guy mannering-第102节

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　our　efforts　towards　virtue；　we　consign　her　with　awe；　but　not　without　hope。〃

〃May　I　request；〃　said　Bertram；　〃that　you　will　see　every　decent　solemnity　attended　to　in　behalf　of　this　poor　woman？　I　have　some　property　belonging　to　her　in　my　hands…at　all　events　I　will　be　answerable　for　the　expenseyou　will　hear　of　me　at　Woodbourne。〃

Dinmont；　who　had　been　furnished　with　a　horse　by　one　of　his　acquaintance；　now　loudly　called　out　that　all　was　ready　for　their　return；　and　Bertram　and　Hazlewood；　after　a　strict　exhortation　to　the　crowd；　which　was　now　increased　to　several　hundreds；　to　preserve　good　order　in　their　rejoicing；　as　the　least　ungoverned　zeal　might　be　turned　to　the　disadvantage　of　the　young　Laird；　as　they　termed　him；　took　their　leave　amid　the　shouts　of　the　multitude。

As　they　rode　past　the　ruined　cottages　at　Derncleugh；　Dinmont　said；　〃I'm　sure　when　ye　come　to　your　ain；　Captain；　ye'll　no　forget　to　big　＇*Build＇　a　bit　cot…house　there？　Deil　be　in　me　but　I　wad　dot　mysell；　an　it　werena　in　better　hands。I　wadna　like　to　live　in't　though；　after　what　she　said。　Odd；　I　wad　put　in　auld　Elspeth；　the　bedral's　＇*Beadle's＇　widowthe　like　o'　them's　used　wi'　graves　and　ghaists；　and　thae　things。〃

A　short　but　brisk　ride　brought　them　to　Woodbourne。　The　news　of　their　exploit　had　already　flown　far　and　wide；　and　the　whole　inhabitants　of　the　vicinity　met　them　on　the　lawn　with　shouts　of　congratulation。　〃That　you　have　seen；　me　alive；〃　said　Bertram　to　Lucy；　who　first　ran　up　to　him；　though　Julia's　eyes　even　anticipated　hers；　〃you　must　thank　these　kind　friends。〃

With　a　blush　expressing　at　once　pleasure；　gratitude；　and　bashfulness；　Lucy　curtsied　to　Hazlewood；　but　to　Dinmont　she　frankly　extended　her　hand。　The　honest　farmer；　in　the　extravagance　of　his　joy；　carried　his　freedom　farther　than　the　hint　warranted；　for　he　imprinted　his　thanks　on　the　lady's　lips；　and　was　instantly　shocked　at　the　rudeness　of　his　own　conduct。　〃Lord…sake；　madam；　I　ask　your　pardon；〃　he。　said；　〃I　forgot　but　ye　had　been　a　bairn　o'　my　ainthe　Captain's　sae　hamely；　he　gars　ane　forget　himsell。〃

Old　Pleydell　now　advanced。　〃Nay；　if　fees　like　these　are　going〃　he　said。

〃Stop；　stop；　Mr。　Pleydell；〃　said　Julia；　〃you　had　your　fees　beforehandremember　last　night。〃

〃Why；　I　do　confess　a　retainer；〃　said　the　barrister；　but　if　I　don't　deserve　double　fees　from　both　Miss　Bertram　and　you　when　I　conclude　my　examination　of　Dirk　Hatteraick　tomorrowGad；　I　will　so　supple　him！You　shall　see；　Colonel；　and　you；　my　saucy　misses；　though　you　may　not　see；　shall　hear。〃

〃Ay；　that's　if　we　choose　to　listen；　counsellor；〃　replied　Julia。

〃And　you　think；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃it's　two　to　one　you　won't　choose　that？But　you　have　curiosity　that　teaches　you　the　use　of　your　ears　now　and　then。〃

〃I　declare；　counsellor；〃　answered　the　lively　damsel；　〃that　such　saucy　bachelors；　as　you　would　teach　us　the　use　of　our　fingers　now　and　then。〃

〃Reserve　them　for　the　harpsichord；　my　love；〃　said　the　counsellor。　〃Better　for　all　parties。〃

While　this　idle　chat　ran　on；　Colonel　Mannering　introduced　to　Bertram　a　plain　good…looking　man；　in　a　gray　coat　and　waistcoat；　buckskin　breeches；　and　boots。　〃This；　my　dear　sir；　is　Mr。　Mac…Morlan。〃

〃To　whom；〃　said　Bertram；　embracing　him　cordially；　〃my　sister　was　indebted　for　a　home；　when　deserted　by　all　her　natural　friends　and　relations。〃

The　Dominie　then　pressed　forward；　grinned；　chuckled；　made　a　diabolical　sound　in　attempting　to　whistle；　and　finally；　unable　to　stifle　his　emotions；　ran　away　to　empty　the　feelings　of　his　heart　at　his　eyes。

We　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　the　expansion　of　heart　and　glee　of　this　happy　evening。





How　like　a　hateful　ape；　Detected　grinning　'midst　his　pilfer'd　hoard；　A　cunning　man　appears；　whose　secret　frauds　Are　open'd　to　the　day！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Count　Basil。

There　was　a　great　movement　at　Woodbourne　early　on　the　following　morning；　to　attend　the　examination　at　Kippletringan。　Mr。　Pleydell；　from　the　investigation　which　he　had　formerly　bestowed　on　the　dark　affair　of　Kennedy's　death；　as　well　as　from　the　general　deference　due　to　his　professional　abilities；　was　requested　by　Mr。　Mac…Morlan　and　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood；　and　another　justice　of　peace　who　attended；　to　take　the　situation　of　chairman；　and　the　lead　in　the　examination。　Colonel　Mannering　was　invited　to　sit　down　with　them。　The　examination；　being　previous　to　trial；　was　private　in　other　respects。

The　counsellor　resumed　and　re…interrogated　former　evidence。　He　then　examined　the　clergyman　and　surgeon　respecting　the　dying　declaration　of　Meg　Merrilies。　They　stated；　that　she　distinctly；　positively；　and　repeatedly；　declared　herself　an　eye…witness　of　Kennedy's　〃death　by　the　hands　of　Hatteraick〃　and　two　or　three　of　his　crew；　that　her　presence　was　accidental；　that　she　believed　their　resentment　at　meeting　him；　when　they　mere　in　the　act　of　losing　their　vessel　through　'the　means　of　his　information；　led　to　the　commission　of　the　crime；　that　she　said　there　was　one　witness　of　the　murder；　but　who　refused　to　participate　in　it；　still　alive；her　nephew；　Gabrie　Faa；　and　she　had　hinted　at　another　person；　who　was　an　accessory　after　not　before；　the　fact；　but　her　strength　there　failed　her。　They　did　not　forget　to　mention　her　declaration；　that　she　had　saved　the　child；　and　that　he　was　torn　from　her　by　the　smugglers；　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　him　to　Holland。All　these　particulars　were　carefully　reduced　to　writing。

Dirk　Hatteraick　was　then　brought　in；　heavily　ironed；　for　he　had　been　strictly　secured　and　guarded；　owing　to　his　former　escape。　He　was　asked　his　name；　he　made　no　answerHis　profession；　he　was　silent　：Several　other　questions　were　put；　to　none　of　which　he　returned　any　reply。　Pleydell　wiped　the　glasses　of　his　spectacles；　and　considered　the　prisoner　very　attentively。　〃A　very　truculent…looking　fellow；〃　he　whispered　to　Mannering；　〃but；　as　Dogberry　says；　I'll　go　cunningly　to　work　with　him。Here；　call　in　SolesSoles　the　shoemaker。Soles；　do　you　remember　measuring　some　footsteps　imprinted　on　the　mud　at　the　wood　of　Warroch；　onNovember　17；　by　my　orders？〃　Soles　remembered　the　circumstance　perfectly。　〃Look　at　that　paperis　that　your　note　of　the　measurement？〃Soles　verified　the　memorandum〃Now；　there　stands　a　pair　of　shoes　on　that　table；　measure　them；　and　see　if　they　correspond　with　any　of　the　marks　you　have　noted　there。〃　The　shoemaker　obeyed；　and　declared；　〃that　they　answered　exactly　to　the　largest　of　the　footprints。〃

〃We　shall　prove；〃　said　the　counsellor；　aside　to　Mannering；　〃that　these　shoes；　which　were　found　in　the　ruins　of　Derncleugh；　belonged　to　Brown；　the　fellow　whom　you　shot　on　the　lawn　at　Woodbourne。Now；　Soles；　measure　that　prisoner's　feet　very　accurately。〃

Mannering　observed　Hatteraick　strictly；　and　could　notice　a　visible　tremor。　〃Do　these　measurements　correspond　with　any　of　the　foot…prints？〃

The　man　looked　at　the　note；　then　at　his　foot…rule　and　measurethen　verified　his　former　measurement　by　a　second。　〃They　correspond；〃　he　said；　〃within　a　hair…breadth；　to　a　foot…mark　broader　and　shorter　than　the　former。〃

Hatteraick's　genius　here　deserted　him〃Der　deyvil！〃　he　broke　out；　〃how　could　there　be　a　foot…mark　on　the　ground；　when　it　was　a　frost　as　hard　as　the　heart　of　a　Memel　log？〃

〃In　the　evening；　I　grant　you；　Captain　Hatteraick；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃but　not　in　the　forenoonwill　you　favour　me　with　information　where　you　were　upon　the　day　you　remember　so　exactly？〃

Hatteraick　saw　his　blunder；　and　again　screwed　up　his　hard　features　for　obstinate　silence〃Put　down　his　observation；　however；〃　said　Pleydell　to　the　clerk。

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and；　much　to　the　surprise　of　most　present；　Mr。　Gilbert　Glossin　made　his　appearance。　That　worthy　gentleman　had；　by　dint　of　watching　and　eavesdropping；　ascertained　that　he　was　not　mentioned　by　name　in　Meg　Merrilies's　dying　declaration；　a　circumstance；　certainly　not　owing　to　any　favourable　disposition　towards　him；　but　to　the　delay　of　taking　her　regular　examination；　and　to　the　rapid　approach　of　death。　He　therefore　supposed　himself　safe　from　all　evidence　but　such　as　might　arise　from　Hatteraick's　confession；　to　prevent　which　he　resolved　to　push　a　bold　face；　and　join　his　brethren　of　the　bench　during　his　examination。〃I　shall　be　able；〃　he　thought；　〃to　make　the　rascal　sensible　his　safety　lies　in　keeping　his　own　counsel　and　mine；　and　my　presence；　besides；　will　be　a　proof　of　confidence　and　innocence。　If　I　must　lose　the　estate；　I　mustbut　I　trust　better　things。〃

He　entered　with　a　profound　salutation　to　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood。　Sir　Robert；　who　had　rather　begun　to　suspect　that　his　plebeian　neighbour　had　made　a　cat's…paw　of　him；　inclined　his　head　stiffly；　took　snuff；　and　looked　another　way。

〃Mr。　Corsand；〃　said　Glossin　to　the　other　yoke…fellow　of　justice；　〃your　most　humble　servant。〃

〃Your　humble　servant；　Mr。　Glossin；〃　answered　Mr。　Corsand　dryly；　composing　his　countenance　regis　ad　exemplar；　that　is　to　say；　after　the　fashion　of　the　Baronet。

〃Mac…Morlan；　my　worthy　friend；〃　continued　Glossin；　how　d'ye　doalways　on　your　duty？〃

〃Umph；〃　said　honest　Mac…Morlan；　with　little　respect　either　to　the　compliment　or　salutation。　〃Colonel　Mannering　（a　low　bow　slightly　returned）　and　Mr。　Pleydell　（another　low　bow）；　I　dared　not　have　hoped　for　your　assistance　to　poor　country　gentlemen　at　this　period　of　the　session。〃

Pleydell