guy mannering-第86节

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rful　how　palpably　the　difference；　in　such　cases；　is　impressed　upon　the　mind　of　the　auditor。　This　may　account　for　the　attention　with　which　her　strange　and　mysterious　hints　were　heard　and　acted　upon。　It　is　certain；　at　least；　that　young　Hazlewood　was　strongly　impressed　by　her　sudden　appearance　and　imperative　tone。　He　rode　to　Hazlewood　at　a　brisk　pace。　It　had　been　dark　fort　some　time　before　he　reached　the　house；　and　on　his　arrival　there；　he　saw　a　confirmation　of　what　the　sibyl　had　hinted。

Thirty　dragoon　horses　stood　under　a　shed　near　the　offices；　with　their　bridles　linked　together。　Three　or　four　soldiers　attended　as　a　guard；　while　others　stamped　up　and　down　with　their　long　broadswords　and　heavy　boots　in　front　of　the　house。　Hazlewood　asked　a　non…commissioned　officer　from　whence　they　came？

〃From　Portanferry。〃

〃Had　they　left　any　guard　there？〃

〃No；　they　had　been　drawn　off　by　order　of　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　for　defence　of　his　house；　against　an　attackwhich　was　threatened　by　the　smugglers。〃

Charles　Hazlewood　instantly　went　in　quest　of　his　father；　and；　having　paid　his　respects　to　him　upon　his　return；　requested　to　know　upon　what　account　he　had　thought　it　necessary　to　send　for　a　military　escort。　Sir　Robert　assured　his　son　in　reply；　that　from　the　information；　intelligence；　and　tidings；　which　had　been　communicated　to；　and　laid　before　him；　he　had　the　deepest　reason　to　believe；　credit；　and　be　convinced；　that　a　riotous　assault　would　that　night　be　attempted　and　perpetrated　against　Hazlewood　House；　by　a　set　of　smugglers；　gipsies；　and　other　desperadoes。

〃And　what；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　his　son；　〃should　direct　the　fury　of　such　persons　against　ours　rather　than　any　other　house　in　the　country？〃

〃I　should　rather　think；　suppose；　and　be　of　opinion；　sir；〃　answered　Sir　Robert；　〃with　deference　to　your　wisdom　and　experience；　that　on　these　occasions　and　times；　the　vengeance　of　such　persons　is　directed　or　levelled　against　the　most　important　and　distinguished　in　point　of　rank；　talent；　birth；　and　situation；　who　have　checked；　interfered　with；　and　discountenanced　their　unlawful　and　illegal　and　criminal　actions　or　deeds。〃

Young　Hazlewood；　who　knew　his　father's　foible　answered；　that　the　cause　of　his　surprise　did　not　lie　where　Sir　Robert　apprehended；　but　that　he　only　wondered　they　should　think　of　attacking　a　house　where　there　were　so　many　servants；　and　'where　a　signal　to　the　neighbouring　tenants　could　call　in　such　strong　assistance；　and　added　that　he　doubted　much　whether　the　reputation　of　the　family　would　not　in　some　degree　suffer　from　calling　soldiers　from　their　duty　at　the　Custom…house；　to　protect　them；　as　if　they　were　not　sufficiently　strong　to　defend　themselves　upon　any　ordinary　occasion。　He　even　hinted；　that　in　case　their　house's　enemies　should　observe　that　this　precaution　had　been　taken　unnecessarily；　there　would　be　no　end　of　their　sarcasms。

Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　was　rather　puzzled　at　this　intimation；　for；　like　most　dull　men；　he　heartily　hated　and　feared　ridicule。　He　gathered　himself　up；　and　looked　with　a　sort　of　pompous　embarrassment；　as　if　he　wished　to　be　thought　to　despise　the　opinion　of　the　public；　which　in　reality　he　dreaded。

〃I　really　should　have　thought；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　injury　which　had　already　been　aimed　at　my　house　in　your　person；　being　the　next　heir　and　representative　of　the　Hazlewood　family；　failing　meI　should　have　thought　and　believed；　I　say；　that　this　would　have　justified　me　sufficiently　in　the　eyes　of　the　most　respectable　and　the　greater　part　of　the　people；　for　taking　such　precautions　as　are　calculated　to　prevent　and　impede　a　repetition　of　outrage。〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　said　Charles；　〃I　must　remind　you　of　what　I　have　often　said　before；　that　I　am　positive　the　discharge　of　the　piece　was　accidental。〃

〃Sir；　it　was　not　accidental；〃　said　his　father　angrily　but　you　will　be　wiser　than　your　elders。〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　replied　Hazlewood；　〃in　what　so　intimately　concerns　myself〃

〃Sir；　it　does　not　concern　you　but　in　a　very　secondary　degree　that　is；　it　does　not　concern　you；　as　a　giddy　young　fellow；　who　takes　pleasure　in　contradicting　his　father；　but　it　concerns　the　country；　sir；　and　the　county；　sir；　and　the　public；　sir；　and　the　kingdom　of　Scotland；　in　so　far　as　the　interest　of　the　Hazlewood　family；　sir；　is　committed；　and　interested；　and　put　in　peril；　in；　by；　and　through　you；　sir。　And　the　fellow　is　in　safe　custody；　and　Mr。　Glossin　thinks〃

〃Mr。　Glossin；　sir？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　the　gentleman　who　has　purchased　Ellangowanyou　know　who　I　mean；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃but　I　should　hardly　have　expected　to　hear　you　quote　such　authority。　Why；　this　fellowall　the　world　knows　him　to　be　sordid；　mean；　tricking；　and　I　suspect　him　to　be　worse。　And　you　yourself；　my　dear　sir；　when　did　you　call　such　a　person　a　gentleman　in　your　life　before？〃

〃Why；　Charles；　I　did　not　mean　gentleman　in　the　precise　sense　and　meaning；　and　restricted　and　proper　use；　to　which；　no　doubt；　the　phrase　ought　legitimately　to　be　confined；　but　I　meant　to　use　it　relatively；　as　marking　something　of　that　state　to　which　he　has　elevated　and　raised　himselfas　designing；　in　short；　a　decent　and　wealthy　and　estimable　sort　of　a　person。〃

〃Allow　me　to　ask；　sir；〃　said　Charles；　〃if　it　was　by　this　man's　orders　that　the　guard　was　drawn　from　Portanferry？〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　the　Baronet；　〃I　do　apprehend　that　Mr。　Glossin　would　not　presume　to　give　orders；　or　even　an　opinion；　unless　asked；　in　a　matter　in　which　Hazlewood　House　and　the　house　of　Hazlewoodmeaning　by　the　one　this　mansion…house　of　my　family；　and　by　the　other；　typically；　metaphorically；　and　parabolically；　the　family　itselfI　say　then　where　the　house　of　Hazlewood；　or　Hazlewood　House；　was　so　immediately　concerned。〃

〃I　presume；　however；　sir；〃　said　the　son；　〃this　Glossin　approved　of　the　proposal？〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　his　father；　〃I　thought　it　decent　and　right　and　proper　to　consult　him　as　the　nearest　magistrate；　as　soon　as　report　of　the　intended　outrage　reached　my　ears；　and　although　he　declined；　out　of　deference　and　respect；　as　became　our　relative　situations；　to　concur　in　the　order；　yet　he　did　entirely　approve　of　my　arrangement。〃

At　this　moment　a　horse's　feet　were　heard　coming　very　fast　up　the　avenue。　In　a　few　minutes　the　door　opened；　and　Mr。　Mac…Morlan　presented　himself。　〃I　am　under　great　concern　to　intrude；　Sir　Robert；　but〃

〃Give　me　leave；　Mr。　Mac…Morlan；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　with　a　gracious　flourish　of　welcome；　〃this　is　no　intrusion；　sir；　for　your　situation　as　Sheriff…substitute　calling　upon　you　to　attend　to　the　peace　of　the　county　（and　you；　doubtless；　feeling　yourself　particularly　called　upon　to　protect　Hazlewood　House）；　you　have　an　acknowledged；　and　admitted；　and　undeniable　right；　sir；　to　enter　the　house　of　the　first　gentleman　in　Scotland；　uninvitedalways　presuming　you　to　be　called　there　by　the　duty　of　your　office。〃

〃It　is　indeed　the　duty　of　my　office；〃　said　Mac…Morlan；　who　waited　with　impatience　an　opportunity　to　speak；　〃that　makes　me　an　intruder。〃

〃No　intrusion！〃　reiterated　the　Baronet；　gracefully　waving　his　hand。

〃But　permit　me　to　say；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　the　Sheriff…substitute；　〃I　do　not　come　with　the　purpose　of　remaining　here；　but　to　recall　these　soldiers　to　Portanferry；　and　to　assure　you　that　I　will　answer　for　the　safety　of　your　house。〃

〃To　withdraw　the　guard　from　Hazlewood　House！〃　exclaimed　the　proprietor　in　mingled　displeasure　and　surprise；　〃and　you　will　be　answerable　for　it！　And；　pray；　who　are　you；　sir；　that　I　should　take　your　security；　and　caution；　and　pledge；　official　or　personal；　for　the　safety　of　Hazlewood　House？I　think；　sir；　and　believe；　sir；　and　am　of　opinion；　sir；　that　if　any　one　of　these　family　pictures　were　deranged；　or　destroyed；　or　injured；　it　would　be　difficult　for　me　to　make　up　the　loss　upon　the　guarantee　which　you　so　obligingly　offer　me。〃

〃In　that　case　I　shall　be　sorry　for　it；　Sir　Robert；〃　answered　the　downright　Mac…Morlan；　〃but　I　presume　I　may　escape　the　pain　of　feeling　my　conduct　the　cause　of　such　irreparable　loss；　as　I　can　assure　you　there　will　be　no　attempt　upon　Hazlewood　House　whatever；　and　I　have　received　information　which　induces　me　to　suspect　that　the　rumour　was　put　afloat　merely　in　order　to　occasion　the　removal　of　the　soldiers　from　Portanferry。　And　under　this　strong　belief　and　conviction；　I　must　exert　my　authority　as　sheriff　and　chief　magistrate　of　police；　to　order　the　whole；　or　greater　part　of　them；　back　again。　I　regret　much；　that　by　my　accidental　absence；　a　good　deal　of　delay　has　already　taken　place；　and　we　shall　not　now　reach　Portanferry　until　it　is　late。〃

As　Mr。　Mac…Morlan　was　the　superior　magistrate；　and　expressed　himself　peremptory　in　the　purpose　of　acting　as　such；　the　Baronet；　though　highly　offended；　could　only　say；　〃Very　well；　sir；　it　is　very　well。　Nay；　sir；　take　them　all　with　youI　am　far　from　desiring　any　to　be　left　here；　sir。　We；　sir；　can　protect　ourselves；　sir。　But　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　observe；　sir；　that　you　are　acting　on　your　own　proper　risk；　sir；　and　peril；　sir；　and　responsibility；　sir；　if　anything　shall　happen　or　befall　to　Hazlewood　House；　sir；　or　the　inhabitants；　sir；　or　to　the　furniture　and　paintings；　sir。〃

〃I　am　acting　to　the　best　of　my　judgment　and　information；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　Mac…Morlan；　〃and　I　must　pray　of　you　to　believe　so；　and　to　pardon　me