第53章

类别:其他 作者:Sir Walter Scott字数:5086更新时间:18/12/22 09:36:37
Hout!hout!Mrs。Flockhart,’’repliedtheensign,we’reyoungblude,yeken;andyoungsaints,aulddeils。’’ Butwillyefightwi’SirJohnCopethemorn,EnsignMaccombich?’’demandedMrs。Flockhartofherguest。 TrothI’seensurehim,an’he’llbideus,Mrs。Flockhart,’’ repliedtheGael。 Andwillyefacethaetearingchields,thedragoons,EnsignMaccombich?’’againinquiredthelandlady。 ClawforclawasConansaidtoSatan,Mrs。Flockhart,andthedeeviltaktheshortestnails。’’ Andwillthecolonelventureonthebagganetshimself?’’ Yemayswearit,Mrs。Flockhart;theveryfirstmanwillhebe,bySaintPhedar。’’ Mercifulgoodness!andifhe’skilledamangthered-coats!’’ exclaimedthesoftheartedwidow。 Troth,ifitshouldsaebefall,Mrs。Flockhart,Ikenanethatwillnobelivingtoweepforhim。Butwemauna’livetheday,andhaveourdinner;andthere’sVichIanVohrhaspackedhis_dorlach,_andMr。Waverley’sweariedwi’majoringyonderaforethemucklepier-glass;andthatgreyauldstoorcarle,theBarono’Bradwardine,thatshotyoungRonaldofBallenkeiroch,he’scomingdowntheclosewi’thatdroghlingcoghlingbailiebodytheyca’Macwhupple,justliketheLairdo’Kittlegab’sFrenchcook,wi’histurnspitdoggietrindlingahinthim,andIamashungryasagled,mybonniedow;saebidKatesetonthebroo’,anddoyeputonyourpinners,foryekenVichIanVohrwinnasitdowntillyebeattheheado’ thetable;-anddinnaforgetthepintbottleo’brandy,mywoman。’’ Thishintproduceddinner。Mrs。Flockhart,smilinginherweedslikethesunthroughamist,tooktheheadofthetable,thinkingwithinherself,perhaps,thatshecarednothowlongtherebellionlasted,thatbroughtherintocompany,somuchaboveherusualassociates。ShewassupportedbyWaverleyandtheBaron,withtheadvantageoftheChieftain_vis--vis。_ Themenofpeaceandofwar,thatis,BailieMacwheebleandEnsignMaccombich,aftermanyprofoundcongstotheirsuperiorsandeachother,tooktheirplacesoneachsideoftheChieftain。Theirfarewasexcellent,time,place,andcircumstancesconsidered,andFergus’sspiritswereextravagantlyhigh。 Regardlessofdanger,andsanguinefromtemper,youth,andambition,hesawinimaginationallhisprospectscrownedwithsuccess,andwastotallyindifferenttotheprobablealternativeofasoldier’sgrave。TheBaronapologisedslightlyforbringingMacwheeble。Theyhadbeenproviding,hesaid,fortheexpensesofthecampaign。And,bymyfaith,’’saidtheoldman,asIthinkthiswillbemylast,soIjustendwhereI began-Ihaeevermorefoundthesinewsofwar,asalearnedauthorcallsthe_caissemilitaire,_mairdifficulttocomebythaneitheritsflesh,blood,orbones。’’ What!haveyouraisedouronlyefficientbodyofcavalry,andgotyenoneofthelouis-d’oroutoftheDoutelle,<>tohelpThe_Doutelle_wasanarmedvessel,whichbroughtasmallsupplyofmoneyandarmsfromFrancefortheuseoftheinsurgents。 you?’’ No,Glennaquoich;clevererfellowshavebeenbeforeme。’’ That’sascandal,’’saidtheyoungHighlander;butyouwillsharewhatisleftofmysubsidy:itwillsaveyouananxiousthoughtto-night,andwillbealloneto-morrow,forweshallallbeprovidedfor,onewayorother,beforethesunsets。’’Waverley,blushingdeeply,butwithgreatearnestness,pressedthesamerequest。 Ithankyebaith,mygoodlads,’’saidtheBaron,butI willnotinfringeuponyourpeculium。BailieMacwheeblehasprovidedthesumwhichisnecessary。’’ HeretheBailieshiftedandfidgetedaboutinhisseat,andappearedextremelyuneasy。Atlength,afterseveralpreliminaryhems,andmuchtautologicalexpressionofhisdevotiontohishonour’sservice,bynightorday,livingordead,hebegantoinsinuate,thattheBankshadremoveda’theirreadycashintotheCastle;that,naedoubt,SandieGoldie,thesilversmith,woulddomickleforhishonour;buttherewaslittletimetogetthewadsetmadeout;and,doubtless,ifhishonourGlennaquoich,orMr。Wauverley,couldaccommodate’’- Letmehearofnosuchnonsense,sir,’’saidtheBaron,inatonewhichrenderedMacwheeblemute,butproceedasweaccordedbeforedinner,ifitbeyourwishtoremaininmyservice。’’ TothisperemptoryordertheBailie,thoughhefeltasifcondemnedtosufferatransfusionofbloodfromhisownveinsintothoseoftheBaron,didnotpresumetomakeanyreply。 Afterfidgetingalittlewhilelonger,however,headdressedhimselftoGlennaquoich,andtoldhim,ifhishonourhadmairreadysillerthanwassufficientforhisoccasionsinthefield,hecouldputitoutatuseforhishonourinsafehands,andatgreatprofit,atthistime。 AtthisproposalFerguslaughedheartily,andanswered,whenhehadrecoveredhisbreath,-Manythanks,Bailie;butyoumustknowitisageneralcustomamongussoldierstomakeourlandladyourbanker-Here,Mrs。Flockhart,’’saidhe,takingfourorfivebroadpiecesoutofawell-filledpurse,andtossingthepurseitself,withitsremainingcontents,intoherapron,thesewillservemyoccasions;doyoutaketherest: bemybankerifIlive,andmyexecutorifIdie;buttakecaretogivesomethingtotheHighlandcailliachs<>thatshallcrytheOldwomen,onwhomdevolvedthedutyoflamentingforthedead,whichtheIrishcall_keening。_ coronachloudestforthelastVichIanVohr。’’ Itisthe_testamentummilitare,_’’quoththeBaron,whilk,amangtheRomans,wasprivilegiatetobenuncupative。’’ButthesoftheartofMrs。FlockhartwasmeltedwithinherattheChieftain’sspeech;shesetupalamentableblubbering,andpositivelyrefusedtotouchthebequest,whichFerguswasthereforeobligedtoresume。 Wellthen,’’saidtheChief,ifIfall,itwillgotothegrenadierthatknocksmybrainsout,andIshalltakecareheworkshardforit。’’ BailieMacwheeblewasagaintemptedtoputinhisoar;forwherecashwasconcerned,hedidnotwillinglyremainsilent。 PerhapshehadbettercarrythegowdtoMissMac-Ivor,incaseofmortality,oraccidents,ofwar。Itmighttaktheformofa_mortiscausa_donationintheyoungleddie’sfavour,andwadcostbutthescrapeofapentomakitout。’’ Theyounglady,’’saidFergus,shouldsuchaneventhappen,willhaveothermatterstothinkofthanthesewretchedlouis-d’or。’’ True-undeniable,-there’snaedoubto’that;butyourhonourkens,thatafullsorrow’’ Isendurablebymostfolkmoreeasilythanahungryone?- True,Bailie,verytrue;andIbelievetheremayevenbesomewhowouldbeconsoledbysuchareflectionforthelossofthewholeexistinggeneration。Butthereisasorrowwhichknowsneitherhungernorthirst;andpoorFlora’’-Hepaused,andthewholecompanysympathizedinhisemotion。 TheBaron’sthoughtsnaturallyrevertedtotheunprotectedstateofhisdaughter,andthebigtearcametotheveteran’seye。IfIfall,Macwheeble;youhaveallmypapers,andknowallmyaffairs;bejusttoRose。’’ TheBailiewasamanofearthlymouldafterall;agooddealofdirtanddrossabouthim,undoubtedly,butsomekindlyandjustfeelingshehad,especiallywheretheBaronorhisyoungmistresswereconcerned。Hesetupalamentablehowl。Ifthatdolefuldayshouldcome,whileDuncanMacwheeblehadaboddle,itshouldbeMissRose’s。Hewaldscrollforaplackthesheet,orshekenn’dwhatitwastowant;ifindeeda’thebonniebaronieo’BradwardineandTully-Veolan,withthefortaliceandmanor-placethereof(hekeptsobbingandwhiningateverypause),tofts,crofts,mosses,muirs-outfield,infield- buildings-orchards-dovecots-withtherightofnetandcobleinthewaterandlochofVeolan-teinds,parsonageandvicarage-annexis,connexis-rightsofpasturage-fuel,feal,anddivot-parts,pendicles,andpertinentswhatsoever-(herehehadrecoursetotheendofhislongcravattowipehiseyes,whichoverflowedinspiteofhim,attheideaswhichthistechnicaljargonconjuredup)-allasmorefullydescribedintheproperevidentsandtitlesthereof-andlyingwithintheparishofBradwardine,andtheshireofPerth-if,asaforesaid,theymusta’passfrommymaster’schildtoInch-Grabbit,wha’saWhigandaHanoverian,andbemanagedbyhisdoer,JamieHowie,wha’snofittobeabirlieman,letbeabailie’’- Thebeginningofthislamentationreallyhadsomethingaffecting,buttheconclusionrenderedlaughterirresistible。 Nevermind,Bailie,’’saidEnsignMaccombich,forthegudeauldtimesofruggingandriving(pullingandtearing)arecomebackagain,an’SneckusMac-Snackus(meaning,probably,annexis,connexis),anda’therestofyourfriends,maungieplacetothelangestclaymore。’’ Andthatclaymoreshallbeours,Bailie,’’saidtheChieftain,whosawthatMacwheeblelookedveryblankatthisintimation。 We’llgivethemthemetalourmountainaffords,Lillibulerobullenala,Andinplaceofbroad-pieceswe’llpaywithbroadswords,Lero,lero,etc。 Withdunsandwithdebtswewillsoonclearourscore,Lillibulero,etc。 Forthemanthat’sthuspaidwillcravepaymentnomore,Lero,lero,etc。<> Theselines,orsomethinglikethem,occurinanoldMagazineoftheperiod。 Butcome,Bailie,benotcastdown;drinkyourwinewithajoyousheart;theBaronshallreturnsafeandvictorioustoTully-Veolan,anduniteKillancureit’slairdshipwithhisown,sincethecowardlyhalf-bredswinewillnotturnoutforthePrincelikeagentleman。’’ Tobesure,theyliemaistewest,’’<>saidtheBailie,wiping_i。e。,_Contiguous。 hiseyes,andshouldnaturallyfa’underthesamefactory。’’ AndI,’’proceededtheChieftain,shalltakecareofmyself,too;foryoumustknow,Ihavetocompleteagoodworkhere,bybringingMrs。FlockhartintothebosomoftheCatholicchurch,oratleasthalfway,andthatistoyourEpiscopalmeeting-house。OBaron!ifyouheardherfinecounter-tenoradmonishingKateandMattyinthemorning,you,whounderstandmusic,wouldtrembleattheideaofhearinghershriekinthepsalmodyofHaddo’sHole。’’ Lordforgieyou,colonel,howyerinon!ButIhopeyourhonourswilltakteabeforeyegangtothepalace,andImaungang,andmaskitforyou。’’ Sosaying,Mrs。Flockhartleftthegentlementotheirownconversation,which,asmightbesupposed,turnedchieflyupontheapproachingeventsofthecampaign。 EnsignMaccombichhavinggonetotheHighlandcampuponduty,andBailieMacwheeblehavingretiredtodigesthisdinnerandEvanDhu’sintimationofmartiallawinsomeblindchange-house,Waverley,withtheBaronandtheChieftain,proceededtoHolyroodHouse。Thetwolastwereinfulltideofspirits,andtheBaronralliedinhiswayourherouponthehandsomefigurewhichhisnewdressdisplayedtoadvantage。IfyouhaveanydesignupontheheartofabonnyScotchlassie,I wouldpremonishyouwhenyouaddressher,torememberandquotethewordsofVirgilius:- NuncinsanusamordurimeMartisinarmis,Telaintermediaatqueadversosdetinethostes; whilkversesRobertsonofStruan,ChiefoftheClanDonnochy(unlesstheclaimsofLudeoughttobepreferredprimoloco),hasthuselegantlyrendered:- Forcruellovehasgartan’dlowmyleg,Andcladmyhurdiesinaphilabeg。 Although,indeed,yewearthetrews,agarmentwhilkIapprovemaistofthetwa,asmairancientandseemly。’’ Orrather,’’saidFergus,hearmysong: ShewadnahaeaLowlandlaird,NorbeanEnglishlady; Butshe’sawaywithDuncanGraeme,Andhe’srowedherinhisplaidy。’’ BythistimetheyreachedthepalaceofHolyrood,andwereannouncedrespectivelyastheyenteredtheapartments。