guy mannering-第18节

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ntory。　The　sloop　of　war　crowded　all　sail　to　pursue；　but　she　had　stood　too　close　upon　the　cape；　so　that　they　were　obliged　to　wear　the　vessel　for　fear　of　going　ashore；　and　to　make　a　large　tack　back　into　the　bay；　in　order　to　recover　sea…room　enough　to　double　the　headland。

〃They'll　lose　her；　by；　cargo　and　lugger；　one　or　both；〃　said　Kennedy；　〃I　must　gallop　away　to　the　Point　of　Warroch　（this　was　the　headland　so　often　mentioned）；　and　make　them　a　signal　where　she　has　drifted　to　on　the　other　side。　Good…bye　for　an　hour；　Ellangowanget　out　the　gallon　punchbowl　and　plenty　of　lemons。　I'll　stand　for　the　French　article　by　the　time　I　come　back；　and　we'll　drink　the　young　Laird's　health　in　a　bowl　that　would　swim　the　Collector's　yawl。〃　So　saying；　he　mounted　his　horse；　and　galloped　off。

About　a　mile　from　the　house；　and　upon　the　verge　of　the　woods；　which；　as　we　have　said；　covered　a　promontory　terminating　in　the　cape　called　the　Point　of　Warroch；　Kennedy　met　young　Harry　Bertram；　attended　by　his　tutor；　Dominie　Sampson。　He　had　often　promised　the　child　a　ride　upon　his　galloway；　and；　from　singing；　dancing；　and　playing　Punch　for　his　amusement；　was　a　particular　favourite。　He　no　sooner　came　scampering　up　the　path；　than　the　boy　loudly　claimed　his　promise；　and　Kennedy；　who　saw　no　risk　in　indulging　him；　and　wished　to　tease　the　Dominie；　in　whose　visage　he　read　a　remonstrance；　caught　up　Harry　from　the　ground；　placed　him　before　him；　and　continued　his　route；　Sampson's　〃Peradventure；　Master　Kennedy〃　being　lost　in　the　clatter　of　his　horse's　feet。　The　pedagogue　hesitated　a　moment　whether　he　should　go　after　them；　but　Kennedy　being　a　person　in　full　confidence　of　the　family；　and　with　whom　he　himself　had　no　delight　in　associating；　〃being　that　he　was　addicted　unto　profane　and　scurrilous　jests；〃　he　continued　his　own　walk　at　his　own　pace；　till　he　reached　the　Place　of　Ellangowan。

The　spectators　from　the　ruined　walls　of　the　castle　were　still　watching　the　sloop　of　war；　which　at　length；　but　not　without　the　loss　of　considerable　time；　recovered　sea…room　enough　to　weather　the　Point　of　Warroch；　and　was　lost　to　their　sight　behind　that　wooded　promontory。　Some　time　afterwards　the　discharges　of　several　cannon　were　heard　at　a　distance；　and；　after　an　interval；　a　still　louder　explosion；　as　of　a　vessel　blown　up；　and　a　cloud　of　smoke　rose　above　the　trees；　and　mingled　with　the　blue　sky。　All　then　separated　on　their　different　occasions；　auguring　variously　upon　the　fate　of　the　smuggler；　but　the　majority　insisting　that　her　capture　was　inevitable；　if　she　had　not　already　gone　to　the　bottom。

〃It　is　near　our　dinner…time；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Bertram　to　her　husband；　〃will　it　be　lang　before　Mr。　Kennedy　comes　back？〃

〃I　expect　him　every　moment；　my　dear；〃　said　the　Laird；　〃perhaps　he　is　bringing　some　of　the　officers　of　the　sloop　with　him。〃

〃My　stars；　Mr。　Bertram！　why　did　not　ye　tell　me　this　before；　that　we　might　have　had　the　large　round　table？and　then；　they're　a'　tired　o'　saut　meat；　and；　to　tell　you　the　plain　truth；　a　rump　o'　beef　is　the　best　part　of　your　dinnerand　then　I　wad　have　put　on　another　gown；　and　ye　wadna　have　been　the　waur　o'　a　clean　neckcloth　yoursellBut　ye　delight　in　surprising　and　hurrying　oneI　am　sure　I　am　no　to　haud　out　for　ever　against　this　sort　of　going　onBut　when　folk's　missed；　then　they　are　moaned。〃

〃Pshaw；　pshaw！　deuce　take　the　beef；　and　the　gown；　and　table；　and　the　neckcloth！we　shall　doall　very　well。Where's　the　Dominie；　John？（to　a　servant　who　was　busy　about　the　table）where's　the　Dominie　and　little　Harry？〃

〃Mr。　Sampson's　been　at　hame　these　twa　hours　and　mair；　but　I　dinna　think　Mr。　Harry　cam　hame　wi'　him。〃

〃Not　come　hame　wi'　him？〃　said　the　lady；　〃desire　Mr。　Sampson　to　step　this　way　directly。〃

〃Mr。　Sampson；〃　said　she；　upon　his　entrance；　〃is　it　not　the　most　extraordinary　tiring　in　this　world　wide；　that　you；　that　have　free　up…puttingbed；　board；　and　washingand　twelve　pounds　sterling　a　year；　just　to　look　after　that　boy；　should　let　him　out　of　your　sight　for　twa　or　three　hours？〃

Sampson　made　a　bow　of　humble　acknowledgment　at　each　pause　which　the　angry　lady　made　in　her　enumeration　of　the　advantages　of　his　situation；　in　order　to　give　more　weight　to　her　remonstrance；　and　then；　in　words　which　we　will　not　do　him　the　injustice　to　imitate；　told　how　Mr。　Francis　Kennedy　〃had　assumed　spontaneously　the　charge　of　Master　Harry；　in　despite　of　his　remonstrances　in　the　contrary。〃

〃I　am　very　little　obliged　to　Mr。　Francis　Kennedy　for　his　pains；〃　said　the　lady　peevishly；　〃suppose　he　lets　the　boy　drop　from　his　horse；　and　lames　him？　or　suppose　one　of　the　cannons　comes　ashore　and　kills　him？or　suppose〃

〃Or　suppose；　my　dear；〃　said　Ellangowan；　〃what　is　much　more　likely　than　anything　else；　that　they　have　gone　aboard　the　sloop　or　the　prize；　and　are　to　come　round　the　Point　with　the　tide？〃

〃And　then　they　may　be　drowned；〃　said　the　lady。

〃Verily；〃　said　Sampson；　〃I　thought　M　r。　Kennedy　had　returned　an　hour　sinceOf　a　surety　I　deemed　I　heard　his　horse's　feet。〃

〃That；〃　said　John；　with　a　broad　grin；　〃was　Grizzel　chasing　the　humble…cow　＇A　cow　without　horns＇　out　of　the　close。〃

Sampson　coloured　up　to　the　eyesnot　at　the　implied　taunt；　which　he　would　never　have　discovered；　or　resented　if　he　had；　but　at　some　idea　which　crossed　his　own　mind。　〃I　have　been　in　an　error；〃　he　said；　〃of　a　surety　I　should　have　tarried　for　the　babe。〃　So　saying；　he　snatched　his　bone…headed　cane　and　hat；　and　hurried　away　towards　Warroch　wood；　faster　than　he　was　ever　known　to　walk　before；　or　after。

The　Laird　lingered　some　time；　debating　the　point　with　the　lady。　At　length；　he　saw　the　sloop　of　war　again　make　her　appearance；　but；　without　approaching　the　shore；　she　stood　away　to　the　westward　with　all　her　sails　set；　and　was　soon　out　of　sight。　The　lady's　state　of　timorous　and　fretful　apprehension　was　so　habitual；　that　her　fears　went　for　nothing　with　her　lord　and　master；　but　an　appearance　of　disturbance　and　anxiety　among　the　servants　now　excited　his　alarm；　especially；　when　he　was　called　out　of　the　room；　and　told　in　private　that　Mr。　Kennedy's　horse　had　come　to　the　stable　door　alone；　with　the　saddle　turned　round　below　its　belly；　and　the　reins　of　the　bridle　broken；　and　that　a　farmer　had　informed　them　in　passing；　that　there　was　a　smuggling　lugger　burning　like　a　furnace　on　the　other　side　of　the　Point　of　Warroch；　and　that；　though　he　had　come　through　the　wood；　he　had　seen　or　heard　nothing　of　Kennedy　or　the　young　Laird；　〃only　there　was　Dominie　Sampson；　gaun　rumpaugin　about；　like　mad；　seeking　for　them。〃

All　was　now　bustle　at　Ellangowan。　The　Laird　and　his　servants；　male　and　female；　hastened　to　the　wood　of　Warroch。　The　tenants　and　cottagers　in　the　neighbourhood　lent　their　assistance；　partly　out　of　zeal；　partly　from　curiosity。　Boats　were　manned　to　search　the　seashore；　which；　on　the　other　side　of　the　Point；　rose　into　high　and　indented　rocks。　A　vague　suspicion　was　entertained；　though　too　horrible　to　be　expressed；　that　the　child　might　have　fallen　from　one　of　these　cliffs。

The　evening　had　begun　to　close　when　the　parties　entered　the　wood；　and　dispersed　different　ways　in　quest　of　the　boy　and　his　companion。　The　darkening　of　the　atmosphere；　and　the　hoarse　sighs　of　the　November　wind　through　the　naked　trees；　the　rustling　of　the　withered　leaves　which　strewed　the　glades；　the　repeated　halloos　of　the　different　parties；　which　often　drew　them　together　in　expectation　of　meeting　the　objects　of　their　search；　gave　a　cast　of　dismal　sublimity　to　the　scene。

At　length；　after　a　minute　and　fruitless　investigation　through　the　wood；　the　searchers　began　to　draw　together　into　one　body；　and　to　compare　notes。　The　agony　of　the　father　grew　beyond　concealment；　yet　it　scarcely　equalled　the　anguish　of　the　tutor。　〃Would　to　God　I　had　died　for　him！〃　the　affectionate　creature　repeated；　in　notes　of　the　deepest　distress。　Those　who　were　less　interested；　rushed　into　a　tumultuary　discussion　of　chances　and　possibilities。　Each　gave　his　opinion；　and　each　was　alternately　swayed　by　that　of　the　others。　Some　thought　the　objects　of　their　search　had　gone　aboard　the　sloop；　some　that　they　had　gone　to　a　village　at　three　miles'　distance；　some　whispered　they　might　have　been　on　board　the　lugger；　a　few　planks　and　beams　of　which　the　tide　now　drifted　ashore。

At　this　instant　a　shout　was　heard　from　the　beach；　so　loud；　so　shrill；　so　piercing；　so　different　from　every　sound　which　the　woods　that　day　had　rung　to；　that　nobody　hesitated　a　moment　to　believe　that　it　conveyed　tidings；　and　tidings　of　dreadful　import。　All　hurried　to　the　place；　and；　venturing　without　scruple　upon　paths；　which；　at　another　time；　they　would　have　shuddered　to　lock　at；　descended　towards　a　cleft　of　the　rock；　where　one　boat's　crew　was　already　landed。　〃Here；　sirs！here！this　way；　for　God's　sake！this　way！　this　way！〃　was　the　reiterated　cry。　Ellangowan　broke　through　the　throng　which　had　already　assembled　at　the　fatal　spot；　and　beheld　the　object　of　their　terror。　It　was　the　dead　body　of　Kennedy。　At　first　sight　he　seemed　to　have　perished　by　a　fall　from　the　rocks；　which　rose　above　the　spot　on　which　he　lay；　in　a　perpendicular　precipice　of　a　hundred　feet　above　the　beach。　The　corpse　was　lying　half　in；　half　out　of　the　water；　the　advancing　tide；　raising　the　arm　and　stirring　the　clothes；　had　given　it　at　some　distance　the　appearance　of　motion；　so