the black dwarf-第6节

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g　a　strict　formalist；　grasping　eagerly　at　an　opportunity　of　completing　the　ruin　of　her　body　and　soul　by　a　literal　obedience　to　her　orders。　　It　is　said；　that　when　she　perceived　and　felt　the　transformation　which　was　about　to　take　place；　she　exclaimed　to　the　treacherous　fiend；　〃Ah；　thou　false　thief！　　lang　hast　thou　promised　me　a　grey　gown；　and　now　I　am　getting　ane　that　will　last　for　ever。〃　　The　dimensions　of　the　pillar；　and　of　the　stones；　were　often　appealed　to；　as　a　proof　of　the　superior　stature　and　size　of　old　women　and　geese　in　the　days　of　other　years；　by　those　praisers　of　the　past　who　held　the　comfortable　opinion　of　the　gradual　degeneracy　of　mankind。

All　particulars　of　this　legend　Hobbie　called　to　mind　as　he　passed　along　the　moor。　　He　also　remembered；　that；　since　the　catastrophe　had　taken　place；　the　scene　of　it　had　been　avoided；　at　least　after　night…fall；　by　all　human　beings；　as　being　the　ordinary　resort　of　kelpies；　spunkies；　and　other　demons；　once　the　companions　of　the　witch's　diabolical　revels；　and　now　continuing　to　rendezvous　upon　the　same　spot；　as　if　still　in　attendance　on　their　transformed　mistress。　　Hobbie's　natural　hardihood；　however；　manfully　combated　with　these　intrusive　sensations　of　awe。　　He　summoned　to　his　side　the　brace　of　large　greyhounds；　who　were　the　companions　of　his　sports；　and　who　were　wont；　in　his　own　phrase；　to　fear　neither　dog　nor　devil；　he　looked　at　the　priming　of　his　piece；　and；　like　the　clown　in　Hallowe'en；　whistled　up　the　warlike　ditty　of　Jock　of　the　Side；　as　a　general　causes　his　drums　be　beat　to　inspirit　the　doubtful　courage　of　his　soldiers。

In　this　state　of　mind；　he　was　very　glad　to　hear　a　friendly　voice　shout　in　his　rear；　and　propose　to　him　a　partner　on　the　road。　　He　slackened　his　pace；　and　was　quickly　joined　by　a　youth　well　known　to　him；　a　gentleman　of　some　fortune　in　that　remote　country；　and　who　had　been　abroad　on　the　same　errand　with　himself。　　Young　Earnscliff；　〃of　that　ilk；〃　had　lately　come　of　age；　and　succeeded　to　a　moderate　fortune；　a　good　deal　dilapidated；　from　the　share　his　family　had　taken　in　the　disturbances　of　the　period。　　They　were　much　and　generally　respected　in　the　country；　a　reputation　which　this　young　gentleman　seemed　likely　to　sustain；　as　he　was　well　educated；　and　of　excellent　dispositions。

〃Now；　Earnscliff；〃　exclaimed　Hobbie；　〃I　am　glad　to　meet　your　honour　ony　gate；　and　company's　blithe　on　a　bare　moor　like　this　it's　an　unco　bogilly　bitWhere　hae　ye　been　sporting？〃

〃Up　the　Carla　Cleugh；　Hobbie；〃　answered　Earnscliff；　returning　his　greeting。　　〃But　will　our　dogs　keep　the　peace；　think　you？〃

〃Deil　a　fear　o'　mine；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃they　hae　scarce　a　leg　to　stand　on。Odd！　　the　deer's　fled　the　country；　I　think！　　I　have　been　as　far　as　Inger…fell…foot；　and　deil　a　horn　has　Hobbie　seen；　excepting　three　red…wud　raes；　that　never　let　me　within　shot　of　them；　though　I　gaed　a　mile　round　to　get　up　the　wind　to　them；　an'　a'。　　Deil　o'　me　wad　care　muckle；　only　I　wanted　some　venison　to　our　auld　gude…dame。　　The　carline；　she　sits　in　the　neuk　yonder；　upbye；　and　cracks　about　the　grand　shooters　and　hunters　lang　syne　Odd；　I　think　they　hae　killed　a'　the　deer　in　the　country；　for　my　part。〃

〃Well；　Hobbie；　I　have　shot　a　fat　buck；　and　sent　him　to　Earnscliff　this　morningyou　shall　have　half　of　him　for　your　grandmother。〃

〃Mony　thanks　to　ye；　Mr。　Patrick；　ye're　kend　to　a'　the　country　for　a　kind　heart。　　It　will　do　the　auld　wife's　heart　gudemair　by　token；　when　she　kens　it　comes　frae　youand　maist　of　a'　gin　ye'll　come　up　and　take　your　share；　for　I　reckon　ye　are　lonesome　now　in　the　auld　tower；　and　a'　your　folk　at　that　weary　Edinburgh。　　I　wonder　what　they　can　find　to　do　amang　a　wheen　ranks　o'　stane…　houses　wi'　slate　on　the　tap　o'　them；　that　might　live　on　their　ain　bonny　green　hills。〃

〃My　education　and　my　sisters'　has　kept　my　mother　much　in　Edinburgh　for　several　years；〃　said　Earnscliff；　〃but　I　promise　you　I　propose　to　make　up　for　lost　time。〃

〃And　ye'll　rig　out　the　auld　tower　a　bit；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃and　live　hearty　and　neighbour…like　wi'　the　auld　family　friends；　as　the　Laird　o'　Earnscliff　should？　　I　can　tell　ye；　my　mothermy　grandmother　I　meanbut；　since　we　lost　our　ain　mother；　we　ca'　her　sometimes　the　tane；　and　sometimes　the　totherbut；　ony　gate；　she　conceits　hersell　no　that　distant　connected　wi'　you。〃

〃Very　true；　Hobbie；　and　I　will　come　to　the　Heugh…foot　to　dinner　to…morrow　with　all　my　heart。〃

〃Weel；　that's　kindly　said！　　We　are　auld　neighbours；　an　we　were　nae　kinand　my　gude…dame's　fain　to　see　youshe　clavers　about　your　father　that　was　killed　lang　syne。〃

〃Hush；　hush；　Hobbienot　a　word　about　thatit's　a　story　better　forgotten。〃

〃I　dinna　kenif　it　had　chanced　amang　our　folk；　we　wad　hae　keepit　it　in　mind　mony　a　day　till　we　got　some　mends　for'tbut　ye　ken　your　ain　ways　best；　you　lairdsI　have　heard　say　that　Ellieslaw's　friend　stickit　your　sire　after　the　laird　himsell　had　mastered　his　sword。〃

〃Fie；　fie；　Hobbie；　it　was　a　foolish　brawl；　occasioned　by　wine　and　politicsmany　swords　were　drawnit　is　impossible　to　say　who　struck　the　blow。〃

〃At　ony　rate；　auld　Ellieslaw　was　aiding　and　abetting；　and　I　am　sure　if　ye　were　sae　disposed　as　to　take　amends　on　him；　naebody　could　say　it　was　wrang；　for　your　father's　blood　is　beneath　his　nailsand　besides　there's　naebody　else　left　that　was　concerned　to　take　amends　upon；　and　he's　a　prelatist　and　a　jacobite　into　the　bargainI　can　tell　ye　the　country　folk　look　for　something　atween　ye。〃

〃O　for　shame；　Hobbie！〃　　replied　the　young　Laird；　〃you；　that　profess　religion；　to　stir　your　friend　up　to　break　the　law；　and　take　vengeance　at　his　own　hand；　and　in　such　a　bogilly　bit　too；　where　we　know　not　what　beings　may　be　listening　to　us！〃

〃Hush；　hush！〃　　said　Hobbie；　drawing　nearer　to　his　companion；　〃I　was　nae　thinking　o'　the　like　o'　themBut　I　can　guess　a　wee　bit　what　keeps　your　hand　up；　Mr。　Patrick；　we　a'　ken　it's　no　lack　o'　courage；　but　the　twa　grey　een　of　a　bonny　lass；　Miss　Isabel　Vere；　that　keeps　you　sae　sober。〃

〃I　assure　you；　Hobbie；〃　said　his　companion；　rather　angrily；　〃I　assure　you　you　are　mistaken；　and　it　is　extremely　wrong　of　you；　either　to　think　of；　or　to　utter；　such　an　idea；　I　have　no　idea　of　permitting　freedoms　to　be　carried　so　far　as　to　connect　my　name　with　that　of　any　young　lady。〃

〃Why；　there　nowthere　now！〃　　retorted　Elliot；　〃did　I　not　say　it　was　nae　want　o'　spunk　that　made　ye　sae　mim？Weel；　weel；　I　meant　nae　offence；　but　there's　just　ae　thing　ye　may　notice　frae　a　friend。　　The　auld　Laird　of　Ellieslaw　has　the　auld　riding　blood　far　hetter　at　his　heart　than　ye　haetroth；　he　kens　naething　about　thae　newfangled　notions　o'　peace　and　quietnesshe's　a'　for　the　auld…warld　doings　o'　lifting　and　laying　on；　and　he　has　a　wheen　stout　lads　at　his　back　too；　and　keeps　them　weel　up　in　heart；　and　as　fu'　o'　mischief　as　young　colts。　　Where　he　gets　the　gear　to　do't　nane　can　say；　he　lives　high；　and　far　abune　his　rents　here；　however；　he　pays　his　waySae；　if　there's　ony　out…break　in　the　country；　he's　likely　to　break　out　wi'　the　firstand　weel　does　he　mind　the　auld　quarrels　between　ye；　I'm　surmizing　he'll　be　for　a　touch　at　the　auld　tower　at　Earnscliff。〃

〃Well；　Hobbie；〃　answered　the　young　gentleman；　〃if　he　should　be　so　ill　advised；　I　shall　try　to　make　the　old　tower　good　against　him；　as　it　has　been　made　good　by　my　betters　against　his　betters　many　a　day　ago。〃

〃Very　rightvery　rightthat's　speaking　like　a　man　now；〃　said　the　stout　yeoman；　〃and；　if　sae　should　be　that　this　be　sae；　if　ye'll　just　gar　your　servant　jow　out　the　great　bell　in　the　tower；　there's　me；　and　my　twa　brothers；　and　little　Davie　of　the　Stenhouse；　will　be　wi'　you；　wi'　a'　the　power　we　can　make；　in　the　snapping　of　a　flint。〃

〃Many　thanks；　Hobbie；〃　answered　Earnscliff；　〃but　I　hope　we　shall　have　no　war　of　so　unnatural　and　unchristian　a　kind　in　our　time。〃

〃Hout；　sir；　hout；〃　replied　Elliot；　〃it　wad　be　but　a　wee　bit　neighbour　war；　and　Heaven　and　earth　would　make　allowances　for　it　in　this　uncuItivated　placeit's　just　the　nature　o'　the　folk　and　the　landwe　canna　live　quiet　like　Loudon　folkwe　haena　sae　muckle　to　do。　　It's　impossible。〃

〃Well；　Hobbie；〃　said　the　Laird；　〃for　one　who　believes　so　deeply　as　you　do　in　supernatural　appearances；　I　must　own　you　take　Heaven　in　your　own　hand　rather　audaciously；　considering　where　we　are　walking。〃

〃What　needs　I　care　for　the　Mucklestane…Moor　ony　mair　than　ye　do　yoursell；　Earnscliff？〃　　said　Hobbie；　something　offended；　〃to　be　sure；　they　do　say　there's　a　sort　o'　worricows　and　lang…nebbit　things　about　the　land；　but　what　need　I　care　for　them？　　I　hae　a　good　conscience；　and　little　to　answer　for；　unless　it　be　about　a　rant　amang　the　lasses；　or　a　splore　at　a　fair；　and　that's　no　muckle　to　speak　of。　　Though　I　say　it　mysell；　I　am　as　quiet　a　lad　and　as　peaceable〃

〃And　Dick　Turnbull's　head　that　you　broke；　and　Willie　of　Winton　whom　you　shot　at？〃　　said　his　travelling　companion。

〃Hout；　Earnscliff；　ye　keep　a　record　of　a'　men's　misdoings　Dick's　head's　healed　again；　and　we're　to　fight　out　the　quarrel　at　Jeddart；　on　the　Rood…day；　so　that's　like　a　thing　settled　in　a　peaceable　way；　and　then　I　am　friends　wi'　Willie　again；　puir　chieldit　was　but　twa　or　three　hail　draps　after　a'。　　I　wad　let　onybody　do　the　like　o't　to　me　for　a　pint　o'　brandy。　　But　Willie's　lowland　bred；　poor　fallow；　and　soon　frighted　for　himsellAnd；　for　the　worricows；　were