guy mannering-第92节

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t　he　was　distinguished　as　a　young　man　of　talent　and　spirit。〃

〃So　much　the　better；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell；　〃but　that　is　to　general　characterMr。　Brown　must　tell　us　where　he　was　born。〃

〃In　Scotland；　I　believe；　but　the　place　uncertain。〃

〃Where　educated？〃

〃In　Holland；　certainly。〃

〃Do　you　remember　nothing　of　your　early　life　before　you　left　Scotland？〃

〃Very　imperfectly；　yet　I　have　a　strong　idea；　perhaps　more　deeply　impressed　upon　me　by　subsequent　hard　usage；　that　I　was　during　my　childhood　the　object　of　much　solicitude　and　affection。　I　have　an　indistinct　remembrance　of　a　good…looking　man　whom　I　used　to　call　papa；　and　of　a　lady　who　was　infirm　in　health；　and　who；　I　think；　must　have　been　my　mother　but　it　is　an　imperfect　and　confused　recollection。　I　remember　too　a　tall　thin　kind　tempered　man　in　black；　who　used　to　teach　me　my　letters　and　walk　out　with　me；and　I　think　the　very　last　time〃

Here　the　Dominie　could　contain　no　longer。　While　every　succeeding　word　served　to　prove　that　the　child　of　his　benefactor　stood　before　him；　he　had　struggled　with　the　utmost　difficulty　to　suppress　his　emotions；　but；　when　the　juvenile　recollections　of　Bertram　turned　towards　his　tutor　and　his　precepts；　he　was　compelled　to　give　way　to　his　feelings。　He　rose　hastily　from　his　chair；　and　with　clasped　bands；　trembling　limbs；　and　streaming　eyes；　called　out　aloud；　〃Harry　Bertram！look　at　mewas　I　not　the　man？〃

〃Yes！〃　said　Bertram；　starting　from　his　seat　as　if　a　sudden　light　had　burst　in　upon　his　mind；〃Yesthat　was　my　name！and　that　is　the　voice　and　the　figure　of　my　kind　old　master！〃

The　Dominie　threw　himself　into　his　arms；　pressed　him　a　thousand　times　to　his　bosom　in　convulsions　of　transport；　which　shook　his　whole　frame；　sobbed　hysterically；　and；　at　length；　in　the　emphatic　language　of　Scripture；　lifted　up　his　voice　and　wept　aloud。　Colonel　Mannering　had　recourse　to　his　handkerchief；　Pleydell　made　wry　faces；　and　wiped　the　glasses　of　his　spectacles；　and　honest　Dinmont；　after　two　loud　blubbering　explosions；　exclaimed；　〃Deil's　in　the　man！　he's　garr'd　me　do　that　I　haena　done　since　my　auld　mither　died。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　the　counsellor　at　last；　〃silence　in　the　court。We　have　a　clever　party　to　contend　with；　we　must　lose　no　time　in　gathering　our　informationfor　anything　I　know；　there　may　be　something　to　be　done　before　daybreak。〃

〃I　will　order　a　horse　to　be　saddled；　if　you　please；〃　said　the　Colonel。

〃No；　no；　time　enoughtime　enoughbut　come；　Dominie；　I　have　allowed　you　a　competent　space　to　express　your　feelings。　I　must　circumduce　the　termyou　must　let　me　proceed　in　my　examination。〃

The　Dominie　was　habitually　obedient　to　any　one　who　chose　to　impose　commands　upon　him；　he　sunk　back　into　his　chair；　spread　his　checked　handkerchief　over　his　face；　to　serve；　as　I　suppose；　for　the　Grecian　painter's　veil；　and；　from　the　action　of　his　folded　hands；　appeared　for　a　time　engaged　in　the　act　of　mental　thanksgiving。　He　then　raised　his　eyes　over　the　screen；　as　if　to　be　assured　that　the　pleasing　apparition　had　not　melted　into　airthen　again　sunk　them　to　resume　his　internal　act　of　devotion；　until　he　felt　himself　compelled　to　give　attention　to　the　counsellor；　from　the　interest　which　his　questions　excited。

〃And　now；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell；　after　several　minute　inquiries　concerning　his　recollection　of　early　events〃And　now；　Mr。　Bertram；　for　I　think　we　ought　in　future　to　call　you　by　your　own　proper　name；　will　you　have　the　goodness　to　let　us　know　every　particular　which　you　can　recollect　concerning　the　mode　of　your　leaving　Scotland？〃

〃Indeed；　sir；　to　say　the　truth；　though　the　terrible　outlines　of　that　day　are　strongly　impressed　upon　my　memory；　yet　somehow　the　very　terror　which　fixed　them　there　has　in　a　great　measure　confounded　and　confused　the　details。　I　recollect；　however；　that　I　was　walking　somewhere　or　otherin　a　wood；　I　think〃

〃Oh　yes；　it　was　in　Warroch　Wood；　my　dear；〃　said　the　Dominie。

〃Hush；　Mr。　Sampson；〃　said　the　lawyer。

〃Yes；　it　was　in　a　wood；〃　continued　Bertram；　as　long　past　and　confused　ideas　arranged　themselves　in　his　reviving　recollection　〃and　some　one　was　with　methis　worthy　and　affectionate　gentleman；　I　think。〃

〃Oh；　ay；　ay；　Harry；　Lord　bless　theeit　was　even　I　myself。〃

〃Be　silent；　Dominie；　and　don't　interrupt　the　evidence；〃　said　Pleydell。〃and　so；　sir？〃　to　Bertram。

〃And　so；　sir；〃　continued　Bertram；　〃like　one　of　the　changes　of　a　dream；　I　thought　I　was　on　horseback　before　my　guide。〃

〃No；　no；〃　exclaimed　Sampson；　〃never　did　I　put　my　own　limbs；　not　to　say　thine；　into　such　peril。

〃On　my　word　this　is　intolerable！Look　ye；　Dominie；　if　you　speak　another　word　till　I　give　you　leave；　I　will　read　three　sentences　out　of　the　Black　Acts；　whisk　my　cane　round　my　head　three　times；　undo　all　the　magic　of　this　night's　work；　and　conjure　Harry　Bertram　back　again　into　Vanbeest　Brown。〃

〃Honoured　and　worthy　sir；〃　groaned　out　the　Dominie；　〃I　humbly　crave　pardonit　was　verbum　volens。〃

〃Well；　nolens　volens；　you　must　hold　your　tongue；〃　said　Pleydell。

〃Pray；　be　silent；　Mr。　Sampson；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃it　isof　great　consequence　to　your　recovered　friend；　that　you　permit　Mr。　Pleydell　to　proceed　in　his　inquiries。〃

〃I　am　mute；〃　said　the　rebuked　Dominie。

〃On　a　sudden；〃　continued　Bertram；　〃two　or　three　men　sprung　out　upon　us；　and　we　were　pulled　from　horseback。　I　have　little　recollection　of　anything　else；　but　that　I　tried　to　escape　in　the　midst　of　a　desperate　scuffle；　and　fell　into　the　arms　of　a　very　tall　woman　who　started　from　the　bushes；　and　protected　me　for　some　timethe　rest　is　all　confusion　and　dreada　dim　recollection　of　a　sea…beach；　and　a　cave；　and　of　some　strong　potion　which　lulled　me　to　sleep　for　a　length　of　time。　In　short；　it　is　all　a　blank　in　my　memory；　until　I　recollect　myself　first　an　ill…used　and　half…starved　cabin…boy　aboard　a　sloop；　and　then　a　school…boyin　Holland　under　the　protection　of　an　old　merchant；　who　had　taken　some　fancy　for　me。〃

〃And　what　account；〃　said　Mr。　Pleydell；　〃did　your　guardian　give　of　your　parentage？〃

〃A　very　brief　one；〃　answered'　Bertram；　〃and　a　charge　to　inquire　no　further。　I　was　given　to　understand；　that　my　father　was　concerned　in　the　smuggling　trade　carried　on　on　the　eastern　coast　of　Scotland；　and　was　killed　in　a　skirmish　with　the　revenue　officers；　that　his　correspondents　in　Holland　had　a　vessel　on　the　coast　at　the　time；　part　of　the　crew　of　which　were　engaged　in　the　affair；　and　that　they　brought　me　off　after　it　was　over；　from　a　motive　of　compassion；　as　I　was　left　destitute　by　my　father's　death。　As　I　grew　older　there　was　much　of　this　story　seemed　inconsistent　with　my　own　recollections；　but　what　could　I　do？　I　had　no　means　of　ascertaining　my　doubts；　nor　a　single　friend　with　whom　I　could　communicate　or　canvass　them。　The　rest　of　my　story　is　known　to　Colonel　Mannering：　I　went　cut　to　India　to　be　a　clerk　in　a　Dutch　house；　their　affairs　fell　into　confusionI　betook　myself　to　the　military　profession；　and；　I　trust；　as　yet　I　have　not　disgraced　it。〃

〃Thou　art　a　fine　young　fellow；　I'll　be　bound　for　thee；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃and　since　you　have　wanted　a　father　so　long；　I　wish　from　my　heart　I　could　claim　the　paternity　myself。　But　this　affair　of　young　Hazlewood〃

〃Was　merely　accidental；〃　said　Bertram。　〃I　was　travelling　in　Scotland　for　pleasure；　and　after　a　week's　residence　with　my　friend；　Mr。　Dinmont；　with　whom　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　form　an　accidental　acquaintance〃

〃It　was　my　gude　fortune　that；〃　said　Dinmont　〃odd；　my　brains　wad　hae　been　knockit　out　by　twa　blackguards；　if　it　hadna　been　for　his　four　quarters。〃

〃Shortly　after　we　parted　at　the　town　of；　I　lost　my　baggage　by　thieves；　and　it　was　while　residing　at　Kippletringan　I　accidentally　met　the　young　gentleman。　As　I　was　approaching　to　pay　my　respects　to　Miss　Mannering；　whom　I　had　known　in　India；　Mr。　Hazlewood；　conceiving　my　appearance　none　of　the　most　respectable；　commanded　me　rather　haughtily　to　stand　back；　and　so　gave　occasion　to　the　fray　in　which　I　had　the　misfortune　to　be　the　accidental　means　of　wounding　him。And　now；　sir；　that　I　have　answered　all　your　questions…〃

〃No；　no；　not　quite　all；〃　said　Pleydell；　winking　sagaciously；　〃there　are　some　interrogatories　which　I　shall　delay　till　to…morrow；　for　it　is　time；　I　believe；　to　close　the　sederunt　for　this　night；　or　rather　morning。〃

〃Well；　then；　sir；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃to　vary　the　phrase；　since　I　have　answered　all　the　questions　which　you　have　chosen　to　ask　to…night；　will　you　be　so　good　as　to　tell　me　who　you　are　that　take　such　interest　in　my　affairs；　and　whom　you　take　me　to　be；　since　my　arrival　has　occasioned　such　commotion？〃

〃Why；　sir；　for　myself；〃　replied　the　counsellor；　〃I　am　Paulus　Pleydell；　an　advocate　at　the　Scottish　bar；　and　for　you；　it　is　not　easy　to　say　distinctly　who　you　are　at　present；　but　I　trust　in　a　short　time　to　hail　you　by　the　title　of　Henry　Bertram；　Esq。；　representative　of　one　of　the　oldest　families　in　Scotland；　and　heir　of　tailzie　and　provision　to　the　estate　of　EllangowanAy；〃　continued　be；　shutting　his　eyes　and　speaking　to　himself；　〃we　must　pass　over　his　father；　and　serve　him　heir　to　his　grandfather　Lewis；　the　entailerthe　only　wise　man　of　his　family　that　I　ever　heard　of。〃

They　had　now　risen　to　retire　to　their　apartments　for　the　night；　when　Colonel　Mannering　walked　up　to　Bertram；　as　he　stood　astonished　at　the　counsel