the black dwarf-第23章

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There　was　a　solemn　pause　of　one　or　two　minutes　employed　in　the　exercise　of　mental　devotion；　which　expressed；　in　purity　and　sincerity；　the　gratitude　of　the　affectionate　family　to　that　Providence　who　had　unexpectedly　restored　to　their　embraces　the　friend　whom　they　had　lost。

Hobbie's　first　enquiries　were　concerning　the　adventures　which　Grace　had　undergone。　　They　were　told　at　length；　but　amounted　in　substance　to　this：That　she　was　awaked　by　the　noise　which　the　ruffians　made　in　breaking　into　the　house；　and　by　the　resistance　made　by　one　or　two　of　the　servants；　which　was　soon　overpowered；　that；　dressing　herself　hastily；　she　ran　downstairs；　and　having　seen；　in　the　scuffle；　Westburnflat's　vizard　drop　off；　imprudently　named　him　by　his　name；　and　besought　him　for　mercy；　that　the　ruffian　instantly　stopped　her　mouth；　dragged　her　from　the　house；　and　placed　her　on　horseback；　behind　one　of　his　associates。

〃I'll　break　the　accursed　neck　of　him；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃if　there　werena　another　Graeme　in　the　land　but　himsell！〃

She　proceeded　to　say；　that　she　was　carried　southward　along　with　the　party；　and　the　spoil　which　they　drove　before　them；　until　they　had　crossed　the　Border。　　Suddenly　a　person；　known　to　her　as　a　kinsman　of　Westburnflat；　came　riding　very　fast　after　the　marauders；　and　told　their　leader；　that　his　cousin　had　learnt　from　a　sure　hand　that　no　luck　would　come　of　it；　unless　the　lass　was　restored　to　her　friends。　　After　some　discussion；　the　chief　of　the　party　seemed　to　acquiesce。　　Grace　was　placed　behind　her　new　guardian；　who　pursued　in　silence；　and　with　great　speed；　the　least…frequented　path　to　the　Heugh…foot；　and　ere　evening　closed；　set　down　the　fatigued　and　terrified　damsel　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　the　dwelling　of　her　friends。　　Many　and　sincere　were　the　congratulations　which　passed　on　all　sides。

As　these　emotions　subsided；　less　pleasing　considerations　began　to　intrude　themselves。

〃This　is　a　miserable　place　for　ye　a'；〃　said　Hobbie；　looking　around　him；　〃I　can　sleep　weel　eneugh　mysell　outby　beside　the　naig；　as　I　hae　done　mony　a　lang　night　on　the　hills；　but　how　ye　are　to　put　yoursells　up；　I　canna　see！　　And　what's　waur；　I　canna　mend　it；　and　what's　waur　than　a'；　the　morn　may　come；　and　the　day　after　that；　without　your　being　a　bit　better　off。〃

〃It　was　a　cowardly　cruel　thing；〃　said　one　of　the　sisters；　looking　round；　〃to　harry　a　puir　family　to　the　bare　wa's　this　gate。〃

〃And　leave　us　neither　stirk　nor　stot；〃　said　the　youngest　brother；　who　now　entered；　〃nor　sheep　nor　lamb；　nor　aught　that　eats　grass　and　corn。〃

〃If　they　had　ony　quarrel　wi'　us；〃　said　Harry；　the　second　brother；　〃were　we　na　ready　to　have　fought　it　out？　　And　that　we　should　have　been　a'　frae　hame；　too；ane　and　a'　upon　the　hillOdd；　an　we　had　been　at　hame；　Will　Graeme's　stamach　shouldna　hae　wanted　its　morning；　but　it's　biding　him；　is　it　na；　Hobbie？〃

〃Our　neighbours　hae　taen　a　day　at　the　Castleton　to　gree　wi'　him　at　the　sight　o'　men；〃　said　Hobbie；　mournfully；　〃they　behoved　to　have　it　a'　their　ain　gate；　or　there　was　nae　help　to　be　got　at　their　hands。〃

〃To　gree　wi'　him！〃　　exclaimed　both　his　brothers　at　once；　〃after　siccan　an　act　of　stouthrife　as　hasna　been　heard　o'　in　the　country　since　the　auld　riding　days！〃

〃Very　true；　billies；　and　my　blood　was　e'en　boiling　at　it；　but　the　sight　o'　Grace　Armstrong　has　settled　it　brawly。〃

〃But　the　stocking；　Hobbie'〃　said　John　Elliot；　〃we're　utterly　ruined。　　Harry　and　I　hae　been　to　gather　what　was　on　the　outby　land；　and　there's　scarce　a　cloot　left。　　I　kenna　how　we're　to　carry　onWe　maun　a'　gang　to　the　wars；　I　think。　　Westburnflat　hasna　the　means；　e'en　if　he　had　the　will；　to　make　up　our　loss；　there's　nae　mends　to　be　got　out　o'　him；　but　what　ye　take　out　o'　his　banes。　　He　hasna　a　four…footed　creature　but　the　vicious　blood　thing　he　rides　on；　and　that's　sair　trash'd　wi'　his　night　wark。　We　are　ruined　stoop　and　roop。〃

Hobbie　cast　a　mournful　glance　on　Grace　Armstrong；　who　returned　it　with　a　downcast　look　and　a　gentle　sigh。

〃Dinna　be　cast　down；　bairns；〃　said　the　grandmother；　〃we　hae　gude　friends　that　winna　forsake　us　in　adversity。　　There's　Sir　Thomas　Kittleloof　is　my　third　cousin　by　the　mother's　side；　and　he　has　come　by　a　hantle　siller；　and　been　made　a　knight…baronet　into　the　bargain；　for　being　ane　o'　the　commissioners　at　the　Union。〃

〃He　wadna　gie　a　bodle　to　save　us　frae　famishing；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃and；　if　he　did；　the　bread　that　I　bought　wi't　would　stick　in　my　throat；　when　I　thought　it　was　part　of　the　price　of　puir　auld　Scotland's　crown　and　independence。〃

〃There's　the　Laird　o'　Dunder；　ane　o'　the　auldest　families　in　Tiviotdale。〃

〃He's　in　the　tolbooth；　motherhe's　in　the　Heart　of　Mid…Louden　for　a　thousand　merk　he　borrowed　from　Saunders　Wyliecoat　the　writer。〃

〃Poor　man！〃　　exclaimed　Mrs。　Elliot；　〃can　we　no　send　him　something；　Hobbie？〃

〃Ye　forget；　grannie；　ye　forget　we　want　help　oursells；〃　said　Hobbie；　somewhat　peevishly。

〃Troth　did　I；　hinny；〃　replied　the　good…natured　lady；　〃just　at　the　instant；　it's　sae　natural　to　think　on　ane's　blude　relations　before　themsells；But　there's　young　Earnscliff。〃

〃He　has　ower　little　o'　his　ain；　and　siccan　a　name　to　keep　up；　it　wad　be　a　shame；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃to　burden　him　wi'　our　distress。　And　I'll　tell　ye；　grannie；　it's　needless　to　sit　rhyming　ower　the　style　of　a'　your　kith；　kin；　and　allies；　as　if　there　was　a　charm　in　their　braw　names　to　do　us　good；　the　grandees　hae　forgotten　us；　and　those　of　our　ain　degree　hae　just　little　eneugh　to　gang　on　wi'　themsells；　ne'er　a　friend　hae　we　that　can；　or　will；　help　us　to　stock　the　farm　again。〃

〃Then；　Hobbie；　me　maun　trust　in　Him　that　can　raise　up　friends　and　fortune　out　o'　the　bare　moor；　as　they　say。〃

Hobbie　sprung　upon　his　feet。　　〃Ye　are　right；　grannie！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃ye　are　right。　　I　do　ken　a　friend　on　the　bare　moor；　that　baith　can　and　will　help　usThe　turns　o'　this　day　hae　dung　my　head　clean　hirdie…girdie。　　I　left　as　muckle　gowd　lying　on　Mucklestane…Moor　this　morning　as　would　plenish　the　house　and　stock　the　Heugh…foot　twice　ower；　and　I　am　certain　sure　Elshie　wadna　grudge　us　the　use　of　it。〃

〃Elshie！〃　　said　his　grandmother　in　astonishment；　〃what　Elshie　do　you　mean？〃

〃What　Elshie　should　I　mean；　but　Canny　Elshie；　the　Wight　o'　Mucklestane；〃　replied　Hobbie。

〃God　forfend；　my　bairn；　you　should　gang　to　fetch　water　out　o'　broken　cisterns；　or　seek　for　relief　frae　them　that　deal　wi'　the　Evil　One！　　There　was　never　luck　in　their　gifts；　nor　grace　in　their　paths。　　And　the　haill　country　kens　that　body　Elshie's　an　unco　man。　　O；　if　there　was　the　law；　and　the　douce　quiet　administration　of　justice；　that　makes　a　kingdom　flourish　in　righteousness；　the　like　o'　them　suldna　be　suffered　to　live！　　The　wizard　and　the　witch　are　the　abomination　and　the　evil　thing　in　the　land。〃

〃Troth；　mother；〃　answered　Hobbie；　〃ye　may　say　what　ye　like；　but　I　am　in　the　mind　that　witches　and　warlocks　havena　half　the　power　they　had　lang　syne；　at　least；　sure　am　I；　that　ae　ill…deviser；　like　auld　Ellieslaw；　or　ae　ill…doer；　like　that　dd　villain　Westburnflat；　is　a　greater　plague　and　abomination　in　a　country…　side　than　a　haill　curnie　o'　the　warst　witches　that　ever　capered　on　a　broomstick；　or　played　cantrips　on　Fastern's　E'en。　　It　wad　hae　been　lang　or　Elshie　had　burnt　down　my　house　and　barns；　and　I　am　determined　to　try　if　he　will　do　aught　to　build　them　up　again。　He's　weel　kend　a　skilfu'　man　ower　a'　the　country；　as　far　as　Brough　under　Stanmore。〃

〃Bide　a　wee；　my　bairn；　mind　his　benefits　havena　thriven　wi'　a'body。　　Jock　Howden　died　o'　the　very　same　disorder　Elshie　pretended　to　cure　him　of；　about　the　fa'　o'　the　leaf；　and　though　he　helped　Lambside's　cow　weel　out　o'　the　moor…ill；　yet　the　louping…ill's　been　sairer　amane；　his　sheep　than　ony　season　before。　　And　then　I　have　heard　he　uses　sic　words　abusing　human　nature；　that's　like　a　fleeing　in　the　face　of　Providence；　and　ye　mind　ye　said　yoursell；　the　first　time　ye　ever　saw　him；　that　he　was　mair　like　a　bogle　than　a　living　thing。〃

〃Hout；　mother；〃　said　Hobbie；　〃Elshie's　no　that　bad　a　chield；　he's　a　grewsome　spectacle　for　a　crooked　disciple；　to　be　sure；　and　a　rough　talker；　but　his　bark　is　waur　than　his　bite；　sae；　if　I　had　anes　something　to　eat；　for　I　havena　had　a　morsel　ower　my　throat　this　day；　I　wad　streek　mysell　down　for　twa　or　three　hours　aside　the　beast；