the black dwarf-第22节

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　conduct　mysell　like　an　honest　man　and　a　good　Christian；　come　o't　what　will。〃

He　advanced　accordingly　to　the　cottage　door；　and　having　knocked　repeatedly　without　receiving　any　answer；　he　at　length　elevated　his　voice　and　addressed　the　inmate　of　the　hut。　　〃Elshie！　　Father　Elshie！　　I　ken　ye're　within　doors；　and　wauking；　for　I　saw　ye　at　the　door…cheek　as　I　cam　ower　the　bent；　will　ye　come　out　and　speak　just　a　gliff　to　ane　that　has　mony　thanks　to　gie　ye？It　was　a'　true　ye　tell'd　me　about　Westburnflat；　but　he's　sent　back　Grace　safe　and　skaithless；　sae　there's　nae　ill　happened　yet　but　what　may　be　suffered　or　sustained；Wad　ye　but　come　out　a　gliff；　man；　or　but　say　ye're　listening？Aweel；　since　ye　winna　answer；　I'se　e'en　proceed　wi'　my　tale。　　Ye　see　I　hae　been　thinking　it　wad　be　a　sair　thing　on　twa　young　folk；　like　Grace　and　me；　to　put　aff　our　marriage　for　mony　years　till　I　was　abroad　and　came　back　again　wi'　some　gear；　and　they　say　folk　maunna　take　booty　in　the　wars　as　they　did　lang　syne；　and　the　queen's　pay　is　a　sma'　matter；　there's　nae　gathering　gear　on　thatand　then　my　grandame's　auldand　my　sisters　wad　sit　peengin'　at　the　ingle…side　for　want　o'　me　to　ding　them　aboutand　Earnscliff；　or　the　neighbourhood；　or　maybe　your　ainsell；　Elshie；　might　want　some　good　turn　that　Hob　Elliot　could　do　yeand　it's　a　pity　that　the　auld　house　o'　the　Heugh…foot　should　be　wrecked　a'thegither。　　Sae　I　was　thinkingbut　deil　hae　me；　that　I　should　say　sae；〃　continued　he；　checking　himself；　〃if　I　can　bring　mysell　to　ask　a　favour　of　ane　that　winna　sae　muckle　as　ware　a　word　on　me；　to　tell　me　if　he　hears　me　speaking　till　him。〃

〃Say　what　thou　wiltdo　what　thou　wilt；〃　answered　the　Dwarf　from　his　cabin；　〃but　begone；　and　leave　me　at　peace。〃

〃Weel；　weel；〃　replied　Elliot；　〃since　ye　are　willing　to　hear　me；　I'se　make　my　tale　short。　　Since　ye　are　sae　kind　as　to　say　ye　are　content　to　lend　me　as　muckle　siller　as　will　stock　and　plenish　the　Heugh…foot；　I　am　content；　on　my　part；　to　accept　the　courtesy　wi'　mony　kind　thanks；　and　troth；　I　think　it　will　be　as　safe　in　my　hands　as　yours；　if　ye　leave　it　flung　about　in　that　gate　for　the　first　loon　body　to　lift；　forbye　the　risk　o'　bad　neighbours　that　can　win　through　steekit　doors　and　lockfast　places；　as　I　can　tell　to　my　cost。　　I　say；　since　ye　hae　sae　muckle　consideration　for　me；　I'se　be　blithe　to　accept　your　kindness；　and　my　mother　and　me　（she's　a　life…renter；　and　I　am　fiar；　o'　the　lands　o'　Wideopen）　would　grant　you　a　wadset；　or　an　heritable　bond；　for　the　siller；　and　to　pay　the　annual　rent　half…yearly；　and　Saunders　Wyliecoat　to　draw　the　bond；　and　you　to　be　at　nae　charge　wi'　the　writings。〃

〃Cut　short　thy　jargon；　and　begone；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　〃thy　loquacious　bull…headed　honesty　makes　thee　a　more　intolerable　plague　than　the　light…fingered　courtier　who　would　take　a　man's　all　without　troubling　him　with　either　thanks；　explanation；　or　apology。　　Hence；　I　say！　　thou　art　one　of　those　tame　slaves　whose　word　is　as　good　as　their　bond。　　Keep　the　money；　principal　and　interest；　until　I　demand　it　of　thee。〃

〃But；〃　continued　the　pertinacious　Borderer；　〃we　are　a'　life…like　and　death…like；　Elshie；　and　there　really　should　be　some　black　and　white　on　this　transaction。　　Sae　just　make　me　a　minute；　or　missive；　in　ony　form　ye　like；　and　I'se　write　it　fair　ower；　and　subscribe　it　before　famous　witnesses。　　Only；　Elshie；　I　wad　wuss　ye　to　pit　naething　in't　that　may　be　prejudicial　to　my　salvation；　for　I'll　hae　the　minister　to　read　it　ower；　and　it　wad　only　be　exposing　yoursell　to　nae　purpose。　　And　now　I'm　ganging　awa'；　for　ye'll　be　wearied　o'　my　cracks；　and　I　am　wearied　wi'　cracking　without　an　answerand　I'se　bring　ye　a　bit　o'　bride's…cake　ane　o'　thae　days；　and　maybe　bring　Grace　to　see　you。　　Ye　wad　like　to　see　Grace；　man；　for　as　dour　as　ye　areEh；　Lord　I　I　wish　he　may　be　weel；　that　was　a　sair　grane！　　or；　maybe；　he　thought　I　was　speaking　of　heavenly　grace；　and　no　of　Grace　Armstrong。　　Poor　man；　I　am　very　doubtfu'　o'　his　condition；　but　I　am　sure　he　is　as　kind　to　me　as　if　I　were　his　son；　and　a　queer…looking　father　I　wad　hae　had；　if　that　had　been　e'en　sae。〃

Hobbie　now　relieved　his　benefactor　of　his　presence；　and　rode　blithely　home　to　display　his　treasure；　and　consult　upon　the　means　of　repairing　the　damage　which　his　fortune　had　sustained　through　the　aggression　of　the　Red　Reiver　of　Westburnflat。



CHAPTER　XI。

　Three　ruffians　seized　me　yester　morn；　　Alas！　　a　maiden　most　forlorn；　　They　choked　my　cries　with　wicked　might；　　And　bound　me　on　a　palfrey　white：　　As　sure　as　Heaven　shall　pity　me；　　I　cannot　tell　what　men　they　be。　　　　CHRISTABELLE。

The　course　of　our　story　must　here　revert　a　little；　to　detail　the　circumstances　which　had　placed　Miss　Vere　in　the　unpleasant　situation　from　which　she　was　unexpectedly；　and　indeed　unintentionally　liberated；　by　the　appearance　of　Earnscliff　and　Elliot；　with　their　friends　and　followers；　before　the　Tower　of　Westburnflat。

On　the　morning　preceding　the　night　in　which　Hobbie's　house　was　plundered　and　burnt；　Miss　Vere　was　requested　by　her　father　to　accompany　him　in　a　walk　through　a　distant　part　of　the　romantic　grounds　which　lay　round　his　castle　of　Ellieslaw。　　〃To　hear　was　to　obey；〃　in　the　true　style　of　Oriental　despotism；　but　Isabella　trembled　in　silence　while　she　followed　her　father　through　rough　paths；　now　winding　by　the　side　of　the　river；　now　ascending　the　cliffs　which　serve　for　its　banks。　　A　single　servant；　selected　perhaps　for　his　stupidity；　was　the　only　person　who　attended　them。　From　her　father's　silence；　Isabella　little　doubted　that　he　had　chosen　this　distant　and　sequestered　scene　to　resume　the　argument　which　they　had　so　frequently　maintained　upon　the　subject　of　Sir　Frederick's　addresses；　and　that　he　was　meditating　in　what　manner　he　should　most　effectually　impress　upon　her　the　necessity　of　receiving　him　as　her　suitor。　　But　her　fears　seemed　for　some　time　to　be　unfounded。　　The　only　sentences　which　her　father　from　time　to　time　addressed　to　her；　respected　the　beauties　of　the　romantic　landscape　through　which　they　strolled；　and　which　varied　its　features　at　every　step。　　To　these　observations；　although　they　seemed　to　come　from　a　heart　occupied　by　more　gloomy　as　well　as　more　important　cares；　Isabella　endeavoured　to　answer　in　a　manner　as　free　and　unconstrained　as　it　was　possible　for　her　to　assume；　amid　the　involuntary　apprehensions　which　crowded　upon　her　imagination。

Sustaining　with　mutual　difficulty　a　desultory　conversation；　they　at　length　gained　the　centre　of　a　small　wood；　composed　of　large　oaks；　intermingled　with　birches；　mountain…ashes；　hazel；　holly；　and　a　variety　of　underwood。　　The　boughs　of　the　tall　trees　met　closely　above；　and　the　underwood　filled　up　each　interval　between　their　trunks　below。　　The　spot　on　which　they　stood　was　rather　more　open；　still；　however；　embowered　under　the　natural　arcade　of　tall　trees；　and　darkened　on　the　sides　for　a　space　around　by　a　great　and　lively　growth　of　copse…wood　and　bushes。

〃And　here；　Isabella；〃　said　Mr。　Vere；　as　he　pursued　the　conversation；　so　often　resumed；　so　often　dropped；　〃here　I　would　erect　an　altar　to　Friendship。〃

〃To　Friendship；　sir！〃　　said　Miss　Vere；　〃and　why　on　this　gloomy　and　sequestered　spot；　rather　than　elsewhere？〃

〃O；　the　propriety　of　the　LOCALE　is　easily　vindicated；〃　replied　her　father；　with　a　sneer。　　〃You　know；　Miss　Vere　（for　you；　I　am　well　aware；　are　a　learned　young　lady）；　you　know；　that　the　Romans　were　not　satisfied　with　embodying；　for　the　purpose　of　worship；　each　useful　quality　and　moral　virtue　to　which　they　could　give　a　name；　but　they；　moreover；　worshipped　the　same　under　each　variety　of　titles　and　attributes　which　could　give　a　distinct　shade；　or　individual　character；　to　the　virtue　in　question。　　Now；　for　example；　the　Friendship　to　whom　a　temple　should　be　here　dedicated；　is　not　Masculine　Friendship；　which　abhors　and　despises　duplicity；　art；　and　disguise；　but　Female　Friendship；　which　consists　in　little　else　than　a　mutual　disposition　on　the　part　of　the　friends；　as　they　call　themselves；　to　abet　each　other　in　obscure　fraud　and　petty　intrigue。〃

〃You　are　severe；　sir；〃　said　Miss　Vere。

〃Only　just；〃　said　her　father；　〃a　humble　copier　I　am　from　nature；　with　the　advantage　of　contemplating　two　such　excellent　studies　as　Lucy　Ilderton　and　yourself。〃

〃If　I　have　been　unfortunate　enough　to　offend；　sir；　I　can　conscientiously　excuse　Miss　Ilderton　from　being　either　my　counsellor　or　confidante。〃

〃Indeed！　　how　came　you；　then；〃　said　Mr。　Vere；　〃by　the　flippancy　of　speech；　and　pertness　of　argument；　by　which　you　have　disgusted　Sir　Frederick；　and　given　me　of　late　such　deep　offence？〃

〃If　my　manner　has　been　so　unfortunate　as　to　displease　you；　sir；　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　apologize　too　deeply；　or　too　sincerely；　but　I　cannot　confess　the　same　contrition　for　having　answered　Sir　Frederick　flippantly　when　he　pressed　me　rudely。　Since　he　forgot　I　was　a　lady；　it　was　time　to　show　him　that　I　am　at　least　a　woman。〃

〃Reserve；　then；　your　pertness　for　those　who　press　you　on　the　topic；　Isabella；〃　said　her　father　coldly；　〃for　my　part；　I　am　weary　of　the　subject；　and　will　never　speak　upon　it　again。〃

〃God　bless　you；　my　dear　father；〃　said　Isabella；　seizing　his　reluctant　hand　〃there　is　nothing　you　can　impose　on　me；　save　the　task　of　listening　to　this　man's　persecution；　that　I　will　call；　or　think；　a　hardship。〃

〃You　a