redgauntlet-第104节

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distance　had　regarded　the　proposed　enterprise　as　hopeful；　trembled　when　the　moment　of　actually　embarking　in　it　was　thus　unexpectedly　and　almost　inevitably　precipitated。

'How　now；　my　lords　and　gentlemen！'　　said　Redgauntlet；　is　it　delight　and　rapture　that　keep　you　thus　silent？　　where　are　the　eager　welcomes　that　should　be　paid　to　your　rightful　king；　who　a　second　time　confides　his　person　to　the　care　of　his　subjects；　undeterred　by　the　hairbreadth　escapes　and　severe　privations　of　his　former　expedition？　　I　hope　there　　is　no　gentleman　here　that　is　not　ready　to　redeem；　in　his　prince's　presence；　the　pledge　of　fidelity　which　he　offered　in　his　absence。'

'I；　at　least；'　said　the　young　nobleman　resolutely；　and　laying　his　hand　on　his　sword；　'will　not　be　that　coward。　　If　Charles　is　come　to　these　shores；　I　will　be　the　first　to　give　him　welcome；　and　to　devote　my　life　and　fortune　to　his　service。'

'Before　Cot；'　said　Mr。　Meredith；　'I　do　not　see　that　Mr。　Redgauntlet　has　left　us　anything　else　to　do。'

'Stay；'　said　Summertrees；　'there　is　yet　one　other　question。　　Has　he　brought　any　of　those　Irish　rapparees　with　him；　who　broke　the　neck　of　our　last　glorious　affair？'

'Not　a　man　of　them；'　said　Redgauntlet。

'I　trust；'　said　Dr。　Grumball；　'that　there　are　no　Catholic　priests　in　his　company。　　I　would　not　intrude　on　the　private　conscience　of　my　sovereign；　but；　as　an　unworthy　son　of　the　Church　of　England；　it　is　my　duty　to　consider　her　security。'

'Not　a　Popish　dog　or　cat　is　there；　to　bark　or　mew　about　his　Majesty；'　said　Redgauntlet。　　'Old　Shaftesbury　himself　could　not　wish　a　prince's　person　more　secure　from　Poperywhich　may　not　be　the　worst　religion　in　the　world；　notwithstanding。　　Any　more　doubts；　gentlemen？　　can　no　more　plausible　reasons　be　discovered　for　postponing　the　payment　of　our　duty；　and　discharge　of　our　oaths　and　engagements？　　Meantime　your　king　waits　your　declarationby　my　faith　he　hath　but　a　frozen　reception！'

'Redgauntlet；'　said　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　calmly；　'your　reproaches　shall　not　goad　me　into　anything　of　which　my　reason　disapproves。　　That　I　respect　my　engagement　as　much　as　you　do；　is　evident；　since　I　am　here；　ready　to　support　it　with　the　best　blood　in　my　veins。　　But　has　the　king　really　come　hither　entirely　unattended？'

'He　has　no　man　with　him　but　young　；　as　aide　de　camp；　and　a　single　valet　de　chambre。'

'No　MANbut；　Redgauntlet；　as　you　are　a　gentleman；　has　he　no　woman　with　him？'

Redgauntlet　cast　his　eyes　on　the　ground　and　replied；　'I　am　sorry　to　sayhe　has。'

The　company　looked　at　each　other；　and　remained　silent　for　a　moment。　　At　length　Sir　Richard　proceeded。　　'I　need　not　repeat　to　you；　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　what　is　the　well…grounded　opinion　of　his　Majesty's　friends　concerning　that　most　unhappy　connexion　there　is　but　one　sense　and　feeling　amongst　us　upon　the　subject。　　I　must　conclude　that　our　humble　remonstrances　were　communicated　by　you；　sir；　to　the　king？'

'In　the　same　strong　terms　in　which　they　were　couched；'　replied　Redgauntlet。　　'I　love　his　Majesty's　cause　more　than　I　fear　his　displeasure。'

'But；　apparently；　our　humble　expostulation　has　produced　no　effect。　　This　lady；　who　has　crept　into　his　bosom；　has　a　sister　in　the　Elector　of　Hanover's　court；　and　yet　we　are　well　assured　that　our　most　private　communication　is　placed　in　her　keeping。'

'VARIUM　ET　MUTABILE　SEMPER　FEMINA；'　said　Dr。　Grumball。

'She　puts　his　secrets　into　her　work…bag；'　said　Maxwell；　'and　out　they　fly　whenever　she　opens　it。　　If　I　must　hang；　I　would　wish　it　to　be　in　somewhat　a　better　rope　than　the　string　of　a　lady's　hussey。'

'Are　you；　too；　turning　dastard；　Maxwell？'　　said　Redgauntlet；　in　a　whisper。

'Not　I；'　said　Maxwell；　'let　us　fight　for　it；　and　let　them　win　and　wear　us；　but　to　be　betrayed　by　a　brimstone　like　that'

'Be　temperate；　gentlemen；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'the　foible　of　which　you　complain　so　heavily　has　always　been　that　of　kings　and　heroes；　which　I　feel　strongly　confident　the　king　will　surmount；　upon　the　humble　entreaty　of　his　best　servants；　and　when　he　sees　them　ready　to　peril　their　all　in　his　cause；　upon　the　slight　condition　of　his　resigning　the　society　of　a　female　favourite；　of　whom　I　have　seen　reason　to　think　he　hath　been　himself　for　some　time　wearied。　　But　let　us　not　press　upon　him　rashly　with　our　well…meant　zeal。　　He　has　a　princely　will　as　becomes　his　princely　birth；　and　we；　gentlemen；　who　are　royalists；　should　be　the　last　to　take　advantage　of　circumstances　to　limit　its　exercise。　　I　am　as　much　surprised　and　hurt　as　you　can　be；　to　find　that　he　has　made　her　the　companion　of　this　journey；　increasing　every　chance　of　treachery　and　detection。　　But　do　not　let　us　insist　upon　a　sacrifice　so　humiliating；　while　he　has　scarce　placed　a　foot　upon　the　beach　of　his　kingdom。　　Let　us　act　generously　by　our　sovereign；　and　when　we　have　shown　what　we　will　do　for　him；　we　shall　be　able；　with　better　face；　to　state　what　it　is　we　expect　him　to　concede。'

'Indeed；　I　think　it　is　but　a　pity；'　said　MacKellar；　'when　so　many　pretty　gentlemen　are　got　together；　that　they　should　part　without　the　flash　of　a　sword　among　them'

'I　should　be　of　that　gentleman's　opinion；'　said　Lord　；　'had　I　nothing　to　lose　but　my　life；　but　I　frankly　own；　that　the　conditions　on　which　our　family　agreed　to　join　having　been；　in　this　instance；　left　unfulfilled；　I　will　not　peril　the　whole　fortunes　of　our　house　on　the　doubtful　fidelity　of　an　artful　woman。'

'I　am　sorry　to　see　your　lordship；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'take　a　course　which　is　more　likely　to　secure　your　house's　wealth　than　to　augment　its　honours。'

'How　am　I　to　understand　your　language；　sir？'　　said　the　young　nobleman；　haughtily。

'Nay；　gentlemen；'　said　Dr　Grumball；　interposing；　'do　not　let　friends　quarrel；　we　are　all　zealous　for　the　causebut　truly；　although　I　know　the　license　claimed　by　the　great　in　such　matters；　and　can；　I　hope；　make　due　allowance；　there　is；　I　may　say；　an　indecorum　in　a　prince　who　comes　to　claim　the　allegiance　of　the　Church　of　England；　arriving　on　such　an　errand　with　such　a　companionSI　NON　CASTE；　CAUTE　TAMEN。'

'I　wonder　how　the　Church　of　England　came　to　be　so　heartily　attached　to　his　merry　old　namesake；'　said　Redgauntlet。

Sir　Richard　Glendale　then　took　up　the　question；　as　one　whose　authority　and　experience　gave　him　right　to　speak　with　much　weight。

'We　have　no　leisure　for　hesitation；'　he　said；　'it　is　full　time　that　we　decide　what　course　we　are　to　hold。　　I　feel　as　much　as　you；　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　the　delicacy　of　capitulating　with　our　sovereign　in　his　present　condition。　　But　I　must　also　think　of　the　total　ruin　of　the　cause；　the　confiscation　and　bloodshed　which　will　take　place　among　his　adherents；　and　all　through　the　infatuation　with　which　he　adheres　to　a　woman　who　is　the　pensionary　of　the　present　minister；　as　she　was　for　years　Sir　Robert　Walpole's。　　Let　his　Majesty　send　her　back　to　the　continent；　and　the　sword　on　which　I　now　lay　my　hand　shall　instantly　be　unsheathed；　and；　I　trust；　many　hundred　others　at　the　same　moment。'

The　other　persons　present　testified　their　unanimous　acquiescence　in　what　Sir　Richard　Glendale　had　said。

'I　see　you　have　taken　your　resolutions；　gentlemen；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'unwisely　I　think；　because　I　believe　that；　by　softer　and　more　generous　proceedings；　you　would　have　been　more　likely　to　carry　a　point　which　I　think　as　desirable　as　you　do。　　But　what　is　to　be　done　if　Charles　should　refuse；　with　the　inflexibility　of　his　grandfather；　to　comply　with　this　request　of　yours？　　Do　you　mean　to　abandon　him　to　his　fate？'

'God　forbid！'　　said　Sir　Richard；　hastily；　'and　God　forgive　you；　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　for　breathing　such　a　thought。　　No！　　I　for　one　will；　with　all　duty　and　humility；　see　him　safe　back　to　his　vessel；　and　defend　him　with　my　life　against　whosoever　shall　assail　him。　　But　when　I　have　seen　his　sails　spread；　my　next　act　will　be　to　secure；　if　I　can；　my　own　safety；　by　retiring　to　my　house；　or；　if　I　find　our　engagement；　as　is　too　probable；　has　taken　wind；　by　surrendering　myself　to　the　next　Justice　of　Peace；　and　giving　security　that　hereafter　I　shall　live　quiet；　and　submit　to　the　ruling　powers。'

Again　the　rest　of　the　persons　present　intimated　their　agreement　in　opinion　with　the　speaker。

'Well；　gentlemen；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'it　is　not　for　me　to　oppose　the　opinion　of　every　one；　and　I　must　do　you　the　justice　to　say；　that　the　king　has；　in　the　present　instance；　neglected　a　condition　of　your　agreement　which　was　laid　before　him　in　very　distinct　terms。　　The　question　now　is；　who　is　to　acquaint　him　with　the　result　of　this　conference；　for　I　presume　you　would　not　wait　on　him　in　a　body　to　make　the　proposal　that　he　should　dismiss　a　person　from　his　family　as　the　price　of　your　allegiance。'

'I　think　Mr。　Redgauntlet　should　make　the　explanation；　said　Lord　。　　'As　he　has；　doubtless；　done　justice　to　our　remonstrances　by　communicating　them　to　the　king；　no　one　can；　with　such　propriety　and　force；　state　the　natural　and　inevitable　consequence　of　their　being　neglected。'

'Now；　I　think；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'that　those　who　make　the　objection　should　state　it；　for　I　am　confident　the　king　will　hardly　believe；　on　less　authority　than　that　of　the　heir　of　the　loyal　House　of　B；　that　he　is　the　first　to　seek　an　evasion　of　his　pledge　to　join　him。'

'An　evasion；　sir！'　　repeated　Lord　；　fiercely；　'I　have　borne　too　much　from　you　alrea