guy mannering-第54节

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ould　the　voluntary　exertions　of　Glossin　be　more　successful　than　his　own。

Actuated　by　motives　so　stimulating；　and　well　acquainted　with　the　lower　retainers　of　the　law；　Glossin　set　every　spring　in　motion　to　detect　and　apprehend；　if　possible；　some　of　the　gang　who　had　attacked　Woodbourne；　and　more　particularly　the　individual　who　had　wounded　Charles　Hazlewood。　He　promised　high　rewards；　he　suggested　various　schemes；　and　used　his　personal　interest　among　his　old　acquaintances　who　favoured　the　trade；　urging　that　they　had　better　make　sacrifice　of　an　understrapper　or　two　than　incur　the　odium　of　having　favoured　such　atrocious　proceedings。　But　for　some　time　all　these　exertions　were　in　vain。　The　common　people　of　the　country　either　favoured　or　feared　the　smugglers　too　much　to　afford　any　evidence　against　them。　At　length；　this　busy　magistrate　obtained　information；　that　a　man；　having　the　dress　and　appearance　of　the　person　who　had　wounded　Hazlewood；　had　lodged　on　the　evening　before　the　rencontre　at　the　Gordon　Arms　in　Kippletringan。　Thither　Mr。　Glossin　immediately　went；　for　the　purpose　of　interrogating　our　old　acquaintance；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish。

The　reader　may　remember　that　Mr。　Glossin　did　not；　according　to　this　good　woman's　phrase；　stand　high　in　her　books。　She　therefore　attended　his　summons　to　the　parlour　slowly　and　reluctantly；　and；　on　entering　the　room；　paid　her　respects　in　the　coldest　possible　manner。　The　dialogue　then　proceeded　as　follows：…

〃A　fine　frosty　morning；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish。〃

〃Ay；　sir；　the　morning's　weel　eneugh；〃　answered　the　landlady　dryly。

〃Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　I　wish　to　know　if　the　justices　are　to　dine　here　as　usual　after　the　business　of　the　court　on　Tuesday？〃

〃I　believefancy　sae；　siras　usual〃（about　to　leave　the　room）。

〃Stay　a　moment；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlishwhy；　you　are　in　a　prodigious　hurry；　my　good　friend！I　have　been　thinking　a　club　dining　here　once　a　month　would　be　a　very　pleasant　thing。〃

〃Certainly；　sir；　a　club　of　respectable　gentlemen。〃

〃True；　true；〃　said　Glossin；　〃I　mean　landed　proprietors　and　gentlemen　of　weight　in　the　county；　and　I　should　like　to　set　such　a　thing　a…going。〃

The　short　dry　cough　with　which　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish　received　this　proposal；　by　no　means　indicated　any　dislike　to　the　overture　abstractedly　considered；　but　inferred　much　doubt　how　far　it　would　succeed　under　the　auspices　of　the　gentleman　by　whom　it　was　proposed。　It　was　not　a　cough　negative；　but　a　cough　dubious；　and　as　such　Glossin　felt　it；　but　it　was　not　his　cue　to　take　offence。

〃Have　there　been　brisk　doings　on　the　road；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish？　plenty　of　company；　I　suppose？〃

〃Pretty　weel；　sir；but　I　believe　I　am　wanted　at　the　bar。〃

〃No；　no；stop　one　moment；　cannot　you；　to　oblige　an　old　customer？Pray；　do　you　remember　a　remarkably　tall　young　man；　who　lodged　one　night　in　your　House　last　week？〃

〃Troth；　sir；　I　canna　weel　sayI　never　take　heed　whether　my　company　be　lang　or　short；　if　they　make　a　lang　bill。〃

〃And　if　they　do　not；　you　can　do　that　for　them；　eh；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish？ha；　ha；　ha！But　this　young　man　that　I　inquire　after　was　upwards　of　six　feet　high；　had　a　dark　frock；　with　metal　buttons；　light…brown　hair　unpowdered；　blue　eyes；　and　a　straight　nose；　travelled　on　foot；　had　no　servant　or　baggage。you　surely　can　remember　having　seen　such　a　traveller？〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　answered　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　bent　on　baffling　his　inquiries；　〃I　canna　charge　my　memory　about　the　matterthere's　mair　to　do　in　a　house　like　this；　I　trow；　than　to　look　after　passengers'　hair；　or　their　een；　or　noses　either。〃

〃Then；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　I　must　tell　you　in　plain　terms；　that　this　person　suspected　of　having　been　guilty　of　a　crime；　and　it　is　in　consequence　of　these　suspicions　that　I；　as　a　magistrate；　require　this　information　from　you；and　if　you　refuse　to　answer　my　questions；　I　must　put　you　upon　your　oath。〃

〃Troth；　sir；　I　am　no　free　to　swear　＇*Some　of　the　strict　dissenters　decline　taking　an　oath　before　a　civil　magistrate＇we　aye　gaed　to　the　Antiburgher　meetingit's　very　true；　in　Bailie　Mac…Candlish's　time　（honest　man）；　we　keepit　the　kirk；　whilk　was　most　seemly　in　his　station；　as　having　office；　but　after　his　being　called　to　a　better　place　than　Kippletringan；　I　hae　gaen　back　to　worthy　Maister　MacGrainer。　And　so　ye　see；　sir；　I　am　no　clear　to　swear　without　speaking　to　the　ministerespecially　against　ony　sackless　puir　young　thing　that's　gaun　through　the　country；　stranger　and　freendless　like。〃

〃I　shall　relieve　your　scruples；　perhaps；　without　troubling　Mr。　Mac…Grainer；　when　I　tell　you　that　this　fellow　whom　I　Inquire　after　is　the　man　who　shot　your　young　friend　Charles　Hazlewood。〃

〃Gudeness！　wha　could　hae　thought　the　like　o'　that　o'　him？　na；　if　it　had　been　for　debt；　or　e'en　for　a　bit　tuilzie　＇*Scuffle＇　wi'　the　gauger；　the　deil　o'　Nelly　Mac…Candlish's　tongue　should　ever　hae　wranged　him。　But　if　he　really　shot　young　HazlewoodBut　I　canna　think　it；　Mr。　Glossin；　this　will　be　same　o'　your　skits　＇*Tricks＇　nowI　canna　think　it　o'　sae　douce　a　lad；na；　na；　this　is　just　some　a'　your　auld　s　'kits。Ye'll　he　for　having　a　horning　or　a　caption　after　him。〃

〃I　see　you　have　no　confidence　in　me；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　but　look　at　these　declarations；　signed　by　the　persons　who　saw　the　crime　committed；　and　judge　yourself　if　the　description　of　the　ruffian　be　not　that　of　your　guest。〃

He　put　the　papers　into　her　hand；　which　she　perused　very　carefully；　often　taking　off　her　spectacles　to　cast　her　eyes　up　to　Heaven；　or　perhaps　to　wipe　a　tear　from　them；　for　young　Hazlewood　was　an　especial　favourite　with　the　good　dame。　〃Aweel；　aweel；〃　she　said；　when　she　had　concluded　her　examination；　〃since　it's　e'en　sae；　I　gie　him　up；　the　villain　But　oh；　we　are　erring　mortals！I　never　saw　a　face　I　liked　better；　or　a　lad　that　was　mair　douce　and　cannyI　thought　he　had　been　some　gentleman　under　trouble。But　I　gie　him　up；　the　villain！to　shoot　Charles　Hazlewood　and　before　the　young　ladies；　poor　innocent　things！I　gie　him　up。

〃So　you　admit；　then；　that　such　a　person　lodged　here　the　night　before　this　vile　business？〃

〃Troth　did　he；　sir；　and　a'　the　house　were　taen　wi'　him；　he　was　sic　a　frank；　pleasant　young　man；　It　wasna　for　his　spending；　I'm　sure；　for　he　just　had　a　mutton…chop；　and　a　mug　of　ale；　and　maybe　a　glass　or　twa　o'　wine…and　I　asked　him　to　drink　tea　wi'　myself；　and　didna　put　that　into　the　bill；　and　he　took　nae　supper；　for　he　said　he　was　defeat　＇*Exhausted＇　wi'　travel　a'　the　night　aforeI　dare　say　now　it　had　been　on　some　hellicat　errand　or　other。〃

〃Did　you　by　any　chance　learn　his　name？〃

〃I　wot　weel　did　I；〃　said　the　landlady；　now　as　eager　to　communicate　her　evidence　as　formerly　desirous　to　suppress　it。　〃He　tell'd　me　his　name　was　Brown；　and　he　said　it　was　likely　that　an　auld　woman　like　a　gipsy　wife　might　be　asking　for　himAy；　ay！　tell　me　your　company；　and　I'll　tell　you　wha　ye　are！　Oh；　the　villain！Aweel；　sir；　when　he　gaed　away　in　the　morning；　he　paid　his　bill　very　honestly；　and　gae　something　to　the　chamber…maid；　nae　doubt；　for　Grizy　has　naething　frae　me；　by　twa　pair　o'　new　shoon　ilka　year；　and　maybe　a　bit　compliment　at　Hansel　Monanday〃Here　Glossin　found　it　necessary　to　interfere；　and　bring　the　good　woman　back　to　the　point。

〃Ou　than；　he　just　said；　if　there　comes　such　a　person　to　inquire　after　Mr。　Brown；　you　will　say　I　am　gone　to　look　at　the　skaters　on　Loch　Creeran；　as　you　call　it；　and　I　will　be　back　here　to　dinnerBut　he　never　came　backthough　I　expected　him　sae　faithfully；　that　I　gae　a　look　to　making　the　friar's　chicken　mysell；　and　to　the　crappit…heads　＇*Haddock…heads　stuffed＇　too；　and　that's　what　I　dinna　do　for　ordinary；　Mr。　GlossinBut　little　did　I　think　what　skating　wark　he　was　gaun　aboutto　shoot　Mr。　Charles；　the　innocent　lamb！〃

Mr。　Glossin；　having；　like　a　prudent　examinator；　suffered。　his　witness；　to　give。　vent　to　all　her　surprise　and　indignation；　now　began　to　inquire　whether　the　suspected　person　had　left　any　property　or　papers　about　the　inn。

〃Troth；　he　put　a　parcela　sma'　parcel；　under　my　charge；　and　he　gave　me　some　siller；　and　desired　me　to　get　him　half　a　dozen　ruffled　sarks；　and　Peg　Pasley's　in　bands　wi'　them　e'en　nowthey　may　serve　him　to　gang　up　the　Lawnmarket　I　in；　the　scoundrel！〃　＇*The　procession　of　the　criminals　to　the　gallows　of　old　took　that　direction；　moving；　as　the　schoolboy　rhyme　had　it；　Up　the　Lawnmarket；　Down　the　West　Bow；　Up　the　lang　ladder；　And　down　the　little　tow。＇　Mr。　Glossin　then　demanded　to　see　the　packet；　but　here　mine　hostess　demurred。

〃She　didna　kenshe　wad　not　say　but　justice　should　take　its　course　but　when　a　thing；　was　trusted　to　ane　in　her　way；　doubtless　they　were　responsiblebut　she　suld　cry　in　Deacon　Bearcliff；　and　if　Mr。　Glossin　liked　to　tak　an　inventar　o'　the　property；　and　gie　her　a　receipt　before　the　Deaconor；　what　she　wad　like　muckle　better；　an　it　could；　be　scaled　up　and　left　in　Deacon　Bearclift's　hands；　it　wad　mak　her　mind　easyShe　was　for　naething　but　justice　on　a'　sides。〃

Mrs。　Mac…Candlish's　natural　sagacity　and　acquired　suspicion　being　inflexible；　Glossin　sent　for　Deacon　Bearcliff；　to　speak　〃anent　the　villain　that　had　shot　Mr。　Charles　Hazlewood。〃　The　Deacon　accordingly　made　his　appearance；　with　his　wig　awry；　owing　to　the　hurry　with　which；　at　this　summons　of　the　Justice；　he　had　exchanged　it　for　the　Kilmarnock　cap　with　which　he　usually　attended　his　customers。　Mrs。　MacCandlish　then　produced