guy mannering-第55节

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for　the　Kilmarnock　cap　with　which　he　usually　attended　his　customers。　Mrs。　MacCandlish　then　produced　the　parcel　deposited　with　her　by　Brown；　in　which　was　found　the　gipsy's　purse。　On　perceiving　the　value　of　the　miscellaneous　contents；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish　internally　congratulated　herself　upon　the　precautions　she　had　taken　before　delivering　them　up　to　Glossin；　while　he；　with　an　appearance　of　disinterested　candour；　was　the　first　to　propose　they　should　be　properly　inventoried；　and　deposited　with　Deacon　Bearcliff；　until　they　should　be　sent　to　the　Crown　Office。　〃He　did　not〃　he　observed；　〃like　to　be　personally　responsible　for　articles　which　seemed　of　considerable　value；　and　had　doubtless　been　acquired　by　the　most　nefarious　practices。〃

He　then　examined　the　paper　in　which　the　purse　had　been　wrapt　up。　It　was　the　back　of　a　letter　addressed　to　V。　Brown；　Esquire；　but　the　rest　of　the　address　was　torn　away。　The　landlady；now　as　eager　to　throw　light　upon　the　criminal's　escape　as　she　had　formerly　been　desirous　of　withholding　it；　for　the　miscellaneous　contents　of　the　purse　argued　strongly　to　her　mind　that　all　was　not　right；Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　I　say；　now　gave　Glossin　to　understand；　that　her　postilion　and　hostler　had　both　seen　the　stranger　upon　the　ice　that　day　when　young　Hazlewood　was　wounded。

Our　reader's　old　acquaintance；　Jock　Jabos；　was　first　summoned；　and　admitted　frankly　that　he　had　seen　and　conversed　upon　the　ice　that　morning　with　a　stranger；　who；　he　understood；　had　lodged　at　the　Gordon　Arms　the　night　before。

〃What　turn　did　your　conversation　take？〃　said　Glossin。

〃Turn？ou；　we　turned　nae　gate　at　a'；　but　just　keepit　straight　forward　upon　the　ice　like。〃

〃Well；　but　what　did　ye　speak　about？〃

〃Ou；　he　just　asked　questions　like　ony　ither　stranger；〃　answered。　the　postilion；　possessed；　as　it　seemed；　with　the　refractory　and　uncommunicative　spirit　which　had　left　his　mistress。

〃But　about　what？〃　said　Glossin。

〃Ou；　just　about　the　folk　that　was　playing　at　the　curling；　and　about　auld　Jock　Stevenson　that　was　at　the　cock；　and　about　the　leddies；　and　sic　like。〃

〃What　ladies？　and　what　did　he　ask　about　them；　Jock？〃　said　the　interrogator。

〃What　leddies？　ou；　it　was　Miss　Jowlia　Mannering　and　Miss　Lucy　Bertram；　that　ye　ken　fu'　weel　yourself；　Mr。　Glossinthey　were　walking　wi'　the　young　Laird　of　Hazlewood　upon　the　ice。〃

〃〃And　what　did　you　tell　him　about　them？〃　demanded　Glossin。

〃Tut；　we　just　said　that　was　Miss　Lucy　Bertram　of　Ellangowan；　that　should　ance　have　had　a　great　estate　in　the　countryand　that　was　Miss　Jowlia　Mannering；　that　was　to　be　married　to　young　HazlewoodSee　as　she　was　hinging　on　his　armwe　just　spoke　about　our　country　clashes　likehe　was　a　very　frank　man。〃

〃Well；　and　what　did　he　say　in　answer？〃

〃Ou；　he　just　stared　at　the　young　leddies　very　keen　like；　and　asked　if　it　was　for　certain　that　the　marriage　was　to　be　between　Miss　Mannering　and　young　Hazlewoodand　I　answered　him　that　it　was　for　positive　and　absolute　certain；　as　I　had　an　undoubted　right　to　say　saefor　my　third　cousin　Jean　Clavers　（she's　a　relation　o'　your　ain；　Mr。　Glossin；　ye　wad　ken　Jean　lang　syne？）；　she's　sib　＇*Related＇　to　the　housekeeper　at　Woodbourne；　and　she's　tell'd　me　mair　than　ance　that　there　was　naething　could　be　mair　likely。〃

〃And　what　did　the　stranger　say　when　you　told　him　all　this？〃　said　Glossin。

〃Say？〃　echoed　the　postilion；　〃he　said　naething　at　a'he　just　stared　at　them　as　they　walked　round　the　loch　upon　the　ice；　as　if　he　could　have　eaten　them；　and　he　never　took　his　ee　aff　them；　or　said　another　word；　or　gave　another　glance　at　the　Bonspiel；　＇*playing　match＇　though　there　was　the　finest　fun　amang　the　curlers　ever　was　seenand　he　turned　round　and　gaed　aff　the　loch　by　the　kirk…stile　through　Woodbourne　fir…plantings；　and　we　saw　nae　mair　o'　him。〃

〃Only　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　〃what　a　hard　heart　he　maun　hae　had；　to　think　o'　hurting　the　poor　young　gentleman　in　the　very　presence　of　the　leddy　he　was　to　be　married　to！〃

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；'　said　Glossin；　〃there's　been　many　cases　such　as　that　on　the　record；doubtless　he　was　seeking　revenge　where　it　would　be　deepest　and　sweetest。〃

〃God　pity　us！〃　said　Deacon　Bearcliff；　〃we're　puir　frail　creatures　when　left　to　oursells！ay；　he　forgot　wha　said；　'Vengeance　is　mine；　and　I　will　repay　it。〃'

〃Weel；　aweel；　sirs；〃　said　Jabos；　whose　hard…headed　and　uncultivated　shrewdness　seemed　sometimes　to　start　the　game　when　others　beat　the　bush〃Weel；　weel；　ye　may　be　a'　mista'en　yetI'll　never　believe　that　a　man　would　lay　a　plan　to　shoot　another　wi'　his　ain　gun。　Lord　help　me；　I　was　the　keeper's　assistant　down　at　the　Isle　mysell；　and　I'll　uphaud　it；　the　biggest　man　in　Scotland　shouldna　take　a　gun　frae　me　or　I　had　weized　the　slugs　through　him；　though　I'm　but　sic　a　little　feckless　＇*Spiritless＇　body；　fit　for　naething　but　the　outside　o'　a　saddle　and　the　fore…end　o'　a　poschayna；　na；　nae　living　man　wad　venture　on　that。　I'll　wad　ma　best　buckskins；　and　they　were　new　coft　＇*Bought＇　at　Kirkcudbright　fair；　it's　been　a　chance　job　after　a'。　But　if　ye　hae　naething　mair　to　say　to　me；　I　am　thinking　I　maun　gang　and　see　my　beasts　fed。〃　And　he　departed　accordingly。

The　hostler；　who　had　accompanied　him；　gave　evidence　to　the　same　purpose。　He　and　Mrs。　MacCandlish　were　then　re…interrogated；　whether　Brown　had　no　arms　with　him　on　that　unhappy　morning。　〃None；〃　they　said；　〃but　an　ordinary　bit　cutlass　or　hanger　by　his　side。〃

〃Now；〃　said　the　Deacon；　taking　Glossin　by　the　button　（for；　in　considering　this　intricate　subject；　he　had　forgot　Glossin's　new　accession　of　rank）〃this　is　but　doubtfu'　after　a'；　Maister　Gilbertfor　it　was　not　Sae　dooms　＇*Absolutely＇　likely　that　he　would　go　down　into　battle　wi'　sic　sma'　means。〃

Glossin　extricated　himself　from　the　Deacon's　grasp；　and　from　the　discussion；　though　not　with　rudeness；　for　it　was　his　present　interest　to　buy　golden　opinions　from　all　sorts　of　people。　He　inquired　the　price　of　tea　and　sugar；　and　spoke　of　providing　himself　for　the　year；　he　gave　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish　directions　to　have　a　handsome　entertainment　in　readiness　for　a　party　of　five　friends；　whom　he　intended　to　invite　to　dine　with　him　at　the　Gordon　Arms　next　Saturday　week；　and；　lastly；　he　gave　a　half…crown　to　Jock　Jabos；　whom　the　hostler　had　deputed　to　hold　his　steed。

〃Weel；〃　said　the　Deacon　to　Mrs。　Mac…Candlish；　as　he　accepted　her　offer　of　a　glass　of　bitters　at　the　bar；　〃the　deil's　no　sae　ill　as　he's　ca'd。　It's　pleasant　to　see　a　gentleman　pay　the　regard　to　the　business　o'　the　county　that　Mr。　Glossin　does。〃

〃Ay；　'deed　is't；　Deacon；〃　answered　the　landlady　and　yet　I　wonder　our　gentry　leave　their　ain　wark　to　the　like　o'　him。　But　as　lang　as　silver's　current；　Deacon；　folk　maunna　look　ower　nicely　at　what　king's　head's　on't。〃

〃I　doubt　Glossin　will　prove　but　shand　＇*Cant　expression　for　base　coin＇　after　a'；　mistress；〃　said　Jabos；　as　he　passed　through　the　little　lobby　beside　the　bar；　〃but　this　is　a　gude　half…crown　ony　way。〃



CHAPTER　XXXIII。

　　A　man　that　apprehends　death　to　be　no　more　dreadful　but　as　a　　　drunken　sleep；　careless；　reckless；　and　fearless　of　what's　　　past；　present；　or　to　come；　insensible　of　mortality；　and　　　desperately　mortal。　　　　　　　　　Measure　for　Measure。

Glossin　had　made　careful　minutes　of　the　information　derived　from　these　examinations。　They　threw　little　light　upon　the　story；　so　far　as　he　understood　its　purport；　but　the　better　informed　reader　has　received；　through　means　of　this　investigation；　an　account　of　Brown's　proceedings；　between　the　moment　when　we　left　him　upon　his　walk　to　Kippletringan；　the　time　when；　stung；　by　jealousy；　he　so　rashly　and　unhappily　presented　himself　before　Julia　Mannering；　and　well…nigh　brought　to　a　fatal　termination　the　quarrel　which　his　appearance　occasioned。

Glossin　rode　slowly　back　to　Ellangowan；　pondering　on　what　he　had　heard；　and　more　and　more　convinced　that　the　active　and　successful　prosecution　of　this　mysterious　business　was　an　opportunity　of　ingratiating　himself　with　Hazlewood　and　Mannering　to　be　on　no　account　neglected。　Perhaps；　also；　he　felt　his　professional　acuteness　interested　in　bringing　it　to　a　successful　close。　It　was；　therefore；　with　great　pleasure　that；　on　his　return　to　his　house　from　Kippletringan；　he　heard　his　servants　announce　hastily；　〃that　Mac…Guffog；　the　thief…taker；　and　twa　or　three　concurrents；　had　a　man　in　hands　in　the　kitchen　waiting　for　his　honour。〃

He　instantly　jumped　from　horseback；　and　hastened　into　the　house。　〃Send　my　clerk　here　directly；　ye'll　find　him　copying　the　survey　of　the　estate　in　the　little　green　parlour。　Set　things　to　rights　in　my　study；　and　wheel　the　great　leathem　chair　up　to　the　writing…tableset　a　stool　for　Mr。　Scrow。　Scrow　（to　the　clerk；　as　he　entered　the　presence…chamber）；　hand　down　Sir　George　Mackenzie　on　Crimes；　open　it　at　the　section　Vis　Publica　et　Privata；　and　fold　down　a　leaf　at　the　passage　'anent　the　bearing　of　unlawful　weapons。'　Now　lend　me　a　hand　off　with　my　muckle…coat；　and　hang　it　up　in　the　lobby；　and　bid　them　bring　up　the　prisonerI　trow　I'll　sort　him　but　stay；　first　send　up　Mac…Guffog。Now；　Mac…Guffog；　where　did　ye　find　this　chield？〃

Mac…Guffog；　a　stout　bandy…legged　fellow；　with　a　neck　like　a　bull；　a　face　like　afirebrand；　and　a　most　portentous　squint　of　the　left　eye；　began；　after　various　contortions　by　way　of　courtesy　to　the　justice；　to　tell　his