redgauntlet-第101节

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de　and　evite　the　discharge　of　his　bounden　duty　to　me；　and　therefore　granting　warrant　to　constables　and　others；　to　seek　for；　take；　and　apprehend　him；　that　he　may　be　brought　before　the　Honourable　Justice　Foxley　for　examination；　and；　if　necessary；　for　commitment。　　Now；　though　a'　this　be　fairly　set　down；　as　I　tell　ye；　yet　where　am　I　to　get　an　officer　to　execute　this　warrant　in　sic　a　country　as　this；　where　swords　and　pistols　flee　out　at　a　word's　speaking；　and　folk　care　as　little　for　the　peace　of　King　George　as　the　peace　of　Auld　King　Coul？　　There's　that　drunken　skipper；　and　that　wet　Quaker；　enticed　me　into　the　public　this　morning；　and　because　I　wadna　gie　them'　as　much　brandy　as　wad　have　made　them　blind…drunk；　they　baith　fell　on　me；　and　were　in　the　way　of　guiding　me　very　ill。'

While　Peter　went　on　in　this　manner；　Redgauntlet　glanced　his　eye　over　the　warrant；　and　immediately　saw　that　it　must　be　a　trick　passed　by　Nicholas　Faggot；　to　cheat　the　poor　insane　wretch　out　of　his　solitary　guinea。　　But　the　Justice　had　actually　subscribed　it；　as　he　did　whatever　his　clerk　presented　to　him；　and　Redgauntlet　resolved　to　use　it　for　his　own　purposes。

Without　making　any　direct　answer；　therefore；　to　Peter　Peebles；　he　walked　up　gravely　to　Fairford；　who　had　waited　quietly　for　the　termination　of　a　scene　in　which　he　was　not　a　little　surprised　to　find　his　client；　Mr。　Peebles；　a　conspicuous　actor。

'Mr。　Fairford；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'there　are　many　reasons　which　might　induce　me　to　comply　with　the　request；　or　rather　the　injunctions；　of　the　excellent　Father　Buonaventure；　that　I　should　communicate　with　you　upon　the　present　condition　of　my　ward；　whom　you　know　under　the　name　of　Darsie　Latimer；　but　no　man　is　better　aware　than　you　that　the　law　must　be　obeyed；　even　in　contradiction　to　our　own　feelings；　now　this　poor　man　has　obtained　a　warrant　for　carrying　you　before　a　magistrate；　and；　I　am　afraid；　there　is　a　necessity　of　your　yielding　to　it；　although　to　the　postponement　of　the　business　which　you　may　have　with　me。'

'A　warrant　against　me！'　　said　Alan；　indignantly；　'and　at　that　poor　miserable　wretch's　instance？why；　this　is　a　trick；　a　mere　and　most　palpable　trick。'

'It　may　be　so；'　replied　Redgauntlet；　with　great　equanimity；　'doubtless　you　know　best；　only　the　writ　appears　regular；　and　with　that　respect　for　the　law　which　has　been；'　he　said；　with　hypocritical　formality；　'a　leading　feature　of　my　character　through　life；　I　cannot　dispense　with　giving　my　poor　aid　to　the　support　of　a　legal　warrant。　　Look　at　it　yourself；　and　be　satisfied　it　is　no　trick　of　mine。'

Fairford　ran　over　the　affidavit　and　the　warrant；　and　then　exclaimed　once　more；　that　it　was　an　impudent　imposition；　and　that　he　would　hold　those　who　acted　upon　such　a　warrant　liable　in　the　highest　damages。　　'I　guess　at　your　motive；　Mr。　Redgauntlet；'　he　said；　'for　acquiescing　in　so　ridiculous　a　proceeding。　　But　be　assured　you　will　find　that；　in　this　country；　one　act　of　illegal　violence　will　not　be　covered　or　atoned　for　by　practising　another。　You　cannot；　as　a　man　of　sense　and　honour；　pretend　to　say　you　regard　this　as　a　legal　warrant。'

'I　am　no　lawyer；　sir；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'and　pretend　not　to　know　what　is　or　is　not　lawthe　warrant　is　quite　formal；　and　that　is　enough　for　me。'

'Did　ever　any　one　hear；'　said　Fairford；　'of　an　advocate　being　compelled　to　return　to　his　task；　like　a　collier　or　a　salter　＇See　Note　10。＇　　who　has　deserted　his　master？'

'I　see　no　reason　why　he　should　not；'　said　Redgauntlet；　dryly；　'unless　on　the　ground　that　the　services　of　the　lawyer　are　the　most　expensive　and　least　useful　of　the　two。'

'You　cannot　mean　this　in　earnest；'　said　Fairford；　'you　cannot　really　mean　to　avail　yourself　of　so　poor　a　contrivance；　to　evade　the　word　pledged　by　your　friend；　your　ghostly　father；　in　my　behalf。　　I　may　have　been　a　fool　for　trusting　it　too　easily；　but　think　what　you　must　be　if　you　can　abuse　my　confidence　in　this　manner。　　I　entreat　you　to　reflect　that　this　usage　releases　me　from　all　promises　of　secrecy　or　connivance　at　what　I　am　apt　to　think　are　very　dangerous　practices；　and　that'

'Hark　ye；　Mr。　Fairford；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　must　here　interrupt　you　for　your　own　sake。　　One　word　of　betraying　what　you　may　have　seen；　or　what　you　may　have　suspected；　and　your　seclusion　is　like　to　have　either　a　very　distant　or　a　very　brief　termination；　in　either　case　a　most　undesirable　one。　　At　present；　you　are　sure　of　being　at　liberty　in　a　very　few　daysperhaps　much　sooner。'

'And　my　friend；'　said　Alan　Fairford；　'for　whose　sake　I　have　run　myself　into　this　danger；　what　is　to　become　of　him？　　Dark　and　dangerous　man！'　　he　exclaimed；　raising　his　voice；　I　will　not　be　again　cajoled　by　deceitful　promises'

'I　give　you　my　honour　that　your　friend　is　well；'　interrupted　Redgauntlet；　'perhaps　I　may　permit　you　to　see　him；　if　you　will　but　submit　with　patience　to　a　fate　which　is　inevitable。'

But　Alan　Fairford；　considering　his　confidence　as　having　been　abused；　first　by　Maxwell；　and　next　by　the　priest；　raised　his　voice；　and　appealed　to　all　the　king's　lieges　within　hearing；　against　the　violence　with　which　he　was　threatened。　　He　was　instantly　seized　on　by　Nixon　and　two　assistants；　who；　holding　down　his　arms；　and　endeavouring　to　stop　his　mouth；　were　about　to　hurry　him　away。

The　honest　Quaker；　who　had　kept　out　of　Redgauntlet's　presence；　now　came　boldly　forward。

'Friend；'　said　he；　'thou　dost　more　than　thou　canst　answer。　　Thou　knowest　me　well；　and　thou　art　aware　that　in　me　thou　hast　a　deeply　injured　neighbour；　who　was　dwelling　beside　thee　in　the　honesty　and　simplicity　of　his　heart。'

'Tush；　Jonathan；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'talk　not　to　me；　man；　it　is　neither　the　craft　of　a　young　lawyer；　nor　the　SIMPLICITY　of　an　old　hypocrite；　can　drive　me　from　my　purpose。

'By　my　faith；'　said　the　captain；　coming　forward　in　his　turn；　'this　is　hardly　fair；　general；　and　I　doubt；'　he　added；　'whether　the　will　of　my　owners　can　make　me　a　party　to　such　proceedings。　Nay；　never　fumble　with　your　sword…hilt；　but　out　with　it　like　a　man；if　you　are　for　a　tilting。'　　He　unsheathed　his　hanger；　and　continued'　I　will　neither　see　my　comrade　Fairford；　nor　the　old　Quaker；　abused。　　Dn　all　warrants；　false　or　truecurse　the　justiceconfound　the　constable！and　here　stands　little　Nanty　Ewart　to　make　good　what　he　says　against　gentle　and　simple；　in　spite　of　horse…shoe　or　horse…radish　either。'

The　cry　of　'Down　with　all　warrants！'　　was　popular　in　the　ears　of　the　militia　of　the　inn；　and　Nanty　Ewart　was　no　less　so。　　Fishers；　ostlers；　seamen；　smugglers；　began　to　crowd　to　the　spot。　Crackenthorp　endeavoured　in　vain　to　mediate。　　The　attendants　of　Redgauntlet　began　to　handle　their　firearms；　but　their　master　shouted　to　them　to　forbear；　and；　unsheathing　his　sword　as　quick　as　lightning；　he　rushed　on　Ewart　in　the　midst　of　his　bravado；　and　struck　his　weapon　from　his　hand　with　such　address　and　force；　that　it　flew　three　yards　from　him。　　Closing　with　him　at　the　same　moment；　he　gave　him　a　severe　fall；　and　waved　his　sword　over　his　head；　to　show　he　was　absolutely　at　his　mercy。

'There；　you　drunken　vagabond；'　he　said；　'I　give　you　your　life　you　are　no　bad　fellow　if　you　could　keep　from　brawling　among　your　friends。　　But　we　all　know　Nanty　Ewart；'　he　said　to　the　crowd　around；　with　a　forgiving　laugh；　which；　joined　to　the　awe　his　prowess　had　inspired；　entirely　confirmed　their　wavering　allegiance。

They　shouted；　'The　laird　for　ever！'　　while　poor　Nanty；　rising　from　the　earth；　on　whose　lap　he　had　been　stretched　so　rudely；　went　in　quest　of　his　hanger；　lifted　it；　wiped　it；　and；　as　he　returned　the　weapon　to　the　scabbard；　muttered　between　his　teeth；　'It　is　true　they　say　of　him；　and　the　devil　will　stand　his　friend　till　his　hour　come；　I　will　cross　him　no　more。'

So　saying；　he　slunk　from　the　crowd；　cowed　and　disheartened　by　his　defeat。

'For　you；　Joshua　Geddes；'　said　Redgauntlet；　approaching　the　Quaker；　who；　with　lifted　hands　and　eyes；　had　beheld　the　scene　of　violence；　'l　shall　take　the　liberty　to　arrest　thee　for　a　breach　of　the　peace；　altogether　unbecoming　thy　pretended　principles；　and　I　believe　it　will　go　hard　with　thee　both　in　a　court　of　justice　and　among　thine　own　Society　of　Friends；　as　they　call　themselves；　who　will　be　but　indifferently　pleased　to　see　the　quiet　tenor　of　their　hypocrisy　insulted　by　such　violent　proceedings。'

'I　violent！'　　said　Joshua；　'I　do　aught　unbecoming　the　principles　of　the　Friends！　　I　defy　thee；　man；　and　I　charge　thee；　as　a　Christian；　to　forbear　vexing　my　soul　with　such　charges：　　it　is　grievous　enough　to　me　to　have　seen　violences　which　I　was　unable　to　prevent。'

'O　Joshua；　Joshua！'　　said　Redgauntlet；　with　a　sardonic　smile；　'thou　light　of　the　faithful　in　the　town　of　Dumfries　and　the　places　adjacent；　wilt　thou　thus　fall　away　from　the　truth？　　Hast　thou　not；　before　us　all；　attempted　to　rescue　a　man　from　the　warrant　of　law？　　Didst　thou　not　encourage　that　drunken　fellow　to　draw　his　weaponand　didst　thou　not　thyself　flourish　thy　cudgel　in　the　cause？　　Think'st　thou　that　the　oaths　of　the　injured　Peter　Peebles；　and　the　conscientious　Cristal　Nixon；　besides　those　of　such　gentlemen　as　look　on　this　strange　scene；　who　not　only　put　on　swearing　as　a　garment；　but　to　whom；　in　Custom　House　matters；　oaths　are　literally　meat　and　drink；dost　thou　not　think；　I　say；　that　these　men's　oaths　will　go　further　than　t