the black dwarf-第29节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ve　sent　you　privately　for　a　few　months　to　the　convent　of　your　maternal　aunt　at　Paris。　　By　a　series　of　mistakes　you　have　been　brought　from　the　place　of　secrecy　and　security　which　I　had　destined　for　your　temporary　abode。　　Fate　has　baffled　my　last　chance　of　escape；　and　I　have　only　to　give　you　my　blessing；　and　send　you　from　the　castle　with　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　who　now　leaves　it；　my　own　fate　will　soon　be　decided。〃

〃Good　Heaven；　sir！　　can　this　be　possible？〃　　exclaimed　Isabella。　〃O；　why　was　I　freed　from　the　restraint　in　which　you　placed　me？　or　why　did　you　not　impart　your　pleasure　to　me？〃

〃Think　an　instant；　Isabella。　　Would　you　have　had　me　prejudice　in　your　opinion　the　friend　I　was　most　desirous　of　serving；　by　communicating　to　you　the　injurious　eagerness　with　which　he　pursued　his　object？　　Could　I　do　so　honourably；　having　promised　to　assist　his　suit？But　it　is　all　over；　I　and　Mareschal　have　made　up　our　minds　to　die　like　men；　it　only　remains　to　send　you　from　hence　under　a　safe　escort。〃

〃Great　powers！　　and　is　there　no　remedy？〃　　said　the　terrified　young　woman。

〃None；　my　child；〃　answered　Vere；　gently；　〃unless　one　which　you　would　not　advise　your　father　to　adoptto　be　the　first　to　betray　his　friends。〃

〃O；　no！　　no！〃　　she　answered；　abhorrently　yet　hastily；　as　if　to　reject　the　temptation　which　the　alternative　presented　to　her。　〃But　is　there　no　other　hopethrough　flightthrough　mediation　through　supplication？I　will　bend　my　knee　to　Sir　Frederick！〃

〃It　would　be　a　fruitless　degradation；　he　is　determined　on　his　course；　and　I　am　equally　resolved　to　stand　the　hazard　of　my　fate。　On　one　condition　only　he　will　turn　aside　from　his　purpose；　and　that　condition　my　lips　shall　never　utter　to　you。〃

〃Name　it；　I　conjure　you；　my　dear　father！〃　　exclaimed　Isabella。　〃What　CAN　he　ask　that　we　ought　not　to　grant；　to　prevent　the　hideous　catastrophe　with　which　you　are　threatened？〃

〃That；　Isabella；〃　said　Vere；　solemnly；　〃you　shall　never　know；　until　your　father's　head　has　rolled　on　the　bloody　scaffold；　then；　indeed；　you　will　learn　there　was　one　sacrifice　by　which　he　might　have　been　saved。〃

〃And　why　not　speak　it　now？〃　　said　Isabella；　〃do　you　fear　I　would　flinch　from　the　sacrifice　of　fortune　for　your　preservation？　or　would　you　bequeath　me　the　bitter　legacy　of　life…long　remorse；　so　oft　as　I　shall　think　that　you　perished；　while　there　remained　one　mode　of　preventing　the　dreadful　misfortune　that　overhangs　you？〃

〃Then；　my　child；〃　said　Vere；　〃since　you　press　me　to　name　what　I　would　a　thousand　times　rather　leave　in　silence；　I　must　inform　you　that　he　will　accept　for　ransom　nothing　but　your　hand　in　marriage；　and　that　conferred　before　midnight　this　very　evening！〃

〃This　evening；　sir？〃　　said　the　young　lady；　struck　with　horror　at　the　proposal〃and　to　such　a　man！A　man？a　monster；　who　could　wish　to　win　the　daughter　by　threatening　the　life　of　the　father　it　is　impossible！〃

〃You　say　right；　my　child；〃　answered　her　father；　〃it　is　indeed　impossible；　nor　have　I　either　the　right　or　the　wish　to　exact　such　a　sacrificeIt　is　the　course　of　nature　that　the　old　should　die　and　be　forgot；　and　the　young　should　live　and　be　happy。〃

〃My　father　die；　and　his　child　can　save　him！but　nonomy　dear　father；　pardon　me；　it　is　impossible；　you　only　wish　to　guide　me　to　your　wishes。　　I　know　your　object　is　what　you　think　my　happiness；　and　this　dreadful　tale　is　only　told　to　influence　my　conduct　and　subdue　my　scruples。〃

〃My　daughter；〃　replied　Ellieslaw；　in　a　tone　where　offended　authority　seemed　to　struggle　with　parental　affection；　〃my　child　suspects　me　of　inventing　a　false　tale　to　work　upon　her　feelings！　Even　this　I　must　bear；　and　even　from　this　unworthy　suspicion　I　must　descend　to　vindicate　myself。　　You　know　the　stainless　honour　of　your　cousin　Mareschalmark　what　I　shall　write　to　him；　and　judge　from　his　answer；　if　the　danger　in　which　we　stand　is　not　real；　and　whether　I　have　not　used　every　means　to　avert　it。〃

He　sate　down；　wrote　a　few　lines　hastily；　and　handed　them　to　Isabella；　who；　after　repeated　and　painful　efforts；　cleared　her　eyes　and　head　sufficiently　to　discern　their　purport。

〃Dear　cousin；〃　said　the　billet；　〃I　find　my　daughter；　as　I　expected；　in　despair　at　the　untimely　and　premature　urgency　of　Sir　Frederick　Langley。　　She　cannot　even　comprehend　the　peril　in　which　we　stand；　or　how　much　we　are　in　his　power　Use　your　influence　with　him；　for　Heaven's　sake；　to　modify　proposals；　to　the　acceptance　of　which　I　cannot；　and　will　not；　urge　my　child　against　all　her　own　feelings；　as　well　as　those　of　delicacy　and　propriety；　and　oblige　your　loving　cousin；R。　V。〃

In　the　agitation　of　the　moment；　when　her　swimming　eyes　and　dizzy　brain　could　hardly　comprehend　the　sense　of　what　she　looked　upon；　it　is　not　surprising　that　Miss　Vere　should　have　omitted　to　remark　that　this　letter　seemed　to　rest　her　scruples　rather　upon　the　form　and　time　of　the　proposed　union；　than　on　a　rooted　dislike　to　the　suitor　proposed　to　her。　　Mr。　Vere　rang　the　bell；　and　gave　the　letter　to　a　servant　to　be　delivered　to　Mr。　Mareschal；　and；　rising　from　his　chair；　continued　to　traverse　the　apartment　in　silence　and　in　great　agitation　until　the　answer　was　returned。　　He　glanced　it　over；　and　wrung　the　hand　of　his　daughter　as　he　gave　it　to　her。　The　tenor　was　as　follows：

〃My　dear　kinsman；　I　have　already　urged　the　knight　on　the　point　you　mention；　and　I　find　him　as　fixed　as　Cheviot。　　I　am　truly　sorry　my　fair　cousin　should　be　pressed　to　give　up　any　of　her　maidenly　rights。　　Sir　Frederick　consents；　however；　to　leave　the　castle　with　me　the　instant　the　ceremony　is　performed；　and　we　will　raise　our　followers　and　begin　the　fray。　　Thus　there　is　great　hope　the　bridegroom　may　be　knocked　on　the　head　before　he　and　the　bride　can　meet　again；　so　Bell　has　a　fair　chance　to　be　Lady　Langley　A　TRES　BON　MARCHE。　　For　the　rest；　I　can　only　say；　that　if　she　can　make　up　her　mind　to　the　alliance　at　allit　is　no　time　for　mere　maiden　ceremonymy　pretty　cousin　must　needs　consent　to　marry　in　haste；　or　we　shall　all　repent　at　leisure；　or　rather　have　very　little　leisure　to　repent；　which　is　all　at　present　from　him　who　rests　your　affectionate　kinsman；R。　M。〃

〃P。S。Tell　Isabella　that　I　would　rather　cut　the　knight's　throat　after　all；　and　end　the　dilemma　that　way；　than　see　her　constrained　to　marry　him　against　her　will。〃

When　Isabella　had　read　this　letter；　it　dropped　from　her　hand；　and　she　would；　at　the　same　time；　have　fallen　from　her　chair；　had　she　not　been　supported　by　her　father。

〃My　God；　my　child　will　die！〃　　exclaimed　Vere；　the　feelings　of　nature　overcoming；　even　in　HIS　breast；　the　sentiments　of　selfish　policy；　〃look　up；　Isabellalook　up；　my　childcome　what　will；　you　shall　not　be　the　sacrificeI　will　fall　myself　with　the　consciousness　I　leave　you　happyMy　child　may　weep　on　my　grave；　but　she　shall　notnot　in　this　instancereproach　my　memory。〃　　He　called　a　servant。〃Go；　bid　Ratcliffe　come　hither　directly。〃

During　this　interval；　Miss　Vere　became　deadly　pale；　clenched　her　hands；　pressing　the　palms　strongly　together；　closed　her　eyes；　and　drew　her　lips　with　strong　compression；　as　if　the　severe　constraint　which　she　put　upon　her　internal　feelings　extended　even　to　her　muscular　organization。　　Then　raising　her　head；　and　drawing　in　her　breath　strongly　ere　she　spoke；　she　said；　with　firmness；　〃Father；　I　consent　to　the　marriage。〃

〃You　shall　notyou　shall　not；my　childmy　dear　childyou　shall　not　embrace　certain　misery　to　free　me　from　uncertain　danger。〃

So　exclaimed　Ellieslaw；　and；　strange　and　inconsistent　beings　that　we　are！　　he　expressed　the　real　though　momentary　feelings　of　his　heart。

〃Father；〃　repeated　Isabella；　〃I　will　consent　to　this　marriage。〃

〃No；　my　child；　nonot　now　at　leastwe　will　humble　ourselves　to　obtain　delay　from　him；　and　yet；　Isabella；　could　you　overcome　a　dislike　which　has　no　real　foundation；　think；　in　other　respects；　what　a　match！wealthrankimportance。〃

〃Father！〃　　reiterated　Isabella；　〃I　have　consented。〃

It　seemed　as　if　she　had　lost　the　power　of　saying　anything　else；　or　even　of　varying　the　phrase　which；　with　such　effort；　she　had　compelled　herself　to　utter。

〃Heaven　bless　thee；　my　child！Heaven　bless　thee！And　it　WILL　bless　thee　with　riches；　with　pleasure；　with　power。〃

Miss　Vere　faintly　entreated　to　be　left　by　herself　for　the　rest　of　the　evening。

〃But　will　you　not　receive　Sir　Frederick？〃　　said　her　father；　anxiously。

〃I　will　meet　him；〃　she　replied；　〃I　will　meet　himwhen　I　must；　and　where　I　must；　but　spare　me　now。〃

〃Be　it　so；　my　dearest；　you　shall　know　no　restraint　that　I　can　save　you　from。　　Do　not　think　too　hardly　of　Sir　Frederick　for　this；it　is　an　excess　of　passion。〃

Isabella　waved　her　hand　impatiently。

〃Forgive　me；　my　childI　goHeaven　bless　thee。　　At　elevenif　you　call　me　not　beforeat　eleven　I　come　to　seek　you。〃

〃When　he　left　Isabella　she　dropped　upon　her　knees〃Heaven　aid　me　to　support　the　resolution　I　have　taken　Heaven　only　canO；　poor　Earnscliff！　　who　shall　comfort　him？　　and　with　what　contempt　will　he　pronounce　her　name；　who　listened　to　him　to…day　and　gave　herself　to　another　at　night！　　But　let　him　despise　mebetter　so　than　that　he　should　know　the　truthlet　him　despise　me；　if　it　will　but　lessen　his　grief；　I　should　feel　comfort　in　the　loss　of　his　esteem。〃

She　wept　bitterly；　attempting　in　vain；　from　time　to　time；　to　commence　the　prayer　for　which　she　had　sunk　on　her