guy mannering-第91节

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re。　〃Odd；　if　it's　your　honour；　we'll　a'　be　as　right　and　tight　as　thack　and　rape　can　make　us。〃　＇*When　a　farmer's　crop　is　got　safety　into　the　barn…yard；　it　is　said　to　be　made　fast　with　thack　and　rapeAnglic；　straw　and　rope。＇

But　while　the　farmer　stopped　to　make　his　bow；　Bertram；　dizzied　with　the　sudden　glare　of　light；　and　bewildered　with　the　circumstances　of　his　situation；　almost　unconsciously　entered　the　open　door　of　the　parlour；　and　confronted　the　Colonel；　who　was　just　advancing　towards　it。　The　strong　light　of　the　apartment　left　no　doubt　of　his　identity；　and　he　himself　was　as　much　confounded　with　the　appearance　of　those　to　whom　he　so　unexpectedly　presented　himself；　as　they　were　by　the　sight　of　so　utterly　unlooked…for　an　object。　It　must　be　remembered　that　each　individual　present　had　their　own　peculiar　reasons　for　looking　with　terror　upon　what　seemed　at　first　sight　a　spectral　apparition。　Mannering　saw　before　him　the　man　whom　he　supposed　he　had　killed　in　India；　Julia　beheld　her　lover　in　a　most　peculiar　and　hazardous　situation；　and　Lucy　Bertram　at　once　knew　the　person　who　had　fired　upon　young　Hazlewood。　Bertram；　who　interpreted　the　fixed　and　motionless　astonishment　of　the　Colonel　into　displeasure　at　his　intrusion；　hastened　to　say　that　it　was　involuntary；　since　he　had　been　hurried　hither　without　even　knowing　whither　he　was　to　be　transported。

〃Mr。　Brown；　I　believe！〃　said　Colonel　Mannering。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　the　young　man　modestly；　but　with　firmness；　〃the　same　you　knew　in　India；　and　who　ventures　to　hope；　that　what　you　did　then　know　of　him　is　not　such　as　should　prevent　his　requesting　you　would　favour　him　with　your　attestation　to　his　character；　as　a　gentleman　and　man　of　honour。〃

〃Mr。　BrownI　have　been　seldomneverso　much　surprisedcertainly；　sir；　in　whatever　passed　between　us；　you　have　a　right　to　command　my　favourable　testimony。〃

At　this　critical　moment　entered　the　counsellor　and　Dinmont。　The　former　beheld；　to　his　astonishment；　the　Colonel　but　just　recovering　from　his　first　surprise；　Lucy　Bertram　ready　to　faint　with　terror；　and　Miss　Mannering　in　an　agony　of　doubt　and　apprehension；　which　she　in　vain　endeavoured　to　disguise　or　suppress。　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？〃　said　he；　〃has　this　young　fellow　brought　the　Gorgon's　head　in　his　hand？…let　me　look　at　him。By　Heaven！〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃the　very　image　of　old　Ellangowan！Yes；　the　same　manly　form　and　handsome　features；　but　with　a　world　of　more　intelligence　in　the　faceYes！the　witch　has　kept　her　word。〃　Then　instantly　passing　to　Lucy；　〃Look　at　that　man；　Miss　Bertram；　my　dear；　have　you　never　seen　any　one　like　him？〃

Lucy　had　only　ventured　one　glance　at　this　object　of　terror；　by　which；　however；　from　his　remarkable　height　and　appearance；　she　at　once　recognised　the　supposed　assassin　of　young　Hazlewood；　a　conviction　which　excluded；　of　course；　the　more　favourable　association　of　ideas　which　might　have　occurred　on　a　closer　view。〃Don't　ask　me　about　him；　sir；〃　said　she；　turning　away　her　eyes；　〃send　him　away；　for　Heaven's　sake！　we　shall　all　be　murdered！〃

〃Murdered！　where's　the　poker？〃　said　the　advocate　in　some　alarm；　〃but　nonsense！　we　are　three　men　besides　the　servants；　and　there　is　honest　Liddesdale　worth　half　a　dozen　to　bootwe　have　the　major　vis　upon　our　sidehowever；　here；　my　friend　DandieDaviewhat　do　they　call　You？keep　between　that　fellow　and　us　for　the　protection　of　the　ladies。〃

〃Lord！　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　said　the　astonished　farmer；　〃that's　Captain　Brown；　d'ye　no　ken　the　Captain？〃

〃Nay；　if　he's　a　friend　of　yours；　we　may　be　safe　enough；〃　answered　Pleydell；　〃but　keep　near　him。〃

All　this　passed　with　such　rapidity；　that　it　was　over　before　the　Dominie　had　recovered　himself　from　a　fit　of　absence；　shut　the　book　which　he　had　been　studying　in　a　corner；　and　advancing　to　obtain　a　sight　of　the　strangers；　exclaimed　at　once；　upon　beholding　Bertram；　〃If　the　grave　can　give　up　the　dead；　that　is　my　dear　and　honoured　master！〃

〃We're　right　after　all；　by　Heaven！　I　was　sure　I　was　right；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃he　is　the　very　image　of　his　father。Come；　Colonel；　what　do　you　think　of；　that　you　do　not　bid　your　guest　welcome？　I　thinkI　believeI　trust　we're　rightnever　saw　such　a　likeness！But　patienceDominie；　say　not　a　word。Sit　down；　young　gentleman。〃

〃I　beg　pardon；　sir；　if　I　am；　as　I　understand；　in　Colonel　Mannering's　house；　I　should　wish　first　to　know　if　my　accidental　appearance　here　gives　offence；　or　if　I　am　welcome？〃

Mannering　instantly　made　an　effort。　〃Welcome？　most　certainly；　especially　if　you　can　point　out　how　I　can　serve　you。　I　believe　I　may　have　some　wrongs　to　repair　towards　youI　have　often　suspected　so；　but　your　sudden　and　unexpected　appearance；　connected　with　painful　recollections；　prevented　my　saying　at　first；　as　I　now　say；　that　whatever　has　procured　me　the　honour　of　this　visit；　it　is　an　acceptable　one。〃

Bertram　bowed　with　an　air　of　distant；　yet　civil　acknowledgment；　to　the　grave　courtesy　of　Mannering。

〃Julia；　my　love；　you　had　better　retire。　Mr。　Brown；　you　will　excuse　my　daughter；　there　are　circumstances　which　I　perceive　rush　upon　her　recollection。〃

Miss　Mannering　rose　and　retired　accordingly；　yet；　asshe　passed　Bertram；　could　not　suppress　the　words；　〃Infatuated！　a　second　time！〃　but　so　pronounced　as　to　be　heard　by　him　alone。　Miss　Bertram　accompanied　her　friend；　much　surprised；　but　without　venturing　second　glance　at　the　object　of　her　terror。　Some　mistake　she　saw　there　was；　and　was　unwilling　to　increase　it　by　denouncing　the　stranger　as　an　assassin。　He　was　known；　she　saw；　to　the　Colonel；　and　received　as　a　gentleman；　certainly　he　either　was　not　the　person　she　suspected；　or　Hazlewood　was　right　in　supposing　the　shot　accidental。

The　remaining　part　of　the　company　would　have　formed　no　bad　group　for　a　skilful　painter。　Each　was　too　much　embarrassed　with　his　own　sensations　to　observe　those　of　the　others。　Bertram　most　unexpectedly　found　himself　in　the　house　of　one；　whom　he　was　alternately　disposed　to　dislike　as　his　personal　enemy；　and　to　respect　as　the　father　of　Julia；　Mannering　was　struggling　between　his　high　sense　of　courtesy　and　hospitality；　his　joy　at　finding　himself　relieved　from　the　guilt　of　having　shed　life　in　a　private　quarrel；　and　the　former　feelings　of　dislike　and　prejudice；　which　revived　in　his　haughty　mind　at　the　sight　of　the　object　against　whom　he　had　entertained　them；　Sampson；　supporting　his　shaking　limbs　by　leaning　on　the　back　of　a　chair；　fixed　his　eyes　upon　Bertram；　with　a　staring　expression　of　nervous　anxiety　which　convulsed　his　whole　visage；　Dinmont；　enveloped　in　his　loose　shaggy　greatcoat；　and　resembling　a　huge　bear　erect　upon　his　hinder　legs；　stared　on　the　whole　scene　with　great　round　eyes　that　witnessed　his　amazement。

The　counsellor　alone　was　in　his　element；　shrewd；　prompt；　and　active；　he　already　calculated　the　prospect　of　brilliant　success　in　a　strange；　eventful；　and　mysterious　lawsuit；　and　no　young　monarch；　flushed　with　hopes；　and　at　the　head　of　a　gallant　army；　could　experience　more　glee　when　taking　the　field　on　his　first　campaign。　He　bustled　about　with　great　energy；　and　took　the　arrangement　of　the　whole　explanation　upon　himself。

〃Come；　come；　gentlemen；　sit　down；　this　is　all　in　my　province：　you　must　let　me　arrange　it　for　you。　Sit　down；　my　dear　Colonel；　and　let　me　manage；　sit　down；　Mr。　Brown；　aut　quocunque　alio　nomine　vocarisDominie；　take　your　seatdraw　in　your　chair；　honest　Liddesdale。〃

〃I　dinna　ken；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　said　Dinmont；　looking　at　his　dreadnought…coat；　then　at　the　handsome　furniture　of　the　room；　〃I　had　maybe　better　gang　some　gate　else；　＇*Somewhere　else。＇　and　leave　ye　till　your　cracksI'm　no　just　that　weel　put　on。〃

The　Colonel；　who　by　this　time　recognised　Dandie；　immediately　went　up　and　bid　him　heartily　welcome；　assuring　him；　that　from　what　he　had　seen　of　him　in　Edinburgh；　he　was　sure　his　rough　coat　and　thicksoled　boots　would　honour　a　royal　drawing…room。

〃Na；　na；　Colonel；　we're　just　plain　up…the…country　folk；　but　nae　doubt　I　would　fain　hear　o'　ony　pleasure　that　was　gaun　to　happen　the　Captain；　and　I'm　sure　a'　will　gae　right　if　Mr。　Pleydell　will　take　his　bit　job　in　hand。〃

〃You're　right；　Dandiespoke　like　a　Hieland　oracle　＇*It　may　not　he　unnecessary　to　tell　southern　readers；　that　the　mountainous　country　in　the　south…western　borders　of　Scotland；　is　called　Hieland；　though　totally　different　from　the　much　more　mountainous　and　more　extensive　districts　of　the　north；　usually　accented　Hielands。＇and　now　be　silent。　Well；　you　are　all　seated　at　last；　take　a　glass　of　wine　till　I　begin　my　catechism　methodically。　And　now；〃　turning　to　Bertram；　〃my　dear　boy；　do　you　know　who　or　what　you　are？〃

In　spite　of　his　perplexity；　the　catechumen　could　not　help　laughing　at　this　commencement；　and　answered；　〃Indeed；　sir；　I　formerly　thought　I　did；　but　I　own　late　circumstances　have　made　me　somewhat　uncertain。〃

〃Then　tell　us　what　you　formerly　thought　yourself。〃

〃Why；　I　was　in　the　habit　of　thinking　and　calling　myself　Vanbeest　Brown；　who　served　as　a　cadet　or　volunteer　under　Colonel　Mannering；　when　he　commanded　theregiment；　in　which　capacity　I　was　not　unknown　to　him。〃

〃There；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃I　can　assure　Mr。　Brown　of　his　identity；　and　add；　what　his　modesty　may　have　forgotten；　that　he　was　distinguished　as　a　young　man　of　talent　and　spirit。〃

〃So　much　the　better；　my　dear　sir；〃　s