redgauntlet-第53节

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'From　Scotland；　sir；'　I　replied。

'A　native　of　Scotlandahumphehhow　is　it？'

'I　am　an　Englishman　by　birth；　sir。'

'Rightayeyes；　you　are　so。　　But　pray；　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer；　have　you　always　been　called　by　that　name；　or　have　you　any　other？　Nick；　write　down　his　answers；　Nick。'

'As　far　as　I　remember；　I　never　bore　any　other；'　was　my　answer。

'How；　no？　　well；　I　should　not　have　thought　so；　Hey；　neighbour；　would　you？'

Here　he　looked　towards　the　other　squire；　who　had　thrown　himself　into　a　chair；　and；　with　his　legs　stretched　out　before　him；　and　his　arms　folded　on　his　bosom；　seemed　carelessly　attending　to　what　was　going　forward。　　He　answered　the　appeal　of　the　Justice　by　saying；　that　perhaps　the　young　man's　memory　did　not　go　back　to　a　very　early　period。

'Ahehhayou　hear　the　gentleman。　　Pray；　how　far　may　your　memory　be　pleased　to　run　back　to？umph？'

'Perhaps；　sir；　to　the　age　of　three　years；　or　a　little　further。'

'And　will　you　presume　to　say；　sir；'　said　the　squire；　drawing　himself　suddenly　erect　in　his　seat；　and　exerting　the　strength　of　his　powerful　voice；　'that　you　then　bore　your　present　name？'

I　was　startled　at　the　confidence　with　which　this　question　was　put；　and　in　vain　rummaged　my　memory　for　the　means　of　replying。　'At　least；'　I　said；　'I　always　remember　being　called　Darsie；　children；　at　that　early　age；　seldom　get　more　than　their　Christian　name。'

'Oh；　I　thought　so；'　he　replied；　and　again　stretched　himself　on　his　seat；　in　the　same　lounging　posture　as　before。

'So　you　were　called　Darsie　in　your　infancy；'　said　the　Justice；　'andhumayewhen　did　you　first　take　the　name　of　Latimer？'

'I　did　not　take　it；　sir；　it　was　given　to　me。'

'I　ask　you；'　said　the　lord　of　the　mansion；　but　with　less　severity　in　his　voice　than　formerly；　'whether　you　can　remember　that　you　were　ever　called　Latimer；　until　you　had　that　name　given　you　in　Scotland？'

'I　will　be　candid：　　I　cannot　recollect　an　instance　that　I　was　so　called　when　in　England；　but　neither　can　I　recollect　when　the　name　was　first　given　me；　and　if　anything　is　to　be　founded　on　these　queries　and　my　answers；　I　desire　my　early　childhood　may　be　taken　into　consideration。'

'Humayeyes；'　said　the　Justice；　'all　that　requires　consideration　shall　be　duly　considered。　　Young　manehI　beg　to　know　the　name　of　your　father　and　mother？'

This　was　galling　a　wound　that　has　festered　for　years；　and　I　did　not　endure　the　question　so　patiently　as　those　which　preceded　it；　but　replied；　'I　demand；　in　my　turn；　to　know　if　I　am　before　an　English　Justice　of　the　Peace？'

'His　worship；　Squire　Foxley；　of　Foxley　Hall；　has　been　of　the　quorum　these　twenty　years；'　said　Master　Nicholas。

'Then　he　ought　to　know；　or　you；　sir；　as　his　clerk；　should　inform　him；'　said　I；　'that　I　am　the　complainer　in　this　case；　and　that　my　complaint　ought　to　be　heard　before　I　am　subjected　to　cross…　examination。'

'Humphhoywhat；　ayethere　is　something　in　that；　neighbour；'　said　the　poor　Justice；　who；　blown　about　by　every　wind　of　doctrine；　seemed　desirous　to　attain　the　sanction　of　his　brother　squire。

'I　wonder　at　you；　Foxley；'　said　his　firm…minded　acquaintance；　'how　can　you　render　the　young　man　justice　unless　you　know　who　he　is？'

'Hayesegad；　that's　true；'　said　Mr。　Justice　Foxley；　'and　now　looking　into　the　matter　more　closelythere　is；　eh；　upon　the　wholenothing　at　all　in　what　he　saysso；　sir；　you　must　tell　your　father's　name；　and　surname。'

'It　is　out　of　my　power；　sir；　they　are　not　known　to　me；　since　you　must　needs　know　so　much　of　my　private　affairs。'

The　Justice　collected　a　great　AFFLATUS　in　his　cheeks；　which　puffed　them　up　like　those　of　a　Dutch　cherub；　while　his　eyes　seemed　flying　out　of　his　head；　from　the　effort　with　which　he　retained　his　breath。　　He　then　blew　it　forth　with；'Whew！Hoom　poofha！not　know　your　parents；　youngster？Then　I　must　commit　you　for　a　vagrant；　I　warrant　you。　　OMNE　IGNOTUM　PRO　TERRIBILI；　as　we　used　to　say　at　Appleby　school；　that　is；　every　one　that　is　not　known　to　the　Justice；　is　a　rogue　and　a　vagabond。　Ha！aye；　you　may　sneer；　sir；　but　I　question　if　you　would　have　known　the　meaning　of　that　Latin；　unless　I　had　told　you。'

I　acknowledged　myself　obliged　for　a　new　edition　of　the　adage；　and　an　interpretation　which　I　could　never　have　reached　alone　and　unassisted。　　I　then　proceeded　to　state　my　case　with　greater　confidence。　　The　Justice　was　an　ass；　that　was　clear；　but　if　was　scarcely　possible　he　could　be　so　utterly　ignorant　as　not　to　know　what　was　necessary　in　so　plain　a　case　as　mine。　　I　therefore　informed　him　of　the　riot　which　had　been　committed　on　the　Scottish　side　of　the　Solway　Firth；　explained　how　I　came　to　be　placed　in　my　present　situation；　and　requested　of　his　worship　to　set　me　at　liberty。　　I　pleaded　my　cause　with　as　much　earnestness　as　I　could；　casting　an　eye　from　time　to　time　upon　the　opposite　party；　who　seemed　entirely　indifferent　to　all　the　animation　with　which　I　accused　him。

As　for　the　Justice；　when　at　length　I　had　ceased；　as　really　not　knowing　what　more　to　say　in　a　case　so　very　plain；　he　replied；　'Hoayeayeyeswonderful！　　and　so　this　is　all　the　gratitude　you　show　to　this　good　gentleman　for　the　great　charge　and　trouble　he　hath　had　with　respect　to　and　concerning　of　you？'

'He　saved　my　life；　sir；　I　acknowledge；　on　one　occasion　certainly；　and　most　probably　on　two；　but　his　having　done　so　gives　him　no　right　over　my　person。　　I　am　not；　however；　asking　for　any　punishment　or　revenge；　on　the　contrary；　I　am　content　to　part　friends　with　the　gentleman；　whose　motives　I　am　unwilling　to　suppose　are　bad；　though　his　actions　have　been；　towards　me；　unauthorized　and　violent。'

This　moderation；　Alan；　thou　wilt　comprehend；　was　not　entirely　dictated　by　my　feelings　towards　the　individual　of　whom　I　complained；　there　were　other　reasons；　in　which　regard　for　him　had　little　share。　　It　seemed；　however；　as　if　the　mildness　with　which　I　pleaded　my　cause　had　more　effect　upon　him　than　anything　I　had　yet　said。　　We　was　moved　to　the　point　of　being　almost　out　of　countenance；　and　took　snuff　repeatedly；　as　if　to　gain　time　to　stifle　some　degree　of　emotion。

But　on　Justice　Foxley；　on　whom　my　eloquence　was　particularly　designed　to　make　impression；　the　result　was　much　less　favourable。　He　consulted　in　a　whisper　with　Mr。　Nicholas；　his　clerkpshawed；　hemmed；　and　elevated　his　eyebrows；　as　if　in　scorn　of　my　supplication。　　At　length；　having　apparently　made　up　his　mind；　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　smoked　his　pipe　with　great　energy；　with　a　look　of　defiance；　designed　to　make　me　aware　that　all　my　reasoning　was　lost　on　him。

At　length；　when　I　stopped；　more　from　lack　of　breath　than　want　of　argument；　he　opened　his　oracular　jaws；　and　made　the　following　reply；　interrupted　by　his　usual　interjectional　ejaculations；　and　by　long　volumes　of　smoke：'Hemayeehpoof。　　And；　youngster；　do　you　think　Matthew　Foxley；　who　has　been　one　of　the　quorum　for　these　twenty　years；　is　to　be　come　over　with　such　trash　as　would　hardly　cheat　an　apple…woman？　　Poofpoofeh！　　Why；　maneh　dost　thou　not　know　the　charge　is　not　a　bailable　matterand　that　humayethe　greatest　manpoofthe　Baron　of　Graystock　himself；　must　stand　committed？　　and　yet　you　pretend　to　have　been　kidnapped　by　this　gentleman；　and　robbed　of　property；　and　what　not；　andehpoofyou　would　persuade　me　all　you　want　is　to　get　away　from　him？　　I　do　believeehthat　it　IS　all　you　want。　Therefore；　as　you　are　a　sort　of　a　slip…string　gentleman；　andaye　huma　kind　of　idle　apprentice；　and　something　cock…brained　withal；　as　the　honest　folks　of　the　house　tell　mewhy；　you　must　e'en　remain　under　custody　of　your　guardian；　till　your　coming　of　age；　or　my　Lord　Chancellor's　warrant；　shall　give　you　the　management　of　your　own　affairs；　which；　if　you　can　gather　your　brains　again；　you　will　even　then　not　beayehempoofin　particular　haste　to　assume。'

The　time　occupied　by　his　worship's　hums；　and　haws；　and　puffs　of　tobacco　smoke；　together　with　the　slow　and　pompous　manner　in　which　he　spoke；　gave　me　a　minute's　space　to　collect　my　ideas；　dispersed　as　they　were　by　the　extraordinary　purport　of　this　annunciation。

'I　cannot　conceive；　sir；'　I　replied；　'by　what　singular　tenure　this　person　claims　my　obedience　as　a　guardian；　it　is　a　barefaced　imposture。　　I　never　in　my　life　saw　him；　until　I　came　unhappily　to　this　country；　about　four　weeks　since。'

'Aye；　sirweehknow；　and　are　awarethatpoofyou　do　not　like　to　hear　some　folk's　names；　and　thatehyou　understand　me　there　are　things；　and　sounds；　and　matters；　conversation　about　names；　and　suchlike；　which　put　you　off　the　hookswhich　I　have　no　humour　to　witness。　　Nevertheless；　Mr。　DarsieorpoofMr。　Darsie　Latimerorpoof；　poofehaye；　Mr。　Darsie　without　the　Latimeryou　have　acknowledged　as　much　to…day　as　assures　me　you　will　best　be　disposed　of　under　the　honourable　care　of　my　friend　hereall　your　confessionsbesides　thatpoofehI　know　him　to　be　a　most　responsible　personahayayemost　responsible　and　honourable　personCan　you　deny　this？'

'I　know　nothing　of　him；'　I　repeated；　'not　even　his　name；　and　I　have　not；　as　I　told　you；　seen　him　in　the　course　of　my　whole　life；　till　a　few　weeks　since。'

'Will　you　swear　to　that？'　　said　the　singular　man；　who　seemed　to　await　the　result　of　this　debate；　secure　as　a　rattle…snake　is　of　the　prey　which　has　once　felt　its　fascination。　　And　while　he　said　these　words　in　deep　undertone；　he　withdrew　his　chair　a　little　behind　that　of　the