st. ives-第10章

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anything　is　safe　in　such　a　nasty　business；　you　might　apply　to　the　

man　Fenn。　　You　might　even；　I　think；　use　the　Viscount's　name；　and　

the　little　trick　of　family　resemblance　might　come　in。　　How；　for　

instance；　if　you　were　to　call　yourself　his　brother？'



'It　might　be　done；'　said　I。　　'But　look　here　a　moment？　　You　propose　

to　me　a　very　difficult　game：　I　have　apparently　a　devil　of　an　

opponent　in　my　cousin；　and；　being　a　prisoner　of　war；　I　can　scarcely　

be　said　to　hold　good　cards。　　For　what　stakes；　then；　am　I　playing？'



'They　are　very　large；'　said　he。　　'Your　great…uncle　is　immensely　

rich　…　immensely　rich。　　He　was　wise　in　time；　he　smelt　the　

revolution　long　before；　sold　all　that　he　could；　and　had　all　that　

was　movable　transported　to　England　through　my　firm。　　There　are　

considerable　estates　in　England；　Amersham　Place　itself　is　very　

fine；　and　he　has　much　money；　wisely　invested。　　He　lives；　indeed；　

like　a　prince。　　And　of　what　use　is　it　to　him？　　He　has　lost　all　that　

was　worth　living　for　…　his　family；　his　country；　he　has　seen　his　

king　and　queen　murdered；　he　has　seen　all　these　miseries　and　

infamies；'　pursued　the　lawyer；　with　a　rising　inflection　and　a　

heightening　colour；　and　then　broke　suddenly　off；　…　'In　short；　sir；　

he　has　seen　all　the　advantages　of　that　government　for　which　his　

nephew　carries　arms；　and　he　has　the　misfortune　not　to　like　them。'



'You　speak　with　a　bitterness　that　I　suppose　I　must　excuse；'　said　I；　

'yet　which　of　us　has　the　more　reason　to　be　bitter？　　This　man；　my　

uncle；　M。　de　Keroual；　fled。　　My　parents；　who　were　less　wise　

perhaps；　remained。　　In　the　beginning；　they　were　even　republicans；　

to　the　end　they　could　not　be　persuaded　to　despair　of　the　people。　　

It　was　a　glorious　folly；　for　which；　as　a　son；　I　reverence　them。　　

First　one　and　then　the　other　perished。　　If　I　have　any　mark　of　a　

gentleman；　all　who　taught　me　died　upon　the　scaffold；　and　my　last　

school　of　manners　was　the　prison　of　the　Abbaye。　　Do　you　think　you　

can　teach　bitterness　to　a　man　with　a　history　like　mine？'



'I　have　no　wish　to　try；'　said　he。　　'And　yet　there　is　one　point　I　

cannot　understand：　I　cannot　understand　that　one　of　your　blood　and　

experience　should　serve　the　Corsican。　　I　cannot　understand　it：　it　

seems　as　though　everything　generous　in　you　must　rise　against　that　…　

domination。'



'And　perhaps；'　I　retorted；　'had　your　childhood　passed　among　wolves；　

you　would　have　been　overjoyed　yourself　to　see　the　Corsican　

Shepherd。'



'Well；　well；'　replied　Mr。　Romaine；　'it　may　be。　　There　are　things　

that　do　not　bear　discussion。'



And　with　a　wave　of　his　hand　he　disappeared　abruptly　down　a　flight　

of　steps　and　under　the　shadow　of　a　ponderous　arch。









CHAPTER　V　…　ST。　IVES　IS　SHOWN　A　HOUSE





THE　lawyer　was　scarce　gone　before　I　remembered　many　omissions；　and　

chief　among　these；　that　I　had　neglected　to　get　Mr。　Burchell　Fenn's　

address。　　Here　was　an　essential　point　neglected；　and　I　ran　to　the　

head　of　the　stairs　to　find　myself　already　too　late。　　The　lawyer　was　

beyond　my　view；　in　the　archway　that　led　downward　to　the　castle　

gate；　only　the　red　coat　and　the　bright　arms　of　a　sentry　glittered　

in　the　shadow；　and　I　could　but　return　to　my　place　upon　the　

ramparts。



I　am　not　very　sure　that　I　was　properly　entitled　to　this　corner。　　

But　I　was　a　high　favourite；　not　an　officer；　and　scarce　a　private；　

in　the　castle　would　have　turned　me　back；　except　upon　a　thing　of　

moment；　and　whenever　I　desired　to　be　solitary；　I　was　suffered　to　

sit　here　behind　my　piece　of　cannon　unmolested。　　The　cliff　went　down　

before　me　almost　sheer；　but　mantled　with　a　thicket　of　climbing　

trees；　from　farther　down；　an　outwork　raised　its　turret；　and　across　

the　valley　I　had　a　view　of　that　long　terrace　of　Princes　Street　

which　serves　as　a　promenade　to　the　fashionable　inhabitants　of　

Edinburgh。　　A　singularity　in　a　military　prison；　that　it　should　

command　a　view　on　the　chief　thoroughfare！



It　is　not　necessary　that　I　should　trouble　you　with　the　train　of　my　

reflections；　which　turned　upon　the　interview　I　had　just　concluded　

and　the　hopes　that　were　now　opening　before　me。　　What　is　more　

essential；　my　eye　（even　while　I　thought）　kept　following　the　

movement　of　the　passengers　on　Princes　Street；　as　they　passed　

briskly　to　and　fro　…　met；　greeted；　and　bowed　to　each　other　…　or　

entered　and　left　the　shops；　which　are　in　that　quarter；　and；　for　a　

town　of　the　Britannic　provinces；　particularly　fine。　　My　mind　being　

busy　upon　other　things；　the　course　of　my　eye　was　the　more　random；　

and　it　chanced　that　I　followed；　for　some　time；　the　advance　of　a　

young　gentleman　with　a　red　head　and　a　white　great…coat；　for　whom　I　

cared　nothing　at　the　moment；　and　of　whom　it　is　probable　I　shall　be　

gathered　to　my　fathers　without　learning　more。　　He　seemed　to　have　a　

large　acquaintance：　his　hat　was　for　ever　in　his　hand；　and　I　daresay　

I　had　already　observed　him　exchanging　compliments　with　half　a　

dozen；　when　he　drew　up　at　last　before　a　young　man　and　a　young　lady　

whose　tall　persons　and　gallant　carriage　I　thought　I　recognised。



It　was　impossible　at　such　a　distance　that　I　could　be　sure；　but　the　

thought　was　sufficient；　and　I　craned　out　of　the　embrasure　to　follow　

them　as　long　as　possible。　　To　think　that　such　emotions；　that　such　a　

concussion　of　the　blood；　may　have　been　inspired　by　a　chance　

resemblance；　and　that　I　may　have　stood　and　thrilled　there　for　a　

total　stranger！　　This　distant　view；　at　least；　whether　of　Flora　or　

of　some　one　else；　changed　in　a　moment　the　course　of　my　reflections。　　

It　was　all　very　well；　and　it　was　highly　needful；　I　should　see　my　

uncle；　but　an　uncle；　a　great…uncle　at　that；　and　one　whom　I　had　

never　seen；　leaves　the　imagination　cold；　and　if　I　were　to　leave　the　

castle；　I　might　never　again　have　the　opportunity　of　finding　Flora。　　

The　little　impression　I　had　made；　even　supposing　I　had　made　any；　

how　soon　it　would　die　out！　how　soon　I　should　sink　to　be　a　phantom　

memory；　with　which　（in　after　days）　she　might　amuse　a　husband　and　

children！　　No；　the　impression　must　be　clenched；　the　wax　impressed　

with　the　seal；　ere　I　left　Edinburgh。　　And　at　this　the　two　interests　

that　were　now　contending　in　my　bosom　came　together　and　became　one。　　

I　wished　to　see　Flora　again；　and　I　wanted　some　one　to　further　me　in　

my　flight　and　to　get　me　new　clothes。　　The　conclusion　was　apparent。　　

Except　for　persons　in　the　garrison　itself；　with　whom　it　was　a　point　

of　honour　and　military　duty　to　retain　me　captive；　I　knew；　in　the　

whole　country　of　Scotland；　these　two　alone。　　If　it　were　to　be　done　

at　all；　they　must　be　my　helpers。　　To　tell　them　of　my　designed　

escape　while　I　was　still　in　bonds；　would　be　to　lay　before　them　a　

most　difficult　choice。　　What　they　might　do　in　such　a　case；　I　could　

not　in　the　least　be　sure　of；　for　（the　same　case　arising）　I　was　far　

from　sure　what　I　should　do　myself。　　It　was　plain　I　must　escape　

first。　　When　the　harm　was　done；　when　I　was　no　more　than　a　poor　

wayside　fugitive；　I　might　apply　to　them　with　less　offence　and　more　

security。　　To　this　end　it　became　necessary　that　I　should　find　out　

where　they　lived　and　how　to　reach　it；　and　feeling　a　strong　

confidence　that　they　would　soon　return　to　visit　me；　I　prepared　a　

series　of　baits　with　which　to　angle　for　my　information。　　It　will　be　

seen　the　first　was　good　enough。



Perhaps　two　days　after；　Master　Ronald　put　in　an　appearance　by　

himself。　　I　had　no　hold　upon　the　boy；　and　pretermitted　my　design　

till　I　should　have　laid　court　to　him　and　engaged　his　interest。　　He　

was　prodigiously　embarrassed；　not　having　previously　addressed　me　

otherwise　than　by　a　bow　and　blushes；　and　he　advanced　to　me　with　an　

air　of　one　stubbornly　performing　a　duty；　like　a　raw　soldier　under　

fire。　　I　laid　down　my　carving；　greeted　him　with　a　good　deal　of　

formality；　such　as　I　thought　he　would　enjoy；　and　finding　him　to　

remain　silent；　branched　off　into　narratives　of　my　campaigns　such　as　

Goguelat　himself　might　have　scrupled　to　endors