guy mannering-第103节

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ave　hoped　for　your　assistance　to　poor　country　gentlemen　at　this　period　of　the　session。〃

Pleydell　took　snuff；　and　eyed　him　with　a　glance　equally　shrewd　and　sarcastic〃I'll　teach　him；〃　he　said　aside　to　Mannering；　〃the　value　of　the　old　admonition；　No　accesseris　in　consilium　antequam　voceris。〃

〃But　perhaps　I　intrude；　gentlemen？〃　said　Glossin；　who　could　not　fail　to　observe　the　coldness　of　his　reception。〃Is　this　an　open　meeting？〃

〃For　my　part；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell；　〃so　far　from　considering　your　attendance　as　an　intrusion；　Mr。　Glossin；　I　was　never　so　pleased　in　my　life　to　meet　with　you；　especially　as　I　think　we　should；　at　any　rate；　have　had　occasion　to　request　the　favour　of　your　company　in　the　course　of　the　day。〃

〃Well；　then；　gentlemen；〃　said　Glossin；　drawing　his　chair　to　the　table；　and　beginning　to　bustle　about　among　the　papers；　〃where　are　we？how　far　have　we　got？　where　are　the　declarations？〃

〃Clerk；　give　me　all　these　papers；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell；〃I　have　an　odd　way　of　arranging　my　documents；　Mr。　Glossin；　another　person　touching　them　puts　me　out…but　I　shall　have　occasion　for　your　assistance　by　and　by。〃

Glossin；　thus　reduced　to　inactivity；　stole　one　glance　at　Dirk　Hatteraick；　but　could　read　nothing　in　his　dark　scowl　save　malignity　and　hatred　to　all　around。　〃But；　gentlemen；〃　said　Glossin；　〃is　it　right　to　keep　his　poor　man　so　heavily　ironed；　when　he　is　taken　up　merely　for　examination？〃

This　was　hoisting　a　kind　of　friendly　signal　to　the　prisoner。　〃He　has　escaped　once　before；〃　said　Mac…Morlan　dryly；　and　Glossin　was　silenced。

Bertram　was　now　introduced；　and；　to　Glossin's　confusion；　was　greeted　in　the　most　friendly　manner　by　all　present；　even　by　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　himself。　He　told　his　recollections　of；　his　infancy　with　that　candour　and　caution　of　expression　which　afforded　the　best　warrant　for　his　good　faith。　〃This　seems　to　be　rather　a　civil；　than　a　criminal　question〃；　said　Glossin　rising；　〃and　as　you　cannot　be　ignorant；　gentlemen；　of　the　effect　which　this　young　person's　pretended　parentage　may　have　on　my　patrimonial　interest；　I　would　rather　beg　leave　to　retire。〃

〃No；　my　good　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell。　〃we　can　by　no　means　spare　you。　But　why　do　you　call　this　young　man's　claims　pretended？I　don't　mean　to　fish　for　your　defences　against　them；　if　you　have　any；　but〃

〃Mr。　Pleydell；〃　replied　Glossin；　〃Iam　always　disposed　to　act　aboveboard；　and　I　think　I　can　explain　the　matter　at　once。This　young　fellow；　whom　I　take　to　be　a　natural　son　of　the　late　Ellangowan；　has　gone　about　the　country　for　some　weeks　under　different　names；　caballing　with　a　wretched　old　madwoman；　who；　I　understand；　was　shot　in　a　late　scuffle；　and　with　other　tinkers；　gipsies；　and　persons　of　that　description；　and　a　great　brute　farmer　from　Liddesdale；　stirring　up　the　tenants　against　their　landlords；　which；　as　Sir　Robert　Hazlewood　of　Hazlewood　knows〃

〃Not　to　interrupt　you；　Mr。　Glossin；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃I　ask　who　you　say　this　young　man　is？〃

〃Why；　I　say；〃　replied　Glossin；　〃and　I　believe　that　gentleman　（looking　at　Hatteraick）　knows；　that　the　young　man　is　the　natural　son　of　the　late　Ellangowan；　by　a　girl　called　Janet　Lightoheel；　who　was　afterwards　married　to　Hewit　the　shipwright；　that　lived　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Annan。　His　name　is　Godfrey　Bertram　Hewit；　by　which　name　he　was　entered　on　board　the　Royal　Caroline　excise　yacht。〃

〃Ay　said　Pleydell；　that　is　a　very　likely　storybut；　not　to　pause　upon　some　difference　of　eyes；　complexion；　and　so　forthbe　pleased　to　step　forward；　sir。〃A　young　seafaring　man　came　forward。〃Here；〃　proceeded　the　counsellor；　〃is　the　real　Simon　Purehere's　Godfrey　Bertram　Hewit；　arrived　last　night　from　Antigua　via　Liverpool；　mate　of　a　West　Indian；　and　in　a　fair　way　of　doing　well　in　the　world；　although　he　came　somewhat　irregularly　into　it。〃

While　some　conversation　passed　between　the　other　justices　and　this　young　man；　Pleydell　lifted　from　among　the　papers　on　the　table　Hatteraick's　old　pocket…book。　A　peculiar　glance　of　the　smuggler's　eye　induced　the　shrewd　lawyer　to　think　there　was　something　here　of　interest。　He　therefore　continued　the　examination　of　the　papers；　laying　the　book　on　the　table；　but　instantly　perceived　that　the　prisoner's　interest　in　the　research　had　cooled。〃It　must　be　in　the　book　still；　whatever　it　is；〃　thought　Pleydell；　and　again　applied　himself　to　the　packet…book；　until　he　discovered；　on　a　narrow　scrutiny；　a　slit　between　the　pasteboard　and　leather；　out　of　which　he　drew　three　small　slips　of　paper。　Pleydell　now；　turning　to　Glossin；　requested　the　favour　that　he　would　tell　them　if　he　had　assisted　at　the　search　for　the　body　of　Kennedy；　and　the　child　of　his　patron；　on　the　day　when　they　disappeared。

〃I　did　notthat　isI　did；〃　answered　the　conscience…struck　Glossin。

〃It　is　remarkable　though；〃　said　the　advocate；　that；　connected　as　you　were　with　the　Ellangowan　family；　I　don't　recollect　your　being　examined；　or　even　appearing　before　me；　while　that　investigation　was　proceeding？〃

〃I　was　called　to　London；〃　answered　Glossin；　〃on　most　important　business；　the　morning　after　that　sad　affair。〃

〃Clerk；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃minute　down　that　reply。I　presume　the　business；　Mr。　Glossin；　was　to　negotiate　these　three　bills；　drawn　by　you　on　Messrs。　Vanbeest　and　Vanbruggen；　and　accepted　by　one　Dirk　Hatteraick　in　their　name　on　the　very　day　of　the　murder。　I　congratulate　you　on　their　being　regularly　retired；　as　I　perceive　they　have　been。　I　think　the　chances　were　against　it。〃　Glossin's　countenance　fell。　〃This　piece　of　real　evidence；〃　continued　Mr。　Pleydell；　〃makes　good　the　account　given　of　your　conduct　on　this　occasion　by　a　man　called　Gabriel　Faa；　whom　we　have　now　in　custody；　and　who　witnessed　the　whole　transaction　between　you　and　that　worthy　prisonerHave　you　any　explanation　to　give？〃

〃Mr。　Pleydell；〃　said　Glossin；　with　great　composure；　presume；　if　you　were　my　counsel；　you　would　not　advise　me　to　answer　upon　the　spur　of　the　moment　to　a　charge　which　the　basest　of　mankind　seem　ready　to　establish　by　perjury。〃

〃My　advice；〃　said　the　counsellor；　〃would　be　regulated　by　my　opinion　of　your　innocence　or　guilt。　In　your　case；　I　believe　you　take　the　wisest　course；　but　you　are　aware　you　must　stand　committed？〃

〃Committed？　for　what；　sir　replied　Glossin。　〃Upon　a　charge　of　murder？〃

〃No；　only　as　art　and　part　of　kidnapping　the　child。〃

〃That　is　a　bailable　offence。〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃it　is　plagium；　and　plagium　is　felony。〃

〃Forgive　me；　Mr。　Pleydell；　there　is　only　one　case　upon　record；　Torrence　and　Waldie。　They　were；　you　remember；　resurrection…women；　who　had　promised　to　procure　a　child's　body　for　some　young　surgeons。　Being　upon　honour　to　their　employers；　rather　than　disappoint　the　evening　lecture　of　the　students；　they　stole　a　live　child；　murdered　it；　and　sold　the　body　for　three　shillings　and　sixpence。　They　were　hanged；　but　for　the　murder；　not　for　the　plagium。　＇*This　is；　in　its　circumstances　and　issue；　actually　a　case　tried　and　reported＇　Your　civil　law　has　carried　you　a　little　too　far。〃

〃Well；　sir；　but；　in　the　meantime；　Mr。　Mac…Morlan　must　commit　you　to　the　county　jail；　in　case　this　young　man　repeats　the　same　story。Officers；　remove　Mr。　Glossin　and　Hatteraick；　and　guard　them　in　different　apartments。〃

Gabriel；　the　gipsy；　was　then　introduced；　and　gave　a　distinct　account　of　his　deserting　from　Captain　Pritchard's　vessel　and　joining　the　smugglers　in　the　action；　detailed　how　Dirk　Hatteraick　set　fire　to　his　ship　when　he　found　her　disabled；　and　under　cover　of　the　smoke　escaped　with　his　crew；　and　as　much　goods　as　they　could　save；　into　the　cavern；　where　they　proposed　to　lie　till　nightfall。　Hatteraick　himself；　his　mate　Vanbeest　Brown；　and　three　others；　of　whom　the　declarant　was　'one；　went　into　the　adjacent　woods　to　communicate　with　some　of　their　friends　in　the　neighbourhood。　They　fell　in　with　Kennedy　unexpectedly；　and　Hatteraick　and　Brown；　aware　that　he　was　the　occasion　of　their　disasters；　resolved　to　murder　him。　He　stated；　that　he　had　seen　them　lay　violent　hands　on　the　officer；　and　drag　him　through　the　woods；　but　had　not　partaken　in　the　assault；　nor　witnessed　its　termination。　That　he　returned　to　the　cavern；　by　a　different　route；　where　he　again　met　Hatteraick　and　his　accomplices；　and　the　captain　was　in　the　act　of　giving　an　account　how　he　and　Brown　had　pushed　a　huge　crag　over；　as　Kennedy　lay　groaning　on　the　beach；　when　Glossin　suddenly　appeared　among　them。　To　the　whole　transaction　by　which　Hatteraick　purchased　his　secrecy　he　was　witness。　Respecting　young　Bertram。　he　could　give　a　distinct　account　till　he　went　to　India；　after　which　he　had　lost　sight　of　him　until　he　unexpectedly　met　with　him　in　Liddesdale。　Gabriel　Faa　further　stated；　that　he　instantly　sent　notice　to　his　aunt；　Meg　Merrilies；　as　well　as　to　Hatteraick；　who　he　knew　was　then　upon　the　coast；　but　that　he　had　incurred　his　aunt's　displeasure　upon　the　latter　account。　He　concluded；　that　his　aunt　had　immediately　declared　that　she　would　do　all　that　lay　in　her　power　to　help　young　Ellangowan　to　his　right；　even　if　it　should　be　by　informing　against　Dirk　Hatteraick；　and　that　many　of　her　people　assisted　her　besides　himself；　from　a　belief　that　she　was　gifted　with　supernatural　inspirations。　With　the　same　purpose；　he　understood；　his　aunt　had　given　to　Bertram　the　treasure　of　the　tribe；　of　which　she　had　the　custody。　Three　or　four　gip