the black dwarf-第15章

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rm　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　had　pistols　in　his　holsters；　and　another　pair　peeped　from　his　belt；　though　he　had　taken　some　pains　to　conceal　them　by　buttoning　his　doublet。　　He　wore　a　rusted　steel　head　piece；　a　buff　jacket　of　rather　an　antique　cast；　gloves；　of　which　that　for　the　right　hand　was　covered　with　small　scales　of　iron；　like　an　ancient　gauntlet；　and　a　long　broadsword　completed　his　equipage。

〃So；〃　said　the　Dwarf；〃　rapine　and　murder　once　more　on　horseback。〃

〃On　horseback？〃　　said　the　bandit；　〃ay；　ay；　Elshie；　your　leech…　craft　has　set　me　on　the　bonny　bay　again。〃

〃And　all　those　promises　of　amendment　which　you　made　during　your　illness　forgotten？〃　　continued　Elshender。

〃All　clear　away；　with　the　water…saps　and　panada；〃　returned　the　unabashed　convalescent。　　〃Ye　ken；　Elshie；　for　they　say　ye　are　weel　acquent　wi'　the　gentleman；

　〃When　the　devil　was　sick；　the　devil　a　monk　would　be；　　　When　the　devil　was　well；　the　devil　a　monk　was　he。〃

〃Thou　say'st　true；〃　said　the　Solitary；　〃as　well　divide　a　wolf　from　his　appetite　for　carnage；　or　a　raven　from　her　scent　of　slaughter；　as　thee　from　thy　accursed　propensities。〃

〃Why；　what　would　you　have　me　to　do？　　It's　born　with　melies　in　my　very　blude　and　bane。　　Why；　man；　the　lads　of　Westburnflat；　for　ten　lang　descents；　have　been　reivers　and　lifters。　　They　have　all　drunk　hard；　lived　high；　taking　deep　revenge　for　light　offence；　and　never　wanted　gear　for　the　winning。〃

〃Right；　and　thou　art　as　thorough…bred　a　wolf；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　〃as　ever　leapt　a　lamb…fold　at　night。　　On　what　hell's　errand　art　thou　bound　now？〃

〃Can　your　skill　not　guess？〃

〃Thus　far　I　know；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　〃that　thy　purpose　is　bad；　thy　deed　will　be　worse；；　and　the　issue　worst　of　all。〃

〃And　you　like　me　the　better　for　it；　Father　Elshie；　eh？〃　　said　Westburnflat；　〃you　always　said　you　did。〃

〃I　have　cause　to　like　all；〃　answered　the　Solitary；　〃that　are　scourges　to　their　fellow…creatures；　and　thou　art　a　bloody　one。〃

〃NoI　say　not　guilty　to　thatlever　bluidy　unless　there's　resistance；　and　that　sets　a　man's　bristles　up；　ye　ken。　　And　this　is　nae　great　matter；　after　a'；　just　to　cut　the　comb　of　a　young　cock　that　has　been　crawing　a　little　ower　crousely。〃

〃Not　young　Earnscliff？〃　　said　the　Solitary；　with　some　emotion。

〃No；　not　young　Earnscliffnot　young　Earnscliff　YET；　but　his　time　may　come；　if　he　will　not　take　warning；　and　get　him　back　to　the　burrow…town　that　he's　fit　for；　and　no　keep　skelping　about　here；　destroying　the　few　deer　that　are　left　in　the　country；　and　pretending　to　act　as　a　magistrate；　and　writing　letters　to　the　great　folk　at　Auld　Reekie；　about　the　disturbed　state　of　the　land。　Let　him　take　care　o'　himsell。〃

〃Then　it　must　be　Hobbie　of　the　Heugh…foot；〃　said　Elshie。　〃What　harm　has　the　lad　done　you？〃

〃Harm！　　nae　great　harm；　but　I　hear　he　says　I　staid　away　from　the　Ba'spiel　on　Fastern's　E'en；　for　fear　of　him；　and　it　was　only　for　fear　of　the　Country　Keeper；　for　there　was　a　warrant　against　me。　I'll　stand　Hobbie's　feud；　and　a'　his　clan's。　　But　it's　not　so　much　for　that；　as　to　gie　him　a　lesson　not　to　let　his　tongue　gallop　ower　freely　about　his　betters。　　I　trow　he　will　hae　lost　the　best　pen…feather　o'　his　wing　before　to…morrow　morning。　Farewell；　Elshie；　there's　some　canny　boys　waiting　for　me　down　amang　the　shaws；　owerby；　I　will　see　you　as　I　come　back；　and　bring　ye　a　blithe　tale　in　return　for　your　leech…craft。〃

Ere　the　Dwarf　could　collect　himself　to　reply；　the　Reiver　of　Westburnflat　set　spurs　to　his　horse。　　The　animal；　starting　at　one　of　the　stones　which　lay　scattered　about；　flew　from　the　path。　　The　rider　exercised　his　spurs　without　moderation　or　mercy。　　The　horse　became　furious；　reared；　kicked；　plunged；　and　bolted　like　a　deer；　with　all　his　four　feet　off　the　ground　at　once。　　It　was　in　vain；　the　unrelenting　rider　sate　as　if　he　had　been　a　part　of　the　horse　which　he　bestrode；　and；　after　a　short　but　furious　contest；　compelled　the　subdued　animal　to　proceed　upon　the　path　at　a　rate　which　soon　carried　him　out　of　sight　of　the　Solitary。

〃That　villain；〃　exclaimed　the　Dwarf；〃that　cool…blooded；　hardened；　unrelenting　ruffian；that　wretch；　whose　every　thought　is　infected　with　crimes；has　thewes　and　sinews；　limbs；　strength；　and　activity　enough；　to　compel　a　nobler　animal　than　himself　to　carry　him　to　the　place　where　he　is　to　perpetrate　his　wickedness；　while　I；　had　I　the　weakness　to　wish　to　put　his　wretched　victim　on　his　guard；　and　to　save　the　helpless　family；　would　see　my　good　intentions　frustrated　by　the　decrepitude　which　chains　me　to　the　spot。Why　should　I　wish　it　were　otherwise？　　What　have　my　screech…owl　voice；　my　hideous　form；　and　my　mis…shapen　features；　to　do　with　the　fairer　workmanship　of　nature？　　Do　not　men　receive　even　my　benefits　with　shrinking　horror　and　ill…suppressed　disgust？　　And　why　should　I　interest　myself　in　a　race　which　accounts　me　a　prodigy　and　an　outcast；　and　which　has　treated　me　as　such？　　No；　by　all　the　ingratitude　which　I　have　reapedby　all　the　wrongs　which　I　have　sustainedby　my　imprisonment；　my　stripes；　my　chains；　I　will　wrestle　down　my　feelings　of　rebellious　humanity！　I　will　not　be　the　fool　I　have　been；　to　swerve　from　my　principles　whenever　there　was　an　appeal；　forsooth；　to　my　feelings；　as　if　I；　towards　whom　none　show　sympathy；　ought　to　have　sympathy　with　any　one。　　Let　Destiny　drive　forth　her　scythed　car　through　the　overwhelmed　and　trembling　mass　of　humanity！　　Shall　I　be　the　idiot　to　throw　this　decrepit　form；　this　mis…shapen　lump　of　mortality；　under　her　wheels；　that　the　Dwarf；　the　Wizard；　the　Hunchback；　may　save　from　destruction　some　fair　form　or　some　active　frame；　and　all　the　world　clap　their　hands　at　the　exchange？　　No；　never！And　yet　this　Elliotthis　Hobbie；　so　young　and　gallant；　so　frank；　so　I　will　think　of　it　no　longer。　　I　cannot　aid　him　if　I　would；　and　I　am　resolvedfirmly　resolved；　that　I　would　not　aid　him；　if　a　wish　were　the　pledge　of　his　safety！〃

Having　thus　ended　his　soliloquy；　he　retreated　into　his　hut　for　shelter　from　the　storm　which　was　fast　approaching；　and　now　began　to　burst　in　large　and　heavy　drops　of　rain。　　The　last　rays　of　the　sun　now　disappeared　entirely；　and　two　or　three　claps　of　distant　thunder　followed　each　other　at　brief　intervals；　echoing　and　re…echoing　among　the　range　of　heathy　fells　like　the　sound　of　a　distant　engagement。



CHAPTER　VII。

　Proud　bird　of　the　mountain；　thy　plume　shall　be　torn！　　。　　。　　。　　。　　Return　to　thy　dwelling；　all　lonely；　return；　　For　the　blackness　of　ashes　shall　mark　where　it　stood；　　And　a　wild　mother　scream　o'er　her　famishing　brood。　　　　　CAMPBELL。

The　night　continued　sullen　and　stormy；　but　morning　rose　as　if　refreshed　by　the　rains。　　Even　the　Mucklestane…Moor；　with　its　broad　bleak　swells　of　barren　grounds；　interspersed　with　marshy　pools　of　water；　seemed　to　smile　under　the　serene　influence　of　the　sky；　just　as　good…humour　can　spread　a　certain　inexpressible　charm　over　the　plainest　human　countenance。　　The　heath　was　in　its　thickest　and　deepest　bloom。　　The　bees；　which　the　Solitary　had　added　to　his　rural　establishment；　were　abroad　and　on　the　wing；　and　filled　the　air　with　the　murmurs　of　their　industry。　　As　the　old　man　crept　out　of　his　little　hut；　his　two　she…goats　came　to　meet　him；　and　licked　his　hands　in　gratitude　for　the　vegetables　with　which　he　supplied　them　from　his　garden。　　〃You；　at　least