the black dwarf-第10节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　and　his　building　soon　assumed　the　appearance　of　the　walls　of　a　hut；　which；　though　very　small；　and　constructed　only　of　stones　and　turf；　without　any　mortar；　exhibited；　from　the　unusual　size　of　the　stones　employed；　an　appearance　of　solidity　very　uncommon　for　a　cottage　of　such　narrow　dimensions　and　rude　construction。　Earnscliff；　attentive　to　his　motions；　no　sooner　perceived　to　what　they　tended；　than　he　sent　down　a　number　of　spars　of　wood　suitable　for　forming　the　roof；　which　he　caused　to　be　left　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　spot；　resolving　next　day　to　send　workmen　to　put　them　up。　　But　his　purpose　was　anticipated；　for　in　the　evening；　during　the　night；　and　early　in　the　morning；　the　Dwarf　had　laboured　so　hard；　and　with　such　ingenuity；　that　he　had　nearly　completed　the　adjustment　of　the　rafters。　　His　next　labour　was　to　cut　rushes　and　thatch　his　dwelling；　a　task　which　he　performed　with　singular　dexterity。

As　he　seemed　averse　to　receive　any　aid　beyond　the　occasional　assistance　of　a　passenger；　materials　suitable　to　his　purpose；　and　tools；　were　supplied　to　him；　in　the　use　of　which　he　proved　to　be　skilful。　　He　constructed　the　door　and　window　of　his　cot；　he　adjusted　a　rude　bedstead；　and　a　few　shelves；　and　appeared　to　become　somewhat　soothed　in　his　temper　as　his　accommodations　increased。

His　next　task　was　to　form　a　strong　enclosure；　and　to　cultivate　the　land　within　it　to　the　best　of　his　power；　until；　by　transporting　mould；　and　working　up　what　was　upon　the　spot；　he　formed　a　patch　of　garden…ground。　　It　must　be　naturally　supposed；　that；　as　above　hinted；　this　solitary　being　received　assistance　occasionally　from　such　travellers　as　crossed　the　moor　by　chance；　as　well　as　from　several　who　went　from　curiosity　to　visit　his　works。　　It　was；　indeed；　impossible　to　see　a　human　creature；　so　unfitted；　at　first　sight；　for　hard　labour；　toiling　with　such　unremitting　assiduity；　without　stopping　a　few　minutes　to　aid　him　in　his　task；　and；　as　no　one　of　his　occasional　assistants　was　acquainted　with　the　degree　of　help　which　the　Dwarf　had　received　from　others；　the　celerity　of　his　progress　lost　none　of　its　marvels　in　their　eyes。　　The　strong　and　compact　appearance　of　the　cottage；　formed　in　so　very　short　a　space；　and　by　such　a　being；　and　the　superior　skill　which　he　displayed　in　mechanics；　and　in　other　arts；　gave　suspicion　to　the　surrounding　neighbours。　　They　insisted；　that；　if　he　was　not　a　phantom；an　opinion　which　was　now　abandoned；　since　he　plainly　appeared　a　being　of　blood　and　bone　with　themselves；yet　he　must　be　in　close　league　with　the　invisible　world；　and　have　chosen　that　sequestered　spot　to　carry　on　his　communication　with　them　undisturbed。　　They　insisted；　though　in　a　different　sense　from　the　philosopher's　application　of　the　phrase；　that　he　was　never　less　alone　than　when　alone；　and　that　from　the　heights　which　commanded　the　moor　at　a　distance；　passengers　often　discovered　a　person　at　work　along　with　this　dweller　of　the　desert；　who　regularly　disappeared　as　soon　as　they　approached　closer　to　the　cottage。　　Such　a　figure　was　also　occasionally　seen　sitting　beside　him　at　the　door；　walking　with　him　in　the　moor；　or　assisting　him　in　fetching　water　from　his　fountain。　　Earnscliff　explained　this　phenomenon　by　supposing　it　to　be　the　Dwarf's　shadow。

〃Deil　a　shadow　has　he；〃　replied　Hobbie　Elliot；　who　was　a　strenuous　defender　of　the　general　opinion；　〃he's　ower　far　in　wi'　the　Auld　Ane　to　have　a　shadow。　　Besides；〃　he　argued　more　logically；　〃wha　ever　heard　of　a　shadow　that　cam　between　a　body　and　the　sun？　　and　this　thing；　be　it　what　it　will；　is　thinner　and　taller　than　the　body　himsell；　and　has　been　seen　to　come　between　him　and　the　sun　mair　than　anes　or　twice　either。〃

These　suspicions；　which；　in　any　other　part　of　the　country；　might　have　been　attended　with　investigations　a　little　inconvenient　to　the　supposed　wizard；　were　here　only　productive　of　respect　and　awe。　　The　recluse　being　seemed　somewhat　gratified　by　the　marks　of　timid　veneration　with　which　an　occasional　passenger　approached　his　dwelling；　the　look　of　startled　surprise　with　which　he　surveyed　his　person　and　his　premises；　and　the　hurried　step　with　which　he　pressed　his　retreat　as　he　passed　the　awful　spot。　　The　boldest　only　stopped　to　gratify　their　curiosity　by　a　hasty　glance　at　the　walls　of　his　cottage　and　garden；　and　to　apologize　for　it　by　a　courteous　salutation；　which　the　inmate　sometimes　deigned　to　return　by　a　word　or　a　nod。　　Earnscliff　often　passed　that　way；　and　seldom　without　enquiring　after　the　solitary　inmate；　who　seemed　now　to　have　arranged　his　establishment　for　life。

It　was　impossible　to　engage　him　in　any　conversation　on　his　own　personal　affairs；　nor　was　he　communicative　or　accessible　in　talking　on　any　other　subject　whatever；　although　he　seemed　to　have　considerably　relented　in　the　extreme　ferocity　of　his　misanthropy；　or　rather　to　be　less　frequently　visited　with　the　fits　of　derangement　of　which　this　was　a　symptom。　　No　argument　could　prevail　upon　him　to　accept　anything　beyond　the　simplest　necessaries；　although　much　more　was　offered　by　Earnscliff　out　of　charity；　and　by　his　more　superstitious　neighbours　from　other　motives。　　The　benefits　of　these　last　he　repaid　by　advice；　when　consulted　（as　at　length　he　slowly　was）　on　their　diseases；　or　those　of　their　cattle。　　He　often　furnished　them　with　medicines　also；　and　seemed　possessed；　not　only　of　such　as　were　the　produce　of　the　country；　but　of　foreign　drugs。　　He　gave　these　persons　to　understand；　that　his　name　was　Elshender　the　Recluse；　but　his　popular　epithet　soon　came　to　be　Canny　Elshie；　or　the　Wise　Wight　of　Mucklestane…Moor。　　Some　extended　their　queries　beyond　their　bodily　complaints；　and　requested　advice　upon　other　matters；　which　he　delivered　with　an　oracular　shrewdness　that　greatly　confirmed　the　opinion　of　his　possessing　preternatural　skill。　　The　querists　usually　left　some　offering　upon　a　stone；　at　a　distance　from　his　dwelling；　if　it　was　money；　or　any　article　which　did　not　suit　him　to　accept；　he　either　threw　it　away；　or　suffered　it　to　remain　where　it　was　without　making　use　of　it。　　On　all　occasions　his　manners　were　rude　and　unsocial；　and　his　words；　in　number；　just　sufficient　to　express　his　meaning　as　briefly　as　possible；　and　he　shunned　all　communication　that　went　a　syllable　beyond　the　matter　in　hand。　　When　winter　had　passed　away；　and　his　garden　began　to　afford　him　herbs　and　vegetables；　he　confined　himself　almost　entirely　to　those　articles　of　food。　　He　accepted；　notwithstanding；　a　pair　of　she…goats　from　Earnscliff；　which　fed　on　the　moor；　and　supplied　him　with　milk。

When　Earnscliff　found　his　gift　had　been　received；　he　soon　afterwards　paid　the　hermit　a　visit。　　The　old　man　was　seated　an　a　broad　flat　stone　near　his　garden　door；　which　was　the　seat　of　science　he　usually　occupied　when　disposed　to　receive　his　patients　or　clients。　　The　inside　of　his　hut；　and　that　of　his　garden；　he　kept　as　sacred　from　human　intrusion　as　the　natives　of　Otaheite　do　their　Morai；apparently　he　would　have　deemed　it　polluted　by　the　step　of　any　human　being。　　When　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　habitation；　no　entreaty　could　prevail　upon　him　to　make　himself　visible；　or　to　give　audience　to　any　one　whomsoever。

Earnscliff　had　been　fishing　in　a　small　river　at　some　distance。　He　had　his　rod　in　his　hand；　and　his　basket；　filled　with　trout；　at　his　shoulder。　　He　sate　down　upon　a　stone　nearly　opposite　to　the　Dwarf　who；　familiarized　with　his　presence；　took　no　farther　notice　of　him　than　by　elevating　his　huge　mis…shapen　head　for　the　purpose　of　staring　at　him；　and　then　again　sinking　it　upon　his　bosom；　as　if　in　profound　meditation。　Earnscliff　looked　around　him；　and　observed　that　the　hermit　had　increased　his　accommodations　by　the　construction　of　a　shed　for　the　reception　of　his　goats。

You　labour　hard；　Elshie；〃　he　said；　willing　to　lead　this　singular　being　into　conversation。

〃Labour；〃　re…echoed　the　Dwarf；　〃is　the　mildest　evil　of　a　lot　so　miserable　as　that　of　mankind；　better　to　labour　like　me；　than　sport　like　you。〃

〃I　cannot　defend　the　humanity　of　our　ordinary　rural　sports；　Elshie；　and　yet〃

〃And　yet；〃　interrupted　the　Dwarf〃　they　are　better　than　your　ordinary　business；　better　to　exercise　idle　and　wanton　cruelty　on　mute　fishes　than　on　your　fellow…creatures。　　Yet　why　should　I　say　so？　　Why　should　not　the　whole　human　herd　butt；　gore；　and　gorge　upon　each　other；　till　all　are　extirpated　but　one　huge　and　over…　fed　Behemoth；　and　he；　when　he　had　throttled　and　gnawed　the　bones　of　all　his　fellowshe；　when　his　prey　failed　him；　to　be　roaring　whole　days　for　lack　of　food；　and；　finally；　to　die；　inch　by　inch；　of　famineit　were　a　consummation　worthy　of　the　race！〃

〃Your　deeds　are　better；　Elshie；　than　your　words；〃　answered　Earnscliff；　〃you　labour　to　preserve　the　race　whom　your　misanthropy　slanders。〃

〃I　do；　but　why？Hearken。　　You　are　one　on　whom　I　look　with　the　least　loathing；　and　I　care　not；　if；　contrary　to　my　wont；　I　waste　a　few　words　in　compassion　to　your　infatuated　blindness。　　If　I　cannot　send　disease　into　families；　and　murrain　among　the　herds；　can　I　attain　the　same　end　so　well　as　by　prolonging　the　lives　of　those　who　can　serve　the　purpose　of　destruction　as　effectually？　If　Alice　of　Bower　had　died　in　winter；　would　young　Ruthwin　have　been　slain　for　her　love　the　last　spring？Who　thought　of　penning　their　cattle　beneath　the　tower　when　the　Red　Reiver　of　Wes