guy mannering-第80节

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When　she　was　gone；　Bertram　found　himself　reduced　to　the　alternative　of　pacing　his　little　apartment　for　exercise；　or　gazing　out　upon　the　sea　in　such　proportions　as　could　be　seen　from　the　narrow　panes　of　his　window；　obscured　by　dirt　and　by　close　iron…bars；　or　reading　over　the　records　of　brutal　wit　and　black…guardism　which　despair　had　scrawled　upon　the　half…whitened　walls。　The　sounds　were　as　uncomfortable　as　the　objects　of　sight；　the　sullen　dash　of　the　tide；　which　was　now　retreating；　and　the　occasional　opening　and　shutting　of　a　door；　with　all　its　accompaniments　of　jarring　bolts　and　creaking　hinges；　mingling　occasionally　with　the　dull　monotony　of　the　retiring　ocean。　Sometimes；　too；　he　could　hear　the　hoarse　growl　of　the　keeper；　or　the　shriller　strain　of　his　helpmate；　almost　always　in　the　tone　of　discontent；　anger；　or　insolence。　At　other　times　the　large　mastiff；　chained　in　the　court…yard；　answered　with　furious　bark　the　insults　of　the　idle　loiterers　who　made　a　sport　of　incensing　him。

At　length　the　tedium　of　this　weary　space　was　broken　by　the　entrance　of　a　dirty…looking　serving　wench；　who　made　some　preparations　for　dinner　by　laying　a　half…dirty　cloth　upon　a　whole…dirty　deal　table。　A　knife　and　fork；　which　had　not　been　worn　out　by　over…cleaning；　flanked　a　cracked　delf　plate；　a　nearly　empty　mustard…pot；　placed　on　one　side　of　the　table；　balanced　a　salt…cellar；　containing　an　article　of　a　grayish；　or　rather　a　blackish　mixture；　upon　the　other；　both　of　stone…ware；　and　bearing　too　obvious　marks　of　recent　service。　Shortly　after；　the　same　Hebe　brought　up　a　plate　of　beef…collops；　done　in　the　frying…pan；　with　a　huge　allowance　of　grease　floating　in　an　ocean　of　lukewarm　water；　and　having　added　a　coarse　loaf　to　these　savoury　viands；　she　requested　to　know　what　liquors　the　gentleman　chose　to　order。　The　appearance　of　this　fare　was　not　very　inviting；　but　Bertram　endeavoured　to　mend　his　commons　by　ordering　wine；　which　he　found　tolerably　good；　and；　with　the　assistance　of　some　indifferent　cheese；　made　his　dinner　chiefly　off　the　brown　loaf。　When　his　meal　was　over；　the　girl　presented　her　master's　compliments；　and；　if　agreeable　to　the　gentleman；　he　would　help　him　to　spend　the　evening。　Bertram　desired　to　be　excused；　and　begged；　instead　of　this　gracious　society；　that　he　might　be　furnished　with　paper；　pen；　ink；　and　candles。　The　light　appeared　in　the　shape　of　one　long　broken　tallow…candle；　inclining　over　a　tin　candlestick　coated　with　grease；　as　for　the　writing　materials；　the　prisoner　was　informed　that　he　might　have　them　the　next　day　if　he　chose　to　send　out　to　buy　them。　Bertram　next　desired　the　maid　to　procure　him　a　book；　and　enforced　his　request　with　a　shilling；　in　consequence　of　which；　after　long　absence；　she　reappeared　with　two　odd　volumes　of　the　Newgate　Calendar；　which　she　had　borrowed　from　Sam　Silverquill；　an　idle　apprentice；　who　was　imprisoned　under　a　charge　of　forgery。　Having　laid　the　books　on　the　table　she　retired；　and　left　Bertram　to　studies　which　were　not　ill　adapted　to　his　present　melancholy　situation。


CHAPTER　XLV。

　　But　if　thou　shouldst　he　dragg'd　in　scorn　　　To　yonder　ignominious　tree；　　　Thou　shalt　not　want　one　faithful　friend　　　To　share　the　cruel　fates'　decree。　　　　　Shenstone。

Plunged　in　the　gloomy　reflections　which　were　naturally　excited　by　his　dismal　reading；　and　disconsolate　situation；　Bertram；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　felt　himself　affected　with　a　disposition　to　low　spirits。　〃I　have　been　in　worse　situations　than　this　too；〃　he　said；〃more　dangerous；　for　here　is　no　danger；　more　dismal　in　prospect；　for　my　present　confinement　must　necessarily　be　short；　more　intolerable　for　the　time；　for　here；　at　least；　I　have　fire；　food；　and　shelter。　Yet；　with　reading　these　bloody　tales　of　crime　and　misery；　in　a　place　so　corresponding　to　the　ideas　which　they　excite；　and　in　listening　to　these　sad　sounds；　I　feel　a　stronger　disposition　to　melancholy　than　in　my　life　I　ever　experienced。　But　I　will　not　give　way　to　it。Begone；　thou　record　of　guilt　and　infamy！〃　he　said；　flinging　the　book　upon　the　spare　bed；　〃a　Scottish　jail　shall　not　break；　on　the　very　first　day；　the　spirits　which　have　resisted　climate；　and　want；　and　penury；　and　disease；　and　imprisonment；　in　a　foreign　land。　I　have　fought　many　a　hard　battle　with　dame　Fortune；　and　she　shall　not　beat　me　now　if　I　can　help　it。〃

Then　bending　his　mind　to　a　strong　effort；　he　endeavoured　to　view　his　situation　in　the　most　favourable　light。　Delaserre　must　soon　be　in　Scotland；　the　certificates　from　his　commanding　officer　must　soon　arrive；　nay；　if　Mannering　were　first　applied　to；　who　could　say　but　the　effect　might　be　a　reconciliation　between　them？　He　had　often　observed；　and　now　remembered；　that　when　his　former　colonel　took　the　part　of　any　one；　it　was　never　by　halves；　and　that　he　seemed　to　love　those　persons　most　who　had　lain　under　obligation　to　him。　In　the　present　case；　a　favour；　which　could　be　asked　with　honour　and　granted　with　readiness；　might　be　the　means　of　reconciling　them　to　each　other。　From　this　his　feelings　naturally　turned　towards　Julia；　and；　without　very　nicely　measuring　the　distance　between　a　soldier　of　fortune；　who　expected　that　her　father's　attestation　would　deliver　him　from　confinement；　and　the　heiress　of　that　father's　wealth　and　expectations；　he　was　building　the　gayest　castle　in　the　clouds；　and　varnishing　it　with　all　the　tints　of　a　summer…evening　sky；　when　his　labour　was　interrupted　by　a　loud　knocking　at　the　outer　gate；　answered　by　the　barking　of　the　gaunt　half…starved　mastiff；　which　was　quartered　in　the　courtyard　as　an　addition　to　the　garrison。　After　much　scrupulous　precaution　the　gate　was　opened；　and　some　person　admitted。　The　house…door　was　next　unbarred；　unlocked；　and　unchained；　a　dog's　feet　pattered　upstairs　in　great　haste；　and　the　animal　was　heard　scratching　and　whining　at　the　door　of　the　room。　Next　a　heavy　step　was　heard　lumbering　up；　and　Mac…Guffog's　voice　in　the　character　of　pilot〃This　way；　this　way；　take　care　of　the　step；that's　the　room。〃Bertram's　door　was　then　unbolted；　and；　to　his　great　surprise　and　joy；　his　terrier；　Wasp；　rushed　into　the　apartment；　and　almost　devoured　him　with　caresses；　followed　by　the　massy　form　of　his　friend　from　Charlies…hope。

〃Eh　whow！　Eh　whow！〃　ejaculated　the　honest　farmer；　as　he　looked　round　upon　his　friend's　miserable　apartment　and　wretched　accommodation〃What's　this　o't！　what's　this　o't！〃

〃Just　a　trick　of　fortune；　my　good　friend；〃　said　Bertram；　rising　and　shaking　him　heartily　by　the　hand；　〃that's　all。〃

〃But　what　will　be　done　about　it？or　what　can　be　done　about　it？〃　said　honest　Dandie〃is't　for　debt；　or　what　is't　for？〃

〃Why；　it　is　not　for　debt；〃　answered　Bertram；　and　if　you　have　time　to　sit　down；　I'll　tell　you　all　I　know　of　the　matter　myself。〃

〃If　I　hae　time？〃　said　Dandie；　with　an　accent　on　the　word　that　sounded　like　a　howl　of　derision〃Ou；　what　the　deevil　am　I　come　here　for；　man；　but　just　ance　errand　to　see　about　it？　But　ye'll　no　be　the　waur　o'　something　to　eat；　I　trow；it's　getting　late　at　e'enI　tell'd　the　folk　at　the　Change；　where　I　put　up　Dumple；　to　send　ower　my　supper　here；　and　the　chield　Mac…Guffog　is　agreeable　to　let　it　inI　hae　settled　a'　that。And　now　let's　hear　your　storyWhisht；　Wasp；　man！　wow　but　he's　glad　to　see　you；　poor　thing！〃

Bertram's　story；　being　confined　to　the　accident　of　Hazlewood；　and　the　confusion　made　between　his　own　；identity　and　that　of　one　of　the　smugglers；　who　had　been　active　in　the　assault　of　Woodbourne；　and　chanced　to　bear　the　same　name；　was　soon　told。　Dinmont　listened　very　attentively。　〃Aweel；〃　he　said；　〃this　suld　be　nae　sic　dooms…desperate　business　surelythe　lad's　doing　weel　again　that　was　hurt；　and　what　signifies　twa　or　three　lead　draps　in　his　shouther？　if　ye　had　putten　out　his　ee　it　would　hae　been　another　case。　But　eh；　as　I　wuss　auld　Sherra　Pleydell　was　to　the　fore　here！odd；　he　was　the　man　for　sorting　them；　and　the　queerest　rough…spoken　deevil　too　that　ever　ye　heard！〃

〃But　now　tell　me；　my　excellent　friend；　how　did　you　find　out　I　was　here？〃

〃Odd；　lad；　queerly　eneugh；〃　said　Dandie；　〃but　I'll　tell　ye　that　after　ye　are　done　wi'　our　supper；　for　it　will　maybe　no　be　sae　weel　to　speak　about　it　while　that　lang…lugged　limmer　o'　a　lass　is　gaun　flisking　in　and　out　o'　the　room。〃

Bertram's　curiosity　was　in　some　degree　put　to　rest　by　the　appearance　of　the　supper　which　his　friend　had　ordered；　which；　although　homely　enough；　had　the　appetising　cleanliness　in　which　Mrs。　Mac…Guffog's　cookery　was　so　eminently　deficient。　Dinmont　also；　premising　he　had　ridden　the　whole　day　since　breakfast…time；　without　tasting　anything　〃to　speak　of；〃　which　qualifying　phrase　related　to　about　three　pounds　of　cold　roast　mutton　which　he　had　discussed　at　his　midday　stage；Dinmont；　I　say；　fell　stoutly　upon　the　good　cheer；　and；　like　one　of　Homer's　heroes；　said　little；　either　good　or　bad；　till　the　rage　of　thirst　and　hunger　was　appeased。　At　length；　after　a　draught　of　home…brewed　ale；　he　began　by　observing；　〃Aweel；　aweel；　that　hen；〃　looking　upon　the　lamentable　relics　of　what　had　been　once　a　large　fowl；　〃wasna　a　bad　ane　to　be　bred　at　a　town　end；　though　it's　no　like　our　barn…door　chuckles　at　Charlies…hopeand　I　am　glad　to　see　that　this　vexing　job　hasna　taen　awa　your　appetite；　Captain。〃

〃Why；　really；　my　dinner　was　not　so　excellent；　Mr。　Dinmont；　as　to　spoil　my　supper。〃

〃I　dar