redgauntlet-第106节

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spect　as　deep　regret。　　It　is　true；　we　have　called　you　to　head　a　mighty　undertaking；　and　that　your　Majesty；　preferring　honour　to　safety；　and　the　love　of　your　country　to　your　own　ease；　has　condescended　to　become　our　leader。　But　we　also　pointed　out　as　a　necessary　and　indispensable　preparatory　step　to　the　achievement　of　our　purposeand；　I　must　say；　as　a　positive　condition　of　our　engaging　in　itthat　an　individual；　supposed；I　presume　not　to　guess　how　truly；to　have　your　Majesty's　more　intimate　confidence；　and　believed；　I　will　not　say　on　absolute　proof　but　upon　the　most　pregnant　suspicion；　to　be　capable　of　betraying　that　confidence　to　the　Elector　of　Hanover；　should　be　removed　from　your　royal　household　and　society。'

'This　is　too　insolent；　Sir　Richard！'　　said　Charles　Edward。　　'Have　you　inveigled　me　into　your　power　to　bait　me　in　this　unseemly　manner？　　And　you；　Redgauntlet；　why　did　you　suffer　matters　to　come　to　such　a　point　as　this；　without　making　me　more　distinctly　aware　what　insults　were　to　be　practised　on　me？'

'My　gracious　prince；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　am　so　far　to　blame　in　this；　that　I　did　not　think　so　slight　an　impediment　as　that　of　a　woman's　society　could　have　really　interrupted　an　undertaking　of　this　magnitude。　　I　am　a　plain　man；　sire；　and　speak　but　bluntly；　I　could　not　have　dreamt　but　what；　within　the　first　five　minutes　of　this　interview；　either　Sir　Richard　and　his　friends　would　have　ceased　to　insist　upon　a　condition　so　ungrateful　to　your　Majesty；　or　that　your　Majesty　would　have　sacrificed　this　unhappy　attachment　to　the　sound　advice；　or　even　to　the　over…anxious　suspicions；　of　so　many　faithful　subjects。　　I　saw　no　entanglement　in　such　a　difficulty　which　on　either　side　might　not　have　been　broken　through　like　a　cobweb。'

'You　were　mistaken；　sir；'　said　Charles　Edward；　'entirely　mistakenas　much　so　as　you　are　at　this　moment；　when　you　think　in　your　heart　my　refusal　to　comply　with　this　insolent　proposition　is　dictated　by　a　childish　and　romantic　passion　for　an　individual；　I　tell　you；　sir；　I　could　part　with　that　person　to…morrow；　without　an　instant's　regretthat　I　have　had　thoughts　of　dismissing　her　from　my　court；　for　reasons　known　to　myself；　but　that　I　will　never　betray　my　rights　as　a　sovereign　and　a　man；　by　taking　this　step　to　secure　the　favour　of　any　one；　or　to　purchase　that　allegiance　which；　if　you　owe　it　to　me　at　all；　is　due　to　me　as　my　birthright。'

'I　am　sorry　for　this；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　hope　both　your　Majesty　and　Sir　Richard　will　reconsider　your　resolutions；　or　forbear　this　discussion；　in　a　conjuncture　so　pressing。　　I　trust　your　Majesty　will　recollect　that　you　are　on　hostile　ground；　that　our　preparations　cannot　have　so　far　escaped　notice　as　to　permit　us　now　with　safety　to　retreat　from　our　purpose；　insomuch；　that　it　is　with　the　deepest　anxiety　of　heart　I　foresee　even　danger　to　your　own　royal　person；　unless　you　can　generously　give　your　subjects　the　satisfaction；　which　Sir　Richard　seems　to　think　they　are　obstinate　in　demanding；'

'And　deep　indeed　your　anxiety　ought　to　be；'　said　the　prince。　　'Is　it　in　these　circumstances　of　personal　danger　in　which　you　expect　to　overcome　a　resolution；　which　is　founded　on　a　sense　of　what　is　due　to　me　as　a　man　or　a　prince？　　If　the　axe　and　scaffold　were　ready　before　the　windows　of　Whitehall；　I　would　rather　tread　the　same　path　with　my　great…grandfather；　than　concede　the　slightest　point　in　which　my　honour　is　concerned。'

He　spoke　these　words　with　a　determined　accent；　and　looked　around　him　on　the　company；　all　of　whom　（excepting　Darsie；　who　saw；　he　thought；　a　fair　period　to　a　most　perilous　enterprise）　seemed　in　deep　anxiety　and　confusion。　　At　length；　Sir　Richard　spoke　in　a　solemn　and　melancholy　tone。　　'If　the　safety；'　he　said；　'of　poor　Richard　Glendale　were　alone　concerned　in　this　matter；　I　have　never　valued　my　life　enough　to　weigh　it　against　the　slightest　point　of　your　Majesty's　service。　　But　I　am　only　a　messengera　commissioner；　who　must　execute　my　trust；　and　upon　whom　a　thousand　voices　will　cry；　Curse　and　woe；　if　I　do　it　not　with　fidelity。　All　of　your　adherents；　even　Redgauntlet　himself；　see　certain　ruin　to　this　enterprisethe　greatest　danger　to　your　Majesty's　person　the　utter　destruction　of　all　your　party　and　friends；　if　they　insist　not　on　the　point；　which；　unfortunately；　your　Majesty　is　so　unwilling　to　concede。　　I　speak　it　with　a　heart　full　of　anguish　with　a　tongue　unable　to　utter　my　emotionsbut　it　must　be　spoken　the　fatal　truththat　if　your　royal　goodness　cannot　yield　to　us　a　boon　which　we　hold　necessary　to　our　security　and　your　own；　your　Majesty　with　one　word　disarms　ten　thousand　men；　ready　to　draw　their　swords　in　your　behalf；　or；　to　speak　yet　more　plainly；　you　annihilate　even　the　semblance　of　a　royal　party　in　Great　Britain。'

'And　why　do　you　not　add；'　said　the　prince；　scornfully；　'that　the　men　who　have　been　ready　to　assume　arms　in　my　behalf；　will　atone　for　their　treason　to　the　Elector；　by　delivering　me　up　to　the　fate　for　which　so　many　proclamations　have　destined　me？　　Carry　my　head　to　St。　James's；　gentlemen；　you　will　do　a　more　acceptable　and　a　more　honourable　action；　than；　having　inveigled　me　into　a　situation　which　places　me　so　completely　in　your　power；　to　dishonour　yourselves　by　propositions　which　dishonour　me。

'My　God；　sire！'　　exclaimed　Sir　Richard；　clasping　his　hands　together；　in　impatience；　'of　what　great　and　inexpiable　crime　can　your　Majesty's　ancestors　have　'been　guilty；　that　they　have　been　punished　by　the　infliction　of　judicial　blindness　on　their　whole　generation！Come；　my　Lord　；　we　must　to　our　friends。'

'By　your　leave；　Sir　Richard；'　said　the　young　nobleman；　'not　till　we；　have　learned　what　measures　can　be　taken　for　his　Majesty's　personal　safety。'

'Care　not　for　me；　young　man；'　said　Charles　Edward；　'when　I　was　in　the　society　of　Highland　robbers　and　cattle…drovers；　I　was　safer　than　I　now　hold　myself　among　the　representatives　of　the　best　blood　in　England。　　Farewell；　gentlemenI　will　shift　for　myself。'

'This　must　never　be；'　said　Redgauntlet。　　'Let　me　that　brought　you　to　the　point　of　danger；　at　least　provide　for　your　safe　retreat。'

So　saying；　he　hastily　left　the　apartment；　followed　by　his　nephew。　The　Wanderer；　averting　his　eyes　from　Lord　　and　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　threw　himself　into　a　seat　at　the　upper　end　of　the　apartment；　while　they；　in　much　anxiety；　stood　together；　at　a　distance　from　him；　and　conversed　in　whispers。




CHAPTER　XXIII

NARRATIVE　CONTINUED

When　Redgauntlet　left　the　room；　in　haste　and　discomposure；　the　first　person　he　met　on　the　stair；　and　indeed　so　close　by　the　door　of　the　apartment　that　Darsie　thought　he　must　have　been　listening　there；　was　his　attendant　Nixon。

'What　the　devil　do　you　here？'　　he　said；　abruptly　and　sternly。

'I　wait　your　orders；'　said　Nixon。　　'I　hope　all's　right！excuse　my　zeal。'

'All　is　wrong；　sir。　　Where　is　the　seafaring　fellowEwartwhat　do　you　call　him？'

'Nanty　Ewart；　sir。　　I　will　carry　your　commands；'　said　Nixon。

'I　will　deliver　them　myself　to　him；'　said　Redgauntlet；　call　him　hither。'

'But　should　your　honour　leave　the　presence？'　　said　Nixon；　still　lingering。

''Sdeath；　sir；　do　you　prate　to　me？'　　said　Redgauntlet；　bending　his　brows。　　'I；　sir；　transact　my　own　business；　you；　I　am　told；　act　by　a　ragged　deputy。'

Without　further　answer；　Nixon　departed；　rather　disconcerted；　as　it　seemed　to　Darsie。

'That　dog　turns　insolent　and　lazy；'　said　Redgauntlet；　but　I　must　bear　with　him　for　a　while。'

A　moment　after；　Nixon　returned　with　Ewart。

'Is　this　the　smuggling　fellow？'　　demanded　Redgauntlet。　　Nixon　nodded。

'Is　he　sober　now？　　he　was　brawling　anon。'

'Sober　enough　for　business；'　said　Nixon。

'Well　then；　hark　ye；　Ewart；man　your　boat　with　your　best　hands；　and　have　her　by　the　pierget　your　other　fellows　on　board　the　brigif　you　have　any　cargo　left；　throw　it　overboard；　it　shall　be　all　paid；　five　times　overand　be　ready　for　a　start　to　Wales　or　the　Hebrides；　or　perhaps　for　Sweden　or　Norway。'

Ewart　answered　sullenly　enough；　'Aye；　aye；　sir。'

'Go　with　him；　Nixon；'　said　Redgauntlet；　forcing　himself　to　speak　with　some　appearance　of　cordiality　to　the　servant　with　whom　he　was　offended；　'see　he　does　his　duty。'

Ewart　left　the　house　sullenly；　followed　by　Nixon。　　The　sailor　was　just　in　that　species　of　drunken　humour　which　made　him　jealous；　passionate；　and　troublesome；　without　showing　any　other　disorder　than　that　of　irritability。　　As　he　walked　towards　the　beach　he　kept　muttering　to　himself；　but　in　such　a　tone　that　his　companion　lost　not　a　word；　'Smuggling　fellowAye；　smugglerand；　start　your　cargo　into　the　seaand　be　ready　to　start　for　the　Hebrides；　or　Swedenor　the　devil；　I　suppose。　　Well；　and　what　if　I　said　in　answerRebel；　JacobitetraitorI'll　make　you　and　your　dd　confederates　walk　the　plankI　have　seen　better　men　do　ithalf　a　score　of　a　morningwhen　I　was　across　the　Line。'

'Dd　unhandsome　terms　those　Redgauntlet　used　to　you；　brother。'　said　Nixon。

'Which　do　you　mean？'　　said　Ewart；　starting；　and　recollecting　himself。　　'I　have　been　at　my　old　trade　of　thinking　aloud；　have　I？'

'No　matter；'　answered　Nixon；　'none　but　a　friend　heard　you。　　You　cannot　have　forgotten　how　Redgauntlet　disarmed　you　this　morning。'

'Why；　I　would　bear　no　malice　about　thatonly　he　is　so　cursedly　high　and　saucy；'　said　Ewart。

'And　then；'　said　Nixon；'I　know　you　for