the black dwarf-第34章

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im　for　aid　in　my　extremity；　and　gave　me　this　flower　as　a　token。　　Ere　it　faded　away　entirely；　I　would　need；　he　said；　his　assistance：　is　it　possible　his　words　can　have　been　aught　but　the　ravings　of　insanity？〃

〃Doubt　it　not　fear　it　notbut　above　all；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃let　us　lose　no　timeare　you　at　liberty；　and　unwatched？〃

〃I　believe　so；〃　said　Isabella：　　〃but　what　would　you　have　me　to　do？〃

〃Leave　the　castle　instantly；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃and　throw　yourself　at　the　feet　of　this　extraordinary　man；　who　in　circumstances　that　seem　to　argue　the　extremity　of　the　most　contemptible　poverty；　possesses　yet　an　almost　absolute　influence　over　your　fate。　Guests　and　servants　are　deep　in　their　carousethe　leaders　sitting　in　conclave　on　their　treasonable　schemesmy　horse　stands　ready　in　the　stableI　will　saddle　one　for　you；　and　meet　you　at　the　little　garden…gateO；　let　no　doubt　of　my　prudence　or　fidelity　prevent　your　taking　the　only　step　in　your　power　to　escape　the　dreadful　fate　which　must　attend　the　wife　of　Sir　Frederick　Langley！〃

〃Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃you　have　always　been　esteemed　a　man　of　honour　and　probity；　and　a　drowning　wretch　will　always　catch　at　the　feeblest　twig；I　will　trust　youI　will　follow　your　adviceI　will　meet　you　at　the　garden…gate。〃

She　bolted　the　outer…door　of　her　apartment　as　soon　as　Mr。　Ratcliffe　left　her；　and　descended　to　the　garden　by　a　separate　stair　of　communication　which　opened　to　her　dressing…room。　　On　the　way　she　felt　inclined　to　retract　the　consent　she　had　so　hastily　given　to　a　plan　so　hopeless　and　extravagant。　　But　as　she　passed　in　her　descent　a　private　door　which　entered　into　the　chapel　from　the　back…stair；　she　heard　the　voice　of　the　female…servants　as　they　were　employed　in　the　task　of　cleaning　it。

〃Married！　　and　to　sae　bad　a　manEwhow；　sirs！　　onything　rather　than　that。〃

〃They　are　rightthey　are　right；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃anything　rather　than　that！〃

She　hurried　to　the　garden。　　Mr。　Ratcliffe　was　true　to　his　appointmentthe　horses　stood　saddled　at　the　garden…gate；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　were　advancing　rapidly　towards　the　hut　of　the　Solitary。

While　the　ground　was　favourable；　the　speed　of　their　journey　was　such　as　to　prevent　much　communication；　but　when　a　steep　ascent　compelled　them　to　slacken　their　pace；　a　new　cause　of　apprehension　occurred　to　Miss　Vere's　mind。

〃Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　she　said；　pulling　up　her　horse's　bridle；　〃let　us　prosecute　no　farther　a　journey；　which　nothing　but　the　extreme　agitation　of　my　mind　can　vindicate　my　having　undertakenI　am　well　aware　that　this　man　passes　among　the　vulgar　as　being　possessed　of　supernatural　powers；　and　carrying　on　an　intercourse　with　beings　of　another　world；　but　I　would　have　you　aware　I　am　neither　to　be　imposed　on　by　such　follies；　nor；　were　I　to　believe　in　their　existence；　durst　I；　with　my　feelings　of　religion；　apply　to　this　being　in　my　distress。〃

〃I　should　have　thought；　Miss　Vere；〃　replied　Ratcliffe；　〃my　character　and　habits　of　thinking　were　so　well　known　to　you；　that　you　might　have　held　me　exculpated　from　crediting　in　such　absurdity。〃

〃But　in　what　other　mode；〃　said　Isabella；　〃can　a　being；　so　miserable　himself　in　appearance；　possess　the　power　of　assisting　me？〃

〃Miss　Vere。〃　　said　Ratcliffe；　after　a　momentary　pause；　〃I　am　bound　by　a　solemn　oath　of　secrecyYou　must；　without　farther　explanation；　be　satisfied　with　my　pledged　assurance；　that　he　does　possess　the　power；　if　you　can　inspire　him　with　the　will；　and　that；　I　doubt　not；　you　will　be　able　to　do。〃

〃Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃you　may　yourself　be　mistaken；　you　ask　an　unlimited　degree　of　confidence　from　me。〃

〃Recollect；　Miss　Vere；〃　he　replied；　〃that　when；　in　your　humanity；　you　asked　me　to　interfere　with　your　father　in　favour　of　Haswell　and　his　ruined　familywhen　you　requested　me　to　prevail　on　him　to　do　a　thing　most　abhorrent　to　his　natureto　forgive　an　injury　and　remit　a　penaltyI　stipulated　that　you　should　ask　me　no　questions　concerning　the　sources　of　my　influenceYou　found　no　reason　to　distrust　me　then；　do　not　distrust　me　now。〃

〃But　the　extraordinary　mode　of　life　of　this　man；〃　said　Miss　Vere；　〃his　seclusionhis　figurethe　deepness　of　mis…anthropy　which　he　is　said　to　express　in　his　languageMr。　Ratcliffe；　what　can　I　think　of　him　if　he　really　possesses　the　powers　you　ascribe　to　him？〃

〃This　man；　young　lady；　was　bred　a　Catholic；　a　sect　which　affords　a　thousand　instances　of　those　who　have　retired　from　power　and　affluence　to　voluntary　privations　more　strict　even　than　his。〃

〃But　he　avows　no　religious　motive；〃　replied　Miss　Vere。

〃No；〃　replied　Ratcliffe；　〃disgust　with　the　world　has　operated　his　retreat　from　it　without　assuming　the　veil　of　superstition。　　Thus　far　I　may　tell　youhe　was　born　to　great　wealth；　which　his　parents　designed　should　become　greater　by　his　union　with　a　kinswoman；　whom　for　that　purpose　they　bred　up　in　their　own　house。　You　have　seen　his　figure；　judge　what　the　young　lady　must　have　thought　of　the　lot　to　which　she　was　destinedYet；　habituated　to　his　appearance；　she　showed　no　reluctance；　and　the　friends　ofof　the　person　whom　I　speak　of；　doubted　not　that　the　excess　of　his　attachment；　the　various　acquisitions　of　his　mind；　his　many　and　amiable　qualities；　had　overcome　the　natural　horror　which　his　destined　bride　must　have　entertained　at　an　exterior　so　dreadfully　inauspicious。〃

〃And　did　they　judge　truly？〃　　said　Isabella。

〃You　shall　hear。　　He；　at　least；　was　fully　aware　of　his　own　deficiency；　the　sense　of　it　haunted　him　like　a　phantom。　　'I　am；'　was　his　own　expression　to　me；I　mean　to　a　man　whom　he　trusted；　'I　am；　in　spite　of　what　you　would　say；　a　poor　miserable　outcast；　fitter　to　have　been　smothered　in　the　cradle　than　to　have　been　brought　up　to　scare　the　world　in　which　I　crawl。'　The　person　whom　he　addressed　in　vain　endeavoured　to　impress　him　with　the　indifference　to　external　form　which　is　the　natural　result　of　philosophy；　or　entreat　him　to　recall　the　superiority　of　mental　talents　to　the　more　attractive　attributes　that　are　merely　personal。　　'I　hear　you；'　he　would　reply；　'but　you　speak　the　voice　of　cold…blooded　stoicism；　or；　at　least；　of　friendly　partiality。　But　look　at　every　book　which　we　have　read；　those　excepted　of　that　abstract　philosophy　which　feels　no　responsive　voice　in　our　natural　feelings。　　Is　not　personal　form；　such　as　at　least　can　be　tolerated　without　horror　and　disgust；　always　represented　as　essential　to　our　ideas　of　a　friend；　far　more　a　lover？　　Is　not　such　a　mis…shapen　monster　as　I　am；　excluded；　by　the　very　fiat　of　Nature；　from　her　fairest　enjoyments？　　What　but　my　wealth　prevents　allperhaps　even　Letitia；　or　youfrom　shunning　me　as　something　foreign　to　your　nature；　and　more　odious；　by　bearing　that　distorted　resemblance　to　humanity　which　we　observe　in　the　animal　tribes　that　are　more　hateful　to　man　because　they　seem　his　caricature？'〃

〃You　repeat　the　sentiments　of　a　madman；〃　said　Miss　Vere。

〃No；〃　replied　her　conductor；　〃unless　a　morbid　and　excessive　sensibility　on　such　a　subject　can　be　termed　insanity。　　〃Yet　I　will　not　deny　that　this　governing　feeling　and　apprehension　carried　the　person　who　entertained　it；　to　lengths　which　indicated　a　deranged　imagination。　　He　appeared　to　think　that　it　was　necessary　for　him；　by　exuberant；　and　not　always　well…chosen　instances　of　liberality；　and　even　profusion；　to　unite　himself　to　the　human　race；　from　which　he　conceived　himself　naturally　dissevered。　　The　benefits　which　he　bestowed；　from　a　disposition　naturally　philanthropical　in　an　uncommon　degree；　were　exaggerated　by　the　influence　of　the　goading　reflection；　that　more　was　necessary　from　him　than　from　others；lavishing　his　treasures　as　if　to　bribe　mankind　to　receive　him　into　their　class。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　say；　that　the　bounty　which　flowed　from　a　source　so　capricious　was　often　abused；　and　his　confidence　frequently　betrayed。　　These　disappointments；　which　occur　to　all；　more　or　less；　and　most　to　such　as　confer　benefits　without　just　discrimination；　his　diseased　fancy　set　down　to　the　hatred　and　contempt　excited　by　his　personal　deformity。　But　I　fatigue　you；　Miss　Vere？〃

〃No；　by　no　means；　II　could　not　prevent　my　attention　from　wandering　an　instant；　pray　proceed。〃

〃He　became　at　length；〃　continued　Ratcliffe；　〃the　most　ingenious　self…tormentor　of　whom　I　have　ever　heard；　the　scoff　of　the　rabble