redgauntlet-第94节

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'But　we　are　not　in　France；'　said　poor　Darsie；　through　whose　blood　ran　a　cold　shivering　at　the　idea　of　a　French　prison。

'A　fast…sailing　lugger　will　soon　bring　you　there　though；　snug　stowed　under　hatches；　like　a　cask　of　moonlight。'

'But　the　French　are　at　peace　with　us；'　said　Darsie；　'and　would　not　dare'

'Why；　who　would　ever　hear　of　you？'　　interrupted　Nixon；　'do　you　imagine　that　a　foreign　court　would　call　you　up　for　judgement；　and　put　the　sentence　of　imprisonment　in　the　COURRIER　DE　L'EUROPE；　as　they　do　at　the　Old　Bailey？　　No；　no；　young　gentlemanthe　gates　of　the　Bastille；　and　of　Mont　Saint　Michel；　and　the　Castle　of　Vincennes；　move　on　dd　easy　hinges　when　they　let　folk　innot　the　least　jar　is　heard。　　There　are　cool　cells　there　for　hot　headsas　calm；　and　quiet；　and　dark；　as　you　could　wish　in　Bedlam　and　the　dismissal　comes　when　the　carpenter　brings　the　prisoner's　coffin；　and　not　sooner。'

'Well；　Mr。　Nixon；'　said　Darsie；　affecting　a　cheerfulness　which　he　was　far　from　feeling；　'mine　is　a　hard　casea　sort　of　hanging　choice；　you　will　allowsince　I　must　either　offend　our　own　government　here　and　run　the　risk　of　my　life　for　doing　so；　or　be　doomed　to　the　dungeons　of　another　country；　whose　laws　I　have　never　offended　since　I　have　never　trod　its　soilTell　me　what　you　would　do　if　you　were　in　my　place。

'I'll　tell　you　that　when　I　am　there；'　said　Nixon；　and；　checking　his　horse；　fell　back　to　the　rear　of　the　little　party。

'It　is　evident；'　thought　the　young　man；　'that　the　villain　believes　me　completely　noosed；　and　perhaps　has　the　ineffable　impudence　to　suppose　that　my　sister　must　eventually　succeed　to　the　possessions　which　have　occasioned　my　loss　of　freedom；　and　that　his　own　influence　over　the　destinies　of　our　unhappy　family　may　secure　him　possession　of　the　heiress；　but　he　shall　perish　by　my　hand　first！I　must　now　be　on　the　alert　to　make　my　escape；　if　possible；　before　I　am　forced　on　shipboard。　　Blind　Willie　will　not；　I　think；　desert　me　without　an　effort　on　my　behalf；　especially　if　he　has　learned　that　I　am　the　son　of　his　late　unhappy　patron。　　What　a　change　is　mine！　　Whilst　I　possessed　neither　rank　nor　fortune；　I　lived　safely　and　unknown；　under　the　protection　of　the　kind　and　respectable　friends　whose　hearts　Heaven　had　moved　towards　me。　　Now　that　I　am　the　head　of　an　honourable　house；　and　that　enterprises　of　the　most　daring　character　await　my　decision；　and　retainers　and　vassals　seem　ready　to　rise　at　my　beck；　my　safety　consists　chiefly　in　the　attachment　of　a　blind　stroller！'

While　he　was　revolving　these　things　in　his　mind；　and　preparing　himself　for　the　interview　with　his　uncle　which　could　not　but　be　a　stormy　one；　he　saw　Hugh　Redgauntlet　come　riding　slowly　back　to　meet　them　without　any　attendants。　　Cristal　Nixon　rode　up　as　he　approached；　and；　as　they　met；　fixed　on　him　a　look　of　inquiry。

'The　fool；　Crackenthorp；'　said　Redgauntlet；　has　let　strangers　into　his　house。　　Some　of　his　smuggling　comrades；　I　believe；　we　must　ride　slowly　to　give　him　time　to　send　them　packing。'

'Did　you　see　any　of　your　friends？'　　said　Cristal。

'Three；　and　have　letters　from　many　more。　　They　are　unanimous　on　the　subject　you　wot　ofand　the　point　must　be　conceded　to　them；　or；　far　as　the　matter　has　gone；　it　will　go　no　further。'

'You　will　hardly　bring　the　father　to　stoop　to　his　flock；'　said　Cristal；　with　a　sneer。

'He　must　and　shall！'　　answered　Redgauntlet；　briefly。　　'Go　to　the　front；　CristalI　would　speak　with　my　nephew。　　I　trust；　Sir　Arthur　Redgauntlet；　you　are　satisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　I　have　discharged　my　duty　to　your　sister？'

'There　can　be　no　fault　found　to　her　manners　or　sentiments；'　answered　Darsie；　'I　am　happy　in　knowing　a　relative　so　amiable。'

'I　am　glad　of　it；'　answered　Mr。　Redgauntlet。　　'I　am　no　nice　judge　of　women's　qualifications；　and　my　life　has　been　dedicated　to　one　great　object；　so　that　since　she　left　France　she　has　had　but　little　opportunity　of　improvement。　　I　have　subjected　her；　however；　as　little　as　possible　to　the　inconveniences　and　privations　of　my　wandering　and　dangerous　life。　　From　time　to　time　she　has　resided　for　weeks　and　months　with　families　of　honour　and　respectability；　and　I　am　glad　that　she　has；　in；　your　opinion；　the　manners　and　behaviour　which　become　her　birth。'

Darsie　expressed　himself　perfectly　satisfied；　and　there　was　a　little　pause；　which　Redgauntlet　broke　by　solemnly　addressing　his　nephew。

'For　you；　my　nephew；　I　also　hoped　to　have　done　much。　　The　weakness　and　timidity　of　your　mother　sequestered　you　from　my　care；　or　it　would　have　been　my　pride　and　happiness　to　have　trained　up　the　son　of　my　unhappy　brother　in　those　paths　of　honour　in　which　our　ancestors　have　always　trod。'

'Now　comes　the　storm；'　thought　Darsie　to　himself；　and　began　to　collect　his　thoughts；　as　the　cautious　master　of　a　vessel　furls　his　sails　and　makes　his　ship　snug　when　he　discerns　the　approaching　squall。

'My　mother's　conduct　in　respect　to　me　might　be　misjudged；'　he　said；　'but　it　was　founded　on　the　most　anxious　affection。'

'Assuredly；'　said　his　uncle；　'and　I　have　no　wish　to　reflect　on　her　memory；　though　her　mistrust　has　done　so　much　injury；　I　will　not　say　to　me；　but　to　the　cause　of　my　unhappy　country。　　Her　scheme　was；　I　think；　to　have　made　you　that　wretched　pettifogging　being；　which　they　still　continue　to　call　in　derision　by　the　once　respectable　name　of　a　Scottish　Advocate；　one　of　those　mongrel　things　that　must　creep　to　learn　the　ultimate　decision　of　his　causes　to　the　bar　of　a　foreign　court；　instead　of　pleading　before　the　independent　and　august　Parliament　of　his　own　native　kingdom；'

'I　did　prosecute　the　study　of　law　for　a　year　or　two；　said　Darsie；　'but　I　found　I　had　neither　taste　nor　talents　for　the　science。'

'And　left　it　with　scorn；　doubtless；'　said　Mr。　Redgauntlet。　'Well；　I　now　hold　up　to　you；　my　dearest　nephew；　a　more　worthy　object　of　ambition。　　Look　eastwarddo　you　see　a　monument　standing　on　yonder　plain；　near　a　hamlet？'

Darsie　replied　that　he　did；

'The　hamlet　is　called　Burgh…upon…Sands；　and　yonder　monument　is　erected　to　the　memory　of　the　tyrant　Edward　I　The　just　hand　of　Providence　overtook　him　on　that　spot；　as　he　was　leading　his　bands　to　complete　the　subjugation　of　Scotland　whose　civil　dissensions　began　under　his　accursed　policy。　　The　glorious　career　of　Bruce　might　have　been　stopped　in　its　outset；　the　field　of　Bannockburn　might　have　remained　a　bloodless　turf；　if　God　had　not　removed；　in　the　very　crisis；　the　crafty　and　bold　tyrant　who　had　so　long　been　Scotland's　scourge。　　Edward's　grave　is　the　cradle　of　our　national　freedom。　　It　is　within　sight　of　that　great　landmark　of　our　liberty　that　I　have　to　propose　to　you　an　undertaking；　second　in　honour　and　importance　to　none　since　the　immortal　Bruce　stabbed　the　Red　Comyn；　and　grasped　with　his　yet　bloody　hand　the　independent　crown　of　Scotland。'

He　paused　for　an　answer；　but　Darsie；　overawed　by　the　energy　of　his　manner；　and　unwilling　to　commit　himself　by　a　hasty　explanation；　remained　silent。

'I　will　not　suppose；'　said　Hugh　Redgauntlet；　after　a　pause；　that　you　are　either　so　dull　as　not　to　comprehend　the　import　of　my　wordsor　so　dastardly　as　to　be　dismayed　by　my　proposalor　so　utterly　degenerate　from　the　blood　and　sentiments　of　your　ancestors；　as　not　to　feel　my　summons　as　the　horse　hears　the　war…　trumpet。'

'I　will　not　pretend　to　misunderstand　you；　sir；'　said　Darsie；　'but　an　enterprise　directed　against　a　dynasty　now　established　for　three　reigns　requires　strong　arguments；　both　in　point　of　justice　and　of　expediency；　to　recommend　it　to　men　of　conscience　and　prudence。'

'I　will　not；'　said　Redgauntlet；　while　his　eyes　sparkled　with　anger；'I　will　not　hear　you　speak　a　word　against　the　justice　of　that　enterprise；　for　which　your　oppressed　country　calls　with　the　voice　of　a　parent；　entreating　her　children　for　aidor　against　that　noble　revenge　which　your　father's　blood　demands　from　his　dishonoured　grave。　　His　skull　is　yet　standing　over　the　Rikargate；　＇The　northern　gate　of　Carlisle　was　long　garnished　with　the　heads　of　the　Scottish　rebels　executed　in　1746。＇　and　even　its　bleak　and　mouldered　jaws　command　you　to　be　a　man。　　I　ask　you；　in　the　name　of　God　and　of　your　country；　will　you　draw　your　sword　and　go　with　me　to　Carlisle；　were　it　but　to　lay　your　father's　head；　now　the　perch　of　the　obscene　owl　and　carrion　crow　and　the　scoff　of　every　ribald　clown；　in　consecrated　earth　as　befits　his　long　ancestry？'

Darsie；　unprepared　to　answer　an　appeal　urged　with　so　much　passion；　and　not　doubting　a　direct　refusal　would　cost　him　his　liberty　or　life；　was　again　silent。

'I　see；'　said　his　uncle；　in　a　more　composed　tone；　'that　it　is　not　deficiency　of　spirit；　but　the　grovelling　habits　of　a　confined　education；　among　the　poor…spirited　class　you　were　condemned　to　herd　with；　that　keeps　you　silent。　　You　scarce　yet　believe　yourself　a　Redgauntlet；　your　pulse　has　not　yet　learned　the　genuine　throb　that　answers　to　the　summons　of　honour　and　of　patriotism。'

'I　trust；'　replied　Darsie；　at　last；　'that　I　shall　never　be　found　indifferent　to　the　call　of　either；　but　to　answer　them　with　effecteven　were　I　convinced　that　they　now　sounded　in　my　earI　must　see　some　reasonable　hope　of　success　in　the　desperate　enterprise　in　which　you　would　involve　me。　　I　look　around　me；　and　I　see　a　settled　governmentan　established　authoritya　born　Briton　on　the　thronethe