guy mannering-第8节

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tlecourt。　But；　to　return　to　what　I　was　saying；　Luckie　Howatson　is　very。　expeditious；　for　this　lass〃

Here　thedesultory　and　long…winded　narrative　of　the　Laird　was　interrupted　by　the　voice　of　someone　ascending　the　stairs　from　the　kitchen　story；　and　singing　at　full　pitch　of　voice。　The　high　notes　were　too　shrill　for　a　man；　the　low　seemed　too　deep　for　a　woman。　The　words；　as　far　as　Mannering　could　distinguish　them；　seemed　to　run　thus：

Canny　moment；　lucky　fit；　Is　the　lady　lighter　yet？　Be　it　lad；　or　be　it　lass；　Sign　wi'　cross；　and　sain　wi'　mass。

〃It's　Meg　Merrilies；　the　gipsy；　as　sure　as　I　am　a　sinner；〃　said　Mr。　Bertram。　The　Dominie　groaned　deeply；　uncrossed　his　legs；　drew　in　the　huge　splay　foot　which　his　former　posture　had　extended；　placed　it　perpendicularly；　and　stretched　the　other　limb　over　it　instead；　puffing　out　between　whiles　huge　volumes　of　tobacco　smoke。　〃What　needs　ye　groan；　Dominie？　I　am　sure　Meg's　sangs　do　nae　ill。〃

〃Nor　good　neither；〃　answered　Dominie　Sampson；　in　a　voice　whose　untuneable　harshness　corresponded　with　the　awkwardness　of　his　figure。　They　were　the　first　words　which　Mannering　had　heard　him　speak；　and　as　he　had　been　watching　with　some　curiosity；　when　this　eating；　drinking；　moving；　and　smoking　automaton　would　perform　the　part　of　speaking；　he　was　a　good　deal　diverted　with　the　harsh　timber　tones　which　issued　from　him。　But　at　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　Meg　Merrilies　entered。

Her　appearance　made　Mannering　start。　She　was　full　six　feet　high；　wore　a　man's　greatcoat　over　the　rest　of　her　dress；　had　in　her　hand　a　goodly　sloe…thorn　cudgel；　and　in　all　points　of　equipment；　except　her　petticoats；　seemed　rather　masculine　than　feminine。　Her　dark　elf…locks　shot　out　like　the　snakes　of　the　gorgon；　between　an　old…fashioned　bonnet　called　a　bongrace；　heightening　the　singular　effect　of　her　strong　and　weather…beaten　features；　which　they　partly　shadowed；　while　her　eye　had　a　wild　roll　that　indicated　something　like　real　or　affected　insanity。

〃Aweel；　Ellangowan；〃　she　said；　〃wad　it　no　hae　been　a　bonnie　thing；　an　the　leddy　had　been　brought…to…bed；　and　me　at　the　fair　o'　Drumshourloch；　no　kenning；　nor　dreaming　a　word　about　it？　Wha　was　to　hae　keepit　awa　the　worriecows；　＇*　goblins＇　I　trow？　Ay；　and　the　elves　and　gyre…carlings　＇*　Witches＇　frae　the　bonny　bairn；　grace　be　wi'　it？　Ay；　or　'said　Saint　Colme's　charm　for　its　sake；　the　dear？〃　And　without　waiting　an　answer　she　began　to　sing。

Trefoil；　vervain；　John's…wort；　dill；　Hinders　witches　of　their　will；　Weel　is　them；　that　weel　may　Fast　upon　St。　Andrew's　day。

Saint　Bride　and　her　brat；　Saint　Colme　and　his　cat；　Saint　Michael　and　his　spear；　Keep　the　house　frae　reif　and　wear。

This　charm　she　sung　to　a　wild　tune；　in　a　high　and　shrill　voice；　and；　cutting　three　capers　with　such　strength　and　agility；　as　almost　to　touch　the　roof　of　the　room；　concluded；　〃And　now；　Laird；　will　ye　no　order　me　a　tass　o'　brandy？〃

〃That　you　shall　have；　MegSit　down　yont　there　at　the　door；　and　tell　us　what　news　ye　have　heard　at　the　fair　o'　Drumshourloch。〃

〃Troth；　Laird；　and　there　was　muckle　want　o'　you；　and　the　like　b'　you；　for　there　was　a　whin　bonnie　lasses　there；　forbye　mysell；　and　deil　ane　to　gie　them　hansels。〃

〃Weel；　Meg；　and　how　mony　gipsies　were　sent　to　the　tolbooth？〃

〃Troth；　but　three；　Laird；　for　there　were　nae　mair　in　the　fair；　bye　mysell；　as　I　said　before；　and　I　e'en　gae　them　leg…bail；　for　there's　nae　case　in　dealing　wi'　quarrelsome　fowk。　And　there's　Dunbog　has　warned　the　Red　Rotten　and　John　Young　aff　his　grundsblack　be　his　cast！　＇*Fate＇　he's　nae　gentleman；　nor　drap's　bluid　o'　gentleman；　wad　grudge　twa　gangrel　＇*Vagrant＇　pair　bodies　the　shelter　o'　a　waste　house；　and　the　thristles　by　the　roadside　for　a　bit　cuddy；。　＇*Donkey＇　and　the　bits　o'　rotten　birk　＇*Birch＇　to　boil　their　drap　parritch　wi'。　Weel；　there's　ane　abune　a'but　we'll　see　if　the　red　cock　craw　not　in　his　bonnie　barn…yard　ae　morning　before　day…dawing。〃

〃Hush！　Meg；　hush！　hush　that's　not　safe　talk。〃

〃What　does　she　mean？〃　said　Mannering　to　Sampson；　in　an　undertone。

〃Fire…raising；〃　answered　the　laconic　Dominie。

〃Who；　or　what　is　she；　in　the　name　of　wonder？〃

〃Harlot；　thief；　witch；　and　gipsy。〃　Answered　Sampson　again。

〃Oh；　troth；　Laird；〃　continued　Meg；　during　this　by…talk；　〃it's　but　to　the　like　o'　you　ane　can　open　their　heart；　ye　see；　they　say　Dunbog　is　nae　mair　a　gentleman　than　the　blunker　that's　biggit　＇*Built＇　the　bonnie　house　down　in　the　howm。　But　the　like　o'　you；　Laird；　that's　a　real　gentleman　for　sae　mony　hundred　years；　and　never　hunds　puir　fowk　aff　your　grund　as　if　they　were　mad　tykes；　＇*Dogs＇　nane　o'　our　fowk　wad　stir　your　gear　＇*Property＇　if　ye　had　as　mony　capons　as　there's　leaves　on　the　trysting…tree。And　now　some　o'　ye　maun　lay　down　your　watch；　and　tell　me　the　very　minute　o'　the　hour　the　wean's　born；　and　I'll　spae　its　fortune。〃

〃Ay；　but；　Meg；　we　shall　not　want　your　assistance；　for　here's　a　student　from　Oxford　that　kens　much　better　than　you　how　to　spae　its　fortunehe　does　it　by　the　stars。〃

〃Certainly；　sir；〃　said　Mannering；　entering　into　the　simple　humour　of　his　landlord；　〃I　will　calculate　his　nativity　according　to　the　rule　of　the　Triplicities；　as　recommended　by　Pythagoras；　Hippocrates；　Diocles；　and　Avicenna。　Or　I　will　begin　ab　hora　questionis；　as　Haly；　Messahala；　Ganwehis；　and　Guido　Bonatus；　have　recommended。〃

One　of　Sampson's　great　recommendations　to　the　favour　of　Mr。　Bertram　was；　that　he　never　detected　the　most　gross　attempt　at　imposition；　so　that　the　Laird；　whose　humble　efforts　at　jocularity　were　chiefly　confined　to　what　were　then　called…bites　and　bams；　since　denominated　hoaxes　and　quizzes；　had　the　fairest　possible　subject　of　wit　in　the　unsuspecting　Dominie。　It　is　true；　he　never　laughed；　or　joined　in　the　laugh　which　his　own　simplicity　afforded　nay；　it　is　said；　he　never　laughed　but　once　in　his　life　and　on　that　memorable　occasion　his　landlady　miscarried；　partly　through　surprise　at　the　event　itself；　and　partly　from　terror　at　the…hideous　grimaces　which　attended　this　unusual　cachinnation。　The　only　effect　which　the　discovery　of　such　impositions　produced　upon　this　saturnine　personage　was；　to　extort　an　ejaculation　of　〃Prodigious！〃　or　〃Very　facetious！〃　pronounced　syllabically；　but　without　moving　a　muscle　of　his　own　countenance。

On　the　present　occasion；　he　turned　a　gaunt　and　ghastly　stare　upon　the　youthful　astrologer；　and　seemed　to　doubt　if　he　had　rightly　understood　his　answer　to　his　patron。

〃I　am　afraid；　sir；〃　said　Mannering；　turning　towards　him；　〃you　may　be　one　of　those　unhappy　persons；　who；　their　dim　eyes　being　unable　to　penetrate　the　starry　spheres；　and　to　discern　therein　the　decrees　of　heaven　at　a　distance；　have　their　hearts　barred　against　conviction　by　prejudice　and　misprision。〃

〃Truly；〃　said　Sampson；　〃I　opine　with　Sir　Isaac　Newton；　Knight；　and　umwhile　＇*Late＇　master　of　his　Majesty's　mint；　that　the　（pretended）　science　of　astrology　is　altogether　vain；　frivolous；　and　unsatisfactory。〃　And　here　he　reposed　his　oracular　jaws。

〃Really；〃　resumed　the　traveller；　〃I　am　sorry　to　see　a　gentleman　of　your　learning　and　gravity　labouring　under　such　strange　blindness　and　delusion。　Will　you　place　the　brief；　the　modern；　and；　as　I　may　say；　the　vernacular　name　of　Isaac　Newton；　in　opposition　to　the　grave　and　sonorous　authorities　of　Dariot；　Bonatus；　Ptolemy；　Haly；　Eztler；　Dieterick；　Naibob；　Harfurt；　Zael；　Taustettor；　Agrippa；　Duretus；　Maginus；　Origen；　and　Argol？　Do　not　Christians　and　Heathens；　and　Jews　and　Gentiles；　and　poets　and　philosophers；　unite　in　allowing　the　starry　influences？〃

〃Communis　errorit　is　a　general　mistake；〃　answered　the　inflexible　Dominie　Sampson。

〃Not　so；〃　replied　the　young　Englishman；　it　is　a　general　and　well…grounded　belief。〃

〃It　is　the　resource　of　cheaters；　knaves；　and　cozeners；〃　said　Sampson。

〃Abusus　non　tollit　usum。　The　abuse　of　anything　doth　not　abrogate　the　lawful　use　thereof。〃

During　this　discussion；　Ellangowan　was　somewhat　like　a　woodcock　caught　in　his　own　springe。　He　turned　his　face　alternately　from　the　one　spokesman　to　the　other；　and　began；　from　the　gravity　with　which　Mannering　plied　his　adversary；　and　the　learning　which　he　displayed　in　the　controversy；　to　give　him　credit　for。　being　half　serious。　As　for　Meg；　she　fixed　her　bewildered　eyes　upon　the　astrologer；　overpowered　by　a　jargon　more　mysterious　than　her　own。

Mannering　pressed　his　advantage；　and　ran　over　all　the　hard　terms　of　art　which　a　tenacious　memory　supplied；　and　which；　from　circumstances　hereafter　to　be　noticed；　had　been　familiar　to　him　in　early　youth。

Signs　and　planets；　in　aspects　sextuple；　quartile；　trine；　conjoined　or　opposite；　houses　of　heaven；　with　their　cusps；　hours；　and　minutes；　Almuten；　Alinochoden；　Anabibazon；　Catahibazon；　a　thousand　terms　of　equal　sound　and　significance；　poured　thick　and　threefold　upon　the　unshrinking　Dominie；　whose　stubborn　incredulity　bore　him　out　against　the　pelting　of　this　pitiless　storm。

At　length；　the　joyful　annunciation　that　the　lady　had　presented　her　husband　with　a　fine　boy；　and　was　（of　course）　as　well　as　could　be　expected；　broke　off　this　intercourse。　Mr。　Bertram　hastened　to　the　lady's　apartment；　Meg　Merrilies　descended　to　the　kitchen　to　secure　her　share　of　the　groaning　malt；　＇*The　groaning　malt　mentioned　in　the　text　was　the　ale　brewed　for　the　purpose　of　being　drunk　after　the　lady　or