the black dwarf-第12章

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Earnscliff　had　been　fishing　in　a　small　river　at　some　distance。　He　had　his　rod　in　his　hand；　and　his　basket；　filled　with　trout；　at　his　shoulder。　　He　sate　down　upon　a　stone　nearly　opposite　to　the　Dwarf　who；　familiarized　with　his　presence；　took　no　farther　notice　of　him　than　by　elevating　his　huge　mis…shapen　head　for　the　purpose　of　staring　at　him；　and　then　again　sinking　it　upon　his　bosom；　as　if　in　profound　meditation。　Earnscliff　looked　around　him；　and　observed　that　the　hermit　had　increased　his　accommodations　by　the　construction　of　a　shed　for　the　reception　of　his　goats。

You　labour　hard；　Elshie；〃　he　said；　willing　to　lead　this　singular　being　into　conversation。

〃Labour；〃　re…echoed　the　Dwarf；　〃is　the　mildest　evil　of　a　lot　so　miserable　as　that　of　mankind；　better　to　labour　like　me；　than　sport　like　you。〃

〃I　cannot　defend　the　humanity　of　our　ordinary　rural　sports；　Elshie；　and　yet〃

〃And　yet；〃　interrupted　the　Dwarf〃　they　are　better　than　your　ordinary　business；　better　to　exercise　idle　and　wanton　cruelty　on　mute　fishes　than　on　your　fellow…creatures。　　Yet　why　should　I　say　so？　　Why　should　not　the　whole　human　herd　butt；　gore；　and　gorge　upon　each　other；　till　all　are　extirpated　but　one　huge　and　over…　fed　Behemoth；　and　he；　when　he　had　throttled　and　gnawed　the　bones　of　all　his　fellowshe；　when　his　prey　failed　him；　to　be　roaring　whole　days　for　lack　of　food；　and；　finally；　to　die；　inch　by　inch；　of　famineit　were　a　consummation　worthy　of　the　race！〃

〃Your　deeds　are　better；　Elshie；　than　your　words；〃　answered　Earnscliff；　〃you　labour　to　preserve　the　race　whom　your　misanthropy　slanders。〃

〃I　do；　but　why？Hearken。　　You　are　one　on　whom　I　look　with　the　least　loathing；　and　I　care　not；　if；　contrary　to　my　wont；　I　waste　a　few　words　in　compassion　to　your　infatuated　blindness。　　If　I　cannot　send　disease　into　families；　and　murrain　among　the　herds；　can　I　attain　the　same　end　so　well　as　by　prolonging　the　lives　of　those　who　can　serve　the　purpose　of　destruction　as　effectually？　If　Alice　of　Bower　had　died　in　winter；　would　young　Ruthwin　have　been　slain　for　her　love　the　last　spring？Who　thought　of　penning　their　cattle　beneath　the　tower　when　the　Red　Reiver　of　Westburnflat　was　deemed　to　be　on　his　death…bed？My　draughts；　my　skill；　recovered　him。　　And；　now；　who　dare　leave　his　herd　upon　the　lea　without　a　watch；　or　go　to　bed　without　unchaining　the　sleuth…　hound？〃

〃I　own；〃　answered　Earnscliff；　〃you　did　little　good　to　society　by　the　last　of　these　cures。　　But；　to　balance　the　evil；　there　is　my　friend　Hobbie；　honest　Hobbie　of　the　Heugh…foot；　your　skill　relieved　him　last　winter　in　a　fever　that　might　have　cost　him　his　life。〃

〃Thus　think　the　children　of　clay　in　their　ignorance；〃　said：　the　Dwarf；　smiling　maliciously；　〃and　thus　they　speak　in　their　folly。　Have　you　marked　the　young　cub　of　a　wild　cat　that　has　been　domesticated；　how　sportive；　how　playful；　how　gentle；but　trust　him　with　your　game；　your　lambs；　your　poultry；　his　inbred　ferocity　breaks　forth；　he　gripes；　tears；　ravages；　and　devours。〃

〃Such　is　the　animal's　instinct；〃　answered　Earnscliff；　〃but　what　has　that　to　do　with　Hobbie？〃

〃It　is　his　emblemit　is　his　picture；〃　retorted　the　Recluse。　　〃He　is　at　present　tame；　quiet；　and　domesticated；　for　lack　of　opportunity　to　exercise　his　inborn　propensities；　but　let　the　trumpet　of　war　soundlet　the　young　blood…hound　snuff　blood；　he　will　be　as　ferocious　as　the　wildest　of　his　Border　ancestors　that　ever　fired　a　helpless　peasant's　abode。　　Can　you　deny；　that　even　at　present　he　often　urges　you　to　take　bloody　revenge　for　an　injury　received　when　you　were　a　boy？〃Earnscliff　started；　the　Recluse　appeared　not　to　observe　his　surprise；　and　proceeded〃The　trumpet　WILL　blow；　the　young　blood…hound　WILL　lap　blood；　and　I　will　laugh　and　say；　For　this　I　have　preserved　thee！〃　　He　paused；　and　continued；〃Such　are　my　cures；their　object；　their　purpose；　perpetuating　the　mass　of　misery；　and　playing　even　in　this　desert　my　part　in　the　general　tragedy。　　Were　YOU　on　your　sick　bed；　I　might；　in　compassion；　send　you　a　cup　of　poison。〃

〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　Elshie；　and　certainly　shall　not　fail　to　consult　you；　with　so　comfortable　a　hope　from　your　assistance。〃

〃Do　not　flatter　yourself　too　far；〃　replied　the　Hermit；　〃with　the　hope　that　I　will　positively　yield　to　the　frailty　of　pity。　　Why　should　I　snatch　a　dupe；　so　well　fitted　to　endure　the　miseries　of　life　as　you　are；　from　the　wretchedness　which　his　own　visions；　and　the　villainy　of　the　world；　are　preparing　for　him？　　Why　should　I　play　the　compassionate　Indian；　and；　knocking　out　the　brains　of　the　captive　with　my　tomahawk；　at　once　spoil　the　three　days'　amusement　of　my　kindred　tribe；　at　the　very　moment　when　the　brands　were　lighted；　the　pincers　heated；　the　cauldrons　boiling；　the　knives　sharpened；　to　tear；　scorch；　seethe；　and　scarify　the　intended　victim？〃

〃A　dreadful　picture　you　present　to　me　of　life；　Elshie；　but　I　am　not　daunted　by　it；〃　returned　Earnscliff。　　〃We　are　sent　here；　in　one　sense；　to　bear　and　to　suffer；　but；　in　another；　to　do　and　to　enjoy。　　The　active　day　has　its　evening　of　repose；　even　patient　sufferance　has　its　alleviations；　where　there　is　a　consolatory　sense　of　duty　discharged。〃

〃I　spurn　at　the　slavish　and　bestial　doctrine；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　his　eyes　kindling　with　insane　fury；〃I　spurn　at　it；　as　worthy　only　of　the　beasts　that　perish；　but　I　will　waste　no　more　words　with　you。〃

He　rose　hastily；　but；　ere　he　withdrew　into　the　hut；　he　added；　with　great　vehemence；　〃Yet；　lest　you　still　think　my　apparent　benefits　to　mankind　flow　from　the　stupid　and　servile　source；　called　love　of　our　fellow…creatures；　know；　that　were　there　a　man　who　had　annihilated　my　soul's　dearest　hopewho　had　torn　my　heart　to　mammocks；　and　seared　mp　brain　till　it　glowed　like　a　volcano；　and　were　that　man's　fortune　and　life　in　my　power　as　completely　as　this　frail　potsherd〃　（he　snatched　up　an　earthen　cup　which　stood　beside　him）；　〃I　would　not　dash　him　into　atoms　thus〃（he　flung　the　vessel　with　fury　against　the　wall）；〃No！〃　　（he　spoke　more　composedly；　but　with　the　utmost　bitterness）；　〃I　would　pamper　him　with　wealth　and　power　to　inflame　his　evil　passions；　and　to　fulfil　his　evil　designs；　he　should　lack　no　means　of　vice　and　villainy；　he　should　be　the　centre　of　a　whirlpool　that　itself　should　know　neither　rest　nor　peace；　but　boil　with　unceasing　fury；　while　it　wrecked　every　goodly　ship　that　approached　its　limits！　　he　should　be　an　earthquake　capable　of　shaking　the　very　land　in　which　he　dwelt；　and　rendering　all　its　inhabitants　friendless；　outcast；　and　miserableas　I　am！〃

The　wretched　being　rushed　into　his　hut　as　he　uttered　these　last　words；　shutting　the　door　with　furious　violence；　and　rapidly　drawing　two　bolts；　one　after　another；　as　if　to　exclude　the　intrusion　of　any　one　of　that　hated　race；　who　had　thus　lashed　his　soul　to　frenzy。　　Earnscliff　left　the　moor　with　mingled　sensations　of　pity　and　horror；　pondering　what　strange　and　melancholy　cause　could　have　reduced　to　so　miserable　a　state　of　mind；　a　man　whose　language　argued　him　to　be　of　rank　and　education　much　superior　to　the　vulgar。　　He　was　also　surprised　to　see　how　much　particular　information　a　person　who　had　lived　in　that　country　so　short　a　time；　and　in　so　recluse　a　manner；　had　been　able　to　collect　respecting　the　dispositions　and　private　affairs　of　the　inhabitants。

〃It　is　no　wonder；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃that　with　such　extent　of　information；　such　a　mode　of　life；　so　uncouth　a　figure；　and　sentiments　so　virulently　misanthropic；　this　unfortunate　should　be　regarded　by　the　vulgar　as　in　league　with　the　Enemy　of　Mankind。〃



CHAPTER　V。

　The　bleakest　rock　upon　the　loneliest　heath　　Feels；　in　its　barrenness；　some　touch　of　spring；　　And；　in　the　April　dew；　or　beam　of　May；　　Its　moss　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　th