redgauntlet-第32节

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d　himself　again；　and　said　he　was　faint　and　frightened；　and　had　not　wind　aneugh　to　fill　the　bag。

'Then　ye　maun　eat　and　drink；　Steenie；'　said　the　figure；　'for　we　do　little　else　here；　and　it's　ill　speaking　between　a　fou　man　and　a　fasting。'

Now　these　were　the　very　words　that　the　bloody　Earl　of　Douglas　said　to　keep　the　king's　messenger　in　hand　while　he　cut　the　head　off　MacLellan　of　Bombie；　at　the　Threave　Castle；　＇The　reader　is　referred　for　particulars　to　Pitscottie's　HISTORY　OF　SCOTLAND。＇　and　that　put　Steenie　mair　and　mair　on　his　guard。　　So　he　spoke　up　like　a　man；　and　said　he　came　neither　to　eat；　or　drink。　　or　make　minstrelsy；　but　simply　for　his　ainto　ken　what　was　come　o'　the　money　he　had　paid；　and　to　get　a　discharge　for　it；　and　he　was　so　stout…hearted　by　this　time　that　he　charged　Sir　Robert　for　conscience…sake　（he　had　no　power　to　say　the　holy　name）　and　as　he　hoped　for　peace　and　rest；　to　spread　no　snares　for　him；　but　just　to　give　him　his　ain。

The　appearance　gnashed　its　teeth　and　laughed；　but　it　took　from　a　large　pocket…book　the　receipt；　and　handed　it　to　Steenie。　　'There　is　your　receipt；　ye　pitiful　cur；　and　for　the　money；　my　dog…whelp　of　a　son　may　go　look　for　it　in　the　Cat's　Cradle。'

My　gudesire　uttered　mony　thanks；　and　was　about　to　retire　when　Sir　Robert　roared　aloud；　'Stop；　though；　thou　sack…doudling　son　of　a　whore！　　I　am　not　done　with　thee。　　HERE　we　do　nothing　for　nothing；　and　you　must　return　on　this　very　day　twelvemonth；　to　pay　your　master　the　homage　that　you　owe　me　for　my　protection。'

My　father's　tongue　was　loosed　of　a　suddenty；　and　he　said　aloud；　'I　refer　mysell　to　God's　pleasure；　and　not　to　yours。'

He　had　no　sooner　uttered　the　word　than　all　was　dark　around　him；　and　he　sank　on　the　earth　with　such　a　sudden　shock；　that　he　lost　both　breath　and　sense。

How　lang　Steenie　lay　there；　he　could　not　tell；　but　when　he　came　to　himsell；　he　was　lying　in　the　auld　kirkyard　of　Redgauntlet　parochine　just　at　the　door　of　the　family　aisle；　and　the　scutcheon　of　the　auld　knight；　Sir　Robert；　hanging　over　his　head。　　There　was　a　deep　morning　fog　on　grass　and　gravestane　around　him；　and　his　horse　was　feeding　quietly　beside　the　minister's　twa　cows。　Steenie　would　have　thought　the　whole　was　a　dream；　but　he　had　the　receipt　in　his　hand；　fairly　written　and　signed　by　the　auld　laird；　only　the　last　letters　of　his　name　were　a　little　disorderly；　written　like　one　seized　with　sudden　pain。

Sorely　troubled　in　his　mind；　he　left　that　dreary　place；　rode　through　the　mist　to　Redgauntlet　Castle；　and　with　much　ado　he　got　speech　of　the　laird。

'Well；　you　dyvour　bankrupt；'　was　the　first　word；　'have　you　brought　me　my　rent？'

'No；'　answered　my　gudesire；　'I　have　not；　but　I　have　brought　your　honour　Sir　Robert's　receipt　for　it。'

'Wow；　sirrah？　　Sir　Robert's　receipt！　　You　told　me　he　had　not　given　you　one。'

'Will　your　honour　please　to　see　if　that　bit　line　is　right？'

Sir　John　looked　at　every　line；　and　at　every　letter；　with　much　attention；　and　at　last；　at　the　date；　which　my　gudesire　had　not　observed；'FROM　MY　APPOINTED　PLACE；〃　he　read；　'THIS　TWENTY…FIFTH　OF　NOVEMBER。''What！That　is　yesterday！Villain；　thou　must　have　gone　to　hell　for　this！'

'I　got　it　from　your　honour's　fatherwhether　he　be　in　heaven　or　hell；　I　know　not；'　said　Steenie。

'I　will　delate　you　for　a　warlock　to　the　Privy　Council！'　　said　Sir　John。　　'I　will　send　you　to　your　master；　the　devil；　with　the　help　of　a　tar…barrel　and　a　torch！'

'I　intend　to　delate　mysell　to　the　Presbytery；'　said　Steenie；　'and　tell　them　all　I　have　seen　last　night；　whilk　are　things　fitter　for　them　to　judge　of　than　a　borrel　man　like　me。'

Sir　John　paused；　composed　himsell；　and　desired　to　hear　the　full　history；　and　my　gudesire　told　it　him　from　point　to　point；　as　I　have　told　it　youword　for　word；　neither　more　nor　less；

Sir　John　was　silent　again　for　a　long　time；　and　at　last　he　said；　very　composedly；　'Steenie；　this　story　of　yours　concerns　the　honour　of　many　a　noble　family　besides　mine；　and　if　it　be　a　leasing…making；　to　keep　yourself　out　of　my　danger；　the　least　you　can　expect　is　to　have　a　redhot　iron　driven　through　your　tongue；　and　that　will　be　as　bad　as　scauding　your　fingers　wi'　a　redhot　chanter。　　But　yet　it　may　be　true；　Steenie；　and　if　the　money　cast　up　I　shall　not　know　what　to　think　of　it。　　But　where　shall　we　find　the　Cat's　Cradle？　　There　are　cats　enough　about　the　old　house；　but　I　think　they　kitten　without　the　ceremony　of　bed　or　cradle。'

'We　were　best　ask　Hutcheon；'　said　my　gudesire；　'he　kens　a'　the　odd　corners　about　as　weel　asanother　serving…man　that　is　now　gane；　and　that　I　wad　not　like　to　name。'

Aweel；　Hutcheon；　when　he　was　asked；　told　them；　that　a　ruinous　turret；　lang　disused；　next　to　the　clock…house；　only　accessible　by　a　ladder；　for　the　opening　was　on　the　outside；　and　far　above　the　battlements；　was　called　of　old　the　Cat's　Cradle。

'There　will　I　go　immediately；'　said　Sir　John；　and　he　took　（with　what　purpose；　Heaven　kens）　one　of　his　father's　pistols　from　the　hall…table；　where　they　had　lain　since　the　night　he　died；　and　hastened　to　the　battlements。

It　was　a　dangerous　place　to　climb；　for　the　ladder　was　auld　and　frail；　and　wanted　ane　or　twa　rounds。　　However；　up　got　Sir　John；　and　entered　at　the　turret…door；　where　his　body　stopped　the　only　little　light　that　was　in　the　bit　turret。　　Something　flees　at　him　wi'　a　vengeance；　maist　dang　him　back　owerbang　gaed　the　knight's　pistol；　and　Hutcheon；　that　held　the　ladder；　and　my　gudesire　that　stood　beside　him；　hears　a　loud　skelloch。　　A　minute　after；　Sir　John　flings　the　body　of　the　jackanape　down　to　them；　and　cries　that　the　siller　is　fund；　and　that　they　should　come　up　and　help　him。　　And　there　was　the　bag　of　siller　sure　aneugh；　and　mony　orra　thing　besides；　that　had　been　missing　for　mony　a　day。　　And　Sir　John；　when　he　had　riped　the　turret　weel；　led　my　gudesire　into　the　dining…parlour；　and　took　him　by　the　hand　and　spoke　kindly　to　him；　and　said　he　was　sorry　he　should　have　doubted　his　word　and　that　he　would　hereafter　be　a　good　master　to　him　to　make　amends。

'And　now；　Steenie；'　said　Sir　John；　'although　this　vision　of　yours　tend；　on　the　whole；　to　my　father's　credit；　as　an　honest　man；　that　he　should；　even　after　his　death；　desire　to　see　justice　done　to　a　poor　man　like　you；　yet　you　are　sensible　that　ill…dispositioned　men　might　make　bad　constructions　upon　it；　concerning　his　soul's　health。　　So；　I　think；　we　had　better　lay　the　haill　dirdum　on　that　ill…deedie　creature；　Major　Weir；　and　say　naething　about　your　dream　in　the　wood　of　Pitmurkie。　　You　had　taken　ower　muckle　brandy　to　be　very　certain　about　onything；　and；　Steenie；　this　receipt'　（his　hand　shook　while　he　held　it　out）；'it's　but　a　queer　kind　of　document；　and　we　will　do　best；　I　think；　to　put　it　quietly　in　the　fire。'

'Od；　but　for　as　queer　as　it　is；　it's　a'　the　voucher　I　have　for　my　rent；'　said　my　gudesire；　who　was　afraid；　it　may　be；　of　losing　the　benefit　of　Sir　Robert's　discharge。

'I　will　bear　the　contents　to　your　credit　in　the　rental…book；　and　give　you　a　discharge　under　my　own　hand；'　said　Sir　John；　'and　that　on　the　spot。　　And；　Steenie；　if　you　can　hold　your　tongue　about　this　matter；　you　shall　sit；　from　this　term　downward；　at　an　easier　rent。'

'Mony　thanks　to　your　honour；'　said　Steenie；　who　saw　easily　in　what　corner　the　wind　was；　'doubtless　I　will　be　comformable　to　all　your　honour's　commands；　only　I　would　willingly　speak　wi'　some　powerful　minister　on　the　subject；　for　I　do　not　like　the　sort　of　sommons　of　appointment　whilk　your　honour's　father'

'Do　not　call　the　phantom　my　father！'　　said　Sir　John；　interrupting　him。

'Weel；　then；　the　thing　that　was　so　like　him；'　said　my　gudesire；　'he　spoke　of　my　coming　back　to　see　him　this　time　twelvemonth；　and　it's　a　weight　on　my　conscience。'

'Aweel；　then；'　said　Sir　John；　'if　you　be　so　much　distressed　in　mind；　you　may　speak　to　our　minister　of　the　parish；　he　is　a　douce　man；　regards　the　honour　of　our　family；　and　the　mair　that　he　may　look　for　some　patronage　from　me。'

Wi'　that；　my　father　readily　agreed　that　the　receipt　should　be　burnt；　and　the　laird　threw　it　into　the　chimney　with　his　ain　hand。　Burn　it　would　not　for　them；　though；　but　away　it　flew　up　the　lum；　wi'　a　lang　train　of　sparks　at　its　tail；　and　a　hissing　noise　like　a　squib。

My　gudesire　gaed　down　to　the　Manse；　and　the　minister；　when　he　had　heard　the　story；　said　it　was　his　real　opinion　that　though　my　gudesire　had　gaen　very　far　in　tampering　with　dangerous　matters；　yet；　as　he　had　refused　the　devil's　arles　（for　such　was　the　offer　of　meat　and　drink）　and　had　refused　to　do　homage　by　piping　at　his　bidding；　he　hoped；　that　if　he　held　a　circumspect　walk　hereafter；　Satan　could　take　little　advantage　by　what　was　come　and　gane。　And；　indeed；　my　gudesire；　of　his　ain　accord；　lang　foreswore　baith　the　pipes　and　the　brandyit　was　not　even　till　the　year　was　out；　and　the　fatal　day　past；　that　he　would　so　much　as　take　the　fiddle；　or　drink　usquebaugh　or　tippeny。

Sir　John　made　up　his　story　about　the　jackanape　as　he　liked　himsell；　and　some　believe　till　this　day　there　was　no　more　in　the　matter　than　the　filching　nature　of　the　brute。　　Indeed；　ye'll　no　hinder　some　to　threap　that　it　was　nane　o'　the　auld　Enemy　that　Dougal　and　my　gudesire　saw　in　the　laird's　room；　but　only　that　wanchancy　creature；　the　major；　capering　on　the　coffin；　and　that；　as　to　the　blawing　on　the　laird's　whistle