barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第85章
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pleasant face he lowered his eyes again； and fixed them on the
floor。
‘And how have you been employing yourself in the meanwhile？’
quoth Sir John； lazily crossing his legs。 ‘Where have you been？
what harm have you been doing？’
‘No harm at all； master；’ growled Hugh； with humility。 ‘I have
only done as you ordered。’
‘As I what？’ returned Sir John。
‘Well then；’ said Hugh uneasily； ‘as you advised； or said I ought；
or said I might； or said that you would do； if you was me。 Don’t be
so hard upon me； master。’
Something like an expression of triumph in the perfect control
he had established over this rough instrument appeared in the
knight’s face for an instant； but it vanished directly； as he said—
paring his nails while speaking：
‘When you say I ordered you； my good fellow； you imply that I
directed you to do something for me—something I wanted done—
something for my own ends and purposes—you see？ Now I am
sure I needn’t enlarge upon the extreme absurdity of such an idea；
however unintentional； so please—’ and here he turned his eyes
upon him—‘to be more guarded。 Will you？’
‘I meant to give you no offence；’ said Hugh。 ‘I don’t know what
to say。 You catch me up so very short。’
‘You will be caught up much shorter； my good friend—infinitely
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shorter—one of these days； depend upon it；’ replied his patron
calmly。 ‘By…the…bye； instead of wondering why you have been so
long； my wonder should be why you came at all。 Why did you？’
‘You know； master；’ said Hugh； ‘that I couldn’t read the bill I
found； and that supposing it to be something particular from the
way it was wrapped up； I brought it here。’
‘And could you ask no one else to read it； Bruin？’ said Sir John。
‘No one that I could trust with secrets； master。 Since Barnaby
Rudge was lost sight of for good and all—and that’s five years
ago—I haven’t talked with any one but you。’
‘You have done me honour； I am sure。’
‘I have come to and fro； master； all through that time； when
there was anything to tell； because I knew that you’d be angry
with me if I stayed away；’ said Hugh； blurting the words out； after
an embarrassed silence； ‘and because I wished to please you if I
could； and not to have you go against me。 There。 That’s the true
reason why I came to…night。 You know that； master； I am sure。’
‘You are a specious fellow；’ returned Sir John； fixing his eyes
upon him； ‘and carry two faces under your hood； as well as the
best。 Didn’t you give me in this room； this evening； any other
reason； no dislike of anybody who has slighted you lately； on all
occasions； abused you； treated you with rudeness； acted towards
you； more as if you were a mongrel dog than a man like himself？’
‘To be sure I did！’ cried Hugh； his passion rising； as the other
meant it should； ‘and I say it all over now； again。 I’d do anything to
have some revenge on him—anything。 And when you told me that
he and all the Catholics would suffer from those who joined
together under that handbill； I said I’d make one of ’em； if their
master was the devil himself。 I am one of ’em。 See whether I am as
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good as my word and turn out to be among the foremost； or no。 I
mayn’t have much head； master； but I’ve head enough to
remember those that use me ill。 You shall see； and so shall he； and
so shall hundreds more； how my spirit backs me when the time
comes。 My bark is nothing to my bite。 Some that I know had better
have a wild lion among ’em than me； when I am fairly loose—they
had！’
The knight looked at him with a smile of far deeper meaning
than ordinary； and pointing to the old cupboard； followed him
with his eyes while he filled and drank a glass of liquor； and smiled
when his back was turned； with deeper meaning yet。
‘You are in a blustering mood； my friend；’ he said； when Hugh
confronted him again。
‘Not I； master！’ cried Hugh。 ‘I don’t say half I mean。 I can’t。 I
haven’t got the gift。 There are talkers enough among us； I’ll be one
of the doers。’
‘Oh！ you have joined those fellows then？’ said Sir John； with an
air of most profound indifference。
‘Yes。 I went up to the house you told me of； and got put down
upon the muster。 There was another man there； named Dennis—’
‘Dennis； eh！’ cried Sir John； laughing。 ‘Ay； ay！ a pleasant fellow；
I believe？’
‘A roaring dog； master—one after my own heart—hot upon the
matter too—red hot。’
‘So I have heard；’ replied Sir John； carelessly。 ‘You don’t
happen to know his trade； do you？’
‘He wouldn’t say；’ cried Hugh。 ‘He keeps it secret。’
‘Ha ha！’ laughed Sir John。 ‘A strange fancy—a weakness with
some persons—you’ll know it one day； I dare swear。’
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‘We’re intimate already；’ said Hugh。
‘Quite natural！ And have been drinking together； eh？’ pursued
Sir John。 ‘Did you say what place you went to in company； when
you left Lord George’s？’
Hugh had not said or thought of saying； but he told him； and
this inquiry being followed by a long train of questions； he related
all that had passed both in and out of doors； the kind of people he
had seen； their numbers； state of feeling； mode of conversation；
apparent expectations and intentions。 His questioning was so
artfully contrived； that he seemed even in his own eyes to
volunteer all this information rather than to have it wrested from
him； and he was brought to this state of feeling so naturally； that
when Mr Chester yawned at length and declared himself quite
wearied out； he made a rough kind of excuse for having talked so
much。
‘There—get you gone；’ said Sir John； holding the door open in
his hand。 ‘You have made a pretty evening’s work。 I told you not to
do this。 You may get into trouble。 You’ll have an opportunity of
revenging yourself on your proud friend Haredale； though； and for
that； you’d hazard anything； I suppose？’
‘I would；’ retorted Hugh； stopping in his passage out and
looking back； ‘but what do I risk！ What do I stand a chance of
losing； master？ Friends； home？ A fig for ’em all； I have none； they
are nothing to me。 Give me a good scuffle； let me pay off old scores
in a bold riot where there are men to stand by me； and then use
me as you like—it don’t matter much to me what the end is！’
‘What have you done with that paper？’ said Sir John。
‘I have it here； master。’
‘Drop it again as you go along； it’s as well not to keep such
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things about you。’
Hugh nodded； and touching his cap with an air of as much
respect as he could summon up； departed。
Sir John； fastening the doors behind him； went back to his
dressing…room； and sat down once again before the fire； at which
he gazed for a long time； in earnest meditation。
‘This happens fortunately；’ he said； breaking into a smile； ‘and
promises well。 Let me see。 My relative and I； who are the most
Protestant fellows in the world； give our worst wishes to the
Roman Catholic cause； and to Saville； who introduces their bill； I
have a personal objection besides； but as each of us has himself for
the first article in his creed； we cannot commit ourselves by
joining with a very extravagant madman； such as this Gordon
most undoubtedly is。 Now really； to foment his disturbances in
secret； through the medium of such a very apt instrument as my
savage friend here； may further our real ends； and to express at all
becoming seasons； in moderate and polite terms； a disapprobation
of his proceedings； though we agree with him in principle； will
certainly be to gain a character for honesty and uprightness of
purpose； which cannot fail to do us infinite service； and to raise us
into some importance。 Good！ So much for public grounds。 As to
private considerations； I confess that if these vagabonds would
make some riotous demonstration （which does not appear
impossible）； and would inflict some little chastisement on Haredale
as a not inactive man among his sect； it would be extremely
agreeable to my feelings； and would amuse me beyond measure。
Good again！ Perhaps better！’
When he came to this point； he took a pinch of snuff； then
beginning slowly to undress； he resumed his meditations； by
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saying with a smile：
‘I fear； I do fear exceedingly； that my friend is following fast in
the footsteps of his mother。 His intimacy with Mr Dennis is very
ominous。 But I have no doubt he must have come to that end any
way。 If I lend him a helping hand； the only difference is； that he
may； upon the whole； possibly drink a few gallons； or punch
