Thus it came about that the Barons5 of Ravenswood, an ancient family who had dwelt for many centuries in the south-east of Scotland amidst the wild hills of Lammermoor, became gradually poor, and lost the power they had enjoyed so long; and the young Lord Edgar, the surviving Master of Ravenswood, found himself forced to struggle against overwhelming difficulties.
The young Edgar, enthusiastic and full of spirit, did not grudge6 the sharing of his country's troubles; but when most of his lands and possessions fell into the hands of the Ashtons, the long hated foes8 of his race, and a less noble family than his own, his heart was indeed filled with bitterness.
By ingratiating themselves with the most powerful party then in office, the Ashtons had gained considerable influence in the southern provinces; and they did not fail to use their power by taunting9 and annoying the family of Ravenswood, whose hatred10 they returned with equal zest11.
But whilst Edgar of Ravenswood still managed to dwell securely in his crumbling12 old castle, though shorn of his wealth, his foes, in their ambitious flights and grasping pride, eventually overreached themselves; and at last, Sir Henry Ashton, on coming into the estates, found himself faced with ruin. He had become entangled13 in a Government conspiracy14; and suspicion having quickly fallen upon him, he knew himself to be in the utmost danger.
In this desperate situation, one person alone could save him from the traitor's awful doom—his fair young sister, Lucy. For Lucy Ashton's exquisite15 beauty and gentle nature had gained her the admiration16 of Sir Arthur Bucklaw, a gay young nobleman, who held high offices, and whose great influence was sufficient to remove the danger which threatened the involved Henry.
This influence Sir Arthur was willing to exert if Lucy's hand were bestowed17 on him in marriage; and as Henry Ashton spoke20 of this matter one day with his henchman, Norman, and his chaplain, Bide-the-Bent, he anxiously sought to allay21 his fears thus.
Bide-the-Bent, who had been Lucy's tutor, and loved her dearly, knowing that she had no affection for Sir Arthur, begged his master not to harass22 the maiden23, since she was still too young to think of such matters; but Norman, the henchman, laughed derisively24 on hearing this, and declared that, so far from being too young to think of love, Lucy already had a devoted25 lover, to whom she granted secret interviews in the grounds.
Henry, angry at hearing such news, demanded further information; and Norman declared that Lucy, when walking one day in the park, having been rescued from the furious attack of a wild bull by a handsome young stranger, had straightway fallen in love with him, and was now in the habit of meeting him frequently.
"And what is the name of this bold stranger who thus dares to woo my sister in secret?" cried Henry, pale with wrath26; and Norman answered: "Edgar of Ravenswood!"
On hearing that Lucy's lover was none other than his own hated foe7, Ravenswood, Henry Ashton became furious, and passionately28 vowed30 vengeance31 on the pair; and, full of angry, uneasy thoughts, he determined32 to hasten the alliance of his sister with Sir Arthur Bucklaw, after which he hoped to soon find means for vanquishing33 the disappointed lover.
Meanwhile, knowing her brother to be engaged with his followers34, Lucy, attended by her maid, Alice, had crept down to the secret trysting-place in the park, to await the coming of her lover, whom she expected that day; for the henchman, Norman, had spoken the truth, and a deep love had indeed sprung up between Edgar of Ravenswood and the fair daughter of his enemies. As the young girl and her attendant drew near to an ancient fountain, around which a legend had grown up to the effect that a dead-and-gone Ravenswood had there slain35 a maiden who loved him, and that her spirit still haunted the spot, Lucy declared that she had herself recently beheld36 this wraith37, which had made strange signs, as though warning her against some unseen danger; and Alice begged her young mistress to no longer continue her secret love passages, since such a solemn warning evidently meant that trouble was in store for her.
But Lucy heeded39 her not; and seeing Edgar approach, she ran to greet him with great joy. Soon, however, when the first happy moments were passed, she noticed that her lover was anxious and somewhat preoccupied40; and on asking the cause, she was quickly filled with sorrow when Edgar announced that in a few hours he would be compelled to leave the country on a secret mission to France, a mission which had been entrusted41 to his care by the political party to which he belonged.
The young man also declared that he would now boldly seek an interview with Sir Henry Ashton, in order to secure his consent to their union; but Lucy, fearing her brother's anger, and knowing well that he would never consent to bestow18 her upon one for whom he bore such intense hatred, begged him to keep their love a precious secret until his return, lest evil should fall upon her during his absence.
Edgar's reply was a passionate27 tirade42 against the man who had so ruthlessly persecuted43 his race and brought ruin upon him; but quickly melted by the tears and entreaties44 of the gentle Lucy, he granted her request, and comforted her with great tenderness.
The lovers now exchanged rings, as their solemn pledge of faithfulness to each other; and with many loving embraces, they at length bade each other farewell, and parted with heavy hearts.
A sad and harassing45 time was now in store for Lucy; for Sir Henry Ashton, beset46 on all sides with dangers and difficulties, was determined to save himself from utter disaster by wedding his lovely sister to Sir Arthur Bucklaw, who alone had the necessary influence to extricate47 him from the compromising political sea of trouble in which he had become immersed.
It was in vain that Lucy refused to agree to the marriage, even summoning courage to declare her plighted48 troth to Edgar of Ravenswood; her brother absolutely declined to consider her wishes in the matter, and ruthlessly resolved to sacrifice her happiness to his own selfish ends. He therefore made all the arrangements for her marriage with Sir Arthur Bucklaw to be carried out; and he proceeded to invite all their relations and friends to attend the ceremony of signing the marriage contract and the wedding of the pair.
Lucy, finding herself helpless in the matter, could only hope that her beloved Edgar would return in time to claim her as his plighted bride, and thus free her from her terrible position; but to her sorrow, she received no replies to the letters she sent to her lover, and was soon plunged in despair. The fact of the matter was that Sir Henry's henchman, Norman, intercepted49 all the letters sent by the absent Edgar, and took them to his master; and, between them, they also concocted50 a forged letter, in which the Master of Ravenswood was made to announce that his affection for Lucy had waned51, and that he had taken another lady to be his wife.
This letter Henry Ashton kept as his last argument; and on the day on which the bridal guests were expected, he had a final interview with his sister, bidding her to be of more cheerful demeanour, since she must sign her marriage contract with Sir Arthur Bucklaw that day.
Again the unhappy girl begged for mercy, declaring that she could not marry Bucklaw since she had plighted herself to Edgar of Ravenswood, and refusing to heed38 her brother when he insisted that a vow29 made without the consent of her guardians52 was not binding53 upon her; and then, still finding her obdurate54, Sir Henry produced the forged letter and bade her read it.
The hapless Lucy, believing the writing to be that of her lover, whom she was thus compelled to acknowledge as faithless, was now plunged into the deepest grief; and her brother, taking advantage of her dazed and helpless condition, besought55 her eagerly to turn her thoughts from such an unworthy object, and to sign the contract of the brilliant marriage which had been arranged for her, declaring that he himself would certainly forfeit56 his life unless she would consent to wed19 Sir Arthur Bucklaw, who alone had the power to save him, and was willing to do so on this one condition.
Lucy, thus basely deceived, felt that life had no further joy for her; and feeling now that it was her duty to save her brother from ruin, she fell into a state of wretched apathy57, and finally consented to the marriage, caring naught58 for what might befall her.
The wedding guests now arrived; and Lucy, quite dull, and heedless of Sir Arthur Bucklaw's eager greeting, at the whispered stern bidding of her brother, signed the marriage contract with a trembling hand.
No sooner had she done the deed, than a cloaked stranger dashed into the room; and, to the surprise and consternation59 of all, the intruder proved to be none other than Edgar of Ravenswood himself, who, having just returned from France, had come to claim his plighted bride.
For answer, Henry Ashton triumphantly60 showed him the signed marriage contract; and Edgar, thus seeing that Lucy had broken her troth, fell into a passion of rage and grief, and, scorning all explanations from the distracted girl, snatched her ring from his finger and returned it to her, passionately demanding his own back again.
Half-dazed with the shock of his sudden appearance, the unhappy Lucy, as in a dream, slowly and almost unwittingly drew the ring from her finger; and Edgar, after passionately trampling62 the love pledge beneath his foot, rushed from the room, uttering wild curses on the family of Ashton.
Hurrying to his crumbling and dismantled63 castle, the unhappy Master of Ravenswood remained plunged in the deepest grief; and here he was some hours later visited by the triumphant61 Henry Ashton, who came to announce that his sister's marriage with Sir Arthur Bucklaw had duly taken place. Passionate words passed between the two men, who had been implacable foes from childhood; and after proudly agreeing to settle their differences by a duel64 next morning, Henry Ashton returned to his mansion65 to join in the wedding festivities.
But woe66 was quickly to succeed to this forced merriment; for, shortly after the bride and bridegroom had been escorted to their chamber67, wild shrieks68 were heard, and the chaplain, Bide-the-Bent, rushed into the presence of the alarmed guests with a fearful story on his lips. Lucy Ashton, tortured and racked with the anxiety and sorrow of the last few weeks, and utterly69 stunned70 and prostrated71 by the final shock of Edgar's return and passionate reproaches, had lost her reason; and in a paroxysm of frenzy72, she had slain her newly-made husband.
Overwhelmed with horror, Henry Ashton and his guests hurried to the scene of this awful tragedy; but though they endeavoured to calm and restore the distraught girl, their efforts were in vain, and Lucy, worn out in body as well as in mind, died a few hours later.
Bide-the-Bent and some other retainers of the family, quickly brought the sad news to Edgar of Ravenswood, who, unable to rest, was passing the night in wretchedness amidst the tombs of his ancestors in a wild and craggy spot; and when the unhappy lover thus heard of his beloved one's tragic73 death, and understood that he had wronged her, since she had been cruelly deceived, his woe was so great that, determined not to live without her, he stabbed himself to the heart, and fell dead at the feet of the horrified74 attendants.
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1
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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holders
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| 支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物 | |
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feuds
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| n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 ) | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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barons
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| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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taunting
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| 嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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13
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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15
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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16
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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17
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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harass
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| vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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24
derisively
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| adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地 | |
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25
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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26
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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27
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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28
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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29
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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30
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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31
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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32
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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33
vanquishing
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| v.征服( vanquish的现在分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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34
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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35
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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36
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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37
wraith
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| n.幽灵；骨瘦如柴的人 | |
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38
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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39
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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41
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
tirade
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| n.冗长的攻击性演说 | |
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43
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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44
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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45
harassing
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| v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人） | |
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46
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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47
extricate
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| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
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48
plighted
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| vt.保证，约定（plight的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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49
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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50
concocted
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| v.将（尤指通常不相配合的）成分混合成某物( concoct的过去式和过去分词 )；调制；编造；捏造 | |
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51
waned
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| v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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52
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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53
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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54
obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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55
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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56
forfeit
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| vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物 | |
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57
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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59
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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60
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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61
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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63
dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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65
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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66
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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68
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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69
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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70
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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71
prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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72
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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