the black dwarf-第17节

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Tell　my　brothers；　when　they　come　up；　to　follow　and　meet　us　there。　Poor　lads；　they　will　hae　hearts　weelnigh　as　sair　as　mine；　little　think　they　what　a　sorrowful　house　they　are　bringing　their　venison　to！　　I'll　ride　ower　Mucklestane…Moor　mysell。〃

〃And　if　I　were　you；〃　said　Dick　of　the　Dingle；　〃I　would　speak　to　Canny　Elshie。　　He　can　tell　you　whatever　betides　in　this　land；　if　he's　sae　minded。〃

〃He　SHALL　tell　me；〃　said　Hobbie；　who　was　busy　putting　his　arms　in　order；　〃what　he　kens　o'　this　night's　job；　or　I　shall　right　weel　ken　wherefore　he　does　not。〃

〃Ay；　but　speak　him　fair；　my　bonny　manspeak　him　fair　Hobbie；　the　like　o'　him　will　no　bear　thrawing。　　They　converse　sae　muckle　wi'　thae　fractious　ghaists　and　evil　spirits；　that　it　clean　spoils　their　temper。〃

〃Let　me　alane　to　guide　him；〃　answered　Hobbie；　〃there's　that　in　my　breast　this　day；　that　would　ower…maister　a'　the　warlocks　on　earth；　and　a'　the　devils　in　hell。〃

And　being　now　fully　equipped；　he　threw　himself　on　his　horse；　and　spurred　him　at　a　rapid　pace　against　the　steep　ascent。

Elliot　speedily　surmounted　the　hill；　rode　down　the　other　side　at　the　same　rate；　crossed　a　wood；　and　traversed　a　long　glen；　ere　he　at　length　regained　Mucklestane…Moor。　　As　he　was　obliged；　in　the　course　of　his　journey；　to　relax　his　speed　in　consideration　of　the　labour　which　his　horse　might　still　have　to　undergo；　he　had　time　to　consider　maturely　in　what　manner　he　should　address　the　Dwarf；　in　order　to　extract　from　him　the　knowledge　which　he　supposed　him　to　be　in　possession　of　concerning　the　authors　of　his　misfortunes。　Hobbie；　though　blunt；　plain　of　speech；　and　hot　of　disposition；　like　most　of　his　countrymen；　was　by　no　means　deficient　in　the　shrewdness　which　is　also　their　characteristic。　　He　reflected；　that　from　what　he　had　observed　on　the　memorable　night　when　the　Dwarf　was　first　seen；　and　from　the　conduct　of　that　mysterious　being　ever　since；　he　was　likely　to　be　rendered　even　more　obstinate　in　his　sullenness　by　threats　and　violence。

〃I'll　speak　him　fair；〃　he　said；　〃as　auld　Dickon　advised　me。　Though　folk　say　he　has　a　league　wi'　Satan；　he　canna　be　sic　an　incarnate　devil　as　no　to　take　some　pity　in　a　case　like　mine；　and　folk　threep　he'll　whiles　do　good；　charitable　sort　o'　things。　I'll　keep　my　heart　doun　as　weel　as　I　can；　and　stroke　him　wi'　the　hair；　and　if　the　warst　come　to　the　warst；　it's　but　wringing　the　head　o'　him　about　at　last。〃

In　this　disposition　of　accommodation　he　approached　the　hut　of　the　Solitary。

The　old　man　was　not　upon　his　seat　of　audience；　nor　could　Hobbie　perceive　him　in　his　garden；　or　enclosures。

〃He's　gotten　into　his　very　keep；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃maybe　to　be　out　o'　the　gate；　but　I'se　pu'　it　doun　about　his　lugs；　if　I　canna　win　at　him　otherwise。〃

Having　thus　communed　with　himself；　he　raised　his　voice；　and　invoked　Elshie　in　a　tone　as　supplicating　as　his　conflicting　feelings　would　permit。　　〃Elshie；　my　gude　friend！〃　　No　reply。　〃Elshie；　canny　Father　Elshie！〃　　The　Dwarf　remained　mute。　　〃Sorrow　be　in　the　crooked　carcass　of　thee！〃　　said　the　Borderer　between　his　teeth；　and　then　again　attempting　a　soothing　tone；〃Good　Father　Elshie；　a　most　miserable　creature　desires　some　counsel　of　your　wisdom。〃

〃The　better！〃　　answered　the　shrill　and　discordant　voice　of　the　Dwarf　through　a　very　small　window；　resembling　an　arrow　slit；　which　he　had　constructed　near　the　door　of　his　dwelling；　and　through　which　he　could　see　any　one　who　approached　it；　without　the　possibility　of　their　looking　in　upon　him。

〃The　better！〃　　said　Hobbie　impatiently；　〃what　is　the　better；　Elshie？　　Do　you　not　hear　me　tell　you　I　am　the　most　miserable　wretch　living？〃

〃And　do　you　not　hear　me　tell　you　it　is　so　much　the　better！　　and　did　I　not　tell　you　this　morning；　when　you　thought　yourself　so　happy；　what　an　evening　was　coming　upon　you？〃

〃That　ye　did　e'en；〃　replied　Hobbie；　〃and　that　gars　me　come　to　you　for　advice　now；　they　that　foresaw　the　trouble　maun　ken　the　cure。〃

〃I　know　no　cure　for　earthly　trouble；〃　returned　the　Dwarf　〃or；　if　I　did；　why　should　I　help　others；　when　none　hath　aided　me？　　Have　I　not　lost　wealth；　that　would　have　bought　all　thy　barren　hills　a　hundred　times　over？　　rank；　to　which　thine　is　as　that　of　a　peasant？　　society；　where　there　was　an　interchange　of　all　that　was　amiableof　all　that　was　intellectual？　　Have　I　not　lost　all　this？　Am　I　not　residing　here；　the　veriest　outcast　on　the　face　of　Nature；　in　the　most　hideous　and　most　solitary　of　her　retreats；　myself　more　hideous　than　all　that　is　around　me？　　And　why　should　other　worms　complain　to　me　when　they　are　trodden　on；　since　I　am　myself　lying　crushed　and　writhing　under　the　chariot…wheel？〃

〃Ye　may　have　lost　all　this；〃　answered　Hobbie；　in　the　bitterness　of　emotion；　〃land　and　friends；　goods　and　gear；　ye　may　hae　lost　them　a'；but　ye　ne'er　can　hae　sae　sair　a　heart　as　mine；　for　ye　ne'er　lost　nae　Grace　Armstrong。　　And　now　my　last　hopes　are　gane；　and　I　shall　ne'er　see　her　mair。〃

This　he　said　in　the　tone　of　deepest　emotionand　there　followed　a　long　pause；　for　the　mention　of　his　bride's　name　had　overcome　the　more　angry　and　irritable　feelings　of　poor　Hobbie。　　Ere　he　had　again　addressed　the　Solitary；　the　bony　hand　and　long　fingers　of　the　latter；　holding　a　large　leathern　bag；　was　thrust　forth　at　the　small　window；　and　as　it　unclutched　the　burden；　and　let　it　drop　with　a　clang　upon　the　ground；　his　harsh　voice　again　addressed　Elliot。

〃Therethere　lies　a　salve　for　every　human　ill；　so；　at　least；　each　human　wretch　readily　thinks。Begone；　return　twice　as　wealthy　as　thou　wert　before　yesterday；　and　torment　me　no　more　with　questions；　complaints；　or　thanks；　they　are　alike　odious　to　me。〃

〃It　is　a'　gowd；　by　Heaven！〃　　said　Elliot；　having　glanced　at　the　contents；　and　then　again　addressing　the　Hermit；　〃Muckle　obliged　for　your　goodwill；　and　I　wad　blithely　gie　you　a　bond　for　some　o'　the　siller；　or　a　wadset　ower　the　lands　o'　Wideopen。　　But　I　dinna　ken；　Elshie；　to　be　free　wi'　you；　I　dinna　like　to　use　siller　unless　I　kend　it　was　decently　come　by；　and　maybe　it　might　turn　into　sclate…stanes；　and　cheat　some　poor　man。〃

〃Ignorant　idiot！〃　　retorted　the　Dwarf；　〃the　trash　is　as　genuine　poison　as　ever　was　dug　out　of　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　　Take　it　use　it；　and　may　it　thrive　with　you　as　it　hath　done　with　me！〃

〃But　I　tell　you；〃　said　Elliot；　〃it　wasna　about　the　gear　that　I　was　consulting　you；it　was　a　braw　barn…yard；　doubtless；　and　thirty　head　of　finer　cattle　there　werena　on　this　side　of　the　Catrail；　but　let　the　gear　gang；if　ye　could　but　gie　me　speerings　o'　puir　Grace；　I　would　be　content　to　be　your　slave　for　life；　in　onything　that　didna　touch　my　salvation。　　O；　Elshie；　speak；　man；　speak！〃

〃Well；　then；〃　answered　the　Dwarf；　as　if　worn　out　by　his　importunity；　〃since　thou　hast　not　enough　of　woes　of　thine　own；　but　must　needs　seek　to　burden　thyself　with　those　of　a　partner；　seek　her　whom　thou　hast　lost　in　the　WEST。〃

〃In　the　WEST？　　That's　a　wide　word。〃

〃It　is　the　last；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　which　I　design　to　utter；〃　and　he　drew　the　shutters　of　his　window；　leaving　Hobbie　to　make　the　most　of　the　hint　he　had　given。

The　west！　　the　west！thought　Elliot；　the　country　is　pretty　quiet　down　that　way；　unless　it　were　Jock　o'　the　Todholes；　and　he's　ower　auld　now　for　the　like　o'　thae　jobs。West！By　My　life；　it　must　be　Westburnflat。　　〃Elshie；　just　tell　me　one　word。　　Am　I　right？　Is　it　Westburnflat？　　If　I　am　wrang；　say　sae。　　I　wadna　like　to　wyte　an　innocent　neighbour　wi'　violenceNo　answer？It　must　be　the　Red　ReiverI　didna　think　he　wad　hae　ventured　on　me；　neither；　and　sae　mony　kin　as　there's　o'　usI　am　thinking　he'll　hae　some　better　backing　than　his　Cumberland　friends。Fareweel　to　you；　Elshie；　and　mony　thanksI　downa　be　fashed　wi'　the　siller　e'en　now；　for　I　maun　awa'　to　meet　my　friends　at　the　Trysting…place　Sae；　if　ye　carena　to　open　the　window；　ye　can　fetch　it　in　after　I'm　awa'。〃

Still　there　was　no　reply。

〃He's　deaf；　or　he's　daft；　or　he's　baith；　but　I　hae　nae　time　to　stay　to　claver　wi'　him。〃

And　off　rode　Hobbie　Elliot　towards　the　place　of　rendezvous　which　he　had　named　to　his　friends。

Four　or　five　riders　were　already　gathered　at　the　Trysting　pool。　They　stood　in　close　consultation　together；　while　their　horses　were　permitted　to　graze　among　the　poplars　which　overhung　the　broad　still　pool。　　A　more　numerous　party　were　seen　coming　from　the　southward。　　It　proved　to　be　Earnscliff　and　his　party；　who　had　followed　the　track　of　the　cattle　as　far　as　the　English　border；　but　had　halted　on　the　information　that　a　considerable　force　was　drawn　together　under　some　of　the　Jacobite　gentlemen　in　that　district；　and　there　were　tidings　of　insurrection　in　different　parts　of　Scotland。　　This　took　away　from　the　act　which　had　been　perpetrated　the　appearance　of　private　animosity；　or　love　of　plunder；　and　Earnscliff　was　now　disposed　to　regard　it　as　a　symptom　of　civil　war。　　The　young　gentleman　greeted　Hobbie　with　the　most　sincere　sympathy；　and　informed　him　of　the　news　he　had　received。

〃Then；　may　I　never　stir　frae　the　bit；〃　said　Elliot；　〃if　auld　Ellieslaw　is　not　at　the　bottom　o'　the　haill　villainy！　　Ye　see　he's　leagued　wi'　the　Cumberland　Catholics；　and　that　agrees　weel　wi'　what　Elshie　hinted　about　Westburnflat；　for　Ellieslaw　aye　protected　him；　and　he　will　want　to　harry　and　disarm　the　country　about　his　ain　hand　before　he　breaks　out。〃

Some　now　remembered　that