guy mannering-第97节

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righter　colouring　from　the　wintry　sun。

〃There；〃　said　Lucy　Bertram；　pointing　them　out　in　the　distance；　〃there　is　the　seat　of　our　ancestors。　God　knows；　my　dear　brother；　I　do　not　covet　in　your　behalf　the　extensive　power　which　the　lords　of　these　ruins　are　said　to　have　possessed　so　long；　and　sometimes　to　have　used　so　ill。　But；　oh　that　I　might　see　you　in　possession　of　such　relics　of　their　fortune　as　should　give　you　an　honourable　independence；　and　enable　you　to　stretch　your　hand　for　the　protection　of　the　old　and　destitute　dependants　of　our　family；　whom　our　poor　father's　death〃

〃True；　my　dearest　Lucy；〃　answered　the　young　heir　of　Ellangowan；　〃and　I　trust；　with　the　assistance　of　Heaven；　which　has　so　far　guided　us；　and　with　that　of　these　good　friends；　whom　their　own　generous　hearts　have　interested　in　my　behalf；　such　a　consummation　of　my　hard　adventures　is　now　not　unlikely。But　as　a　soldier；　I　must　look　with　some　interest　upon　that　worm…eaten　hold　of　ragged　stone；　and　if　this　undermining　scoundrel；　who　is　now　in　possession；　dare　to　displace　a　pebble　of　it〃

He　was　here　interrupted　by　Dinmont；　who　came　hastily　after　them　up　the　road；　unseen　till　he　was　near　the　party　：〃Captain；　Captain！　ye're　wantedYe're　wanted　by　her　ye　ken　o'。〃

And　immediately　Meg　Merrilies；　as　if　emerging　out　of　the　earth；　ascended　from　the　hollow　way；　and　stood　before　them。　〃I　sought　ye　at　the　house；〃　she　said；　〃and　found　but　him　（pointing　to　Dinmont）；　but　ye　are　right；　and　I　was　wrang。　It　is　here　we　should　meet；　on　this　very　spot；　where　my　eyes　last　saw　your　father。　Remember　your　promise；　and　follow　me。〃


CHAPTER　LIII。

　　To　hail　the　king　in　seemly　sort　The　ladie　was　full　fain；　　　But　King　Arthur；　all　sore　amazed；　No　answer　made　again。　　　'What　wight　art　thou；〃　the　ladie　said　〃That　will　not　speak　to　me？　　　Sir；　I　may　chance　to　ease　thy　pain；　Though　I　be　foul　to　see。〃　　　　　The　Marriage　of　Sir　Gawaine。

The　fairy　bride　of　Sir　Gawaine；　while　under　the　influence　of　the　spell　of　her　wicked　stepmother；　was　more　decrepit　probably；　and　what　is　commonly　called　more　ugly；　than　Meg　Merrilies；　but　I　doubt　if　she　possessed　that　wild　sublimity　which　an　excited　imagination　communicated　to　features；　marked　and　expressive　in　their　own　peculiar　character；　and　to　the　gestures　of　a　form；　which；　her　sex　considered；　might　be　termed　gigantic。　Accordingly；　the　Knights　of　the　Round　Table　did　not　recoil　with　more　terror　from　the　apparition　of　the　loathly　lady　placed　between　〃an　oak　and　a　green　holly；〃　than　Lucy　Bertram　and　Julia　Mannering　did　from　the　appearance　of　this　Galwegian　sibyl　upon　the　common　of　Ellangowan。

〃For　God's　sake；〃　said　Julia；　pulling　out　her　purse；　give　that　dreadful　woman　something；　and　bid　her　go　away。〃

〃I　cannot；〃　said　Bertram　〃I　must　not　offend　her。〃

〃What　keeps　you　here？〃　said　Meg；　exalting　the　harsh　and　rough　tones　of　her　hollow　voice；　〃why　do　you　not　follow？Must　your　hour　call　you　twice？Do　you　remember　your　oath？　were　it　at　kirk　or　market；　wedding　or　burial；〃and　she　held　high　her　skinny　forefinger　in　a　menacing　attitude。

Bertram　turned　round　to　his　terrified　companions。　〃Excuse　me　for　a　moment；　I　am　engaged　by　a　promise　to　follow　this　woman。〃

〃Good　heavens！　engaged　to　a　madwoman？〃　said　Julia。

〃Or　to　a　gipsy；　who　has　her　band　in　the　wood　ready　to　murder　you！〃　said　Lucy。

〃That　was　not　spoken　like　a　bairn　of　Ellangowan；〃　said　Meg；　frowning　upon　Miss　Bertram。　〃It　is　the　ill…doers　are　ill…dreaders。〃

〃In　short；　I　must　go；〃　said　Bertram；　〃it　is　absolutely　necessary。　wait　for　me　five　minutes　on　this　spot。〃

〃Five　minutes？〃　said　the　gipsy；　〃five　hours　may　not　bring　you　here　again。〃

〃Do　you　hear　that？　said　Julia　for　Heaven's　sake　do　not　go！〃

〃I　must；　I　mustMr。　Dinmont　will　protect　you　back　to　the　house。〃

〃No；〃　said　Meg；　〃he　must　come　with　you；　it　is　for　that　he　is　here。　He　maun　take　part　wi'　hand　and　heart；　and　weel　his　part　it　is；　for　redding　his　quarrel　might　have　cost　you　dear；〃

〃Troth；　Luckie；　it's　very　true；〃　said　the　steady　farmer；　〃and　ere　I　turn　back　frae　the　Captain's　side；　I'll　show　that　I　haena　forgotten't。〃

〃Oh　yes！〃　exclaimed　both　the　ladies　at　once；　〃let　Mr。　Dinmont　go　with　you；　if　go　you　must；　on　this　strange　summons。〃

〃Indeed　I　must；〃　answered　Bertram；　〃but　you　see　I　am　safely　guardedAdieu　for　a　short　time；　go　home　as　fast　as　you　can。〃

He　pressed　his　sister's　hand；　and　took　a　yet　more　affectionate　farewell　of　Julia　with　his　eyes。　Almost　stupefied　with　surprise　and　fear；　the　young　ladies　watched　with　anxious　looks　the　course　of　Bertram；　his　companion；　and　their　extraordinary　guide。　Her　tall　figure　moved　across　the　wintry　heath　with　steps　so　swift；　so　long；　and　so　steady；　that　she　appeared　rather　to　glide　than　to　walk。　Bertram　and　Dinmont；　both　tall　men；　apparently　scarce　equalled　her　in　height；　owing　to　her　longer　dress　and　high　head…gear。　She　proceeded　straight　across　the　common；　without　turning　aside　to　the　winding　path；　by　which　passengers　avoided　the　inequalities　and　little　rills　that　traversed　it　in　different　directions。　Thus　the　diminishing　figures　often　disappeared　from　the　eye；　as　they　dived　into　such　broken　ground；　and　again　ascended　to　sight　when　they　were　past　the　hollow。　There　was　something　frightful　and　unearthly；　as　it　were；　in　the　rapid　and　undeviating　course　which　she　pursued；　undeterred　by　any　of　the　impediments　which　usually　incline　a　traveller　from　the　direct　path。　Her　way　was　as　straight；　and　nearly　as　swift；　as　that　of　a　bird　through　the　air。　At　length　they　reached　those　thickets　of　natural　wood　which　extended　from　the　skirts　of　the　common　towards　the　glades　and　brook　of　Derncleugh；　and　were　there　lost　to　the　view。

〃This　is　very　extraordinary；〃　said　Lucy　after　a　pause；　and　turning　round　to　her　companion〃What　can　he　have　to　do　with　that　old　hag？〃

〃It　is　very　frightful；〃　answered　Julia；　〃and　almost　reminds　me　of　the　tales　of　sorceresses；　witches；'　and　evil　genii；　which　I　have　heard　in　India。　They　believe　there　in　a　fascination　of　the　eye；　by　which　those　who　possess　it　control　the　will　and　dictate　the　motions　of　their　victims。　What　can　your　brother　have　in　common　with　that　fearful　woman；　that　he　should　leave　us；　obviously　against　his　will；　to　attend　to　her　commands？〃

〃At　least；〃　said　Lucy；　〃we　may　hold　him　safe　from　harm；　for　she　would　never　have　summoned　that　faithful　creature　Dinmont；　of　whose　strength；　courage；　and　steadiness　Henry　said　so　much；　to　attend　upon　an　expedition　where　she　projected　evil　to　the　person　of　his　friend。　And　now　let　us　go　back　to　the　house　till　the　Colonel　returnsperhaps　Bertram　may　be　back　first；　at　any　rate；　the　Colonel　will　judge　what　is　to　be　done。〃

Leaning　then　upon　each　other's　arm；　but　yet　occasionally　stumbling；　between　fear　and　the　disorder　of　their　nerves；　they　at　length　reached　the　head　of　the　avenue；　when　they　heard　the　tread　of　a　horse　behind。　They　started；　for　their　ears　were　awake　to　every　sound；　and　beheld　to　their　great　pleasure　young　Hazlewood。　〃The　Colonel　will　be　here　immediately；〃　he　said；　〃I　galloped　on　before　to　pay　my　respects　to　Miss　Bertram；　with　the　sincerest　congratulations　upon　the　joyful　event　which　has　taken　place　in　her　family。　I　long　to　be　introduced　to　Captain　Bertram；　and　to　thank　him　for　the　well。　deserved　lesson　he　gave　to　my　rashness　and　indiscretion。〃

〃He　has　left　us　just　now；〃　said　Lucy；　〃and　in　a　manner　that　has　frightened　us　very　much。〃

Just　at　that　moment　the　Colonel's　carriage　drove　up；　and；　on　observing　the　ladies；　stopped；　while　Mannering　and　his　learned　counsel　alighted　and　joined　them。　They　instantly　communicated　the　new　cause　of　alarm。

〃Meg　Merrilies　again！〃　said　the　Colonel；　she　certainly　is　a　most　mysterious　and　unaccountable　personage；　but　I　think　she　must　have　something　to　impart　to　Bertram；　to　which　she　does　not　mean　we　should　be　privy。〃

〃The　devil　take　the　bedlamite　old　woman；〃　said　the　counsellor；　〃will　she　not　let　things　take　their　course；　prout　de　lege；　but　must　always　be　putting　in　her　oar　in　her　own　way？Then；　I　fear　from　the　direction　they　took　they　are　going　upon　the　Ellangowan　estatethat　rascal　Glossin　has　shown　us　what　ruffians　he　has　at　his　disposal。　I　wish　honest　Liddesdale　may　be　guard　sufficient。〃

〃If　you　please；〃　said　Hazlewood；　〃Ishould　be　most　happy　to　ride　in　the　direction　which　they　have　taken。　I　am　so　well　known　in　the　country；　that　I　scarce　think　any　outrage　will　be　offered　in　my　presence；　and　I　shall　keep　at　such　a　cautious　distance　as　not　to　appear　to　watch　Meg；　or　interrupt　any　communication　which　she　may　make。〃

〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　Pleydell　（aside）；　〃to　be　a　sprig；　whom　I　remember　with　a　whey　face　and　a　satchel　not　so　very　many　years　ago；　I　think　young　Hazlewood　grows　a　fine　fellow。　I　am　more　afraid　of　a　new　attempt　at　legal　oppression　than　at　open　violence；　and　from　that　this　young　man's　presence　would　deter　both　Glossin　and　his　understrappers。Hie　away；　then；　my　boypeer　outpeer　outyou'll　find　them　somewhere　about　Derncleugh；　or　very　probably　in　Warroch　Wood。〃

Hazlewood　turned　his　horse。　〃Come　back　to　us　to　dinner；　Hazlewood；〃　cried　the　Colonel。　He　bowed；　spurred　his　horse；　and　galloped　off。

We　now　return　to　Bertram　and　Dinmont；　who　continued　to　follow　their　mysterious　guide　through　the　woods　and　dingles；　between　the　open　common　and　the　ruined　hamlet　of　Dernc