As, to the Autumn breeze’s bugle1 sound,
Various and vague the dry leaves dance their round;
Or, from the garner-door, on ether borne,
The chaff2 flies devious3 from the winnow’d corn;
So vague, so devious, at the breath of heaven,
From their fix’d aim are mortal counsels driv’n.
WE left Caleb Balderstone in the extremity5 of triumph at the success of his various achievements for the honour of the house of Ravenswood. When he had mustered6 and marshalled his dishes of divers7 kinds, a more royal provision had not been seen in Wolf’s Crag since the funeral feast of its deceased lord. Great was the glory of the serving-man, as he “decored” the old oaken table with a clean cloth, and arranged upon it carbonaded venison and roasted wild-fowl, with a glance, every now and then, as if to upbraid9 the incredulity of his master and his guests; and with many a story, more or less true, was Lockhard that evening regaled concerning the ancient grandeur10 of Wolf’s Crag, and the sway of its barons11 over the country in their neighbourhood.
“A vassal12 scarce held a calf13 or a lamb his ain, till he had first asked if the Lord of Ravenswood was pleased to accept it; and they were obliged to ask the lord’s consent before they married in these days, and mony a merry tale they tell about that right as weel as others. And although,” said Caleb, “these times are not like the gude auld14 times, when authority had its right, yet true it is, Mr. Lockhard, and you yoursell may partly have remarked, that we of the house of Ravenswood do our endeavour in keeping up, by all just and lawful15 exertion16 of our baronial authority, that due and fitting connexion betwixt superior and vassal, whilk is in some danger of falling into desuetude17, owing to the general license18 and misrule of these present unhappy times.”
“Umph!” said Mr. Lockhard; “and if I may inquire, Mr. Balderstone, pray do you find your people at the village yonder amenable19? for I must needs say, that at Ravenswood Castle, now pertaining20 to my master the Lord Keeper, ye have not left behind ye the most compliant21 set of tenantry.”
“Ah! but Mr. Lockhard,” replied Caleb, “ye must consider there has been a change of hands, and the auld lord might expect twa turns frae them, when the new-comer canna get ane. A dour22 and fractious set they were, thae tenants23 of Ravenswood, and ill to live wi’ when they dinna ken8 their master; and if your master put them mad ance, the whole country will not put them down.”
“Troth,” said Mr. Lockhard, “an such be the case, I think the wisest thing for us a’ wad be to hammer up a match between your young lord and our winsome24 young leddy up-bye there; and Sir William might just stitch your auld barony to her gown-sleeve, and he wad sune cuitle another out o’ somebody else, sic a lang head as he has.”
Caleb shook his head. “I wish,” he said —“I wish that may answer, Mr. Lockhard. There are auld prophecies about this house I wad like ill to see fulfilled wi’ my auld een, that has seen evil eneugh already.”
“Pshaw! never mind freits,” said his brother butler; “if the young folk liked ane anither, they wad make a winsome couple. But, to say truth, there is a leddy sits in our hall-neuk, maun have her hand in that as weel as in every other job. But there’s no harm in drinking to their healths, and I will fill Mrs. Mysie a cup of Mr. Girder’s canary.”
While they thus enjoyed themselves in the kitchen, the company in the hall were not less pleasantly engaged. So soon as Ravenswood had determined25 upon giving the Lord Keeper such hospitality as he had to offer, he deemed it incumbent26 on him to assume the open and courteous27 brow of a well-pleased host. It has been often remarked, that when a man commences by acting28 a character, he frequently ends by adopting it in good earnest. In the course of an hour or two, Ravenswood, to his own surprise, found himself in the situation of one who frankly29 does his best to entertain welcome and honoured guests. How much of this change in his disposition30 was to be ascribed to the beauty and simplicity31 of Miss Ashton, to the readiness with which she accommodated herself to the inconveniences of her situation; how much to the smooth and plausible32 conversation of the Lord Keeper, remarkably33 gifted with those words which win the ear, must be left to the reader’s ingenuity34 to conjecture35. But Ravenswood was insensible to neither.
The Lord Keeper was a veteran statesman, well acquainted with courts and cabinets, and intimate with all the various turns of public affairs during the last eventful years of the 17th century. He could talk, from his own knowledge, of men and events, in a way which failed not to win attention, and had the peculiar36 art, while he never said a word which committed himself, at the same time to persuade the hearer that he was speaking without the least shadow of scrupulous37 caution or reserve. Ravenswood, in spite of his prejudices and real grounds of resentment38, felt himself at once amused and instructed in listening to him, while the statesman, whose inward feelings had at first so much impeded39 his efforts to make himself known, had now regained40 all the ease and fluency41 of a silver-tongued lawyer of the very highest order.
His daughter did not speak much, but she smiled; and what she did say argued a submissive gentleness, and a desire to give pleasure, which, to a proud man like Ravenswood, was more fascinating than the most brilliant wit. Above all, he could not be observe that, whether from gratitude42 or from some other motive43, he himself, in his deserted44 and unprovided hall, was as much the object of respectful attention to his guests as he would have been when surrounded by all the appliances and means of hospitality proper to his high birth. All deficiencies passed unobserved, or, if they did not escape notice, it was to praise the substitutes which Caleb had contrived45 to supply the want of the usual accommodations. Where a smile was unavoidable, it was a very good-humoured one, and often coupled with some well-turned compliment, to show how much the guests esteemed46 the merits of their noble host, how little they thought of the inconveniences with which they were surrounded. I am not sure whether the pride of being found to outbalance, in virtue47 of his own personal merit, all the disadvantages of fortune, did not make as favourable48 an impression upon the haughty49 heart of the Master of Ravenswood as the conversation of the father and the beauty of Lucy Ashton.
The hour of repose50 arrived. The Keeper and his daughter retired51 to their apartments, which were “decored” more properly than could have been anticipated. In making the necessary arrangements, Mysie had indeed enjoyed the assistance of a gossip who had arrived from the village upon an exploratory expedition, but had been arrested by Caleb, and impressed into the domestic drudgery52 of the evening; so that, instead of returning home to describe the dress and person of the grand young lady, she found herself compelled to be active in the domestic economy of Wolf’s Crag.
According to the custom of the time, the Master of Ravenswood attended the Lord Keeper to his apartment, followed by Caleb, who placed on the table, with all the ceremonials due to torches of wax, two rudely-framed tallow-candles, such as in those days were only used by the peasantry, hooped53 in paltry54 clasps of wire, which served for candlesticks. He then disappeared, and presently entered with two earthen flagons (the china, he said, had been little used since my lady’s time), one filled with canary wine, the other with brandy. The canary sack, unheeding all probabilities of detection, he declared had been twenty years in the cellars of Wolf’s Crag, “though it was not for him to speak before their honours; the brandy — it was weel-kenn’d liquor, as mild as mead55 and as strong as Sampson; it had been in the house ever since the memorable56 revel57, in which auld Micklestob had been slain58 at the head of the stair by Jamie of Jenklebrae, on account of the honour of the worshipful Lady Muirend, wha was in some sort an ally of the family; natheless ——”
“But to cut that matter short, Mr. Caleb,” said the Keeper, “perhaps you will favour me with a ewer59 of water.”
“God forbid your lordship should drink water in this family,” replied Caleb, “to the disgrace of so honourable60 an house!”
“Nevertheless, if his lordship have a fancy,” said the Master, smiling, “I think you might indulge him; for, if I mistake not, there has been water drank here at no distant date, and with good relish61 too.”
“To be sure, if his lordship has a fancy,” said Caleb; and re-entering with a jug62 of pure element —“He will scarce find such water onywhere as is drawn63 frae the well at Wolf’s Crag; nevertheless ——”
“Nevertheless, we must leave the Lord Keeper to his repose in this poor chamber64 of ours,” said the Master of Ravenswood, interrupting his talkative domestic, who immediately turning to the doorway65, with a profound reverence66, prepared to usher67 his master from the secret chamber.
But the Lord Keeper prevented his host’s departure.—“I have but one word to say to the Master of Ravenswood, Mr. Caleb, and I fancy he will excuse your waiting.”
With a second reverence, lower than the former, Caleb withdrew; and his master stood motionless, expecting, with considerable embarrassment68, what was to close the events of a day fraught69 with unexpected incidents.
“Master of Ravenswood,” said Sir William Ashton, with some embarrassment, “I hope you understand the Christian70 law too well to suffer the sun to set upon your anger.”
The Master blushed and replied, “He had no occasion that evening to exercise the duty enjoined71 upon him by his Christian faith.”
“I should have thought otherwise,” said his guest, “considering the various subjects of dispute and litigation which have unhappily occurred more frequently than was desirable or necessary betwixt the late honourable lord, your father, and myself.”
“I could wish, my lord,” said Ravenswood, agitated72 by suppressed emotion, “that reference to these circumstances should be made anywhere rather than under my father’s roof.”
“I should have felt the delicacy73 of this appeal at another time,” said Sir William Ashton, “but now I must proceed with what I mean to say. I have suffered too much in my own mind, from the false delicacy which prevented my soliciting74 with earnestness, what indeed I frequently requested, a personal communing with your father: much distress75 of mind to him and to me might have been prevented.”
“It is true,” said Ravenswood, after a moment’s reflection, “I have heard my father say your lordship had proposed a personal interview.”
“Proposed, my dear Master? I did indeed propose it; but I ought to have begged, entreated76, beseeched it. I ought to have torn away the veil, which interested persons had stretched betwixt us, and shown myself as I was, willing to sacrifice a considerable part even of my legal rights, in order to conciliate feelings so natural as his must be allowed to have been. Let me say for myself, my young friend, for so I will call you, that had your father and I spent the same time together which my good fortune has allowed me today to pass in your company, it is possible the land might yet have enjoyed one of the most respectable of its ancient nobility, and I should have been spared the pain of parting in enmity from a person whose general character I so much admired and honoured.”
He put his handkerchief to his eyes. Ravenswood also was moved, but awaited in silence the progress of this extraordinary communication.
“It is necessary,” continued the Lord Keeper, “and proper that you should understand, that there have been many points betwixt us, in which, although I judged it proper that there should be an exact ascertainment77 of my legal rights by the decree of a court of justice, yet it was never my intention to press them beyond the verge78 of equity79.”
“My lord,” said the Master of Ravenswood, “it is unnecessary to pursue this topic farther. What the law will give you, or has given you, you enjoy — or you shall enjoy; neither my father nor I myself would have received anything on the footing of favour.”
“Favour! No, you misunderstand me,” resumed the Keeper; “or rather you are no lawyer. A right may be good in law, and ascertained80 to be so, which yet a man of honour may not in every case care to avail himself of.”
“I am sorry for it, my lord,” said the Master.
“Nay, nay,” retorted his guest, “you speak like a young counsellor; your spirit goes before your wit. There are many things still open for decision betwixt us. Can you blame me, an old man desirous of peace, and in the castle of a young nobleman who has saved my daughter’s life and my own, that I am desirous, anxiously desirous, that these should be settled on the most liberal principles?” The old man kept fast hold of the Master’s passive hand as he spoke81, and made it impossible for him, be his predetermination what it would, to return any other than an acquiescent82 reply; and wishing his guest good-night, he postponed83 farther conference until the next morning.
Ravenswood hurried into the hall, where he was to spend the night, and for a time traversed its pavement with a disordered and rapid pace. His mortal foe84 was under his roof, yet his sentiments towards him were neither those of a feudal85 enemy nor of a true Christian. He felt as if he could neither forgive him in the one character, nor follow forth86 his vengeance87 in the other, but that he was making a base and dishonourable composition betwixt his resentment against the father and his affection for his daughter. He cursed himself, as he hurried to and fro in the pale moonlight, and more ruddy gleams of the expiring wood-fire. He threw open and shut the latticed windows with violence, as if alike impatient of the admission and exclusion88 of free air. At length, however, the torrent89 of passion foamed90 off its madness, and he flung himself into the chair which he proposed as his place of repose for the night.
“If, in reality,” such were the calmer thoughts that followed the first tempest of his passion —“if, in reality, this man desires no more than the law allows him — if he is willing to adjust even his acknowledged rights upon an equitable91 footing, what could be my father’s cause of complaint?— what is mine? Those from who we won our ancient possessions fell under the sword of my ancestors, and left lands and livings to the conquerors92; we sink under the force of the law, now too powerful for the Scottish cavalry93. Let us parley94 with the victors of the day, as if we had been besieged95 in our fortress96, and without hope of relief. This man may be other than I have thought him; and his daughter — but I have resolved not to think of her.”
He wrapt his cloak around him, fell asleep, and dreamed of Lucy Ashton till daylight gleamed through the lattices.
收听单词发音 |
1
bugle
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| n.军号，号角，喇叭；v.吹号，吹号召集 | |
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chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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3
devious
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| adj.不坦率的，狡猾的；迂回的，曲折的 | |
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4
anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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upbraid
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| v.斥责，责骂，责备 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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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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vassal
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| n.附庸的；属下；adj.奴仆的 | |
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13
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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14
auld
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| adj.老的，旧的 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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desuetude
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| n.废止，不用 | |
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18
license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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19
amenable
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| adj.经得起检验的；顺从的；对负有义务的 | |
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20
pertaining
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| 与…有关系的，附属…的，为…固有的(to) | |
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21
compliant
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| adj.服从的，顺从的 | |
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22
dour
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| adj.冷酷的，严厉的；（岩石）嶙峋的；顽强不屈 | |
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23
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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winsome
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| n.迷人的，漂亮的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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27
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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28
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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29
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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30
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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32
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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fluency
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| n.流畅，雄辩，善辩 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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46
esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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52
drudgery
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| n.苦工，重活，单调乏味的工作 | |
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53
hooped
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| adj.以环作装饰的；带横纹的；带有环的 | |
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paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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mead
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| n.蜂蜜酒 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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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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ewer
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| n.大口水罐 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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61
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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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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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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71
enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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73
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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soliciting
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| v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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76
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ascertainment
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| n.探查，发现，确认 | |
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78
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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equity
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| n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票 | |
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80
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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81
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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82
acquiescent
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| adj.默许的，默认的 | |
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83
postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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85
feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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86
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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87
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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exclusion
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| n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行 | |
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89
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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90
foamed
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| 泡沫的 | |
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equitable
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| adj.公平的；公正的 | |
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92
conquerors
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| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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93
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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94
parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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