redgauntlet-第20节

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　which　he　must　take；　and　the　path　which　he　has　to　travel。What　sayest　thou；　friend　Latimer？　　We　constrain　not　our　friends　to　our　ways；　and　thou　art；　I　think；　too　wise　to　quarrel　with　us　for　following　our　own　fashions；　and　if　we　should　even　give　thee　a　word　of　advice；　thou　wilt　not；　I　think；　be　angry；　so　that　it　is　spoken　in　season。'

You　know；　Alan；　how　easily　I　am　determined　by　anything　resembling　cordialityand　so；　though　a　little　afraid　of　the　formality　of　my　host　and　hostess；　I　accepted　their　invitation；　provided　I　could　get　some　messenger　to　send　to　Shepherd's　Bush　for　my　servant　and　portmanteau。

'Why；　truly；　friend；'　said　Joshua；　'thy　outward　frame　would　be　improved　by　cleaner　garments；　but　I　will　do　thine　errand　myself　to　the　Widow　Gregson's　house　of　reception；　and　send　thy　lad　hither　with　thy　clothes。　　Meanwhile；　Rachel　will　show　thee　these　little　gardens；　and　then　will　put　thee　in　some　way　of　spending　thy　time　usefully；　till　our　meal　calls　us　together　at　the　second　hour　after　noon。　　I　bid　thee　farewell　for　the　present；　having　some　space　to　walk；　seeing　I　must　leave　the　animal　Solomon　to　his　refreshing　rest。'

With　these　words；　Mr。　Joshua　Geddes　withdrew。　　Some　ladies　we　have　known　would　have　felt；　or　at　least　affected；　reserve　or　embarrassment；　at　being　left　to　do　the　honours　of　the　grounds　to　（it　will　be　out；　Alan）a　smart　young　fellowan　entire　stranger。　She　went　out　for　a　few　minutes；　and　returned　in　her　plain　cloak　and　bonnet；　with　her　beaver　gloves；　prepared　to　act　as　my　guide；　with　as　much　simplicity　as　if　she　had　been　to　wait　upon　thy　father。　　So　forth　I　sallied　with　my　fair　Quakeress。

If　the　house　at　Mount　Sharon　be　merely　a　plain　and　convenient　dwelling；　of　moderate　size　and　small　pretensions；　the　gardens　and　offices；　though　not　extensive；　might　rival　an　earl's　in　point　of　care　and　expense。　　Rachel　carried　me　first　to　her　own　favourite　resort；　a　poultry…yard；　stocked　with　a　variety　of　domestic　fowls；　of　the　more　rare　as　well　as　the　most　ordinary　kinds；　furnished　with　every　accommodation　which　may　suit　their　various　habits。　　A　rivulet　which　spread　into　a　pond　for　the　convenience　of　the　aquatic　birds；　trickled　over　gravel　as　it　passed　through　the　yards　dedicated　to　the　land　poultry；　which　were　thus　amply　supplied　with　the　means　they　use　for　digestion。

All　these　creatures　seemed　to　recognize　the　presence　of　their　mistress；　and　some　especial　favourites　hastened　to　her　feet；　and　continued　to　follow　her　as　far　as　their　limits　permitted。　　She　pointed　out　their　peculiarities　and　qualities；　with　the　discrimination　of　one　who　had　made　natural　history　her　study；　and　I　own　I　never　looked　on　barn…door　fowls　with　so　much　interest　beforeat　least　until　they　were　boiled　or　roasted。　　I　could　not　help　asking　the　trying　question；　how　she　could　order　the　execution　of　any　of　the　creatures　of　which　she　seemed　so　careful。

'It　was　painful；'　she　said；　'but　it　was　according　to　the　law　of　their　being。　　They　must　die；　but　they　knew　not　when　death　was　approaching；　and　in　making　them　comfortable　while　they　lived；　we　contributed　to　their　happiness　as　much　as　the　conditions　of　their　existence　permitted　to　us。'

I　am　not　quite　of　her　mind；　Alan。　　I　do　not　believe　either　pigs　or　poultry　would　admit　that　the　chief　end　of　their　being　was　to　be　killed　and　eaten。　　However；　I　did　not　press　the　argument；　from　which　my　Quaker　seemed　rather　desirous　to　escape；　for；　conducting　me　to　the　greenhouse；　which　was　extensive；　and　filled　with　the　choicest　plants；　she　pointed　out　an　aviary　which　occupied　the　farther　end；　where；　she　said；　she　employed　herself　with　attending　the　inhabitants；　without　being　disturbed　with　any　painful　recollections　concerning　their　future　destination。

I　will　not　trouble　you　with　any　account　of　the　various　hot…houses　and　gardens；　and　their　contents。　　No　small　sum　of　money　must　have　been　expended　in　erecting　and　maintaining　them　in　the　exquisite　degree　of　good　order　which　they　exhibited。　　The　family；　I　understood；　were　connected　with　that　of　the　celebrated　Millar；　and　had　imbibed　his　taste　for　flowers；　and　for　horticulture。　　But　instead　of　murdering　botanical　names；　I　will　rather　conduct　you　to　the　POLICY；　or　pleasure…garden；　which　the　taste　of　Joshua　or　his　father　had　extended　on　the　banks　betwixt　the　house　and　river。　This　also；　in　contradistinction　to　the　prevailing　simplicity；　was　ornamented　in　an　unusual　degree。　　There　were　various　compartments；　the　connexion　of　which　was　well　managed；　and　although　the　whole　ground　did　not　exceed　five　or　six　acres；　it　was　so　much　varied　as　to　seem　four　times　larger。　　The　space　contained　close　alleys　and　open　walks；　a　very　pretty　artificial　waterfall；　a　fountain　also；　consisting　of　a　considerable　jet…　d'eau；　whose　streams　glittered　in　the　sunbeams　and　exhibited　a　continual　rainbow。　　There　was　a　cabinet　of　verdure；　as　the　French　call　it；　to　cool　the　summer　heat；　and　there　was　a　terrace　sheltered　from　the　north…east　by　a　noble　holly　hedge；　with　all　its　glittering　spears　where　you　might　have　the　full　advantage　of　the　sun　in　the　clear　frosty　days　of　winter。

I　know　that　you；　Alan；　will　condemn　all　this　as　bad　and　antiquated；　for；　ever　since　Dodsley　has　described　the　Leasowes；　and　talked　of　Brown's　imitations　of　nature　and　Horace　Walpole's　late　Essay　on　Gardening；　you　are　all　for　simple　naturecondemn　walking　up　and　down　stairs　in　the　open　air　and　declare　for　wood　and　wilderness。　　But　NE　QUID　NIMIS。　　I　would　not　deface　a　scene　of　natural　grandeur　or　beauty；　by　the　introduction　of　crowded　artificial　decorations；　yet　such　may；　I　think；　be　very　interesting；　where　the　situation；　in　its　natural　state；　otherwise　has　no　particular　charms。

So　that　when　I　have　a　country…house　（who　can　say　how　soon？）　you　may　look　for　grottoes；　and　cascades；　and　fountains；　nay　if　you　vex　me　by　contradiction；　perhaps　I　may　go　the　length　of　a　temple　so　provoke　me　not；　for　you　see　of　what　enormities　I　am　capable。

At　any　rate；　Alan；　had　you　condemned　as　artificial　the　rest　of　Friend　Geddes's　grounds；　there　is　a　willow　walk　by　the　very　verge　of　the　stream；　so　sad；　so　solemn；　and　so　silent；　that　it　must　have　commanded　your　admiration。　　The　brook；　restrained　at　the　ultimate　boundary　of　the　grounds　by　a　natural　dam…dike　or　ledge　of　rocks；　seemed；　even　in　its　present　swollen　state；　scarcely　to　glide　along：　　and　the　pale　willow…trees；　dropping　their　long　branches　into　the　stream；　gathered　around　them　little　coronals　of　the　foam　that　floated　down　from　the　more　rapid　stream　above。　　The　high　rock；　which　formed　the　opposite　bank　of　the　brook；　was　seen　dimly　through　the　branches；　and　its　pale　and　splintered　front；　garlanded　with　long　streamers　of　briers　and　other　creeping　plants；　seemed　a　barrier　between　the　quiet　path　which　we　trod；　and　the　toiling　and　bustling　world　beyond。　　The　path　itself；　following　the　sweep　of　the　stream；　made　a　very　gentle　curve；　enough；　however；　served　by　its　inflection　completely　to　hide　the　end　of　the　walk　until　you　arrived　at　it。　　A　deep　and　sullen　sound；　which　increased　as　you　proceeded；　prepared　you　for　this　termination；　which　was　indeed　only　a　plain　root…seat；　from　which　you　looked　on　a　fall　of　about　six　or　seven　feet；　where　the　brook　flung　itself　over　the　ledge　of　natural　rock　I　have　already　mentioned；　which　there　crossed　its　course。

The　quiet　and　twilight　seclusion　of　this　walk　rendered　it　a　fit　scene　for　confidential　communing；　and　having　nothing　more　interesting　to　say　to　my　fair　Quaker；　I　took　the　liberty　of　questioning　her　about　the　laird；　for　you　are；　or　ought　to　be；　aware；　that　next　to　discussing　the　affairs　of　the　heart；　the　fair　sex　are　most　interested　in　those　of　their　neighbours。

I　did　not　conceal　either　my　curiosity；　or　the　check　which　it　had　received　from　Joshua；　and　I　saw　that　my　companion　answered　with　embarrassment。　　'I　must　not　speak　otherwise　than　truly；'　she　said；　'and　therefore　I　tell　thee；　that　my　brother　dislikes；　and　that　I　fear；　the　man　of　whom　thou　hast　asked　me。　　Perhaps　we　are　both　wrongbut　he　is　a　man　of　violence；　and　hath　great　influence　over　many；　who；　following　the　trade　of　sailors　and　fishermen；　become　as　rude　as　the　elements　with　which　they　contend。　　He　hath　no　certain　name　among　them；　which　is　not　unusual；　their　rude　fashion　being　to　distinguish　each　other　by　nicknames；　and　they　have　called　him　the　Laird　of　the　Lakes　（not　remembering　there　should　be　no　one　called　Lord；　save　one　only）　in　idle　derision；　the　pools　of　salt　water　left　by　the　tide　among　the　sands　being　called　the　Lakes　of　Solway。'

'Has　he　no　other　revenue　than　he　derives　from　these　sands？'　　I　asked。

'That　I　cannot　answer；'　replied　Rachel；　'men　say　that　he　wants　not　money；　though　he　lives　like　an　ordinary　fisherman；　and　that　he　imparts　freely　of　his　means　to　the　poor　around　him。　　They　intimate　that　he　is　a　man　of　consequence；　once　deeply　engaged　in　the　unhappy　affair　of　the　rebellion；　and　even　still　too　much　in　danger　from　the　government　to　assume　his　own　name。　　He　is　often　absent　from　his　cottage　at　Broken…burn…cliffs；　for　weeks　and　months。'

'I　should　have　thought；'　said　I；　'that　the　government　would　scarce；　at　this　time　of　day；　be　likely　to　proceed　against　any　one　even　of　the　most　obnoxious　rebels。　　Many　years　have　passed　away'　

'It　is　true；'　she　replied；　'yet　such　persons　may　understand　t