appendix-1-第3节

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the　end　of　the　eighteenth　century。


THE　LORD　OF　ENNERDALE。

IN　A　FRAGMENT　OF　A　LETTER　FROM　JOHN　B；　ESQ。　OF　THAT　ILK；
TO　WILLIAM　G；　F。R。S。E。


　　‘‘Fill　a　bumper；''　said　the　Knight；　‘‘the　ladies　may　spare　us　a　little
longer…Fill　a　bumper　to　the　Archduke　Charles。''

　　The　company　did　due　honour　to　the　toast　of　their　landlord。

　　‘‘The　success　of　the　Archduke；''　said　the　muddy　Vicar；　‘‘will　tend　to
further　our　negotiation　at　Paris；　and　if''

　　‘‘Pardon　the　interruption；　Doctor；''　quoth　a　thin　emaciated　figure；　with
somewhat　of　a　foreign　accent；　‘‘but　why　should　you　connect　those　events
unless　to　hope　that　the　bravery　and　victories　of　our　allies　may　supersede
the　necessity　of　a　degrading　treaty？''

　　‘‘We　begin　to　feel；　Monsieur　l'Abb；
‘‘a　gratuitous　exertion　of　generosity？　Was　there　no　fear　of　the　wide…wasting
spirit　of　innovation　which　had　gone　abroad？　Did　not　the　laity
tremble　for　their　property；　the　clergy　for　their　religion；　and　every　loyal
heart　for　the　constitution？　Was　it　not　thought　necessary　to　destroy　the
building　which　was　on　fire；　ere　the　conflagration　spread　around　the
vicinity？''

　　‘‘Yet；　if　upon　trial；''　said　the　Doctor；　‘‘the　walls　were　found　to　resist
our　utmost　efforts；　I　see　no　great　prudence　in　persevering　in　our　labour
amid　the　smouldering　ruins。''

　　‘‘What；　Doctor；''　said　the　Baronet；　‘‘must　I　call　to　your　recollection
your　own　sermon　on　the　late　general　fast？…did　you　not　encourage　us　to
hope　that　the　Lord　of　Hosts　would　go　forth　with　our　armies；　and　that　our
enemies；　who　blasphemed　him；　should　be　put　to　shame？''

　　‘‘It　may　please　a　kind　father　to　chasten　even　his　beloved　children；''
answered　the　Vicar。

　　‘‘I　think；''　said　a　gentleman　near　the　foot　of　the　table；　‘‘that　the
Covenanters　made　some　apology　of　the　same　kind　for　the　failure　of　their
prophecies　at　the　battle　of　Dumbar；　when　their　mutinous　preachers　compelled
the　prudent　Lesley　to　go　down　against　the　Philistines　in　Gilgal。''

　　The　Vicar　fixed　a　scrutinizing　and　not　a　very　complacent　eye　upon　this
intruder。　He　was　a　young　man　of　mean　stature；　and　rather　a　reserved　appearance。
Early　and　severe　study　had　quenched　in　his　features　the　gaiety
peculiar　to　his　age；　and　impressed　upon　them　a　premature　cast　of　thoughtfulness。
His　eye　had；　however；　retained　its　fire；　and　his　gesture　its　animation。
Had　he　remained　silent；　he　would　have　been　long　unnoticed；　but
when　he　spoke；　there　was　something　in　his　manner　which　arrested　attention。

　　‘‘Who　is　this　young　man？''　said　the　Vicar　in　a　low　voice；　to　his
neighbour。

　　‘‘A　Scotchman　called　Maxwell；　on　a　visit　to　Sir　Henry；''　was　the　answer。

　　‘‘I　thought　so；　from　his　accent　and　his　manners；''　said　the　Vicar。

　　It　may　be　here　observed；　that　the　Northern　English　retain　rather　more
of　the　ancient　hereditary　aversion　to　their　neighbours　than　their　countrymen
of　the　South。　The　interference　of　other　disputants；　each　of　whom　urged　his
opinion　with　all　the　vehemence　of　wine　and　politics；　rendered　the　summons
to　the　drawing…room　agreeable　to　the　more　sober　part　of　the　company。

　　The　company　dispersed　by　degrees；　and　at　length　the　Vicar　and　the
young　Scotchman　alone　remained；　besides　the　Baronet；　his　lady；　daughters；
and　myself。　The　clergyman　had　not；　it　would　seem；　forgot　the　observation
which　ranked　him　with　the　false　prophets　of　Dunbar；　for　he　addressed　Mr。
Maxwell　upon　the　first　opportunity。

　　‘‘Hem！　I　think；　sir；　you　mentioned　something　about　the　civil　wars　of
last　century？　You　must　be　deeply　skilled　in　them；　indeed；　if　you　can
draw　any　parallel　betwixt　those　and　the　present　evil　days…days　which　I
am　ready　to　maintain　are　the　most　gloomy　that　ever　darkened　the　prospects
of　Britain。''

　　‘‘God　forbid；　Doctor；　that　I　should　draw　a　comparison　between　the
present　times　and　those　you　mention。　I　am　too　sensible　of　the　advantages
we　enjoy　over　our　ancestors。　Faction　and　ambition　have　introduced
division　among　us；　but　we　are　still　free　from　the　guilt　of　civil　bloodshed；
and　from　all　the　evils　which　flow　from　it。　Our　foes；　sir；　are　not　those　of
our　own　household；　and　while　we　continue　united　and　firm；　from　the
attacks　of　a　foreign　enemy；　however　artful；　or　however　inveterate；　we　have；
I　hope；　little　to　dread。''

　　‘‘Have　you　found　anything　curious；　Mr。　Maxwell；　among　the　dusty
papers？''　said　Sir　Henry；　who　seemed　to　dread　a　revival　of　political
discussion。

　　‘‘My　investigation　amongst　them　led　to　reflections　which　I　have　just
now　hinted；''　said　Maxwell；　‘‘and　I　think　they　are　pretty　strongly　exemplified
by　a　story　which　I　have　been　endeavouring　to　arrange　from　some
of　your　family　manuscripts。''

　　‘‘You　are　welcome　to　make　what　use　of　them　you　please；''　said　Sir
Henry；　‘‘they　have　been　undisturbed　for　in　any　a　day；　and　I　have　often
wished　for　some　person　as　well　skilled　as　you　in　these　old　pot…hooks；　to
tell　me　their　meaning。''

　　‘‘Those　I　just　mentioned；''　answered　Maxwell；　‘‘relate　to　a　piece　of
private　history；　savouring　not　a　little　of　the　marvellous；　and　intimately
connected　with　your　family：　if　it　is　agreeable；　I　can　read　to　you　the
anecdotes；　in　the　modern　shape　into　which　I　have　been　endeavouring　to
throw　them；　and　you　can　then　judge　of　the　value　of　the　originals。''

　　There　was　something　in　this　proposal　agreeable　to　all　parties。　Sir
Henry　had　family　pride；　which　prepared　him　to　take　an　interest　in　whatever
related　to　his　ancestors。　The　ladies　had　dipped　deeply　into　the
fashionable　reading　of　the　present　day。　Lady　Ratcliff　and　her　fair　daughters
had　climbed　every　pass；　viewed　every　pine…shrouded　ruin；　heard　every
groan；　and　lifted　every　trap…door；　in　company　with　the　noted　heroine　of
Udolpho。　They　had　been　heard；　however；　to　observe；　that　the　famous
incident　of　the　Black　Veil　singularly　resembled　the　ancient　apologue　of　the
Mountain　in　Labour；　so　that　they　were　unquestionably　critics；　as　well　as
admirers。　Besides　all　this；　they　had　valorously　mounted　en　croupe　behind
the　ghostly　horseman　of　Prague；　through　all　his　seven　translators；　and
followed　the　footsteps　of　Moor　through　the　forest　of　Bohemia。　Moreover；
it　was　even　hinted　（but　this　was　a　greater　mystery　than　all　the　rest）；　that
a　certain　performance；　called　the　_Monk；_　in　three　neat　volumes；　had　been
seen；　by　a　prying　eye；　in　the　right…hand　drawer　of　the　Indian　cabinet　of
Lady　Ratcliff's　dressing　room。　Thus　predisposed　for　wonders　and　signs；
Lady　Ratcliff　and　her　nymphs　drew　their　chairs　round　a　large　blazing　wood…fire；
and　arranged　themselves　to　listen　to　the　tale。　To　that　fire　I　also
approached；　moved　thereunto　partly　by　the　inclemency　of　the　season；　and
partly　that　my　deafness；　which　you　know；　cousin；　I　acquired　during　my
campaign　under　Prince　Charles　Edward；　might　be　no　obstacle　to　the
gratification　of　my　curiosity；　which　was　awakened　by　what　had　any
reference　to　the　fate　of　such　faithful　followers　of　royalty；　as　you　well　know
the　house　of　Ratcliff　have　ever　been。　To　this　wood…fire　the　Vicar　likewise
drew　near；　and　reclined　himself　conveniently　in　his　chair；　seemingly　disposed
to　testify　his　disrespect　for　the　narration　and　narrator　by　falling
asleep　as　soon　as　he　conveniently　could。　By　the　side　of　Maxwell　（by　the
way；　I　cannot　learn　that　he　is　in　the　least　related　to　the　Nithsdale　family）
was　placed　a　small　table　and　a　couple　of　lights；　by　the　assistance　of　which
he　read　as　follows：…

‘‘=Journal　of　Jan　Von　Eulen。=

　　‘‘On　the　6th　November　1645；　I；　Jan　Von　Eulen；　merchant　in　Rotterdam；
embarked　with　my　only　daughter　on　board　of　the　good　vessel　Vryheid　of
Amsterdam；　in　order　to　pass　into　the　unhappy　and　disturbed　kingdom　of
England。　7th　November…a　brisk　gale…daughter　sea…sick…myself　unable
to　complete　the　calculation　which　I　have　begun；　of　the　inheritance　left　by
Jane　Lansache　of　Carlisle；　my　late　dear　wife's　sister；　the　collection　of　which
is　the　object　of　my　voyage。　8th　November…wind　still　stormy　and　adverse
…a　horrid　disaster　nearly　happened…my　dear　child　washed　overboard　as
the　vessel　lurched　to　leeward。…Memorandum；　to　reward　the　young　sailor
who　saved　her；　out　of　the　first　monies　which　I　can　recover　from　the　inheritance
of　her　aunt　Lansache。　9th　November…calm…P。M。　light　breezes
from　N。N。W。　I　talked　with　the　captain　about　the　inheritance　of　my　sister…in…law；
Jane　Lansache。…He　says　he　knows　the　principal　subject；　which　will
not　exceed　1000　in　value。　_N。B。_　He　is　a　cousin　to　a　family　of　Petersons；
which　was　the　name　of　the　husband　of　my　sister…in…law；　so　there　is　room
to　hope　it　may　be　worth　more　than　he　reports。　10th　November；　10　A。M。
…May　God　pardon　all　our　sins！…An　English　frigate；　bearing　the　Parliament
flag；　has　appeared　in　the　offing；　and　gives　chase。…11　A。M。　She　nears
us　every　moment；　and　the　captain　of　our　vessel　prepares　to　clear　for　action。
…May　God　again　have　mercy　upon　us！''

* * * * *