第39章

类别:其他 作者:Sir Walter Scott字数:5011更新时间:18/12/22 09:36:37
Theyhavehithertobehavedverywell,asweareforcedtokeepthemingoodhumour。Butthesesoldiershavehintedasifonyourfallingintotheirhandsyouwouldbeingreatdanger; Icannotprevailonmyselftowritewhatwickedfalsehoodstheysaid,forIamsuretheyarefalsehoods;butyouwillbestjudgewhatyououghttodo。Thepartythatreturnedcarriedoffyourservantprisoner,withyourtwohorses,andeverythingthatyouleftatTully-Veolan。IhopeGodwillprotectyou,andthatyouwillgetsafehometoEngland,whereyouusedtotellmetherewasnomilitaryviolencenorfightingamongclanspermitted,buteverythingwasdoneaccordingtoanequallawthatprotectedallwhowereharmlessandinnocent。Ihopeyouwillexertyourindulgenceastomyboldnessinwritingtoyou,whereitseemstome,thoughperhapserroneously,thatyoursafetyandhonourareconcerned。Iamsure-atleastI think,myfatherwouldapproveofmywriting;forMr。Rubrickisfledtohiscousin’sattheDuchran,tobeoutofdangerfromthesoldiersandtheWhigs,andBailieMacwheebledoesnotliketomeddle(hesays)inothermen’sconcerns,thoughIhopewhatmayservemyfather’sfriendatsuchatimeasthis,cannotbetermedimproperinterference。Farewell,CaptainWaverley!Ishallprobablyneverseeyoumore;foritwouldbeveryimpropertowishyoutocallatTully-Veolanjustnow,evenifthesemenweregone;butIwillalwaysrememberwithgratitudeyourkindnessinassistingsopoorascholarasmyself,andyourattentionstomydear,dearfather。 Iremain,yourobligedservant,RoseComyneBradwardine。’’ P。S-IhopeyouwillsendmealinebyDavidGellatley,justtosayyouhavereceivedthis,andthatyouwilltakecareofyourself;andforgivemeifIentreatyou,foryourownsake,tojoinnoneoftheseunhappycabals,butescape,asfastaspossible,toyourownfortunatecountry。MycomplimentstomydearFlora,andtoGlennaquoich。IsshenotashandsomeandaccomplishedasIhavedescribedher?’’ ThusconcludedtheletterofRoseBradwardine,thecontentsofwhichbothsurprisedandaffectedWaverley。ThattheBaronshouldfallunderthesuspicionsofGovernment,inconsequenceofthepresentstiramongthepartisansofthehouseofStuart,seemedonlythenaturalconsequenceofhispoliticalpredilections;buthow_he_himselfshouldhavebeeninvolvedinsuchsuspicions,consciousthatuntilyesterdayhehadbeenfreefromharbouringathoughtagainsttheprosperityofthereigningfamily,seemedinexplicable。BothatTully-VeolanandGlennaquoich,hishostshadrespectedhisengagementswiththeexistinggovernment,andthoughenoughpassedbyaccidentalinnuendothatmightinducehimtoreckontheBaronandtheChiefamongthosedisaffectedgentlemenwhowerestillnumerousinScotland,yetuntilhisownconnectionwiththearmyhadbeenbrokenoffbytheresumptionofhisCommission,hehadnoreasontosupposethattheynourishedanyimmediateorhostileattemptsagainstthepresentestablishment。StillhewasawarethatunlesshemeantatoncetoembracetheproposalofFergusMac-Ivor,itwoulddeeplyconcernhimtoleavethesuspiciousneighbourhoodwithoutdelay,andrepairwherehisconductmightundergoasatisfactoryexamination。 Uponthishetheratherdetermined,asFlora’sadvicefavouredhisdoingso,andbecausehefeltinexpressiblerepugnanceattheideaofbeingaccessorytotheplagueofcivilwar。WhateverweretheoriginalrightsoftheStuarts,calmreflectiontoldhim,that,omittingthequestionhowfarJamestheSecondcouldforfeitthoseofhisposterity,hehad,accordingtotheunitedvoiceofthewholenation,justlyforfeitedhisown。 Sincethatperiod,fourmonarchshadreignedinpeaceandgloryoverBritain,sustainingandexaltingthecharacterofthenationabroad,anditslibertiesathome。Reasonasked,wasitworthwhiletodisturbagovernmentsolongsettledandestablished,andtoplungeakingdomintoallthemiseriesofcivilwar,forthepurposeofreplacinguponthethronethedescendantsofamonarchbywhomithadbeenwilfullyforfeited? If,ontheotherhand,hisownfinalconvictionofthegoodnessoftheircause,orthecommandsofhisfatheroruncle,shouldrecommendtohimallegiancetotheStuarts,stillitwasnecessarytoclearhisowncharacterbyshowingthathehadnot,asseemedtobefalselyinsinuated,takenanysteptothispurpose,duringhisholdingthecommissionofthereigningmonarch。 TheaffectionatesimplicityofRose,andheranxietyforhissafety-hissensetooofherunprotectedstate,andoftheterrorandactualdangerstowhichshemightbeexposed,madeanimpressionuponhismind,andheinstantlywrotetothankherinthekindesttermsforhersolicitudeonhisaccount,toexpresshisearnestgoodwishesforherwelfareandthatofherfather,andtoassureherofhisownsafety。ThefeelingswhichthistaskexcitedwerespeedilylostinthenecessitywhichhenowsawofbiddingfarewelltoFloraMac-Ivor,perhapsforever。 Thepangattendingthisreflectionwasinexpressible;forherhigh-mindedelevationofcharacter,herself-devotiontothecausewhichshehadembraced,unitedtoherscrupulousrectitudeastothemeansofservingit,hadvindicatedtohisjudgmentthechoiceadoptedbyhispassions。Buttimepressed,calumnywasbusywithhisfame,andeveryhour’sdelayincreasedthepowertoinjureit。Hisdeparturemustbeinstant。 WiththisdeterminationhesoughtoutFergus,andcommunicatedtohimthecontentsofRose’sletter,withhisownresolutioninstantlytogotoEdinburgh,andputintothehandsofsomeoneorotherofthosepersonsofinfluencetowhomhehadlettersfromhisfather,hisexculpationfromanychargemightbepreferredagainsthim。 Yourunyourheadintothelion’smouth,’’answeredMac-Ivor。 YoudonotknowtheseverityofaGovernmentharassedbyjustapprehensions,andaconsciousnessoftheirownillegalityandinsecurity。IshallhavetodeliveryoufromsomedungeoninStirlingorEdinburghCastle。’’ Myinnocence,myrank,myfather’sintimacywithLordM,GeneralG,etc。,willbeasufficientprotection,’’ saidWaverley。 Youwillfindthecontrary,’’repliedtheChieftain;thesegentlemenwillhaveenoughtodoabouttheirownmatters。 Oncemore,willyoutaketheplaid,andstayalittlewhilewithusamongthemistsandthecrows,inthebravestcauseeverswordwasdrawnin?’’<> AHighlandrhymeonGlencairn’sExpedition,in1650,hastheselines- We’llbideawhileamongtacrows,We’llwisketaswordandbendtabowsFormanyreasons,mydearFergus,youmustholdmeexcused。’’ Well,then,’’saidMac-Ivor,Ishallcertainlyfindyouexertingyourpoeticaltalentsinelegiesuponaprison,oryourantiquarianresearchesindetectingtheOggam<>character,orTheOggamisaspeciesoftheoldIrishcharacter。TheideaofthecorrespondencebetwixttheCelticandPunic,foundedonasceneinPlautus,wasnotstartedtillGeneralVallanceysetuphistheory,longafterthedateofFergusMac-Ivor。 somePunichieroglyphicuponthekey-stonesofavault,curiouslyarched。Orwhatsayyouto_unpetitpendementbienjoli?_againstwhichawkwardceremonyIdon’twarrantyou,shouldyoumeetabodyofthearmedwest-countryWhigs。’’ Andwhyshouldtheyusemeso?’’saidWaverley。 Forahundredgoodreasons,’’answeredFergus:First,youareanEnglishman;secondly,agentleman;thirdly,aPrelatistabjured;andfourthly,theyhavenothadanopportunitytoexercisetheirtalentsonsuchasubjectthislongwhile。Butdon’tbecutdown,beloved:allwillbedoneinthefearoftheLord。’’ Well,Imustrunmyhazard。’’ Youaredetermined,then?’’ Iam。’’ Wilfulwilldo’t,’’saidFergus,-butyoucannotgoonfoot,andIshallwantnohorse,asImustmarchonfootattheheadofthechildrenofIvor;youshallhaveBrownDermid。’’ Ifyouwillsellhim,Ishallcertainlybemuchobliged。’’ IfyourproudEnglishheartcannotbeobligedbyagiftorloan,Iwillnotrefusemoneyattheentranceofacampaign; hispriceistwentyguineas。[Remember,reader,itwasSixtyYearssince。]Andwhendoyouproposetodepart?’’ Thesoonerthebetter,’’answeredWaverley。 Youareright,sincegoyoumust,orrather,sincegoyouwill:IwilltakeFlora’spony,andridewithyouasfarasBally-Brough-CallumBeg,seethatourhorsesareready,withaponyforyourself,toattendandcarryMr。Waverley’sbaggageasfaras(namingasmalltown),wherehecanhaveahorseandguidetoEdinburgh。PutonaLowlanddress,Callum,andseeyoukeepyourtongueclose,ifyouwouldnothavemecutitout;Mr。WaverleyridesDermid。’’ThenturningtoEdward,Youwilltakeleaveofmysister?’’ Surely-thatis,ifMissMac-Ivorwillhonourmesofar。’’ Cathleen,letmysisterknowthatMr。Waverleywishestobidherfarewellbeforeheleavesus-ButRoseBradwardine- hersituationmustbethoughtof。Iwishshewerehere。Andwhyshouldshenot?Therearebutfourred-coatsatTully-Veolan,andtheirmusketswouldbeveryusefultous。’’ TothesebrokenremarksEdwardmadenoanswer;hisearindeedreceivedthem,buthissoulwasintentupontheexpectedentranceofFlora。Thedooropened-itwasbutCathleen,withherlady’sexcuse,andwishesforCaptainWaverley’shealthandhappiness。 CHAPTERTWENTY-NINTH。 WAVERLEY’SRECEPTIONINTHELOWLANDSAFTERHISHIGHLANDTOUR。 ItwasnoonwhenthetwofriendsstoodatthetopofthepassofBally-Brough。Imustgonofarther,’’saidFergusMac-Ivor,whoduringthejourneyhadinvainendeavouredtoraisehisfriend’sspirits。Ifmycross-grainedsisterhasanyshareinyourdejection,trustmeshethinkshighlyofyou,thoughherpresentanxietyaboutthepubliccausepreventsherlisteningtoanyothersubject。Confideyourinteresttome;Iwillnotbetrayit,providingyoudonotagainassumethatvilecockade。’’ Nofearofthat,consideringthemannerinwhichithasbeenrecalled。Adieu,Fergus;donotpermityoursistertoforgetme。’’ Andadieu,Waverley;youmaysoonhearofherwithaproudertitle。Gethome,writeletters,andmakefriendsasmanyandasfastasyoucan;therewillspeedilybeunexpectedguestsonthecoastofSuffolk,ormynewsfromFrancehasdeceivedme。’’<> ThesanguineJacobites,duringtheeventfulyears17456,keptupthespiritsoftheirpartybytherumourofdescentsfromFranceonbehalfoftheChevalierSt。George。 Thuspartedthefriends:Fergusreturningbacktohiscastle,whileEdward,followedbyCallumBeg,thelattertransformedfrompointtopointintoaLow-countrygroom,proceededtothelittletownof。 Edwardpacedonunderthepainfulandyetnotaltogetherembitteredfeelingswhichseparationanduncertaintyproduceinthemindofayouthfullover。Iamnotsureiftheladiesunderstandthefullvalueoftheinfluenceofabsence,nordoI thinkitwisetoteachitthem,lest,liketheCleliasandMandanesofyore,theyshouldresumethehumourofsendingtheirloversintobanishment。Distance,intruth,producesinideathesameeffectasinrealperspective。Objectsaresoftenedandrounded,andrendereddoublygraceful;theharsherandmoreordinarypointsofcharacteraremelloweddown,andthosebywhichitisrememberedarethemorestrikingoutlinesthatmarksublimity,grace,orbeauty。Therearemiststoointhementalaswellasthenaturalhorizon,toconcealwhatislesspleasingindistantobjects,andtherearehappylightstostreaminfullgloryuponthosepointswhichcanprofitbybrilliantillumination。