the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第12章
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and lichen freshen and revive； And thus the heart； most sear'd to human
pleasure； Melts at the tear； joys in the smile； of woman。
BEAUMONT
As the season advanced； the weather became more genial； and the
Recluse was more frequently found occupying the broad flat stone in the
front of his mansion。 As he sate there one day； about the hour of noon； a
party of gentlemen and ladies； well mounted； and numerously attended；
swept across the heath at some distance from his dwelling。 Dogs； hawks；
and led…horses swelled the retinue； and the air resounded at intervals with
the cheer of the hunters； and the sound of horns blown by the attendants。
The Recluse was about to retire into his mansion at the sight of a train so
joyous； when three young ladies； with their attendants； who had made a
circuit； and detached themselves from their party； in order to gratify their
curiosity by a sight of the Wise Wight of Mucklestane…Moor； came
suddenly up； ere he could effect his purpose。 The first shrieked； and put
her hands before her eyes； at sight of an object so unusually deformed。
The second； with a hysterical giggle； which she intended should disguise
her terrors； asked the Recluse； whether he could tell their fortune。 The
third； who was best mounted； best dressed； and incomparably the best…
looking of the three； advanced； as if to cover the incivility of her
companions。
〃We have lost the right path that leads through these morasses； and our
party have gone forward without us；〃 said the young lady。 〃Seeing you；
father； at the door of your house； we have turned this way to〃
〃Hush！〃 interrupted the Dwarf； 〃so young； and already so artful？ You
cameyou know you came； to exult in the consciousness of your own
youth； wealth； and beauty； by contrasting them with age； poverty； and
deformity。 It is a fit employment for the daughter of your father； but O
how unlike the child of your mother！〃
〃Did you； then； know my parents； and do you know me？〃
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〃Yes； this is the first time you have crossed my waking eyes； but I
have seen you in my dreams。〃
〃Your dreams？〃
〃Ay； Isabel Vere。 What hast thou； or thine； to do with my waking
thoughts？〃
〃Your waking thoughts； sir；〃 said the second of Miss Vere's
companions； with a sort of mock gravity； 〃are fixed； doubtless； upon
wisdom； folly can only intrude on your sleeping moments。〃
〃Over thine；〃 retorted the Dwarf； more splenetically than became a
philosopher or hermit； 〃folly exercises an unlimited empire； asleep or
awake。〃
〃Lord bless us！〃 said the lady； 〃he's a prophet； sure enough。〃
〃As surely；〃 continued the Recluse；〃 as thou art a woman。A woman！…
…I should have said a ladya fine lady。 You asked me to tell your
fortuneit is a simple one； an endless chase through life after follies not
worth catching； and； when caught； successively thrown awaya chase；
pursued from the days of tottering infancy to those of old age upon his
crutches。 Toys and merry…makings in childhoodlove and its absurdities
in youthspadille and basto in age； shall succeed each other as objects of
pursuitflowers and butterflies in spring butterflies and thistle…down in
summerwithered leaves in autumn and winterall pursued； all caught； all
flung aside。 Stand apart； your fortune is said。〃
〃All CAUGHT； however；〃 retorted the laughing fair one； who was a
cousin of Miss Vere's； 〃that's something； Nancy；〃 she continued； turning to
the timid damsel who had first approached the Dwarf； 〃will you ask your
fortune？〃
〃Not for worlds；〃 said she； drawing back； 〃I have heard enough of
yours。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Miss Ilderton； offering money to the Dwarf； 〃I'll pay
for mine； as if it were spoken by an oracle to a princess。〃
〃Truth；〃 said the Soothsayer； 〃can neither be bought nor sold；〃 and he
pushed back her proffered offering with morose disdain。
〃Well； then；〃 said the lady； 〃I'll keep my money； Mr。 Elshender； to
assist me in the chase I am to pursue。〃
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〃You will need it；〃 replied the cynic； 〃without it； few pursue
successfully； and fewer are themselves pursued。Stop！〃 he said to Miss
Vere； as her companions moved off； 〃With you I have more to say。 You
have what your companions would wish to have； or be thought to have；
beauty； wealth； station； accomplishments。〃
〃Forgive my following my companions； father； I am proof both to
flattery and fortune…telling。〃
〃Stay；〃 continued the Dwarf； with his hand on her horse's rein； 〃I am
no common soothsayer； and I am no flatterer。 All the advantages I have
detailed； all and each of them have their corresponding evilsunsuccessful
love； crossed affections； the gloom of a convent； or an odious alliance。 I；
who wish ill to all mankind； cannot wish more evil to you； so much is your
course of life crossed by it。〃
〃And if it be； father； let me enjoy the readiest solace of adversity while
prosperity is in my power。 You are old； you are poor； your habitation is
far from human aid； were you ill； or in want； your situation； in many
respects； exposes you to the suspicions of the vulgar； which are too apt to
break out into actions of brutality。 Let me think I have mended the lot of
one human being！ Accept of such assistance as I have power to offer； do
this for my sake； if not for your own； that when these evils arise； which
you prophesy perhaps too truly； I may not have to reflect； that the hours of
my happier time have been passed altogether in vain。〃
The old man answered with a broken voice； and almost without
addressing himself to the young lady；
〃Yes； 'tis thus thou shouldst think'tis thus thou shouldst speak； if ever
human speech and thought kept touch with each other！ They do not
they do notAlas！ they cannot。 And yet wait here an instantstir not
till my return。〃 He went to his little garden； and returned with a half…
blown rose。 〃Thou hast made me shed a tear； the first which has wet my
eyelids for many a year； for that good deed receive this token of gratitude。
It is but a common rose； preserve it； however； and do not part with it。
Come to me in your hour of adversity。 Show me that rose； or but one leaf
of it； were it withered as my heart isif it should be in my fiercest and
wildest movements of rage against a hateful world； still it will recall
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THE BLACK DWARF
gentler thoughts to my bosom； and perhaps afford happier prospects to
thine。 But no message；〃 he exclaimed； rising into his usual mood of
misanthropy；〃no messageno go…between！ Come thyself； and the heart
and the doors that are shut against every other earthly being； shall open to
thee and to thy sorrows。 And now pass on。〃
He let go the bridle…rein； and the young lady rode on； after expressing
her thanks to this singular being； as well as her surprise at the
extraordinary nature of his address would permit； often turning back to
look at the Dwarf； who still remained at the door of his habitation； and
watched her progress over the moor towards her father's castle of
Ellieslaw； until the brow of the hill hid the party from his sight。
The ladies； meantime； jested with Miss Vere on the strange interview
they had just had with the far…famed wizard of the Moor。 〃Isabella has
all the luck at home and abroad！ Her hawk strikes down the black…cock；
her eyes wound the gallant； no chance for her poor companions and
kinswomen； even the conjuror cannot escape the force of her charms。
You should； in compassion； cease to be such an engrosser； my dear Isabel；
or at least set up shop； and sell off all the goods you do not mean to keep
for your own use。〃
〃You shall have them all；〃 replied Miss Vere； 〃and the conjuror to boot；
at a very easy rate。〃
〃No！ Nancy shall have the conjuror；〃 said Miss Ilderton； 〃to supply
deficiencies； she's not quite a witch herself； you know。〃
〃Lord； sister；〃 answered the younger Miss Ilderton； 〃what could I do
with so frightful a monster？ I kept my eyes shut； after once glancing at
him； and； I protest； I thought I saw him still； though I winked as close as
ever I could。〃
〃That's a pity；〃 said her sister； 〃ever while you live； Nancy； choose an
admirer whose faults can be hid by winking at them。 Well； then； I must
take him myself； I suppose； and put him into mamma's Japan cabinet； in
order to show that Scotland can produce a specimen of mortal clay
moulded into a form ten thousand times uglier than the imaginations of
Canton and Pekin； fertile as they are in monsters； have immortalized in
porcelain。〃
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〃There is something；〃 said Miss Vere； 〃so melancholy in the situation
of this poor man； that I cannot enter into your mirth； Lucy； so readily as
usual。 If he has no resources； how is he to exist in this waste country；
living； as he does； at such a distance from mankind？ and if he has the
means of securing occasional assistance； will not the very suspicion that
he is possessed of them； expose him to plunder and assassination by some
of our unsettled neighbours？〃
〃But you forget that they say he is a warlock；〃 said Nanc
