guy mannering-第81节

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〃Why；　really；　my　dinner　was　not　so　excellent；　Mr。　Dinmont；　as　to　spoil　my　supper。〃

〃I　dare　say　no；　I　dare　say　no；〃　said　Dandie：〃But　now；　hinny；　that　ye　hae　brought　us　the　brandy；　and　the　mug　wi'　the　het　water；　and　the　sugar；　and　a'　right；　ye　may　steak　＇*Fasten＇　the　door；　ye　see；　for　we　wad　hae　some　o'　our　ain　cracks。〃　＇*Conversation＇　The　damsel　accordingly　retired；　and　shut　the　door　of　the　apartment；　to　which　she　added　the　precaution　of　drawing　a　large　bolt　on　the　outside。

As　soon　as　she　was　gone；　Dandie　reconnoitred　the　premises；　listened　at　the　keyhole　as　if　he　had　been　listening　for　the　blowing　of　an　otter；　and　having　satisfied　himself　that　there　were　no　eavesdroppers；　returned　to　the　table；　and　making　himself　what　he　called　a　gey　stiff　cheerer；　poked　the　fire；　and　began　his　story　in　an　undertone　of　gravity　and　importance　not　very　usual　with　him。

〃Ye　see；　Captain；　I　had　been　in　Edinbro'　for　twa　or　three　days；　looking　after　the　burial　of　a　friend　that　we　hae　lost；　and　maybe　I　suld　hae　had　something　for　my　ride；　but　there's　disappointments　in　a'　things；　and　wha　can　help　the　like　o'　that？　And　I　had　a　wee　bit　law　business　besides；　but　that's　neither　here　nor　there。　In　short；　I　had　got　my　matters　settled；　and　hame　I　cam；　and　the　morn　awa　to　the　muirs　to　see　what　the　herds　had　been　about；　and　I　thought　I　might　as　weel　gie　a　look　to　the　Tout…hope　head；　where　Jock　o'　Dawston　and　me　has　the　outcast　about　a　march。Weel；　just　as　I　was　coming　upon　the　bit　I　saw　a　man　afore　me　that　I　kenn'd　was　nane　o'　our　herds；　and　it's　a　wild　bit　to　meet　ony　other　body；　so　when　I　cam　up　to　him；　it　was　Tod　Gabriel　the　fox…hunter。　So　I　says　to　him；　rather　surprised　like；　'What　are　ye　doing　up　amang　the　craws　here；　without　your　hounds；　man？　are　ye　seeking　the　fox　without　the　dogs？'　So　he　said；　'Na；　gudeman；　but　I　wanted　to　see　yourself。'

〃'Ay；'　said　I；　'and　ye'll　be　wanting　eilding　now；　or　something　to　pit　ower　the　winter？'

〃'Na；　na；'　quo'　he；　I　it's　no　that　I'm　seeking；　but　ye　tak　an　unco　concern　in　that　Captain　Brown　that　was　staying　wi'　you；　d'ye　no？'

〃Troth　do　I；　Gabriel；'　says　I；　'and　what　about　him；　lad？'

〃Says　he；　'There's　mair　tak　an　interest　in　him　than　you；　and　some　that　I　am　bound　to　obey；　and　it's　no　just　on　my　ain　will　that　I'm　here　to　tell　you　something　about　him　that　will　no　please　you。'

〃'Faith；　naething　will　please　me；'　quo'　I；　'that's　no　pleasing　to　him。'

〃'And　then；'　quo'　he；　'ye'll　be　ill…sorted　to　hear　that　he's　like　to　be　in　the　prison　at　Portanferrv；　if　he　disna　tak　a'　the　better　care　o'　himself；　for　there's　been　warrants　out　to　tak　him　as　soon　as　he　comes　ower　the　water　frae　Allonby。　And　now；　gudeman；　an　ever　ye　wish　him　weel；　ye　maun　ride　down　to　Portanferry；　and　let　nae　grass　grow　at　the　nag's　heels；　and　if　ye　find　him　in　confinement；　ye　maun　stay　beside　him　night　and　day；　for　a　day　or　twa；　for　he'll　want　friends　that　hae　baith　heart　and　hand；　and　if　ye　neglect　this　ye'll　never　rue　but　ance；　for　it　will　be　for　a'　your　life。；

〃'But；　safe　us；　man；'　quo'　I；　'how　did　ye　learn　a'　this？　it's　an　unco　way　between　this　and　Portanferry。'

〃'Never　ye　mind　that；'　quo'　he；　'them　that　brought　us　the　news　rade　night　and　day；　and　ye　maun　be　aff　instantly　if　ye　wad　do　ony　gudeand　sae　I　have　naething　mair　to　tell　ye。'Sae　he　sat　himself　doun　and　hirselled　＇*Creeping　sideways　in　a　sitting　posture　by　means　of　the　hands。＇　doun　into　the　glen；　where　it　wad　hae　been　ill　following　him　wi'　the　beast；　and　I　cam　back　to　Charlies…hope　to　tell　the　gudewife；　for　I　was　uncertain　what　to　do。　It　wad　look　unco…like；　I　thought；　just　to　be　sent　out　on　a　hunt…the…gowk　errand　wi'　a　land…louper　＇*Vagrant＇　like　that。　But；　Lord！　as　the　gudewife　set　up　her　throat　about　it；　and　said　what　a　shame　it　wad　be　if　ye　was　to　come　to　ony　wrang；　an　I　could　help　ye；　and　then　in　cam　your　letter　that　confirmed　it。　So　I　took　to　the　kist；　and　out　wi'　the；　pickle　＇*A　supply。＇　notes　in　case　they　should　be　needed；　and　a'　the　bairns　ran　to　saddle　Dumple。　By　great　luck　I　had　taen　the　other　beast　to　Edinbro'；　sae　Dumple　was　as　fresh　as　a　rose　Sae　aff　I　set；　and　Wasp　wi'　me；　for　ye　wad　really　hae　thought　he　kenn'd　where　I　was　gaun；　puir　beast；　and　here　I　am　after　a　trot　o'　sixty　mile；　or　near　by。　But　Wasp　rade　thirty　of　them　afore　me　on　the　saddle；　and　the　puir　doggie　balanced　itself　as　ane　o'　the　weans　wad　hae　dune；　whether　I　trotted　or　cantered。〃

In　this　strange　story　Bertram　obviously　saw；　supposing　the　warning　to　be　true；　some　intimation　of　danger　more　violent　and　imminent　than　could　be　likely　to　arise　from　a　few　days'　imprisonment。　At　the　same　time　it　was　equally　evident　that　some　unknown　friend　was　working　in　his　behalf。　〃Did　you　not　say；〃　he　asked　Dinmont；　〃that　this　man　Gabriel　was　of　gipsy　blood？〃

〃It　was　e'en　judged　sae；〃　said　Dinmont；　〃and　I　think　this　maks　it　likely；　for　they　aye　ken　where　the　gangs　o'　ilk　ither　I　are　to　be　found；　and　they　can　gar　news　flee　like　a　footba'　through　the　country　an　they　like。　An'　I　forgat　to　tell　ye；　there's　been　an　unco　inquiry　after　the　auld　wife　that　we　saw　in　Bewcastle；　the　Sheriffs　had　folk　ower　the　Limestane　Edge　after　her；　and　down　the　Hermitage　and　Liddel；　and　a'　gates；　and　a　reward　offered　for　her　to　appear；　o'　fifty　pound　sterling；　nae　less；　and　justice　Forster；　he's　had　out　warrants；　as　I　am　tell'd；　in　Cumberland；　and　an　unco　ranging　and　riping　＇*A　Searching。＇　they　have　had　a'　gates　seeking　for　her；　but　she'll　no　be　taen　wi'　them　unless　she　likes；　for　a'　that。〃

〃And　how　comes　that？〃　said　Bertram。

〃Ou；　I　dinna　ken；　I　daur　say　it's　nonsense；　but　they　say　she　has　gathered　the　fern…seed；　and　can　gang　ony　gate　she　likes；　like　Jock…the…Giant…killer　in　the　ballant；　wi'　his　coat　o'darkness　and　his　shoon　o'　swiftness。　Ony　way　she's　a　kind　o'　queen　amang　the　gipsies；　she　is　mair　than　a　hundred　year　auld；　folk　say；　and　minds　the　coming　in　o'　the　moss…troopers　in　the　troublesome　times　when　the　Stuarts　were　put　awa。　Sae；　if　she　canna　hide　herself；　she　kens　them　that　can　hide　her　weel　eneugh；　ye　needna　doubt　that。　Odd；　an　I　had　kenn'd　it　had　been　Meg　Merrilies　yon　night　at　Tibb　Mumps's；　I　wad　taen　care　how　I　crossed　her。〃

Bertram　listened　with　great　attention　to　this　account；　which　tallied　so　well　in　many　points　with　what　he　had　himself　seen　of　this　gipsy　sibyl。　After　a　moment's　consideration；　he　concluded　it　would　be　no　breach　of　faith　to　mention　what　he　had　seen　at　Derncleugh　to　a　person　who　held　Meg　in　such　reverence　as　Dinmont　obviously　did。　He　told　his　story　accordingly；　often　interrupted　by　ejaculations　such　as；　〃Weel；　the　like　o'　that　now！〃　or；　〃Na；　deil　an　that's　no　something　now！〃

When　our　Liddesdale　friend　had　heard　the　whole　to　an　end；　he　shook　his　great　black　head〃Weel；　I'll　uphaud　there's　baith　gude　and　ill　amang　the　gipsies；　and　if　they　deal　wi'　the　Enemy；　it's　a'　their　ain　business　and　no　ours。I　ken　what　the　streeking　the　corpse　wad　be；　weel　eneugh。　Thae　smuggler　deevils；　when　ony　o'　them's　killed　in　a　fray；　they'll　send　for　a　wife　like　Meg　far　eneugh　to　dress　the　corpse；　odd；　it's　a'　the　burial　they　ever　think　o'！　and　then　to　be　put　into　the　ground　without　ony　decency；　just　like　dogs。　But　they　stick　to　it；　that　they〃　be　streekit；　and　hae　an　auld　wife　when　they're　dying　to　rhyme　ower　prayers；　and　ballants；　and　charms；　as　they　ca'　them；　rather　than　they'll　hae　a　minister　to　come　and　pray　wi'　themthat's　an　auld　threep　o'　theirs；　and　I　am　thinking　the　man　that　died　will　hae　been　ane　o'　the　folk　that　was　shot　when　they　burnt　Woodbourne。〃

〃But；　my　good　friend；　Woodbourne　is　not　burnt；〃　said　Bertram。

〃Weel；　the　better　for　them　that　bides　in't；〃　answered　the　store…farmer。　〃Odd；　we　had　it　up　the　water　wi'　us；　that　there　wasna　a　stane　on　the　tap　o'　anither。　But　there　was　fighting；　ony　way；　I　daur　to　say；　it　would　he　fine　fun！　And；　as　I　said；　Ye　may　take　it　on　trust；　that　that's　been　ane　o'　the　men　killed　there；　and　that　it's　been　the　gipsies　that　took　your　pockmanky　when　they　fand　the　chaise　stickin'　in　the　snawthey　wadna　pass　the　like　a'　thatit　wad　just　come　to　their　hand　like　the　bowl　o'　a　pint　stoup。〃　＇*The　handle　of　a　stoup　of　liquor；　than　which；　our　proverb　seems　to　infer；　there　is　nothing　comes　more　readily　to　the　grasp。＇

〃But　if　this　woman　is　a　sovereign　among　them；　why　was　she　not　able　to　afford　me　open　protection；　and　to　get　me　back　my　property？〃

〃Ou；　wha　kens？　she　has　muckle　to　say　wi'　them；　but　whiles　they'll　tak　their　ain　way　for　a'　that；　when　they're　under　temptation。　And　then　there's　the　smugglers　that　they're　aye　leagued　wi'；　she　maybe　couldna　manage　them　sae　weel…they're　aye　banded　thegitherl've　heard　that　the　gipsies　ken　when　the　smugglers　will　come　aff；　and　where　they're　to　land；　better　than　the　very　merchants　that　deal　wi'　them。　And　then；　to　the　boot　o'　that；　she's　whiles　crack…brained；　and　has　a　bee　in　her　head；　they　say　that　whether　her　spaeings　and　fortune…tellings　be　true　or　no；　for　certain　she　believes　in　them　a'　hersell；　and　is　aye　guiding　herself　by　some　queer　prophecy　or　anither。　So　she　disna　aye　gang　the　straight　road　to　the　well。But　deil　o'　sic　a　story　as　yours；　wi'　glamour　and　dead　folk　and　losing　ane's　gate；　I　ever　heard　out　o'　the　tale…books！But　whisht；　I　hear　the　keeper　coming。〃

Mac…Guffog　accordingly　interrupted　their　discourse　by　the　harsh　harmony　of　the　bolts