redgauntlet-第78节

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　And　here　I　sit；　the　skipper　of　the　JUMPING　JENNYa　nutshell　of　a　thing；　but　goes　through　the　water　like　a　dolphin。　　If　it　were　not　for　yon　hypocritical　scoundrel　at　Annan；　who　has　the　best　end　of　the　profit；　and　takes　none　of　the　risk；　I　should　be　well　enoughas　well　as　I　want　to　be。　　Here　is　no　lack　of　my　best　friend；'touching　his　case…bottle；'but；　to　tell　you　a　secret；　he　and　I　have　got　so　used　to　each　other；　I　begin　to　think　he　is　like　a　professed　joker；　that　makes　your　sides　sore　with　laughing　if　you　see　him　but　now　and　then；　but　if　you　take　up　house　with　him；　he　can　only　make　your　head　stupid。　　But　I　warrant　the　old　fellow　is　doing　the　best　he　can　for　me；　after　all。'

'And　what　may　that　be？'　　said　Fairford。

'He　is　KILLING　me；'　replied　Nanty　Ewart；　'and　I　am　only　sorry　he　is　so　long　about　it。'

So　saying　he　jumped　on　his　feet；　and；　tripping　up　and　down　the　deck；　gave　his　orders　with　his　usual　clearness　and　decision；　notwithstanding　the　considerable　quantity　of　spirits　which　he　had　contrived　to　swallow　while　recounting　his　history。

Although　far　from　feeling　well；　Fairford　endeavoured　to　rouse　himself　and　walk　to　the　head　of　the　brig；　to　enjoy　the　beautiful　prospect；　as　well　as　to　take　some　note　of　the　course　which　the　vessel　held。　　To　his　great　surprise；　instead　of　standing　across　to　the　opposite　shore　from　which　she　had　departed；　the　brig　was　going　down　the　Firth；　and　apparently　steering　into　the　Irish　Sea。　He　called　to　Nanty　Ewart；　and　expressed　his　surprise　at　the　course　they　were　pursuing；　and　asked　why　they　did　not　stand　straight　across　the　Firth　for　some　port　in　Cumberland。

'Why；　this　is　what　I　call　a　reasonable　question；　now；'　answered　Nanty；　'as　if　a　ship　could　go　as　straight　to　its　port　as　a　horse　to　the　stable；　or　a　free…trader　could　sail　the　Solway　as　securely　as　a　King's　cutter！　　Why；　I'll　tell　ye；　brotherif　I　do　not　see　a　smoke　on　Bowness；　that　is　the　village　upon　the　headland　yonder；　I　must　stand　out　to　sea　for　twenty…four　hours　at　least；　for　we　must　keep　the　weather…gage　if　there　are　hawks　abroad。'

'And　if　you　do　see　the　signal　of　safety；　Master　Ewart；　what　is　to　be　done　then？'

'Why　then；　and　in　that　case；　I　must　keep　off　till　night；　and　then　run　you；　with　the　kegs　and　the　rest　of　the　lumber；　ashore　at　Skinburness；'

'And　then　I　am　to　meet　with　this　same　laird　whom　I　have　the　letter　for？'　　continued　Fairford。

'That；'　said　Ewart；　'is　thereafter　as　it　may　be；　the　ship　has　its　coursethe　fair　trader　has　his　portbut　it　is　not　easy　to　say　where　the　laird　may　be　found。　　But　he　will　be　within　twenty　miles　of　us；　off　or　onand　it　will　be　my　business　to　guide　you　to　him。'

Fairford　could　not　withstand　the　passing　impulse　of　terror　which　crossed　him；　when　thus　reminded　that　he　was　so　absolutely　in　the　power　of　a　man；　who；　by　his　own　account；　had　been　a　pirate；　and　who　was　at　present；　in　all　probability；　an　outlaw　as　well　as　a　contraband　trader。　　Nanty　Ewart　guessed　the　cause　of　his　involuntary　shuddering。

'What　the　devil　should　I　gain；'　he　said；　'by　passing　so　poor　a　card　as　you　are？　　Have　I　not　had　ace　of　trumps　in　my　hand；　and　did　I　not　play　it　fairly？　　Aye；　I　say　the　JUMPING　JENNY　can　run　in　other　ware　as　well　as　kegs。　　Put　SIGMA　and　TAU　to　Ewart；　and　see　how　that　will　spellD'ye　take　me　now？'

'No　indeed；'　said　Fairford；　'I　am　utterly　ignorant　of　what　you　allude　to。'

'Now；　by　Jove！'　　said　Nanty　Ewart；　'thou　art　either　the　deepest　or　the　shallowest　fellow　I　ever　met　withor　you　are　not　right　after　all。　　I　wonder　where　Summertrees　could　pick　up　such　a　tender　along…shore。　　Will　you　let　me　see　his　letter？'

Fairford　did　not　hesitate　to　gratify　his　wish；　which；　he　was　aware；　he　could　not　easily　resist。　　The　master　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY　looked　at　the　direction　very　attentively；　then　turned　the　letter　to　and　fro；　and　examined　each　flourish　of　the　pen；　as　if　he　were　judging　of　a　piece　of　ornamented　manuscript；　then　handled　it　back　to　Fairford；　without　a　single　word　of　remark。

'Am　I　right　now？'　　said　the　young　lawyer。

'Why；　for　that　matter；'　answered　Nanty；　'the　letter　is　right；　sure　enough；　but　whether　you　are　right　or　not；　is　your　own　business　rather　than　mine。'　　And；　striking　upon　a　flint　with　the　back　of　a　knife；　he　kindled　a　cigar　as　thick　as　his　finger；　and　began　to　smoke　away　with　great　perseverance。

Alan　Fairford　continued　to　regard　him　with　a　melancholy　feeling；　divided　betwixt　the　interest　he　took　in　the　unhappy　man；　and　a　not　unnatural　apprehension　for　the　issue　of　his　own　adventure。

Ewart；　notwithstanding　the　stupefying　nature　of　his　pastime；　seemed　to　guess　what　was　working　in　his　passenger's　mind；　for；　after　they　had　remained　some　time　engaged　in　silently　observing　each　other；　he　suddenly　dashed　his　cigar　on　the　deck；　and　said　to　him；　'Well　then；　if　you　are　sorry　for　me；　I　am　sorry　for　you。　Dn　me；　if　I　have　cared　a　button　for　man　or　mother's　son；　since　two　years　since　when　I　had　another　peep　of　Jack　Hadaway。　　'The　fellow　was　got　as　fat　as　a　Norway　whalemarried　to　a　great　Dutch…built　quean　that　had　brought　him　six　children。　　I　believe　he　did　not　know　me；　and　thought　I　was　come　to　rob　his　house；　however；　I　made　up　a　poor　face；　and　told　him　who　I　was。　　Poor　Jack　would　have　given　me　shelter　and　clothes；　and　began　to　tell　me　of　the　moidores　that　were　in　bank；　when　I　wanted　them。　　Egad；　he　changed　his　note　when　I　told　him　what　my　life　had　been；　and　only　wanted　to　pay　me　my　cash　and　get　rid　of　me。　　I　never　saw　so　terrified　a　visage。　　I　burst　out　a…laughing　in　his　face；　told　him　it　was　all　a　humbug；　and　that　the　moidores　were　all　his　own；　henceforth　and　for　ever；　and　so　ran　off。　　I　caused　one　of　our　people　send　him　a　bag　of　tea　and　a　keg　of　brandy；　before　I　left　poor　Jack！　　I　think　you　are　the　second　person　these　ten　years；　that　has　cared　a　tobacco…stopper　for　Nanty　Ewart。'

'Perhaps；　Mr。　Ewart；'　said　Fairford；　'you　live　chiefly　with　men　too　deeply　interested　for　their　own　immediate　safety；　to　think　much　upon　the　distress　of　others？'

'And　with　whom　do　you　yourself　consort；　I　pray？'　　replied　Nanty；　smartly。　　'Why；　with　plotters；　that　can　make　no　plot　to　better　purpose　than　their　own　hanging；　and　incendiaries；　that　are　snapping　the　flint　upon　wet　tinder。　　You'll　as　soon　raise　the　dead　as　raise　the　Highlandsyou'll　as　soon　get　a　grunt　from　a　dead　sow　as　any　comfort　from　Wales　or　Cheshire。　　You　think　because　the　pot　is　boiling；　that　no　scum　but　yours　can　come　uppermostI　know　better；　by　。　　All　these　rackets　and　riots　that　you　think　are　trending　your　way　have　no　relation　at　all　to　your　interest；　and　the　best　way　to　make　the　whole　kingdom　friends　again　at　once；　would　be　the　alarm　of　such　an　undertaking　as　these　mad　old　fellows　are　trying　to　launch　into。

'I　really　am　not　in　such　secrets　as　you　seem　to　allude　to；'　said　Fairford；　and；　determined　at　the　same　time　to　avail　himself　as　far　as　possible　of　Nanty's　communicative　disposition；　he　added；　with　a　smile；'　And　if　I　were；　I　should　not　hold　it　prudent　to　make　them　much　the　subject　of　conversation。　　But　I　am　sure；　so　sensible　a　man　as　Summertrees　and　the　laird　may　correspond　together　without　offence　to　the　state。'

'I　take　you；　friendI　take　you；'　said　Nanty　Ewart；　upon　whom；　at　length；　the　liquor　and　tobacco…smoke　began　to　make　considerable　innovation。　　'As　to　what　gentlemen　may　or　may　not　correspond　about；　why　we　may　pretermit　the　question；　as　the　old　professor　used　to　say　at　the　Hall；　and　as　to　Summertrees；　I　will　say　nothing；　knowing　him　to　be　an　old　fox。　　But　I　say　that　this　fellow　the　laird　is　a　firebrand　in　the　country　；　that　he　is　stirring　up　all　the　honest　fellows　who　should　be　drinking　their　brandy　quietly；　by　telling　them　stories　about　their　ancestors　and　the　Forty…five　；　and　that　he　is　trying　to　turn　all　waters　into　his　own　mill…dam；　and　to　set　his　sails　to　all　winds。　　And　because　the　London　people　are　roaring　about　for　some　pinches　of　their　own；　he　thinks　to　win　them　to　his　turn　with　a　wet　finger。　　And　he　gets　encouragement　from　some；　because　they　want　a　spell　of　money　from　him；　and　from　others；　because　they　fought　for　the　cause　once　and　are　ashamed　to　go　back；　and　others；　because　they　have　nothing　to　lose；　and　others；　because　they　are　discontented　fools。　　But　if　he　has　brought　you；　or　any　one；　I　say　not　whom；　into　this　scrape；　with　the　hope　of　doing　any　good；　he's　a　dd　decoy…duck；　and　that's　all　I　can　say　for　him；　and　you　are　geese；　which　is　worse　than　being　decoy…ducks；　or　lame…ducks　either。　　And　so　here　is　to　the　prosperity　of　King　George　the　Third；　and　the　true　Presbyterian　religion；　and　confusion　to　the　Pope；　the　Devil；　and　the　Pretender！　　I'll　tell　you　what；　Mr。　Fairbairn；　I　am　but　tenth　owner　of　this　bit　of　a　craft；　the　JUMPING　JENNYbut　tenth　owner　and　must　sail　her　by　my　owners'　directions。　　But　if　I　were　whole　owner；　I　would　not　have　the　brig　be　made　a　ferry…boat　for　your　Jacobitical；　old…fashioned　Popish　riff…raff；　Mr。　FairportI　would　not；　by　my　soul；　they　should　walk　the　plank；　by　the　gods；　as　I　have　seen　better　men　do　when　I　sailed　under　the　What…d'ye…　callum　colours。　　But　being　contraband　goods；　and　on　board　my　vessel；　and　I　with　my　sailing　orders　in　my　hand；　why；　I　am　to　forward　them　as　directedI　say；　John　Roberts；　keep　her　up　a　bit　with　the　helm。and　so；　Mr。　Fairweather；　what　I　do　isas　the　dd　villain　Turnpenny　say