the black dwarf-第30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！



She　wept　bitterly；　attempting　in　vain；　from　time　to　time；　to　commence　the　prayer　for　which　she　had　sunk　on　her　knees；　but　unable　to　calm　her　spirits　sufficiently　for　the　exercise　of　devotion。　　As　she　remained　in　this　agony　of　mind；　the　door　of　her　apartment　was　slowly　opened。



CHAPTER　XV。

　The　darksome　cave　they　enter；　where　they　found　　The　woful　man；　low　sitting　on　the　ground；　　Musing　full　sadly　in　his　sullen　mind。　　　　　FAERY　QUEEN。

The　intruder　on　Miss　Vere's　sorrows　was　Ratcliffe。　　Ellieslaw　had；　in　the　agitation　of　his　mind；　forgotten　to　countermand　the　order　he　had　given　to　call　him　thither；　so　that　he　opened　the　door　with　the　words；　〃You　sent　for　me；　Mr。　Vere。〃　　Then　looking　around〃Miss　Vere；　alone！　　on　the　ground！　　and　in　tears！〃

〃Leave　meleave　me；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　said　the　unhappy　young　lady。

〃I　must　not　leave　you；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃I　have　been　repeatedly　requesting　admittance　to　take　my　leave　of　you；　and　have　been　refused；　until　your　father　himself　sent　for　me。　　Blame　me　not；　if　I　am　bold　and　intrusive；　I　have　a　duty　to　discharge　which　makes　me　so。〃

〃I　cannot　listen　to　youI　cannot　speak　to　you；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　take　my　best　wishes；　and　for　God's　sake　leave　me。〃

〃Tell　me　only；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃is　it　true　that　this　monstrous　match　is　to　go　forward；　and　this　very　night？　　I　heard　the　servants　proclaim　it　as　I　was　on　the　great　staircaseI　heard　the　directions　given　to　clear　out　the　chapel。〃

〃Spare　me；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　replied　the　luckless　bride；　〃and　from　the　state　in　which　you　see　me；　judge　of　the　cruelty　of　these　questions。〃

〃Married？　　to　Sir　Frederick　Langley？　　and　this　night？　It　must　not　cannotshall　not　be。〃

〃It　MUST　be；　Mr。　Ratcliff；　or　my　father　is　ruined。〃

〃Ah！　　I　understand；〃　answered　Ratcliffe；　〃and　you　have　sacrificed　yourself　to　save　him　whoBut　let　the　virtue　of　the　child　atone　for　the　faults　of　the　father　it　is　no　time　to　rake　them　up。What　CAN　be　done？　　Time　pressesI　know　but　one　remedywith　four…and…　twenty　hours　I　might　find　manyMiss　Vere；　you　must　implore　the　protection　of　the　only　human　being　who　has　it　in　his　power　to　control　the　course　of　events　which　threatens　to　hurry　you　before　it。〃

〃And　what　human　being；〃　answered　Miss　Vere；　〃has　such　power？〃

〃Start　not　when　I　name　him；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　coming　near　her；　and　speaking　in　a　low　but　distinct　voice。　　〃It　is　he　who　is　called　Elshender　the　Recluse　of　Mucklestane…Moor。〃

〃You　are　mad；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　or　you　mean　to　insult　my　misery　by　an　ill…timed　jest！〃

〃I　am　as　much　in　my　senses；　young　lady；〃　answered　her　adviser；　〃as　you　are；　and　I　am　no　idle　jester；　far　less　with　misery；　least　of　all　with　your　misery。　　I　swear　to　you　that　this　being　（who　is　other　far　than　what　he　seems）　actually　possesses　the　means　of　redeeming　you　from　this　hateful　union。〃

〃And　of　insuring　my　father's　safety？〃

〃Yes！　　even　that；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃if　you　plead　his　cause　with　himyet　how　to　obtain　admittance　to　the　Recluse！〃

〃Fear　not　that；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　suddenly　recollecting　the　incident　of　the　rose；　〃I　remember　he　desired　me　to　call　upon　him　for　aid　in　my　extremity；　and　gave　me　this　flower　as　a　token。　　Ere　it　faded　away　entirely；　I　would　need；　he　said；　his　assistance：　is　it　possible　his　words　can　have　been　aught　but　the　ravings　of　insanity？〃

〃Doubt　it　not　fear　it　notbut　above　all；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃let　us　lose　no　timeare　you　at　liberty；　and　unwatched？〃

〃I　believe　so；〃　said　Isabella：　　〃but　what　would　you　have　me　to　do？〃

〃Leave　the　castle　instantly；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃and　throw　yourself　at　the　feet　of　this　extraordinary　man；　who　in　circumstances　that　seem　to　argue　the　extremity　of　the　most　contemptible　poverty；　possesses　yet　an　almost　absolute　influence　over　your　fate。　Guests　and　servants　are　deep　in　their　carousethe　leaders　sitting　in　conclave　on　their　treasonable　schemesmy　horse　stands　ready　in　the　stableI　will　saddle　one　for　you；　and　meet　you　at　the　little　garden…gateO；　let　no　doubt　of　my　prudence　or　fidelity　prevent　your　taking　the　only　step　in　your　power　to　escape　the　dreadful　fate　which　must　attend　the　wife　of　Sir　Frederick　Langley！〃

〃Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃you　have　always　been　esteemed　a　man　of　honour　and　probity；　and　a　drowning　wretch　will　always　catch　at　the　feeblest　twig；I　will　trust　youI　will　follow　your　adviceI　will　meet　you　at　the　garden…gate。〃

She　bolted　the　outer…door　of　her　apartment　as　soon　as　Mr。　Ratcliffe　left　her；　and　descended　to　the　garden　by　a　separate　stair　of　communication　which　opened　to　her　dressing…room。　　On　the　way　she　felt　inclined　to　retract　the　consent　she　had　so　hastily　given　to　a　plan　so　hopeless　and　extravagant。　　But　as　she　passed　in　her　descent　a　private　door　which　entered　into　the　chapel　from　the　back…stair；　she　heard　the　voice　of　the　female…servants　as　they　were　employed　in　the　task　of　cleaning　it。

〃Married！　　and　to　sae　bad　a　manEwhow；　sirs！　　onything　rather　than　that。〃

〃They　are　rightthey　are　right；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃anything　rather　than　that！〃

She　hurried　to　the　garden。　　Mr。　Ratcliffe　was　true　to　his　appointmentthe　horses　stood　saddled　at　the　garden…gate；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　were　advancing　rapidly　towards　the　hut　of　the　Solitary。

While　the　ground　was　favourable；　the　speed　of　their　journey　was　such　as　to　prevent　much　communication；　but　when　a　steep　ascent　compelled　them　to　slacken　their　pace；　a　new　cause　of　apprehension　occurred　to　Miss　Vere's　mind。

〃Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　she　said；　pulling　up　her　horse's　bridle；　〃let　us　prosecute　no　farther　a　journey；　which　nothing　but　the　extreme　agitation　of　my　mind　can　vindicate　my　having　undertakenI　am　well　aware　that　this　man　passes　among　the　vulgar　as　being　possessed　of　supernatural　powers；　and　carrying　on　an　intercourse　with　beings　of　another　world；　but　I　would　have　you　aware　I　am　neither　to　be　imposed　on　by　such　follies；　nor；　were　I　to　believe　in　their　existence；　durst　I；　with　my　feelings　of　religion；　apply　to　this　being　in　my　distress。〃

〃I　should　have　thought；　Miss　Vere；〃　replied　Ratcliffe；　〃my　character　and　habits　of　thinking　were　so　well　known　to　you；　that　you　might　have　held　me　exculpated　from　crediting　in　such　absurdity。〃

〃But　in　what　other　mode；〃　said　Isabella；　〃can　a　being；　so　miserable　himself　in　appearance；　possess　the　power　of　assisting　me？〃

〃Miss　Vere。〃　　said　Ratcliffe；　after　a　momentary　pause；　〃I　am　bound　by　a　solemn　oath　of　secrecyYou　must；　without　farther　explanation；　be　satisfied　with　my　pledged　assurance；　that　he　does　possess　the　power；　if　you　can　inspire　him　with　the　will；　and　that；　I　doubt　not；　you　will　be　able　to　do。〃

〃Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃you　may　yourself　be　mistaken；　you　ask　an　unlimited　degree　of　confidence　from　me。〃

〃Recollect；　Miss　Vere；〃　he　replied；　〃that　when；　in　your　humanity；　you　asked　me　to　interfere　with　your　father　in　favour　of　Haswell　and　his　ruined　familywhen　you　requested　me　to　prevail　on　him　to　do　a　thing　most　abhorrent　to　his　natureto　forgive　an　injury　and　remit　a　penaltyI　stipulated　that　you　should　ask　me　no　questions　concerning　the　sources　of　my　influenceYou　found　no　reason　to　distrust　me　then；　do　not　distrust　me　now。〃

〃But　the　extraordinary　mode　of　life　of　this　man；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃his　seclusionhis　figurethe　deepness　of　mis…anthropy　which　he　is　said　to　express　in　his　languageMr。　Ratcliffe；　what　can　I　think　of　him　if　he　really　possesses　the　powers　you　ascribe　to　him？〃

〃This　man；　young　lady；　was　bred　a　Catholic；　a　sect　which　affords　a　thousand　instances　of　those　who　have　retired　from　power　and　affluence　to　voluntary　privations　more　strict　even　than　his。〃

〃But　he　avows　no　religious　motive；〃　replied　Miss　Vere。

〃No；〃　replied　Ratcliffe；　〃disgust　with　the　world　has　operated　his　retreat　from　it　without　assuming　the　veil　of　superstition。　　Thus　far　I　may　tell　youhe　was　born　to　great　wealth；　which　his　parents　designed　should　become　greater　by　his　union　with　a　kinswoman；　whom　for　that　purpose　they　bred　up　in　their　own　house。　You　have　seen　his　figure；　judge　what　the　young　lady　must　have　thought　of　the　lot　to　which　she　was　destinedYet；　habituated　to　his　appearance；　she　showed　no　reluctance；　and　the　friends　ofof　the　person　whom　I　speak　of；　doubted　not　that　the　excess　of　his　attachment；　the　various　acquisitions　of　his　mind；　his　many　and　amiable　qualities；　had　overcome　the　natural　horror　which　his　destined　bride　must　have　entertained　at　an　exterior　so　dreadfully　inauspicious。〃

〃And　did　they　judge　truly？〃　　said　Isabella。

〃You　shall　hear。　　He；　at　least；　was　fully　aware　of　his　own　deficiency；　the　sense　of　it　haunted　him　like　a　phantom。　　'I　am；'　was　his　own　expression　to　me；I　mean　to　a　man　whom　he　trusted；　'I　am；　in　spite　of　what　you　would　say；　a　poor　miserable　outcast；　fitter　to　have　been　smothered　in　the　cradle　than　to　have　been　brought　up　to　scare　the　world　in　which　I　crawl。'　The　person　whom　he　addressed　in　vain　endeavoured　to　impress　him　with　the　indifference　to　external　form　which　is　the　natural　result　of　philosophy；　or　entreat　him　to　recall　the　superiority　of　mental　talents　to　the　more　attractive　attributes　that　are　merely　personal。　　'I　hear　you；'　he　would　reply；　'but　you　speak　the　voice　of　cold…blooded　stoicism；　or；　at　least；　of　friendly　partiality。　But　look　at　every　book　which　we　have　read；　those　excepted　of　that　abstract　philosophy　which　feels　no　responsive　vo