the poor clare-第1章

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　The　Poor　Clare


by　Elizabeth　Gaskell






CHAPTER　I。



December　12th；　1747。My　life　has　been　strangely　bound　up　with　extraordinary　incidents；　some　of　which　occurred　before　I　had　any　connection　with　the　principal　actors　in　them；　or　indeed；　before　I　even　knew　of　their　existence。　　I　suppose；　most　old　men　are；　like　me；　more　given　to　looking　back　upon　their　own　career　with　a　kind　of　fond　interest　and　affectionate　remembrance；　than　to　watching　the　events　though　these　may　have　far　more　interest　for　the　multitude　immediately　passing　before　their　eyes。　　If　this　should　be　the　case　with　the　generality　of　old　people；　how　much　more　so　with　me！　。　。　。　If　I　am　to　enter　upon　that　strange　story　connected　with　poor　Lucy；　I　must　begin　a　long　way　back。　　I　myself　only　came　to　the　knowledge　of　her　family　history　after　I　knew　her；　but；　to　make　the　tale　clear　to　any　one　else；　I　must　arrange　events　in　the　order　in　which　they　occurrednot　that　in　which　I　became　acquainted　with　them。

There　is　a　great　old　hall　in　the　north…east　of　Lancashire；　in　a　part　they　called　the　Trough　of　Bolland；　adjoining　that　other　district　named　Craven。　　Starkey　Manor…house　is　rather　like　a　number　of　rooms　clustered　round　a　gray；　massive；　old　keep　than　a　regularly…built　hall。　　Indeed；　I　suppose　that　the　house　only　consisted　of　a　great　tower　in　the　centre；　in　the　days　when　the　Scots　made　their　raids　terrible　as　far　south　as　this；　and　that　after　the　Stuarts　came　in；　and　there　was　a　little　more　security　of　property　in　those　parts；　the　Starkeys　of　that　time　added　the　lower　building；　which　runs；　two　stories　high；　all　round　the　base　of　the　keep。　　There　has　been　a　grand　garden　laid　out　in　my　days；　on　the　southern　slope　near　the　house；　but　when　I　first　knew　the　place；　the　kitchen…garden　at　the　farm　was　the　only　piece　of　cultivated　ground　belonging　to　it。　　The　deer　used　to　come　within　sight　of　the　drawing…room　windows；　and　might　have　browsed　quite　close　up　to　the　house　if　they　had　not　been　too　wild　and　shy。　Starkey　Manor…house　itself　stood　on　a　projection　or　peninsula　of　high　land；　jutting　out　from　the　abrupt　hills　that　form　the　sides　of　the　Trough　of　Bolland。　　These　hills　were　rocky　and　bleak　enough　towards　their　summit；　lower　down　they　were　clothed　with　tangled　copsewood　and　green　depths　of　fern；　out　of　which　a　gray　giant　of　an　ancient　forest…　tree　would　tower　here　and　there；　throwing　up　its　ghastly　white　branches；　as　if　in　imprecation；　to　the　sky。　　These　trees；　they　told　me；　were　the　remnants　of　that　forest　which　existed　in　the　days　of　the　Heptarchy；　and　were　even　then　noted　as　landmarks。　　No　wonder　that　their　upper　and　more　exposed　branches　were　leafless；　and　that　the　dead　bark　had　peeled　away；　from　sapless　old　age。

Not　far　from　the　house　there　were　a　few　cottages；　apparently；　of　the　same　date　as　the　keep；　probably　built　for　some　retainers　of　the　family；　who　sought　shelterthey　and　their　families　and　their　small　flocks　and　herdsat　the　hands　of　their　feudal　lord。　　Some　of　them　had　pretty　much　fallen　to　decay。　　They　were　built　in　a　strange　fashion。　　Strong　beams　had　been　sunk　firm　in　the　ground　at　the　requisite　distance；　and　their　other　ends　had　been　fastened　together；　two　and　two；　so　as　to　form　the　shape　of　one　of　those　rounded　waggon…　headed　gipsy…tents；　only　very　much　larger。　　The　spaces　between　were　filled　with　mud；　stones；　osiers；　rubbish；　mortaranything　to　keep　out　the　weather。　　The　fires　were　made　in　the　centre　of　these　rude　dwellings；　a　hole　in　the　roof　forming　the　only　chimney。　　No　Highland　hut　or　Irish　cabin　could　be　of　rougher　construction。

The　owner　of　this　property；　at　the　beginning　of　the　present　century；　was　a　Mr。　Patrick　Byrne　Starkey。　　His　family　had　kept　to　the　old　faith；　and　were　stanch　Roman　Catholics；　esteeming　it　even　a　sin　to　marry　any　one　of　Protestant　descent；　however　willing　he　or　she　might　have　been　to　embrace　the　Romish　religion。　　Mr。　Patrick　Starkey's　father　had　been　a　follower　of　James　the　Second；　and；　during　the　disastrous　Irish　campaign　of　that　monarch　he　had　fallen　in　love　with　an　Irish　beauty；　a　Miss　Byrne；　as　zealous　for　her　religion　and　for　the　Stuarts　as　himself。　　He　had　returned　to　Ireland　after　his　escape　to　France；　and　married　her；　bearing　her　back　to　the　court　at　St。　Germains。　　But　some　licence　on　the　part　of　the　disorderly　gentlemen　who　surrounded　King　James　in　his　exile；　had　insulted　his　beautiful　wife；　and　disgusted　him；　so　he　removed　from　St。　Germains　to　Antwerp；　whence；　in　a　few　years'　time；　he　quietly　returned　to　Starkey　Manor…　housesome　of　his　Lancashire　neighbours　having　lent　their　good　offices　to　reconcile　him　to　the　powers　that　were。　　He　was　as　firm　a　Catholic　as　ever；　and　as　stanch　an　advocate　for　the　Stuarts　and　the　divine　rights　of　kings；　but　his　religion　almost　amounted　to　asceticism；　and　the　conduct　of　these　with　whom　he　had　been　brought　in　such　close　contact　at　St。　Germains　would　little　bear　the　inspection　of　a　stern　moralist。　　So　he　gave　his　allegiance　where　he　could　not　give　his　esteem；　and　learned　to　respect　sincerely　the　upright　and　moral　character　of　one　whom　he　yet　regarded　as　an　usurper。　　King　William's　government　had　little　need　to　fear　such　a　one。　　So　he　returned；　as　I　have　said；　with　a　sobered　heart　and　impoverished　fortunes；　to　his　ancestral　house；　which　had　fallen　sadly　to　ruin　while　the　owner　had　been　a　courtier；　a　soldier；　and　an　exile。　　The　roads　into　the　Trough　of　Bolland　were　little　more　than　cart…ruts；　indeed；　the　way　up　to　the　house　lay　along　a　ploughed　field　before　you　came　to　the　deer…park。　　Madam；　as　the　country…folk　used　to　call　Mrs。　Starkey；　rode　on　a　pillion　behind　her　husband；　holding　on　to　him　with　a　light　hand　by　his　leather　riding…belt。　　Little　master　（he　that　was　afterwards　Squire　Patrick　Byrne　Starkey）　was　held　on　to　his　pony　by　a　serving…man。　　A　woman　past　middle　age　walked；　with　a　firm　and　strong　step；　by　the　cart　that　held　much　of　the　baggage；　and　high　up　on　the　mails　and　boxes；　sat　a　girl　of　dazzling　beauty；　perched　lightly　on　the　topmost　trunk；　and　swaying　herself　fearlessly　to　and　fro；　as　the　cart　rocked　and　shook　in　the　heavy　roads　of　late　autumn。　　The　girl　wore　the　Antwerp　faille；　or　black　Spanish　mantle　over　her　head；　and　altogether　her　appearance　was　such　that　the　old　cottager；　who　described　the　possession　to　me　many　years　after；　said　that　all　the　country…folk　took　her　for　a　foreigner。　　Some　dogs；　and　the　boy　who　held　them　in　charge；　made　up　the　company。　　They　rode　silently　along；　looking　with　grave；　serious　eyes　at　the　people；　who　came　out　of　the　scattered　cottages　to　bow　or　curtsy　to　the　real　Squire；　〃come　back　at　last；〃　and　gazed　after　the　little　procession　with　gaping　wonder；　not　deadened　by　the　sound　of　the　foreign　language　in　which　the　few　necessary　words　that　passed　among　them　were　spoken。　　One　lad；　called　from　his　staring　by　the　Squire　to　come　and　help　about　the　cart；　accompanied　them　to　the　Manor…house。　　He　said　that　when　the　lady　had　descended　from　her　pillion；　the　middle…aged　woman　whom　I　have　described　as　walking　while　the　others　rode；　stepped　quickly　forward；　and　taking　Madam　Starkey　（who　was　of　a　slight　and　delicate　figure）　in　her　arms；　she　lifted　her　over　the　threshold；　and　set　her　down　in　her　husband's　house；　at　the　same　time　uttering　a　passionate　and　outlandish　blessing。　　The　Squire　stood　by；　smiling　gravely　at　first；　but　when　the　words　of　blessing　were　pronounced；　he　took　off　his　fine　feathered　hat；　and　bent　his　head。　　The　girl　with　the　black　mantle　stepped　onward　into　the　shadow　of　the　dark　hall；　and　kissed　the　lady's　hand；　and　that　was　all　the　lad　could　tell　to　the　group　that　gathered　round　him　on　his　return；　eager　to　hear　everything；　and　to　know　how　much　the　Squire　had　given　him　for　his　services。

From　all　I　could　gather；　the　Manor…house；　at　the　time　of　the　Squire's　return；　was　in　the　most　dilapidated　state。　　The　stout　gray　walls　remained　firm　and　entire；　but　the　inner　chambers　had　been　used　for　all　kinds　of　purposes。　　The　great　withdrawing…room　had　been　a　barn；　the　state　tapestry…chamber　had　held　wool；　and　so　on。　　But；　by…and…by；　they　were　cleared　out；　and　if　the　Squire　had　no　money　to　spend　on　new　furniture；　he　and　his　wife　had　the　knack　of　making　the　best　of　the　old。　　He　was　no　despicable　joiner；　she　had　a　kind　of　grace　in　whatever　she　did；　a