the black dwarf-第26节

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stretching；　that　is；　in　gloomy　length；　along　the　whole　side　of　the　castle；　vaulted　with　ribbed　arches　of　freestone；　the　groins　of　which　sprung　from　projecting　figures；　that；　carved　into　all　the　wild　forms　which　the　fantastic　imagination　of　a　Gothic　architect　could　devise；　grinned；　frowned；　and　gnashed　their　tusks　at　the　assembly　below。　　Long　narrow　windows　lighted　the　banqueting　room　on　both　sides；　filled　up　with　stained　glass；　through　which　the　sun　emitted　a　dusky　and　discoloured　light。　A　banner；　which　tradition　averred　to　have　been　taken　from　the　English　at　the　battle　of　Sark；　waved　over　the　chair　in　which　Ellieslaw　presided；　as　if　to　inflame　the　courage　of　the　guests；　by　reminding　them　of　ancient　victories　over　their　neighbours。　He　himself；　a　portly　figure；　dressed　on　this　occasion　with　uncommon　care；　and　with　features；　which；　though　of　a　stern　and　sinister　expression；　might　well　be　termed　handsome；　looked　the　old　feudal　baron　extremely　well。　　Sir　Frederick　Langley　was　placed　on　his　right　hand；　and　Mr。　Mareschal　of　Mareschal…Wells　on　his　left。　　Some　gentlemen　of　consideration；　with　their　sons；　brothers；　and　nephews；　were　seated　at　the　upper　end　of　the　table；　and　among　these　Mr。　Ratcliffe　had　his　place。　　Beneath　the　salt…　cellar　（a　massive　piece　of　plate　which　occupied　the　midst　of　the　table）　sate　the　SINE　NOMINE　TURBA；　men　whose　vanity　was　gratified　by　holding　even　this　subordinate　space　at　the　social　board；　while　the　distinction　observed　in　ranking　them　was　a　salve　to　the　pride　of　their　superiors。　　That　the　lower　house　was　not　very　select　must　be　admitted；　since　Willie　of　Westburnflat　was　one　of　the　party。　The　unabashed　audacity　of　this　fellow；　in　daring　to　present　himself　in　the　house　of　a　gentleman；　to　whom　he　had　just　offered　so　flagrant　an　insult；　can　only　be　accounted　for　by　supposing　him　conscious　that　his　share　in　carrying　off　Miss　Vere　was　a　secret；　safe　in　her　possession　and　that　of　her　father。

Before　this　numerous　and　miscellaneous　party　was　placed　a　dinner；　consisting；　not　indeed　of　the　delicacies　of　the　season；　as　the　newspapers　express　it；　but　of　viands；　ample；　solid；　and　sumptuous；　under　which　the　very　board　groaned。　　But　the　mirth　was　not　in　proportion　to　the　good　cheer。　　The　lower　end　of　the　table　were；　for　some　time；　chilled　by　constraint　and　respect　on　finding　themselves　members　of　so　august　an　assembly；　and　those　who　were　placed　around　it　had　those　feelings　of　awe　with　which　P。　P。；　clerk　of　the　parish；　describes　himself　oppressed；　when　he　first　uplifted　the　psalm　in　presence　of　those　persons　of　high　worship；　the　wise　Mr。　Justice　Freeman；　the　good　Lady　Jones；　and　the　great　Sir　Thomas　Truby。　　This　ceremonious　frost；　however；　soon　gave　way　before　the　incentives　to　merriment；　which　were　liberally　supplied；　and　as　liberally　consumed　by　the　guests　of　the　lower　description。　　They　became　talkative；　loud；　and　even　clamorous　in　their　mirth。

But　it　was　not　in　the　power　of　wine　or　brandy　to　elevate　the　spirits　of　those　who　held　the　higher　places　at　the　banquet。　They　experienced　the　chilling　revulsion　of　spirits　which　often　takes　place；　when　men　are　called　upon　to　take　a　desperate　resolution；　after　having　placed　themselves　in　circumstances　where　it　is　alike　difficult　to　advance　or　to　recede。　　The　precipice　looked　deeper　and　more　dangerous　as　they　approached　the　brink；　and　each　waited　with　an　inward　emotion　of　awe；　expecting　which　of　his　confederates　would　set　the　example　by　plunging　himself　down。　This　inward　sensation　of　fear　and　reluctance　acted　differently；　according　to　the　various　habits　and　characters　of　the　company。　One　looked　grave；　another　looked　silly；　a　third　gazed　with　apprehension　on　the　empty　seats　at　the　higher　end　of　the　table；　designed　for　members　of　the　conspiracy　whose　prudence　had　prevailed　over　their　political　zeal；　and　who　had　absented　themselves　from　their　consultations　at　this　critical　period；　and　some　seemed　to　be　reckoning　up　in　their　minds　the　comparative　rank　and　prospects　of　those　who　were　present　and　absent。　　Sir　Frederick　Langley　was　reserved；　moody；　and　discontented。　Ellieslaw　himself　made　such　forced　efforts　to　raise　the　spirits　of　the　company；　as　plainly　marked　the　flagging　of　his　own。　Ratcliffe　watched　the　scene　with　the　composure　of　a　vigilant　but　uninterested　spectator。　　Mareschal　alone；　true　to　the　thoughtless　vivacity　of　his　character；　ate　and　drank；　laughed　and　jested；　and　seemed　even　to　find　amusement　in　the　embarrassment　of　the　company。

〃What　has　damped　our　noble　courage　this　morning？〃　　he　exclaimed。　〃We　seem　to　be　met　at　a　funeral；　where　the　chief　mourners　must　not　speak　above　their　breath；　while　the　mutes　and　the　saulies　（looking　to　the　lower　end　of　the　table）　are　carousing　below。　Ellieslaw；　when　will　you　LIFT？　　＇To　LIFT；　meaning　to　lift　the　coffin；　is　the　common　expression　for　commencing　a　funeral。＇　where　sleeps　your　spirit；　man？　　and　what　has　quelled　the　high　hope　of　the　Knight　of　Langley…dale？〃

〃You　speak　like　a　madman；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　〃do　you　not　see　how　many　are　absent？〃

〃And　what　of　that？〃　　said　Mareschal。　　〃Did　you　not　know　before；　that　one…half　of　the　world　are　better　talkers　than　doers？　　For　my　part；　I　am　much　encouraged　by　seeing　at　least　two…thirds　of　our　friends　true　to　the　rendezvous；　though　I　suspect　one…half　of　these　came　to　secure　the　dinner　in　case　of　the　worst。〃

〃There　is　no　news　from　the　coast　which　can　amount　to　certainty　of　the　King's　arrival；〃　said　another　of　the　company；　in　that　tone　of　subdued　and　tremulous　whisper　which　implies　a　failure　of　resolution。

〃Not　a　line　from　the　Earl　of　D；　nor　a　single　gentleman　from　the　southern　side　of　the　Border；〃　said　a　third。

〃Who　is　he　that　wishes　for　more　men　from　England；〃　exclaimed　Mareschal；　in　a　theatrical　tone　of　affected　heroism；

　〃My　cousin　Ellieslaw？　　No；　my　fair　cousin；　　　If　we　are　doom'd　to　die〃

〃For　God's　sake；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　〃spare　us　your　folly　at　present；　Mareschal。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　his　kinsman；　〃I'll　bestow　my　wisdom　upon　you　instead；　such　as　it　is。　　If　we　have　gone　forward　like　fools；　do　not　let　us　go　back　like　cowards。　　We　have　done　enough　to　draw　upon　us　both　the　suspicion　and　vengeance　of　the　government；　do　not　let　us　give　up　before　we　have　done　something　to　deserve　it。　What；　will　no　one　speak？　　Then　I'll　leap　the　ditch　the　first。〃　And；　starting　up；　he　filled　a　beer…glass　to　the　brim　with　claret；　and　waving　his　hand；　commanded　all　to　follow　his　example；　and　to　rise　up　from　their　seats。　　All　obeyed…the　more　qualified　guests　as　if　passively；　the　others　with　enthusiasm　〃Then；　my　friends；　I　give　you　the　pledge　of　the　dayThe　independence　of　Scotland；　and　the　health　of　our　lawful　sovereign；　King　James　the　Eighth；　now　landed　in　Lothian；　and；　as　I　trust　and　believe；　in　full　possession　of　his　ancient　capital！〃

He　quaffed　off　the　wine；　and　threw　the　glass　over　his　head。

〃It　should　never；〃　he　said；　〃be　profaned　by　a　meaner　toast。〃

All　followed　his　example；　and；　amid　the　crash　of　glasses　and　the　shouts　of　the　company；　pledged　themselves　to　stand　or　fall　with　the　principles　and　political　interest　which　their　toast　expressed。

〃You　have　leaped　the　ditch　with　a　witness；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　apart　to　Mareschal；　〃but　I　believe　it　is　all　for　the　best；　at　all　events；　we　cannot　now　retreat　from　our　undertaking。　　One　man　alone〃　（looking　at　Ratcliffe）　〃has　refused　the　pledge；　but　of　that　by　and　by。〃

Then；　rising　up；　he　addressed　the　company　in　a　style　of　inflammatory　invective　against　the　government　and　its　measures；　but　especially　the　Union；　a　treaty；　by　means　of　which；　he　affirmed；　Scotland　had　been　at　once　cheated　of　her　independence；　her　commerce；　and　her　honour；　and　laid　as　a　fettered　slave　at　the　foot　of　the　rival　against　whom；　through　such　a　length　of　ages；　through　so　many　dangers；　and　by　so　much　blood；　she　had　honourably　defended　her　rights。　　This　was　touching　a　theme　which　found　a　responsive　chord　in　the　bosom　of　every　man　present。

〃Our　commerce　is　destroyed；〃　hollowed　old　John　Rewcastle；　a　Jedburgh　smuggler；　from　the　lower　end　of　the　table。

〃Our　agriculture　is　ruined；〃　said　the　Laird　of　Broken…girth…flow；　a　territory　which；　since　the　days　of　Adam；　had　borne　nothing　but　ling　and　whortle…berries。

〃Our　religion　is　cut　up；　root　and　branch；〃　said　the　pimple…nosed　pastor　of　the　Episcopal　meeting…house　at　Kirkwhistle。

〃We　shall　shortly　neither　dare　shoot　a　deer　nor　kiss　a　wench；　without　a　certificate　from　the　presbytery　and　kirk…treasurer；〃　said　Mareschal…Wells。

〃Or　make　a　brandy　jeroboam　in　a　frosty　morning；　without　license　from　a　commissioner　of　excise；〃　said　the　smuggler。

〃Or　ride　over　the　fell　in　a　moonless　night；〃　said　Westburnflat；　〃without　asking　leave　of　young　Earnscliff；　or　some　Englified　justice　of　the　peace：　thae　were　gude　days　on　the　Border　when　there　was　neither　peace　nor　justice　heard　of。〃

〃Let　us　remember　our　wrongs　at　Darien　and　Glencoe；〃　continued　Ellieslaw；　〃and　take　arms　for　the　protection　of　our　rights；　our　fortunes；　our　lives；　and　our　families。〃

〃Think　upon　genuine　episcopal　ordination；　without　which　there　can　be　no　lawful　clergy；〃　said　the　divine。

〃Think　of　the　piracies　committed　on　our　East…Indian　trade　by　Green　and　the　English　thieves；〃　said　William　Willieson；　half…　owner　and　sole　skipper　of　a　brig　that　made　four　voyages　annually