the black dwarf-第15节

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〃Commons！〃　　retorted　Hobbie；　〃nae　siccan　commons　neither；　the　Elliots　hae　been　lang　kend　a　gentle　race。〃

〃Hence！　　begone！〃　　reiterated　the　Dwarf；　〃may　the　same　evil　luck　attend　thee　that　thou　hast　left　behind　with　me！　　If　I　go　not　with　you　myself；　see　if　you　can　escape　what　my　attendants；　Wrath　and　Misery；　have　brought　to　thy　threshold　before　thee。〃

〃I　wish　ye　wadna　speak　that　gate；〃　said　Hobbie。　　〃Ye　ken　yoursell；　Elshie；　naebody　judges　you　to　be　ower　canny；　now；　I'll　tell　ye　just　ae　word　for　a'ye　hae　spoken　as　muckle　as　wussing　ill　to　me　and　mine；　now；　if　ony　mischance　happen　to　Grace；　which　God　forbid；　or　to　mysell；　or　to　the　poor　dumb　tyke；　or　if　I　be　skaithed　and　injured　in　body；　gudes；　or　gear；　I'll　no　forget　wha　it　is　that　it's　owing　to。〃

〃Out；　hind！〃　　exclaimed　the　Dwarf；　〃home！　　home　to　your　dwelling；　and　think　on　me　when　you　find　what　has　befallen　there。〃

〃Aweel；　aweel；〃　said　Hobbie；　mounting　his　horse；　〃it　serves　naething　to　strive　wi'　cripples；they　are　aye　cankered；　but　I'll　just　tell　ye　ae　thing；　neighbour；　that　if　things　be　otherwise　than　weel　wi'　Grace　Armstrong；　I'se　gie　you　a　scouther　if　there　be　a　tar…barrel　in　the　five　parishes。〃

So　saying；　he　rode　off；　and　Elshie；　after　looking　at　him　with　a　scornful　and　indignant　laugh；　took　spade　and　mattock；　and　occupied　himself　in　digging　a　grave　for　his　deceased　favourite。

A　low　whistle；　and　the　words；　〃Hisht；　Elshie；　hisht！〃　disturbed　him　in　this　melancholy　occupation。　　He　looked　up；　and　the　Red　Reiver　of　Westburnflat　was　before　him。　　Like　Banquo's　murderer；　there　was　blood　on　his　face；　as　well　as　upon　the　rowels　of　his　spurs　and　the　sides　of　his　over…ridden　horse。

〃How　now；　ruffian！〃　　demanded　the　Dwarf；　〃is　thy　job　chared？〃

〃Ay；　ay；　doubt　not　that；　Elshie；〃　answered　the　freebooter；　〃When　I　ride；　my　foes　may　moan。　　They　have　had　mair　light　than　comfort　at　the　Heugh…foot　this　morning；　there's　a　toom　byre　and　a　wide；　and　a　wail　and　a　cry　for　the　bonny　bride。〃

〃The　bride？〃

〃Ay；　Charlie　Cheat…the…Woodie；　as　we　ca'　him；　that's　Charlie　Foster　of　Tinning　Beck；　has　promised　to　keep　her　in　Cumberland　till　the　blast　blaw　by。　　She　saw　me；　and　kend　me　in　the　splore；　for　the　mask　fell　frae　my　face　for　a　blink。　I　am　thinking　it　wad　concern　my　safety　if　she　were　to　come　back　here；　for　there's　mony　o'　the　Elliots；　and　they　band　weel　thegither　for　right　or　wrang。　Now；　what　I　chiefly　come　to　ask　your　rede　in；　is　how　to　make　her　sure？〃

〃Wouldst　thou　murder　her；　then？〃

〃Umph！　no；　no；　that　I　would　not　do；　if　I　could　help　it。　　But　they　say　they　can　whiles　get　folk　cannily　away　to　the　plantations　from　some　of　the　outports；　and　something　to　boot　for　them　that　brings　a　bonny　wench。　　They're　wanted　beyond　seas　thae　female　cattle；　and　they're　no　that　scarce　here。　　But　I　think　o'　doing　better　for　this　lassie。　　There's　a　leddy；　that；　unless　she　be　a'　the　better　bairn；　is　to　be　sent　to　foreign　parts　whether　she　will　or　no；　now；　I　think　of　sending　Grace　to　wait　on　hershe's　a　bonny　lassie。　　Hobbie　will　hae　a　merry　morning　when　he　comes　hame；　and　misses　baith　bride　and　gear。〃

〃Ay；　and　do　you　not　pity　him？〃　　said　the　Recluse。

〃Wad　he　pity　me　were　I　gaeing　up　the　Castle　hill　at　Jeddart？　＇　The　place　of　execution　at　that　ancient　burgh；　where　many　of　Westburnflat's　profession　have　made　their　final　exit。＇　　And　yet　I　rue　something　for　the　bit　lassie；　but　he'll　get　anither；　and　little　skaith　duneane　is　as　gude　as　anither。　　And　now；　you　that　like　to　hear　o'　splores；　heard　ye　ever　o'　a　better　ane　than　I　hae　had　this　morning？〃

〃Air；　ocean；　and　fire；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　speaking　to　himself；　〃the　earthquake；　the　tempest；　the　volcano；　are　all　mild　and　moderate；　compared　to　the　wrath　of　man。　　And　what　is　this　fellow；　but　one　more　skilled　than　others　in　executing　the　end　of　his　existence？　Hear　me；　felon；　go　again　where　I　before　sent　thee。〃

〃To　the　Steward？〃

〃Ay；　and　tell　him；　Elshender　the　Recluse　commands　him　to　give　thee　gold。　　But；　hear　me；　let　the　maiden　be　discharged　free　and　uninjured；　return　her　to　her　friends；　and　let　her　swear　not　to　discover　thy　villainy。〃

〃Swear〃　said　Westburnflat；　〃but　what　if　she　break　her　aith？　Women　are　not　famous　for　keeping　their　plight。　　A　wise　man　like　you　should　ken　that。And　uninjuredwha　kens　what　may　happen　were　she　to　be　left　lang　at　Tinning…Beck？　　Charlie　Cheat…the…Woodie　is　a　rough　customer。　　But　if　the　gold　could　be　made　up　to　twenty　pieces；　I　think　I　could　ensure　her　being　wi'　her　friends　within　the　twenty…four　hours。〃

The　Dwarf　took　his　tablets　from　his　pocket；　marked　a　line　on　them；　and　tore　out　the　leaf。　　〃There；〃　he　said；　giving　the　robber　the　leaf〃But；　mark　me；　thou　knowest　I　am　not　to　be　fooled　by　thy　treachery；　if　thou　darest　to　disobey　my　directions；　thy　wretched　life；　be　sure；　shall　answer　it。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　the　fellow；　looking　down；　〃that　you　have　power　on　earth；　however　you　came　by　it；　you　can　do　what　nae　other　man　can　do；　baith　by　physic　and　foresight；　and　the　gold　is　shelled　down　when　ye　command；　as　fast　as　I　have　seen　the　ash…keys　fall　in　a　frosty　morning　in　October。　　I　will　not　disobey　you。〃

〃Begone；　then；　and　relieve　me　of　thy　hateful　presence。〃

The　robber　set　spurs　to　his　horse；　and　rode　off　without　reply。

Hobbie　Elliot　had；　in　the　meanwhile；　pursued　his　journey　rapidly；　harassed　by　those　oppressive　and　indistinct　fears　that　all　was　not　right；　which　men　usually　term　a　presentiment　of　misfortune。　Ere　he　reached　the　top　of　the　bank　from　which　he　could　look　down　on　his　own　habitation；　he　was　met　by　his　nurse；　a　person　then　of　great　consequence　in　all　families　in　Scotland；　whether　of　the　higher　or　middling　classes。　　The　connexion　between　them　and　their　foster…children　was　considered　a　tie　far　too　dearly　intimate　to　be　broken；　and　it　usually　happened；　in　the　course　of　years；　that　the　nurse　became　a　resident　in　the　family　of　her　foster…son；　assisting　in　the　domestic　duties；　and　receiving　all　marks　of　attention　and　regard　from　the　heads　of　the　family。　　So　soon　as　Hobbie　recognised　the　figure　of　Annaple；　in　her　red　cloak　and　black　hood；　he　could　not　help　exclaiming　to　himself；　〃What　ill　luck　can　hae　brought　the　auld　nurse　sae　far　frae　hame；　her　that　never　stirs　a　gun…shot　frae　the　door…stane　for　ordinar？Hout；　it　will　just　be　to　get　crane…berries；　or　whortle…berries；　or　some　such　stuff；　out　of　the　moss；　to　make　the　pies　and　tarts　for　the　feast　on　Monday。I　cannot　get　the　words　of　that　cankered　auld　cripple　deil's…buckie　out　o'　my　headthe　least　thing　makes　me　dread　some　ill　news。O；　Killbuck；　man！　were　there　nae　deer　and　goats　in　the　country　besides；　but　ye　behoved　to　gang　and　worry　his　creature；　by　a'　other　folk's？〃

By　this　time　Annaple；　with　a　brow　like　a　tragic　volume；　had　hobbled　towards　him；　and　caught　his　horse　by　the　bridle。　　The　despair　in　her　look　was　so　evident　as　to　deprive　even　him　of　the　power　of　asking　the　cause。　　〃O　my　bairn！〃　　she　cried；　〃gang　na　forwardgang　na　forwardit's　a　sight　to　kill　onybody；　let　alane　thee。〃

〃In　God's　name；　what's　the　matter？〃　　said　the　astonished　horseman；　endeavouring　to　extricate　his　bridle　from　the　grasp　of　the　old　woman；　〃for　Heaven's　sake；　let　me　go　and　see　what's　the　matter。〃

〃Ohon！　that　I　should　have　lived　to　see　the　day！The　steading's　a'　in　a　low；　and　the　bonny　stack…yard　lying　in　the　red　ashes；　and　the　gear　a'　driven　away。　　But　gang　na　forward　；　it　wad　break　your　young　heart；　hinny；　to　see　what　my　auld　een　hae　seen　this　morning。〃

〃And　who　has　dared　to　do　this？　let　go　my　bridle；　Annaplewhere　is　my　grandmothermy　sisters？Where　is　Grace　Armstrong？God！　the　words　of　the　warlock　are　knelling　in　my　ears！〃

He　sprang　from　his　horse　to　rid　himself　of　Annaple's　interruption；　and；　ascending　the　hill　with　great　speed；　soon　came　in　view　of　the　spectacle　with　which　she　had　threatened　him。　　It　was　indeed　a　heart…breaking　sight。　　The　habitation　which　he　had　left　in　its　seclusion；　beside　the　mountain…stream；　surrounded　with　every　evidence　of　rustic　plenty；　was　now　a　wasted　and　blackened　ruin。　　From　amongst　the　shattered　and　sable　walls　the　smoke　continued　to　rise。　　The　turf…stack；　the　barn…yard；　the　offices　stocked　with　cattle；　all　the　wealth　of　an　upland　cultivator　of　the　period；　of　which　poor　Elliot　possessed　no　common　share；　had　been　laid　waste　or　carried　off　in　a　single　night。　　He　stood　a　moment　motionless；　and　then　exclaimed；　〃I　am　ruinedruined　to　the　ground！But　curse　on　the　warld's　gearHad　it　not　been　the　week　before　the　bridalBut　I　am　nae　babe；　to　sit　down　and　greet　about　it。　　If　I　can　but　find　Grace；　and　my　grandmother；　and　my　sisters　weel；　I　can　go　to　the　wars　in　Flanders；　as　my　gude…sire　did；　under　the　Bellenden　banner；　wi'　auld　Buccleuch。　　At　ony　rate；　I　will　keep　up　a　heart；　or　they　will　lose　theirs　a'thegither。〃

Manfully　strode　Hobbie　down　the　hill；　resolved　to　suppress　his　own　despair；　and　administer　consolation　which　he　did　not　feel。　The　neighbouring　inhabitants　of　the　dell；　particularly　those　of　his　own　name；　had　already　assembled。　　The　younger　part　were　in　arms　and　clamorous　for　revenge；　although　they　knew　not　upon　whom；　the　elder　were　taking　measures　for　the　relief　of　the　distressed　family。　　Annaple's　cottage；　which　was　situated　down　the　brook；　at　some　distance　from　the　scene　of　mischief；　had　been　hastily　adapted　for　the　temporary　accommodation　of