unnecessary；　for　the　purpose　of　diverting　the　attention　of　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；　who　was　speechless　and　motionless　with　indignation　at　the　presumptuous　comparison　implied　in　Bertram's　last　speech。　In　fact；　the　veins　of　his　throat　and　of　his　temples　swelled　almost　to　bursting；　and　he　sat　with　the　indignant　and　disconcerted　air　of　one　who　has　received　a　mortal　insult　from　a　quarter　to　which　he　holds　it　unmeet　and　indecorous　to　make　any　reply。　While　with　a　bent　brow　and　an　angry　eye　he　was　drawing　in　his　breath　slowly　and　majestically；　and　puffing　it　forth　again　with　deep　and　solemn　exertion；　Glossin　stepped　in　to　his　assistance。　〃I　should　think　now；　Sir　Robert；　with　great　submission；　that　this　matter　may　be　closed。　One　of　the　constables；　besides　the　pregnant　proof　already　produced；　offers　to　make　oath；　that　the　sword　of　which　the　prisoner　was　this　morning　deprived　（while　using　it；　by　the　way；　in　resistance　to　a　legal　warrant）　was　a　cutlass　taken　from　him　in　a　fray　between　the　officers　and　smugglers；　just　previous　to　their　attack　upon　Woodbourne。　And　yet；〃　he　added；　〃I　would　not　have　you　form　any　rash　construction　upon　that　subject；　perhaps　the　young　man　can　explain　how　he　came　by　that　weapon。〃

〃That　question；　sir；〃　said　Bertram；　〃I　shall　also　leave　unanswered。〃

〃There　is　yet　another　circumstance　to　be　inquired　into；　always　under　Sir　Robert's　leave；〃　insinuated　Glossin。　〃This　prisoner　put　into　the　hands　of　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish　of　Kippletringan　a　parcel　containing　a　variety　of　gold　coins　and　valuable　articles　of　different　kinds。　Perhaps；　Sir　Robert；　you　might　think　it　right　to　ask；　how　he　came　by　property　of　a　description　which　seldom　occurs？〃

〃You；　sir；　Mr；　Vanbeest　Brown；　sir；　you　hear　the　question；　sir；　which　the　gentleman　asks　you？〃

〃I　have　particular　reasons　for　declining　to　answer　that　question；〃　answered　Bertram。

〃Then　I　am　afraid；　sir；〃　said　Glossin；　who　had　brought　matters　to　the　point　he　desired　to　reach；　〃our　duty　must　lay　us　under　the　necessity　to　sign　a　warrant　of　committal。〃

〃As　you　please；　sir；〃　answered　Bertram；　〃take　care；　however；　what　you　do。　Observe　that　I　inform　you　that　I　am　a　captain　in　his　Majesty'sregiment；　and　that　I　am　just　returned　from　India；　and　therefore　cannot　possibly　be　connected　with　any　of　those　contraband　traders　you　talk　of；　that　my　Lieutenant…Colonel　is　now　at　Nottingham；　the　Major；　with　the　officers　of　my　corps；　at　Kingston…upon…Thames。　I　offer　before　you　both　to　submit　to　any　degree　of　ignominy；　if；　within　the　return　of　the　Kingston　and　Nottingham　posts；　I　am　not　able　to　establish　these　points。　Or　you　may　write　to　the　agent　for　the　regiment；　if　you　please；　and〃

〃This　is　all　very　well；〃　said　Glossin；　beginning　to　fear　lest　the　firm　expostulation　of　Bertram　should　make　some　impression　on　Sir　Robert；　who　would　almost　have　died　of　shame　at　committing　such　a　solecism　as　sending　a　captain　of　horse　to　jail〃This　is　all　very　well；　sir；　but　is　there　no　person　nearer　whom　you　could　refer　to？〃

〃There　are　only　two　persons　in　this　country　who　know　anything　of　me；〃　replied　the　prisoner。　〃One　is　a　plain　Liddesdale　sheep…farmer；　called　Dinmont　of　Charlies…hope；　but　he　knows　nothing　more　of　me　than　what　I　told　him；　and　what　I　now　tell　you。〃

〃Why；　this　is　well　enough；　Sir　Robert！〃　said　Glossin；　〃I　suppose　he　would　bring　forward　this　thick…skulled　fellow　to　give　his　oath　of　credulity；　Sir　Robert；　ha；　ha；　ha！〃

〃And　what　is　your　other　witness；　friend？〃　said　the　Baronet。

〃A　gentleman　whom　I　have　some　reluctance　to　mention；　because　of　certain　private　reasons；　but　under　whose　command　I　served　some　time　in　India；　and　who　is　too　much　a　man　of　honour　to　refuse　his　testimony　to　my　character　as　a　soldier　and　gentleman。〃

〃And　who　is　this　doughty　witness；　pray；　sir？〃　said　Sir　Robert；〃some　half…pay　quarter…master　or　sergeant；　I　suppose？〃

〃Colonel　Guy　Mannering；　late　of　tileregiment；　in　which；　as　I　told　you；　I　have　a　troop。〃

〃Colonel　Guy　Mannering！〃　thought　Glossin；〃who　the　devil　could　have　guessed　this？〃

〃Colonel　Guy　Mannering！〃　echoed　the　Baronet；　considerably　shaken　in　his　opinion；〃My　good　sir；〃apart　to　Glossin；　〃the　young　man　with　a　dreadfully　plebeian　name；　and　a　good　deal　of　modest　assurance；　has　nevertheless　something　of　the　tone；　and　manners；　and　feeling　of　a　gentleman；　of　one　at　least　who　has　lived　in　good　societ