the black dwarf-第21节

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has　come　by　a　hantle　siller；　and　been　made　a　knight…baronet　into　the　bargain；　for　being　ane　o'　the　commissioners　at　the　Union。〃

〃He　wadna　gie　a　bodle　to　save　us　frae　famishing；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃and；　if　he　did；　the　bread　that　I　bought　wi't　would　stick　in　my　throat；　when　I　thought　it　was　part　of　the　price　of　puir　auld　Scotland's　crown　and　independence。〃

〃There's　the　Laird　o'　Dunder；　ane　o'　the　auldest　families　in　Tiviotdale。〃

〃He's　in　the　tolbooth；　motherhe's　in　the　Heart　of　Mid…Louden　for　a　thousand　merk　he　borrowed　from　Saunders　Wyliecoat　the　writer。〃

〃Poor　man！〃　　exclaimed　Mrs。　Elliot；　〃can　we　no　send　him　something；　Hobbie？〃

〃Ye　forget；　grannie；　ye　forget　we　want　help　oursells；〃　said　Hobbie；　somewhat　peevishly。

〃Troth　did　I；　hinny；〃　replied　the　good…natured　lady；　〃just　at　the　instant；　it's　sae　natural　to　think　on　ane's　blude　relations　before　themsells；But　there's　young　Earnscliff。〃

〃He　has　ower　little　o'　his　ain；　and　siccan　a　name　to　keep　up；　it　wad　be　a　shame；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃to　burden　him　wi'　our　distress。　And　I'll　tell　ye；　grannie；　it's　needless　to　sit　rhyming　ower　the　style　of　a'　your　kith；　kin；　and　allies；　as　if　there　was　a　charm　in　their　braw　names　to　do　us　good；　the　grandees　hae　forgotten　us；　and　those　of　our　ain　degree　hae　just　little　eneugh　to　gang　on　wi'　themsells；　ne'er　a　friend　hae　we　that　can；　or　will；　help　us　to　stock　the　farm　again。〃

〃Then；　Hobbie；　me　maun　trust　in　Him　that　can　raise　up　friends　and　fortune　out　o'　the　bare　moor；　as　they　say。〃

Hobbie　sprung　upon　his　feet。　　〃Ye　are　right；　grannie！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃ye　are　right。　　I　do　ken　a　friend　on　the　bare　moor；　that　baith　can　and　will　help　usThe　turns　o'　this　day　hae　dung　my　head　clean　hirdie…girdie。　　I　left　as　muckle　gowd　lying　on　Mucklestane…Moor　this　morning　as　would　plenish　the　house　and　stock　the　Heugh…foot　twice　ower；　and　I　am　certain　sure　Elshie　wadna　grudge　us　the　use　of　it。〃

〃Elshie！〃　　said　his　grandmother　in　astonishment；　〃what　Elshie　do　you　mean？〃

〃What　Elshie　should　I　mean；　but　Canny　Elshie；　the　Wight　o'　Mucklestane；〃　replied　Hobbie。

〃God　forfend；　my　bairn；　you　should　gang　to　fetch　water　out　o'　broken　cisterns；　or　seek　for　relief　frae　them　that　deal　wi'　the　Evil　One！　　There　was　never　luck　in　their　gifts；　nor　grace　in　their　paths。　　And　the　haill　country　kens　that　body　Elshie's　an　unco　man。　　O；　if　there　was　the　law；　and　the　douce　quiet　administration　of　justice；　that　makes　a　kingdom　flourish　in　righteousness；　the　like　o'　them　suldna　be　suffered　to　live！　　The　wizard　and　the　witch　are　the　abomination　and　the　evil　thing　in　the　land。〃

〃Troth；　mother；〃　answered　Hobbie；　〃ye　may　say　what　ye　like；　but　I　am　in　the　mind　that　witches　and　warlocks　havena　half　the　power　they　had　lang　syne；　at　least；　sure　am　I；　that　ae　ill…deviser；　like　auld　Ellieslaw；　or　ae　ill…doer；　like　that　dd　villain　Westburnflat；　is　a　greater　plague　and　abomination　in　a　country…　side　than　a　haill　curnie　o'　the　warst　witches　that　ever　capered　on　a　broomstick；　or　played　cantrips　on　Fastern's　E'en。　　It　wad　hae　been　lang　or　Elshie　had　burnt　down　my　house　and　barns；　and　I　am　determined　to　try　if　he　will　do　aught　to　build　them　up　again。　He's　weel　kend　a　skilfu'　man　ower　a'　the　country；　as　far　as　Brough　under　Stanmore。〃

〃Bide　a　wee；　my　bairn；　mind　his　benefits　havena　thriven　wi'　a'body。　　Jock　Howden　died　o'　the　very　same　disorder　Elshie　pretended　to　cure　him　of；　about　the　fa'　o'　the　leaf；　and　though　he　helped　Lambside's　cow　weel　out　o'　the　moor…ill；　yet　the　louping…ill's　been　sairer　amane；　his　sheep　than　ony　season　before。　　And　then　I　have　heard　he　uses　sic　words　abusing　human　nature；　that's　like　a　fleeing　in　the　face　of　Providence；　and　ye　mind　ye　said　yoursell；　the　first　time　ye　ever　saw　him；　that　he　was　mair　like　a　bogle　than　a　living　thing。〃

〃Hout；　mother；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃Elshie's　no　that　bad　a　chield；　he's　a　grewsome　spectacle　for　a　crooked　disciple；　to　be　sure；　and　a　rough　talker；　but　his　bark　is　waur　than　his　bite；　sae；　if　I　had　anes　something　to　eat；　for　I　havena　had　a　morsel　ower　my　throat　this　day；　I　wad　streek　mysell　down　for　twa　or　three　hours　aside　the　beast；　and　be　on　and　awa'　to　Mucklestane　wi'　the　first　skreigh　o'　morning。〃

〃And　what　for　no　the　night；　Hobbie；〃　said　Harry；　〃and　I　will　ride　wi'　ye？〃

〃My　naig　is　tired；〃　said　Hobbie。

〃Ye　may　take　mine；　then；〃　said　John。

〃But　I　am　a　wee　thing　wearied　mysell。〃

〃You　wearied？〃　　said　Harry；　〃shame　on　ye！　　I　have　kend　ye　keep　the　saddle　four…and…twenty　hours　thegither；　and　ne'er　sic　a　word　as　weariness　in　your　wame。〃

〃The　night's　very　dark；〃　said　Hobbie；　rising　and　looking　through　the　casement　of　the　cottage；　〃and；　to　speak　truth；　and　shame　the　deil；　though　Elshie's　a　real　honest　fallow；　yet　somegate　I　would　rather　take　daylight　wi'　me　when　I　gang　to　visit　him。〃

This　frank　avowal　put　a　stop　to　further　argument；　and　Hobbie；　having　thus　compromised　matters　between　the　rashness　of　his　brother's　counsel；　and　the　timid　cautions　which　he　received　from　his　grandmother；　refreshed　himself　with　such　food　as　the　cottage　afforded；　and；　after　a　cordial　salutation　all　round；　retired　to　the　shed；　and　stretched　himself　beside　his　trusty　palfrey。　　His　brothers　shared　between　them　some　trusses　of　clean　straw；　disposed　in　the　stall　usually　occupied　by　old　Annaple's　cow；　and　the　females　arranged　themselves　for　repose　as　well　as　the　accommodations　of　the　cottage　would　permit。

With　the　first　dawn　of　morning；　Hobbie　arose；　and；　having　rubbed　down　and　saddled　his　horse；　he　set　forth　to　Mucklestane…Moor。　　He　avoided　the　company　of　either　of　his　brothers；　from　an　idea　that　the　Dwarf　was　most　propitious　to　those　who　visited　him　alone。

〃The　creature；〃　said　he　to　himself；　as　he　went　along；　〃is　no　neighbourly；　ae　body　at　a　time　is　fully　mair　than　he　weel　can　abide。　　I　wonder　if　he's　looked　out　o'　the　crib　o'　him　to　gather　up　the　bag　o'　siller。　　If　he　hasna　done　that；　it　will　hae　been　a　braw　windfa'　for　somebody；　and　I'll　be　finely　flung。Come；　Tarras；〃　said　he　to　his　horse；　striking　him　at　the　same　time　with　his　spur；　〃make　mair　fit；　man；　we　maun　be　first　on　the　field　if　we　can。〃

He　was　now　on　the　heath；　which　began　to　be　illuminated　by　the　beams　of　the　rising　sun；　the　gentle　declivity　which　he　was　descending　presented　him　a　distinct；　though　distant　view；　of　the　Dwarf's　dwelling。　　The　door　opened；　and　Hobbie　witnessed　with　his　own　eyes　that　phenomenon　which　he　had　frequently　heard　mentioned。　Two　human　figures　（if　that　of　the　Dwarf　could　be　termed　such）　issued　from　the　solitary　abode　of　the　Recluse；　and　stood　as　if　in　converse　together　in　the　open　air。　　The　taller　form　then　stooped；　as　if　taking　something　up　which　lay　beside　the　door　of　the　hut；　then　both　moved　forward　a　little　way；　and　again　halted；　as　in　deep　conference。　　All　Hobbie's　superstitious　terrors　revived　on　witnessing　this'spectacle。　　That　the　Dwarf　would　open　his　dwelling　to　a　mortal　guest；　was　as　improbable　as　that　any　one　would　choose　voluntarily　to　be　his　nocturnal　visitor；　and；　under　full　conviction　that　he　beheld　a　wizard　holding　intercourse　with　his　familiar　spirit；　Hobbie　pulled　in　at　once　his　breath　and　his　bridle；　resolved　not　to　incur　the　indignation　of　either　by　a　hasty　intrusion　on　their　conference。　　They　were　probably　aware　of　his　approach；　for　he　had　not　halted　for　a　moment　before　the　Dwarf　returned　to　his　cottage；　and　the　taller　figure　who　had　accompanied　him；　glided　round　the　enclosure　of　the　garden；　and　seemed　to　disappear　from　the　eyes　of　the　admiring　Hobbie。

〃Saw　ever　mortal　the　like　o'　that！〃　　said　Elliot；　〃but　my　case　is　desperate；　sae；　if　he　were　Beelzebub　himsell；　I'se　venture　down　the　brae　on　him。〃

Yet；　notwithstanding　his　assumed　courage；　he　slackened　his　pace；　when；　nearly　upon　the　very　spot　where　he　had　last　seen　the　tall　figure；　he　discerned；　as　if　lurking　among　the　long　heather；　a　small　black　rough…looking　object；　like　a　terrier　dog。

〃He　has　nae　dog　that　ever　I　heard　of；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃but　mony　a　deil　about　his　handlord　forgie　me　for　saying　sic　a　word！It　keeps　its　grund；　be　what　it　likeI'm　judging　it's　a　badger；　but　whae　kens　what　shapes　thae　bogies　will　take　to　fright　a　body？　　it　will　maybe　start　up　like　a　lion　or　a　crocodile　when　I　come　nearer。　　I'se　e'en　drive　a　stage　at　it；　for　if　it　change　its　shape　when　I'm　ower　near；　Tarras　will　never　stand　it；　and　it　will　be　ower　muckle　to　hae　him　and　the　deil　to　fight　wi'　baith　at　ance。〃

He　therefore　cautiously　threw　a　stone　at　the　object；　which　continued　motionless。　　〃It's　nae　living　thing；　after　a'；〃　said　Hobbie；　approaching；　〃but　the　very　bag　o'　siller　he　flung　out　o'　the　window　yesterday！　　and　that　other　queer　lang　creature　has　just　brought　it　sae　muckle　farther　on　the　way　to　me。　　He　then　advanced　and　lifted　the　heavy　fur　pouch；　which　was　quite　full　of　gold。　　〃Mercy　on　us！〃　　said　Hobbie；　whose　heart　fluttered　between　glee　at　the　revival　of　his　hopes　and　prospects　in　life；　and　suspicion　of　the　purpose　for　which　this　assistance　was　afforded　him…〃Mercy　on　us！　　it's　an　awfu'　thing　to　touch　what　has　been　sae　lately　in　the　claws　of　something　no　canny；　I　canna　shake　mysell　loose　o'　the　belief　that　there　has　been　some　jookery…　paukery　of　Satan's　in　a'　this；　but　I　am　determined　to　conduct　mysell　like　an　honest　man　and　a　good　Christian；　come　o't　what　will。〃

He　advanced　accordi