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the black dwarf(黑侏儒)-第19部分

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the Word that gate; ye dinna ken what ye speak about。〃 

     〃Hae   ye   ony   tidings?Hae   ye   ony   speerings;   Hobbie?O;   callants; 

dinna be ower hasty;〃 said old Dick of the Dingle。 

     〃What signifies preaching to us; e'enow?〃             said Simon; 〃if ye canna 

make help yoursell; dinna keep back them that can。〃 

     〃Whisht; sir; wad ye take vengeance or ye ken wha has wrang'd ye?〃 

     〃D'ye think we dinna ken the road to England as weel as our fathers 

before us?All evil comes out o' thereawayit's an auld saying and a true; 

and we'll e'en away there; as if the devil was blawing us south。〃 

     〃We'll follow the track o' Earnscliff's horses ower the waste;〃 cried one 

Elliot。 

     〃I'll prick them out through the blindest moor in the Border; an there 

had been a fair held there the day before;〃 said Hugh; the blacksmith of 

Ringleburn; 〃for I aye shoe his horse wi' my ain hand。〃 

     〃Lay on the deer…hounds;〃 cried another 〃where are they?〃 

     〃Hout; man; the sun's been lang up; and the dew is aff the grund the 

scent will never lie。〃 

     Hobbie instantly whistled on his hounds; which were roving about the 

ruins of their old habitation; and filling the air with their doleful howls。 

     〃Now; Killbuck;〃 said Hobbie; 〃try thy skill this day〃 and then; as if a 

light had suddenly broke on him;〃that ill…faur'd goblin spak something o' 



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this!    He may ken mair o't; either by villains on earth; or devils below 

I'll hae it   frae   him;  if   I   should   cut it out   o'   his   mis…shapen   bouk   wi'   my 

whinger。〃       He then hastily gave directions to his comrades: 〃Four o' ye; 

wi' Simon; haud right forward to Graeme's…gap。                  If they're English; they'll 

be for being back that way。           The rest disperse by twasome and threesome 

through   the   waste;   and   meet   me   at   the   Trysting…pool。   Tell   my   brothers; 

when they come up; to follow and meet us there。 Poor lads; they will hae 

hearts weelnigh as sair as mine; little think they what a sorrowful house 

they    are   bringing     their  venison     to!   I'll  ride  ower    Mucklestane…Moor 

mysell。〃 

     〃And if I were you;〃 said Dick of the Dingle; 〃I would speak to Canny 

Elshie。     He can tell you whatever betides in this land; if he's sae minded。〃 

     〃He SHALL tell me;〃 said Hobbie; who was busy putting his arms in 

order; 〃what he kens o' this night's job; or I shall right weel ken wherefore 

he does not。〃 

     〃Ay;  but   speak   him  fair;   my  bonny   manspeak him  fair   Hobbie;   the 

like   o'   him   will   no   bear   thrawing。   They   converse   sae   muckle   wi'   thae 

fractious ghaists and evil spirits; that it clean spoils their temper。〃 

     〃Let   me   alane   to   guide   him;〃   answered   Hobbie;   〃there's   that   in   my 

breast this day; that would ower…maister a' the warlocks on earth; and a' the 

devils in hell。〃 

     And   being   now   fully   equipped;   he   threw   himself   on   his   horse;   and 

spurred him at a rapid pace against the steep ascent。 

     Elliot   speedily   surmounted   the   hill;   rode   down   the   other   side   at   the 

same   rate;   crossed   a   wood;   and   traversed   a   long   glen;   ere   he   at   length 

regained   Mucklestane…Moor。             As   he   was   obliged;   in   the   course   of   his 

journey; to relax his speed in consideration of the labour which his horse 

might   still   have   to   undergo;   he   had   time   to   consider   maturely   in   what 

manner   he   should   address   the   Dwarf;   in   order   to   extract   from   him   the 

knowledge which he supposed him to be in possession of concerning the 

authors of his misfortunes。 Hobbie; though blunt; plain of speech; and hot 

of disposition; like most of his countrymen; was by no means deficient in 

the shrewdness which is also their characteristic。                He reflected; that from 

what he had observed on the memorable night when the Dwarf was first 



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seen;   and   from   the   conduct   of   that   mysterious   being   ever   since;   he   was 

likely to be rendered even more obstinate in his sullenness by threats and 

violence。 

     〃I'll speak him fair;〃 he said; 〃as auld Dickon advised me。 Though folk 

say he has a league wi' Satan; he canna be sic an incarnate devil as no to 

take some pity in a case like mine; and folk threep he'll whiles do good; 

charitable   sort   o'   things。   I'll   keep   my   heart   doun   as   weel   as   I   can;   and 

stroke    him    wi'  the  hair;  and   if  the  warst   come     to  the  warst;   it's  but 

wringing the head o' him about at last。〃 

     In   this   disposition   of   accommodation   he   approached   the   hut   of   the 

Solitary。 

     The   old   man   was   not   upon   his   seat   of   audience;   nor   could   Hobbie 

perceive him in his garden; or enclosures。 

     〃He's gotten into his very keep;〃 said Hobbie; 〃maybe to be out o' the 

gate; but I'se pu' it doun about his lugs; if I canna win at him otherwise。〃 

     Having thus communed with himself; he raised his voice; and invoked 

Elshie in a tone as supplicating as his conflicting feelings would permit。 

〃Elshie; my gude friend!〃          No reply。 〃Elshie; canny Father Elshie!〃            The 

Dwarf     remained     mute。     〃Sorrow     be   in  the  crooked     carcass   of  thee!〃 

said the Borderer between his teeth; and then again attempting a soothing 

tone;〃Good       Father    Elshie;   a  most    miserable     creature    desires   some 

counsel of your wisdom。〃 

     〃The better!〃      answered the shrill and discordant voice of the Dwarf 

through   a   very   small   window;   resembling   an   arrow   slit;   which   he   had 

constructed near the door of his dwelling; and through which he could see 

any one who approached it; without the possibility of their looking in upon 

him。 

     〃The   better!〃     said   Hobbie   impatiently;   〃what   is   the   better;   Elshie? 

Do you not hear me tell you I am the most miserable wretch living?〃 

     〃And do you not hear me tell you it is so much the better!                  and did I 

not tell you this morning; when you thought yourself so happy; what   an 

evening was coming upon you?〃 

     〃That ye did e'en;〃 replied Hobbie; 〃and that gars me come to you for 

advice now; they that foresaw the trouble maun ken the cure。〃 



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     〃I know no cure for earthly trouble;〃 returned the Dwarf 〃or; if I did; 

why   should   I   help   others;   when   none   hath   aided   me?     Have   I   not   lost 

wealth; that would have bought all thy barren hills a hundred times over? 

rank; to which thine is as that of a peasant?             society; where there was an 

interchange of all that was amiableof all that was intellectual?                  Have I 

not lost all this? Am I not residing here; the veriest outcast on the face of 

Nature; in the most hideous and most solitary of her retreats; myself more 

hideous     than   all  that   is  around    me?    And     why    should    other   worms 

complain to me when they are trodden on; since I am myself lying crushed 

and writhing under the chariot…wheel?〃 

     〃Ye   may   have   lost   all   this;〃   answered   Hobbie;   in   the   bitterness   of 

emotion; 〃land and friends; goods and gear; ye may hae lost them a';but 

ye   ne'er   can   hae   sae   sair   a   heart   as   mine;   for   ye   ne'er   lost   nae   Grace 

Armstrong。        And now my last hopes are gane; and I shall ne'er see her 

mair。〃 

     This he said in the tone of deepest emotionand there followed a long 

pause; for the mention of his bride's name had overcome the more angry 

and   irritable   feelings   of   poor   Hobbie。    Ere   he   had   again   addressed   the 

Solitary;   the   bony   hand   and   long   fingers   of   the   latter;   holding   a   large 

leathern bag; was thrust forth at the small window; and as it unclutched the 

burden; and let it drop with a clang upon the ground; his harsh voice again 

addressed Elliot。 

     〃Therethere lies a salve for every human ill; so; at least; each human 

wretch     readily   thinks。Begone;       return   twice   as  wealthy     as  thou   wert 

before yesterday; and torment me no more with questions; complaints; or 

thanks; they are alike odious to me。〃 

     〃It   is  a'  gowd;    by   Heaven!〃      said    Elliot;  having     glanced    at  the 

contents; and then again addressing the Hermit; 〃Muckle obliged for your 

goodwill;   and   I   wad   blithely  gie   you   a   bond   for   some   o'   the   siller;   or   a 

wadset ower the lands o' Wideopen。               But I dinna ken; Elshie; to be free 

wi' you; I dinna like to use siller unless I kend it was decently come by; 

and maybe it might turn into sclate…stanes; and cheat some poor man。〃 

     〃Ignorant idiot!〃       retorted the Dwarf; 〃the trash is as genuine poison 

as ever was dug out of the bowels of the earth。               Take it use it; and may 



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it thrive with you as it hath done with me!〃 

     〃But    I  tell  you;〃   said  Elliot;  〃it  wasna    about    the  gear   that  I  was 

consulting   you;it   was   a   braw   barn…yard;   doubtless;   and   thirty   head   of 

finer cattle there werena on this side of the Catrail; but let the gear gang; 

if ye could but gie me speerings o' puir Grace; I would be content to be 

your slave for life
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