guy mannering-第83节

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ect　of　hung…beef；　rolls；　and　butter；　that　his　route；　which　was　different　from　that　which　he　had　taken　in　the　morning；　conducted　him　past　the　small　ruinedtower；　or　rather　vestige　of　a　tower；　called　by　the　country　people　the　Kaim　of　Derncleugh。

The　reader　may　recollect　the　description　of　this　ruin　in　the　twenty…seventh　chapter　of　this　narrative；　as　the　vault　in　which　young　Bertram；　under　the　auspices　of　Meg　Merrilies；　witnessed　the　death　of　Hatteraick's　lieutenant。　The　tradition　of　the　country　added　ghostly　terrors　to　the　natural　awe　inspired　by　the　situation　of　this　place；　which　terrors　the　gipsies；　who　so　long　inhabited　the　vicinity；　had　probably　invented；　or　at　least　propagated；　for　their　own　advantage。　It　was　said　that；　during　the　times　of　the　Galwegian　independence；　one　Hanlon　MacDingawaie；　brother　to　the　reigning　chief；　Knarth　MacDingawaie；　murdered　his　brother　and　sovereign；　in　order　to　usurp　the　principality　from　his　infant　nephew；　and　that　being　pursued　for　vengeance　by　the　faithful　allies　and　retainers　of　the　house；　who　espoused　the　cause　of　the　lawful　heir；　he　was　compelled　to　retreat；　with　a　few　followers　whom　he　had　involved　in　his　crime；　to　his　impregnable　tower　called　the　Kaim　of　Derncleugh；　where　he　defended　himself　until　nearly　reduced　by　famine；　when；　setting　fire　to　the　place；　he　and　the　small　remaining　garrison　desperately　perished　by　their　own　swords；　rather　than　fall　into　the　hands　of　their　exasperated　enemies。　This　tragedy；　which；　considering　the　wild　times　wherein　it　was　placed；　might　have　some　foundation　in　truth；　was　larded　with　many　legends　of　superstition　and　diablerie；　so　that　most　of　the　peasants　of　the　neighbourhood；　if　benighted；　would　rather　have　chosen　to　make　a　considerable　circuit；　than　pass　these　haunted　walls。　The　lights；　often　seen　around　the　tower　when　used　as　the　rendezvous　of　the　lawless　characters　by　whom　it　was　occasionally　frequented；　were　accounted　for；　under　authority　of　these　tales　of　witchery；　in　a　manner　at　once　convenient　for　the　private　parties　concerned；　and　satisfactory　to　the　public。

Now；　it　must　be　confessed；　that　our　friend　Sampson；　although　a　profound　scholar　and　mathematician；　had　not　travelled　so　far　in　philosophy　as　to　doubt　the　reality　of　witchcraft　or　apparitions。　Born　indeed　at　a　time　when　a　doubt　in　the　existence　of　witches　was　interpreted　as　equivalent　to　a　justification　of　their　infernal　practices；　a　belief　of　such　legends　had　been　impressed　upon　the　Dominie　as　an　article　indivisible　from　his　religious　faith；　and　perhaps　it　would　have　been　equally　difficult　to　have　induced　him　to　doubt　the　one　as　the　other。　With　these　feelings；　and　in　a　thick　misty　day；　which　was　already　drawing　to　its　close；　Dominie　Sampson　did　not　pass　the　Kaim　of　Derncleugh　without　some　feelings　of　tacit　horror。

What　then　was　his　astonishment；　when；　on　passing　the　doorthat　door　which　was　supposed　to　have　been　placed　there　by　one　of　the　latter　Lairds　of　Ellangowan　to　prevent　presumptuous　strangers　from　incurring　the　dangers　of　the　haunted　vaultthat　door；　supposed　to　be　always　locked；　and　the　key　of　which　was　popularly　said　to　be　deposited　with　the　presbyterythat　door；　that　very　door；　opened　suddenly；　and　the　figure　of　Meg　Merrilies；　well　known；　though　not　seen　for　many　a　revolving　year；　was　placed　at　once　before　the　eyes　of　the　startled　Dominie！　She　stood　immediately　before　him　in　the　footpath；　confronting　him　so　absolutely；　that　he　could　not　avoid　her　except　by　fairly　turning　back；　which　his　manhood　prevented　him　from　thinking　of。

〃I　kenn'd　ye　wad　be　here；〃　she　said　with　her　harsh　and　hollow　voice　〃I　ken　wha　ye　seek；　but　ye　maun　do　my　bidding。〃

〃Get　thee　behind　me！〃　said　the　alarmed　Dominie〃Avoid　ye！　Conjuro　te；　scelestissimanequissimaspurcissimainiquissima　atque　miserrimconjuro　te！！！〃Meg　stood　her　ground　against　this　　tremendous　volley　of　superlatives；　which　Sampson　hawked　up　from　the　　pit　of　his　stomach；　and　hurled　at　her　in　thunder。　〃Is　the　carl　　daft；〃　she　said；　〃wi'　his　glamour？〃

〃Conjuro；〃　continued　the　Dominie；　〃abjuro　contestor；　atque　viriliter　impero　tibi！〃

〃What；　in　the　name　of　Sathan；　are　ye　feared　for；　wi'　your　French　gibberish；　that　would　make　a　dog　sick？　Listen；　ye　stickit　stibbler；　＇*A　broken…down　clerical　probationer。＇　to　what　I　tell　ye；　or　ye　sall　rue　it　while　there's　a　limb　o'　ye　hings　to　anither！Tell　Colonel　Mannering　that　I　ken　he's　seeking　me。　He　kens；　and　I　ken；　that　the　blood　will　be　wiped　out；　and　the　lost　will　be　found；

〃And　Bertram's　right　and　Bertram's　mlght　Shall　meet　on　Ellangowan　height。

Hae；　there's　a　letter　to　him；　I　was　gaun　to　send　it　in　another　way。I　canna　write　mysell；　but　I　hae　them　that　will　baith　write　and　read；　and　ride　and　rin　for　me。　Tell　him　the　time's　coming　now；　and　the　weird's　dreed　＇*The　destiny　is　fulfilled。＇　and　the　wheel's　turning。　Bid　him　look　at　the　stars　as　he　has　looked　at　them　before。Will　ye　mind　a'　this？〃

〃Assuredly；〃　said　the　Dominie；　〃I　am　dubiousfor；　woman；　I　am　perturbed　at　thy　words；　and　my　flesh　quakes　to　hear　thee。〃

〃'They'll　do　you　nae　ill　though；　and　maybe　muckle　gude。〃

〃Avoid　ye！　I　desire　no　good　that　comes　by　unlawful　means。〃

〃Fule…body　that　thou　art；〃　said　Meg；　stepping　up　to　him　with　a　frown　of　indignation　that　made　her　dark　eyes　flash　like　lamps　from　under　her　bent　brows；〃Fule…body！　if　I　meant　ye　wrang；　couldna　I　clod　＇*Hurl。＇　ye　ower　that　craig　＇*Steep　rock。＇；　and　wad　man　ken　how　ye　cam　by　your　end　mair　than　Frank　Kennedy？　Hear　ye　that；　ye　worricow？〃　＇*Scarecrow。＇

〃In　the　name　of　all　that　is　good；〃　said　the　Dominie；　recoiling；　and　pointing　his　long　pewter…headed　walking…cane　like　a　javelin　at　the　supposed　sorceress；〃in　the　name　of　all　that　is　good；　bide　off　hands！　I　will　not　be　handled　woman；　stand　off；　upon　thine　own　proper　peril！desist；　I　sayI　am　stronglo；　I　will　resist！〃Here　his　speech　was　cut　short；　for　Meg；　armed　with　supernatural　strength；　（as　the　Dominie　asserted）；　broke　in　upon　his　guard；　put　by　a　thrust　which　he　made　at　her　with　his　cane；　and　lifted　him　into　the　vault；　〃as　easily；〃　said　he；　〃as　I　could　sway　a　Kitchen's　Atlas。〃

〃Sit　down　there；〃　she　said；　pushing　the　half…throttled　preacher　with　some　violence　against　a　broken　chair；〃sit　down　there；　and　gather　your　wind　and　your　senses；　ye　black　barrow…tram　＇*Limb。＇　o'　the　kirk　that　ye　areAre　ye　fou　or　fasting？〃

〃Fastingfrom　all　but　sin；〃　answered　the　Dominie；　who；　recovering　his　voice；　and　finding　his　exorcisms　only　served　to　exasperate　the　intractable　sorceress；　thought　it　best　to　affect　complaisance　and　submission；　inwardly　conning　over；　however；　the　wholesome　conjurations　which　he　durst　no　longer　utter　aloud。　But　as　the　Dominie's　brain　was　by　no　means　equal　to　carry　on　two　trains　of　ideas　at　the　same　time；　a　word　or　two　of　his　mental　exercise　sometimes　escaped；　and　mingled　with　his　uttered　speech　in　a　manner　ludicrous　enough；　especially　as　the　poor　man　shrunk　himself　together　after　every　escape　of　the　kind；　from　terror　of　the　effect　it　might　produce　upon　the　irritable　feelings　of　the　witch。

Meg；　in　the　meanwhile；　went　to　a　great　black　cauldron　that　was　boiling　on　a　fire　on　the　floor；　and；　lifting　the　lid；　an　odour　was　diffused　through　the　vault；　which；　if　the　vapours　of　a　witch's　cauldron　could　in　aught　be　trusted；　promised　better　things　than　the　hell…broth　which　such　vessels　are　usually　supposed　to　contain。　It　was　in　fact　the　savour　of　a　goodly　stew；　composed　of　fowls；　hares；　partridges；　and　moorgame；　boiled；　in　a　large　mess　with　potatoes；　onions；　and　leeks；　and　from　the　size　of　the　cauldron；　appeared　to　be　prepared　for　half　a　dozen　people　at　least。　〃So　ye　hae　eat　naething　a'　day？〃　said　Meg；　heaping　a　large　portion　of　this　mess　into　a　brown　dish；　and　strewing　it　savourily　with　salt　and　pepper。　＇*We　must　again　have　recourse　to　the　contribution　to　Blackwood's　Magazine；　April　1817　：

〃To　the　admirers　of　good　eating；　Gipsy　cookery　seems　to　have　little　to　recommend　it。　I　can　assure　you；　however；　that　the　cook　of　a　nobleman　of　high　distinction；　a　person　who　never　reads　even　a　novel　without　an　eye　to　the　enlargement　of　the　culinary　science；　has　added　to　the　Almanach　des　Gourmands；　a　certain　Potage　a　la　Meg　Merrilies　de　Dernclough；　consisting　of　game　and　poultry　of　all　kinds；　stewed　with　vegetables　into　a　soup；　which　rivals　in　savour　and　richness　the　gallant　messes　of　Comacho's　wedding；　and　which　the　Baron　of　Bradwardine　would　certainly　have　reckoned　among　the　Epulae；　lautiores。〃

＇The　artist　alluded　to　in　this　passage　in　Mons。　Florence；　cook　to　Henry　and　Charles；　late　Dukes　of　Buccleuch；　and　of　high　distinction　in　his　profession。＇

〃Nothing；〃　answered　the　Dominie〃scelestissima！that　isgudewife。〃

〃Hae　then；〃　said　she；　placing　the　dish　before　him；　〃there's　what　will　warm　your　heart。〃

〃I　do　not　hungermaleficathat　is　to　sayMrs。　Merrilies！〃　for　he　said　unto　himself；　；the　savour　is　sweet；　but　it　bath　been　cooked　by　a　Canidia　or　an　Ericthoe。〃

〃If　ye　dinna　eat　instantly；　and　put　some　saul　in　ye；　by　the　bread　and　the　salt；　I'll　put　it　down　your　throat　wi'　the　cutty　＇*Short。＇　spoon；　scaulding　as　it　is；　and　whether　ye　will　or　no。　Gape；　sinner；　and　swallow！〃

Sampson；　afraid　of　eye　of　newt；　and　toe　of　frog；　tigers'　chaudrons；　and　so　forth；　had　determined　not　to　venture；　but　the　smell　of　the　stew　was　fast　melting　his　obstinacy；