the black dwarf- 第16部分

〃Ignorant　idiot！〃　　retorted　the　Dwarf；　〃the　trash　is　as　genuine　poison　as　ever　was　dug　out　of　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　　Take　it　use　it；　and　may　it　thrive　with　you　as　it　hath　done　with　me！〃

〃But　I　tell　you；〃　said　Elliot；　〃it　wasna　about　the　gear　that　I　was　consulting　you；it　was　a　braw　barn…yard；　doubtless；　and　thirty　head　of　finer　cattle　there　werena　on　this　side　of　the　Catrail；　but　let　the　gear　gang；if　ye　could　but　gie　me　speerings　o'　puir　Grace；　I　would　be　content　to　be　your　slave　for　life；　in　onything　that　didna　touch　my　salvation。　　O；　Elshie；　speak；　man；　speak！〃

〃Well；　then；〃　answered　the　Dwarf；　as　if　worn　out　by　his　importunity；　〃since　thou　hast　not　enough　of　woes　of　thine　own；　but　must　needs　seek　to　burden　thyself　with　those　of　a　partner；　seek　her　whom　thou　hast　lost　in　the　WEST。〃

〃In　the　WEST？　　That's　a　wide　word。〃

〃It　is　the　last；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　which　I　design　to　utter；〃　and　he　drew　the　shutters　of　his　window；　leaving　Hobbie　to　make　the　most　of　the　hint　he　had　given。

The　west！　　the　west！thought　Elliot；　the　country　is　pretty　quiet　down　that　way；　unless　it　were　Jock　o'　the　Todholes；　and　he's　ower　auld　now　for　the　like　o'　thae　jobs。West！By　My　life；　it　must　be　Westburnflat。　　〃Elshie；　just　tell　me　one　word。　　Am　I　right？　Is　it　Westburnflat？　　If　I　am　wrang；　say　sae。　　I　wadna　like　to　wyte　an　innocent　neighbour　wi'　violenceNo　answer？It　must　be　the　Red　ReiverI　didna　think　he　wad　hae　ventured　on　me；　neither；　and　sae　mony　kin　as　there's　o'　usI　am　thinking　he'll　hae　some　better　backing　than　his　Cumberland　friends。Fareweel　to　you；　Elshie；　and　mony　thanksI　downa　be　fashed　wi'　the　siller　e'en　now；　for　I　maun　awa'　to　meet　my　friends　at　the　Trysting…place　Sae；　if　ye　carena　to　open　the　window；　ye　can　fetch　it　in　after　I'm　awa'。〃

Still　there　was　no　reply。

〃He's　deaf；　or　he's　daft；　or　he's　baith；　but　I　hae　nae　time　to　stay　to　claver　wi'　him。〃

And　off　rode　Hobbie　Elliot　towards　the　place　of　rendezvous　which　he　had　named　to　his　friends。

Four　or　five　riders　were　already　gathered　at　the　Trysting　pool。　They　stood　in　close　consultation　together；　while　their　horses　were　permitted　to　graze　among　the　poplars　which　overhung　the　broad　still　pool。　　A　more　numerous　party　were　seen　coming　from　the　southward。　　It　proved　to　be　Earnscliff　and　his　party；　who　had　followed　the　track　of　the　cattle　as　far　as　the　English　border；　but　had　halted　on　the　information　that　a　considerable　force　was　drawn　together　under　some　of　the　Jacobite　gentlemen　in　that　district；　and　there　were　tidings　of　insurrection　in　different　parts　of　Scotland。　　This　took　away　from　the　act　which　had　been　perpetrated　the　appearance　of　private　animosity；　or　love　of　plunder；　and　Earnscliff　was　now　disposed　to　regard　it　as　a　symptom　of　civil　war。　　The　young　gentleman　greeted　Hobbie　with　the　most　sincere　sympathy；　and　informed　him　of　the　news　he　had　received。

〃Then；　may　I　never　stir　frae　the　bit；〃　said　Elliot；　〃if　auld　Ellieslaw　is　not　at　the　bottom　o'　the　haill　villainy！　　Ye　see　he's　leagued　wi'　the　Cumberland　Catholics；　and　that　agrees　weel　wi'　what　Elshie　hinted　about　Westburnflat；　for　Ellieslaw　aye　protected　him；　and　he　will　want　to　harry　and　disarm　the　country　about　his　ain　hand　before　he　breaks　out。〃

Some　now　remembered　that　the　party　of　ruffians　had　been　heard　to　say　they　were　acting　for　James　VIII。；　and　were　charged　to　disarm　all　rebels。　　Others　had　heard　Westburnflat　boast；　in　drinking　parties；　that　Ellieslaw　would　soon　be　in　arms　for　the　Jacobite　cause；　and　that　he　himself　was　to　hold　a　command　under　him；　and　that　they　would　be　bad　neighbours　for　young　Earnscliff；　and　all　that　stood　out　for　the　established　government。　　The　result　was　a　strong　belief　that　Westburnflat　had　headed　the　party　under　Ellieslaw's　orders；　and　they　resolved　to　proceed　instantly　to　the　house　of　the　former；　and；　if　possible；　to　secure　his　person。　They　were　by　this　time　joined　by　so　many　of　their　dispersed　friends；　that　their　number　amounted　to　upwards　of　twenty　horsemen；　well　mounted；　and　tolerably；　though　variously；　armed。

A　brook；　which　issued　from　a　narrow　glen　among　the　hills；　entered；　at　Westburnflat；　upon　the　open　marshy　level；　which；　expanding　about　half　a　mile　in　every　direction；　gives　name　to　the　spot。　　In　this　place　the　character　of　the　stream　becomes　changed；　and；　from　being　a　lively　brisk…running　mountain…torrent；　it　stagnates；　like　a　blue　swollen　snake；　in　dull　deep　windings；　through　the　swampy　level。　　On　the　side　of　the　stream；　and　nearly　about　the　centre　of　the　plain；　arose　the　tower　of　Westburnflat；　one　of　the　few　remaining　strongholds　formerly　so　numerous　upon　the　Borders。　　The　ground　upon　which　it　stood　was　gently　elevated　above　the　marsh　for　the　space　of　about　a　hundred　yards；　affording　an　esplanade　of　dry　turf；　which　extended　itself　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　tower；　but；　beyond　which；　the　surface　presented　to　strangers　was　that　of　an　impassable　and　dangerous　bog。　　The　owner　of　the　tower　and　his　inmates　alone　knew　the　winding　and　intricate　paths；　which；　leading　over　ground　that　was　comparatively　sound；　admitted　visitors　to　his　residence。　　But　among　the　party　which　were　assembled　under　Earnscliff's　directions；　there　was　more　than　one　person　qualified　to　act　as　a　guide。　　For　although　the　owner's　character　and　habits　of　life　were　generally　known；　yet　the　laxity　of　feeling　with　respect　to　property　prevented　his　being　looked　on　with　the　abhorrence　with　which　he　must　have　been　regarded　in　a　more　civilized　country。　　He　was　considered；　among　his　more　peaceable　neighbours；　pretty　much　as　a　gambler；　cock…fighter；　or　horse…jockey　would　be　regarded　at　the　present　day；　a　person；　of　course；　whose　habits　were　to　be　condemned；　and　his　society；　in　general；　avoided；　yet　who　could　not　be　considered　as　marked　with　the　indelible　infamy　attached　to　his　profession；　where　laws　have　been　habitually　observed。　　And　their　indignation　was　awakened　against　him　upon　this　occasion；　not　so　much　on　account　of　the　general　nature　of　the　transaction；　which　was　just　such　as　was　to　be　expected　from　this　marauder；　as　that　the　violence　had　been　perpetrated　upon　a　neighbour　against　whom　he　had　no　cause　of　quarrel；against　a　friend　of　their　own；　above　all；　against　one　of　the　name　of　Elliot；　to　which　clan　most　of　them　belonged。　　It　was　not；　therefore；　wonderful；　that　there　should　be　several　in　the　band　pretty　well　acquainted　with　the　locality　of　his　habitation；　and　capable　of　giving　such　directions　and　guidance　as　soon　placed　the　whole　party　on　the　open　space　of　firm　ground　in　front　of　the　Tower　of　Westburnflat。



CHAPTER　IX。

　So　spak　the　knicht；　the　geaunt　sed；　　Lend　forth　with　the；　the　sely　maid；　　And　mak　me　quile　of　the　and　sche；　　For　glaunsing　ee；　or　brow　so　brent；　　Or　cheek　with　rose　and　lilye　blent；　　Me　lists　not　ficht　with　the。　　　　　　　　ROMANCE　OF　THE　FALCON。

The　tower；　before　which　the　party　now　stood；　was　a　small　square　building；　of　the　most　gloomy　aspect。　　The　walls　were　of　great　thickness；　and　the　windows；　or　slits　which　served　the　purpose　of　windows；　seemed　rather　calculated　to　afford　the　defenders　the　means　of　employing　missile　weapons；　than　for　admitting　air　or　light　to　the　apartments　within。　　A　small　battlement　projected　over　the　walls　on　every　side；　and　afforded　farther　advantage　of　defence　by　its　niched　parapet；　within　which　arose　a　steep　roof；　flagged　with　grey　stones。　　A　single　turret　at　one　angle；　defended　by　a　door　studded　with　huge　iron　nails；　rose　above　the　battlement；　and　gave　access　to　the　roof　from　within；　by　the　spiral　staircase　which　it　enclosed。　　It　seemed　to　the　party　that　their　motions　were　watched　by　some　one　concealed　within　this　turret；　and　they　were　confirmed　in　their　belief　when；　through　a　narrow　loophole；　a　female　hand　was　seen　to　wave　a　handkerchief；　as　if　by　way　of　signal　to　them。　　Hobbie　was　almost　out　of　his　senses　with　joy　and　eagerness。

〃It　was　Grace's　hand　and　arm；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　swear　to　it　amang　a　thousand。　　There　is　not　the　like　of　it　on　this　side　of　the　LowdensWe'll　have　her　out；　lads；　if　we　should　carry　off　the　Tower　of　Westburnflat　stane　by　stane。〃

Earnscliff；　though　he　doubted　the　possibility　of　recognising　a　fair　maiden's　hand　at　such　a　distance　from　the　eye　of　the　lover；　would　say　nothing　to　damp　his　friend's　animated　hopes；　and　it　was　resolved　to　summon　the　garrison。

The　shouts　of　the　party；　and　the　winding　of　one　or　two　horns；　at　length　brought　to　a　loophole；　which　flanked　the　entrance；　the　haggard　face　of　an　old　woman。

〃That's　the　Reiver's　mother；〃　said　one　of　the　Elliots；　〃she's　ten　times　waur　than　himsell；　and　is　wyted　for　muckle　of　the　ill　he　does　about　the　country。〃

〃Wha　are　ye？　　what　d'ye　want　here？〃　　were　the　queries　of　the　respectable　progenitor。

〃We　are　seeking　William　Graeme　of　Westburnflat；〃　said　Earnscliff。

〃He's　no　at　hame；〃　returned　the　old　dame。

〃When　did　he　leave　home？〃　　pursued　Earnscliff。

〃I　canna　tell；〃　said　the　portress。

〃When　will　he　return？〃　　said　Hobbie　Elliot。

〃I　dinna　ken　naething　about　it；〃　replied　the　inexorable　guardian　of　the　keep。

〃Is　there　anybody　within　the　tower　with　you？〃　　again　demanded　Earnscliff。

〃Naebody　but　mysell　and　baudrons；〃　said　the　old　woman。

〃Then　open　the　gate　and　admit　us；〃　said　Earnscliff；　〃I　am　a　justice　of　peace；　and　in　search　of　the　evidence　of　a　felony。〃

〃Deil　be　in　their　fingers　that　draws　a　bolt　for　ye；〃　retorted　the　portress；　〃for　mine　shall　never　do　it。　　Thinkna　ye　shame　o'　yoursells；　to　come　here　siccan　a　band　o'　ye；　wi'　your　swords；　and　spears；　and　steel…caps；　to　frighten　a　lone　widow　woman？〃

〃Our　information；〃　said　Earnscliff；　〃is　positive；　we　are　seeking　goods　which　have　been　forcibly　carried　off；　to　a　great　amount。〃

〃And　a　young　woman；　that's　been　cruelly　made　prisoner；　that's　worth　mair　than　a'　the　gear；　twice　told；〃　said　Hobbie。

〃And　I　warn　you。〃　　continued　Earnscliff；　〃that　your　only　way　to　prove　your　son's　innocence　is　to　give　us　quiet　admittance　to　search　the　house。〃

〃And　what　will　ye　do；　if　I　carena　to　thraw　the　keys；　or　draw　the　bolts；　or　open　the　grate　to　sic　a　clamjamfrie？〃　　said　the　old　dame；　scoffingly。

〃Force　our　way　with　the　king's　keys；　and　break　the　neck　of　every　living　soul　we　find　in　the　house；　if　ye　dinna　gie　it　ower　forthwith！〃　　menaced　the　incensed　Hobbie。

〃Threatened　folks　live　lang；〃　said　the　hag；　in