the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第8节
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kinand my gude…dame's fain to see youshe clavers about your father
that was killed lang syne。〃
〃Hush； hush； Hobbienot a word about thatit's a story better
forgotten。〃
〃I dinna kenif it had chanced amang our folk； we wad hae keepit it in
mind mony a day till we got some mends for'tbut ye ken your ain ways
best； you lairdsI have heard say that Ellieslaw's friend stickit your sire
after the laird himsell had mastered his sword。〃
〃Fie； fie； Hobbie； it was a foolish brawl； occasioned by wine and
politicsmany swords were drawnit is impossible to say who struck the
blow。〃
〃At ony rate； auld Ellieslaw was aiding and abetting； and I am sure if
ye were sae disposed as to take amends on him； naebody could say it was
wrang； for your father's blood is beneath his nailsand besides there's
naebody else left that was concerned to take amends upon； and he's a
prelatist and a jacobite into the bargainI can tell ye the country folk look
for something atween ye。〃
〃O for shame； Hobbie！〃 replied the young Laird； 〃you； that profess
religion； to stir your friend up to break the law； and take vengeance at his
own hand； and in such a bogilly bit too； where we know not what beings
may be listening to us！〃
〃Hush； hush！〃 said Hobbie； drawing nearer to his companion； 〃I was
nae thinking o' the like o' themBut I can guess a wee bit what keeps your
hand up； Mr。 Patrick； we a' ken it's no lack o' courage； but the twa grey een
of a bonny lass； Miss Isabel Vere； that keeps you sae sober。〃
〃I assure you； Hobbie；〃 said his companion； rather angrily； 〃I assure
you you are mistaken； and it is extremely wrong of you； either to think of；
or to utter； such an idea； I have no idea of permitting freedoms to be
carried so far as to connect my name with that of any young lady。〃
〃Why； there nowthere now！〃 retorted Elliot； 〃did I not say it was
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nae want o' spunk that made ye sae mim？Weel； weel； I meant nae
offence； but there's just ae thing ye may notice frae a friend。 The auld
Laird of Ellieslaw has the auld riding blood far hetter at his heart than ye
haetroth； he kens naething about thae newfangled notions o' peace and
quietnesshe's a' for the auld…warld doings o' lifting and laying on； and he
has a wheen stout lads at his back too； and keeps them weel up in heart；
and as fu' o' mischief as young colts。 Where he gets the gear to do't nane
can say； he lives high； and far abune his rents here； however； he pays his
waySae； if there's ony out…break in the country； he's likely to break out
wi' the firstand weel does he mind the auld quarrels between ye； I'm
surmizing he'll be for a touch at the auld tower at Earnscliff。〃
〃Well； Hobbie；〃 answered the young gentleman； 〃if he should be so ill
advised； I shall try to make the old tower good against him； as it has been
made good by my betters against his betters many a day ago。〃
〃Very rightvery rightthat's speaking like a man now；〃 said the stout
yeoman； 〃and； if sae should be that this be sae； if ye'll just gar your servant
jow out the great bell in the tower； there's me； and my twa brothers； and
little Davie of the Stenhouse； will be wi' you； wi' a' the power we can
make； in the snapping of a flint。〃
〃Many thanks； Hobbie；〃 answered Earnscliff； 〃but I hope we shall
have no war of so unnatural and unchristian a kind in our time。〃
〃Hout； sir； hout；〃 replied Elliot； 〃it wad be but a wee bit neighbour war；
and Heaven and earth would make allowances for it in this uncuItivated
placeit's just the nature o' the folk and the landwe canna live quiet like
Loudon folkwe haena sae muckle to do。 It's impossible。〃
〃Well； Hobbie；〃 said the Laird； 〃for one who believes so deeply as you
do in supernatural appearances； I must own you take Heaven in your own
hand rather audaciously； considering where we are walking。〃
〃What needs I care for the Mucklestane…Moor ony mair than ye do
yoursell； Earnscliff？〃 said Hobbie； something offended； 〃to be sure； they
do say there's a sort o' worricows and lang…nebbit things about the land；
but what need I care for them？ I hae a good conscience； and little to
answer for； unless it be about a rant amang the lasses； or a splore at a fair；
and that's no muckle to speak of。 Though I say it mysell； I am as quiet a
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lad and as peaceable〃
〃And Dick Turnbull's head that you broke； and Willie of Winton whom
you shot at？〃 said his travelling companion。
〃Hout； Earnscliff； ye keep a record of a' men's misdoings Dick's
head's healed again； and we're to fight out the quarrel at Jeddart； on the
Rood…day； so that's like a thing settled in a peaceable way； and then I am
friends wi' Willie again； puir chieldit was but twa or three hail draps after
a'。 I wad let onybody do the like o't to me for a pint o' brandy。 But
Willie's lowland bred； poor fallow； and soon frighted for himsellAnd； for
the worricows； were we to meet ane on this very bit〃
〃As is not unlikely；〃 said young Earnscliff； 〃for there stands your old
witch； Hobbie。〃
〃I say；〃 continued Elliot； as if indignant at this hint〃I say； if the auld
carline hersell was to get up out o' the grund just before us here； I would
think nae mairBut； gude preserve us； Earnscliff； what can yon； be！〃
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CHAPTER III。
Brown Dwarf； that o'er the moorland strays； Thy name to Keeldar
tell！ 〃The Brown Man of the Moor； that stays Beneath the heather…
bell。〃 JOHN LEYDEN
The object which alarmed the young farmer in the middle of his
valorous protestations； startled for a moment even his less prejudiced
companion。 The moon； which had arisen during their conversation； was；
in the phrase of that country； wading or struggling with clouds； and shed
only a doubtful and occasional light。 By one of her beams； which
streamed upon the great granite column to which they now approached；
they discovered a form； apparently human； but of a size much less than
ordinary； which moved slowly among the large grey stones； not like a
person intending to journey onward； but with the slow； irregular； flitting
movement of a being who hovers around some spot of melancholy
recollection； uttering also； from time to time； a sort of indistinct muttering
sound。 This so much resembled his idea of the motions of an apparition；
that Hobbie Elliot； making a dead pause； while his hair erected itself upon
his scalp； whispered to his companion； 〃It's Auld Ailie hersell！ Shall I
gie her a shot； in the name of God？〃
〃For Heaven's sake； no；〃 said his companion； holding down the
weapon which he was about to raise to the aim〃for Heaven's sake； no； it's
some poor distracted creature。〃
〃Ye're distracted yoursell； for thinking of going so near to her；〃 said
Elliot； holding his companion in his turn； as he prepared to advance。
〃We'll aye hae time to pit ower a bit prayer （an I could but mind ane） afore
she comes this length God！ she's in nae hurry；〃 continued he； growing
bolder from his companion's confidence； and the little notice the
apparition seemed to take of them。 〃She hirples like a hen on a het girdle。
I redd ye； Earnscliff〃 （this he added in a gentle whisper）； 〃let us take a cast
about； as if to draw the wind on a buckthe bog is no abune knee…deep；
and better a saft road as bad company。〃 ＇The Scots use the epithet soft； IN
MALAM PARTEM； in two cases； at least。 A SOFT road is a road
through quagmire and bogs； and SOFT weather signifies that which is
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very rainy。＇
Earnscliff； however； in spite of hi
