redgauntlet-第84节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ter；　and　peruse　the　contents。

'Stop；　sir；　hold！'　　he　exclaimed；　so　soon　as　his　astonishment　permitted　him　to　express　his　resentment　in　words；　'by　what　right　do　you　dare'

'Peace；　young　gentleman；'　said　the　father；　repelling　him　with　a　wave　of　his　hand；　'be　assured　I　do　not　act　without　warrant　nothing　can　pass　betwixt　Mr。　Maxwell　and　Mr。　Redgauntlet　that　I　am　not　fully　entitled　to　know。'

'It　may　be　so；'　said　Alan；　extremely　angry；　'but　though　you　may　be　these　gentlemen's　father　confessor；　you　are　not　mine；　and　in　breaking　the　seal　of　a　letter　entrusted　to　my　care；　you　have　done　me'

'No　injury；　I　assure　you；'　answered　the　unperturbed　priest；　'on　the　contrary；　it　may　be　a　service。'

'I　desire　no　advantage　at　such　a　rate；　or　to　be　obtained　in　such　a　manner；'　answered　Fairford；　'restore　me　the　letter　instantly；　or'

'As　you　regard　your　own　safety；'　said　the　priest；　'forbear　all　injurious　expressions；　and　all　menacing　gestures。　　I　am　not　one　who　can　be　threatened　or　insulted　with　impunity；　and　there　are　enough　within　hearing　to　chastise　any　injury　or　affront　offered　to　me；　in　case　I　may　think　it　unbecoming　to　protect　or　avenge　myself　with　my　own　hand。'

In　saying　this；　the　father　assumed　an　air　of　such　fearlessness　and　calm　authority；　that　the　young　lawyer；　surprised　and　overawed；　forbore；　as　he　had　intended；　to　snatch　the　letter　from　his　hand；　and　confined　himself　to　bitter　complaints　of　the　impropriety　of　his　conduct；　and　of　the　light　in　which　he　himself　must　be　placed　to　Redgauntlet　should　he　present　him　a　letter　with　a　broken　seal。

'That；'　said　Father　Buonaventure；　'shall　be　fully　cared　for。　　I　will　myself　write　to　Redgauntlet；　and　enclose　Maxwell's　letter；　provided　always　you　continue　to　desire　to　deliver　it；　after　perusing　the　contents。'

He　then　restored　the　letter　to　Fairford；　and；　observing　that　he　hesitated　to　peruse　it；　said　emphatically；　'Read　it；　for　it　concerns　you。'

This　recommendation；　joined　to　what　Provost　Crosbie　had　formerly　recommended；　and　to　the　warning　which　he　doubted　not　that　Nanty　intended　to　convey　by　his　classical　allusion；　decided　Fairford's　resolution。　　'If　these　correspondents；'　he　thought；　'are　conspiring　against　my　person；　I　have　a　right　to　counterplot　them；　self…preservation；　as　well　as　my　friend's　safety；　require　that　I　should　not　be　too　scrupulous。'

So　thinking；　he　read　the　letter；　which　was　in　the　following　words：

'DEAR　RUGGED　AND　DANGEROUS；　'Will　you　never　cease　meriting　your　old　nick…name？　　You　have　springed　your　dottrel；　I　find；　and　what　is　the　consequence？why；　that　there　will　be　hue　and　cry　after　you　presently。　　The　bearer　is　a　pert　young　lawyer；　who　has　brought　a　formal　complaint　against　you；　which；　luckily；　he　has　preferred　in　a　friendly　court。　　Yet；　favourable　as　the　judge　was　disposed　to　be；　it　was　with　the　utmost　difficulty　that　cousin　Jenny　and　I　could　keep　him　to　his　tackle。　　He　begins　to　be　timid；　suspicious；　and　untractable；　and　I　fear　Jenny　will　soon　bend　her　brows　on　him　in　vain。　　I　know　not　what　to　advisethe　lad　who　carries　this　is　a　good　ladactive　for　his　friendand　I　have　pledged　my　honour　he　shall　have　no　personal　ill…usage。　　Pledged　my　honour；　remark　these　words；　and　remember　I　can　be　rugged　and　dangerous　as　well；　as　my　neighbours。　　But　I　have　not　ensured　him　against　a　short　captivity；　and　as　he　is　a　stirring　active　fellow；　I　see　no　remedy　but　keeping　him　out　of　the　way　till　this　business　of　the　good　Father　B　is　safely　blown　over；　which　God　send　it　were！Always　thine；　even　should　I　be　once　more　CRAIG…IN…PERIL。'

'What　think　you；　young　man；　of　the　danger　you　have　been　about　to　encounter　so　willingly？'

'As　strangely；'　replied　Alan　Fairford；　'as　of　the　extraordinary　means　which　you　have　been　at　present　pleased　to　use　for　the　discovery　of　Mr。　Maxwell's　purpose。

'Trouble　not　yourself　to　account　for　my　conduct；'　said　the　father；　'I　have　a　warrant　for　what　I　do；　and　fear　no　responsibility。　　But　tell　me　what　is　your　present　purpose。'

'I　should　not　perhaps　name　it　to　you；　whose　own　safety　may　be　implicated。'

'I　understand　you；'　answered　the　father；　'you　would　appeal　to　the　existing　government？　　That　can　at　no　rate　be　permittedwe　will　rather　detain　you　at　Fairladies　by　compulsion。'

'You　will　probably；'　said　Fairford；　'first　weigh　the　risk　of　such　a　proceeding　in　a　free　country。'

'I　have　incurred　more　formidable　hazard；'　said　the　priest；　smiling；　'yet　I　am　willing　to　find　a　milder　expedient。　　Come；　let　us　bring　the　matter　to　a　compromise。'　　And　he　assumed　a　conciliating　graciousness　of　manner；　which　struck　Fairford　as　being　rather　too　condescending　for　the　occasion；　'I　presume　you　will　be　satisfied　to　remain　here　in　seclusion　for　a　day　or　two　longer；　provided　I　pass　my　solemn　word　to　you　that　you　shall　meet　with　the　person　whom　you　seek　aftermeet　with　him　in　perfect　safety；　and；　I　trust；　in　good　health；　and　be　afterwards　both　at　liberty　to　return　to　Scotland；　or　dispose　of　yourselves　as　each　of　you　may　be　minded？'

'I　respect　the　VERBUM　SACERDOTIS　as　much　as　can　reasonably　be　expected　from　a　Protestant；'　answered　Fairford；　'but　methinks；　you　can　scarce　expect　me　to　repose　so　much　confidence　in　the　word　of　an　unknown　person　as　is　implied　in　the　guarantee　which　you　offer　me。'

'I　am　not　accustomed；　sir；'　said　the　father；　in　a　very　haughty　tone；　'to　have　my　word　disputed。　　But；'　he　added；　while　the　angry　hue　passed　from　his　cheek；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　'you　know　me　not；　and　ought　to　be　excused。　　I　will　repose　more　confidence　in　your　honour　than　you　seem　willing　to　rest　upon　mine；　and；　since　we　are　so　situated　that　one　must　rely　upon　the　other's　faith；　I　will　cause　you　to　be　set　presently　at　liberty；　and　furnished　with　the　means　of　delivering　your　letter　as　addressed；　provided　that　now；　knowing　the　contents；　you　think　it　safe　for　yourself　to　execute　the　commission。'

Alan　Fairford　paused。　　'I　cannot　see；'　he　at　length　replied；　'how　I　can　proceed　with　respect　to　the　accomplishment　of　my　sole　purpose；　which　is　the　liberation　of　my　friend；　without　appealing　to　the　law　and　obtaining　the　assistance　of　a　magistrate。　　If　I　present　this　singular　letter　of　Mr。　Maxwell；　with　the　contents　of　which　I　have　become　so　unexpectedly　acquainted；　I　shall　only　share　his　captivity。'

'And　if　you　apply　to　a　magistrate；　young　man；　you　will　bring　ruin　on　these　hospitable　ladies；　to　whom；　in　all　human　probability；　you　owe　your　life。　　You　cannot　obtain　a　warrant　for　your　purpose；　without　giving　a　clear　detail　of　all　the　late　scenes　through　which　you　have　passed。　　A　magistrate　would　oblige　you　to　give　a　complete　account　of　yourself；　before　arming　you　with　his　authority　against　a　third　party；　and　in　giving　such　an　account；　the　safety　of　these　ladies　will　necessarily　be　compromised。　　A　hundred　spies　have　had；　and　still　have；　their　eyes　upon　this　mansion；　but　God　will　protect　his　own。'He　crossed　himself　devoutly；　and　then　proceeded；'You　can　take　an　hour　to　think　of　your　best　plan；　and　I　will　pledge　myself　to　forward　it　thus　far；　provided　it　be　not　asking　you　to　rely　more　on　my　word　than　your　prudence　can　warrant。　　You　shall　go　to　Redgauntlet；I　name　him　plainly；　to　show　my　confidence　in　you；and　you　shall　deliver　him　this　letter　of　Mr。　Maxwell's；　with　one　from　me；　in　which　I　will　enjoin　him　to　set　your　friend　at　liberty；　or　at　least　to　make　no　attempts　upon　your　own　person；　either　by　detention　or　otherwise。　If　you　can　trust　me　thus　far；'　he　said；　with　a　proud　emphasis　on　the　words　'I　will　on　my　side　see　you　depart　from　this　place　with　the　most　perfect　confidence　that　you　will　not　return　armed　with　powers　to　drag　its　inmates　to　destruction。　　You　are　young　and　inexperiencedbred　to　a　profession　also　which　sharpens　suspicion；　and　gives　false　views　of　human　nature。　　I　have　seen　much　of　the　world；　and　have　known　better　than　most　men　how　far　mutual　confidence　is　requisite　in　managing　affairs　of　consequence。'

He　spoke　with　an　air　of　superiority；　even　of　authority；　by　which　Fairford；　notwithstanding　his　own　internal　struggles；　was　silenced　and　overawed　so　much；　that　it　was　not　till　the　father　had　turned　to　leave　the　apartment　that　he　found　words　to　ask　him　what　the　consequences　would　be；　should　he　decline　to　depart　on　the　terms　proposed。

'You　must　then；　for　the　safety　of　all　parties；　remain　for　some　days　an　inhabitant　of　Fairladies；　where　we　have　the　means　of　detaining　you；　which　self…preservation　will　in　that　case　compel　us　to　make　use　of。　　Your　captivity　will　be　short；　for　matters　cannot　long　remain　as　they　are。　　The　cloud　must　soon　rise；　or　it　must　sink　upon　us　for　ever。　　BENEDICITE！'

With　these　words　he　left　the　apartment。

Fairford；　upon　his　departure；　felt　himself　much　at　a　loss　what　course　to　pursue。　　His　line　of　education；　as　well　as　his　father's　tenets　in　matters　of　church　and　state；　had　taught　him　a　holy　horror　for　Papists；　and　a　devout　belief　in　whatever　had　been　said　of　the　Punic　faith　of　Jesuits；　and　of　the　expedients　of　mental　reservation　by　which　the　Catholic　priests　in　general　were　supposed　to　evade　keeping　faith　with　heretics。　　Yet　there　was　something　of　majesty；　depressed　indeed　and　overclouded；　but　still　grand　and　imposing；　in　the　manner　and　words　of　Father　Buonaventure；　which　it　was　difficult　to　reconcile　with　those　preconceived　opinions　which　imput