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The Black Dwarf-Part6_WALTER SCOTT(1771-1832)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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assent of the proposition, or rebuking the application of it,

could not easily be discovered; and it seems probable that the



speaker himself was willing his meaning should rest in doubt and

obscurity. They had now descended the broad loaning, which,



winding round the foot of the steep bank, or heugh, brought them

in front of the thatched, but comfortable, farm-house, which was



the dwelling of Hobbie Elliot and his family.

The doorway was thronged with joyful faces; but the appearance of



a stranger blunted many a gibe which had been prepared on

Hobbie's lack of success in the deer-stalking. There was a



little bustle among three handsome young women, each endeavouring

to devolve upon another the task of ushering the stranger into



the apartment, while probably all were anxious to escape for the

purpose of making some little personal arrangements, before



presenting themselves to a young gentleman in a dishabille only

intended for their brother.



Hobbie, in the meanwhile, bestowing some hearty and general abuse

upon them all (for Grace was not of the party), snatched the



candle from the hand of one of the rustic coquettes, as she stood

playing pretty with it in her hand, and ushered his guest into



the family parlour, or rather hall; for the place having been a

house of defence in former times, the sitting apartment was a



vaulted and paved room, damp and dismal enough compared with the

lodgings of the yeomanry of our days, but which, when well



lighted up with a large sparkling fire of turf and bog-wood,

seemed to Earnscliff a most comfortable exchange for the darkness



and bleak blast of the hill. Kindly and repeatedly was he

welcomed by the venerable old dame, the mistress of the family,



who, dressed in her coif and pinners, her close and decent gown

of homespun wool, but with a large gold necklace and ear-rings,



looked, what she really was, the lady as well as the farmer's

wife, while, seated in her chair of wicker, by the corner of the



great chimney, she directed the evening occupations of the young

women, and of two or three stout serving wenches, who sate plying



their distaffs behind the backs of their young mistresses.

As soon as Earnscliff had been duly welcomed, and hasty orders



issued for some addition to the evening meal, his grand-dame and

sisters opened their battery upon Hobbie Elliot for his lack of



success against the deer.

"Jenny needna have kept up her kitchen-fire for a' that Hobbie



has brought hame," said one sister.

"Troth no, lass," said another; "the gathering peat, if it was



weel blawn, wad dress a' our Hobbie's venison." [The gathering

peat is the piece of turf left to treasure up the secret seeds of



fire, without any generousconsumption of fuel; in a word, to

keep the fire alive.]



"Ay, or the low of the candle, if the wind wad let it hide

steady," said a third; "if I were him, I would bring hame a black



craw, rather than come back three times without a buck's horn to

blaw on."



Hobbie turned from the one to the other, regarding them

alternately with a frown on his brow, the augury of which was



confuted by the good-humoured laugh on the lower part of his

countenance. He then strove to propitiate them, by mentioning



the intended present of his companion.

"In my young days," said the old lady, "a man wad hae been



ashamed to come back frae the hill without a buck hanging on each

side o' his horse, like a cadger carrying calves."



"I wish they had left some for us then, grannie," retorted

Hobbie; "they've cleared the country o' them, thae auld friends



o' yours, I'm thinking."

"We see other folk can find game, though you cannot, Hobbie,"



said the eldest sister, glancing a look at young Earnscliff.

"Weel, weel, woman, hasna every dog his day, begging Earnscliff's



pardon for the auld saying--Mayna I hae his luck, and he mine,

another time?--It's a braw thing for a man to be out a' day, and



frighted--na, I winna say that neither but mistrysted wi' bogles

in the hame-coming, an' then to hae to flyte wi' a wheen women



that hae been doing naething a' the live-lang day, but whirling a

bit stick, wi' a thread trailing at it, or boring at a clout."



"Frighted wi' bogles!" exclaimed the females, one and all,--for

great was the regard then paid, and perhaps still paid, in these



glens, to all such fantasies.




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