redgauntlet-第103节

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Darsie　paused。　　'Uncle；'　he　said；　'my　person　is　in　your　hands；　but　remember；　my　will　is　my　own。　　I　will　not　be　hurried　into　any　resolution　of　importance。　　Remember　what　I　have　already　said　what　I　now　repeatthat　I　will　take　no　step　of　importance　but　upon　conviction。'

'But　canst　thou　be　convinced；　thou　foolish　boy；　without　hearing　and　understanding　the　grounds　on　which　we　act？'

So　saying　he　took　Darsie　by　the　arm；　and　walked　with　him　to　the　next　rooma　large　apartment；　partly　filled　with　miscellaneous　articles　of　commerce；　chiefly　connected　with　contraband　trade；　where；　among　bales　and　barrels；　sat；　or　walked　to　and　fro；　several　gentlemen；　whose　manners　and　looks　seemed　superior　to　the　plain　riding　dresses　which　they　wore。

There　was　a　grave　and　stern　anxiety　upon　their　countenances；　when；　on　Redgauntlet's　entrance；　they　drew　from　their　separate　coteries　into　one　group　around　him；　and　saluted　him　with　a　formality　which　had　something　in　it　of　ominous　melancholy。　　As　Darsie　looked　around　the　circle；　he　thought　he　could　discern　in　it　few　traces　of　that　adventurous　hope　which　urges　men　upon　desperate　enterprises；　and　began　to　believe　that　the　conspiracy　would　dissolve　of　itself；　without　the　necessity　of　his　placing　himself　in　direct　opposition　to　so　violent　a　character　as　his　uncle；　and　incurring　the　hazard　with　which　such　opposition　must　be　attended。

Mr。　Redgauntlet；　however；　did　not；　or　would　not；　see　any　such　marks　of　depression　of　spirit　amongst　his　coadjutors；　but　met　them　with　cheerful　countenance；　and　a　warm　greeting　of　welcome。　'Happy　to　meet　you　here；　my　lord；'　he　said；　bowing　low　to　a　slender　young　man。　　'I　trust　you　come　with　the　pledges　of　your　noble　father；　of　B；　and　all　that　loyal　house。Sir　Richard；　what　news　in　the　west？　　I　am　told　you　had　two　hundred　men　on　foot　to　have　joined　when　the　fatal　retreat　from　Derby　was　commenced。　When　the　White　Standard　is　again　displayed；　it　shall　not　be　turned　back　so　easily；　either　by　the　force　of　its　enemies；　or　the　falsehood　of　its　friends。Doctor　Grumball；　I　bow　to　the　representative　of　Oxford；　the　mother　of　learning　and　loyalty。　Pengwinion；　you　Cornish　chough；　has　this　good　wind　blown　you　north？Ah；　my　brave　Cambro…Britons；　when　was　Wales　last　in　the　race　of　honour？'

Such　and　such…like　compliments　he　dealt　around；　which　were　in　general　answered　by　silent　bows；　but　when　he　saluted　one　of　his　own　countrymen　by　the　name　of　MacKellar；　and　greeted　Maxwell　of　Summertrees　by　that　of　Pate…in…Peril；　the　latter　replied；　'that　if　Pate　were　not　a　fool；　he　would　be　Pate…in…Safety；'　and　the　former；　a　thin　old　gentle…man；　in　tarnished　embroidery；　said　bluntly；　'Aye；　troth；　Redgauntlet；　I　am　here　just　like　yourself；　I　have　little　to　losethey　that　took　my　land　the　last　time；　may　take　my　life　this；　and　that　is　all　I　care　about　it。'

The　English　gentlemen；　who　were　still　in　possession　of　their　paternal　estates；　looked　doubtfully　on　each　other；　and　there　was　something　whispered　among　them　of　the　fox　which　had　lost　his　tail。

Redgauntlet　hastened　to　address　them。　　'I　think；　my　lords　and　gentlemen；'　he　said；　'that　I　can　account　for　something　like　sadness　which　has　crept　upon　an　assembly　gathered　together　for　so　noble　a　purpose。　　Our　numbers　seem；　when　thus　assembled；　too　small　and　inconsiderable　to　shake　the　firm…seated　usurpation　of　a　half…century。　　But　do　not　count　us　by　what　we　are　in　thew　and　muscle；　but　by　what　our　summons　can　do　among　our　countrymen。　　In　this　small　party　are　those　who　have　power　to　raise　battalions；　and　those　who　have　wealth　to　pay　them。　　And　do　not　believe　our　friends　who　are　absent　are　cold　or　indifferent　to　the　cause。　　Let　us　once　light　the　signal；　and　it　will　be　hailed　by　all　who　retain　love　for　the　Stuart；　and　by　alla　more　numerous　bodywho　hate　the　Elector。　　Here　I　have　letters　from'

Sir　Richard　Glendale　interrupted　the　speaker。　　'We　all　confide；　Redgauntlet；　in　your　valour　and　skillwe　admire　your　perseverance；　and　probably　nothing　short　of　your　strenuous　exertions；　and　the　emulation　awakened　by　your　noble　and　disinterested　conduct；　could　have　brought　so　many　of　us；　the　scattered　remnant　of　a　disheartened　party；　to　meet　together　once　again　in　solemn　consultation；　for　I　take　it；　gentlemen；'　he　said；　looking　round；　'this　is　only　a　consultation。'

'Nothing　more；'　said　the　young　lord。

'Nothing　more；'　said　Doctor　Grumball；　shaking　his　large　academical　peruke。

And；　'Only　a　consultation；'　was　echoed　by　the　others。

Redgauntlet　bit　his　lip。　　'I　had　hopes；'　he　said；　'that　the　discourses　I　have　held　with　most　of　you；　from　time　to　time；　had　ripened　into　more　maturity　than　your　words　imply；　and　that　we　were　here　to　execute　as　well　as　to　deliberate；　and　for　this　we　stand　prepared。　　I　can　raise　five　hundred　men　with　my　whistle。'

'Five　hundred　men！'　　said　one　of　the　Welsh　squires；　'Cot　bless　us！　and　pray　you；　what　cood　could　five　hundred　men　do？'

'All　that　the　priming　does　for　the　cannon；　Mr。　Meredith；'　answered　Redgauntlet；　'it　will　enable　us　to　seize　Carlisle；　and　you　know　what　our　friends　have　engaged　for　in　that　case。'

'Yesbut；'　said　the　young　nobleman；　'you　must　not　hurry　us　on　too　fast；　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　we　are　all；　I　believe；　as　sincere　and　truehearted　in　this　business　as　you　are；　but　we　will　not　be　driven　forward　blindfold。　　We　owe　caution　to　ourselves　and　our　families；　as　well　as　to　those　whom　we　are　empowered　to　represent　on　this　occasion。'

'Who　hurries　you；　my　lord？　　Who　is　it　that　would　drive　this　meeting　forward　blindfold？　　I　do　not　understand　your　lordship；'　said　Redgauntlet。

'Nay；'　said　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　'at　least　do　not　let　us　fall　under　our　old　reproach　of　disagreeing　among　ourselves。　　What　my　lord　means；　Redgauntlet；　is；　that　we　have　this　morning　heard　it　is　uncertain　whether　you　could　even　bring　that　body　of　men　whom　you　count　upon；　your　countryman；　Mr。　MacKellar；　seemed；　just　before　you　came　in；　to　doubt　whether　your　people　would　rise　in　any　force；　unless　you　could　produce　the　authority　of　your　nephew。'

'I　might　ask；'　said　Redgauntlet；'　what　right　MacKellar；　or　any　one；　has　to　doubt　my　being　able　to　accomplish　what　I　stand　pledged　for？　　But　our　hopes　consist　in　our　unity。　　Here　stands　my　nephew。　　Gentlemen；　I　present　to　you　my　kinsman；　Sir　Arthur　Darsie　Redgauntlet　of　that　Ilk。'

'Gentlemen；'　said　Darsie；　with　a　throbbing　bosom；　for　he　felt　the　crisis　a　very　painful　one；　'Allow　me　to　say；　that　I　suspend　expressing　my　sentiments　on　the　important　subject　under　discussion　until　I　have　heard　those　of　the　present　meeting。'

'Proceed　in　your　deliberations；　gentlemen；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　will　show　my　nephew　such　reasons　for　acquiescing　in　the　result；　as　will　entirely　remove　any　scruples　which　may　hang　around　his　mind。'

Dr。　Grumball　now　coughed；　'shook　his　ambrosial　curls；'　and　addressed　the　assembly。

'The　principles　of　Oxford；'　he　said；'　are　well　understood；　since　she　was　the　last　to　resign　herself　to　the　Arch…Usurper；since　she　has　condemned；　by　her　sovereign　authority；　the　blasphemous；　atheistical；　and　anarchical　tenets　of　Locke；　and　other　deluders　of　the　public　mind。　　Oxford　will　give　men；　money　and　countenance；　to　the　cause　of　the　rightful　monarch。　　But　we　have；　been　often　deluded　by　foreign　powers；　who　have　availed　themselves　of　our　zeal　to　stir　up　civil　dissensions；　in　Britain；　not　for　the　advantage　of　our　blessed　though　banished　monarch；　but　to　stir　up　disturbances　by　which　they　might　profit；　while　we；　their　tools；　are　sure　to　be　ruined。　　Oxford；　therefore；　will　not　rise；　unless　our　sovereign　comes　in　person　to　claim　our　allegiance；　in　which　case；　God　forbid　we　should　refuse　him　our　best　obedience。'

'It　is　a　very　cood　advice；'　said　Mr。　Meredith。

'In　troth；'　said　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　'it　is　the　very　keystone　of　our　enterprise；　and　the　only　condition　upon　which　I　myself　and　others　could　ever　have　dreamt　of　taking　up　arms。　　No　insurrection　which　has　not　Charles　Edward　himself　at　its　head；　will；　ever　last　longer　than　till　a　single　foot　company　of　redcoats　march　to　disperse　it。'

'This　is　my　own　opinion；　and　that　of　all　my　family；'　said　the　young　nobleman　already　mentioned；　'and　I　own　I　am　somewhat　surprised　at　being　summoned　to　attend　a　dangerous　rendezvous　such　as　this；　before　something　certain　could　have　been　stated　to　us　on　this　most　important　preliminary　point。'

'Pardon　me；　my　lord；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　have　not　been　so　unjust　either　to　myself　or　my　friendsI　had　no　means　of　communicating　to　our　distant　confederates　（without　the　greatest　risk　of　discovery）　what　is　known　to　some　of　my　honourable　friends。　　As　courageous；　and　as　resolved；　as　when；　twenty　years　since；　he　threw　himself　into　the　wilds　of　Moidart；　Charles　Edward　has　instantly　complied　with　the　wishes　of　his　faithful　subjects。　Charles　Edward　is　in　this　countryCharles　Edward　is　in　this　house！Charles　Edward　waits　but　your　present　decision；　to　receive　the　homage　of　those　who　have　ever　called　themselves　his　loyal　liegemen。　　He　that　would　now　turn　his　coat；　and　change　his　note；　must　do　so　under　the　eye　of　his　sovereign。'

There　was　a　deep　pause。　　Those　among　the　conspirators　whom　mere　habit；　or　a　desire　of　preserving　consistency；　had　engaged　in　the　affair；　now　saw　with　terror　their　retreat　cut　off；　and　others；　who　at　a　distance　had　regarded　the　proposed