the black dwarf-第31章

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　this　early　information；　to　do　what　is　needful　for　your　own　security；　I　rest　your　humble　servant；　NIHIL　NAMELESS。

FOR　RALPH　MARESCHAL；　OF　MARESCHAL…WELLS　THESE　WITH　CARE　AND　SPEED。

Sir　Frederick's　jaw　dropped；　and　his　countenance　blackened；　as　the　letter　was　read；　and　Ellieslaw　exclaimed；〃Why；　this　affects　the　very　mainspring　of　our　enterprise。　　If　the　French　fleet；　with　the　king　on　board；　has　been　chased　off　by　the　English；　as　this　dd　scrawl　seems　to　intimate；　where　are　we？〃

〃Just　where　we　were　this　morning；　I　think；〃　said　Mareschal；　still　laughing。

〃Pardon　me；　and　a　truce　to　your　ill…timed　mirth；　Mr。　Mareschal；　this　morning　we　were　not　committed　publicly；　as　we　now　stand　committed　by　your　own　mad　act；　when　you　had　a　letter　in　your　pocket　apprizing　you　that　our　undertaking　was　desperate。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　I　expected　you　would　say　so。　　But；　in　the　first　place；　my　friend　Nihil　Nameless　and　his　letter　may　be　all　a　flam；　and；　moreover；　I　would　have　you　know　that　I　am　tired　of　a　party　that　does　nothing　but　form　bold　resolutions　overnight；　and　sleep　them　away　with　their　wine　before　morning。　　The　government　are　now　unprovided　of　men　and　ammunition；　in　a　few　weeks　they　will　have　enough　of　both：　the　country　is　now　in　a　flame　against　them；　in　a　few　weeks；　betwixt　the　effects　of　self…interest；　of　fear；　and　of　lukewarm　indifference；　which　are　already　so　visible；　this　first　fervour　will　be　as　cold　as　Christmas。　　So；　as　I　was　determined　to　go　the　vole；　I　have　taken　care　you　shall　dip　as　deep　as　I；　it　signifies　nothing　plunging。　　You　are　fairly　in　the　bog；　and　must　struggle　through。〃

〃You　are　mistaken　with　respect　to　one　of　us；　Mr。　Mareschal；〃　said　Sir　Frederick　Langley；　and；　applying　himself　to　the　bell；　he　desired　the　person　who　entered　to　order　his　servants　and　horses　instantly。

〃You　must　not　leave　us；　Sir　Frederick；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　it　we　have　our　musters　to　go　over。〃

〃I　will　go　to…night；　Mr。　Vere；〃　said　Sir　Frederick；　〃and　write　you　my　intentions　in　this　matter　when　I　am　at　home。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Mareschal；　〃and　send　them　by　a　troop　of　horse　from　Carlisle　to　make　us　prisoners？　　Look　ye；　Sir　Frederick；　I　for　one　will　neither　be　deserted　nor　betrayed；　and　if　you　leave　Ellieslaw　Castle　to…night；　it　shall　be　by　passing　over　my　dead　body。〃

〃For　shame！　　Mareschal；〃　said　Mr。　Vere；　〃how　can　you　so　hastily　misinterpret　our　friend's　intentions？　　I　am　sure　Sir　Frederick　can　only　be　jesting　with　us；　for；　were　he　not　too　honourable　to　dream　of　deserting　the　cause；　he　cannot　but　remember　the　full　proofs　we　have　of　his　accession　to　it；　and　his　eager　activity　in　advancing　it。　　He　cannot　but　be　conscious；　besides；　that　the　first　information　will　be　readily　received　by　government；　and　that　if　the　question　be；　which　can　first　lodge　intelligence　of　the　affair；　we　can　easily　save　a　few　hours　on　him。〃

〃You　should　say　you；　and　not　we；　when　you　talk　of　priorities　in　such　a　race　of　treachery；　for　my　part；　I　won't　enter　my　horse　for　such　a　plate；〃　said　Mareschal；　and　added　betwixit　his　teeth；　〃A　pretty　pair　of　fellows　to　trust　a　man's　neck　with！〃

〃I　am　not　to　be　intimidated　from　doing　what　I　think　proper；〃　said　Sir　Frederick　Langley；　〃and　my　first　step　shall　be　to　leave　Ellieslaw。　　I　have　no　reason　to　keep　faith　with　one〃　（looking　at　Vere）　〃who　has　kept　none　with　me。〃

〃In　what　respect；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　silencing；　with　a　motion　of　his　hand；　his　impetuous　kinsman〃how　have　I　disappointed　you；　Sir　Frederick？〃

〃In　the　nearest　and　most　tender　pointyou　have　trifled　with　me　concerning　our　proposed　alliance；　which　you　well　knew　was　the　gage　of　our　political　undertaking。　　This　carrying　off　and　this　bringing　back　of　Miss　Vere；the　cold　reception　I　have　met　with　from　her；　and　the　excuses　with　which　you　cover　it；　I　believe　to　be　mere　evasions；　that　you　may　yourself　retain　possession　of　the　estates　which　are　hers　by　right；　and　make　me；　in　the　meanwhile；　a　tool　in　your　desperate　enterprise；　by　holding　out　hopes　and　expectations　which　you　are　resolved　never　to　realize。〃

〃Sir　Frederick；　I　protest；　by　all　that　is　sacred〃

〃I　will　listen　to　no　protestations；　I　have　been　cheated　with　them　too　long；〃　answered　Sir　Frederick。

〃If　you　leave　us；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　〃you　cannot　but　know　both　your　ruin　and　ours　is　certain；　all　depends　on　our　adhering　together。〃

〃Leave　me　to　take　care　of　myself；〃　returned　the　knight；　〃but　were　what　you　say　true；　I　would　rather　perish　than　be　fooled　any　farther。〃

〃Can　nothingno　surety　convince　you　of　my　sincerity？〃　said　Ellieslaw；　anxiously；　〃this　morning　I　should　have　repelled　your　unjust　suspicions　as　an　insult；　but　situated　as　we　now　are〃

〃You　feel　yourself　compelled　to　be　sincere？〃　　retorted　Sir　Frederick。　　〃If　you　would　have　me　think　so；　there　is　but　one　way　to　convince　me　of　itlet　your　daughter　bestow　her　hand　on　me　this　evening。〃

〃So　soon？impossible；〃　answered　Vere；　〃think　of　her　late　alarm　of　our　present　undertaking。〃

〃I　will　listen　to　nothing　but　to　her　consent；　plighted　at　the　altar。　　You　have　a　chapel　in　the　castleDoctor　Hobbler　is　present　among　the　company…this　proof　of　your　good　faith　to…night；　and　we　are　again　joined　in　heart　and　hand。　　If　you　refuse　me　when　it　is　so　much　for　your　advantage　to　consent；　how　shall　I　trust　you　to…morrow；　when　I　shall　stand　committed　in　your　undertaking；　and　unable　to　retract？〃

〃And　I　am　to　understand；　that；　if　you　can　be　made　my　son…in…law　to…night；　our　friendship　is　renewed？〃　　said　Ellieslaw。

〃Most　infallibly；　and　most　inviolably；〃　replied　Sir　Frederick。

〃Then；〃　said　Vere；　〃though　what　you　ask　is　premature；　indelicate；　and　unjust　towards　my　character；　yet；　Sir　Frederick；　give　me　your　handmy　daughter　shall　be　your　wife。〃

〃This　night？〃

〃This　very　night；〃　replied　Ellieslaw；　〃before　the　clock　strikes　twelve。〃

〃With　her　own　consent；　I　trust；〃　said　Mareschal；　〃for　I　promise　you　both；　gentlemen；　I　will　not　stand　tamely　by；　and　see　any　violence　put　on　the　will　of　my　pretty　kinswoman。〃

〃Another　pest　in　this　hot…headed　fellow；〃　muttered　Ellieslaw；　and　then　aloud；　〃With　her　own　consent？　　For　what　do　you　take　me；　Mareschal；　that　you　should　suppose　your　interference　necessary　to　protect　my　daughter　against　her　father？　　Depend　upon　it；　she　has　no　repugnance　to　Sir　Frederick　Langley。〃

〃Or　rather　to　be　called　Lady　Langley？　　faith；　like　enoughthere　are　many　women　might　be　of　her　mind；　and　I　beg　your　pardon；　but　these　sudden　demands　and　concessions　alarmed　me　a　little　on　her　account。〃

〃It　is　only　the　suddenness　of　the　proposal　that　embarrasses　me；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　〃but　perhaps　if　she　is　found　intractable；　Sir　Frederick　will　consider〃

〃I　will　consider　nothing；　Mr。　Vereyour　daughter's　hand　to…　night；　or　I　depart；　were　it　at　midnightthere　is　my　ultimatum。〃

〃I　embrace　it；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　〃and　I　will　leave　you　to　talk　upon　our　military　preparations；　while　I　go　to　prepare　my　daughter　for　so　sudden　a　change　of　condition。〃

So　saying；　he　left　the　company。



CHAPTER　XIV。

　He　brings　Earl　Osmond　to　receive　my　vows。　　O　dreadful　change！　　for　Tancred；　haughty　Osmond。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TANCRED　AND　SIGISMUNDA。

Mr。　Vere；　whom　long　practice　of　dissimulation　had　enabled　to　model　his　very　gait　and　footsteps　to　aid　the　purposes　of　deception；　walked　along　the　stone　passage；　and　up　the　first　flight　of　steps　towards　Miss　Vere's　apartment；　with　the　alert；　firm；　and　steady　pace　of　one　who　is　bound；　indeed；　upon　important　business；　but　who　entertains　no　doubt　he　can　terminate　his　affairs　satisfactorily。　　But　when　out　of　hearing　of　the　gentlemen　whom　he　had　left；　his　step　became　so　slow　and　irresolute；　as　to　correspond　with　his　doubts　and　his　fears。　　At　length　he　paused　in　an　antechamber　to　collect　his　ideas；　and　form　his　plan　of　argument；　before　approaching　his　daughter。

〃In　what　more　hopeless　and　inextricable　dilemma　was　ever　an　unfortunate　man　involved！〃　　Such　was　the　tenor　of　his　reflections。〃If　we　now　fall　to　pieces　by　disunion；　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　government　will　take　my　life　as　the　prime　agitator　of　the　insurrection。　　Or；　grant　I　could　stoop　to　save　myself　by　a　hasty　submission；　am　I　not；　even　in　that　case；　utterly　ruined？　　I　have　broken　irreconcilably　with　Ratcliffe；　and　can　have　nothing　to　expect　from　that　quarter　but　insult　and　pe