the black dwarf-第9章

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eligious；　betwixt　you　and　Miss　Armstrong。〃

〃Hout　awa'　wi'　your　joking；　Earnscliff；〃　replied　his　companion；　〃　ye　are　angry　aneugh　yoursell　if　ane　touches　you　a　bit；　man；　on　the　sooth　side　of　the　jestNo　that　I　was　asking　the　question　about　Grace；　for　ye　maun　ken　she's　no　my　cousin…germain　out　and　out；　but　the　daughter　of　my　uncle；s　wife　by　her　first　marriage；　so　she's　nae　kith　nor　kin　to　meonly　a　connexion　like。　　But　now　we're　at　the　Sheeling…hillI'll　fire　off　my　gun；　to　let　them　ken　I'm　coming；　that's　aye　my　way；　and　if　I　hae　a　deer　I　gie　them　twa　shots；　ane　for　the　deer　and　ane　for　mysell。〃

He　fired　off　his　piece　accordingly；　and　the　number　of　lights　were　seen　to　traverse　the　house；　and　even　to　gleam　before　it。　　Hobbie　Elliot　pointed　out　one　of　these　to　Earnscliff；　which　seemed　to　glide　from　the　house　towards　some　of　the　outhouses…〃That's　Grace　hersell；〃　said　Hobbie。　　〃She'll　no　meet　me　at　the　door；　I'se　warrant　herbut　she'll　be　awa'；　for　a'　that；　to　see　if　my　hounds'　supper　be　ready；　poor　beasts。〃

〃Love　me；　love　my　dog；〃　answered　Earnscliff。　　〃Ah；　Hobbie；　you　are　a　lucky　young　fellow！〃

This　observation　was　uttered　with　something　like　a　sigh；　which　apparently　did　not　escape　the　ear　of　his　companion。

〃Hout；　other　folk　may　be　as　lucky　as　I　amO　how　I　have　seen　Miss　Isabel　Vere's　head　turn　after　somebody　when　they　passed　ane　another　at　the　Carlisle　races！　　Wha　kens　but　things　may　come　round　in　this　world？〃

Earnscliff　muttered　something　like　an　answer；　but　whether　in　assent　of　the　proposition；　or　rebuking　the　application　of　it；　could　not　easily　be　discovered；　and　it　seems　probable　that　the　speaker　himself　was　willing　his　meaning　should　rest　in　doubt　and　obscurity。　　They　had　now　descended　the　broad　loaning；　which；　winding　round　the　foot　of　the　steep　bank；　or　heugh；　brought　them　in　front　of　the　thatched；　but　comfortable；　farm…house；　which　was　the　dwelling　of　Hobbie　Elliot　and　his　family。

The　doorway　was　thronged　with　joyful　faces；　but　the　appearance　of　a　stranger　blunted　many　a　gibe　which　had　been　prepared　on　Hobbie's　lack　of　success　in　the　deer…stalking。　　There　was　a　little　bustle　among　three　handsome　young　women；　each　endeavouring　to　devolve　upon　another　the　task　of　ushering　the　stranger　into　the　apartment；　while　probably　all　were　anxious　to　escape　for　the　purpose　of　making　some　little　personal　arrangements；　before　presenting　themselves　to　a　young　gentleman　in　a　dishabille　only　intended　for　their　brother。

Hobbie；　in　the　meanwhile；　bestowing　some　hearty　and　general　abuse　upon　them　all　（for　Grace　was　not　of　the　party）；　snatched　the　candle　from　the　hand　of　one　of　the　rustic　coquettes；　as　she　stood　playing　pretty　with　it　in　her　hand；　and　ushered　his　guest　into　the　family　parlour；　or　rather　hall；　for　the　place　having　been　a　house　of　defence　in　former　times；　the　sitting　apartment　was　a　vaulted　and　paved　room；　damp　and　dismal　enough　compared　with　the　lodgings　of　the　yeomanry　of　our　days；　but　which；　when　well　lighted　up　with　a　large　sparkling　fire　of　turf　and　bog…wood；　seemed　to　Earnscliff　a　most　comfortable　exchange　for　the　darkness　and　bleak　blast　of　the　hill。　　Kindly　and　repeatedly　was　he　welcomed　by　the　venerable　old　dame；　the　mistress　of　the　family；　who；　dressed　in　her　coif　and　pinners；　her　close　and　decent　gown　of　homespun　wool；　but　with　a　large　gold　necklace　and　ear…rings；　looked；　what　she　really　was；　the　lady　as　well　as　the　farmer's　wife；　while；　seated　in　her　chair　of　wicker；　by　the　corner　of　the　great　chimney；　she　directed　the　evening　occupations　of　the　young　women；　and　of　two　or　three　stout　serving　wenches；　who　sate　plying　their　distaffs　behind　the　backs　of　their　young　mistresses。

As　soon　as　Earnscliff　had　been　duly　welcomed；　and　hasty　orders　issued　for　some　addition　to　the　evening　meal；　his　grand…dame　and　sisters　opened　their　battery　upon　Hobbie　Elliot　for　his　lack　of　success　against　the　deer。

〃Jenny　needna　have　kept　up　her　kitchen…fire　for　a'　that　Hobbie　has　brought　hame；〃　said　one　sister。

〃Troth　no；　lass；〃　said　another；　〃the　gathering　peat；　if　it　was　weel　blawn；　wad　dress　a'　our　Hobbie's　venison。〃　＇The　gathering　peat　is　the　piece　of　turf　left　to　treasure　up　the　secret　seeds　of　fire；　without　any　generous　consumption　of　fuel；　in　a　word；　to　keep　the　fire　alive。＇

〃Ay；　or　the　low　of　the　candle；　if　the　wind　wad　let　it　hide　steady；〃　said　a　third；　〃if　I　were　him；　I　would　bring　hame　a　black　craw；　rather　than　come　back　three　times　without　a　buck's　horn　to　blaw　on。〃

Hobbie　turned　from　the　one　to　the　other；　regarding　them　alternately　with　a　frown　on　his　brow；　the　augury　of　which　was　confuted　by　the　good…humoured　laugh　on　the　lower　part　of　his　countenance。　　He　then　strove　to　propitiate　them；　by　mentioning　the　intended　present　of　his　companion。

〃In　my　young　days；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃a　man　wad　hae　been　ashamed　to　come　back　frae　the　hill　without　a　buck　hanging　on　each　side　o'　his　horse；　like　a　cadger　carrying　calves。〃

〃I　wish　they　had　left　some　for　us　then；　grannie；〃　retorted　Hobbie；　〃they've　cleared　the　country　o'　them；　thae　auld　friends　o'　yours；　I'm　thinking。〃

〃We　see　other　folk　can　find　game；　though　you　cannot；　Hobbie；〃　said　the　eldest　sister；　glancing　a　look　at　young　Earnscliff。

〃Weel；　weel；　woman；　hasna　every　dog　his　day；　begging　Earnscliff's　pardon　for　the　auld　sayingMayna　I　hae　his　luck；　and　he　mine；　another　time？It's　a　braw　thing　for　a　man　to　be　out　a'　day；　and　frightedna；　I　winna　say　that　neither　but　mistrysted　wi'　bogles　in　the　hame…coming；　an'　then　to　hae　to　flyte　wi'　a　wheen　women　that　hae　been　doing　naething　a'　the　live…lang　day；　but　whirling　a　bit　stick；　wi'　a　thread　trailing　at　it；　or　boring　at　a　clout。〃

〃Frighted　wi'　bogles！〃　　exclaimed　the　females；　one　and　all；for　great　was　the　regard　then　paid；　and　perhaps　still　paid；　in　these　glens；　to　all　such　fantasies。

〃I　did　not　say　frighted；　nowI　only　said　mis…set　wi'　the　thing　And　there　was　but　ae　bogle；　neitherEarnscliff；　ye　saw　it；　as　weel　as　I　did？〃

And　he　proceeded；　without　very　much　exaggeration；　to　detail；　in　his　own　way；　the　meeting　they　had　with　the　mysterious　being　at　Mucklestane…Moor；　concluding；　he　could　not　conjecture　what　on　earth　it　could　be；　unless　it　was　either　the　Enemy　himsell；　or　some　of　the　auld　Peghts　that　held　the　country　lang　syne。

〃Auld　Peght！〃　　exclaimed　the　grand…dame；　〃na；　nabless　thee　frae　scathe；　my　bairn；　it's　been　nae　Peght　thatit's　been　the　Brown　Man　of　the　Moors！　　O　weary　fa'　thae　evil　days！what　can　evil　beings　be　coming　for　to　distract　a　poor　country；　now　it's　peacefully　settled；　and　living　in　love　and　lawO　weary　on　him！　he　ne'er　brought　gude　to　these　lands　or　the　indwellers。　　My　father　aften　tauld　me　he　was　seen　in　the　year　o'　the　bloody　fight　at　Marston…Moor；　and　then　again　in　Montrose's　troubles；　and　again　before　the　rout　o'　Dunbar；　and；　in　my　ain　time；　he　was　seen　about　the　time　o'　Bothwell…Brigg；　and　they　said　the　second…sighted　Laird　of　Benarbuck　had　a　communing　wi'　him　some　time　afore　Argyle's　landing；　but　that　I　cannot　speak　to　sae　preceeselyit　was　far　in　the　west。O；　bairns；　he's　never　permitted　but　in　an　ill　time；　sae　mind　ilka　ane　o'　ye　to　draw　to　Him　that　can　help　in　the　day　of　trouble。〃

Earnscliff　now　interposed；　and　expressed　his　firm　conviction　that　the　person　they　had　seen　was　some　poor　maniac；　and　had　no　commission　from　the　invisible　world　to　announce　either　war　or　evil。　　But　his　opinion　found　a　very　cold　audience；　and　all　joined　to　deprecate　his　purpose　of　returning　to　the　spot　the　next　day。

〃O；　my　bonny　bairn；〃　said　the　old　dame　（for；　in　the　kindness　of　her　heart；　she　extended　her　parental　style　to　all　in　whom　she　was　interested）…〃You　should　beware　mair　than　other　folkthere's　been　a　heavy　breach　made　in　your　house　wi'　your　father's　bloodshed；　and　wi'　law…pleas；　and　losses　sinsyne；and　you　are　the　flower　of　the　flock；　and　the　lad　that　will　build　up　the　auld　bigging　again　（if　it　be　His　will）　to　be　an　honour　to　the　country；　and　a　safeguard　to　those　that　dwell　in　ityou；　before　others；　are　called　upon　to　put　yoursell　in　no　rash　adventuresfor　yours　was　aye　ower　venturesome　a　race；　and　muckle　harm　they　have　got　by　it。〃

〃But　I　am　sure；　my　good　friend；　you　would　not　have　me　be　afraid　of　going　to　an　open　moor　in　broad　daylight？〃

〃I　dinna　ken；〃　said　the　good　old　dame；　〃I　wad　ne