guy mannering-第98节

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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　Derncleugh。　As　she　led　the　way；　she　never　looked　back　upon　her　followers；　unless　to　chide　them　for　loitering；　though　the　sweat；　in　spite　of　the　season；　poured　from　their　brows。　At　other　times　she　spoke　to　herself　in　such　broken　expressions　as　these〃It　is　to　rebuild　the　auld　houseit　is　to　lay　the　corner…stoneand　did　I　not　warn　him？I　tell'd　him　I　was　born　to　do　it；　if　my　father's　head　had　been　the　stepping…stane；　let　alane　his。　I　was　doomedstill　I　kept　my　purpose　in　the　cage　and　in　the　stocks；I　was　banishedI　kept　it　in　an　unco　land；I　was　scourgedI　was　brandedMy　resolution　lay　deeper　than　scourge　or　red　iron　could　reach…and　now　the　hour　is　come。〃

〃Captain；〃　said　Dinmont；　in　a　half　whisper；　〃I　wish　she　binna　uncanny！　＇*Mad＇　her　words　dinna　seem　to　come　in　God's　name；　or　like　other　folk's。　Odd；　they　threep　＇*Declare＇　in　our　country　that　there　are　sic　things。〃

〃Don't　be　afraid；　my　friend；〃　whispered　Bertram　in　return。

〃Fear'd！　fient　a　haet　＇*Not　a　whit。＇　care　I；〃　said　the　dauntless　farmer；　〃be　she　witch　or　deevil；　it's　a'　ane　to　Dandie　Dinmont。〃

〃Haud　your　peace；　gudeman；〃　said　Meg；　looking　sternly　over　her　shoulder；　〃is　this　a　time　or　place　for　you　to　speak；　think　ye？〃

〃But；　my　good　friend；〃　said　Bertram；　〃as　I　have　no　doubt　in　your　good　faith；　or　kindness；　which　I　have　experienced；　you　should　in　return　have　some　confidence　in　meI　wish　to　know　where　you　are　leading　us。〃

〃There's　but　ae　answer　to　that；　Henry　Bertram；〃　said　the　sibyl。〃Iswore　my　tongue　should　never　tell；　but　I　never　said　my　finger　should　never　show。　Go　on　and　meet　your　fortune；　or　turn　back　and　lose　itthat's　a'　I　hae　to　say。〃

〃Go　on　then；〃　answered　Bertram　〃I　will　ask　no　more　questions。〃

They　descended　into　the　glen　about　the　same　place　where　Meg　had　formerly　parted　from　Bertram。；　She　paused　an　instant　beneath　the　tall　rock　where　he　had　witnessed　the　burial　of　a　dead　body；　and　stamped　upon　the　ground；　which；　notwithstanding　all　the　care　that　had　been　taken；　showed　vestiges　of　having　been　recently　moved。　〃Here　rests　ane；〃　she　said；　〃he'll　maybe　hae　neibors　sune。〃

She　then　moved　up　the　brook　until　she　came　to　the　ruined　hamlet；　where；　pausing　with　a　look　of　peculiar　and　softened　interest　before　one　of　the　gables　which　was　still　standing；　she　said　in　a　tone　less　abrupt；　though　as　solemn　as　before；　〃Do　you　see　that　blackit　and　broken　end　of　a　shealing？　＇*Hut＇there　my　kettle　boiled　for　forty　yearsthere　I　bore　twelve　buirdly　sons　and　daughterswhere　are　they　now？where　are　the　leaves　that　were　on　that　auld　ash…tree　at　Martinmas！the　west　wind　has　made　it　bareand　I'm　stripped　too。Do　you　see　that　saugh…tree？it's　but　a　blackened　rotten　stump　nowI've　sat　under　it　mony　a　bonnie　summer　afternoon；　when　it　hung　its　gay　garlands　ower　the　poppling　water。I've　sat　there；　and；〃　elevating　her　voice；　〃I've　held　you　on　my　knee；　Henry　Bertram；　and　sung　ye　sangs　of　the　auld　barons　and　their　bloody　warsit　will　ne'er　be　green　again；　and　Meg　Merrilies　will　never　sing　sangs　mair；　be　they　blithe　or　sad。　But　ye'll　no　forget　her；　and　ye'll　gar　big　up　＇*Cause　to　be　built　up。＇　the　auld　wa's　for　her　sake？and　let　somebody　live　there　that's；　ower　gude　to　fear　them　of　another　warldFor　if　ever　the　dead　came　back　amang　the　living。　I'll　be　seen　in　this　glen　mony　a　night　after　these　crazed　banes　are　in　the　mould。〃

The　mixture　of　insanity　and　wild　pathos　with　which　she　spoke　these　last　words；　with　her　right　arm；　bare　and　extended；　her　left　bent　and　shrouded　beneath　the　dark　red　drapery　of　her　mantle；　might　have　been　a　study　worthy　of　our　Siddons　herself。　〃And　now；〃　she　said；　resuming　at　once　the　short；　stern；　and　hasty　tone　which　was　most　ordinary　to　her〃let　us　to　the　warklet　us　to　the　wark。〃

She　then　led　the　way　to　the　promontory　on　which　the　Kaim　of　Derncleugh　was　situated；　produced　a　large　key　from　her　pocket；　and　unlocked　the　door。　The　interior　of　this　place　was　in　better　order　than　formerly。　〃Ihave　made　things　decent；〃　she　said；　〃I　may　be　streekit；　＇*Stretched　out＇　here　or　night。There　will　be　few；　few　at　Meg's　lykewake；　＇*Watching　over　a　corpse　by　night。＇　for　mony　of　our　folk　will　blame　what　I　hae　done；　and　am　to　do！〃

She　then　pointed　to　a　table；　upon　which　was　some　cold　meat；　arranged　with　more　attention　to　neatness　than　could　have　been　expected　from　Meg's　habits。　〃Eat；〃　she　said；　〃eat；　ye'll　need　it　this　night　yet。〃

Bertram；　in　complaisance；　ate　a　morsel　or　two　and　Dinmont；　whose　appetite　was　unabated　either　by　wonder；　apprehension；　or　the　meal　of　the　morning；　made　his　usual　figure　as　a　trencherman。　She　then　offered　each　a　single　glass　of　spirits；　which　Bertram　drank　diluted；　and　his　companion　plain。

〃Will　ye　taste　naething　yourself；　Luckie？〃　said　Dinmont。

〃I　shall　not　need　it；〃　replied　their　mysterious　hostess。　〃And　now；〃　she　said；　〃ye　maun　hae　armsye　maunna　gang　on　dry…handedbut　use　them　not　rashlytake　captive；　but　save　lifelet　the　law　hae　its　ainhe　maun　speak　ere　he　die。〃

〃Who　is　to　be　taken？who　is　to　speak？〃　said　Bertram　in　astonishment；　receiving　a　pair　of　pistols　which　she　offered　him；　and　which；　upon　examining；　he　found　loaded　and　locked。

〃The　flints　are　gude；〃　she　said；　〃and　the　powder　dryI　ken　this　wark　weel。〃

Then；　without　answering　his　questions；　she　armed　Dinmont　also　with　a　large　pistol；　and　desired　them　to　choose　sticks　for　themselves　out　of　a　parcel　of　very　suspicious…looking　bludgeons；　which　she　brought　from　a　corner。　Bertram　took　a　stout　sapling；　and　Dandie　selected　a　club　which　might　have　served　Hercules　himself。　They　then　left　the　hut　together；　and；　in　doing　so；　Bertram　took　an　opportunity　to　whisper　to　Dinmont；　〃There's　something　inexplicable　in　all　thisBut　we　need　not　use　these　arms　unless　we　see　necessity

and　lawful　occasiontake　care　to　do　as　you　see　me　do。〃

Dinmont　gave　a　sagacious　nod；　and　they　continued　to　follow；　over　wet　and　over　dry；　through　bog　and　through　fallow；　the　footsteps　of　their　conductress。　She　guided　them　to　the　wood　of　Warroch　by　the　same　track　which　the　late　Ellangowan　had　used　when　riding　to　Derncleugh　in　quest　of　his　child；　on　the　miserable　evening　of　Kennedy's　murder。

When　Meg　Merrilies　had　attained　these　groves；　through　which　the　wintry　sea…wind　was　now　whistling　hoarse　and　shrill；　she　seemed　to　pause　a　moment　as　if　to　recollect　the　way。　〃We　maun　go　the　precise　track；〃　she　said；　and　continued　to　go　forward；　but　rather　in　a　zigzag　and　involved　course　than　according　to　her　former　steady　and　direct　line　of　motion。　At　length　she　guided　them　through　the　mazes　of　the　wood　to　a　little　open　glade　of　about　a　quarter　of　an　acre；　surrounded　by　trees　and　bushes；　which　made　a　wild　and　irregular　boundary。　Even　in　winter　it　was　a　sheltered　and　snugly　sequestered　spot；　but　when　arrayed　in　the　verdure　of　spring；　the　earth　sending　forth　all　its　wild　flowers；　the　shrubs　spreading　their　waste　of　blossom　around　it；　and　the　weeping　birches；　which　towered　over　the　underwood；　drooping　their　long　and　leafy　fibres　to　intercept　the　sun；　it　must　have　seemed　a　place　for　a　youthful　poet　to　study　his　earliest　sonnet；　or　a　pair　of　lovers　to　exchange　their　first　mutual　avowal　of　affection。　Apparently　it　now　awakened　very　different　recollections。　Bertram's　brow；　when　he　had　looked　round　the　spot；　became　gloomy　and　embarrassed。　Meg；　after　uttering　to　herself；　〃This　is　the　very　spot！〃　looked　at　him　with　a　ghastly　side…glance；〃D'ye　mind　it？〃

〃Yes　answered　Bertram；　〃imperfectly　I　do。〃

〃Ay！〃　pursued　his　guide；　〃on　this　very　spot　the　man　fell　from　his　horseI　was　behind　that　bourtree…bush　at　the　very　moment。　Sair；　sair　he　strove；　and　sair　he　cried　for　mercybut　he　was　in　the　hands　of　them　that　never　kenn'd　the　word！Now　will　I　show　you　the　further　trackthe　last　time　ye　travelled　it　was　in　these　arms。〃

She　led　them　accordingly　by　a　long　and　winding　passage　almost　overgrown　with　brushwood；　until；　without　any　very　perceptible　descent；　they　suddenly　found　themselves　by　the　seaside。　Meg　then　walked　very　fast　on　between　the　surf　and　the　rocks；　until　she　came　to　a　remarkable　fragment　of　rock　detached　from　the　rest。　〃Here；〃　she　said　in　a　low　and　scarcely　audible　whisper；　〃here　the　corpse　was　found。〃

〃And　the　cave；〃　said　Bertram；　in　the　some　tone；　is　close　beside　itare　you　guiding　us　there？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　gipsy　in　a　decided　tone。　〃Bend　up　both　your　heartsfollow　me　as　I　creep　inI　have　placed　the　firewood　so　as　to　screen　you。　Bide　behind　it　for　a　gliff　＇*Little＇　till　I　say；　The　hour　and　the　man　are　baith　come；　then　rin　in　on　him；　take　his　arms；　and　bind　him　till　the　blood　burst　frae　his　finger　nails。〃

〃I　will；　by　my　soul；〃　said　Henry〃if　he　is　the　man　I　supposeJansen？〃

〃Ay；　Jansen；　Hatteraick；　and　twenty　mair　names　are　his。〃

〃Dinmont；　you　must　stand　by　me　now；〃　said　Bertram；　〃for　this　fellow　is　a　devil。〃

〃Ye　needna　doubt　that；〃　said　the　stout　yeoman〃but　I　wish　I　could　mind　a　bit　prayer　or　I　creep　after　the　witch　into　that　hole　that　she's　openingIt　wad　be　a　sair　thing　to　leave　the　blessed　sun；　and　the　free　air；　and　gang　and；　be　killed；　like　a　tod　that's　run　to　earth；　in　a　dungeon　like　that。　But；　my　sooth；　they　will　be　hard…bitten　terriers　will　worry　Dandie；　so；　as　I　said；　d