the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第24节
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〃Aweel； I think I can gie a guess；〃 said the robber。 〃Weel； sirs； I am
laith to enter into deadly feud with you by spilling ony of your bluid；
though Earnscliff hasna stopped to shed mine and he can hit a mark to a
groat's breadthso； to prevent mair skaith； I am willing to deliver up the
prisoner； since nae less will please you。〃
〃And Hobbie's gear？〃 cried Simon of Hackburn。 〃D'ye think you're
to be free to plunder the faulds and byres of a gentle Elliot； as if they were
an auld wife's hens'…cavey？〃
〃As I live by bread；〃 replied Willie of Westburnflat 〃As I live by bread；
I have not a single cloot o' them！ They're a' ower the march lang syne；
there's no a horn o' them about the tower。 But I'll see what o' them can be
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gotten back； and I'll take this day twa days to meet Hobbie at the Castleton
wi' twa friends on ilka side； and see to make an agreement about a' the
wrang he can wyte me wi'。〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 said Elliot； 〃that will do weel eneugh。〃And then aside to his
kinsman； 〃Murrain on the gear！ Lordsake； man！ say nought about them。
Let us but get puir Grace out o' that auld hellicat's clutches。〃
〃Will ye gie me your word； Earnscliff；〃 said the marauder； who still
lingered at the shot…hole； 〃your faith and troth； with hand and glove； that I
am free to come and free to gae； with five minutes to open the grate； and
five minutes to steek it and to draw the bolts？ less winna do； for they
want creishing sairly。 Will ye do this？〃
〃You shall have full time；〃 said Earnscliff； 〃I plight my faith and troth；
my hand and my glove。〃
〃Wait there a moment； then；〃 said Westburnflat； 〃or hear ye； I wad
rather ye wad fa' back a pistol…shot from the door。 It's no that I mistrust
your word； Earnscliff； but it's best to be sure。〃
O； friend； thought Hobbie to himself； as he drew back； an I had you
but on Turner's…holm； ＇There is a level meadow； on the very margin of the
two kingdoms； called Turner's…holm； just where the brook called Crissop
joins the Liddel。 It is said to have derived its name as being a place
frequently assigned for tourneys； during the ancient Border times。＇ and
naebody by but twa honest lads to see fair play； I wad make ye wish ye
had broken your leg ere ye had touched beast or body that belanged to me！
〃He has a white feather in his wing this same Westburnflat； after a'；〃
said Simon of Hackburn； somewhat scandalized by his ready surrender。
〃He'll ne'er fill his father's boots。〃
In the meanwhile； the inner door of the tower was opened； and the
mother of the freebooter appeared in the space betwixt that and the outer
grate。 Willie himself was next seen； leading forth a female； and the old
woman； carefully bolting the grate behind them； remained on the post as a
sort of sentinel。
〃Ony ane or twa o' ye come forward；〃 said the outlaw； 〃and take her
frae my hand haill and sound。〃
Hobbie advanced eagerly； to meet his betrothed bride。 Earnscliff
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followed more slowly； to guard against treachery。 Suddenly Hobbie
slackened his pace in the deepest mortification； while that of Earnscliff
was hastened by impatient surprise。 It was not Grace Armstrong； but
Miss Isabella Vere； whose liberation had been effected by their appearance
before the tower。
〃Where is Grace？ where is Grace Armstrong？〃 exclaimed Hobbie；
in the extremity of wrath and indignation。
〃Not in my hands；〃 answered Westburnflat； 〃ye may search the tower；
if ye misdoubt me。〃
〃You false villain； you shall account for her； or die on the spot；〃 said
Elliot； presenting his gun。
But his companions； who now came up； instantly disarmed him of his
weapon； exclaiming； all at once； 〃Hand and glove！ faith and troth！ Haud
a care； Hobbie we maun keep our faith wi' Westburnflat； were he the
greatest rogue ever rode。〃
Thus protected； the outlaw recovered his audacity； which had been
somewhat daunted by the menacing gesture of Elliot。
〃I have kept my word； sirs；〃 he said； 〃and I look to have nae wrang
amang ye。 If this is no the prisoner ye sought；〃 he said； addressing
Earnscliff； 〃ye'll render her back to me again。 I am answerable for her to
those that aught her。〃
〃For God's sake； Mr。 Earnscliff； protect me！〃 said Miss Vere；
clinging to her deliverer； 〃do not you abandon one whom the whole world
seems to have abandoned。〃
〃Fear nothing；〃 whispered Earnscliff； 〃I will protect you with my life。〃
Then turning to Westburnflat； 〃Villain！〃 he said； 〃how dared you to
insult this lady？〃
〃For that matter； Earnscliff；〃 answered the freebooter； 〃I can answer to
them that has better right to ask me than you have； but if you come with an
armed force； and take her awa' from them that her friends lodged her wi'；
how will you answer THATBut it's your ain affairNae single man can
keep a tower against twenty A' the men o' the Mearns downa do mair
than they dow。〃
〃He lies most falsely；〃 said Isabella； 〃he carried me off by violence
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from my father。〃
〃Maybe he only wanted ye to think sae； hinny；〃 replied the robber；
〃but it's nae business o' mine； let it be as it may。So ye winna resign her
back to me？〃
〃Back to you； fellow？ Surely no；〃 answered Earnscliff； 〃I will
protect Miss Vere； and escort her safely wherever she is pleased to be
conveyed。〃
〃Ay； ay； maybe you and her hae settled that already；〃 said Willie of
Westburnflat。
〃And Grace？〃 interrupted Hobbie； shaking himself loose from the
friends who had been preaching to him the sanctity of the safe… conduct；
upon the faith of which the freebooter had ventured from his tower；
〃Where's Grace〃 and he rushed on the marauder； sword in hand。
Westburnflat； thus pressed； after calling out； 〃Godsake； Hobbie； hear
me a gliff！〃 fairly turned his back and fled。 His mother stood ready to
open and shut the grate； but Hobbie struck at the freebooter as he entered
with so much force； that the sword made a considerable cleft in the lintel
of the vaulted door； which is still shown as a memorial of the superior
strength of those who lived in the days of yore。 Ere Hobbie could repeat
the blow； the door was shut and secured； and he was compelled to retreat
to his companions； who were now preparing to break up the siege of
Westburnflat。 They insisted upon his accompanying them in their return。
〃Ye hae broken truce already；〃 said old Dick of the Dingle； 〃an we
takena the better care； ye'll play mair gowk's tricks； and make yoursell the
laughing…stock of the haill country； besides having your friends charged
with slaughter under trust。 Bide till the meeting at Castleton； as ye hae
greed； and if he disna make ye amends； then we'll hae it out o' his heart's
blood。 But let us gang reasonably to wark and keep our tryst； and I'se
warrant we get back Grace； and the kye an' a'。〃
This cold…blooded reasoning went ill down with the unfortunate lover；
but； as he could only obtain the assistance of his neighbours and kinsmen
on their own terms； he was compelled to acquiesce in their notions of good
faith and regular procedure。
Earnscliff now requested the assistance of a few of the party to convey
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Miss Vere to her father's castle of Ellieslaw； to which she was peremptory
in desiring to be conducted。 This was readily granted； and five or six
young men agreed to attend him as an escort。 Hobbie was not of the
number。 Almost heart…broken by the events of the day； and his fina
