guy mannering-第22节

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　would　be　but　cold　and　smoky　till　the　fire　bleezed　up）；　she　installed　her　guest　hospitably　by　the　fireside；　and　offered　what　refreshment　her　house　afforded。

〃A　cup　of　your　tea；　ma'am；　if　you　will　favour　me。〃　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish　bustled　about；　reinforced　her　teapot　with　hyson；　and　proceeded　in　her　duties　with　her　best　grace。　〃We　have　a　very　nice　parlour；　sir；　and　everything　very　agreeable　for　gentlefolks；　but　it's　bespoke　the　night　for　a　gentleman　and　his　daughter；　that　are　going　to　leave　this　part　of　the　countryane　of　my　chaises　is　gane　for　them；　and　will　be　back　forthwiththey're　no　sae　weel　in　the　warld　as　they　have　been；　but　we're　a'　subject　to　ups　and　downs　in　this　life；　as　your　honour　must　needs　kenbut　is　not　the　tobacco…reek　disagreeable　to　your　honour？〃

〃By　no　means；　ma'am；　I　am　an　old　campaigner；　and　perfectly　used　to　it。Will　you　permit　me　to　make　some　inquiries　about　a　family　in　this　neighbourhood？〃

The　sound　of　wheels　was　now　heard；　and　the　landlady　hurried　to　the　door　to　receive　her　expected　guests；　but　returned　in　an　instant；　followed　by　the　postilion

〃No；　they　canna　come　at　no　rate；　the　Laird's　sae　ill。〃

〃But　God　help　them；〃　said　the　landlady；　〃the　morn's　the　termthe　very　last　day　they　can　bide　in　the　housea'　thing's　to　be　roupit。〃　＇*Sold　by　auction＇

〃Weel；　but　they　can　come　at　no　rate；　I　tell　yeMr。　Bertram　canna　be　moved。〃

〃What　Mr。　Bertram？〃　said　the　stranger；　〃not　Mr。　Bertram　of　Ellangowan；　I　hope？〃

〃Just　e'en　that　same；　sir；　and　if　ye　be　a　friend　o'　his；　ye　have　come　at　a　time　when　he's　sair　bested。〃

〃I　have　been　abroad　for　many　yearsis　his　health　so　much　deranged？〃

〃Ay；　and　his　affairs　an'　a'；〃　said　the　Deacon　〃the　creditors　have　entered　into　possession　o'　the　estate；　and　it's　for　sale；　and　some　that　made　the　maist　by　himI　name　nae　names；　but　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish　kens　wha　I　mean（the　landlady　shook　her　head　significantly）　they're　sairest　on　him　e'en　now。　I　have　a　sma'　matter　due　mysell；　but　I　would　rather　have　lost　it　than　gane　to　turn　the　auld　man　out　of　his　house；　and　him　just　dying。〃

〃Ay；　but；〃　said　the　parish…clerk；　〃Factor　Glossin　wants　to　get　rid　of　the　auld　Laird；　and　drive　on　the　sale；　for　fear　the　heir…male　should　cast　up　upon　them；　for　I　have　heard　say；　if　there　was　an　heir…male；　they　couldna　sell　the　estate　for　auld　Ellangowan's　debt。〃

〃He　had　a　son　born　a　good　many　years　ago；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃he　is　dead；　I　suppose？〃

〃Nae　man　can　say　for　that；〃　answered　the　clerk　mysteriously。

〃Dead！〃　said　the　Deacon；　〃I'se　warrant　him　dead　lang　syne；　he　hasna　been　heard　o'　these　twenty　years　or　thereby。〃

〃I　wot　weel　it's　no　twenty　years；〃　said　the　landlady；　〃it's　no　abune　seventeen　at　the　outside　in　this　very　month；　it　made　an　unco　noise　ower　a'　this　countrythe　bairn　disappeared　the　very　day　that　Supervisor　Kennedy　cam　by　his　end。If　ye　kenn'd　this　country　lang　syne；　your　honour　wad　maybe　ken　Frank　Kennedy　the　Supervisor。　He　was　a　heartsome　pleasant　man；　and　company　for　the　best　gentlemen　in　the　county；　and　muckle　mirth　he's　made　in　this　house。　I　was　young　then；　sir；　and　newly　married　to　Bailie　Mac…Candlish；　that's　dead　and　gone（a　sigh）and　muckle　fun　I've　had　wi'　the　Supervisor。　He　was　a　daft　dogOh；　an　he　could　hae　hauden　aff　the　smugglers　a　bit！　but　he　was　aye　venturesome。And　so　ye　see；　sir；　there　was　a　king's　sloop　down　in　Wigton　Bay；　and　Frank　Kennedy；　he　behoved　to　have　her　up　to　chase　Dirk　Hatteraick's　luggerye'll　mind　Dirk　Hatteraick；　Deacon？　I　dare　say　ye　may　have　dealt　wi'　him（the　Deacon　gave　a　sort　of　acquiescent　nod　and　humph）。　He　was　a　daring　chield；　and　he　fought　his　ship　till　she　blew　up　like　peelings　of　ingans；　and　Frank　Kennedy　he　had　been　the　first　man　to　board；　and　he　was　flung　like　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；　and　fell　into　the　water　below　the　rock　at　Warroch　Point；　that　they　ca'　the　Gauger's　Loup　to　this　day。〃

〃And　Mr。　Bertram's　child；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃what　is　all　this　to　him？〃

〃Ou；　sir；　the　bairn　aye　held　an　unca　wark　wi'　the　Supervisor；　and　it　was　generally　thought　he　went　on　board　the　vessel　alang　wi'　him；　as　bairns　are　aye　forward　to　be　in　mischief。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　Deacon；　〃ye're　clean　out　there；　Luckiefor　the　young　Laird　was　stown　away　by　a　randy　gipsy　woman　they　ca'd　Meg　Merrilies；I　mind　her　looks　weel；in　revenge　for　Ellangowan　having　gar'd　her　be　drumm'd　through　Kippletringan　for　stealing　a　silver　spoon。〃

〃If　ye'll　forgie　me；　Deacon；〃　said　the　precentor；　〃ye're　e'en　as　far　wrang　as　the　gudewife。〃

〃And　what　is　your　edition　of　the　story；　sir？〃　said　the　stranger；　turning　to　him　with　interest。

〃That's　maybe　no　sae　canny　to　tell；〃　said　the　precentor；　with　solemnity。

Upon　being　urged；　however；　to　speak　out；　he　preluded　with；　two　or　three　large　puffs　of　tobacco…smoke；　and　out　of　the　cloudy　sanctuary　which　these　whiffs　formed　around　him；　delivered　the　following　legend；　having　cleared　his　voice　with　one　or　two　hems；　and　imitating；　as　near　as　he　could；　the　eloquence　which　weekly　thundered　over　his　head　from　the　pulpit。

〃What　we　are　now　to　deliver；　my　brethren；hemhem；I　mean；　my　good　friends；was　not　done　in　a　corner；　and　may　serve　as　an　answer　to　witch…advocates；　atheists；　and　misbelievers　of　all　kinds。Ye　must　know　that　the　worshipful　Laird　of　Ellangowan　was　not　so　preceese　as　he　might　have　been　in　clearing　his　land　of　witches　（concerning　whom　it　is　said；　'Thou　shalt　not　suffer　a　witch　to　live'）；　nor　of　those　who　had　familiar　spirits；　and　consulted　with　divination；　and　sorcery；　and　lots；　which　is　the　fashion　with　the　Egyptians；　as　they　ca'　themsells；　and　other　unhappy　bodies；　in　this　our　country。　And　the　Laird　was　three　years　married　without　having　a　family…and　he　was　sae　left　to　himself；　that　it　was　thought　he　held　ower　muckle　troking　＇*Trafficking＇　and　communing　wi'　that　Meg　Merrilies；　wha　was　the　maist　notorious；　witch　in　a'　Galloway　and　Dumfriesshire　baith。〃

〃Aweel　I　wot　there's　something　in　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　〃I've　kenn'd　him　order　her　twa'　glasses　o'　brandy　in　this　very　house。〃

〃Aweel；　gudewife；　then　the　less　I　lee。Sae　the　lady　was　wi'　bairn　at　last；　and　in　the　night　when　she　should　have　been　delivered；　there　comes　to　the　door　of　the　ha'　housethe　Place　of　Ellangowan　as　they　ca'dan　ancient　man；　strangely　habited；　and　asked　for　quarters。　His　head；　and　his　legs；　and　his　arms　were　bare；　although　it　was　winter　time　o'　the　year；　and　he　had　a　gray　beard　three　quarters　lang。　Weel；　he　was　admitted；　and　when　the　lady　was　delivered；　he　craved　to　know　the　very　moment　of　the　hour　of　the　birth；　and　he　went　out　and　consulted　the　stars。　And　when　he　came　back；　he　tell'd　the　Laird；　that　the　Evil　One　wad　have　power　over　the　knave…bairn；　that　was　that　night　born；　and　he　charged　him　that　the　babe　should　be　bred　up　in　the　ways　of　piety；　and　that　he　should　aye　hae　a　godly　minister　at　his　elbow；　to　pray　wi'　the　bairn　and　for　him。　And　the　aged　man　vanished　away；　and　no　man　of　this　country　saw　mair　o'　him。〃

〃Now；　that　will　not　pass；〃　said　the　postilion；　who；　at　a　respectful　distance；　was　listening　to　the　conversation；　〃begging　Mr。　Skreigh's　and　the　company's　pardon；there　was　no　sae　mony　hairs　on　the　warlock's　face　as　there's　on　Letter…Gae's　＇*The　precentor　is　called　by　Allan　Ramsay；〃The　Letter…Gae　of　haly　rhyme。〃＇　ain　at　this　moment；　and　he　had　as　gude　a　pair　o'　boots　as　a　man　need　streik　on　his　legs；　and　gloves　too；and　I　should　understand　boots　by　this　time；　I　think。〃

〃Whisht；　Jock；〃　said　the　landlady。

〃Ay？　and　what　do　ye　ken　o'　the　matter；　friend　Jabos？〃　said　the　precentor　contemptuously。

〃No　muckle；　to　be　sure；　Mr。　Skreighonly　that　I　lived　within　a　penny…stane　cast　o'　the　head　o'　the　avenue　at　Ellangowan；　when　a　man　cam　jingling　to　our　door　that　night　the　young　Laird　was　born；　and　my　mother　sent　me；　that　was　a　hafflin　callant；　＇*Half…grown　lad＇　to　show　the　stranger　the　gate　to　the　Place；　which；　if　he　had　been　sic　a　warlock；　he　might　hae　kenn'd　himself；　ane　wad　thinkand　he　was　a　young；　weel…faured；　weel…dressed　lad；　like　an　Englishman。　And　I　tell　ye　he　had　as　gude　a　hat；　and　boots；　and　gloves；　as　ony　gentleman　need　to　have。　To　be　sure　he　did　gie　an　awesome　glance　up　at　the　auld　castleand　there　was　some　spae…work　gaed　onI　aye　heard　that；　but　as　for　his　vanishing；　I　held　the　stirrup　mysell　when　he　gaed　away；　and　he　gied　me　a　round　half…crownhe　was　riding　on　a　haick　they　ca'd　Souple　Samit　belanged　to　the　George　at　Dumfriesit　was　a　blood…bay　beast；　very　ill　o'　the　spavinI　hae　seen　the　beast　baith　before　and　since。〃

〃Aweel；　aweel；　Jock；〃　answered　Mr。　Skreigh；　with　a　tone　of　mild　solemnity；　〃our　accounts　differ　in　no　material　particulars；　but　I　had　no　knowledge　that　ye　had　seen　the　man。So　ye　see；　my　friends；　that　this　soothsayer　having　prognosticated　evil　to　the　boy；　his　father　engaged　a　godly　minister　to　be　with　him　morn　and　night。〃

〃Ay；　that　was　him　they　ca'd　Dominie　Sampson；〃　said　the　postilion。

〃He's　but　a　dumb　dog　that；〃　observed　the　Deacon；　〃I　have　heard　that　he　never　could　preach　five　words　of　a　sermon　endlang；　for　as　lang　as　he　has　been　licensed。〃

〃Weel；　but；〃　said　the　precentor；　waving　his　hand；　as　if　eager　to　retrieve　the　command　of　the　discourse；　he　waited　on　the　young　Laird　by　night　and　day。　Now；　it　chanced；　when　the　bairn　was　near　five　years　auld；　that　the　Laird　had　a　sight　of　his　errors；　and　determined　to　put　the