第 26 节
作者:
缘圆 更新:2024-07-17 14:42 字数:9322
〃It was a cowardly cruel thing;〃 said one of the sisters; looking round;
〃to harry a puir family to the bare wa's this gate。〃
〃And leave us neither stirk nor stot;〃 said the youngest brother; who
now entered; 〃nor sheep nor lamb; nor aught that eats grass and corn。〃
〃If they had ony quarrel wi' us;〃 said Harry; the second brother; 〃were
we na ready to have fought it out? And that we should have been a' frae
hame; too;ane and a' upon the hillOdd; an we had been at hame; Will
Graeme's stamach shouldna hae wanted its morning; but it's biding him; is
it na; Hobbie?〃
〃Our neighbours hae taen a day at the Castleton to gree wi' him at the
sight o' men;〃 said Hobbie; mournfully; 〃they behoved to have it a' their
ain gate; or there was nae help to be got at their hands。〃
〃To gree wi' him!〃 exclaimed both his brothers at once; 〃after siccan
an act of stouthrife as hasna been heard o' in the country since the auld
riding days!〃
〃Very true; billies; and my blood was e'en boiling at it; but the sight o'
Grace Armstrong has settled it brawly。〃
〃But the stocking; Hobbie'〃 said John Elliot; 〃we're utterly ruined。
Harry and I hae been to gather what was on the outby land; and there's
scarce a cloot left。 I kenna how we're to carry onWe maun a' gang to
the wars; I think。 Westburnflat hasna the means; e'en if he had the will;
to make up our loss; there's nae mends to be got out o' him; but what ye
take out o' his banes。 He hasna a four…footed creature but the vicious
blood thing he rides on; and that's sair trash'd wi' his night wark。 We are
ruined stoop and roop。〃
Hobbie cast a mournful glance on Grace Armstrong; who returned it
with a downcast look and a gentle sigh。
〃Dinna be cast down; bairns;〃 said the grandmother; 〃we hae gude
friends that winna forsake us in adversity。 There's Sir Thomas Kittleloof
is my third cousin by the mother's side; and he has come by a hantle siller;
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and been made a knight…baronet into the bargain; for being ane o' the
commissioners at the Union。〃
〃He wadna gie a bodle to save us frae famishing;〃 said Hobbie; 〃and;
if he did; the bread that I bought wi't would stick in my throat; when I
thought it was part of the price of puir auld Scotland's crown and
independence。〃
〃There's the Laird o' Dunder; ane o' the auldest families in Tiviotdale。〃
〃He's in the tolbooth; motherhe's in the Heart of Mid…Louden for a
thousand merk he borrowed from Saunders Wyliecoat the writer。〃
〃Poor man!〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Elliot; 〃can we no send him something;
Hobbie?〃
〃Ye forget; grannie; ye forget we want help oursells;〃 said Hobbie;
somewhat peevishly。
〃Troth did I; hinny;〃 replied the good…natured lady; 〃just at the instant;
it's sae natural to think on ane's blude relations before themsells;But
there's young Earnscliff。〃
〃He has ower little o' his ain; and siccan a name to keep up; it wad be a
shame;〃 said Hobbie; 〃to burden him wi' our distress。 And I'll tell ye;
grannie; it's needless to sit rhyming ower the style of a' your kith; kin; and
allies; as if there was a charm in their braw names to do us good; the
grandees hae forgotten us; and those of our ain degree hae just little
eneugh to gang on wi' themsells; ne'er a friend hae we that can; or will;
help us to stock the farm again。〃
〃Then; Hobbie; me maun trust in Him that can raise up friends and
fortune out o' the bare moor; as they say。〃
Hobbie sprung upon his feet。 〃Ye are right; grannie!〃 he exclaimed;
〃ye are right。 I do ken a friend on the bare moor; that baith can and will
help usThe turns o' this day hae dung my head clean hirdie…girdie。 I left
as muckle gowd lying on Mucklestane…Moor this morning as would
plenish the house and stock the Heugh…foot twice ower; and I am certain
sure Elshie wadna grudge us the use of it。〃
〃Elshie!〃 said his grandmother in astonishment; 〃what Elshie do you
mean?〃
〃What Elshie should I mean; but Canny Elshie; the Wight o'
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Mucklestane;〃 replied Hobbie。
〃God forfend; my bairn; you should gang to fetch water out o' broken
cisterns; or seek for relief frae them that deal wi' the Evil One! There
was never luck in their gifts; nor grace in their paths。 And the haill
country kens that body Elshie's an unco man。 O; if there was the law; and
the douce quiet administration of justice; that makes a kingdom flourish in
righteousness; the like o' them suldna be suffered to live! The wizard and
the witch are the abomination and the evil thing in the land。〃
〃Troth; mother;〃 answered Hobbie; 〃ye may say what ye like; but I am
in the mind that witches and warlocks havena half the power they had lang
syne; at least; sure am I; that ae ill…deviser; like auld Ellieslaw; or ae ill…
doer; like that dd villain Westburnflat; is a greater plague and
abomination in a country… side than a haill curnie o' the warst witches that
ever capered on a broomstick; or played cantrips on Fastern's E'en。 It
wad hae been lang or Elshie had burnt down my house and barns; and I am
determined to try if he will do aught to build them up again。 He's weel
kend a skilfu' man ower a' the country; as far as Brough under Stanmore。〃
〃Bide a wee; my bairn; mind his benefits havena thriven wi' a'body。
Jock Howden died o' the very same disorder Elshie pretended to cure him
of; about the fa' o' the leaf; and though he helped Lambside's cow weel out
o' the moor…ill; yet the louping…ill's been sairer amane; his sheep than ony
season before。 And then I have heard he uses sic words abusing human
nature; that's like a fleeing in the face of Providence; and ye mind ye said
yoursell; the first time ye ever saw him; that he was mair like a bogle than
a living thing。〃
〃Hout; mother;〃 said Hobbie; 〃Elshie's no that bad a chield; he's a
grewsome spectacle for a crooked disciple; to be sure; and a rough talker;
but his bark is waur than his bite; sae; if I had anes something to eat; for I
havena had a morsel ower my throat this day; I wad streek mysell down
for twa or three hours aside the beast; and be on and awa' to Mucklestane
wi' the first skreigh o' morning。〃
〃And what for no the night; Hobbie;〃 said Harry; 〃and I will ride wi'
ye?〃
〃My naig is tired;〃 said Hobbie。
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〃Ye may take mine; then;〃 said John。
〃But I am a wee thing wearied mysell。〃
〃You wearied?〃 said Harry; 〃shame on ye! I have kend ye keep the
saddle four…and…twenty hours thegither; and ne'er sic a word as weariness
in your wame。〃
〃The night's very dark;〃 said Hobbie; rising and looking through the
casement of the cottage; 〃and; to speak truth; and shame the deil; though
Elshie's a real honest fallow; yet somegate I would rather take daylight wi'
me when I gang to visit him。〃
This frank avowal put a stop to further argument; and Hobbie; having
thus compromised matters between the rashness of his brother's counsel;
and the timid cautions which he received from his grandmother; refreshed
himself with such food as the cottage afforded; and; after a cordial
salutation all round; retired to the shed; and stretched himself beside his
trusty palfrey。 His brothers shared between them some trusses of clean
straw; disposed in the stall usually occupied by old Annaple's cow; and the
females arranged themselves for repose as well as the accommodations of
the cottage would permit。
With the first dawn of morning; Hobbie arose; and; having rubbed
down and saddled his horse; he set forth to Mucklestane…Moor。 He
avoided the company of either of his brothers; from an idea that the Dwarf
was most propitious to those who visited him alone。
〃The creature;〃 said he to himself; as he went along; 〃