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The Black Dwarf-Part14_WALTER SCOTT(1771-1832)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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spiral staircase which it enclosed. It seemed to the party that

their motions were watched by some one concealed within this



turret; and they were confirmed in their belief when, through a

narrow loophole, a female hand was seen to wave a handkerchief,



as if by way of signal to them. Hobbie was almost out of his

senses with joy and eagerness.



"It was Grace's hand and arm," he said; "I can swear to it amang

a thousand. There is not the like of it on this side of the



Lowdens--We'll have her out, lads, if we should carry off the

Tower of Westburnflat stane by stane."



Earnscliff, though he doubted the possibility of recognising a

fair maiden's hand at such a distance from the eye of the lover,



would say nothing to damp his friend's animated hopes, and it was

resolved to summon the garrison.



The shouts of the party, and the winding of one or two horns, at

length brought to a loophole, which flanked the entrance, the



haggard face of an old woman.

"That's the Reiver's mother," said one of the Elliots; "she's ten



times waur than himsell, and is wyted for muckle of the ill he

does about the country."



"Wha are ye? what d'ye want here?" were the queries of the

respectable progenitor.



"We are seeking William Graeme of Westburnflat," said Earnscliff.

"He's no at hame," returned the old dame.



"When did he leave home?" pursued Earnscliff.

"I canna tell," said the portress.



"When will he return?" said Hobbie Elliot.

"I dinna ken naething about it," replied the inexorable guardian



of the keep.

"Is there anybody within the tower with you?" again demanded



Earnscliff.

"Naebody but mysell and baudrons," said the old woman.



"Then open the gate and admit us," said Earnscliff; "I am a

justice of peace, and in search of the evidence of a felony."



"Deil be in their fingers that draws a bolt for ye," retorted the

portress; "for mine shall never do it. Thinkna ye shame o'



yoursells, to come here siccan a band o' ye, wi' your swords, and

spears, and steel-caps, to frighten a lone widow woman?"



"Our information," said Earnscliff; "is positive; we are seeking

goods which have been forcibly carried off, to a great amount."



"And a young woman, that's been cruelly made prisoner, that's

worth mair than a' the gear, twice told," said Hobbie.



"And I warn you." continued Earnscliff, "that your only way to

prove your son's innocence is to give us quiet admittance to



search the house."

"And what will ye do, if I carena to thraw the keys, or draw the



bolts, or open the grate to sic a clamjamfrie?" said the old

dame, scoffingly.



"Force our way with the king's keys, and break the neck of every

living soul we find in the house, if ye dinna gie it ower



forthwith!" menaced the incensed Hobbie.

"Threatened folks live lang," said the hag, in the same tone of



irony; "there's the iron grate--try your skeel on't, lads--it has

kept out as gude men as you or now."



So saying, she laughed, and withdrew from the aperture through

which she had held the parley.



The besiegers now opened a serious consultation. The immense

thickness of the walls, and the small size of the windows, might,



for a time, have even resisted cannon-shot. The entrance was

secured, first, by a strong grated door, composed entirely of



hammered iron, of such ponderous strength as seemed calculated to

resist any force that could be brought against it. "Pinches or



forehammers will never pick upon't," said Hugh, the blacksmith of

Ringleburn; "ye might as weel batter at it wi' pipe-staples."



Within the doorway, and at the distance of nine feet, which was

the solid thickness of the wall, there was a second door of oak,



crossed, both breadth and lengthways, with clenched bars of iron,

and studded full of broad-headed nails. Besides all these



defences, they were by no means confident in the truth of the old

dame's assertion, that she alone composed the garrison. The more



knowing of the party had observed hoof-marks in the track by

which they approached the tower, which seemed to indicate that



several persons had very lately passed in that direction.

To all these difficulties was added their want of means for



attacking the place. There was no hope of procuring ladders long




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