redgauntlet-第36节

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snapped　her　fingers　like　castanets；　whooped　like　a　Bacchanal；　and　bounded　from　the　floor　like　a　tennis…ball；aye；　till　the　colour　of　her　garters　was　no　particular　mystery。　　She　made　the　less　secret　of　this；　perhaps；　that　they　were　sky…blue；　and　fringed　with　silver。

The　time　has　been　that　this　would　have　been　special　fun；　or　rather；　last　night　was　the　only　time　I　can　recollect　these　four　years　when　it　would　not　have　been　so；　yet；　at　this　moment；　I　cannot　tell　you　how　I　longed　to　be　rid　of　Dame　Martin。　　I　almost　wished　she　would　sprain　one　of　those　'many…twinkling'　ankles；　which　served　her　so　alertly；　and　when；　in　the　midst　of　her　exuberant　caprioling；　I　saw　my　former　partner　leaving　the　apartment；　and　with　eyes；　as　I　thought；　turning　towards　me；　this　unwillingness　to　carry　on　the　dance　increased　to　such　a　point；　that　I　was　almost　about　to　feign　a　sprain　or　a　dislocation　myself；　in　order　to　put　an　end　to　the　performance。　　But　there　were　around　me　scores　of　old　women；　all　of　whom　looked　as　if　they　might　have　some　sovereign　recipe　for　such　an　accident；　and；　remembering　Gil　Blas；　and　his　pretended　disorder　in　the　robber's　cavern；　I　thought　it　as　wise　to　play　Dame　Martin　fair；　and　dance　till　she　thought　proper　to　dismiss　me。　　What　I　did　I　resolved　to　do　strenuously；　and　in　the　latter　part　of　the　exhibition　I　cut　and　sprang　from　the　floor　as　high　and　as　perpendicularly　as　Dame　Martin　herself；　and　received；　I　promise　you；　thunders　of　applause；　for　the　common　people　always　prefer　exertion　and　agility　to　grace。　　At　length　Dame　Martin　could　dance　no　more；　and；　rejoicing　at　my　release；　I　led　her　to　a　seat；　and　took　the　privilege　of　a　partner　to　attend　her。

'Hegh；　sirs；'　exclaimed　Dame　Martin；　'I　am　sair　forfoughen！　Troth！　　callant；　I　think　ye　hae　been　amaist　the　death　o'　me。'

I　could　only　atone　for　the　alleged　offence　by　fetching　her　some　refreshment；　of　which　she　readily　partook。

'I　have　been　lucky　in　my　partners；'　I　said；　'first　that　pretty　young　lady；　and　then　you；　Mrs；　Martin。'

'Hout　wi'　your　fleeching；'　said　Dame　Martin。　　'Gae　wagae　wa；　lad；　dinna　blaw　in　folk's　lugs　that　gate；　me　and　Miss　Lilias　even'd　thegither！　　Na；　na；　ladod；　she　is　maybe　four　or　five　years　younger　than　the　like　o'　me；bye　and　attour　her　gentle　havings。'

'She　is　the　laird's　daughter？'　　said　I；　in　as　careless　a　tone　of　inquiry　as　I　could　assume。

'His　daughter；　man？　　Na；　na；　only　his　nieceand　sib　aneugh　to　him；　I　think。'

'Aye；　indeed；'　I　replied；　'I　thought　she　had　borne　his　name？'

'She　bears　her　ain　name；　and　that's　Lilias。'

'And　has　she　no　other　name？'　　asked　I。

'What　needs　she　another　till　she　gets　a　gudeman？'　　answered　my　Thetis；　a　little　miffed　perhapsto　use　the　women's　phrasethat　I　turned　the　conversation　upon　my　former　partner；　rather　than　addressed　it　to　herself。

There　was　a　little　pause；　which　was　interrupted　by　Dame　Martin　observing；　'They　are　standing　up　again。'

'True；'　said　I；　having　no　mind　to　renew　my　late　violent　CAPRIOLE；　and　I　must　go　help　old　Willie。'

Ere　I　could　extricate　myself；　I　heard　poor　Thetis　address　herself　to　a　sort　of　merman　in　a　jacket　of　seaman's　blue；　and　a　pair　of　trousers　（whose　hand；　by　the　way；　she　had　rejected　at　an　earlier　part　of　the　evening）　and　intimate　that　she　was　now　disposed　to　take　a　trip。

'Trip　away；　then；　dearie；'　said　the　vindictive　man　of　the　waters；　without　offering　his　hand；　'there；'　pointing　to　the　floor；　'is　a　roomy　berth　for　you。'

Certain　I　had　made　one　enemy；　and　perhaps　two；　I　hastened　to　my　original　seat　beside　Willie；　and　began　to　handle　my　bow。　　But　I　could　see　that　my　conduct　had　made　an　unfavourable　impression；　the　words；　'flory　conceited　chap；''hafflins　gentle；'　and　at　length；　the　still　more　alarming　epithet　of　'spy；'　began　to　be　buzzed　about；　and　I　was　heartily　glad　when　the　apparition　of　Sam's　visage　at　the　door；　who　was　already　possessed　of　and　draining　a　can　of　punch；　gave　me　assurance　that　my　means　of　retreat　were　at　hand。　　I　intimated　as　much　to　Willie；　who　probably　had　heard　more　of　the　murmurs　of　the　company　than　I　had；　for　he　whispered；　'Aye；　aye；awa　wi'　yeower　lang　hereslide　out　cannydinna　let　them　see　ye　are　on　the　tramp。'

I　slipped　half　a　guinea　into　the　old　man's　hand；　who　answered；　'Truts　pruts！　　nonsense　but　I　'se　no　refuse；　trusting　ye　can　afford　it。　　Awa　wi'　yeand　if　ony　body　stops　ye；　cry　on　me。'

I　glided；　by　his　advice；　along　the　room　as　if　looking　for　a　partner；　joined　Sam；　whom　I　disengaged　with　some　difficulty　from　his　can；　and　we　left　the　cottage　together　in　a　manner　to　attract　the　least　possible　observation。　　The　horses　were　tied　in　a　neighbouring　shed；　and　as　the　moon　was　up；　and　I　was　now　familiar　with　the　road；　broken　and　complicated　as　it　is；　we　soon　reached　the　Shepherd's　Bush；　where　the　old　landlady　was　sitting　up　waiting　for　us；　under　some　anxiety　of　mind；　to　account　for　which　she　did　not　hesitate　to　tell　me　that　some　folks　had　gone　to　Brokenburn　from　her　house；　or　neighbouring　towns；　that　did　not　come　so　safe　back　again。　　'Wandering　Willie；'　she　said；　'was　doubtless　a　kind　of　protection。'

Here　Willie's　wife；　who　was　smoking　in　the　chimney　corner；　took　up　the　praises　of　her　'hinnie；'　as　she　called　him；　and　endeavoured　to　awaken　my　generosity　afresh；　by　describing　the　dangers　from　which；　as　she　was　pleased　to　allege；　her　husband's　countenance　had　assuredly　been　the　means　of　preserving　me。　　I　was　not；　however；　to　be　fooled　out　of　more　money　at　this　time；　and　went　to　bed　in　haste；　full　of　vanous　cogitations。

I　have　since　spent　a　couple　of　days　betwixt　Mount　Sharon　and　this　place；　and　betwixt　reading；　writing　to　thee　this　momentous　history；　forming　plans　for　seeing　the　lovely　Lilias；　andpartly；　I　think；　for　the　sake　of　contradictionangling　a　little　in　spite　of　Joshua'a　scruplesthough　I　am　rather　liking　the　amusement　better　as　I　begin　to　have　some　success　in　it。

And　now；　my　dearest　Alan；　you　are　in　full　possession　of　my　secretlet　me　as　frankly　into　the　recesses　of　your　bosom。　　How　do　you　feel　towards　this　fair　ignis　fatuus；　this　lily　of　the　desert？　　Tell　me　honestly；　for　however　the　recollection　of　her　may　haunt　my　own　mind；　my　love　for　Alan　Fairford　surpasses　the　love　of　woman；　I　know；　too；　that　when　you　DO　love；　it　will　be　to

　　Love　once　and　love　no　more。

A　deep…consuming　passion；　once　kindled　in　a　breast　so　steady　as　yours；　would　never　be　extinguished　but　with　life。　　I　am　of　another　and　more　volatile　temper；　and　though　I　shall　open　your　next　with　a　trembling　hand　and　uncertain　heart；　yet　let　it　bring　a　frank　confession　that　this　fair　unknown　has　made　a　deeper　impression　on　your　gravity　than　you　reckoned　for；　and　you　will　see　I　can　tear　the　arrow　from　my　own　wound；　barb　and　all。　　In　the　meantime；　though　I　have　formed　schemes　once　more　to　see　her；　I　will；　you　may　rely　on　it；　take　no　step　for　putting　them　into　practice。　　I　have　refrained　from　this　hitherto；　and　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour；　I　shall　continue　to　do　so；　yet　why　should　you　need　any　further　assurance　from　one　who　is　so　entirely　yours　as　D。L。

PS。I　shall　be　on　thorns　till　I　receive　your　answer。　　I　read；　and　re…read　your　letter；　and　cannot　for　my　soul　discover　what　your　real　sentiments　are。　　Sometimes　I　think　you　write　of　her　as　one　in　jestand　sometimes　I　think　that　cannot　be。　　Put　me　at　ease　as　soon　as　possible。




LETTER　XIII

ALAN　FAIRFORD　TO　DARSIE　LATIMER

I　write　on　the　instant；　as　you　direct；　and　in　a　tragi…comic　humour；　for　I　have　a　tear　in　my　eye　and　a　smile　on　my　cheek。　Dearest　Darsie；　sure　never　a　being　but　yourself　could　be　so　generoussure　never　a　being　but　yourself　could　be　so　absurd！　　I　remember　when　you　were　a　boy　you　wished　to　make　your　fine　new　whip　a　present　to　old　Aunt　Peggy；　merely　because　she　admired　it；　and　now；　with　like　unreflecting　and　inappropriate　liberality；　you　would　resign　your　beloved　to　a　smoke…dried　young　sophister；　who　cares　not　one　of　the　hairs　which　it　is　his　occupation　to　split；　for　all　the　daughters　of　Eve。　　I　in　love　with　your　Liliasyour　Green　Mantleyour　unknown　enchantress！why　I　scarce　saw　her　for　five　minutes；　and　even　then　only　the　tip　of　her　chin　was　distinctly　visible。　　She　was　well　made；　and　the　tip　of　her　chin　was　of　a　most　promising　cast　for　the　rest　of　the　face；　but；　Heaven　save　you！　　she　came　upon　business！　　and　for　a　lawyer　to　fall　in　love　with　a　pretty　client　on　a　single　consultation；　would　be　as　wise　as　if　he　became　enamoured　of　a　particularly　bright　sunbeam　which　chanced　for　a　moment　to　gild　his　bar…wig。　　I　give　you　my　word　I　am　heart…whole　and　moreover；　I　assure　you；　that　before　I　suffer　a　woman　to　sit　near　my　heart's　core；　I　must　see　her　full　face；　without　mask　or　mantle；　aye；　and　know　a　good　deal　of　her　mind　into　the　bargain。　　So　never　fret　yourself　on　my　account；　my　kind　and　generous　Darsie；　but；　for　your　own　sake；　have　a　care　and　let　not　an　idle　attachment；　so　lightly　taken　up；　lead　you　into　serious　danger。

On　this　subject　I　feel　so　apprehensive；　that　now　when　I　am　decorated　with　the　honours　of　the　gown；　I　should　have　abandoned　my　career　at　the　very　starting　to　come　to　you；　but　for　my　father　having　contrived　to　clog　my　heels　with　fetters　of　a　professional　nature。　　I　will　tell　you　the　matter　at　length；　for　it　is　comical　enough；　and　why　should　not　you　list　to　my　juridical　adventures；　as　well　as