guy mannering-第46节

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　convulsed　with　the　last　agony。　A　roll　of　linen　about　his　head　was　stained　with　blood；　which　had　soaked　also　through　the　blankets　and　the　straw。　It　was；　indeed；　under　no　natural　disease　that　the　wretch　was　suffering。　Brown　started　back　from　this　horrible　object；　and；　turning　to　the　gipsy；　exclaimed；　〃Wretched　woman；　who　has　done　this？〃

〃They　that　were　permitted；〃　answered　Meg　Merrilies；　while　she　scanned　with　a　close　and　keen　glance　the　features　of　the　expiring　man。〃He　has　had　a　sair　strugglebut　it's　passingI　kenn'd　he　would　pass　when　you　came　in。That　was　the　death…rucklehe's　dead。〃

Sounds　were　now　heard　at　a　distance；　as　of　voices。　〃They　are　coming；〃　said　she　to　Brown；　〃you　are　a　dead　man　if　ye　had　as　mony　lives　as　hairs。〃　Brown　eagerly　looked　round　for　some　weapon　of　defence。　There　was　none　near。　He　then　rushed　to　the　door；　with　the　intention　of　plunging　among　the　trees；　and　making　his　escape　by　flight；　from　what　he　now　esteemed　a　den　of　murderers；　but　Merrilies　held　him　with　a　masculine　grasp。　〃Here；〃　she　said；　〃here　be　still　and　you　are　safestir　not；　whatever　you　see　or　hear；　and　nothing　shall　befall　you。〃

Brown；　in　these　desperate　circumstances；　remembered　this　woman's　intimation　formerly；　and　thought　he　had　no　chance　of　safety　but　in　obeying　her。　She　caused　him　to　couch　down　among　a　parcel　of　straw　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　apartment　from　the　corpse；　covered　him　carefully；　and　flung　over　him　two　or　three　old　sacks　which　lay　about　the　place。　Anxious　to　observe　what　was　to　happen；　Brown　arranged；　as　softly　as　he　could；　the　means　of　peeping　from　under　the　coverings　by　which　he　was　hidden；　and　awaited　with　a　throbbing　heart　the　issue　of　this　strange　and　most　unpleasant　adventure。　The　old　gipsy；　in　the　meantime；　set　about　arranging　the　dead　body；　composing　its　limbs；　and　straightening　the　arms　by　its　side。　〃Best　to　do　this；〃　she　muttered；　〃ere　he　stiffen。〃　She　placed　on　the　dead　man's　breast　a　trencher；　with　salt　sprinkled　upon　it；　set　one　candle　at　the　head；　and　another　at　the　feet　of　the　body；　and　lighted　both。　Then　she　resumed　her　song；　and　awaited　the　approach　of　those　whose　voices　had　been　heard　without。

Brown　was　a　soldier；　and　a　brave　one；　but　he　was　also　a　man；　and　at　this　moment　his　fears　mastered　his　courage　so　completely　that　the　cold　drops　burst　out　from　every　pore。　The　idea　of　being　dragged　out　of　his　miserable　concealment　by　wretches；　whose　trade　was　that　of　midnight　murder；　without　weapons　or　the　slightest　means　of　defence；　except　entreaties；　which　would　be　only　their　sport；　and　cries　for　help；　which　could　never　reach　other　ear　than　their　ownhis　safety　entrusted　to　the　precarious　compassion　of　a　being　associated　with　these　felons；　and　whose　trade　of　rapine　and　imposture　must　have　hardened　her　against　every　human　feelingthe　bitterness　of　his　emotions　almost　choked　him。　He　endeavoured　to　read　in　her　withered　and　dark　countenance；　as　the　lamp　threw　its　light　upon　her　features；　something　that　promised　those　feelings　of　compassion；　which；　females；　even　in　their　most　degraded　state；　can　seldom　altogether　smother。　There　was　no　such　touch　of　humanity　about　this　woman。　The　interest；　whatever　it　was；　that　determined　her　in　his　favour；　arose　not　from　the　impulse　of　compassion；　but　from　some　internal；　and　probably　capricious；　association　of　feelings；　to　which　he　had　no　clew。　It　rested；　perhaps；　on　a　fancied　likeness；　such　as　Lady　Macbeth　found　to　her　father　in　the　sleeping　monarch。　Such　were　the　reflections　that　passed　in　rapid　succession　through　Brown's　mind；　as　he　gazed　from　his　hiding…place　upon　this　extraordinary　personage。　Meantime　the　gang　did　not　yet　approach；　and　he　was　almost　prompted　to　resume　his　original　intention　of　attempting　an　escape　from　the　hut；　and　cursed　internally　his　own　irresolution；　which　had　consented　to　his　being　cooped　up　where　he　had　neither　room　for　resistance　nor　flight。

Meg　Merrilies　seemed　equally　on　the　watch。　She　bent　her　ear　to　every　sound　that　whistled　round　the　old　walls。　Then　she　turned　again　to　the　dead　body；　and　found　something　new　to　arrange　or　alter　in　its　position。　〃He's　a　bonny　corpse；　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃and　weel　worth　the　streaking。〃And　in　this　dismal　occupation　she　appeared　to　feel　a　sort　of　professional　pleasure；　entering　slowly　into　all　the　minutiae；　as　if　with　the　skill　and　feelings　of　a　connoisseur。　A　long　dark…coloured　sea…cloak；Which　she　dragged　out　of　a　corner；　was　disposed　for　a　pall。　The　face　she　left　bare；　after　closing　the　mouth　and　eyes；　and　arranged　the　capes　of　the　cloak　so　as　to　hide　the　bloody　bandages；　and　give　the　body；　as　she　muttered；　a　mair　decent　appearance。〃

At　once　three　or　four　men；　equally　ruffians　in　appearance　and　dress　rushed　into　the　hut。　〃Meg；　ye　limb　of　Satan；　how　dare　you　leave　the　door　open？〃　was　the　first　salutation　of　the　party。

〃And　wha　ever　heard　of　a　door　being　barred　when　a　man　was　in　the　dead…thraw？how　d'ye　think　the　spirit　was　to　get　awa　through　bolts　and　bars　like　thae？

〃Is　he　dead；　then？〃　said　one　who　went　to　the　side　of　the　couch　to　look　at　the　body。

〃Ay；　aydead　enough；〃　said　another〃but　here's　what　shall　give　him　a　rousing　lykewake。〃　So　saying；　he　fetched　a　keg　of　spirits　from　a　corner；　while　Meg　hastened　to　display　pipes　and　tobacco。　From　the　activity　with　which　she　undertook　the　task；　Brown　conceived　good　hope　of　her　fidelity　towards　her　guest。　It　was　obvious　that　she　wished　to　engage　the　ruffians　in　their　debauch；　to　prevent　the　discovery　which　might　take　place　if；　by　accident；　any　of　their　should　approach　too　nearly　the　place　of　Brown's　concealment。



CHAPTER　XXVIII。

　　Nor　board　nor　garner　own　we　now；　　　　Nor　roof　nor　latched　door；　　　Nor　kind　mate；　bound　by　holy　vows　　　　To　bless　a　good　man's　store。　　　Noon　lulls　us　in　a　gloomy　den；　　　　And　night　is　grown　our　day；　　　Uprouse　ye；　then；　my　merry　men！　　　　And　use　it　as　ye　may。　　　　　JOANNA　BAILLIE。

Brown　could　now　reckon　his　foesthey　were　five　in　number；　two　of　them　were　very　powerful　men；　who　appeared　to　be　either　real　seamen；　or　strollers　who　assumed　that　character；　the　other　three；　an　old　man　and　two　lads；　were　slighter　made；　and；　from　their　black　hair　and　dark　complexion；　seemed　to　belong　to　Meg's　tribe。　They　passed　from　one　to　another　the　cup　out　of　which　they　drank　their　spirits。　〃Here's　to　his　good　voyage！〃　said　one　of　the　seamen；　drinking；　〃a　squally　night　he's　got；　however；　to　drift　through　the　sky　in。〃

We　omit　here　various　execrations　with　which　these　honest　gentlemen　garnished　their　discourse；　retaining　only　such　of　their　expletives　as　are　least　offensive。

〃'A　does　not　mind　wind　and　weather'A　has　had　many　a　north…easter　in　his　day。〃

〃He　had　his　last　yesterday；〃　said　another　gruffly；　〃and　now　old　Meg　may　pray　for　his　last　fair　wind；　as　she's　often　done　before。〃

〃I'll　pray　for　nane　o'　him；〃　said　Meg；　〃nor　for　you　neither；　you　randy　dog。　The　times　are　sair　altered　since　I　was　a　kinchin…mort。　＇*Girl。＇　　Men　were　men　then；　and　fought　other　in　the　open　field；　and　there　was　nae　milling　in　the　darkmans。　　＇*Murder　by　night。＇　And　the　gentry　had　kind　hearts；　and　would　have　given　baith　lap　and　pannel　＇*Liquor　and　food＇　to　ony　puir　gipsy；　and　there　was　not　one；　from　Johnnie　Faa　the　upright　man；　＇*The　leader　（and　greatest　rogue）　of　the　gang。＇　to　little　Christie　that　was　in　the　panniers；　would　cloyed　a　dud　＇*Stolen　a　rag＇　from　them。　But　ye　are　a'　altered　from　the　gude　auld　rules；　and　no　wonder　that　you　scour　the　cramp…ring；　and　trine　to　the　cheat　＇*Get　imprisoned　and　hanged。＇　sae　often。　Yes；　ye　are　a'　altered…you'll　cat　the　gudeman's　meat；　drink　his　drink；　sleep　on　the　strammel　＇*Straw＇　in　his　barn；　and　break　his　house　and　cut　his　throat　for　his　pains！　There's　blood　on　your　hands；　too；　ye　dogsmair　than　ever　came　there　by　fair　fighting。　See　how　ye'll　die　thenlang　it　was　ere　he　diedhe　strove；　and　strove　sair；　and　could　neither　die　nor　live；but　youhalf　the　country　will　see　how　ye'll　grace　the　woodie。〃

The　party　set　up　a　hoarse　laugh　at　Meg's　prophecy。　〃What　made　you　come　back　here；　ye　auld　beldame？〃　said　one　of　the　gipsies；　〃could　ye　not　have　staid　where　you　were；　and　spaed　fortunes　to　the　Cumberland　flats？Bing　out　and　tour；　＇*Go　out　and　watch＇　ye　auld　devil；　and　see　that　nobody　has　scented；　that's　a'　you're　good　for　now。〃

〃Is　that　a'　I　am　good　for　now？〃　said　the　indignant　matron。　〃I　was　good　for　mair　than　that　in　the　great　fight　between　our　folk　and　Patrico　Salmon's；　if　I　had　not　helped　you　with　these　very　fambles　（holding　up　her　hands）；　Jean　Baillie　would　have　frummagem'd　you；　＇*Throttled　you＇　ye　feckless　do…little！〃

There　was　here　another　laugh　at　the　expense　of　the　hero　who　had　received　this　amazon's　assistance。

〃Here；　mother；〃　said　one　of　the　sailors；　〃here's　a　cup　of　the　right　for　you；　and　never　mind　that　bully…huff。〃

Meg　drank　the　spirits；　and；　withdrawing　herself　from　further　conversation；　sat　down　before　the　spot　where　Brown　lay　bid；　in　such　a　posture　that　it　would　have　been　difficult　for　any　one　to　have　approached　it　without　her　rising。　The　men；　however；　showed　no　disposition　to　disturb　her。

They　closed　around　the　fire；　and　held　deep　consultation　together；　but　the　low　tone　in　which　they　spoke；　and　the　cant　language　which　they　used；　prevented　Brown　from　understanding　much　of　their　conversation。　He　gathered　in　general；　that　t