guy mannering-第90节

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〃Well；　we　shall　not　pardon　them　for　disturbing　our　party；〃　said　Julia；　〃unless　they　bring　as　much　good…humour；　and　as　susceptible　hearts；　as　my　friend　and　admirer；　for　so　he　has　dubbed　himself；　Mr。　Pleydell。〃

〃Ah；　Miss　Julia；〃　said　Pleydell；　offering　his　arm　with　an　air　of　gallantry　to　conduct　her　into　the　eating…room；　〃the　time　has　beenwhen　I　returned　from　Utrecht　in　the　year　i738〃

〃Pray　don't　talk　of　it；〃　answered　the　young　lady；〃we　like　you　much　better　as　you　areUtrecht；　in　heaven's　name！I　dare　say　you　have　spent　all　the　intervening　years　in　getting　rid　so　completely　of　the　effects　of　your　Dutch　education。〃

〃Oh；　forgive　me；　Miss　Mannering；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃the　Dutch　are　a　much　more　accomplished　people　in　point　or　gallantry　than　their　volatile　neighbours　are　willing　to　admit。　They　are　constant　as　clock…work　in　their　attentions。〃

〃I　should　tire　of　that；〃　said　Julia。

〃Imperturbable　in　their　good　temper；〃　continued　Pleydell。

〃Worse　and　worse；〃　said　the　young　lady。

〃And　then；〃　said　the　old　beau　garcon；　〃although　for　six　times　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　days；　your　swain　has　placed　the　capuchin　round　your　neck；　and　the　stove　under　your　feet；　and　driven　your　little　sledge　upon　the　ice　in　winter；　and　your　cabriole　through　the　dust　in　summer；　you　may　dismiss　him　at　once；　without　reason　or　apology；　upon　the　two　thousand　one　hundred　and　ninetieth　day；　which；　according　to　my　hasty　calculation；　and　without　reckoning　leap…years；　will　complete　the　cycle　of　the　supposed　adoration；　and　that　without　your　amiable　feelings　having　the　slightest　occasion　to　be　alarmed　for　the　consequences　to　those　of　Mynheer。〃

〃Well；〃　replied　Julia；　〃that　last　is　truly　a　Dutch　recommendation；　Mr。　Pleydellcrystaland　hearts　would　lose　all　their　merit　in　the　world；　if　it　were　not：　for　their　fragility。〃

〃Why；　upon　that　point　of　the　argument；　Miss　Mannering；　it　is　as　difficult　to　find　a　heart　that　will　break；　as　a　glass　that　will　not；　and　for　that　reason　I　would　press　the　value　of　mine　ownwere　it　not　that　I　see　Mr。　Sampson's　eyes　have　been　closed；　and　his　hands　claspedfor　some　time；　attending　the　end　of　our　conference　to　begin　the　grace。And；　to　say　the　truth；　the　appearance　of　the　wild…ducks　is　very　appetising。〃　So　saying；　the　worthy　counsellor　sat　himself　to　table；　and　laid　aside　his　gallantry　for　awhile；　to　do　honour　to　the　good　things　placed　before　him。　Nothing　further　is　recorded　of　him　for　some　time；　excepting　an　observation　that　the　ducks　were　roasted　to　a　single　turn；　and　that　Mrs。　Allan's　sauce　of　claret；　lemon；　and　cayenne；　was　beyond　praise。

〃I　see；〃　said　Miss　Mannering；　〃I　have　a　formidable　rival　in　Mr。　Pleydell's　favour；　even　on　the　very　first　night　of　his　avowed　admiration。〃

〃Pardon　me；　my　fair　lady；〃　answered　the　counsellor；　〃your　avowed　rigour　alone　has　induced　me　to　commit　the　solecism　of　eating　a　good　supper　in　your　presence；　how　shall　I　support　your　frowns　without　reinforcing　my　strength？　Upon　the　same　principle；　and　no　other；　I　will　ask　permission　to　drink　wine　with　you。〃

〃This　is　the　fashion　of　Utrecht　also；　I　suppose；　Mr。　Pleydell？〃

〃Forgive　me；　madam；〃　answered　the　counsellor；　〃the　French　themselves；　the　patterns　of　all　that　is　gallant；　term　their　tavern…keepers　restaurateurs；　alluding；　doubtless；　to　the　relief　they　afford　the　disconsolate　lover；　when　bowed　down　to　the　earth　by　his　mistress's　severity。　My　own　case　requires　so　much　relief；　that　I　must　trouble　you　for　that　other　wing；　Mr。　Sampson；　without　prejudice　to　my　afterwards　applying　to　Miss　Bertram　for　a　tart；be　pleased　to　tear　the　wing；　sir；　instead　of　cutting　it　offMr。　Barnes　will　assist　you；　Mr。　Sampson；thank　you；　sirand；　Mr。　Barnes；　a　glass　of　ale；　if　you　please。〃

While　the　old　gentleman；　pleased　with　Miss　Mannering's　liveliness　and　attention；　rattled　away　for　her　amusement　and　his　own；　the　impatience　of　Colonel　Mannering　began　to　exceed　all　bounds。　He　declined　sitting　down　at　table；　under　pretence　that　he　never　ate　supper；　and　traversed　the　parlour；　in　which　they　were；　with　hasty　and　impatient　steps；　now　throwing　tip　the　window　to　gaze　upon　the　dark　lawn；　now　listening　for　the　remote　sound　of　the　carriage　advancing　up　the　avenue。　At　length；　in　a　feeling　of　uncontrollable　impatience；　he　left　the　room；　took　his　hat　and　cloak；　and　pursued　his　walk　up　the　avenue；　as　if　his　so　doing　would　hasten　the　approach　of　those　whom　he　desired　to　see。　〃I　really　wish；〃　said　Miss　Bertram；　〃Colonel　Mannering　would　not　venture　out　after　nightfall。　You　must　have　heard；　Mr。　Pleydell；　what　a　cruel　fright　we　had。〃

〃Oh；　with　the　smugglers？〃　replied　the　advocate〃they　are　old　friends　of　mine。　I　was　the　means　of　bringing　some　of　them　to　justice　a　long　time　since；　when　Sheriff　of　this　county。〃

〃And　then　the　alarm　we　had　immediately　afterwards；〃　added　Miss　Bertram；　from　the　vengeance　of　one　of　these　wretches。〃

〃When　young　Hazlewood　was　hurtI　heard　of　that　too。〃

〃Imagine；　my　dear　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　continued　Lucy；　〃how　much　Miss　Mannering　and　I　were　alarmed；　when　a　ruffian；　equally　dreadful　for　his　great　strength；　and　the　sternness　of　his　features；　rushed　out　upon　us！〃

〃You　must　know；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　said　Julia；　unable　to　suppress　her　resentment　at　this　undesigned　aspersion　of　her　admirer；　〃that　young　Hazlewood　is　so　handsome　in　the　eyes　of　the　Young　ladies　of　this　country；　that　they　think　every　person　shocking　who　comes　near　him。〃

〃Oho！〃　thought　Pleydell；　who　was　by　profession　an　observer　of　tones　and　gestures；　〃there's　something　wrong　here　between　my　young　friends。Well；　Miss　Mannering；　I　have　not　seen　young　Hazlewood　since　he　was　a　boy；　so　the　ladies　may　be　perfectly　right；　but　I　can　assure　you；　in　spite　of　your　scorn；　that　if　you　want　to　see　handsome　men　you　must　go　to　Holland；　the　prettiest　fellow　I　ever　saw　was　a　Dutchman；　in　spite　of　his　being　called　Vanbost；　or　Vanbuster；　or　some　such　barbarous　name。　He　will　not　be　quite　so　handsome　now；　to　be　sure。〃

It　was　now　Julia's　turn　to　look　a　little　out　of　countenance　at　the　chance　hit　of　her　learned　admirer；　but　that　instant　the　Colonel　entered　the　room。　〃I　can　hear　nothing　of　them　yet；〃　he　said　〃still；　however；　we　will　not　separateWhere　is　Dominie　Sampson？〃

〃Here；　honoured　sir。〃

〃What　is　that　book　you　hold　in　your　hand；　Mr。　Sampson？〃

〃It's　even　the　learned　De　Lyra；　sirI　would　crave　his　honour　Mr。　Pleydell's　judgment；　always　with　his　best　leisure；　to　expound　a　disputed　passage。〃

〃I　am　not　in　the　vein；　Mr。　Sampson；〃　answered　Pleydell；　〃here's　metal　more　attractiveI　do　not　despair　to　engage　these　two　young　ladies　in　a　glee　or　a　catch；　wherein　I；　even　I　myself；　will　adventure　myself　for　the　bass　partHang　De　Lyra；　man；　keep　him　for　a　fitter　season。〃

The　disappointed　Dominie　shut　his　ponderous　tome；　much　marvelling　in　his　mind　how　a　person；　possessed　of　the　lawyer's　erudition；　could　give　his　mind　to　these　frivolous　toys。　But　the　counsellor；　indifferent　to　the　high　character　for　learning　which　he　was　trifling　away；　filled　himself　a　large　glass　of　Burgundy；　and　after　preluding　a　little　with　a　voice　somewhat　the　worse　for　wear；　gave　the　ladies　a　courageous　invitation　to　join　in　〃We　be　three　poor　Mariners；〃　and　accomplished　his　own　part　therein　with　great　eclat。

〃Are　you　not　withering　your　roses　with　sitting　up　so　late；　my　young　ladies？〃　said　the　Colonel。

〃Not　a　bit；　sir；〃　answered　Julia；　〃your　friend；　Mr。　Pleydell；　threatens　to　become　a　pupil　of　Mr。　Sampson's　to…morrow；　so　we　must　make　the　most　of　our　conquest　to…night。〃

This　led　to　another　musical　trial　of　skill；　and　that　to　lively　conversation。　At　length；　when　the　solitary　sound　of　one　o'clock　had　long　since　resounded　on　the　ebon　ear　of　night；　and　the　next　signal　of　the　advance　of　time　was　close　approaching；　Mannering；　whose　impatience　had　long　subsided　into　disappointment　and　despair；　looked　at　his　watch；　and　said；　〃We　must　now　give　them　up〃when　at　that　instantBut　what　then　befell　will　require　a　separate　chapter。



CHAPTER　L。

　　Justice。　This　does　indeed　confirm　each　circumstance　The　　　gipsy　told！No　orphan；　nor　without　a　friend　art　thou　　　I　am　thy　father；　here's　thy　mother；　there　Thy　uncleThis　　　thy　first　cousin；　and　these　Are　all　thy　near　relations！　　　　　The　Critic。

As　Mannering　replaced　his　watch；　he　heard　a　distant　and　hollow　sound〃It　is　a　carriage　for　certainno；　it　is　but　the　sound　of　the　wind　among　the　leafless　trees。　Do　come　to　the　window；　Mr。　Pleydell。　〃The　counsellor；　who；　with　his　large　silk　handkerchief　in　his　hand；　was　expatiating　away　to　Julia　upon　some　subject　which　he　thought　was　interesting；　obeyed；　however；　the　summons；　first；　wrapping　the　handkerchief　round　his　neck　by　way　of　precaution　against　the　cold　air。　The　sound　of　wheels　became　now　very　perceptible；　and　Pleydell；　as　if　he　had　reserved　all　his　curiosity　till　that　moment；　ran　out　to　the　hall。　The　Colonel　rung　for　Barnes　to　desire　that　the　persons　who　came　in　the　carriage　might　be　shown　into　a　separate　room；　being　altogether　uncertain　whom　it　might　contain。　It；　stopped；　however；　at　the　door；　before　his　purpose　could　he　fully　explained。　A　moment　after；　Mr。　Pleydell　called　out；　〃Here's　our　Liddesdale　friend；　I　protest；　with　a　strapping　young　fellow　of　the　same　calibre。　〃His　voice　arrested　Dinmont；　who　recognised　him　with　equal　surprise　And　pleasure。　〃Odd；　if　it's　your　h