redgauntlet-第34节

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the　floor　and　called　loudly　on　Willie　to　strike　up。

With　a　brief　caution　to　me；　to　'mind　my　credit；　for　fishers　have　ears；　though　fish　have　none；'　Willie　led　off　in　capital　style；　and　I　followed；　certainly　not　so　as　to　disgrace　my　companion；　who；　every　now　and　then；　gave　me　a　nod　of　approbation。　　The　dances　were；　of　course；　the　Scottish　jigs；　and　reels；　and　'twasome　dances'；　with　a　strathspey　or　hornpipe　for　interlude；　and　the　want　of　grace　on　the　part　of　the　performers　was　amply　supplied　by　truth　of　ear；　vigour　and　decision　of　step；　and　the　agility　proper　to　the　northern　performers。　　My　own　spirits　rose　with　the　mirth　around　me；　and　with　old　Willie's　admirable　execution；　and　frequent　'weel　dune；　gentle　chap；　yet；'and；　to　confess　the　truth；　I　felt　a　great　deal　more　pleasure　in　this　rustic　revel；　than　I　have　done　at　the　more　formal　balls　and　concerts　in　your　famed　city；　to　which　I　have　sometimes　made　my　way。　　Perhaps　this　was　because　I　was　a　person　of　more　importance　to　the　presiding　matron　of　Brokenburn…foot；　than　I　had　the　means　of　rendering　myself　to　the　far…famed　Miss　Nickie　Murray；　the　patroness　of　your　Edinburgh　assemblies。　　The　person　I　mean　was　a　buxom　dame　of　about　thirty；　her　fingers　loaded　with　many　a　silver　ring；　and　three　or　four　of　gold；　her　ankles　liberally　displayed　from　under　her　numerous　blue；　white；　and　scarlet；　short　petticoats；　and　attired　in　hose　of　the　finest　and　whitest　lamb's…　wool；　which　arose　from　shoes　of　Spanish　cordwain；　fastened　with　silver　buckles。　　She　took　the　lead　in　my　favour；　and　declared；　'that　the　brave　young　gentleman　should　not　weary　himself　to　death　wi'　playing；　but　take　the　floor　for　a　dance　or　twa。'

'And　what's　to　come　of　me；　Dame　Martin？'　　said　Willie。

'Come　o'　thee？'　　said　the　dame；　'mishanter　on　the　auld　beard　o'　ye！　　ye　could　play　for　twenty　hours　on　end；　and　tire　out　the　haill　countryside　wi'　dancing　before　ye　laid　down　your　bow；　saving　for　a　by…drink　or　the　like　o'　that。'

'In　troth；　dame；'　answered　Willie；　'ye　are　no　sae　far　wrang；　sae　if　my　comrade　is　to　take　his　dance；　ye　maun　gie　me　my　drink；　and　then　bob　it　away　like　Madge　of　Middlebie。'

The　drink　was　soon　brought；　but　while　Willie　was　partaking　of　it；　a　party　entered　the　hut；　which　arrested　my　attention　at　once；　and　intercepted　the　intended　gallantry　with　which　I　had　proposed　to　present　my　hand　to　the　fresh…coloured；　well…made；　white…ankled　Thetis；　who　had　obtained　me　manumission　from　my　musical　task。

This　was　nothing　less　than　the　sudden　appearance　of　the　old　woman　whom　the　laird　had　termed　Mabel；　Cristal　Nixon；　his　male　attendant；　and　the　young　person　who　had　said　grace　to　us　when　I　supped　with　him。

This　young　personAlan；　thou　art　in　thy　way　a　bit　of　a　conjurer　this　young　person　whom　I　DID　NOT　describe；　and　whom　you；　for　that　very　reason；　suspected　was　not　an　indifferent　object　to　me　is；　I　am　sorry　to　say　it；　in　very　fact　not　so　much　so　as　in　prudence　she　ought。　　I　will　not　use　the　name　of　love　on　this　occasion；　for　I　have　applied　it　too　often　to　transient　whims　and　fancies　to　escape　your　satire；　should　I　venture　to　apply　it　now。　For　it　is　a　phrase；　I　must　confess；　which　I　have　useda　romancer　would　say；　profaneda　little　too　often；　considering　how　few　years　have　passed　over　my　head。　　But　seriously；　the　fair　chaplain　of　Brokenburn　has　been　often　in　my　head　when　she　had　no　business　there；　and　if　this　can　give　thee　any　clue　for　explaining　my　motives　in　lingering　about　the　country；　and　assuming　the　character　of　Willie's　companion；　why；　hang　thee；　thou　art　welcome　to　make　use　of　ita　permission　for　which　thou　need'st　not　thank　me　much；　as　thou　wouldst　not　have　failed　to　assume　it　whether　it　were　given　or　no。

Such　being　my　feelings；　conceive　how　they　must　have　been　excited；　when；　like　a　beam　upon　a　cloud；　I　saw　this　uncommonly　beautiful　girl　enter　the　apartment　in　which　they　were　dancing；　not；　however；　with　the　air　of　an　equal；　but　that　of　a　superior；　come　to　grace　with　her　presence　the　festival　of　her　dependants。　　The　old　man　and　woman　attended；　with　looks　as　sinister　as　hers　were　lovely；　like　two　of　the　worst　winter　months　waiting　upon　the　bright…eyed　May。

When　she　enteredwonder　if　thou　wiltshe　wore　A　GREEN　MANTLE；　such　as　thou　hast　described　as　the　garb　of　thy　fair　client；　and　confirmed　what　I　had　partly　guessed　from　thy　personal　description；　that　my　chaplain　and　thy　visitor　were　the　same　person。　　There　was　an　alteration　on　her　brow　the　instant　she　recognized　me。　　She　gave　her　cloak　to　her　female　attendant；　and；　after　a　momentary　hesitation；　as　if　uncertain　whether　to　advance　or　retire；　she　walked　into　the　room　with　dignity　and　composure；　all　making　way；　the　men　unbonneting；　and　the　women　curtsying　respectfully；　as　she　assumed　a　chair　which　was　reverently　placed　for　her　accommodation；　apart　from　others。

There　was　then　a　pause；　until　the　bustling　mistress　of　the　ceremonies；　with　awkward　but　kindly　courtesy；　offered　the　young　lady　a　glass　of　wine；　which　was　at　first　declined；　and　at　length　only　thus　far　accepted；　that；　bowing　round　to　the　festive　company；　the　fair　visitor　wished　them　all　health　and　mirth；　and　just　touching　the　brim　with　her　lip；　replaced　it　on　the　salver。　There　was　another　pause；　and　I　did　not　immediately　recollect；　confused　as　I　was　by　this　unexpected　apparition；　that　it　belonged　to　me　to　break　it。　　At　length　a　murmur　was　heard　around　me；　being　expected　to　exhibit；nay；　to　lead　down　the　dance；in　consequence　of　the　previous　conversation。

'Deil's　in　the　fiddler　lad；'　was　muttered　from　more　quarters　than　one'saw　folk　ever　sic　a　thing　as　a　shame…faced　fiddler　before？'

At　length　a　venerable　Triton；　seconding　his　remonstrances　with　a　hearty　thump　on　my　shoulder；　cried　out；　'To　the　floorto　the　floor；　and　let　us　see　how　ye　can　flingthe　lasses　are　a'　waiting。'

Up　I　jumped；　sprang　from　the　elevated　station　which　constituted　our　orchestra；　and；　arranging　my　ideas　as　rapidly　as　I　could；　advanced　to　the　head　of　the　room；　and；　instead　of　offering　my　hand　to　the　white…footed　Thetis　aforesaid；　I　venturously　made　the　same　proposal　to　her　of　the　Green　Mantle。

The　nymph's　lovely　eyes　seemed　to　open　with　astonishment　at　the　audacity　of　this　offer；　and；　from　the　murmurs　I　heard　around　me；　I　also　understood　that　it　surprised；　and　perhaps　offended；　the　bystanders。　　But　after　the　first　moment's　emotion；　she　wreathed　her　neck；　and　drawing　herself　haughtily　up；　like　one　who　was　willing　to　show　that　she　was　sensible　of　the　full　extent　of　her　own　condescension；　extended　her　hand　towards　me；　like　a　princess　gracing　a　squire　of　low　degree。

There　is　affectation　in　all　this；　thought　I　to　myself；　if　the　Green　Mantle　has　borne　true　evidencefor　young　ladies　do　not　make　visits；　or　write　letters　to　counsel　learned　in　the　law；　to　interfere　in　the　motions　of　those　whom　they　hold　as　cheap　as　this　nymph　seems　to　do　me；　and　if　I　am　cheated　by　a　resemblance　of　cloaks；　still　I　am　interested　to　show　myself；　in　some　degree；　worthy　of　the　favour　she　has　granted　with　so　much　state　and　reserve。　　The　dance　to　be　performed　was　the　old　Scots　Jig；　in　which　you　are　aware　I　used　to　play　no　sorry　figure　at　La　Pique's；　when　thy　clumsy　movements　used　to　be　rebuked　by　raps　over　the　knuckles　with　that　great　professor's　fiddlestick。　　The　choice　of　the　tune　was　left　to　my　comrade　Willie；　who；　having　finished　his　drink；　feloniously　struck　up　the　well…known　and　popular　measure；

　　Merrily　danced　the　Quaker's　wife；　　　And　merrily　danced　the　Quaker。

An　astounding　laugh　arose　at　my　expense；　and　I　should　have　been　annihilated；　but　that　the　smile　which　mantled　on　the　lip　of　my　partner；　had　a　different　expression　from　that　of　ridicule；　and　seemed　to　say；　'Do　not　take　this　to　heart。'　　And　I　did　not；　Alan　my　partner　danced　admirably；　and　I　like　one　who　was　determined；　if　outshone；　which　I　could　not　help；　not　to　be　altogether　thrown　into　the　shade。

I　assure　you　our　performance；　as　well　as　Willie's　music；　deserved　more　polished　spectators　and　auditors；　but　we　could　not　then　have　been　greeted　with　such　enthusiastic　shouts　of　applause　as　attended　while　I　handed　my　partner　to　her　seat；　and　took　my　place　by　her　side；　as　one　who　had　a　right　to　offer　the　attentions　usual　on　such　an　occasion。　　She　was　visibly　embarrassed；　but　I　was　determined　not　to　observe　her　confusion；　and　to　avail　myself　of　the　opportunity　of　learning　whether　this　beautiful　creature's　mind　was　worthy　of　the　casket　in　which　nature　had　lodged　it。

Nevertheless；　however　courageously　I　formed　this　resolution；　you　cannot　but　too　well　guess　the　difficulties　I　must　needs　have　felt　in　carrying　it　into　execution；　since　want　of　habitual　intercourse　with　the　charmers　of　the　other　sex　has　rendered　me　a　sheepish　cur；　only　one　grain　less　awkward　than　thyself。　　Then　she　was　so　very　beautiful；　and　assumed　an　air　of　so　much　dignity；　that　I　was　like　to　fall　under　the　fatal　error　of　supposing　she　should　only　be　addressed　with　something　very　clever；　and　in　the　hasty　raking　which　my　brains　underwent　in　this　persuasion；　not　a　single　idea　occurred　that　common　sense　did　not　reject　as　fustian　on　the　one　hand；　or　weary；　flat；　and　stale　triticism　on　the　other。　　I　felt　as　if　my　understanding　were　no　longer　my　own；　but　was　alternately　under　the　dominion　of　Aldeborontiphoscophornio；　and　that　of　his　facetious