chronicles of the canongate-第62部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　Oig　again；　either　at　tryste　or　fair。〃

So　saying；　he　shook　hastily　the　hand　of　his　acquaintance；　and　set　out　in　the　direction　from　which　he　had　advanced；　with　the　spirit　of　his　former　pace。

〃There　is　something　wrang　with　the　lad；〃　muttered　the　Morrison　to　himself；　〃but　we　will　maybe　see　better　into　it　the　morn's　morning。〃

But　long　ere　the　morning　dawned；　the　catastrophe　of　our　tale　had　taken　place。　　It　was　two　hours　after　the　affray　had　happened；　and　it　was　totally　forgotten　by　almost　every　one；　when　Robin　Oig　returned　to　Heskett's　inn。　　The　place　was　filled　at　once　by　various　sorts　of　men；　and　with　noises　corresponding　to　their　character。　　There　were　the　grave　low　sounds　of　men　engaged　in　busy　traffic；　with　the　laugh；　the　song；　and　the　riotous　jest　of　those　who　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　enjoy　themselves。　　Among　the　last　was　Harry　Wakefield；　who；　amidst　a　grinning　group　of　smock…　frocks；　hobnailed　shoes；　and　jolly　English　physiognomies；　was　trolling　forth　the　old　ditty；

　　〃What　though　my　name　be　Roger；　　　　Who　drives　the　plough　and　cart〃

when　he　was　interrupted　by　a　well…known　voice　saying　in　a　high　and　stern　voice；　marked　by　the　sharp　Highland　accent；　〃Harry　Waakfeltif　you　be　a　man　stand　up！〃

〃What　is　the　matter？what　is　it？〃　　the　guests　demanded　of　each　other。

〃It　is　only　a　dd　Scotsman；〃　said　Fleecebumpkin；　who　was　by　this　time　very　drunk；　〃whom　Harry　Wakefield　helped　to　his　broth　to…　day；　who　is　now　come　to　have　HIS　CAULD　KAIL　het　again。〃

〃Harry　Waakfelt；〃　repeated　the　same　ominous　summons；　〃stand　up；　if　you　be　a　man！〃

There　is　something　in　the　tone　of　deep　and　concentrated　passion；　which　attracts　attention　and　imposes　awe；　even　by　the　very　sound。　The　guests　shrunk　back　on　every　side；　and　gazed　at　the　Highlander　as　he　stood　in　the　middle　of　them；　his　brows　bent；　and　his　features　rigid　with　resolution。

〃I　will　stand　up　with　all　my　heart；　Robin；　my　boy；　but　it　shall　be　to　shake　hands　with　you；　and　drink　down　all　unkindness。　　It　is　not　the　fault　of　your　heart；　man；　that　you　don't　know　how　to　clench　your　hands。〃

By　this　time　he　stood　opposite　to　his　antagonist；　his　open　and　unsuspecting　look　strangely　contrasted　with　the　stern　purpose；　which　gleamed　wild；　dark；　and　vindictive　in　the　eyes　of　the　Highlander。

〃'Tis　not　thy　fault；　man；　that；　not　having　the　luck　to　be　an　Englishman；　thou　canst　not　fight　more　than　a　school…girl。〃

〃I　can　fight；〃　answered　Robin　Oig　sternly；　but　calmly；　〃and　you　shall　know　it。　　You；　Harry　Waakfelt；　showed　me　to…day　how　the　Saxon　churls　fight；　I　show　you　now　how　the　Highland　Dunnie…wassel　fights。〃

He　seconded　the　word　with　the　action；　and　plunged　the　dagger；　which　he　suddenly　displayed；　into　the　broad　breast　of　the　English　yeoman；　with　such　fatal　certainty　and　force　that　the　hilt　made　a　hollow　sound　against　the　breast…bone；　and　the　double…edged　point　split　the　very　heart　of　his　victim。　　Harry　Wakefield　fell　and　expired　with　a　single　groan。　　His　assassin　next　seized　the　bailiff　by　the　collar；　and　offered　the　bloody　poniard　to　his　throat；　whilst　dread　and　surprise　rendered　the　man　incapable　of　defence。

〃It　were　very　just　to　lay　you　peside　him；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　blood　of　a　pase　pickthank　shall　never　mix　on　my　father's　dirk；　with　that　of　a　brave　man。〃

As　he　spoke；　he　cast　the　man　from　him　with　so　much　force　that　he　fell　on　the　floor；　while　Robin；　with　his　other　hand；　threw　the　fatal　weapon　into　the　blazing　turf…fire。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃take　me　who　likesand　let　fire　cleanse　blood　if　it　can。〃

The　pause　of　astonishment　still　continuing；　Robin　Oig　asked　for　a　peace…officer；　and　a　constable　having　stepped　out；　he　surrendered　himself　to　his　custody。

〃A　bloody　night's　work　you　have　made　of　it；〃　said　the　constable。

〃Your　own　fault；〃　said　the　Highlander。　　〃Had　you　kept　his　hands　off　me　twa　hours　since；　he　would　have　been　now　as　well　and　merry　as　he　was　twa　minutes　since。〃

〃It　must　be　sorely　answered；〃　said　the　peace…officer。

〃Never　you　mind　thatdeath　pays　all　debts；　it　will　pay　that　too。〃

The　horror　of　the　bystanders　began　now　to　give　way　to　indignation；　and　the　sight　of　a　favourite　companion　murdered　in　the　midst　of　them；　the　provocation　being；　in　their　opinion；　so　utterly　inadequate　to　the　excess　of　vengeance；　might　have　induced　them　to　kill　the　perpetrator　of　the　deed　even　upon　the　very　spot。　The　constable；　however；　did　his　duty　on　this　occasion；　and　with　the　assistance　of　some　of　the　more　reasonable　persons　present；　procured　horses　to　guard　the　prisoner　to　Carlisle；　to　abide　his　doom　at　the　next　assizes。　　While　the　escort　was　preparing；　the　prisoner　neither　expressed　the　least　interest；　nor　attempted　the　slightest　reply。　　Only；　before　he　was　carried　from　the　fatal　apartment；　he　desired　to　look　at　the　dead　body；　which；　raised　from　the　floor；　had　been　deposited　upon　the　large　table　（at　the　head　of　which　Harry　Wakefield　had　presided　but　a　few　minutes　before；　full　of　life；　vigour；　and　animation）；　until　the　surgeons　should　examine　the　mortal　wound。　　The　face　of　the　corpse　was　decently　covered　with　a　napkin。　　To　the　surprise　and　horror　of　the　bystanders；　which　displayed　itself　in　a　general　AH！　　drawn　through　clenched　teeth　and　half…shut　lips；　Robin　Oig　removed　the　cloth；　and　gazed　with　a　mournful　but　steady　eye　on　the　lifeless　visage；　which　had　been　so　lately　animated　that　the　smile　of　good…　humoured　confidence　in　his　own　strength；　of　conciliation　at　once　and　contempt　towards　his　enemy；　still　curled　his　lip。　　While　those　present　expected　that　the　wound；　which　had　so　lately　flooded　the　apartment　with　gore；　would　send　forth　fresh　streams　at　the　touch　of　the　homicide；　Robin　Oig　replaced　the　covering　with　the　brief　exclamation；　〃He　was　a　pretty　man！〃

My　story　is　nearly　ended。　　The　unfortunate　Highlander　stood　his　trial　at　Carlisle。　　I　was　myself　present；　and　as　a　young　Scottish　lawyer；　or　barrister　at　least；　and　reputed　a　man　of　some　quality；　the　politeness　of　the　Sheriff　of　Cumberland　offered　me　a　place　on　the　bench。　　The　facts　of　the　case　were　proved　in　the　manner　I　have　related　them；　and　whatever　might　be　at　first　the　prejudice　of　the　audience　against　a　crime　so　un…English　as　that　of　assassination　from　revenge；　yet　when　the　rooted　national　prejudices　of　the　prisoner　had　been　explained；　which　made　him　consider　himself　as　stained　with　indelible　dishonour；　when　subjected　to　personal　violencewhen　his　previous　patience；　moderation；　and　endurance　were　consideredthe　generosity　of　the　English　audience　was　inclined　to　regard　his　crime　as　the　wayward　aberration　of　a　false　idea　of　honour　rather　than　as　flowing　from　a　heart　naturally　savage；　or　perverted　by　habitual　vice。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　charge　of　the　venerable　judge　to　the　jury；　although　not　at　that　time　liable　to　be　much　affected　either　by　that　which　was　eloquent　or　pathetic。

〃We　have　had；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　previous　part　of　our　duty〃　（alluding　to　some　former　trials）；　〃to　discuss　crimes　which　infer　disgust　and　abhorrence；　while　they　call　down　the　well…merited　vengeance　of　the　law。　　It　is　now　our　still　more　melancholy　task　to　apply　its　salutary　though　severe　enactments　to　a　case　of　a　very　singular　character；　in　which　the　crime　（for　a　crime　it　is；　and　a　deep　one）　arose　less　out　of　the　malevolence　of　the　h