redgauntlet-第51节

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ild。　　But　she　takes　care　never　to　keep　her　word；　if　it　is　in　her　power　to　do　so。

In　the　meantime；　there　has　stolen　on　me　insensibly　an　indifference　to　my　freedoma　carelessness　about　my　situation；　for　which　I　am　unable　to　account；　unless　it　be　the　consequence　of　weakness　and　loss　of　blood。　　I　have　read　of　men　who；　immured　as　I　am；　have　surprised　the　world　by　the　address　with　which　they　have　successfully　overcome　the　most　formidable　obstacles　to　their　escape；　and　when　I　have　heard　such　anecdotes；　I　have　said　to　myself；　that　no　one　who　is　possessed　only　of　a　fragment　of　freestone；　or　a　rusty　nail　to　grind　down　rivets　and　to　pick　locks；　having　his　full　leisure　to　employ　in　the　task；　need　continue　the　inhabitant　of　a　prison。　　Here；　however；　I　sit；　day　after　day；　without　a　single　effort　to　effect　my　liberation。

Yet　my　inactivity　is　not　the　result　of　despondency；　but　arises；　in　part　at　least；　from　feelings　of　a　very　different　cast。　　My　story；　long　a　mysterious　one；　seems　now　upon　the　verge　of　some　strange　development；　and　I　feel　a　solemn　impression　that　I　ought　to　wait　the　course　of　events；　to　struggle　against　which　is　opposing　my　feeble　efforts　to　the　high　will　of　fate。　　Thou；　my　Alan；　wilt　treat　as　timidity　this　passive　acquiescence；　which　has　sunk　down　on　me　like　a　benumbing　torpor；　but　if　thou　hast　remembered　by　what　visions　my　couch　was　haunted；　and　dost　but　think　of　the　probability　that　I　am　in　the　vicinity；　perhaps　under　the　same　roof　with　G。M。；　thou　wilt　acknowledge　that　other　feelings　than　pusillanimity　have　tended　in　some　degree　to　reconcile　me　to　my　fate。

Still　I　own　it　is　unmanly　to　submit　with　patience　to　this　oppressive　confinement。　　My　heart　rises　against　it；　especially　when　I　sit　down　to　record　my　sufferings　in　this　journal；　and　I　am　determined；　as　the　first　step　to　my　deliverance；　to　have　my　letters　sent　to　the　post…house。



I　am　disappointed。　　When　the　girl　Dorcas；　upon　whom　I　had　fixed　for　a　messenger；　heard　me　talk　of　sending　a　letter；　she　willingly　offered　her　services；　and　received　the　crown　which　I　gave　her　（for　my　purse　had　not　taken　flight　with　the　more　valuable　contents　of　my　pocket…book）　with　a　smile　which　showed　her　whole　set　of　white　teeth。

But　when；　with　the　purpose　of　gaining　some　intelligence　respecting　my　present　place　of　abode；　I　asked　to　which　post…town　she　was　to　send　or　carry　the　letter；　a　stolid　'ANAN'　showed　me　she　was　either　ignorant　of　the　nature　of　a　post…office；　or　that；　for　the　present；　she　chose　to　seem　so。'Simpleton！'　　I　said；　with　some　sharpness。

'O　Lord；　sir！'　　answered　the　girl；　turning　pale；　which　they　always　do　when　I　show　any　sparks　of　anger；　'Don't　put　yourself　in　a　passionI'll　put　the　letter　in　the　post。

'What！　　and　not　know　the　name　of　the　post…town？'　　said　I；　out　of　patience。　　'How　on　earth　do　you　propose　to　manage　that？'

'La　you　there；　good　master。　　What　need　you　frighten　a　poor　girl　that　is　no　schollard；　bating　what　she　learned　at　the　Charity　School　of　Saint　Bees？'

'Is　Saint　Bees　far　from　this　place；　Dorcas？　　Do　you　send　your　letters　there？'　　said　I；　in　a　manner　as　insinuating；　and　yet　careless；　as　I　could　assume。

'Saint　Bees！　　La；　who　but　a　madmanbegging　your　honour's　pardon　it's　a　matter　of　twenty　years　since　fader　lived　at　Saint　Bees；　which　is　twenty；　or　forty；　or　I　dunna　know　not　how　many　miles　from　this　part；　to　the　West；　on　the　coast　side；　and　I　would　not　have　left　Saint　Bees；　but　that　fader'

'Oh；　the　devil　take　your　father！'　　replied　I。

To　which　she　answered；　'Nay；　but　thof　your　honour　be　a　little　how…come…so；　you　shouldn't　damn　folk's　faders；　and　I　won't　stand　to　it；　for　one。'

'Oh；　I　beg　you　a　thousand　pardonsI　wish　your　father　no　ill　in　the　worldhe　was　a　very　honest　man　in　his　way。'

'WAS　an　honest　man！'　　she　exclaimed；　for　the　Cumbrians　are；　it　would　seem；　like　their　neighbours　the　Scotch；　ticklish　on　the　point　of　ancestry；'He　IS　a　very　honest　man　as　ever　led　nag　with　halter　on　head　to　Staneshaw　Bank　Fair。　　Honest！　　He　is　a　horse…　couper。'

'Right；　right；'　I　replied；　'I　know　itI　have　heard　of　your　father…as　honest　as　any　horse…couper　of　them　all。　　Why；　Dorcas；　I　mean　to　buy　a　horse　of　him。'

'Ah；　your　honour；'　sighed　Dorcas；　'he　is　the　man　to　serve　your　honour　wellif　ever　you　should　get　round　againor　thof　you　were　a　bit　off　the　hooks；　he　would　no　more　cheat　you　than'

'Well；　well；　we　will　deal；　my　girl；　you　may　depend　on't。　　But　tell　me　now；　were　I　to　give　you　a　letter；　what　would　you　do　to　get　it　forward？'

'Why；　put　it　into　Squire's　own　bag　that　hangs　in　hall；'　answered　poor　Dorcas。　　'What　else　could　I　do？　　He　sends　it　to　Brampton；　or　to　Carloisle；　or　where　it　pleases　him；　once　a　week；　and　that　gate。'

'Ah！'　　said　I；　'and　I　suppose　your　sweetheart　John　carries　it？'

'Noadisn't　nowand　Jan　is　no　sweetheart　of　mine；　ever　since　he　danced　at　his　mother's　feast　with　Kitty　Rutlege；　and　let　me　sit　still；　that　a　did。'

'It　was　most　abominable　in　Jan；　and　what　I　could　never　have　thought　of　him；'　I　replied。

'Oh；　but　a　did　thougha　let　me　sit　still　on　my　seat；　a　did。'

'Well；　well；　my　pretty　May；　you　will　get　a　handsomer　fellow　than　JanJan's　not　the　fellow　for　you；　I　see　that。'

'Noa；　noa；'　answered　the　damsel；　'but　he　is　weel　aneugh　for　a'　that；　mon。　　But　I　carena　a　button　for　him；　for　there　is　the　miller's　son；　that　suitored　me　last　Appleby　Fair；　when　I　went　wi'　oncle；　is　a　gway　canny　lad　as　you　will　see　in　the　sunshine。'

'Aye；　a　fine　stout　fellow。　　Do　you　think　he　would　carry　my　letter　to　Carlisle？'

'To　Carloisle！　　'Twould　be　all　his　life　is　worth；　he　maun　wait　on　clap　and　hopper；　as　they　say。　　Odd；　his　father　would　brain　him　if　he　went　to　Carloisle；　bating　to　wrestling　for　the　belt；　or　sic　loike。　　But　I　ha'　more　bachelors　than　him；　there　is　the　schoolmaster；　can　write　almaist　as　weel　as　tou　canst；　mon。'

'Then　he　is　the　very　man　to　take　charge　of　a　letter；　he　knows　the　trouble　of　writing　one。'

'Aye；　marry　does　he；　an　tou　comest　to　that；　mon；　only　it　takes　him　four　hours　to　write　as　mony　lines。　　Tan；　it　is　a　great　round　hand　loike；　that　one　can　read　easily；　and　not　loike　your　honour's；　that　are　like　midge's　taes。　　But　for　ganging　to　Carloisle；　he's　dead　foundered；　man；　as　cripple　as　Eckie's　mear。'

'In　the　name　of　God；'　said　I；　'how　is　it　that　you　propose　to　get　my　letter　to　the　post？'

'Why；　just　to　put　it　into　Squire's　bag　loike；'　reiterated　Dorcas；　'he　sends　it　by　Cristal　Nixon　to　post；　as　you　call　it；　when　such　is　his　pleasure。'

Here　I　was；　then；　not　much　edified　by　having　obtained　a　list　of　Dorcas's　bachelors；　and　by　finding　myself；　with　respect　to　any　information　which　I　desired；　just　exactly　at　the　point　where　I　set　out。　　It　was　of　consequence　to　me；　however；　to　accustom；　the　girl　to　converse　with　me　familiarly。　　If　she　did　so；　she　could　not　always　be　on　her　guard；　and　something；　I　thought；　might　drop　from　her　which　I　could　turn　to　advantage。

'Does　not　the　Squire　usually　look　into　his　letter…bag；　Dorcas？'　said　I；　with　as　much　indifference　as　I　could　assume。

'That　a　does；'　said　Dorcas；　'and　a　threw　out　a　letter　of　mine　to　Raff　Miller；　because　a　said'

'Well；　well；　I　won't　trouble　him　with　mine；'　said　I；　'Dorcas；　but；　instead；　I　will　write　to　himself；　Dorcas。　　But　how　shall　I　address　him？'

'Anan？'　　was　again　Dorcas's　resource。

'I　mean　how　is　he　called？　　What　is　his　name？'

'Sure　you　honour　should　know　best；'　said　Dorcas。

'I　know？　　The　devil！　　You　drive　me　beyond　patience。'

'Noa；　noa！　　donna　your　honour　go　beyond　patiencedonna　ye　now；'　implored　the　wench。　　'And　for　his　neame；　they　say　he　has　mair　nor　ane　in　Westmoreland　and　on　the　Scottish　side。　　But　he　is　but　seldom　wi'　us；　excepting　in　the　cocking　season；　and　then　we　just　call　him　Squoire　loike；　and　so　do　my　measter　and　dame。'

'And　is　he　here　at　present？'　　said　I。

'Not　he；　not　he；　he　is　a　buck…hoonting；　as　they　tell　me；　somewhere　up　the　Patterdale　way；　but　he　comes　and　gangs　like　a　flap　of　a　whirlwind；　or　sic　loike。'

I　broke　off　the　conversation；　after　forcing　on　Dorcas　a　little　silver　to　buy　ribbons；　with　which　she　was　so　much　delighted　that　she　exclaimed；　'God！　　Cristal　Nixon　may　say　his　worst　on　thee；　but　thou　art　a　civil　gentleman　for　all　him；　and　a　quoit　man　wi'　woman　folk　loike。'

There　is　no　sense　in　being　too　quiet　with　women　folk；　so　I　added　a　kiss　with　my　crown　piece；　and　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　I　have　secured　a　partisan　in　Dorcas。　　At　least；　she　blushed；　and　pocketed　her　little　compliment　with　one　hand；　while；　with　the　other；　she　adjusted　her　cherry…coloured　ribbons；　a　little　disordered　by　the　struggle　it　cost　me　to　attain　the　honour　of　a　salute。

As　she　unlocked　the　door　to　leave　the　apartment；　she　turned　back；　and　looking　on　me　with　a　strong　expression　of　compassion；　added　the　remarkable　words；　'Labe'st　mad　or　no；　thou'se　a　mettled　lad；　after　all。'

There　was　something　very　ominous　in　the　sound　of　these　farewell　words；　which　seemed　to　afford　me　a　clue　to　the　pretext　under　which　I　was　detained　in　confinement；　My　demeanour　was　probably　insane　enough；　while　I　was　agitated　at　once　by　the　frenzy　incident　to　the　fever；　and　the　anxiety　arising　from　my　extraordinary　situation。　　But　is　it　possible　they　can　now　establish　any　cause　for　confining　me　arising　out　of　the　state　of　my　mind？

If　this　be　really　th