第22章

类别:其他 作者:Sir Walter Scott字数:5147更新时间:18/12/22 09:36:37
althoughIconjecturethefollowingcopytohavebeensomewhatcorrectedbyWaverley,tosuitthetasteofthosewhomightnotrelishpureantiquity:- St。Swithin’sChair。 OnHallow-MassEve,ereyebouneyetorest,Everbewarethatyourcouchbeblessed; Signitwithcross,andsainitwithbead,SingtheAve,andsaytheCreed。 ForonHallow-MassEvetheNight-Hagwillride,Andallhernine-foldsweepingonbyherside,Whetherthewindsinglowlyorloud,Sailingthroughmoonshineorswathedinthecloud。 TheLadyshesatinSt。Swithin’sChair,Thedewofthenighthasdampedherhair: Hercheekwaspale-butresolvedandhighWasthewordofherlipandtheglanceofhereye。 ShemutteredthespellofSwithinbold,Whenhisnakedfoottracedthemidnightwold,WhenhestoppedtheHagassherodethenight,Andbadeherdescend,andherpromiseplight。 HethatdaresitonSt。Swithin’sChair,WhentheNight-Hagwingsthetroubledair,Questionsthree,whenhespeaksthespell,Hemayask,andshemusttell。 TheBaronhasbeenwithKingRoberthisliege,Thesethreelongyearsinbattleandsiege; Newsatetherenoneofhiswealorhiswoe,AndfaintheLadyhisfatewouldknow。 Sheshuddersandstopsasthecharmshespeaks;- Isitthemoodyowlthatshrieks? Orisitthatsound,betwixtlaughterandscream,ThevoiceoftheDemonwhohauntsthestream? Themoanofthewindsunksilentandlow,Andtheroaringtorrentceasedtoflow; Thecalmwasmoredreadfulthanragingstorm,Whenthecoldgreymistbroughttheghastlyform! Iamsorrytodisappointthecompany,especiallyCaptainWaverley,wholistenswithsuchlaudablegravity;itisbutafragment,althoughIthinkthereareotherverses,describingthereturnoftheBaronfromthewars,andhowtheladywasfoundclay-colduponthegrounsillledge。’’ Itisoneofthosefigments,’’observedMr。Bradwardine,withwhichtheearlyhistoryofdistinguishedfamilieswasdeformedinthetimesofsuperstition;asthatofRome,andotherancientnations,hadtheirprodigies,sir,thewhichyoumayreadinancienthistories,orinthelittleworkcompiledbyJuliusObsequens,andinscribedbythelearnedScheffer,theeditor,tohispatron,BenedictusSkytte,BaronofDudershoff。’’ Myfatherhasastrangedefianceofthemarvellous,CaptainWaverley,’’observedRose,andoncestoodfirmwhenawholesynodofPresbyteriandivineswereputtotheroutbyasuddenapparitionofthefoulfiend。’’ Waverleylookedasifdesiroustohearmore。 MustItellmystoryaswellassingmysong?-Well- Onceuponatimetherelivedanoldwoman,calledJanetGellatley,whowassuspectedtobeawitch,ontheinfalliblegroundsthatshewasveryold,veryugly,verypoor,andhadtwosons,oneofwhomwasapoet,andtheotherafool,whichvisitation,alltheneighbourhoodagreed,hadcomeuponherforthesinofwitchcraft。Andshewasimprisonedforaweekinthesteepleoftheparishchurch,andsparinglysuppliedwithfood,andnotpermittedtosleep,untilsheherselfbecameasmuchpersuadedofherbeingawitchasheraccusers;andinthislucidandhappystateofmindwasbroughtforthtomakeacleanbreast,thatis,tomakeopenconfessionofhersorceries,beforealltheWhiggentryandministersinthevicinity,whowerenoconjurorsthemselves。Myfatherwenttoseefairplaybetweenthewitchandtheclergy;forthewitchhadbeenbornonhisestate。AndwhilethewitchwasconfessingthattheEnemyappeared,andmadehisaddressestoherasahandsomeblackman,-which,ifyoucouldhaveseenpooroldblear-eyedJanet,reflectedlittlehonouronApollyon’staste,-andwhiletheauditorslistenedwithastonishedears,andtheclerkrecordedwithatremblinghand,she,allofasudden,changedthelowmumblingtonewithwhichshespokeintoashrillyell,andexclaimed,`Looktoyourselves!looktoyourselves!IseetheEvilOnesittinginthemidstofye。’Thesurprisewasgeneral,andterrorandflightitsimmediateconsequences。Happywerethosewhowerenextthedoor;andmanywerethedisastersthatbefellhats,bands,cuffs,andwigs,beforetheycouldgetoutofthechurch,wheretheylefttheobstinateprelatisttosettlematterswiththewitchandheradmirer,athisownperilorpleasure。’’ _Risusolvunturtabul,_’’saidtheBaron:whentheyrecoveredtheirpanictrepidation,theyweretoomuchashamedtobringanywakeningoftheprocessagainstJanetGellatley。’’<> ThestorylasttoldwassaidtohavehappenedinthesouthofScotland; but_cedantarmatog_-andletthegownhaveitsdues。Itwasanoldclergyman,whohadwisdomandfirmnessenoughtoresistthepanicwhichseizedhisbrethren,whowasthemeansofrescuingapoorinsanecreaturefromthecruelfatewhichwouldotherwisehaveovertakenher。TheaccountsofthetrialsforwitchcraftformoneofthemostdeplorablechaptersinScottishstory。 ThisanecdoteledtoalongdiscussionofAllthoseidlethoughtsandfantasies,Devices,dreams,opinionsunsound,Shows,visions,soothsays,andprophecies,Andallthatfeignedis,asleasings,tales,andlies。 Withsuchconversation,andtheromanticlegendswhichitproduced,closedourhero’ssecondeveninginthehouseofTully-Veolan。 ThenextdayEdwardarosebetimes,andinamorningwalkaroundthehouseanditsvicinity,camesuddenlyuponasmallcourtinfrontofthedog-kennel,wherehisfriendDaviewasemployedabouthisfour-footedcharge。OnequickglanceofhiseyerecognisedWaverley,when,instantlyturninghisback,asifhehadnotobservedhim,hebegantosingpartofanoldballad:- Youngmenwilllovetheemorefairandmorefast_Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_ Oldmen’slovethelongestwilllast,_Andthethrostle-cock’sheadisunderhiswing。_ Theyoungman’swrathislikelightstrawonfire; _Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_ Butlikered-hotsteelistheoldman’sire,_Andthethrostle-cock’sheadisunderhiswing。_ Theyoungmanwillbrawlattheeveningboard; _Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_ Buttheoldmanwilldrawatthedawningthesword,_Andthethrostle-cook’sheadisunderhiswing。_ WaverleycouldnotavoidobservingthatDavielaidsomethinglikeasatiricalemphasisontheselines。Hethereforeapproached,andendeavoured,bysundryqueries,toelicitfromhimwhattheinnuendomightmean;butDaviehadnomindtoexplain,andhadwitenoughtomakehisfollycloakhisknavery。 Edwardcouldcollectnothingfromhim,exceptingthattheLairdofBalmawhapplehadgonehomeyesterdaymorningwi’hisbootsfu’o’bluid。’’Inthegarden,however,hemettheoldbutler,whonolongerattemptedtoconcealthat,havingbeenbredinthenurserylinewithSumackandCo。ofNewcastle,hesometimeswroughtaturnintheflower-borderstoobligetheLairdandMissRose。Byaseriesofqueries,Edwardatlengthdiscovered,withapainfulfeelingofsurpriseandshame,thatBalmawhapple’ssubmissionandapologyhadbeentheconsequenceofarencontrewiththeBaronbeforehisguesthadquittedhispillow,inwhichtheyoungercombatanthadbeendisarmedandwoundedinthesword-arm。 Greatlymortifiedatthisinformation,Edwardsoughtouthisfriendlyhost,andanxiouslyexpostulatedwithhimupontheinjusticehehaddonehiminanticipatinghismeetingwithMr。 Falconer,acircumstancewhich,consideringhisyouthandtheprofessionofarmswhichhehadjustadopted,wascapableofbeingrepresentedmuchtohisprejudice。TheBaronjustifiedhimselfatgreaterlengththanIchoosetorepeat。Heurgedthatthequarrelwascommontothem,andthatBalmawhapplecouldnot,bythecodeofhonour,_vite_givingsatisfactiontoboth,whichhehaddoneinhiscasebyanhonourablemeeting,andinthatofEdwardbysucha_palinode_asrenderedtheuseoftheswordunnecessary,andwhich,beingmadeandaccepted,mustnecessarily_sopite_thewholeaffair。 WiththisexcuseorexplanationWaverleywassilenced,ifnotsatisfied;buthecouldnothelptestifyingsomedispleasureagainsttheBlessedBearwhichhadgivenrisetothequarrel,norrefrainfromhintingthatthesanctifiedepithetwashardlyappropriate。TheBaronobserved,hecouldnotdenythattheBear,thoughallowedbyheraldsasamosthonourableordinary,had,nevertheless,somewhatfierce,churlish,andmoroseinhisdisposition(asmightbereadinArchibaldSimson,pastorofDalkeith’s_HieroglyphicaAnimalium_),andhadthusbeenthetypeofmanyquarrelsanddissensionswhichhadoccurredinthehouseofBradwardine;ofwhich,’’hecontinued,Imightcommemoratemineownunfortunatedissensionwithmythirdcousinbythemother’sside,SirHewHalbert,whowassounthinkingastoderidemyfamilyname,asifithadbeen_quasiBear-warden;_amostunciviljest,sinceitnotonlyinsinuatedthatthefounderofourhouseoccupiedsuchameansituationastobeacustodierofwildbeasts,achargewhich,yemusthaveobserved,isonlyentrustedtotheverybasestplebeians,but,moreover,seemedtoinferthatourcoat-armourhadnotbeenachievedbyhonourableactionsinwar,butbestowedbywayof_paranomasia,_orpunuponourfamilyappellation-asortofbearingwhichtheFrenchcall_armoiresparlantes;_theLatins,_armacantatia;_andyourEnglishauthorities,cantingheraldry;beingindeedaspeciesofemblazoningmorebefittingcanters,gaberlunzies,andsuchlikemendicants,whosegibberishisformeduponplayingupontheword,thanthenoble,honourable,andusefulscienceofheraldry,whichassignsarmorialbearingsastherewardofnobleandgenerousactions,andnottotickletheearwithvainquodlibets,suchasarefoundinjest-books。’’<> Althoughcantingheraldryisgenerallyreprobated,itseemsneverthelesstohavebeenadoptedinthearmsandmottoesofmanyhonourablefamilies。ThusthemottooftheVernons,_Vernonsemperviret,_isaperfectpun,andsoisthatoftheOnslows,_Festinalente。_The_Periissemniperiissem_ oftheAnstruthersisliabletoasimilarobjection。Oneofthatancientrace,findingthatanantagonist,withwhomhehadfixedafriendlymeeting,wasdeterminedtotaketheopportunityofassassinatinghim,preventedthehazardbydashingouthisbrainswithabattle-axe。Twosturdyarmsbrandishingsuchaweaponformtheusualcrestofthefamily,withtheabovemotto-_Periissemniper-iissem_-Ihaddied,unlessIhadgonethroughwithit。 OfhisquarrelwithSirHew,hesaidnothingmorethanthatitwassettledinafittingmanner。 HavingbeensominutewithrespecttothediversionsofTully-Veolan,onthefirstdaysofEdward’sarrival,forthepurposeofintroducingitsinmatestothereader’sacquaintance,itbecomeslessnecessarytotracetheprogressofhisintercoursewiththesameaccuracy。Itisprobablethatayoungmanaccustomedtomorecheerfulsocietywouldhavetiredoftheconversationofsoviolentanassertoroftheboastofheraldry’’ astheBaron;butEdwardfoundanagreeablevarietyinthatofMissBradwardine,wholistenedwitheagernesstohisremarksuponliterature,andshowedgreatjustnessoftasteinheranswers。 Thesweetnessofherdispositionhadmadehersubmitwithcomplacency,andevenpleasure,tothecourseofreadingprescribedbyherfather,althoughitnotonlycomprehendedseveralheavyfoliosofhistory,butcertaingigantictomesinhighchurchpolemics。InheraldryhewasfortunatelycontentedtogiveheronlysuchaslighttinctureasmightbeacquiredbyperusalofthetwofoliovolumesofNisbet。Rosewasindeedtheveryappleofherfather’seye。Herconstantliveliness,herattentiontoallthoselittleobservancesmostgratifyingtothosewhowouldneverthinkofexactingthem,herbeauty,inwhichherecalledthefeaturesofhisbelovedwife,herunfeignedpiety,andthenoblegenerosityofherdisposition,wouldhavejustifiedtheaffectionofthemostdotingfather。