redgauntlet-第85节

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ather　Buonaventure；　which　it　was　difficult　to　reconcile　with　those　preconceived　opinions　which　imputed　subtlety　and　fraud　to　his　sect　and　order。　　Above　all；　Alan　was　aware　that　if　he　accepted　not　his　freedom　upon　the　terms　offered　him；　he　was　likely　to　be　detained　by　force；　so　that；　in　every　point　of　view；　he　was　a　gainer　by　accepting　them。

A　qualm；　indeed；　came　across　him；　when　he　considered；　as　a　lawyer；　that　this　father　was　probably；　in　the　eye　of　law；　a　traitor；　and　that　there　was　an　ugly　crime　on　the　Statute　Book；　called　misprision　of　treason。　　On　the　other　hand；　whatever　he　might　think　or　suspect；　he　could　not　take　upon　him　to　say　that　the　man　was　a　priest；　whom　he　had　never　seen　in　the　dress　of　his　order；　or　in　the　act　of　celebrating　mass；　so　that　he　felt　himself　at　liberty　to　doubt　of　that　respecting　which　he　possessed　no　legal　proof。　　He　therefore　arrived　at　the　conclusion；　that　he　would　do　well　to　accept　his　liberty；　and　proceed　to　Redgauntlet　under　the　guarantee　of　Father　Buonaventure；　which　he　scarce　doubted　would　be　sufficient　to　save　him　from　personal　inconvenience。　　Should　he　once　obtain　speech　of　that　gentleman；　he　felt　the　same　confidence　as　formerly；　that　he　might　be　able　to　convince　him　of　the　rashness　of　his　conduct；　should　he　not　consent　to　liberate　Darsie　Latimer。　　At　all　events；　he　should　learn　where　his　friend　was；　and　how　circumstanced。

Having　thus　made　up　his　mind；　Alan　waited　anxiously　for　the　expiration　of　the　hour　which　had　been　allowed　him　for　deliberation。　　He　was　not　kept　on　the　tenter…hooks　of　impatience　an　instant　longer　than　the　appointed　moment　arrived；　for；　even　as　the　clock　struck；　Ambrose　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　gallery；　and　made　a　sign　that　Alan　should　follow　him。　　He　did　so；　and　after　passing　through　some　of　the　intricate　avenues　common　in　old　houses；　was　ushered　into　a　small　apartment；　commodiously　fitted　up；　in　which　he　found　Father　Buonaventure　reclining　on　a　couch；　in　the　attitude　of　a　man　exhausted　by　fatigue　or　indisposition。　On　a　small　table　beside　him；　a　silver　embossed　salver　sustained　a　Catholic　book　of　prayer；　a　small　flask　of　medicine；　a　cordial；　and　a　little　tea…cup　of　old　china。　　Ambrose　did　not　enter　the　roomhe　only　bowed　profoundly；　and　closed　the　door　with　the　least　possible　noise；　so　soon　as　Fairford　had　entered。

'Sit　down；　young　man；'　said　the　father；　with　the　same　air　of　condescension　which　had　before　surprised；　and　rather　offended　Fairford。　　'You　have　been　ill；　and　I　know　too　well　by　my　own　case　that　indisposition　requires　indulgence。　　Have　you；'　he　continued；　so　soon　as　he　saw　him　seated；　'resolved　to　remain；　or　to　depart？'

'To　depart；'　said　Alan；　'under　the　agreement　that　you　will　guarantee　my　safety　with　the　extraordinary　person　who　has　conducted　himself　in　such　a　lawless　manner　toward　my　friend；　Darsie　Latimer。'

'Do　not　judge　hastily；　young　man；'　replied　the　father。　'Redgauntlet　has　the　claims　of　a　guardian　over　his　ward；　in　respect　to　the　young　gentleman；　and　a　right　to　dictate　his　place　of　residence；　although　he　may　have　been　injudicious　in　selecting　the　means　by　which　he　thinks　to　enforce　his　authority。'

'His　situation　as　an　attainted　person　abrogates　such　rights；'　said　Fairford；　hastily。

'Surely；'　replied　the　priest；　smiling　at　the　young　lawyer's　readiness；　'in　the　eye　of　those　who　acknowledge　the　justice　of　the　attainderbut　that　do　not　I。　　However；　sir；　here　is　the　guaranteelook　at　its　contents；　and　do　not　again　carry　the　letters　of　Uriah。'

Fairford　read　these　words：

'GOOD　FRIEND；　'We　send　you　hither　a　young　man　desirous　to　know　the　situation　of　your　ward；　since　he　came　under　your　paternal　authority；　and　hopeful　of　dealing　with　you　for　having　your　relative　put　at　large。　　This　we　recommend　to　your　prudence；　highly　disapproving；　at　the　same　time；　of　any　force　or　coercion　when　such　can　be　avoided；　and　wishing；　therefore；　that　the　bearer's　negotiation　may　be　successful。　　At　all　rates；　however；　the　bearer　hath　our　pledged　word　for　his　safety　and　freedom；　which；　therefore；　you　are　to　see　strictly　observed；　as　you　value　our　honour　and　your　own。　　We　further　wish　to　converse　with　you；　with　as　small　loss　of　time　as　may　be；　having　matters　of　the　utmost　confidence　to　impart。　　For　this　purpose　we　desire　you　to　repair　hither　with　all　haste；　and　thereupon　we　bid　you　heartily　farewell。　P。　B。'

'You　will　understand；　sir；'　said　the　father；　when　he　saw　that　Alan　had　perused　his　letter；　'that；　by　accepting　charge　of　this　missive；　you　bind　yourself　to　try　the　effect　of　it　before　having　recourse　to　any　legal　means；　as　you　term　them；　for　your　friend's　release。'

'There　are　a　few　ciphers　added　to　this　letter；'　said　Fairford；　when　he　had　perused　the　paper　attentively；'may　I　inquire　what　their　import　is？'

'They　respect　my　own　affairs；'　answered　the　father；　briefly；　'and　have　no　concern　whatever　with　yours。'

'It　seems　to　me；　however；'　replied　Alan；　'natural　to　suppose'

'Nothing　must　be　supposed　incompatible　with　my　honour；'　replied　the　priest；　interrupting　him；　'when　such　as　I　am　confer　favours；　we　expect　that　they　shall　be　accepted　with　gratitude；　or　declined　with　thankful　respectnot　questioned　or　discussed。'

'I　will　accept　your　letter；　then；'　said　Fairford；　after　a　minute's　consideration；　'and　the　thanks　you　expect　shall　be　most　liberally　paid；　if　the　result　answer　what　you　teach　me　to　expect。'

'God　only　commands　the　issue；'　said　Father　Buonaventure。　　'Man　uses　means。　　You　understand　that；　by　accepting　this　commission；　you　engage　yourself　in　honour　to　try　the　effect　of　my　letter　upon　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　before　you　have　recourse　to　informations　or　legal　warrants？'

'I　hold　myself　bound；　as　a　man　of　good　faith　and　honour；　to　do　so；'　said　Fairford。

'Well；　I　trust　you；'　said　the　father。　　'I　will　now　tell　you　that　an　express；　dispatched　by　me　last　night；　has；　I　hear；　brought　Redgauntlet　to　a　spot　many　miles　nearer　this　place；　where　he　will　not　find　it　safe　to　attempt　any　violence　on　your　friend；　should　he　be　rash　enough　to　follow　the　advice　of　Mr。　Maxwell　of　Summertrees　rather　than　my　commands。　　We　now　understand　each　other。'

He　extended　his　hand　towards　Alan；　who　was　about　to　pledge　his　faith　in　the　usual　form　by　grasping　it　with　his　own；　when　the　father　drew　back　hastily。　　Ere　Alan　had　time　to　comment　upon　this　repulse；　a　small　side…door；　covered　with　tapestry；　was　opened；　the　hangings　were　drawn　aside；　and　a　lady；　as　if　by　sudden　apparition；　glided　into　the　apartment。　　It　was　neither　of　the　Misses　Arthuret；　but　a　woman　in　the　prime　of　life；　and　in　the　full…blown　expansion　of　female　beauty；　tall；　fair；　and　commanding　in　her　aspect。　　Her　locks；　of　paly　gold；　were　taught　to　fall　over　a　brow；　which；　with　the　stately　glance　of　the　large；　open；　blue　eyes；　might　have　become　Juno　herself；　her　neck　and　bosom　were　admirably　formed；　and　of　a　dazzling　whiteness。　　She　was　rather　inclined　to　EMBONPOINT；　but　not　more　than　became　her　age；　of　apparently　thirty　years。　　Her　step　was　that　of　a　queen；　but　it　was　of　Queen　Vashti；　not　Queen　Estherthe　bold　and　commanding；　not　the　retiring　beauty。

Father　Buonaventure　raised　himself　on　the　couch；　angrily；　as　if　displeased　by　this　intrusion。　　'How　now；　madam；'　he　said；　with　some　sternness；　'why　have　we　the　honour　of　your　company？'

'Because　it　is　my　pleasure；'　answered　the　lady；　composedly。

'Your　pleasure；　madam！'　　he　repeated　in　the　same　angry　tone。

'My　pleasure；　sir；'　she　continued；　'which　always　keeps　exact　pace　with　my　duty。　　I　had　heard　you　were　unwelllet　me　hope　it　is　only　business　which　produces　this　seclusion。'

'I　am　well；'　he　replied；　'perfectly　well；　and　I　thank　you　for　your　carebut　we　are　not　alone；　and　this　young　man'

'That　young　man？'　　she　said；　bending　her　large　and　serious　eye　on　Alan　Fairford；　as　if　she　had　been　for　the　first　time　aware　of　his　presence；'may　I　ask　who　he　is？'

'Another　time；　madam；　you　shall　learn　his　history　after　he　is　gone。　　His　presence　renders　it　impossible　for　me　to　explain　further。'

'After　he　is　gone　may　be　too　late；'　said　the　lady；　'and　what　is　his　presence　to　me；　when　your　safety　is　at　stake？　　He　is　the　heretic　lawyer　whom　those　silly　fools；　the　Arthurets；　admitted　into　this　house　at　a　time　when　they　should　have　let　their　own　father　knock　at　the　door　in　vain；　though　the　night　had　been　a　wild　one。　　You　will　not　surely　dismiss　him？'

'Your　own　impatience　can　alone　make　that　step　perilous；'　said　the　father；　'I　have　resolved　to　take　itdo　not　let　your　indiscreet　zeal；　however　excellent　its　motive；　add　any　unnecessary　risk　to　the　transaction。'

'Even　so？'　　said　the　lady；　in　a　tone　of　reproach；　yet　mingled　with　respect　and　apprehension。　　'And　thus　you　will　still　go　forward；　like　a　stag　upon　the　hunter's　snares；　with　undoubting　confidence；　after　all　that　has　happened？'

'Peace；　madam；'　said　Father　Buonaventure；　rising　up；　'be　silent；　or　quit　the　apartment；　my　designs　do　not　admit　of　female　criticism。'

To　this　peremptory　command　the　lady　seemed　about　to　make　a　sharp　reply；　but　she　checked　herself；　and　pressing　her　lips　strongly　together；　as　if　to　secure　the　words　from　bursting　from　them　which　were　already　formed　upon　her　tongue；　she　made　a　deep　reverence；　partly　as　it　seemed　in　reproach；　partly　in　respect；　and　left　the　room　as　suddenly　as　she　had　entered　i