the black dwarf-第18节

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　harry　and　disarm　the　country　about　his　ain　hand　before　he　breaks　out。〃

Some　now　remembered　that　the　party　of　ruffians　had　been　heard　to　say　they　were　acting　for　James　VIII。；　and　were　charged　to　disarm　all　rebels。　　Others　had　heard　Westburnflat　boast；　in　drinking　parties；　that　Ellieslaw　would　soon　be　in　arms　for　the　Jacobite　cause；　and　that　he　himself　was　to　hold　a　command　under　him；　and　that　they　would　be　bad　neighbours　for　young　Earnscliff；　and　all　that　stood　out　for　the　established　government。　　The　result　was　a　strong　belief　that　Westburnflat　had　headed　the　party　under　Ellieslaw's　orders；　and　they　resolved　to　proceed　instantly　to　the　house　of　the　former；　and；　if　possible；　to　secure　his　person。　They　were　by　this　time　joined　by　so　many　of　their　dispersed　friends；　that　their　number　amounted　to　upwards　of　twenty　horsemen；　well　mounted；　and　tolerably；　though　variously；　armed。

A　brook；　which　issued　from　a　narrow　glen　among　the　hills；　entered；　at　Westburnflat；　upon　the　open　marshy　level；　which；　expanding　about　half　a　mile　in　every　direction；　gives　name　to　the　spot。　　In　this　place　the　character　of　the　stream　becomes　changed；　and；　from　being　a　lively　brisk…running　mountain…torrent；　it　stagnates；　like　a　blue　swollen　snake；　in　dull　deep　windings；　through　the　swampy　level。　　On　the　side　of　the　stream；　and　nearly　about　the　centre　of　the　plain；　arose　the　tower　of　Westburnflat；　one　of　the　few　remaining　strongholds　formerly　so　numerous　upon　the　Borders。　　The　ground　upon　which　it　stood　was　gently　elevated　above　the　marsh　for　the　space　of　about　a　hundred　yards；　affording　an　esplanade　of　dry　turf；　which　extended　itself　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　tower；　but；　beyond　which；　the　surface　presented　to　strangers　was　that　of　an　impassable　and　dangerous　bog。　　The　owner　of　the　tower　and　his　inmates　alone　knew　the　winding　and　intricate　paths；　which；　leading　over　ground　that　was　comparatively　sound；　admitted　visitors　to　his　residence。　　But　among　the　party　which　were　assembled　under　Earnscliff's　directions；　there　was　more　than　one　person　qualified　to　act　as　a　guide。　　For　although　the　owner's　character　and　habits　of　life　were　generally　known；　yet　the　laxity　of　feeling　with　respect　to　property　prevented　his　being　looked　on　with　the　abhorrence　with　which　he　must　have　been　regarded　in　a　more　civilized　country。　　He　was　considered；　among　his　more　peaceable　neighbours；　pretty　much　as　a　gambler；　cock…fighter；　or　horse…jockey　would　be　regarded　at　the　present　day；　a　person；　of　course；　whose　habits　were　to　be　condemned；　and　his　society；　in　general；　avoided；　yet　who　could　not　be　considered　as　marked　with　the　indelible　infamy　attached　to　his　profession；　where　laws　have　been　habitually　observed。　　And　their　indignation　was　awakened　against　him　upon　this　occasion；　not　so　much　on　account　of　the　general　nature　of　the　transaction；　which　was　just　such　as　was　to　be　expected　from　this　marauder；　as　that　the　violence　had　been　perpetrated　upon　a　neighbour　against　whom　he　had　no　cause　of　quarrel；against　a　friend　of　their　own；　above　all；　against　one　of　the　name　of　Elliot；　to　which　clan　most　of　them　belonged。　　It　was　not；　therefore；　wonderful；　that　there　should　be　several　in　the　band　pretty　well　acquainted　with　the　locality　of　his　habitation；　and　capable　of　giving　such　directions　and　guidance　as　soon　placed　the　whole　party　on　the　open　space　of　firm　ground　in　front　of　the　Tower　of　Westburnflat。



CHAPTER　IX。

　So　spak　the　knicht；　the　geaunt　sed；　　Lend　forth　with　the；　the　sely　maid；　　And　mak　me　quile　of　the　and　sche；　　For　glaunsing　ee；　or　brow　so　brent；　　Or　cheek　with　rose　and　lilye　blent；　　Me　lists　not　ficht　with　the。　　　　　　　　ROMANCE　OF　THE　FALCON。

The　tower；　before　which　the　party　now　stood；　was　a　small　square　building；　of　the　most　gloomy　aspect。　　The　walls　were　of　great　thickness；　and　the　windows；　or　slits　which　served　the　purpose　of　windows；　seemed　rather　calculated　to　afford　the　defenders　the　means　of　employing　missile　weapons；　than　for　admitting　air　or　light　to　the　apartments　within。　　A　small　battlement　projected　over　the　walls　on　every　side；　and　afforded　farther　advantage　of　defence　by　its　niched　parapet；　within　which　arose　a　steep　roof；　flagged　with　grey　stones。　　A　single　turret　at　one　angle；　defended　by　a　door　studded　with　huge　iron　nails；　rose　above　the　battlement；　and　gave　access　to　the　roof　from　within；　by　the　spiral　staircase　which　it　enclosed。　　It　seemed　to　the　party　that　their　motions　were　watched　by　some　one　concealed　within　this　turret；　and　they　were　confirmed　in　their　belief　when；　through　a　narrow　loophole；　a　female　hand　was　seen　to　wave　a　handkerchief；　as　if　by　way　of　signal　to　them。　　Hobbie　was　almost　out　of　his　senses　with　joy　and　eagerness。

〃It　was　Grace's　hand　and　arm；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　swear　to　it　amang　a　thousand。　　There　is　not　the　like　of　it　on　this　side　of　the　LowdensWe'll　have　her　out；　lads；　if　we　should　carry　off　the　Tower　of　Westburnflat　stane　by　stane。〃

Earnscliff；　though　he　doubted　the　possibility　of　recognising　a　fair　maiden's　hand　at　such　a　distance　from　the　eye　of　the　lover；　would　say　nothing　to　damp　his　friend's　animated　hopes；　and　it　was　resolved　to　summon　the　garrison。

The　shouts　of　the　party；　and　the　winding　of　one　or　two　horns；　at　length　brought　to　a　loophole；　which　flanked　the　entrance；　the　haggard　face　of　an　old　woman。

〃That's　the　Reiver's　mother；〃　said　one　of　the　Elliots；　〃she's　ten　times　waur　than　himsell；　and　is　wyted　for　muckle　of　the　ill　he　does　about　the　country。〃

〃Wha　are　ye？　　what　d'ye　want　here？〃　　were　the　queries　of　the　respectable　progenitor。

〃We　are　seeking　William　Graeme　of　Westburnflat；〃　said　Earnscliff。

〃He's　no　at　hame；〃　returned　the　old　dame。

〃When　did　he　leave　home？〃　　pursued　Earnscliff。

〃I　canna　tell；〃　said　the　portress。

〃When　will　he　return？〃　　said　Hobbie　Elliot。

〃I　dinna　ken　naething　about　it；〃　replied　the　inexorable　guardian　of　the　keep。

〃Is　there　anybody　within　the　tower　with　you？〃　　again　demanded　Earnscliff。

〃Naebody　but　mysell　and　baudrons；〃　said　the　old　woman。

〃Then　open　the　gate　and　admit　us；〃　said　Earnscliff；　〃I　am　a　justice　of　peace；　and　in　search　of　the　evidence　of　a　felony。〃

〃Deil　be　in　their　fingers　that　draws　a　bolt　for　ye；〃　retorted　the　portress；　〃for　mine　shall　never　do　it。　　Thinkna　ye　shame　o'　yoursells；　to　come　here　siccan　a　band　o'　ye；　wi'　your　swords；　and　spears；　and　steel…caps；　to　frighten　a　lone　widow　woman？〃

〃Our　information；〃　said　Earnscliff；　〃is　positive；　we　are　seeking　goods　which　have　been　forcibly　carried　off；　to　a　great　amount。〃

〃And　a　young　woman；　that's　been　cruelly　made　prisoner；　that's　worth　mair　than　a'　the　gear；　twice　told；〃　said　Hobbie。

〃And　I　warn　you。〃　　continued　Earnscliff；　〃that　your　only　way　to　prove　your　son's　innocence　is　to　give　us　quiet　admittance　to　search　the　house。〃

〃And　what　will　ye　do；　if　I　carena　to　thraw　the　keys；　or　draw　the　bolts；　or　open　the　grate　to　sic　a　clamjamfrie？〃　　said　the　old　dame；　scoffingly。

〃Force　our　way　with　the　king's　keys；　and　break　the　neck　of　every　living　soul　we　find　in　the　house；　if　ye　dinna　gie　it　ower　forthwith！〃　　menaced　the　incensed　Hobbie。

〃Threatened　folks　live　lang；〃　said　the　hag；　in　the　same　tone　of　irony；　〃there's　the　iron　gratetry　your　skeel　on't；　ladsit　has　kept　out　as　gude　men　as　you　or　now。〃

So　saying；　she　laughed；　and　withdrew　from　the　aperture　through　which　she　had　held　the　parley。

The　besiegers　now　opened　a　serious　consultation。　　The　immense　thickness　of　the　walls；　and　the　small　size　of　the　windows；　might；　for　a　time；　have　even　resisted　cannon…shot。　　The　entrance　was　secured；　first；　by　a　strong　grated　door；　composed　entirely　of　hammered　iron；　of　such　ponderous　strength　as　seemed　calculated　to　resist　any　force　that　could　be　brought　against　it。　　〃Pinches　or　forehammers　will　never　pick　upon't；〃　said　Hugh；　the　blacksmith　of　Ringleburn；　〃ye　might　as　weel　batter　at　it　wi'　pipe…staples。〃

Within　the　doorway；　and　at　the　distance　of　nine　feet；　which　was　the　solid　thickness　of　the　wall；　there　was　a　second　door　of　oak；　crossed；　both　breadth　and　lengthways；　with　clenched　bars　of　iron；　and　studded　full　of　broad…headed　nails。　　Besides　all　these　defences；　they　were　by　no　means　confident　in　the　truth　of　the　old　dame's　assertion；　that　she　alone　composed　the　garrison。　　The　more　knowing　of　the　party　had　observed　hoof…marks　in　the　track　by　which　they　approached　the　tower；　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　several　persons　had　very　lately　passed　in　that　direction。

To　all　these　difficulties　was　added　their　want　of　means　for　attacking　the　place。　　There　was　no　hope　of　procuring　ladders　long　enough　to　reach　the　battlements；　and　the　windows；　besides　being　very　narrow；　were　secured　with　iron　bars。　　Scaling　was　therefore　out　of　the　question；　mining　was　still　more　so；　for　want　of　tools　and　gunpowder；　neither　were　the　besiegers　provided　with　food；　means　of　shelter；　or　other　conveniences；　which　might　have　enabled　them　to　convert　the　siege　into　a　blockade；　and　there　would；　at　any　rate；　have　been　a　risk　of　relief　from　some　of　the　marauder's　comrades。　　Hobbie　grinded　and　gnashed　his　teeth；　as；　walking　round　the　fastness；　he　could　devise　no　means　of　making　a　forcible　entry。　　At　length　he　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃And　what　for　no　do　as　our　fathers　did　lang　syne？Put　hand　to　the　wark；　lads。　　Let　us