the black dwarf-第22章

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〃For　God's　sake；　Mr。　Earnscliff；　protect　me！〃　　said　Miss　Vere；　clinging　to　her　deliverer；　〃do　not　you　abandon　one　whom　the　whole　world　seems　to　have　abandoned。〃

〃Fear　nothing；〃　whispered　Earnscliff；　〃I　will　protect　you　with　my　life。〃　　Then　turning　to　Westburnflat；　〃Villain！〃　　he　said；　〃how　dared　you　to　insult　this　lady？〃

〃For　that　matter；　Earnscliff；〃　answered　the　freebooter；　〃I　can　answer　to　them　that　has　better　right　to　ask　me　than　you　have；　but　if　you　come　with　an　armed　force；　and　take　her　awa'　from　them　that　her　friends　lodged　her　wi'；　how　will　you　answer　THATBut　it's　your　ain　affairNae　single　man　can　keep　a　tower　against　twenty　A'　the　men　o'　the　Mearns　downa　do　mair　than　they　dow。〃

〃He　lies　most　falsely；〃　said　Isabella；　〃he　carried　me　off　by　violence　from　my　father。〃

〃Maybe　he　only　wanted　ye　to　think　sae；　hinny；〃　replied　the　robber；　〃but　it's　nae　business　o'　mine；　let　it　be　as　it　may。So　ye　winna　resign　her　back　to　me？〃

〃Back　to　you；　fellow？　　Surely　no；〃　answered　Earnscliff；　〃I　will　protect　Miss　Vere；　and　escort　her　safely　wherever　she　is　pleased　to　be　conveyed。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　maybe　you　and　her　hae　settled　that　already；〃　said　Willie　of　Westburnflat。

〃And　Grace？〃　　interrupted　Hobbie；　shaking　himself　loose　from　the　friends　who　had　been　preaching　to　him　the　sanctity　of　the　safe…　conduct；　upon　the　faith　of　which　the　freebooter　had　ventured　from　his　tower；〃Where's　Grace〃　and　he　rushed　on　the　marauder；　sword　in　hand。

Westburnflat；　thus　pressed；　after　calling　out；　〃Godsake；　Hobbie；　hear　me　a　gliff！〃　　fairly　turned　his　back　and　fled。　　His　mother　stood　ready　to　open　and　shut　the　grate；　but　Hobbie　struck　at　the　freebooter　as　he　entered　with　so　much　force；　that　the　sword　made　a　considerable　cleft　in　the　lintel　of　the　vaulted　door；　which　is　still　shown　as　a　memorial　of　the　superior　strength　of　those　who　lived　in　the　days　of　yore。　　Ere　Hobbie　could　repeat　the　blow；　the　door　was　shut　and　secured；　and　he　was　compelled　to　retreat　to　his　companions；　who　were　now　preparing　to　break　up　the　siege　of　Westburnflat。　　They　insisted　upon　his　accompanying　them　in　their　return。

〃Ye　hae　broken　truce　already；〃　said　old　Dick　of　the　Dingle；　〃an　we　takena　the　better　care；　ye'll　play　mair　gowk's　tricks；　and　make　yoursell　the　laughing…stock　of　the　haill　country；　besides　having　your　friends　charged　with　slaughter　under　trust。　　Bide　till　the　meeting　at　Castleton；　as　ye　hae　greed；　and　if　he　disna　make　ye　amends；　then　we'll　hae　it　out　o'　his　heart's　blood。　　But　let　us　gang　reasonably　to　wark　and　keep　our　tryst；　and　I'se　warrant　we　get　back　Grace；　and　the　kye　an'　a'。〃

This　cold…blooded　reasoning　went　ill　down　with　the　unfortunate　lover；　but；　as　he　could　only　obtain　the　assistance　of　his　neighbours　and　kinsmen　on　their　own　terms；　he　was　compelled　to　acquiesce　in　their　notions　of　good　faith　and　regular　procedure。

Earnscliff　now　requested　the　assistance　of　a　few　of　the　party　to　convey　Miss　Vere　to　her　father's　castle　of　Ellieslaw；　to　which　she　was　peremptory　in　desiring　to　be　conducted。　This　was　readily　granted；　and　five　or　six　young　men　agreed　to　attend　him　as　an　escort。　　Hobbie　was　not　of　the　number。　　Almost　heart…broken　by　the　events　of　the　day；　and　his　final　disappointment；　he　returned　moodily　home　to　take　such　measures　as　he　could　for　the　sustenance　and　protection　of　his　family；　and　to　arrange　with　his　neighbours　the　farther　steps　which　should　be　adopted　for　the　recovery　of　Grace　Armstrong。　　The　rest　of　the　party　dispersed　in　different　directions；　as　soon　as　they　had　crossed　the　morass。　　The　outlaw　and　his　mother　watched　them　from　the　tower；　until　they　entirely　disappeared。



CHAPTER　X。

　I　left　my　ladye's　bower　last　night　　It　was　clad　in　wreaths　of　snaw；　　I'll　seek　it　when　the　sun　is　bright；　　And　sweet　the　roses　blaw。　　　　　　　　　　　　OLD　BALLAD。

Incensed　at　what　he　deemed　the　coldness　of　his　friends；　in　a　cause　which　interested　him　so　nearly；　Hobbie　had　shaken　himself　free　of　their　company；　and　was　now　on　his　solitary　road　homeward。　〃The　fiend　founder　thee！〃　　said　he；　as　he　spurred　impatiently　his　over…fatigued　and　stumbling　horse；　〃thou　art　like　a'　the　rest　o'　them。　　Hae　I　not　bred　thee；　and　fed　thee；　and　dressed　thee　wi'　mine　ain　hand；　and　wouldst　thou　snapper　now　and　break　my　neck　at　my　utmost　need？　　But　thou'rt　e'en　like　the　lavethe　farthest　off　o'　them　a'　is　my　cousin　ten　times　removed；　and　day　or　night　I　wad　hae　served　them　wi'　my　best　blood；　and　now；　I　think　they　show　mair　regard　to　the　common　thief　of　Westburnflat　than　to　their　ain　kinsman。　　But　I　should　see　the　lights　now　in　Heugh…footWae's　me！〃　　he　continued；　recollecting　himself；　〃there　will　neither　coal　nor　candle…light　shine　in　the　Heugh…foot　ony　mair！　　An　it　werena　for　my　mother　and　sisters；　and　poor　Grace；　I　could　find　in　my　heart　to　put　spurs　to　the　beast；　and　loup　ower　the　scaur　into　the　water　to　make　an　end　o't　a'。〃In　this　disconsolate　mood　he　turned　his　horse's　bridle　towards　the　cottage　in　which　his　family　had　found　refuge。

As　he　approached　the　door；　he　heard　whispering　and　tittering　amongst　his　sisters。　　〃The　deevil's　in　the　women；〃　said　poor　Hobbie；　〃they　would　nicker；　and　laugh；　and　giggle；　if　their　best　friend　was　lying　a　corpand　yet　I　am　glad　they　can　keep　up　their　hearts　sae　weel；　poor　silly　things；　but　the　dirdum　fa's　on　me；　to　be　sure；　and　no　on　them。〃

While　he　thus　meditated；　he　was　engaged　in　fastening　up　his　horse　in　a　shed。　　〃Thou　maun　do　without　horse…sheet　and　surcingle　now；　lad；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　animal；　〃you　and　me　hae　had　a　downcome　alike；　we　had　better　hae　fa'en　i；　the　deepest　pool　o'　Tarras。〃

He　was　interrupted　by　the　youngest　of　his　sisters；　who　came　running　out；　and；　speaking　in　a　constrained　voice；　as　if　to　stifle　some　emotion；　called　out　to　him；　〃What　are　ye　doing　there；　Hobbie；　fiddling　about　the　naig；　and　there's　ane　frae　Cumberland　been　waiting　here　for　ye　this　hour　and　mair？　　Haste　ye　in；　man；　I'll　take　off　the　saddle。〃

〃Ane　frae　Cumberland！〃　　exclaimed　Elliot；　and　putting　the　bridle　of　his　horse　into　the　hand　of　his　sister；　he　rushed　into　the　cottage。　　〃Where　is　he？　　where　is　he！〃　　he　exclaimed；　glancing　eagerly　around；　and　seeing　only　females；　〃Did　he　bring　news　of　Grace？〃

〃He　doughtna　bide　an　instant　langer；〃　said　the　elder　sister；　still　with　a　suppressed　laugh。

〃Hout　fie；　bairns！〃　　said　the　old　lady；　with　something　of　a　good…　humoured　reproof；　〃ye　shouldna　vex　your　billy　Hobbie　that　way。　Look　round；　my　bairn；　and　see　if　there　isna　ane　here　mair　than　ye　left　this　morning。〃

Hobbie　looked　eagerly　round。　　〃There's　you；　and　the　three　titties。〃

〃There's　four　of　us　now；　Hobbie；　lad；〃　said　the　youngest；　who　at　this　moment　entered。

In　an　instant　Hobbie　had　in　his　arms　Grace　Armstrong；　who；　with　one　of　his　sister's　plaids　around　her；　had　passed　unnoticed　at　his　first　entrance。　　〃How　dared　you　do　this？〃　said　Hobbie。

〃It　wasna　my　fault；〃　said　Grace；　endeavouring　to　cover　her　face　with　her　hands　to　hide　at　once　her　blushes；　and　escape　the　storm　of　hearty　kisses　with　which　her　bridegroom　punished　her　simple　stratagem；〃It　wasna　my　fault；　Hobbie；　ye　should　kiss　Jeanie　and　the　rest　o'　them；　for　they　hae　the　wyte　o't。〃

〃And　so　I　will；〃　said　Hobbie；　and　embraced　and　kissed　his　sisters　and　grandmother　a　hundred　times；　while　the　whole　party　half…　laughed；　half…cried；　in　the　extremity　of　their　joy。　　〃I　am　the　happiest　man；〃　said　Hobbie；　throwing　himself　down　on　a　seat；　almost　exhausted；〃I　am　the　happiest　man　in　the　world！〃

〃Then；　O　my　dear　bairn；〃　said　the　good　old　dame；　who　lost　no　opportunity　of　teaching　her　lesson　of　religion　at　those　moments　when　the　heart　was　best　open　to　receive　it；〃Then；　O　my　son；　give　praise　to　Him　that　brings　smiles　out　o'　tears　and　joy　out　o'　grief；　as　He　brought　light　out　o'　darkness　and　the　world　out　o'　naething。　　Was　it　not　my　word；　that　if　ye　could　say　His　will　be　done；　ye　might　hae　cause　to　say　His　name　be　praised？〃

〃It　wasit　was　your　word；　grannie；　and　I　do　praise　Him　for　His　mercy；　and　for　leaving　me　a　good　parent　when　my　ain　were　gane；〃　said　honest　Hobbie；　taking　her　hand；　〃that　puts　me　in　mind　to　think　of　Him；　baith　in　happiness　and　distress。〃

There　was　a　solemn　pause　of　one　or　two　minutes　employed　in　the　exercise　of　mental　devotion；　which　expressed；　in　purity　and　since