the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第13章
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of our unsettled neighbours？〃
〃But you forget that they say he is a warlock；〃 said Nancy Ilderton。
〃And； if his magic diabolical should fail him；〃 rejoined her sister； 〃I
would have him trust to his magic natural； and thrust his enormous head；
and most preternatural visage； out at his door or window； full in view of
the assailants。 The boldest robber that ever rode would hardly bide a
second glance of him。 Well； I wish I had the use of that Gorgon head of
his for only one half hour。〃
〃For what purpose； Lucy？〃 said Miss Vere。
〃O！ I would frighten out of the castle that dark； stiff； and stately Sir
Frederick Langley； that is so great a favourite with your father； and so little
a favourite of yours。 I protest I shall be obliged to the Wizard as long as I
live； if it were only for the half hour's relief from that man's company
which we have gained by deviating from the party to visit Elshie。〃
〃What would you say； then；〃 said Miss Vere； in a low tone； so as not to
be heard by the younger sister； who rode before them； the narrow path not
admitting of their moving all three abreast；〃 What would you say； my
dearest Lucy； if it were proposed to you to endure his company for life？〃
〃Say？ I would say； NO； NO； NO； three times； each louder than
another； till they should hear me at Carlisle。〃
〃And Sir Frederick would say then； nineteen nay…says are half a
grant。〃
〃That；〃 replied Miss Lucy； 〃depends entirely on the manner in which
the nay…says are said。 Mine should have not one grain of concession in
them； I promise you。〃
〃But if your father；〃 said Miss Vere； 〃were to say；Thus do； or 〃
〃I would stand to the consequences of his OR； were he the most cruel
father that ever was recorded in romance； to fill up the alternative。〃
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〃And what if he threatened you with a catholic aunt； an abbess； and a
cloister？〃
〃Then；〃 said Miss Ilderton； 〃I would threaten him with a protestant
son…in…law； and be glad of an opportunity to disobey him for conscience'
sake。 And now that Nancy is out of hearing； let me really say； I think you
would be excusable before God and man for resisting this preposterous
match by every means in your power。 A proud； dark； ambitious man； a
caballer against the state； infamous for his avarice and severity； a bad son；
a bad brother； unkind and ungenerous to all his relativesIsabel； I would
die rather than have him。〃
〃Don't let my father hear you give me such advice；〃 said Miss Vere；
〃or adieu； my dear Lucy； to Ellieslaw Castle。〃
〃And adieu to Ellieslaw Castle； with all my heart；〃 said her friend； 〃if I
once saw you fairly out of it； and settled under some kinder protector than
he whom nature has given you。 O； if my poor father had been in his
former health； how gladly would he have received and sheltered you； till
this ridiculous and cruel persecution were blown over！〃
〃Would to God it had been so； my dear Lucy！〃 answered Isabella；
〃but I fear； that； in your father's weak state of health； he would be
altogether unable to protect me against the means which would be
immediately used for reclaiming the poor fugitive。〃
〃I fear so indeed；〃 replied Miss Ilderton； 〃but we will consider and
devise something。 Now that your father and his guests seem so deeply
engaged in some mysterious plot； to judge from the passing and returning
of messages； from the strange faces which appear and disappear without
being announced by their names； from the collecting and cleaning of arms；
and the anxious gloom and bustle which seem to agitate every male in the
castle； it may not be impossible for us （always in case matters be driven to
extremity） to shape out some little supplemental conspiracy of our own。
I hope the gentlemen have not kept all the policy to themselves； and there
is one associate that I would gladly admit to our counsel。〃
〃Not Nancy？〃
〃O； no！〃 said Miss Ilderton； 〃Nancy； though an excellent good girl；
and fondly attached to you； would make a dull conspirator as dull as
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Renault and all the other subordinate plotters in VENICE PRESERVED。
No； this is a Jaffier； or Pierre； if you like the character better； and yet
though I know I shall please you； I am afraid to mention his name to you；
lest I vex you at the same time。 Can you not guess？ Something about
an eagle and a rock it does not begin with eagle in English； but
something very like it in Scotch。〃
〃You cannot mean young Earnscliff； Lucy？〃 said Miss Vere；
blushing deeply。
〃And whom else should I mean〃 said Lucy。 〃Jaffiers and Pierres are
very scarce in this country； I take it； though one could find Renaults and
Bedamars enow。〃
〃How call you talk so wildly； Lucy？ Your plays and romances have
positively turned your brain。 You know； that； independent of my father's
consent； without which I never will marry any one； and which； in the case
you point at； would never be granted； independent； too； of our knowing
nothing of young Earnscliff's inclinations； but by your own vivid
conjectures and fancies besides all this； there is the fatal brawl！〃
〃When his father was killed？〃 said Lucy。 〃But that was very long
ago； and I hope we have outlived the time of bloody feud； when a quarrel
was carried down between two families from father to son； like a Spanish
game at chess； and a murder or two committed in every generation； just to
keep the matter from going to sleep。 We do with our quarrels nowadays
as with our clothes； cut them out for ourselves； and wear them out in our
own day； and should no more think of resenting our fathers' feuds； than of
wearing their slashed doublets and trunk…hose。〃
〃You treat this far too lightly； Lucy；〃 answered Miss Vere。
〃Not a bit； my dear Isabella；〃 said Lucy。 〃Consider； your father；
though present in the unhappy affray； is never supposed to have struck the
fatal blow； besides； in former times； in case of mutual slaughter between
clans； subsequent alliances were so far from being excluded； that the hand
of a daughter or a sister was the most frequent gage of reconciliation。
You laugh at my skill in romance； but； I assure you； should your history be
written； like that of many a less distressed and less deserving heroine； the
well…judging reader would set you down for the lady and the love of
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Earnscliff； from the very obstacle which you suppose so insurmountable。〃
〃But these are not the days of romance； but of sad reality； for there
stands the castle of Ellieslaw。〃
〃And there stands Sir Frederick Langley at the gate； waiting to assist
the ladies from their palfreys。 I would as lief touch a toad； I will
disappoint him； and take old Horsington the groom for my master of the
horse。〃
So saying； the lively young lady switched her palfrey forward； and
passing Sir Frederick with a familiar nod as he stood ready to take her
horse's rein； she cantered on； and jumped into the arms of the old groom。
Fain would Isabella have done the same had she dared； but her father
stood near； displeasure already darkening on a countenance peculiarly
qualified to express the harsher passions； and she was compelled to
receive the unwelcome assiduities of her detested suitor。
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CHAPTER VI。
Let not us that are squires of the night's body be called thieves of
the day's booty； let us be Diana's foresters； gentlemen of the shade；
minions of the moon。 HENRY THE FOURTH； PART I。
The Solitary had consumed the remainder of that day in which he had
the interview with the young ladies； within the precincts of his garden。
Evening again found him seated on his favourite stone。 The sun setting
red； and among seas of rolling clouds； threw a gloomy lustre over the
moor； and gave a deeper purple to the broad outline of heathy mountains
which surrounded this desolate spot。 The Dwarf sate watching the clouds
as they lowered above each other in masses of conglomerated vapours；
and； as a strong lurid beam of the sinking luminary darted full on his
solitary and uncouth figure； he might well have seemed the demon of the
storm which was gathering； or some gnome summoned forth from the
recesses of the earth by the subterranean signals of its approach。 As he
sate thus； with his dark eye turned towards the scowling and blackening
heaven； a horseman rode rapidly up to him； and stopping； as if to let his
horse breathe for an instant； made a sort of obeisance to the anchoret； with
an air betwixt effrontery and embarrassment。
The figure of the rider was thin； tall； and slender； but remarkably
athletic； bony； and sinewy； like one who had all his life followed those
violent exercises which prevent the human form from increasing in bulk；
while they harden and confirm by habit its muscular powers。 His face；
sharp…featured； sun…burnt； and freckled； had a sinister expression of
violence； impudence； and cunning； each of which seemed alternately to
predominate over the others。 Sandy…coloured hair； and reddish eyebrows；
from under which looked forth his sharp grey eyes； completed the
inauspicious outline of the horseman's physiognomy。 He
