the black dwarf-第13章

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　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？〃

〃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。〃

〃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　notthey　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　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。〃

〃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