the black dwarf-第38章

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　no　wedding；　for　all　that　has　come　and　gone　yet。〃

〃No　wedding；　sir？〃　　returned　Sir　Frederick；　in　a　loud　whisper；　the　tone　of　which　indicated　that　his　angry　feelings　were　suppressed　with　difficulty。

〃Nono　marriage；〃　replied　Mareschal；　〃there's　my　hand　and　glove　on't。〃

Sir　Frederick　Langley　took　his　hand；　and　as　he　wrung　it　hard；　said　in　a　lower　whisper；　〃Mareschal；　you　shall　answer　this；〃　and　then　flung　his　hand　from　him。

〃That　I　will　readily　do；〃　said　Mareschal；　〃for　never　word　escaped　my　lips　that　my　hand　was　not　ready　to　guarantee。…　So；　speak　up；　my　pretty　cousin；　and　tell　me　if　it　be　your　free　will　and　unbiassed　resolution　to　accept　of　this　gallant　knight　for　your　lord　and　husband；　for　if　you　have　the　tenth　part　of　a　scruple　upon　the　subject；　fall　back；　fall　edge；　he　shall　not　have　you。〃

〃Are　you　mad；　Mr。　Mareschal？〃　　said　Ellieslaw；　who；　having　been　this　young　man's　guardian　during　his　minority；　often　employed　a　tone　of　authority　to　him。　　〃Do　you　suppose　I　would　drag　my　daughter　to　the　foot　of　the　altar；　were　it　not　her　own　choice？〃

〃Tut；　Ellieslaw；〃　retorted　the　young　gentleman；　〃never　tell　me　of　the　contrary；　her　eyes　are　full　of　tears；　and　her　cheeks　are　whiter　than　her　white　dress。　　I　must　insist；　in　the　name　of　common　humanity；　that　the　ceremony　be　adjourned　till　to…morrow。〃

〃She　shall　tell　you　herself；　thou　incorrigible　intermeddler　in　what　concerns　thee　not；　that　it　is　her　wish　the　ceremony　should　go　onIs　it　not；　Isabella；　my　dear？〃

〃It　is；〃　said　Isabella；　half　fainting〃since　there　is　no　help；　either　in　God　or　man。〃

The　first　word　alone　was　distinctly　audible。　　Mareschal　shrugged　up　his　shoulders　and　stepped　back。　　Ellieslaw　led；　or　rather　supported；　his　daughter　to　the　altar。　　Sir　Frederick　moved　forward　and　placed　himself　by　her　side。　　The　clergyman　opened　his　prayer…book；　and　looked　to　Mr。　Vere　for　the　signal　to　commence　the　service。

〃Proceed；〃　said　the　latter。

But　a　voice；　as　if　issuing　from　the　tomb　of　his　deceased　wife；　called；　in　such　loud　and　harsh　accents　as　awakened　every　echo　in　the　vaulted　chapel；　〃Forbear！〃

All　were　mute　and　motionless；　till　a　distant　rustle；　and　the　clash　of　swords；　or　something　resembling　it；　was　heard　from　the　remote　apartments。　　It　ceased　almost　instantly。

〃What　new　device　is　this？〃　　said　Sir　Frederick；　fiercely；　eyeing　Ellieslaw　and　Mareschal　with　a　glance　of　malignant　suspicion。

〃It　can　be　but　the　frolic　of　some　intemperate　guest；〃　said　Ellieslaw；　though　greatly　confounded；　〃we　must　make　large　allowances　for　the　excess　of　this　evening's　festivity。　　Proceed　with　the　service。〃

Before　the　clergyman　could　obey；　the　same　prohibition　which　they　had　before　heard；　was　repeated　from　the　same　spot。　　The　female　attendants　screamed；　and　fled　from　the　chapel；　the　gentlemen　laid　their　hands　on　their　swords。　　Ere　the　first　moment　of　surprise　had　passed　by；　the　Dwarf　stepped　from　behind　the　monument；　and　placed　himself　full　in　front　of　Mr。　Vere。　　The　effect　of　so　strange　and　hideous　an　apparition　in　such　a　place　and　in　such　circumstances；　appalled　all　present；　but　seemed　to　annihilate　the　Laird　of　Ellieslaw；　who；　dropping　his　daughter's　arm；　staggered　against　the　nearest　pillar；　and；　clasping　it　with　his　hands　as　if　for　support；　laid　his　brow　against　the　column。

〃Who　is　this　fellow？〃　　said　Sir　Frederick；　〃and　what　does　he　mean　by　this　intrusion？〃

〃It　is　one　who　comes　to　tell　you；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　with　the　peculiar　acrimony　which　usually　marked　his　manner；　〃that；　in　marrying　that　young　lady；　you　wed　neither　the　heiress　of　Ellieslaw；　nor　of　Mauley　Hall；　nor　of　Polverton；　nor　of　one　furrow　of　land；　unless　she　marries　with　MY　consent；　and　to　thee　that　consent　shall　never　be　given。　　Downdown　on　thy　knees；　and　thank　Heaven　that　thou　art　prevented　from　wedding　qualities　with　which　thou　hast　no　concernportionless　truth；　virtue；　and　innocencethou；　base　ingrate；〃　he　continued；　addressing　himself　to　Ellieslaw；　〃what　is　thy　wretched　subterfuge　now？　　Thou；　who　wouldst　sell　thy　daughter　to　relieve　thee　from　danger；　as　in　famine　thou　wouldst　have　slain　and　devoured　her　to　preserve　thy　own　vile　life！Ay；　hide　thy　face　with　thy　hands；　well　mayst　thou　blush　to　look　on　him　whose　body　thou　didst　consign　to　chains；　his　hand　to　guilt；　and　his　soul　to　misery。　　Saved　once　more　by　the　virtue　of　her　who　calls　thee　father；　go　hence；　and　may　the　pardon　and　benefits　I　confer　on　thee　prove　literal　coals　of　fire；　till　thy　brain　is　seared　and　scorched　like　mine！〃

Ellieslaw　left　the　chapel　with　a　gesture　of　mute　despair。

〃Follow　him；　Hubert　Ratcliffe；〃　said　the　Dwarf；　〃and　inform　him　of　his　destiny。　　He　will　rejoicefor　to　breathe　air　and　to　handle　gold　is　to　him　happiness；〃

〃I　understand　nothing　of　all　this；〃　said　Sir　Frederick　Langley；　〃but　we　are　here　a　body　of　gentlemen　in　arms　and　authority　for　King　James；　and　whether　you　really；　sir；　be　that　Sir　Edward　Mauley；　who　has　been　so　long　supposed　dead　in　confinement；　or　whether　you　be　an　impostor　assuming　his　name　and　title；　we　will　use　the　freedom　of　detaining　you；　till　your　appearance　here；　at　this　moment；　is　better　accounted　for；　we　will　have　no　spies　among　usSeize　on　him；　my　friends。〃

But　the　domestics　shrunk　back　in　doubt　and　alarm。　　Sir　Frederick　himself　stepped　forward　towards　the　Recluse；　as　if　to　lay　hands　on　his　person；　when　his　progress　was　suddenly　stopped　by　the　glittering　point　of　a　partisan；　which　the　sturdy　hand　of　Hobbie　Elliot　presented　against　his　bosom。

〃I'll　gar　daylight　shine　through　ye；　if　ye　offer　to　steer　him！〃　said　the　stout　Borderer；　〃stand　back；　or　I'll　strike　ye　through！　Naebody　shall　lay　a　finger　on　Elshie；　he's　a　canny　neighbourly　man；　aye　ready　to　make　a　friend　help；　and；　though　ye　may　think　him　a　lamiter；　yet；　grippie　for　grippie；　friend；　I'll　wad　a　wether　he'll　make　the　bluid　spin　frae　under　your　nails。　　He's　a　teugh　carle　Elshie！　　he　grips　like　a　smith's　vice。〃

〃What　has　brought　you　here；　Elliot？〃　　said　Mareschal；　〃who　called　on　you　for　interference？〃

〃Troth；　Mareschal…Wells；〃　answered　Hobbie；　〃I　am　just　come　here；　wi'　twenty　or　thretty　mair　o'　us；　in　my　ain　name　and　the　King's　or　Queen's；　ca'　they　her？　　and　Canny　Elshie's　into　the　bargain；　to　keep　the　peace；　and　pay　back　some　ill　usage　Ellieslaw　has　gien　me。　　A　bonny　breakfast　the　loons　gae　me　the　ither　morning；　and　him　at　the　bottom　on't；　and　trow　ye　I　wasna　ready　to　supper　him　up？Ye　needna　lay　your　hands　on　your　swords；　gentlemen；　the　house　is　ours　wi'　little　din；　for　the　doors　were　open；　and　there　had　been　ower　muckle　punch　amang　your　folk；　we　took　their　swords　and　pistols　as　easily　as　ye　wad　shiel　pea…cods。〃

Mareschal　rushed　out；　and　immediately　re…entered　the　chapel。

〃By　Heaven！　　it　is　true；　Sir　Frederick；　the　house　is　filled　with　armed　men；　and　our　drunken　beasts　are　all　disarmed。　　Draw；　and　let　us　fight　our　way。〃

〃Binna　rashbinna　rash；〃　exclaimed　Hobbie；　〃hear　me　a　bit；　hear　me　a　bit。　　We　mean　ye　nae　harm；　but；　as　ye　are　in　arms　for　King　James；　as　ye　ca'　him；　and　the　prelates；　we　thought　it　right　to　keep　up　the　auld　neighbour　war；　and　stand　up　for　the　t'other　ane　and　the　Kirk；　but　we'll　no　hurt　a　hair　o'　your　heads；　if　ye　like　to　gang　hame　quietly。　　And　it　will　be　your　best　way；　for　there's　sure　news　come　frae　Loudoun；　that　him　they　ca'　Bang；　or　Byng；　or　what　is't；　has　bang'd　the　French　ships　and　the　new　king　aff　the　coast　however；　sae　ye　had　best　bide　content　wi'　auld　Nanse　for　want　of　a　better　Queen。〃

Ratcliffe；　who　at　this　moment　entered；　confirmed　these　accounts　so　unfavourable　to　the　Jacobite　interest。　　Sir　Frederick；　almost　instantly；　and　without　taking　leave　of　any　one；　left　the　castle；　with　such　of　his　attendants　as　were　able　to　follow　him。

〃And　what　will　you　do；　Mr。　Mareschal？〃　　said　Ratcliffe。

〃Why；　faith；〃　answered　he；　smiling；　〃I　hardly　know；　my　spirit　is　too　great；　and　my　fortune　too　small；　for　me　to　follow　the　example　of　the　doughty　bridegroom。　　It　is　not　in　my　nature；　and　it　is　hardly　worth　my　while。〃

〃Well；　then；　disperse　your　men；　and　remain　quiet；　and　this　will　be　overlooked；　as　there　has　been　no　overt　act。〃

〃Hout；　ay；〃　said　Elliot；　〃just　let　byganes　be　byganes；　and　a'　friends　again；　deil　ane　I　bear　malice　at　but　Westburnflat；　and　I　hae　gien　him　baith　a　het　skin　and　a　cauld　ane。　　I　had