guy mannering-第96节

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urgh？〃

〃Of　a　verity；〃　said　the　Dominie；　jealous　of　the　reputation　of　the　Dutch　seminary；〃of　a　verity；　Mr。　Pleydell；　but　I　make　it　known　to　you　that　I　myself　laid　the　foundation　of　his　education。〃

〃True；　my　dear　Dominie；〃　answered　the　advocate；　〃that　accounts　for　his　proficiency　in　the　graces；　without　questionbut　here　comes　your　carriage；　Colonel。　Adieu；　young　folks：　Miss　Julia；　keep　your　heart　till　I　come　back　againlet　there　be　nothing　done　to　prejudice　my　right；　whilst　I　am　non　volens　agere。〃

Their　reception　at　Hazlewood　House　was　more　cold　and　formal　than　usual；　for　in　general　the　Baronet　expressed　great　respect　for　Colonel　Mannering；　and　Mr。　Pleydell；　besides　being　a　man　of　good　family　and　of　high　general　estimation；　was　Sir　Robert's　old　friend。　But　now　he　seemed　dry　and　embarrassed　in　his　manner。　〃He　would　willingly；〃　he　said；　〃receive　bail；　notwithstanding　that　the　offence　had　been　directly　perpetrated；　committed；　and　done；　against　young　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood；　but　the　young　man　had　given　himself　a　fictitious　description；　and　was　altogether　that　sort　of　person；　who　should　not　be　liberated；　discharged；　or　let　loose　upon　society；　and　therefore〃

〃I　hope；　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；〃　said　the　Colonel；　you　do　not　mean　to　doubt　my　word；　when　I　assure　you　that　he　served　under　me　as　a　cadet　in　India？〃

〃By　no　means　or　account　whatsoever。　But　you　call　him　a　cadet；　now　he　says；　avers；　and　upholds；　that　he　was　a　captain；　or　held　a　troop　in　your　regiment。〃

〃He　was　promoted　since　I　gave　up　the　command。〃

〃But　you　must　have　heard　of　it？〃

〃No。　I　returned　on　account　of　family　circumstances　from　India；　and　have　not　since　been　solicitous　to　hear　particular　news　from　the　regiment；　the　name　of　Brown；　too；　is　so　common；　that　I　might　have　seen　his　promotion　in　the　Gazette　without　noticing　it。　But　a　day　or　two　will　bring　letters　from　his　commanding　officer。〃

〃But　I　am　told　and　informed；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　answered　Sir　Robert；　still　hesitating；　〃that　he　does　not　mean　to　abide　by　this　name　of　Brown；　but　is　to　set　up　a　claim　to　the　estate　of　Ellangowan；　under　the　name　of　Bertram。〃

〃Ay；　who　says　that？〃　said　the　counsellor。

〃Or；〃　demanded　the　soldier；　〃whoever　says　so；　does　that　give　a　right　to　keep　him　in　prison？〃

〃Hush；　Colonel；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃I　am　sure　you　would　not；　any　more　than　I；　countenance　him；　if　he　prove　an　impostor。　And；　among　friends；　who　informed　you　of　this；　Sir　Robert？〃

〃Why；　a　person；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　answered　the　Baronet；　〃who　is　peculiarly　interested　in　investigating；　sifting；　and　clearing　out　this　business　to　the　bottomyou　will　excuse　my　being　more　particular。〃

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　replied　Pleydell〃well；　and　he　says〃

〃He　says　that　it　is　whispered　about　among　tinkers；　gipsies；　and　other　idle　persons；　that　there　is　such　a　plan　as　I　mentioned　to　you；　and　that　this　young　man；　who　is　a　bastard　or　natural　son　of　the　late　Ellangowan；　is　pitched　upon　as　the　impostor；　from　his　strong　family　likeness。〃

〃And　was　there　such　a　natural　son；　Sir　Robert？〃　demanded　the　counsellor。

〃Oh；　certainly；　to　my　own　positive　knowledge。　Ellangowan　had　him　placed　as　cabin…boy　or　powder…monkey　on　board　an　armed　sloop　or　yacht　belonging　to　the　revenue；　through　the　interest　of　the　late　Commissioner　Bertram；　a　kinsman　of　his　own。〃

〃Well；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　the　lawyer；　taking　the　word　out　of　the　mouth　of　the　impatient　soldier〃you　have　told　me　news；　I　shall　investigate　them；　and　it　I　find　them　true；　certainly　Colonel　Mannering　and　I　will　not　countenance　this　young　man。　In　the　meanwhile；　as　we　are　all　willing　to　make　him　forthcoming；　to　answer　all　complaints　against　him；　I　do　assure　you；　you　will　act　most　illegally；　and　incur　heavy　responsibility；　if　you　refuse　our　bail。〃

〃Why；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　who　knew　the　high　authority　of　the　counsellor's　opinion；　〃as　you　must　know　best；　and　as　you　promise　to　give　up　this　young　man〃

〃If　he　proves　an　impostor；〃　replied　the　lawyer；　with　some　emphasis。

〃Ay；　certainlyunder　that　condition　I　will　take　your　bail；　though　I　must　say；　an　obliging；　well…disposed；　and　civil　neighbour　of　mine；　who　was　himself　bred　to　the　law；　gave　me　a　hint　or　caution　this　morning　against　doing　so。　It　was　from　him　I　learned　that　this　youth　was　liberated　and　had　come　abroad；　or　rather　had　broken　prison。But　where　shall　we　find　one　to　draw　the　bail…bond？〃

〃Here；〃　said　the　counsellor；　applying　himself　to　the　bell；　〃send　up　my　clerk；　Mr。　Driverit　will　not　do　my　character　harm　if　I　dictate　the　needful　myself。〃　It　was　written　accordingly　and　signed；　and；　the　justice　having　subscribed　a　regular　warrant　for　Bertram　alias　Brown's　discharge；　the　visitors　took　their　leave。

Each　threw　himself　into　his　own　corner　of　the　post…chariot；　and　said　nothing　for　some　time。　The　Colonel　first　broke　silence　：　〃So　you　intend　to　give　up　this　poor　young　fellow　at　the　first　brush？〃

〃Who；　I？〃　replied　the　counsellor　〃I　will　not　give　up　one　hair　of　his　head；　though　I　should　follow　them　to　the　court　of　last　resort　in　his　behalfbut　what　signified　mooting　points　and　showing　one's　hand　to　that　old　ass？　Much　better　he　should　report　to　his　prompter；　Glossin；　that　we　are　indifferent　or　lukewarm　in　the　matter。　Besides；　I　wished　to　have　a　peep　at　the　enemies'　game。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　the　soldier。　〃Then　I　see　there　are　stratagems　in　law　as　well　as　war。　Well；　and　how　do　you　like　their　line　of　battle？〃

〃Ingenious！〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell；　〃but　I　think　desperatethey　are　finessing　too　much；　a　common　fault　on　such　occasions。〃

During　this　discourse　the　carriage　rolled　rapidly　towards　Woodbourne　without　anything　occurring　worthy　of　the　reader's　notice；　excepting　their　meeting　with　young　Hazlewood；　to　whom　the　Colonel　told　the　extraordinary　history　of　Bertram's　reappearance；　which　he　heard　with　high　delight；　and　then　rode　on　before　to　pay　Miss　Bertram　his　compliments　on　an　event　so　happy　and　so　unexpected。

We　return　to　the　party　at　Woodbourne。　After　the　departure　of　Mannering；　the　conversation　related　chiefly　to　the　fortunes　of　the　Ellangowan　family；　their　domains；　and　their　former　power。　〃It　was；　then；　under　the　towers　of　my　fathers；〃　said　Bertram；　〃that　I　landed　some　days　since；　in　circumstances　much　resembling　those　of　a　vagabond？　Its　mouldering　turrets　and　darksome　arches　even　then　awakened　thoughts　of　the　deepest　interest；　and　recollections　which　I　was　unable　to　decipher。　I　will　now　visit　them　again　with　other　feelings；　and；　I　trust；　other　and　better　hopes。〃

〃Do　not　go　there　now；〃　said　his　sister。　〃The　house　of　our　ancestors　is　at　present　the　habitation　of　a　wretch　as　insidious　as　dangerous；　whose　arts　and　villainy　accomplished　the　ruin　and　broke　the　heart　of　our　unhappy　father。〃

〃You　increase　my　anxiety；〃　replied　her　brother；　〃to　confront　this　miscreant；　even　in　the　den　he　has　constructed　for　himselfI　think　I　have　seen　him。〃

〃But　you　must　consider；〃　said　Julia；　〃that　you　are　now　left　under　Lucy's　guard　and　mine；　and　are　responsible　to　us　for　all　your　motionsconsider　I　have　not　been　a　lawyer's　mistress　twelve　hours　for　nothing；　and　I　assure　you　it　would　be　madness　to　attempt　to　go　to　Ellangowan　just　now。The　utmost　to　which　I　can　consent　is；　that　we　shall　walk　in　a　body　to　the　head　of　the　Woodbourne　avenue；　and　from　that　perhaps　we　may　indulge　you　with　our　company　as　far　as　a　rising　ground　in　the　common；　whence　your　eyes　may　be　blessed　with　a　distant　prospect　of　those　gloomy　towers；　which　struck　so　strongly　your　sympathetic　imagination。〃

The　party　was　speedily　agreed　upon；　and　the　ladies；　having　taken　their　cloaks；　followed　the　route　proposed；　under　the　escort　of　Captain　Bertram。　It　was　a　pleasant　winter　morning；　and　the　cool　breeze　served　only　to　freshen；　not　to　chill；　the　fair　walkers。　A　secret　though　unacknowledged　bond　of　kindness　combined　the　two　ladies；　and　Bertram；　now　hearing　the　interesting　accounts　of　his　own　family；　now　communicating　his　adventures　in　Europe　and　in　India；　repaid　the　pleasure　which　he　received。　Lucy　felt　proud　of　her　brother；　as　well　from　the　bold　and　manly　turn　of　his　sentiments；　as　from　the　dangers　he　had　encountered；　and　the　spirit　with　which　he　had　surmounted　them。　And　Julia；　while　she　pondered　on　her　father's　words；　could　not　help　entertaining　hopes；　that　the　independent　spirit　which　had　seemed　to　her　father　presumption　in　the　humble　and　plebeian　Brown；　would　have　the　grace　of　courage；　noble　bearing；　and　high　blood；　in　the　far…descended　heir　of　Ellangowan。

They　reached　at　length　the　little　eminence　or　knoll　upon　the　highest　part　of　the　common；　called　Gibbie's…knowea　spot　repeatedly　mentioned　in　this　history；　as　being　on　the　skirts　of　the　Ellangowan　estate。　It　commanded　a　fair　variety　of　hill　and　dale；　bordered　with　natural　woods；　whose　naked　boughs　at　this　season　relieved　the　general　colour　of　the　landscape　with　a　dark　purple　hue；　while　in　other　places　the　prospect　was　more　formally　intersected　by　lines　of　plantation；　where　the　Scotch　firs　displayed　their　variety　of　dusky　green。　At　the　distance　of　two　or　three　miles　lay　the　bay　of　Ellangowan；　its　waves　rippling　under　the　influence　of　the　western　breeze。　The　towers　of　the　ruined　castle；　seen　high　over　every　object　in　the　neighbourhood；　receiveda　brighter　colouring　from　the　wintry　sun。

〃There；〃　said　Lucy　Bertram；　pointing　them　out　in　the　dista