redgauntlet-第109节

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sister。　　Let　me　hope；'　he　said；　'my　dear　Miss　Latimer；　that　my　presence　may　be　of　some　use　to　you；　and　that　it　may　be　so；　let　me　entreat　a　share　of　your　confidence；　which　I　am　conscious　I　have　otherwise　no　right　to　ask。'

He　led　her；　as　he　spoke；　towards　the　recess　of　the　farther　window　of　the　room；　and　observing　to　her　that；　unhappily；　he　was　particularly　exposed　to　interruption　from　the　mad　old　man　whose　entrance　had　alarmed　her；　he　disposed　of　Darsie　Latimer's　riding…　skirt；　which　had　been　left　in　the　apartment；　over　the　back　of　two　chairs；　forming　thus　a　sort　of　screen；　behind　which　he　ensconced　himself　with　the　maiden　of　the　green　mantle；　feeling　at　the　moment；　that　the　danger　in　which　he　was　placed　was　almost　compensated　by　the　intelligence　which　permitted　those　feelings　towards　her　to　revive；　which　justice　to　his　friend　had　induced　him　to　stifle　in　the　birth。

The　relative　situation　of　adviser　and　advised；　of　protector　and　protected；　is　so　peculiarly　suited　to　the　respective　condition　of　man　and　woman；　that　great　progress　towards　intimacy　is　often　made　in　very　short　space；　for　the　circumstances　call　for　confidence　on　the　part　of　the　gentleman；　and　forbid　coyness　on　that　of　the　lady；　so　that　the　usual　barriers　against　easy　intercourse　are　at　once　thrown　down。

Under　these　circumstances；　securing　themselves　as　far　as　possible　from　observation；　conversing　in　whispers；　and　seated　in　a　corner；　where　they　were　brought　into　so　close　contact　that　their　faces　nearly　touched　each　other；　Fairford　heard　from　Lilias　Redgauntlet　the　history　of　her　family；　particularly　of　her　uncle；　his　views　upon　her　brother；　and　the　agony　which　she　felt；　lest　at　that　very　moment　he　might　succeed　in　engaging　Darsie　in　some　desperate　scheme；　fatal　to　his　fortune　and　perhaps　to　his　life。

Alan　Fairford's　acute　understanding　instantly　connected　what　he　had　heard　with　the　circumstances　he　had　witnessed　at　Fairladies。　His　first　thought　was；　to　attempt；　at　all　risks；　his　instant　escape；　and　procure　assistance　powerful　enough　to　crush；　in　the　very　cradle；　a　conspiracy　of　such　a　determined　character。　　This　he　did　not　consider　as　difficult；　for；　though　the　door　was　guarded　on　the　outside；　the　window；　which　was　not　above　ten　feet　from　the　ground；　was　open　for　escape；　the　common　on　which　it　looked　was　unenclosed；　and　profusely　covered　with　furze。　　There　would；　he　thought；　be　little　difficulty　in　effecting　his　liberty；　and　in　concealing　his　course　after　he　had　gained　it。

But　Lilias　exclaimed　against　this　scheme。　　Her　uncle；　she　said；　was　a　man　who；　in　his　moments　of　enthusiasm；　knew　neither　remorse　nor　fear。　　He　was　capable　of　visiting　upon　Darsie　any　injury　which　he　might　conceive　Fairford　had　rendered　himhe　was　her　near　kinsman　also；　and　not　an　unkind　one；　and　she　deprecated　any　effort；　even　in　her　brother's　favour；　by　which　his　life　must　be　exposed　to　danger。　　Fairford　himself　remembered　Father　Buonaventure；　and　made　little　question　but　that　he　was　one　of　the　sons　of　the　old　Chevalier　de　Saint　George；　and　with　feelings　which；　although　contradictory　of　his　public　duty；　can　hardly　be　much　censured；　his　heart　recoiled　from　being　the　agent　by　whom　the　last　scion　of　such　a　long　line　of　Scottish　princes　should　be　rooted　up。　　He　then　thought　of　obtaining　an　audience；　if　possible；　of　this　devoted　person；　and　explaining　to　him　the　utter　hopelessness　of　his　undertaking；　which　he　judged　it　likely　that　the　ardour　of　his　partisans　might　have　concealed　from　him。　　But　he　relinquished　this　design　as　soon　as　formed。　　He　had　no　doubt；　that　any　light　which　he　could　throw　on　the　state　of　the　country；　would　come　too　late　to　be　serviceable　to　one　who　was　always　reported　to　have　his　own　full　share　of　the　hereditary　obstinacy　which　had　cost　his　ancestors　so　dear；　and　who；　in　drawing　the　sword；　must　have　thrown　from　him　the　scabbard。

Lilias　suggested　the　advice　which；　of　all　others；　seemed　most　suited　to　the　occasion；　that；　yielding；　namely；　to　the　circumstances　of　their　situation；　they　should　watch　carefully　when　Darsie　should　obtain　any　degree　of　freedom；　and　endeavour　to　open　a　communication　with　him；　in　which　case　their　joint　flight　might　be　effected；　and　without　endangering　the　safety　of　any　one。

Their　youthful　deliberation　had　nearly　fixed　in　this　point；　when　Fairford；　who　was　listening　to　the　low　sweet　whispering　tones　of　Lilias　Redgauntlet；　rendered　yet　more　interesting　by　some　slight　touch　of　foreign　accent；　was　startled　by　a　heavy　hand　which　descended　with　full　weight　on　his　shoulder；　while　the　discordant　voice　of　Peter　Peebles；　who　had　at　length　broke　loose　from　the　well…meaning　Quaker；　exclaimed　in　the　ear　of　his　truant　counsel　'Aha；　lad！　　I　think　ye　are　catchedAn'　so　ye　are　turned　chamber…　counsel；　are　ye？　　And　ye　have　drawn　up　wi'　clients　in　scarfs　and　hoods？　　But　bide　a　wee；　billie；　and　see　if　I　dinna　sort　ye　when　my　petition　and　complaint　comes　to　be　discussed；　with　or　without　answers；　under　certification。'

Alan　Fairford　had　never　more　difficulty　in　his　life　to　subdue　a　first　emotion；　than　he　had　to　refrain　from　knocking　down　the　crazy　blockhead　who　had　broken　in　upon　him　at　such　a　moment。　　But　the　length　of　Peter's　address　gave　him　time；　fortunately　perhaps　for　both　parties；　to　reflect　on　the　extreme　irregularity　of　such　a　proceeding。　　He　stood　silent；　however；　with　vexation；　while　Peter　went　on。

'Weel；　my　bonnie　man；　I　see　ye　are　thinking　shame　o'　yoursell；　and　nae　great　wonder。　　Ye　maun　leave　this　queanthe　like　of　her　is　ower　light　company　for　you。　　I　have　heard　honest　Mr。　Pest　say；　that　the　gown　grees　ill　wi'　the　petticoat。　　But　come　awa　hame　to　your　puir　father；　and　I'll　take　care　of　you　the　haill　gate；　and　keep　you　company；　and　deil　a　word　we　will　speak　about；　but　just　the　state　of　the　conjoined　processes　of　the　great　cause　of　Poor　Peter　Peebles　against　Plainstanes。'

'If　thou　canst；　endure　to　hear　as　much　of　that　suit；　friend；'　said　the　Quaker；　'as　I　have　heard　out　of　mere　compassion。　　for　thee；　I　think　verily　thou　wilt　soon　be　at　the　bottom　of　the　matter；　unless　it　be　altogether　bottomless。'

Fairford　shook　off；　rather　indignantly；　the　large　bony　hand　which　Peter　had　imposed　upon　his　shoulder；　and　was　about　to　say　something　peevish；　upon　so　unpleasant　and　insolent　a　mode　of　interruption；　when　the　door　opened；　a　treble　voice　saying　to　the　sentinel；　'I　tell　you　I　maun　be　in；　to　see　if　Mr。　Nixon's　here；'　and　little　Benjie　thrust　in　his　mop…head　and　keen　black　eyes。　Ere　he　could　withdraw　it；　Peter　Peebles　sprang　to　the　door；　seized　on　the　boy　by　the　collar；　and　dragged　him　forward　into　the　room。

'Let　me　see　it；'　he　said；　'ye　ne'er…do…weel　limb　of　SatanI'll　gar　you　satisfy　the　production；　I　trowI'll　hae　first　and　second　diligence　against　you；　ye　deevil's　buckie！'

'What　dost　thou　want？'　　said　the　Quaker；　interfering；　'why　dost　thou　frighten　the　boy；　friend　Peebles？'

'I　gave　the　bastard　a　penny　to　buy　me　snuff；'　said　the　pauper；　'and　he　has　rendered　no　account　of　his　intromissions；　but　I'll　gar　him　as　gude。'

So　saying；　he　proceeded　forcibly　to　rifle　the　pockets　of　Benjie's　ragged　jacket　of　one　or　two　snares　for　game；　marbles；　a　half…　bitten　apple；　two　stolen　eggs　（one　of　which　Peter　broke　in　the　eagerness　of　his　research）；　and　various　other　unconsidered　trifles；　which　had　not　the　air　of　being　very　honestly　come　by。　The　little　rascal；　under　this　discipline；　bit　and　struggled　like　a　fox…cub；　but；　like　that　vermin；　uttered　neither　cry　nor　complaint；　till　a　note；　which　Peter　tore　from　his　bosom；　flew　as　far　as　Lilias　Redgauntlet；　and　fell　at　her　feet。　　It　was　addressed　to　C。　N。

'It　is　for　the　villain　Nixon。'　　she　said　to　Alan　Fairford；　'open　it　without　scruple；　that　boy　is　his　emissary；　we　shall　now　see　what　the　miscreant　is　driving　at。'

Little　Benjie　now　gave　up　all　further　struggle；　and　suffered　Peebles　to　take　from　him；　without　resistance；　a　shilling；　out　of　which　Peter　declared　he　would　pay　himself　principal　and　interest；　and　account　for　the　balance。　　The　boy；　whose　attention　seemed　fixed　on　something　very　different；　only　said；　'Maister　Nixon　will　murder　me！'

Alan　Fairford　did　not　hesitate　to　read　the　little　scrap　of　paper；　on　which　was　written；　'All　is　preparedkeep　them　in　play　until　I　come　up。　　You　may　depend　on　your　reward。C。　C。'

'Alas；　my　unclemy　poor　uncle！'　　said　Lilias；　'this　is　the　result　of　his　confidence。　　Methinks；　to　give　him　instant　notice　of　his　confidant's　treachery；　is　now　the　best　service　we　can　render　all　concernedif　they　break　up　their　undertaking；　as　they　must　now　do；　Darsie　will　be　at　liberty。'

In　the　same　breath；　they　were　both　at　the　half…opened　door　of　the　room；　Fairford　entreating　to　speak　with　the　Father　Buonaventure；　and　Lilias；　equally　vehemently；　requesting　a　moment's　interview　with　her　uncle。　　While　the　sentinel　hesitated　what　to　do；　his　attention　was　called　to　a　loud　noise　at　the　door；　where　a　crowd　had　been　assembled　in　consequence　of　the　appalling　cry；　that　the　enemy　were　upon　them；　occasioned；　as　it　afterwards　proved；　by　some　stragglers　having　at　length　discovered　the　dead　bodies　of　Nanty　Ewart　and　of　Nixon。

Amid　the　confusion　occasioned　by　this　alarming　incident；　the　sentinel　ceased　to　attend；　to　his　duty；　and　accepting　Alan　Fairford's　arm；　Lilias　found　no　opposition　in　penetrating　even　t