the black dwarf-第33章

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〃Dear　cousin；〃　said　the　billet；　〃I　find　my　daughter；　as　I　expected；　in　despair　at　the　untimely　and　premature　urgency　of　Sir　Frederick　Langley。　　She　cannot　even　comprehend　the　peril　in　which　we　stand；　or　how　much　we　are　in　his　power　Use　your　influence　with　him；　for　Heaven's　sake；　to　modify　proposals；　to　the　acceptance　of　which　I　cannot；　and　will　not；　urge　my　child　against　all　her　own　feelings；　as　well　as　those　of　delicacy　and　propriety；　and　oblige　your　loving　cousin；R。　V。〃

In　the　agitation　of　the　moment；　when　her　swimming　eyes　and　dizzy　brain　could　hardly　comprehend　the　sense　of　what　she　looked　upon；　it　is　not　surprising　that　Miss　Vere　should　have　omitted　to　remark　that　this　letter　seemed　to　rest　her　scruples　rather　upon　the　form　and　time　of　the　proposed　union；　than　on　a　rooted　dislike　to　the　suitor　proposed　to　her。　　Mr。　Vere　rang　the　bell；　and　gave　the　letter　to　a　servant　to　be　delivered　to　Mr。　Mareschal；　and；　rising　from　his　chair；　continued　to　traverse　the　apartment　in　silence　and　in　great　agitation　until　the　answer　was　returned。　　He　glanced　it　over；　and　wrung　the　hand　of　his　daughter　as　he　gave　it　to　her。　The　tenor　was　as　follows：

〃My　dear　kinsman；　I　have　already　urged　the　knight　on　the　point　you　mention；　and　I　find　him　as　fixed　as　Cheviot。　　I　am　truly　sorry　my　fair　cousin　should　be　pressed　to　give　up　any　of　her　maidenly　rights。　　Sir　Frederick　consents；　however；　to　leave　the　castle　with　me　the　instant　the　ceremony　is　performed；　and　we　will　raise　our　followers　and　begin　the　fray。　　Thus　there　is　great　hope　the　bridegroom　may　be　knocked　on　the　head　before　he　and　the　bride　can　meet　again；　so　Bell　has　a　fair　chance　to　be　Lady　Langley　A　TRES　BON　MARCHE。　　For　the　rest；　I　can　only　say；　that　if　she　can　make　up　her　mind　to　the　alliance　at　allit　is　no　time　for　mere　maiden　ceremonymy　pretty　cousin　must　needs　consent　to　marry　in　haste；　or　we　shall　all　repent　at　leisure；　or　rather　have　very　little　leisure　to　repent；　which　is　all　at　present　from　him　who　rests　your　affectionate　kinsman；R。　M。〃

〃P。S。Tell　Isabella　that　I　would　rather　cut　the　knight's　throat　after　all；　and　end　the　dilemma　that　way；　than　see　her　constrained　to　marry　him　against　her　will。〃

When　Isabella　had　read　this　letter；　it　dropped　from　her　hand；　and　she　would；　at　the　same　time；　have　fallen　from　her　chair；　had　she　not　been　supported　by　her　father。

〃My　God；　my　child　will　die！〃　　exclaimed　Vere；　the　feelings　of　nature　overcoming；　even　in　HIS　breast；　the　sentiments　of　selfish　policy；　〃look　up；　Isabellalook　up；　my　childcome　what　will；　you　shall　not　be　the　sacrificeI　will　fall　myself　with　the　consciousness　I　leave　you　happyMy　child　may　weep　on　my　grave；　but　she　shall　notnot　in　this　instancereproach　my　memory。〃　　He　called　a　servant。〃Go；　bid　Ratcliffe　come　hither　directly。〃

During　this　interval；　Miss　Vere　became　deadly　pale；　clenched　her　hands；　pressing　the　palms　strongly　together；　closed　her　eyes；　and　drew　her　lips　with　strong　compression；　as　if　the　severe　constraint　which　she　put　upon　her　internal　feelings　extended　even　to　her　muscular　organization。　　Then　raising　her　head；　and　drawing　in　her　breath　strongly　ere　she　spoke；　she　said；　with　firmness；　〃Father；　I　consent　to　the　marriage。〃

〃You　shall　notyou　shall　not；my　childmy　dear　childyou　shall　not　embrace　certain　misery　to　free　me　from　uncertain　danger。〃

So　exclaimed　Ellieslaw；　and；　strange　and　inconsistent　beings　that　we　are！　　he　expressed　the　real　though　momentary　feelings　of　his　heart。

〃Father；〃　repeated　Isabella；　〃I　will　consent　to　this　marriage。〃

〃No；　my　child；　nonot　now　at　leastwe　will　humble　ourselves　to　obtain　delay　from　him；　and　yet；　Isabella；　could　you　overcome　a　dislike　which　has　no　real　foundation；　think；　in　other　respects；　what　a　match！wealthrankimportance。〃

〃Father！〃　　reiterated　Isabella；　〃I　have　consented。〃

It　seemed　as　if　she　had　lost　the　power　of　saying　anything　else；　or　even　of　varying　the　phrase　which；　with　such　effort；　she　had　compelled　herself　to　utter。

〃Heaven　bless　thee；　my　child！Heaven　bless　thee！And　it　WILL　bless　thee　with　riches；　with　pleasure；　with　power。〃

Miss　Vere　faintly　entreated　to　be　left　by　herself　for　the　rest　of　the　evening。

〃But　will　you　not　receive　Sir　Frederick？〃　　said　her　father；　anxiously。

〃I　will　meet　him；〃　she　replied；　〃I　will　meet　himwhen　I　must；　and　where　I　must；　but　spare　me　now。〃

〃Be　it　so；　my　dearest；　you　shall　know　no　restraint　that　I　can　save　you　from。　　Do　not　think　too　hardly　of　Sir　Frederick　for　this；it　is　an　excess　of　passion。〃

Isabella　waved　her　hand　impatiently。

〃Forgive　me；　my　childI　goHeaven　bless　thee。　　At　elevenif　you　call　me　not　beforeat　eleven　I　come　to　seek　you。〃

〃When　he　left　Isabella　she　dropped　upon　her　knees〃Heaven　aid　me　to　support　the　resolution　I　have　taken　Heaven　only　canO；　poor　Earnscliff！　　who　shall　comfort　him？　　and　with　what　contempt　will　he　pronounce　her　name；　who　listened　to　him　to…day　and　gave　herself　to　another　at　night！　　But　let　him　despise　mebetter　so　than　that　he　should　know　the　truthlet　him　despise　me；　if　it　will　but　lessen　his　grief；　I　should　feel　comfort　in　the　loss　of　his　esteem。〃

She　wept　bitterly；　attempting　in　vain；　from　time　to　time；　to　commence　the　prayer　for　which　she　had　sunk　on　her　knees；　but　unable　to　calm　her　spirits　sufficiently　for　the　exercise　of　devotion。　　As　she　remained　in　this　agony　of　mind；　the　door　of　her　apartment　was　slowly　opened。



CHAPTER　XV。

　The　darksome　cave　they　enter；　where　they　found　　The　woful　man；　low　sitting　on　the　ground；　　Musing　full　sadly　in　his　sullen　mind。　　　　　FAERY　QUEEN。

The　intruder　on　Miss　Vere's　sorrows　was　Ratcliffe。　　Ellieslaw　had；　in　the　agitation　of　his　mind；　forgotten　to　countermand　the　order　he　had　given　to　call　him　thither；　so　that　he　opened　the　door　with　the　words；　〃You　sent　for　me；　Mr。　Vere。〃　　Then　looking　around〃Miss　Vere；　alone！　　on　the　ground！　　and　in　tears！〃

〃Leave　meleave　me；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　said　the　unhappy　young　lady。

〃I　must　not　leave　you；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃I　have　been　repeatedly　requesting　admittance　to　take　my　leave　of　you；　and　have　been　refused；　until　your　father　himself　sent　for　me。　　Blame　me　not；　if　I　am　bold　and　intrusive；　I　have　a　duty　to　discharge　which　makes　me　so。〃

〃I　cannot　listen　to　youI　cannot　speak　to　you；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　take　my　best　wishes；　and　for　God's　sake　leave　me。〃

〃Tell　me　only；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃is　it　true　that　this　monstrous　match　is　to　go　forward；　and　this　very　night？　　I　heard　the　servants　proclaim　it　as　I　was　on　the　great　staircaseI　heard　the　directions　given　to　clear　out　the　chapel。〃

〃Spare　me；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　replied　the　luckless　bride；　〃and　from　the　state　in　which　you　see　me；　judge　of　the　cruelty　of　these　questions。〃

〃Married？　　to　Sir　Frederick　Langley？　　and　this　night？　It　must　not　cannotshall　not　be。〃

〃It　MUST　be；　Mr。　Ratcliff；　or　my　father　is　ruined。〃

〃Ah！　　I　understand；〃　answered　Ratcliffe；　〃and　you　have　sacrificed　yourself　to　save　him　whoBut　let　the　virtue　of　the　child　atone　for　the　faults　of　the　father　it　is　no　time　to　rake　them　up。What　CAN　be　done？　　Time　pressesI　know　but　one　remedywith　four…and…　twenty　hours　I　might　find　manyMiss　Vere；　you　must　implore　the　protection　of　the　only　human　being　who　has　it　in　his　power　to　control　the　course　of　events　which　threatens　to　hurry　you　before　it。〃

〃And　what　human　being；〃　answered　Miss　Vere；　〃has　such　power？〃

〃Start　not　when　I　name　him；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　coming　near　her；　and　speaking　in　a　low　but　distinct　voice。　　〃It　is　he　who　is　called　Elshender　the　Recluse　of　Mucklestane…Moor。〃

〃You　are　mad；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　or　you　mean　to　insult　my　misery　by　an　ill…timed　jest！〃

〃I　am　as　much　in　my　senses；　young　lady；〃　answered　her　adviser；　〃as　you　are；　and　I　am　no　idle　jester；　far　less　with　misery；　least　of　all　with　your　misery。　　I　swear　to　you　that　this　being　（who　is　other　far　than　what　he　seems）　actually　possesses　the　means　of　redeeming　you　from　this　hateful　union。〃

〃And　of　insuring　my　father's　safety？〃

〃Yes！　　even　that；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃if　you　plead　his　cause　with　himyet　how　to　obtain　admittance　to　the　Recluse！〃

〃Fear　not　that；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　suddenly　recollecting　the　incident　of　the　rose；　〃I　remember　he　desired　me　to　call　upon　him　for　aid　in　my　extremity；　and　gave　me　this　flower　as　a　token。　　Ere　it　faded　away　entirely；