the black dwarf-第26章

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　earth；　and　his　servant；　a　stout　young　fellow；　who　was　gaining　ground　on　the　ruffian　with　whom　he　had　been　engaged；　left　the　combat　to　come　to　his　master's　assistance；　little　doubting　that　he　had　received　a　mortal　wound；　Both　the　villains　immediately　desisted　from　farther　combat；　and；　retreating　into　the　thicket；　mounted　their　horses；　and　went　off　at　full　speed　after　their　companions。　　Meantime；　Dixon　had　the　satisfaction　to　find　Mr。　Vere　not　only　alive；　but　unwounded。　　He　had　overreached　himself；　and　stumbled；　it　seemed；　over　the　root　of　a　tree；　in　making　too　eager　a　blow　at　his　antagonist。　　The　despair　he　felt　at　his　daughter's　disappearance；　was；　in　Dixon's　phrase；　such　as　would　have　melted　the　heart　of　a　whin　stane；　and　he　was　so　much　exhausted　by　his　feelings；　and　the　vain　researches　which　he　made　to　discover　the　track　of　the　ravishers；　that　a　considerable　time　elapsed　ere　he　reached　home；　and　communicated　the　alarm　to　his　domestics。

All　his　conduct　and　gestures　were　those　of　a　desperate　man。

〃Speak　not　to　me；　Sir　Frederick；〃　he　said　impatiently；　〃You　are　no　fathershe　was　my　child；　an　ungrateful　one！　　I　fear；　but　still　my　childmy　only　child。　　Where　is　Miss　Ilderton？　　she　must　know　something　of　this。　　It　corresponds　with　what　I　was　informed　of　her　schemes。　　Go；　Dixon；　call　Ratcliffe　here　Let　him　come　without　a　minute's　delay。〃　The　person　he　had　named　at　this　moment　entered　the　room。

〃I　say；　Dixon；〃　continued　Mr。　Vere；　in　an　altered　tone；　〃let　Mr。　Ratcliffe　know；　I　beg　the　favour　of　his　company　on　particular　business。Ah！　　my　dear　sir；〃　he　proceeded；　as　if　noticing　him　for　the　first　time；　〃you　are　the　very　man　whose　advice　can　be　of　the　utmost　service　to　me　in　this　cruel　extremity。〃

〃What　has　happened；　Mr。　Vere；　to　discompose　you？〃　　said　Mr；　Ratcliffe；　gravely；　and　while　the　Laird　of　Ellieslaw　details　to　him；　with　the　most　animated　gestures　of　grief　and　indignation；　the　singular　adventure　of　the　morning；　we　shall　take　the　opportunity　to　inform　our　readers　of　the　relative　circumstances　in　which　these　gentlemen　stood　to　each　other。

In　early　youth；　Mr。　Vere　of　Ellieslaw　had　been　remarkable　for　a　career　of　dissipation；　which；　in　advanced　life；　he　had　exchanged　for　the　no　less　destructive　career　of　dark　and　turbulent　ambition。　　In　both　cases；　he　had　gratified　the　predominant　passion　without　respect　to　the　diminution　of　his　private　fortune；　although；　where　such　inducements　were　wanting；　he　was　deemed　close；　avaricious；　and　grasping。　　His　affairs　being　much　embarrassed　by　his　earlier　extravagance；　he　went　to　England；　where　he　was　understood　to　have　formed　a　very　advantageous　matrimonial　connexion。　　He　was　many　years　absent　from　his　family　estate。　　Suddenly　and　unexpectedly　he　returned　a　widower；　bringing　with　him　his　daughter；　then　a　girl　of　about　ten　years　old。　　From　this　moment　his　expense　seemed　unbounded；　in　the　eyes　of　the　simple　inhabitants　of　his　native　mountains。　　It　was　supposed　he　must　necessarily　have　plunged　himself　deeply　in　debt。　Yet　he　continued　to　live　in　the　same　lavish　expense；　until　some　months　before　the　commencement　of　our　narrative；　when　the　public　opinion　of　his　embarrassed　circumstances　was　confirmed；　by　the　residence　of　Mr。　Ratcliffe　at　Ellieslaw　Castle；　who；　by　the　tacit　consent；　though　obviously　to　the　great　displeasure；　of　the　lord　of　the　mansion；　seemed；　from　the　moment　of　his　arrival；　to　assume　and　exercise　a　predominant　and　unaccountable　influence　in　the　management　of　his　private　affairs。

Mr。　Ratcliffe　was　a　grave；　steady；　reserved　man；　in　an　advanced　period　of　life。　　To　those　with　whom　he　had　occasion　to　speak　upon　business；　he　appeared　uncommonly　well　versed　in　all　its　forms。　With　others　he　held　little　communication；　but　in　any　casual　intercourse；　or　conversation；　displayed　the　powers　of　an　active　and　well…informed　mind。　　For　some　time　before　taking　up　his　final　residence　at　the　castle；　he　had　been　an　occasional　visitor　there；　and　was　at　such　times　treated　by　Mr。　Vere　（contrary　to　his　general　practice　towards　those　who　were　inferior　to　him　in　rank）　with　marked　attention；　and　even　deference。　　Yet　his　arrival　always　appeared　to　be　an　embarrassment　to　his　host；　and　his　departure　a　relief；　so　that；　when　he　became　a　constant　inmate　of　the　family；　it　was　impossible　not　to　observe　indications　of　the　displeasure　with　which　Mr。　Vere　regarded　his　presence。　　Indeed；　their　intercourse　formed　a　singular　mixture　of　confidence　and　constraint。　　Mr。　Vere's　most　important　affairs　were　regulated　by　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　and　although　he　was　none　of　those　indulgent　men　of　fortune；　who；　too　indolent　to　manage　their　own　business；　are　glad　to　devolve　it　upon　another；　yet；　in　many　instances；　he　was　observed　to　give　up　his　own　judgment；　and　submit　to　the　contrary　opinions　which　Mr。　Ratcliffe　did　not　hesitate　distinctly　to　express。

Nothing　seemed　to　vex　Mr。　Vere　more　than　when　strangers　indicated　any　observation　of　the　state　of　tutelage　under　which　he　appeared　to　labour。　　When　it　was　noticed　by　Sir　Frederick；　or　any　of　his　intimates；　he　sometimes　repelled　their　remarks　haughtily　and　indignantly；　and　sometimes　endeavoured　to　evade　them；　by　saying；　with　a　forced　laugh；　〃That　Ratcliffe　knew　his　own　importance；　but　that　he　was　the　most　honest　and　skilful　fellow　in　the　world；　and　that　it　would　be　impossible　for　him　to　manage　his　English　affairs　without　his　advice　and　assistance。〃　　Such　was　the　person　who　entered　the　room　at　the　moment　Mr。　Vere　was　summoning　him　to　his　presence；　and　who　now　heard　with　surprise；　mingled　with　obvious　incredulity；　the　hasty　narrative　of　what　had　befallen　Isabella。

Her　father　concluded；　addressing　Sir　Frederick　and　the　other　gentlemen；　who　stood　around　in　astonishment；　〃And　now；　my　friends；　you　see　the　most　unhappy　father　in　Scotland。　　Lend　me　your　assistance；　gentlemengive　me　your　advice；　Mr。　Ratcliffe。　I　am　incapable　of　acting；　or　thinking；　under　the　unexpected　violence　of　such　a　blow。〃

〃Let　us　take　our　horses；　call　our　attendants；　and　scour　the　country　in　pursuit　of　the　villains；〃　said　Sir　Frederick。

〃Is　there　no　one　whom　you　can　suspect；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　gravely；　〃of　having　some　motive　for　this　strange　crime？　These　are　not　the　days　of　romance；　when　ladies　are　carried　off　merely　for　their　beauty。〃

〃I　fear；〃　said　Mr。　Vere；　〃I　can　too　well　account　for　this　strange　incident。　　Read　this　letter；　which　Miss　Lucy　Ilderton　thought　fit　to　address　from　my　house　of　Ellieslaw　to　young　Mr。　Earnscliff；　whom；　of　all　men；　I　have　a　hereditary　right　to　call　my　enemy。　You　see　she　writes　to　him　as　the　confidant　of　a　passion　which　he　has　the　assurance　to　entertain　for　my　daughter；　tells　him　she　serves　his　cause　with　her　friend　very　ardently；　but　that　he　has　a　friend　in　the　garrison　who　serves　him　yet　more　effectually。　　Look　particularly　at　the　pencilled　passages；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　where　this　meddling　girl　recommends　bold　measures；　with　an　assurance　that　his　suit　would　be　successful　anywhere　beyond　the　bounds　of　the　barony　of　Ellieslaw。〃

〃And　you　argue；　from　this　romantic　letter　of　a　very　romantic　young　lady；　Mr。　Vere；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃that　young　Earnscliff　has　carried　off　your　daughter；　and　committed　a　very　great　and　criminal　act　of　violence；　on　no　better　advice　and　assurance　than　that　of　Miss　Lucy　Ilderton？〃

〃What　else　can　I　think？〃　　said　Ellieslaw。

〃What　else　CAN　you　think？〃　　said　Sir　Frederick；　〃or　who　else　could　have　any　motive　for　committing　such　a　crime？〃

〃Were　that　the　best　mode　of　fixing　the　guilt；〃　said　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　calmly；　〃there　might　easily　be　pointed　out　persons　to　whom　such　actions　are　more　congenial；　and　who　have　also　sufficient　motives　of　instigation。　　Supposing　it　were　judged　advisable　to　remove　Miss　Vere　to　some　place　in　which　constraint　might　be　exercised　upon　her　inclinations　to　a　degree　which　cannot　at　present　be　attempted　under　the　roof　of　Ellieslaw　CastleWhat　says　Sir　Frederick　Langley　to　that　supposition？〃

〃I　say；〃　returned　Sir　Frederick；　〃that　although　Mr。　Vere　may　choose　to　endure　in　Mr。　Ratcliffe　freedoms　totally　inconsistent　with　his　situation　in　life；　I　will　not　permit　such　license　of　innuendo；　by　word　or　look；　to　be　extended　to　me；　with　impunity。〃

〃And　I　say；〃　said　young　Mareschal　of　Mareschal…Wells；　who　was　also　a　guest　at　the　castle；　〃that　you　are　all　s