guy mannering-第101节

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n　to　his　operations；　she　called　out　aloud；　raising　herself　at　the　same　time　upon　the　couch；　〃Dirk　Hatteraick；　You　and　I　will　never　meet　again　until　we　are　before　the　judgment…seat…Will　ye　own　to　what　I　have　said；　or　will　you　dare　deny　it？〃　He　turned　his　hardened　brow　upon　her；　with　a　look　of　dumb　and　inflexible　defiance。　〃Dirk　Hatteraick；　dare　ye　deny；　with　my　blood　upon　your　hands；　one　word　of　what　my　dying　breath　is　uttering？〃He　looked　at　her　with　the　same　expression　of　hardihood　and　dogged　stubbornness；　and　moved　his　lips；　but　uttered　no　sound。　〃Then　fareweel！〃　she　said；　〃and　God　forgive　you！　Your　hand　has　sealed　my　evidence。When　I　was　in　life；　I　was　the　mad　randy　gipsy；　that　had　been　scourged；　and　banished；　and　brandedthat　had　begged　from　door　to　door；　and　been　hounded　like　a　stray　tike　＇*Dog。＇　from　parish　to　parishwha　would　hae　minded　her　tale？But　now　I　am　a　dying　woman；　and　my　words　will　not　fall　to　the　ground；　any　more　than　the　earth　will　cover　my　blood！〃

She　here　paused；　and　all　left　the　hut　except　the　surgeon　and　two　or　three　women。　After　a　very　short　examination；　he　shook　his　head；　and　resigned　his　post　by　the　dying　woman's　side　to　the　clergyman。

A　chaise　returning　empty　to　Kippletringan　had　been　stopped　on　the　high…road　by　a　constable；　who　foresaw　it　would　be　necessary　to　convey　Hatteraick　to　jail。　The　driver；　understanding　what　was　going　on　at　Derncleugh；　left　his　horses　to　the　care　of　a　black…guard　boy；　confiding；　it　is　to　be　supposed；　rather　in　the　years　and　discretion　of　the　cattle；　than　in　those　of　their　keeper；　and　set　off　full　speed　to　see；　as　he　expressed　himself；　〃whaten　a　sort　o'　fun　was　gaun　on。〃　He　arrived　just　as　the　group　of　tenants　and　peasants；　whose　numbers　increased　every　moment；　satiated　with　gazing　upon　the　rugged　features　of　Hatteraick；　had　turned　their　attention　towards　Bertram。　Almost　all　of　them；　especially　the　aged　men　who　had　seen　Ellangowan　in　his　better　days；　felt　and　acknowledged　the　justice　of　Meg　Merrilies's　appeal。　But　the　Scotch　are　a　cautious　people；　they　remembered　there　was　another　in　possession　of　the　estate；　and　they　as　yet　only　expressed　their　feelings　in　low　whispers　to　each　other。　Our　friend　Jock　Jabos；　the　postilion；　forced　his　way　into　the　middle　of　the　circle；　but　no　sooner　cast　his　eyes　upon　Bertram；　than　he　started　back　in　amazement；　with　a　solemn　exclamation；　〃As　sure　as　there's　breath　in　man；　it's　auld　Ellangowan　arisen　from　the　dead！〃

This　public　declaration　of　an　unprejudiced　witness　was　just　the　spark　wanted　to　give　fire　to　the　popular　feeling；　which　burst　forth　in　three　distinct　shouts：〃Bertram　forever！〃〃Long　life　to　the　heir　of　Ellangowan！〃〃God　send　him　his　ain；　and　to　live　among　us　as　his　forebears　did　of　yore！〃

〃I　hae　been　seventy　years　an　the　land；〃　said　one　person。

〃I　and　mine　hae　been　seventy　and　seventy　to　that　said　another；　〃I　have　a　right　to　ken　the　glance　of　a　Bertram。〃

〃I　and　mine　hae　been　three　hundred　years　here；〃　said　another　old　man；　〃and　I　sall　sell　my　last　cow；　but　I'll　see　the　young　laird　placed　in　his　right。〃

The　women；　ever　delighted　with　the　marvellous；　and　not　less　so　when　a　handsome　young　man　is　the　subject　of　the　tale；　added　their　shrill　acclamations　to　the　general　all…hail。　〃Blessings　on　himhe's　the　very　picture　o'　his　father！the　Bertrams　were　aye　the　wale　o'　the　country…side！〃

〃Eh！　that　his　puir　mother；　that　died　in　grief　and　in　doubt　about　him；　had　butlived　to　see　this　day！〃　exclaimed　some　female　voices。

〃But　we'll　help　him　to　his　ain；　kimmers；〃　cried　others；　〃and　before　Glossin　sall　keep　the　Place　of　Ellangowan；　we'll　howk　him　out　o't　wi'　our　nails！〃

Others　crowded　around　Dinmont；　who　was　nothing　loth　to　tell　what　he　knew　of　his　friend；　and　to　boast　the　honour　which　he　had　in　contributing　to　the　discovery。　As　he　was　known　to　several　of　the　principal　farmers　present；　his　testimony　afforded　an　additional　motive　to　the　general　enthusiasm。　In　short；　it　was　one　of　those　moments　of　intense　feeling；　when　the　frost　of　the　Scottish　people　melts　like　a　snow…wreath；　and　the　dissolving　torrent　carries　dam　and　dyke　before　it。

The　sudden　shouts　interrupted　the　devotions　of　the　clergyman；　and　Meg；　who　was　in　one　of　those　dozing　fits　of　stupefaction　that　precede　the　close　of　existence；　suddenly　started…〃　Dinna　ye　bear？…dinna　ye　hear？he's　owned！…he's　owned！I　lived　but　for　this。　I　am　a　sinful　woman；　but　if　my　curse　brought　it　down；　my　blessing　has　taen　it　off！　And　now　I　wad　hae　liked　to　hae　said　mair。　But　it　canna　be。　Stay〃she　continued；　stretching　her　head　towards　the　gleam　of　light　that　shot　through　the　narrow　slit　which　served　for　a　window；　〃Is　he　not　there？stand　out　o'　the　light；　and　let　me　look　upon　him　ance　mair。　But　the　darkness　is　in　my　ain　een；〃　she　said；　sinking　back；　after　an　earnest　gaze　upon　vacuity〃it's　a'　ended　now；

　　　　　　　　Pass　breath；　　　　　　　　　Come　death。〃

And；　sinking　back　upon　her　couch　of'　straw；　she　expired　without　a　groan。　The　clergyman　and　the　surgeon　carefully　noted　down　all　that　she　had　said；　now　deeply　regretting　they　had　not　examined　her　more　minutely；　but　both　remaining　morally　convinced　of　the　truth　of　her　disclosure。

Hazlewood　was　the　first　to　compliment　Bertram　upon　the　near　prospect　of　his　being　restored　to　his　name　and　rank　in　society。　The　people　around；　who　now　learned　from　Jabos　that　Bertram　was　the　person　who　had　wounded　him；　were　struck　with　his　generosity；　and　added　his　name　to　Bertram's　in　their　exulting　acclamations。

Some；　however；　demanded　of　the　postilion　how　he　had　not　recognised　Bertram　when　he　saw　him　some　time　before　at　Kippletringan？　to　which　he　gave　the　very　natural　answer；〃Hout；　what　was　I　thinking　about　Ellangowan　then？It　was　the　cry　that　was　rising　e'en　now　that　the　young　laird　was　found；　that　put　tire　on　finding　out　the　likenessThere　was　nae　missing　it　ance　ane　was　set　to　look　for't。〃

The　obduracy　of　Hatteraick；　during　the　latter　part　of　this　scene；　was　in　some　slight　degree　shaken。　He　was　observed　to　twinkle　with　his　eyelidsto　attempt　to　raise　his　bound　hands　for　the　purpose　of　pulling　his　hat　over　his　browto　look　angrily　and　impatiently　to　the　road；　as　if　anxious　for　the　vehicle　which　was　to　remove　him　from　the　spot。　At　length　Mr。　Hazlewood；　apprehensive　that　the　popular　ferment　might　take　a　direction　towards　the　prisoner；　directed　he　should　be　taken　to　the　post…chaise；　and　so　removed　to　the　town　of　Kippletringan　to　be　at　Mr。　MacMorlan's　disposal；　at　the　same　time　he　sent　an　express　to　warn　that　gentleman　of　what　had　happened。　〃And　now；〃　he　said　to　Bertram；　〃Ishould　be　happy　if　you　would　accompany　me　to　Hazlewood　House；　but　as　that。　might　not　be　so　agreeable　just　now　as　I　trust　it　will　be　in　a　day　or　two；　you　must　allow　me　to　return　with　you　to　Woodbourne。　But　you　are　on　foot。〃〃Or　if　the　young　laird　would　take　my　horse！〃〃Or　mine〃〃Or　mine；〃　said　half　a　dozen　voices〃Or　mine；　he　can　trot　ten　mile　an　hour　without　whip　or　spur；　and　he's　the　young。　laird's　frae　this　moment；　if　he　likes　to　take　him　for　a　herezeld；　＇*This　hard　word　is　placed　in　the　mouth　of　one　of　the　aged　tenants。　In　the　old　feudal　tenures；　the　herezeld　constituted　the　best　horse　or　other　animal　in　the　vassal's　lands；　became　the　right　of　the　superior。　The　only　remnant　of　this　custom　is　what　is　called　the　sasine；　or　a　fee　of　certain　estimated　value；　paid　to　the　sheriff　of　the　county；　who　gives　possession　to　the　vassals　Of　the　Crown。　＇　as　they　ca'd　it　lang　syne。〃Bertram　readily　accepted　the　horse　as　a　loan；　and　poured　forth　his　thanks　to　the　assembled　crowd　for　their　good　wishes；　which　they　repaid　with　shouts　and　vows　of　attachment。

While　the　happy　owner　was　directing　one　lad　to　〃gae　doun　for　the　new　saddle〃；　another；　〃just　to　rin　the　beast　ower　wi'　a　dry　wisp　o'　strae〃；　a　third；　〃to　hie　doun　and　borrow　Dan　Dunkieson's　plated　stirrups；〃　and　expressing　his　regret；　〃that　there　was　nae　time　to　gie　the　nag　a　feed；　that　the　young　laird　might　ken　his　mettle；〃　Bertram；　taking　the　clergyman　by　the　arm；　walked　into　the　vault；　and　shut　the　door　immediately　after　them。　He　gazed　in　silence　for　some　minutes　upon　the　body　of　Meg　Merrilies；　as　it　lay　before　him；　with　the　features　sharpened　by　death；　yet　still　retaining　the　stern　and　energetic　character；　which　had　maintained　in　life　her　superiority　as　the　wild　chieftainess　of　the　lawless　people　amongst　whom　she　was　born。　The　young　soldier　dried　the　tears　which　involuntarily　rose　on　viewing　this　wreck　of　one；　who　might　be　said　to　have　died　a　victim　to　her　fidelity　to　his　person　and　family。　He　then　took　the　clergyman's　hand；　and　asked　solemnly；　if　she　appeared　able　to　give　that　attention　to　his　devotions　which　befitted　a　departing　person。

〃My　dear　sir；〃　said　the　good　minister；　〃I　trust　this　poor　woman　had　remaining　sense　to　feel　and　join　in　the　import　of　my　prayers。　But　let　us　humbly　hope　we　are　judged　of　by　our　opportunities　of　religious　and　moral　instruction。　In　some　degree　she　might　be　considered　as　an　uninstructed　heathen；　even　in　the　bosom　of　a　Christian　country；　and　let　us　remember；　that　the　errors　and　vices　of　an　ignorant　life　were　balanced　by　instances　of　disinterested　attachment；　amounting　almost　to　heroism。　To　Him；　who　can　alone　weigh　our　crimes　and　errors　against　our　efforts　towards　virtue；　we　consign　her　with　awe；　but　not　without　hope。〃

〃May　I　request；〃　sai