the black dwarf-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Threatened　folks　live　lang；〃　said　the　hag；　in　the　same　tone　of　irony；　〃there's　the　iron　gratetry　your　skeel　on't；　ladsit　has　kept　out　as　gude　men　as　you　or　now。〃

So　saying；　she　laughed；　and　withdrew　from　the　aperture　through　which　she　had　held　the　parley。

The　besiegers　now　opened　a　serious　consultation。　　The　immense　thickness　of　the　walls；　and　the　small　size　of　the　windows；　might；　for　a　time；　have　even　resisted　cannon…shot。　　The　entrance　was　secured；　first；　by　a　strong　grated　door；　composed　entirely　of　hammered　iron；　of　such　ponderous　strength　as　seemed　calculated　to　resist　any　force　that　could　be　brought　against　it。　　〃Pinches　or　forehammers　will　never　pick　upon't；〃　said　Hugh；　the　blacksmith　of　Ringleburn；　〃ye　might　as　weel　batter　at　it　wi'　pipe…staples。〃

Within　the　doorway；　and　at　the　distance　of　nine　feet；　which　was　the　solid　thickness　of　the　wall；　there　was　a　second　door　of　oak；　crossed；　both　breadth　and　lengthways；　with　clenched　bars　of　iron；　and　studded　full　of　broad…headed　nails。　　Besides　all　these　defences；　they　were　by　no　means　confident　in　the　truth　of　the　old　dame's　assertion；　that　she　alone　composed　the　garrison。　　The　more　knowing　of　the　party　had　observed　hoof…marks　in　the　track　by　which　they　approached　the　tower；　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　several　persons　had　very　lately　passed　in　that　direction。

To　all　these　difficulties　was　added　their　want　of　means　for　attacking　the　place。　　There　was　no　hope　of　procuring　ladders　long　enough　to　reach　the　battlements；　and　the　windows；　besides　being　very　narrow；　were　secured　with　iron　bars。　　Scaling　was　therefore　out　of　the　question；　mining　was　still　more　so；　for　want　of　tools　and　gunpowder；　neither　were　the　besiegers　provided　with　food；　means　of　shelter；　or　other　conveniences；　which　might　have　enabled　them　to　convert　the　siege　into　a　blockade；　and　there　would；　at　any　rate；　have　been　a　risk　of　relief　from　some　of　the　marauder's　comrades。　　Hobbie　grinded　and　gnashed　his　teeth；　as；　walking　round　the　fastness；　he　could　devise　no　means　of　making　a　forcible　entry。　　At　length　he　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃And　what　for　no　do　as　our　fathers　did　lang　syne？Put　hand　to　the　wark；　lads。　　Let　us　cut　up　bushes　and　briers；　pile　them　before　the　door　and　set　fire　to　them；　and　smoke　that　auld　devil's　dam　as　if　she　were　to　be　reested　for　bacon。〃

All　immediately　closed　with　this　proposal；　and　some　went　to　work　with　swords　and　knives　to　cut　down　the　alder　and　hawthorn　bushes　which　grew　by　the　side　of　the　sluggish　stream；　many　of　which　were　sufficiently　decayed　and　dried　for　their　purpose；　while　others　began　to　collect　them　in　a　large　stack；　properly　disposed　for　burning；　as　close　to　the　iron…grate　as　they　could　be　piled。　　Fire　was　speedily　obtained　from　one　of　their　guns；　and　Hobbie　was　already　advancing　to　the　pile　with　a　kindled　brand；　when　the　surly　face　of　the　robber；　and　the　muzzle　of　a　musquetoon；　were　partially　shown　at　a　shot…hole　which　flanked　the　entrance。　　〃Mony　thanks　to　ye；〃　he　said；　scoffingly；　〃for　collecting　sae　muckle　winter　eilding　for　us；　but　if　ye　step　a　foot　nearer　it　wi'　that　lunt；　it's　be　the　dearest　step　ye　ever　made　in　your　days。〃

〃We'll　sune　see　that；〃　said　Hobbie；　advancing　fearlessly　with　the　torch。

The　marauder　snapped　his　piece　at　him；　which；　fortunately　for　our　honest　friend；　did　not　go　off；　while　Earnscliff；　firing　at　the　same　moment　at　the　narrow　aperture　and　slight　mark　afforded　by　the　robber's　face；　grazed　the　side　of　his　head　with　a　bullet。　　He　had　apparently　calculated　upon　his　post　affording　him　more　security；　for　he　no　sooner　felt　the　wound；　though　a　very　slight　one；　than　he　requested　a　parley；　and　demanded　to　know　what　they　meant　by　attacking　in　this　fashion　a　peaceable　and　honest　man；　and　shedding　his　blood　in　that　lawless　manner？

〃We　want　your　prisoner；〃　said　Earnscliff；　〃to　be　delivered　up　to　us　in　safety；〃

〃And　what　concern　have　you　with　her？〃　　replied　the　marauder。

〃That；〃　retorted　Earnscliff；　〃you；　who　are　detaining　her　by　force；　have　no　right　to　enquire。〃

〃Aweel；　I　think　I　can　gie　a　guess；〃　said　the　robber。　　〃Weel；　sirs；　I　am　laith　to　enter　into　deadly　feud　with　you　by　spilling　ony　of　your　bluid；　though　Earnscliff　hasna　stopped　to　shed　mine　and　he　can　hit　a　mark　to　a　groat's　breadthso；　to　prevent　mair　skaith；　I　am　willing　to　deliver　up　the　prisoner；　since　nae　less　will　please　you。〃

〃And　Hobbie's　gear？〃　　cried　Simon　of　Hackburn。　　〃D'ye　think　you're　to　be　free　to　plunder　the　faulds　and　byres　of　a　gentle　Elliot；　as　if　they　were　an　auld　wife's　hens'…cavey？〃

〃As　I　live　by　bread；〃　replied　Willie　of　Westburnflat　〃As　I　live　by　bread；　I　have　not　a　single　cloot　o'　them！　　They're　a'　ower　the　march　lang　syne；　there's　no　a　horn　o'　them　about　the　tower。　　But　I'll　see　what　o'　them　can　be　gotten　back；　and　I'll　take　this　day　twa　days　to　meet　Hobbie　at　the　Castleton　wi'　twa　friends　on　ilka　side；　and　see　to　make　an　agreement　about　a'　the　wrang　he　can　wyte　me　wi'。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　said　Elliot；　〃that　will　do　weel　eneugh。〃And　then　aside　to　his　kinsman；　〃Murrain　on　the　gear！　　Lordsake；　man！　　say　nought　about　them。　　Let　us　but　get　puir　Grace　out　o'　that　auld　hellicat's　clutches。〃

〃Will　ye　gie　me　your　word；　Earnscliff；〃　said　the　marauder；　who　still　lingered　at　the　shot…hole；　〃your　faith　and　troth；　with　hand　and　glove；　that　I　am　free　to　come　and　free　to　gae；　with　five　minutes　to　open　the　grate；　and　five　minutes　to　steek　it　and　to　draw　the　bolts？　　less　winna　do；　for　they　want　creishing　sairly。　Will　ye　do　this？〃

〃You　shall　have　full　time；〃　said　Earnscliff；　〃I　plight　my　faith　and　troth；　my　hand　and　my　glove。〃

〃Wait　there　a　moment；　then；〃　said　Westburnflat；　〃or　hear　ye；　I　wad　rather　ye　wad　fa'　back　a　pistol…shot　from　the　door。　　It's　no　that　I　mistrust　your　word；　Earnscliff；　but　it's　best　to　be　sure。〃

O；　friend；　thought　Hobbie　to　himself；　as　he　drew　back；　an　I　had　you　but　on　Turner's…holm；　＇There　is　a　level　meadow；　on　the　very　margin　of　the　two　kingdoms；　called　Turner's…holm；　just　where　the　brook　called　Crissop　joins　the　Liddel。　　It　is　said　to　have　derived　its　name　as　being　a　place　frequently　assigned　for　tourneys；　during　the　ancient　Border　times。＇　and　naebody　by　but　twa　honest　lads　to　see　fair　play；　I　wad　make　ye　wish　ye　had　broken　your　leg　ere　ye　had　touched　beast　or　body　that　belanged　to　me！

〃He　has　a　white　feather　in　his　wing　this　same　Westburnflat；　after　a'；〃　said　Simon　of　Hackburn；　somewhat　scandalized　by　his　ready　surrender。〃He'll　ne'er　fill　his　father's　boots。〃

In　the　meanwhile；　the　inner　door　of　the　tower　was　opened；　and　the　mother　of　the　freebooter　appeared　in　the　space　betwixt　that　and　the　outer　grate。　　Willie　himself　was　next　seen；　leading　forth　a　female；　and　the　old　woman；　carefully　bolting　the　grate　behind　them；　remained　on　the　post　as　a　sort　of　sentinel。

〃Ony　ane　or　twa　o'　ye　come　forward；〃　said　the　outlaw；　〃and　take　her　frae　my　hand　haill　and　sound。〃

Hobbie　advanced　eagerly；　to　meet　his　betrothed　bride。　　Earnscliff　followed　more　slowly；　to　guard　against　treachery。　　Suddenly　Hobbie　slackened　his　pace　in　the　deepest　mortification；　while　that　of　Earnscliff　was　hastened　by　impatient　surprise。　　It　was　not　Grace　Armstrong；　but　Miss　Isabella　Vere；　whose　liberation　had　been　effected　by　their　appearance　before　the　tower。

〃Where　is　Grace？　　where　is　Grace　Armstrong？〃　　exclaimed　Hobbie；　in　the　extremity　of　wrath　and　indignation。

〃Not　in　my　hands；〃　answered　Westburnflat；　〃ye　may　search　the　tower；　if　ye　misdoubt　me。〃

〃You　false　villain；　you　shall　account　for　her；　or　die　on　the　spot；〃　said　Elliot；　presenting　his　gun。

But　his　companions；　who　now　came　up；　instantly　disarmed　him　of　his　weapon；　exclaiming；　all　at　once；　〃Hand　and　glove！　faith　and　troth！　　Haud　a　care；　Hobbie　we　maun　keep　our　faith　wi'　Westburnflat；　were　he　the　greatest　rogue　ever　rode。〃

Thus　protected；　the　outlaw　recovered　his　audacity；　which　had　been　somewhat　daunted　by　the　menacing　gesture　of　Elliot。

〃I　have　kept　my　word；　sirs；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　look　to　have　nae　wrang　amang　ye。　　If　this　is　no　the　prisoner　ye　sought；〃　he　said；　addressing　Earnscliff；　〃ye'll　render　her　back　to　me　again。　　I　am　answerable　for　her　to　those　that　aught　her。〃

〃For　God's　sake；　Mr。　Earnscliff；　protect　me！〃　　said　Miss　Vere；　clinging　to　her　deliverer；　〃do　not　you　abandon　one　whom　t