You have fed upon my seignories,
Dispark’d my parks, and fell’d my forest woods,
From mine own windows torn my household coat,
Razed1 out my impress, leaving me no sign,
Save men’s opinions and my living blood,
To show the world I am a gentleman.
Richard II.
When the boat which carried the worthy2 captain on board his vessel3 had accomplished4 that task, the sails began to ascend5, and the ship was got under way. She fired three guns as a salute6 to the house of Ellangowan, and then shot away rapidly before the wind, which blew off shore, under all the sail she could crowd.
‘Ay, ay,’ said the Laird, who had sought Mannering for some time, and now joined him, ‘there they go — there go the free-traders — there go Captain Dirk Hatteraick and the Yungfrauw Hagenslaapen, half Manks, half Dutchman, half devil! run out the boltsprit, up mainsail, top and top-gallant sails, royals, and skyscrapers7, and away — follow who can! That fellow, Mr. Mannering, is the terror of all the excise8 and custom-house cruisers; they can make nothing of him; he drubs them, or he distances them; — and, speaking of excise, I come to bring you to breakfast; and you shall have some tea, that — ’
Mannering by this time was aware that one thought linked strangely on to another in the concatenation of worthy Mr. Bertram’s ideas,
Like orient pearls at random9 strung;
and therefore, before the current of his associations had drifted farther from the point he had left, he brought him back by some inquiry10 about Dirk Hatteraick.
‘O he’s a — a — gude sort of blackguard fellow eneugh; naebody cares to trouble him — smuggler11, when his guns are in ballast — privateer, or pirate, faith, when he gets them mounted. He has done more mischief12 to the revenue folk than ony rogue13 that ever came out of Ramsay.’
‘But, my good sir, such being his character, I wonder he has any protection and encouragement on this coast.’
‘Why, Mr. Mannering, people must have brandy and tea, and there’s none in the country but what comes this way; and then there’s short accounts, and maybe a keg or two, or a dozen pounds, left at your stable-door, instead of a d — d lang account at Christmas from Duncan Robb, the grocer at Kippletringan, who has aye a sum to make up, and either wants ready money or a short-dated bill. Now, Hatteraick will take wood, or he’ll take bark, or he’ll take barley14, or he’ll take just what’s convenient at the time. I’ll tell you a gude story about that. There was ance a laird — that’s Macfie of Gudgeonford, — he had a great number of kain hens — that’s hens that the tenant15 pays to the landlord, like a sort of rent in kind. They aye feed mine very ill; Luckie Finniston sent up three that were a shame to be seen only last week, and yet she has twelve bows sowing of victual; indeed her goodman, Duncan Finniston — that’s him that’s gone — (we must all die, Mr. Mannering, that’s ower true) — and, speaking of that, let us live in the meanwhile, for here’s breakfast on the table, and the Dominie ready to say the grace.’
The Dominie did accordingly pronounce a benediction16, that exceeded in length any speech which Mannering had yet heard him utter. The tea, which of course belonged to the noble Captain Hatteraick’s trade, was pronounced excellent. Still Mannering hinted, though with due delicacy17, at the risk of encouraging such desperate characters. ‘Were it but in justice to the revenue, I should have supposed — ’
‘Ah, the revenue lads’ — for Mr. Bertram never embraced a general or abstract idea, and his notion of the revenue was personified in the commissioners18, surveyors, comptrollers, and riding officers whom he happened to know — ‘the revenue lads can look sharp eneugh out for themselves, no ane needs to help them; and they have a’ the soldiers to assist them besides; and as to justice — you ‘ll be surprised to hear it, Mr. Mannering, but I am not a justice of peace!’
Mannering assumed the expected look of surprise, but thought within himself that the worshipful bench suffered no great deprivation19 from wanting the assistance of his good-humoured landlord. Mr. Bertram had now hit upon one of the few subjects on which he felt sore, and went on with some energy.
‘No, sir, the name of Godfrey Bertram of Ellangowan is not in the last commission, though there’s scarce a carle in the country that has a plough-gate of land, but what he must ride to quarter — sessions and write J.P. after his name. I ken20 fu’ weel whom I am obliged to — Sir Thomas Kittlecourt as good as tell’d me he would sit in my skirts if he had not my interest at the last election; and because I chose to go with my own blood and third cousin, the Laird of Balruddery, they keepit me off the roll of freeholders; and now there comes a new nomination21 of justices, and I am left out! And whereas they pretend it was because I let David Mac — Guffog, the constable22, draw the warrants, and manage the business his ain gate, as if I had been a nose o’ wax, it’s a main untruth; for I granted but seven warrants in my life, and the Dominie wrote every one of them — and if it had not been that unlucky business of Sandy Mac-Gruthar’s, that the constables23 should have keepit twa or three days up yonder at the auld24 castle, just till they could get conveniency to send him to the county jail — and that cost me eneugh o’ siller. But I ken what Sir Thomas wants very weel — it was just sic and siclike about the seat in the kirk o’ Kilmagirdle — was I not entitled to have the front gallery facing the minister, rather than Mac-Crosskie of Creochstone, the son of Deacon Mac-Crosskie, the Dumfries weaver25?’
Mannering expressed his acquiescence26 in the justice of these various complaints.
‘And then, Mr. Mannering, there was the story about the road and the fauld-dike. I ken Sir Thomas was behind there, and I said plainly to the clerk to the trustees that I saw the cloven foot, let them take that as they like. Would any gentleman, or set of gentlemen, go and drive a road right through the corner of a fauld-dike and take away, as my agent observed to them, like twa roods of gude moorland pasture? And there was the story about choosing the collector of the cess — ’
‘Certainly, sir, it is hard you should meet with any neglect in a country where, to judge from the extent of their residence, your ancestors must have made a very important figure.’
‘Very true, Mr. Mannering; I am a plain man and do not dwell on these things, and I must needs say I have little memory for them; but I wish ye could have heard my father’s stories about the auld fights of the Mac-Dingawaies — that’s the Bertrams that now is — wi’ the Irish and wi’ the Highlanders that came here in their berlings from Ilay and Cantire; and how they went to the Holy Land — that is, to Jerusalem and Jericho, wi’ a’ their clan27 at their heels — they had better have gaen to Jamaica, like Sir Thomas Kittlecourt’s uncle — and how they brought hame relics28 like those that Catholics have, and a flag that’s up yonder in the garret. If they had been casks of muscavado and puncheons of rum it would have been better for the estate at this day; but there’s little comparison between the auld keep at Kittlecourt and the castle o’ Ellangowan; I doubt if the keep’s forty feet of front. But ye make no breakfast, Mr. Mannering; ye’re no eating your meat; allow me to recommend some of the kipper. It was John Hay that catcht it, Saturday was three weeks, down at the stream below Hempseed ford,’ etc. etc. etc.
The Laird, whose indignation had for some time kept him pretty steady to one topic, now launched forth29 into his usual roving style of conversation, which gave Mannering ample time to reflect upon the disadvantages attending the situation which an hour before he had thought worthy of so much envy. Here was a country gentleman, whose most estimable quality seemed his perfect good — nature, secretly fretting30 himself and murmuring against others for causes which, compared with any real evil in life, must weigh like dust in the balance. But such is the equal distribution of Providence31. To those who lie out of the road of great afflictions are assigned petty vexations which answer all the purpose of disturbing their serenity32; and every reader must have observed that neither natural apathy33 nor acquired philosophy can render country gentlemen insensible to the grievances34 which occur at elections, quarter-sessions, and meetings of trustees.
Curious to investigate the manners of the country, Mannering took the advantage of a pause in good Mr. Bertram’s string of stories to inquire what Captain Hatteraick so earnestly wanted with the gipsy woman.
‘O, to bless his ship, I suppose. You must know, Mr. Mannering, that these free-traders, whom the law calls smugglers, having no religion, make it all up in superstition35; and they have as many spells and charms and nonsense — ’
‘ Vanity and waur!’ said the Dominie;’ it is a trafficking with the Evil One. Spells, periapts, and charms are of his device — choice arrows out of Apollyon’s quiver.’
‘Hold your peace, Dominie; ye’re speaking for ever’ — by the way, they were the first words the poor man had uttered that morning, excepting that he said grace and returned thanks — ‘Mr. Mannering cannot get in a word for ye! And so, Mr. Mannering, talking of astronomy and spells and these matters, have ye been so kind as to consider what we were speaking about last night?’
‘I begin to think, Mr. Bertram, with your worthy friend here, that I have been rather jesting with edge-tools; and although neither you nor I, nor any sensible man, can put faith in the predictions of astrology, yet, as it has sometimes happened that inquiries36 into futurity, undertaken in jest, have in their results produced serious and unpleasant effects both upon actions and characters, I really wish you would dispense37 with my replying to your question.’
It was easy to see that this evasive answer only rendered the Laird’s curiosity more uncontrollable. Mannering, however, was determined38 in his own mind not to expose the infant to the inconveniences which might have arisen from his being supposed the object of evil prediction. He therefore delivered the paper into Mr. Bertram’s hand, and requested him to keep it for five years with the seal unbroken, until the month of November was expired. After that date had intervened he left him at liberty to examine the writing, trusting that, the first fatal period being then safely overpassed, no credit would be paid to its farther contents. This Mr. Bertram was content to promise, and Mannering, to ensure his fidelity39, hinted at misfortunes which would certainly take place if his injunctions were neglected. The rest of the day, which Mannering, by Mr. Bertram’s invitation, spent at Ellangowan, passed over without anything remarkable40; and on the morning of that which followed the traveller mounted his palfrey, bade a courteous41 adieu to his hospitable42 landlord and to his clerical attendant, repeated his good wishes for the prosperity of the family, and then, turning his horse’s head towards England, disappeared from the sight of the inmates43 of Ellangowan. He must also disappear from that of our readers, for it is to another and later period of his life that the present narrative44 relates.
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1
razed
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| v.彻底摧毁，将…夷为平地( raze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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3
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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4
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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5
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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6
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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7
skyscrapers
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| n.摩天大楼 | |
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8
excise
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| n.(国产)货物税；vt.切除，删去 | |
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9
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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smuggler
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| n.走私者 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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13
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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14
barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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15
tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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16
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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17
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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18
commissioners
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| n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官 | |
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19
deprivation
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| n.匮乏；丧失；夺去，贫困 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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21
nomination
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| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
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22
constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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23
constables
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| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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24
auld
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| adj.老的，旧的 | |
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weaver
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| n.织布工；编织者 | |
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acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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31
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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32
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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33
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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35
superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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37
dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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38
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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39
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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40
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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41
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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42
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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43
inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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44
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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