guy mannering-第93节

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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　counsellor's　words。　〃I　give　you　joy；〃　he　said；　〃of　the　prospects　which　fate　has　opened　before　you。　I　was　an　early　friend　of　your　father；　and　chanced　to　be　in　the　house　of　Ellangowan　as　unexpectedly　as　you　are　now　in　mine；　upon　the　very　night　in　which　you　were　born。　I　little　knew　this　circumstance　whenbut　I　trust　unkindness　will　be　forgotten　between　us。　Believe　me；　your　appearance　here；　as　Mr。　Brown；　alive　and　well；　has　relieved　me　from　most　painful　sensations；　and　your　right　to　the　name　of　an　old　friend　renders　your　presence；　as　Mr。　Bertram；　doubly　welcome。〃

〃And　my　parents？〃　said　Bertram。

〃Are　both　no　moreand　the　family　property　has　been　sold；　but　I　trust　may　be　recovered。　Whatever　is　wanted　to　make　your　right　effectual；　I　shall　be　most　happy　to　supply。〃

〃Nay；　you　may　leave　all　that　to　me；〃　said　the　counsellor；〃　'tis　my　vocation。　Hal。　I　shall　make　money　of　it。〃

〃I'm　sure　it's　no　for　the　like　o'　me；〃　observed　Dinmont；　〃to　speak　to　you　gentlefolks；　but　if　siller　would　help　on　the　Captain's　plea；　and　they　say　nae　plea　gangs　an　weel　without　it〃

〃Except　on　Saturday　night；〃　said　Pleydell。

〃Ay；　but　when　your　honour　wadna　take　your　fee　Ye　wadna　hae　the　cause　neither；　sae　I'll　ne'er　fash　you　on　a　Saturday　at　e'en　againbut　I　was　saying；　there's　some　siller　in　the　spleuchan　＇*A　spleuchan　is　a　tobacco　pouch；　occasionally　used　as　a　purse。＇　that's　like　the　Captain's　ain；　for　we've　aye　counted　it　such；　baith　Ailie　and　me。〃

〃No；　no；　Liddesdaleno　occasion；　no　occasion　whateverkeep　thy　cash　to　stock　thy　farm。〃

〃To　stack　my　farm？　Mr。　Pleydell；　your　honour　kens　mony　things；　but　ye　dinna　ken　the　farm　o'　Charlies…hopeit's　sae　weel　stockit　already；　that　we　sell　maybe　sax　hundred　pounds　off　it　ilka　year；　flesh　and　fell　thegitherna；　na。〃

〃Can't　you　take　another　then？〃

〃I　dinna　kenthe　Deuke's　no　that　fond　o'　led　farms；　and　he　canna　bide　to　put　away　the　auld　tenantry；　and　then　I　wadna　like；　mysell；　to　gang　about　whistling　and　raising　the　rent　on　my　neighbours。〃　＇*Whistling；　among　the　tenantry　of　a　large　estate；　is；　when　an　individual　gives　such　information　to　the　proprietor；　or　his　managers；　as　to　occasion　the　rent　of　his　neighbour's　farms　being　raised；　which；　for　obvious　reasons；　is　held　a　very　unpopular　practice。＇

〃What；　not　upon　thy　neighbour　at　DawstonDevilstonehow　d'ye　call　the　place？〃

〃What；　on　Jock　o'　Dawston？　hout　nahe's　a　camsteary　＇*Obstinate　and　unruly。＇　chield；　and　fasheous　＇*Troublesome＇　about　marches；　and　we've　had　some　bits　o'　splores　thegither；　but　deil　o'　me　if　I　wad　wrang　Jock　o'　Dawston　neither。〃

〃Thou'rt　an　honest　fellow；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃get　thee　to　bed。　Thou　wilt　sleep　sounder；　I　warrant　thee；　than　many　a　man　that　throws　off　an　embroidered　coat；　and　puts　on　a　laced　nightcap。Colonel；　I　see　you　are　busy　with　our　Enfant　trouve。　But　Barnes　must　give　me　a　summons　of　wakening　at　seven　to…morrow　morning；　for　my　servant's　a　sleepy…headed　fellow；　and　I　dare　say　my　clerk；　Driver；　has　had　Clarence's　fate；　and　is　drowned　by　this　time　in　a　butt　of　your　ale；　for　Mrs。　Allan　promised　to　make　him　comfortable；　and　she'll　soon　discover　what　he　expects　from　that　engagement。　Good…night；　Colonelgood…night；　Dominie　Sampsongood…night；　Dinmont　the　downrightgood…night；　last　of　all；　to　the　new…found　representative　of　the　Bertrams；　and　the　Mac…Dingawaies；　the　Knarths；　the　Arths；　the　Godfreys；　the　Dennises；　and　the　Rolands；　and；　last　and　dearest　title；　heir　of　tailzie　and　provision　of　the　lands　and　barony　of　Ellangowan；　under　the　settlement　of　Lewis　Bertram；　Esq。；　whose　representative　you　are。〃

And　so…saying；　the　old　gentleman　took　his　candle　and　left　the　room；　and　the　company　dispersed；　after　the　Dominie　had　once　more　hugged　and　embraced　his　〃little　Harry　Bertram；〃　as　he　continued　to　call　the　young　soldier　of　six　feet　high。


CHAPTER　LI。

　　My　imagination　Carries　no　favour　in　it　but　Bertram's；　I　　　am　undone；　there　is　no　living；　none；　If　Bertram　be　away。　　　　　All's　well　that　Ends　Well。

At　the　hour　which　he　had　appointed　the　preceding　evening；　the　indefatigable　lawyer　was　seated　by　a　good　fire；　and　a　pair　of　wax　candles；　with　a　velvet　cap　on　his　head；　and　a　quilted　silk　night…gown　on　his　person；　busy　arranging　his　memoranda　of　proofs　and　indications　concerning　the　murder　of　Frank　Kennedy。　An　express　had　also　been　despatched　to　Mr。　Mac…Morlan；　requesting　his　attendance　at　Woodbourne　as　soon　as　possible；　on　business　of　importance。　Dinmont；　fatigued　with　the　events　of　the　evening　before；　and　finding　the　accommodations　of　Woodbourne　much　preferable　to　those　of　Mac…Guffog；　was　in　no　hurry　to　rise。　The　impatience　of　Bertram　might　have　put　him　earlier　in　motion；　but　Colonel　Mannering　had　intimated　an　intention　to　visit　him　in　his　apartment　in　the　morning；　and　he　did　not　choose　to　leave　it。　Before　this　interview　he　had　dressed　himself；　Barnes　having；　by　his　master's　orders；　supplied　him　with　every　accommodation　of　linen；　etc。；　and　now　anxiously　waited　the　promised　visit　of　his　landlord。

In　a　short　time　a　gentle　tap　announced　the　Colonel；　with　whom　Bertram　held　a　long　and　satisfactory　conversation。　Each；　however；　concealed　from　the　other　one　circumstance。　Mannering　could　not　bring　himself　to　acknowledge　the　astrological　prediction；　and　Bertram　was；　from　motives　which　may　be　easily　conceived；　silent　respecting　his　love　for　Julia。　In　other　respects；　their　intercourse　was　frank　and　grateful　to　both；　and　had　latterly；　upon　the　Colonel's　part；　even　an　approach　to　cordiality。　Bertram　carefully　measured　his　own　conduct　by　that　of　his　host；　and　seemed　rather　to　receive　his　offered　kindness　with　gratitude　and　pleasure；　than　to　press　for　it　with　solicitation。

Miss　Bertram　was　in　the　breakfast…parlour　when　Sampson　shuffled　in；　his　face　all　radiant　with　smiles；　a　circumstance　so　uncommon；　that　Lucy's　first　idea　was；　that　somebody　had　been　bantering　him　with　an　imposition；　which　had　thrown　him　into　this　ecstasy。　Having　sat　for　some　time；　rolling　his　eyes　and　gaping　with　his　mouth　like　the　great　wooden　head　at　Merlin's　exhibition；　he　at　length　began　〃And　what　do　you　think　of　him；　Miss　Lucy？〃

〃Think　of　whom；　Mr。　Sampson？〃　asked　the　young　lady。

〃Of　Harnoof　him　that　you　know　about？〃　again　demanded　the　Dominie。

〃That　I　know　about？〃　replied　Lucy；　totally　at　a　loss　to　comprehend　his　meaning。

〃Yes；　the　stranger；　you　know；　that　came　last　evening　in　the　post　vehiclehe　who　shot　young　Hazlewoodha；　ha；　ho！〃　burst　forth　the　Dominie；　with　a　laugh　that　sounded　like　neighing。

〃Indeed；　Mr。　Sampson；〃　said　his　pupil；　〃you　have　chosen　a　strange　subject　for　mirthI　think　nothing　about　the　man；　only　I　hope　the　outrage　was　accidental；　and　that　we　need　not　fear　a　repetition　of　it。〃

〃Accidental！　ho；　ho；　ha！〃　again　whinnied　Sampson。

〃Really；　Mr。　Sampson；〃　said　Lucy；　somewhat　piqued；〃　you　are　unusually　gay　this　morning。〃

〃Yes；　of　a　surety　I　am　I　ha；　ha；　ho！　face…ti…ousho；　ho；　ha！〃

〃So　unusually　facetious；　my　dear　sir；〃　pursued　the　young　lady；　〃that　I　would　wish　rather　to　know　the　meaning　of　your　mirth；　than　to　be　amused　with　its　effects　only。〃

〃You　shall　know　it；　Miss　Lucy；〃　replied　poor　Abel　Do　you　remember　your　brother？〃

〃Good　God！　how　can　you　ask　me？no　one　knows　better　than　you；　he　was　lost　the　very　day　I　was　born。〃

〃Very　true；　very　true；〃　answered　the　Dominie；　saddening　at　the　recollection；　〃I　was　strangely　obliviousay；　aytoo　true。　But　you　remember　your　worthy　father？〃

〃How　should　you　doubt　it；　Mr。　Sampson？　it　is　not　so　many　weeks　since〃

〃True；　trueay；　too　true；〃　replied　the　Dominie；　his　Houyhnhnm　laugh　sinking　into　a　hysterical　giggle；〃I　will　be　facetious　no　more　under　these　remembrancesbut　look　at　that　young　man！〃

Bertram　at　this　instant　entered　the　room。　〃Yes；　look　at　him　wellhe　is　your　father's　living　image；　and　as　God　has　deprived　you　of　your　dear　parentsO　my　children；　love　one　another！〃

〃It　is　indeed　my　father's　face　and　form；〃　said　Lucy；　turning　very　pale；　Bertram　ran　to　support　herthe　Dominie　to　fetch　water　to　throw　upon　her　face　（which　in　his　haste　he　took　from　the　boiling　tea…urn）when　fortunately　her　colour　returning　rapidly；　saved　her　from　the　application　of　this　ill…judged　remedy。　〃I　conjure　you　yet　to　tell　me；　Mr。　Sampson；〃　she　said；　in　an　interrupted；　solemn　voice；　is　this　my　brother？〃

〃It　isit　is！Miss　Lucy；　it　is　little　Harry　Bertram；　as　sure　as　God's　sun　is　in　that　heaven！〃

〃And　this　is　my　sister？〃　said　Bertram；　giving　way　to　all　that　family　affection；　which　had　so　long　slumbered　in　his　bosom　for　want　of　an　object　to　expand　itself　upon。

〃lt　is！it　is　Miss　Lucy　Bertram；〃　ejaculated　Sampson；　〃whom　by　my　poor　aid　you　will　find　perfect　in　the　tongues　of　France；　and　Italy；　and　even　of　Spainin　reading　and　writing　her　vernacular　tongue；　and　in　arithmetic　and　bookkeeping　by　double　and　single　entryI　say　nothing　of　her　talents　of　shaping；　and　hemming；　and　governing　a　household；　which；　to　give　every　one　their　due；　she　acquired　not　from　me；　but　from　the　housekeepernor　do　I　take　merit　for　her　performance　upon　stringed　instruments；　whereunto　the　instructions　of　an　honourable　young　lady　of　virtue　and　modesty；　and　very　facetious　withalMiss　Julia　Manneringhath　not　meanl