the black dwarf-第33节

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〃Man！〃　　said　Isabella；　rising；　and　expressing　herself　with　much　dignity；　〃I　fear　not　the　horrible　ideas　with　which　you　would　impress　me。　　I　cast　them　from　me　with　disdain。　　Be　you　mortal　or　fiend；　you　would　not　offer　injury　to　one　who　sought　you　as　a　suppliant　in　her　utmost　need。　　You　would　notyou　durst　not。〃

〃Thou　say'st　truly；　maiden；〃　rejoined　the　Solitary；　〃I　dare　not　I　would　not。　　Begone　to　thy　dwelling。　　Fear　nothing　with　which　they　threaten　thee。　　Thou　hast　asked　my　protectionthou　shalt　find　it　effectual。〃

〃But；　father；　this　very　night　I　have　consented　to　wed　the　man　that　I　abhor；　or　I　must　put　the　seal　to　my　father's　ruin。〃

〃This　night？at　what　hour？〃

〃Ere　midnight。〃

〃And　twilight；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　〃has　already　passed　away。　　But　fear　nothing；　there　is　ample　time　to　protect　thee。〃

〃And　my　father？〃　　continued　Isabella；　in　a　suppliant　tone。

〃Thy　father；〃　replied　the　Dwarf；　〃has　been；　and　is；　my　most　bitter　enemy。　　But　fear　not；　thy　virtue　shall　save　him。　　And　now；　begone；　were　I　to　keep　thee　longer　by　me；　I　might　again　fall　into　the　stupid　dreams　concerning　human　worth　from　which　I　have　been　so　fearfully　awakened。　　But　fear　nothingat　the　very　foot　of　the　altar　I　will　redeem　thee。　　Adieu；　time　presses；　and　I　must　act！〃

He　led　her　to　the　door　of　the　hut；　which　he　opened　for　her　departure。　　She　remounted　her　horse；　which　had　been　feeding　in　the　outer　enclosure；　and　pressed　him　forward　by　the　light　of　the　moon；　which　was　now　rising；　to　the　spot　where　she　had　left　Ratcliffe。

〃Have　you　succeeded？〃　　was　his　first　eager　question。

〃I　have　obtained　promises　from　him　to　whom　you　sent　me；　but　how　can　he　possibly　accomplish　them？〃

〃Thank　God！〃　　said　Ratcliffe；　〃doubt　not　his　power　to　fulfil　his　promise。〃

At　this　moment　a　shrill　whistle　was　heard　to　resound　along　the　heath。

〃Hark！〃　　said　Ratcliffe；　〃he　calls　meMiss　Vere；　return　home；　and　leave　unbolted　the　postern…door　of　the　garden；　to　that　which　opens　on　the　back…stairs　I　have　a　private　key。〃

A　second　whistle　was　heard；　yet　more　shrill　and　prolonged　than　the　first。

〃I　come；　I　come；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　and　setting　spurs　to　his　horse；　rode　over　the　heath　in　the　direction　of　the　Recluse's　hut。　　Miss　Vere　returned　to　the　castle；　the　mettle　of　the　animal　on　which　she　rode；　and　her　own　anxiety　of　mind；　combining　to　accelerate　her　journey。

She　obeyed　Ratcliffe's　directions；　though　without　well　apprehending　their　purpose；　and　leaving　her　horse　at　large　in　a　paddock　near　the　garden；　hurried　to　her　own　apartment；　which　she　reached　without　observation。　　She　now　unbolted　her　door；　and　rang　her　bell　for　lights。　　Her　father　appeared　along　with　the　servant　who　answered　her　summons。

〃He　had　been　twice；〃　he　said；　〃listening　at　her　door　during　the　two　hours　that　had　elapsed　since　he　left　her；　and；　not　hearing　her　speak；　had　become　apprehensive　that　she　was　taken　ill。〃

〃And　now；　my　dear　father；〃　she　said；　〃permit　me　to　claim　the　promise　you　so　kindly　gave；　let　the　last　moments　of　freedom　which　I　am　to　enjoy　be　mine　without　interruption；　and　protract　to　the　last　moment　the　respite　which　is　allowed　me。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　her　father；　〃nor　shall　you　be　again　interrupted。　But　this　disordered　dressthis　dishevelled　hairdo　not　let　me　find　you　thus　when　I　call　on　you　again；　the　sacrifice；　to　be　beneficial；　must　be　voluntary。〃

〃Must　it　be　so？〃　　she　replied；　〃then　fear　not；　my　father！　　the　victim　shall　be　adorned。〃



CHAPTER　XVII。

　This　looks　not　like　a　nuptial。　　　　　MUCH　ADO　ABOUT　NOTHING。

The　chapel　in　the　castle　of　Ellieslaw；　destined　to　be　the　scene　of　this　ill…omened　union；　was　a　building　of　much　older　date　than　the　castle　itself；　though　that　claimed　considerable　antiquity。　Before　the　wars　between　England　and　Scotland　had　become　so　common　and　of　such　long　duration；　that　the　buildings　along　both　sides　of　the　Border　were　chiefly　dedicated　to　warlike　purposes；　there　had　been　a　small　settlement　of　monks　at　Ellieslaw；　a　dependency；　it　is　believed　by　antiquaries；　on　the　rich　Abbey　of　Jedburgh。　　Their　possessions　had　long　passed　away　under　the　changes　introduced　by　war　and　mutual　ravage。　　A　feudal　castle　had　arisen　on　the　ruin　of　their　cells；　and　their　chapel　was　included　in　its　precincts。

The　edifice；　in　its　round　arches　and　massive　pillars；　the　simplicity　of　which　referred　their　date　to　what　has　been　called　the　Saxon　architecture；　presented　at　all　times　a　dark　and　sombre　appearance；　and　had　been　frequently　used　as　the　cemetery　of　the　family　of　the　feudal　lords；　as　well　as　formerly　of　the　monastic　brethren。　　But　it　looked　doubly　gloomy　by　the　effect　of　the　few　and　smoky　torches　which　were　used　to　enlighten　it　on　the　present　occasion；　and　which；　spreading　a　glare　of　yellow　light　in　their　immediate　vicinity；　were　surrounded　beyond　by　a　red　and　purple　halo　reflected　from　their　own　smoke；　and　beyond　that　again　by　a　zone　of　darkness　which　magnified　the　extent　of　the　chapel；　while　it　rendered　it　impossible　for　the　eye　to　ascertain　its　limits。　Some　injudicious　ornaments；　adopted　in　haste　for　the　occasion；　rather　added　to　the　dreariness　of　the　scene。　　Old　fragments　of　tapestry；　torn　from　the　walls　of　other　apartments；　had　been　hastily　and　partially　disposed　around　those　of　the　chapel；　and　mingled　inconsistently　with　scutcheons　and　funeral　emblems　of　the　dead；　which　they　elsewhere　exhibited。　　On　each　side　of　the　stone　altar　was　a　monument；　the　appearance　of　which　formed　an　equally　strange　contrast。　　On　the　one　was　the　figure；　in　stone；　of　some　grim　hermit；　or　monk；　who　had　died　in　the　odour　of　sanctity；　he　was　represented　as　recumbent；　in　his　cowl　and　scapulaire；　with　his　face　turned　upward　as　in　the　act　of　devotion；　and　his　hands　folded；　from　which　his　string　of　beads　was　dependent。　　On　the　other　side　was　a　tomb；　in　the　Italian　taste；　composed　of　the　most　beautiful　statuary　marble；　and　accounted　a　model　of　modern　art。　It　was　erected　to　the　memory　of　Isabella's　mother；　the　late　Mrs。　Vere　of　Ellieslaw；　who　was　represented　as　in　a　dying　posture；　while　a　weeping　cherub；　with　eyes　averted；　seemed　in　the　act　of　extinguishing　a　dying　lamp　as　emblematic　of　her　speedy　dissolution。　　It　was；　indeed；　a　masterpiece　of　art；　but　misplaced　in　the　rude　vault　to　which　it　had　been　consigned。　　Many　were　surprised；　and　even　scandalized；　that　Ellieslaw；　not　remarkable　for　attention　to　his　lady　while　alive；　should　erect　after　her　death　such　a　costly　mausoleum　in　affected　sorrow；　others　cleared　him　from　the　imputation　of　hypocrisy；　and　averred　that　the　monument　had　been　constructed　under　the　direction　and　at　the　sole　expense　of　Mr。　Ratcliffe。

Before　these　monuments　the　wedding　guests　were　assembled。　　They　were　few　in　number；　for　many　had　left　the　castle　to　prepare　for　the　ensuing　political　explosion；　and　Ellieslaw　was；　in　the　circumstances　of　the　case；　far　from　being　desirous　to　extend　invitations　farther　than　to　those　near　relations　whose　presence　the　custom　of　the　country　rendered　indispensable。　　Next　to　the　altar　stood　Sir　Frederick　Langley；　dark；　moody；　and　thoughtful；　even　beyond　his　wont；　and　near　him；　Mareschal；　who　was　to　play　the　part　of　bridesman；　as　it　was　called。　　The　thoughtless　humour　of　this　young　gentleman；　on　which　he　never　deigned　to　place　the　least　restraint；　added　to　the　cloud　which　overhung　the　brow　of　the　bridegroom

〃The　bride　is　not　yet　come　out　of　her　chamber；〃　he　whispered　to　Sir　Frederick；　〃I　trust　that　we　must　not　have　recourse　to　the　violent　expedients　of　the　Romans　which　I　read　of　at　College。　　It　would　be　hard　upon　my　pretty　cousin　to　be　run　away　with　twice　in　two　days；　though　I　know　none　better　worth　such　a　violent　compliment。〃

Sir　Frederick　attempted　to　turn　a　deaf　ear　to　this　discourse；　humming　a　tune；　and　looking　another　may；　but　Mareschal　proceeded　in　the　same　wild　manner。

〃This　delay　is　hard　upon　Dr。　Hobbler；　who　was　disturbed　to　accelerate　preparations　for　this　joyful　event　when　he　had　successfully　extracted　the　cork　of　his　third　bottle。　　I　hope　you　will　keep　him　free　of　the　censure　of　his　superiors；　for　I　take　it　this　is　beyond　canonical　hours。But　here　come　Ellieslaw　and　my　pretty　cousinprettier　than　ever；　I　think；　were　it　not　she　seems　so　faint　and　so　deadly　paleHark　ye；　Sir　Knight；　if　she　says　not　YES　with　right　good…will；　it　shall　be　no　wedding；　for　all　that　has　come　and　gone　yet。〃

〃No　wedding；　sir？〃　　returned　Sir　Frederick；　in　a　loud　whisper；　the　tone　of　which　indicated　that　his　angry　feelings　were　suppressed　with　difficulty。

〃Nono　marriage；〃　replied　Mareschal；　〃there's　my　hand　and　glove　on't。〃

Sir　Frederick　Langley　took　his　hand；　and　as　he　wrung　it　hard；　said　in　a　lower　whisper；　〃Mareschal；　you　shall　answer　this；〃　and　then　flung　his　hand　from　him。

〃That　I　will　readily　do；〃　said　Mareschal；　〃for　never　word　escaped　my　lips　that　my　hand　was　not　ready　to　guarantee。…　So；　speak　up；　my　pretty　cousin；　and　tell　me　if　it　be　your　free　will　and　unbiassed　resolution　to　accept　of　this　gallant　knight　for　your　lord　and　husband；　for　if　you　have　the　tenth　part　of　a　scruple　upon　the　subject；　fall　back；　fall　edge；　he　shall　not　have　you。〃

〃Are　you　mad；　Mr。　Mareschal？〃　　said　Ellieslaw；　who；　having　been　this　young　man's　guardian　during　his　minority；　often　employed　a　tone　of　authority　to　him。　　〃Do　you　suppose　I　would　drag　my　daughter　to　the　foot　o