diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:58:34 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:58:34 -0700 |
| commit | 7622dc9d14eeb9b64a76e4e934dae9c147b5efe0 (patch) | |
| tree | 477581a7980ae11a6bd406886258ea115f44f450 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32956-8.txt | 9458 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32956-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 214567 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32956-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 218603 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32956-h/32956-h.htm | 9629 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32956.txt | 9458 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32956.zip | bin | 0 -> 214534 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
9 files changed, 28561 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32956-8.txt b/32956-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6a498f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/32956-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9458 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of +Scotland, Vol. 9, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. 9 + +Author: Various + +Editor: Alexander Leighton + +Release Date: June 23, 2010 [EBook #32956] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDER, VOL 9 *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Sunflower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +Wilson's + +Tales of the Borders + +AND OF SCOTLAND. + +HISTORICAL, TRADITIONARY, & IMAGINATIVE. + +WITH A GLOSSARY. + +REVISED BY +ALEXANDER LEIGHTON, +ONE OF THE ORIGINAL EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS. + +VOL. IX. + +LONDON: +WALTER SCOTT, 14 PATERNOSTER SQUARE. +AND NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE. +1885. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + Page. + + THE CRIPPLE; OR, EBENEZER THE DISOWNED + (_John Mackay Wilson_) 1 + + THE LEGEND OF FAIR HELEN OF KIRCONNEL + (_Alexander Leighton_) 23 + + TOM DUNCAN'S YARN (_Oliver Richardson_) 55 + + THE PROFESSOR'S TALES (_Professor Thomas Gillespie_) + + THE THREE BRETHREN 87 + + THE MISTAKE RECTIFIED 97 + + DURA DEN; OR, SECOND THOUGHTS ARE BEST 106 + + THE LAIRD OF LUCKY'S HOW (_Alexander Campbell_) 119 + + THE ABDUCTION (_Alexander Leighton_) 151 + + SIR PATRICK HUME: A TALE OF THE HOUSE OF MARCHMONT + (_John Mackay Wilson_) 167 + + THE SERJEANT'S TALES (_John Howell_) + + THE PACKMAN'S JOURNEY TO LONDON 178 + + CHARLES LAWSON (_John Mackay Wilson_) 210 + + BON GAULTIER'S TALES (_Theodore Martin_) + + MRS. HUMPHREY GREENWOOD'S TEA-PARTY 217 + + THE RECLUSE OF THE HEBRIDES (_Walter Logan_) 230 + + ELLEN ARUNDEL (_Walter Logan_) 238 + + CHATELARD (_Alexander Campbell_) 243 + + CHRISTIE OF THE CLEEK (_Alexander Leighton_) 275 + + + + +WILSON'S + +TALES OF THE BORDERS, + +AND OF SCOTLAND. + + + + +THE CRIPPLE; OR, EBENEZER THE DISOWNED. + + +It is proverbial to say, with reference to particular constitutions or +habits of body, that May is a _trying_ month, and we have known what it +is to experience its trials in the sense signified. With our +grandmothers too, yea, and with our grandfathers also, May was held to +be an unlucky month. Nevertheless, it is a lovely, it is a beautiful +month, and the forerunner of the most healthy of the twelve. It is like +a timid maiden blushing into womanhood, wooing and yet shrinking from +the admiration which her beauty compels. The buds, the blossoms, the +young leaves, the tender flowers, the glittering dew-drops, and the song +of birds, burst from the grasp of winter as if the God of nature +whispered in the sunbeams--"Let there be life!" But it is in the morning +only, and before the business of the world summons us to its mechanical +and artificial realities, that the beauties of May can be felt in all +their freshness. We read of the glories of Eden, and that the earth was +cursed because of man's transgression; yet, when we look abroad upon the +glowing landscape, above us, and around us, and behold the pure heavens +like a sea of music floating over us, and hear the earth answer it back +in varied melody, while mountain, wood, and dale, seem dreaming in the +sound, and stealing into loveliness, we almost wonder that a bad man +should exist in the midst of a world that is still so beautiful, and +where every object around him is a representative of the wisdom, the +goodness, the mercy, the purity, and the omnipotence of his Creator. +There is a language in the very wild-flowers among our feet that +breathes a lesson of virtue. We can appreciate the feeling with which +the poet beheld + + "The _last_ rose of summer left blooming alone;" + +but in the firstlings of the spring, the primrose, the lily, and their +early train, there is an appeal that passes beyond our senses. They are +like the lispings and the smiles of infancy--lowly preachers, emblems of +our own immortality, and we love them like living things. They speak to +us of childhood and the scenes of youth, and _memory_ dwells in their +very fragrance. Yes, May is a beautiful month--it is a month of fair +sights and of sweet sounds. To it belongs the lowly primrose blushing by +the brae-side in congregated beauty, with here and there a cowslip +bending over them like a lover among the flowers; the lily hanging its +head by the brook that reflects its image, like a bride at the altar, as +if conscious of its own loveliness; the hardy daisy on the green sward, +like a proud man struggling in penury with the storms of fate. Now, too, +the blossoms on a thousand trees unfold their rainbow hues; the tender +leaves seem instinct with life, and expand to the sunbeams; and the +bright fields, like an emerald sea, wave their first undulations to the +breeze. The lark pours down a flood of melody on the nest of its mate, +and the linnet trills a lay of love to its partner from the yellow +furze. The chaffinch chants in the hedge its sweet but unvaried _line of +music_; the thrush hymns his bold roundelay; and the blackbird swells +the chorus; while the bird of spring sends its voice from the glens, +like a wandering echo lost between love and sadness; and the swallow, +newly returned from warmer climes or its winter sleep, + + "Twitters from the straw-built shed." + +The insect tribe leap into being, countless in numbers and matchless in +livery, and their low hum swims like the embodiment of a dream in the +air. The May-fly invites the angler to the river, while the minnow +gambols in the brook; the young salmon sports and sparkles in the +stream, and the grey trout glides slowly beneath the shadow of a rock in +the deep pool. To enjoy for a single hour in a May morning the luxuries +which nature spreads around--to wander in its fields and in its +woods--to feel ourselves a part of God's glad creation--to _feel_ the +gowan under our feet, and health circulating through our veins with the +refreshing breeze, is a recipe worth all in the Materia Medica. + +Now, it was before sunrise on such a morning in May as I have described, +that a traveller left the Black Bull in Wooler, and proceeded to the +Cheviots. He took his route by way of Earle and Langleeford; and, at the +latter place, leaving the long and beautiful glen, began to ascend the +mountain. On the cairn, which is perhaps about five hundred yards from +what is called the extreme summit of the mountain, he met an old and +intelligent shepherd, from whom he heard many tales, the legends of the +mountains--and amongst others, the following story:-- + +Near the banks of one of the romantic streams which take their rise +among the Cheviots, stood a small and pleasant, and what might be termed +respectable or genteel-looking building. It stood like the home of +solitude, excluded by mountains from the world. Beneath it, the rivulet +wandered over its rugged bed; to the east rose Cheviot, the giant of the +hills; to the west, lesser mountains reared their fantastic forms, +thinly studded here and there with dwarf alders, which the birds of +heaven had planted, and their progeny had nestled in their branches; to +the north and the south stretched a long and secluded glen, where beauty +blushed in the arms of wildness--and thick woods, where the young fir +and the oak of the ancient forest grew together, flourished beneath the +shelter of the hills. Fertility also smiled by the sides of the rivulet, +though the rising and setting sun threw the shadows of barrenness over +it. Around the cottage stood a clump of solitary firs, and behind it an +enclosure of alders, twisted together, sheltered a garden from the +storms that swept down the hills. + +Now, many years ago, a stranger woman, who brought with her a female +domestic and a male infant, became the occupant of this house among the +hills. She lived more luxuriously than the sheep-farmers in the +neighbourhood, and her accent was not that of the Borders. She was +between forty and fifty years of age, and her stature and strength were +beyond the ordinary stature and strength of women. Her manners were +repulsive, and her bearing haughty; but it seemed the haughtiness of a +weak and uneducated mind. Her few neighbours, simple though they were, +and little as they saw or knew of the world, its inhabitants and its +manners, perceived that the stranger who had come amongst them had not +been habituated to the affluence or easy circumstances with which she +was then surrounded. The child also was hard-favoured, and of a +disagreeable countenance; his back was strangely deformed; his feet were +distorted, and his limbs of unequal length. No one could look upon the +child without a feeling of compassion, save the woman who was his +mother, his nurse, or his keeper (for none knew in what relation she +stood to him), and she treated him as a persecutor, who hated his sight, +and was weary of his existence. + +She gave her name as Mrs Baird; and, as the child grew up, she generally +in derision called him "_Ęsop_," or, in hatred, "the little monster!" +but the woman-servant called him Ebenezer, though she treated him with a +degree of harshness only less brutal than she whom he began to call +mother. We shall, therefore, in his history mention him by the name of +Ebenezer Baird. As he grew in years, the disagreeable expression of his +countenance became stronger, his deformity and lameness increased, and +the treatment he had experienced added to both. + +When nine years of age, he was sent to a boarding-school about twelve +miles distant. Here a new series of persecutions awaited him. Until the +day of his entering the school, he was almost ignorant that there was an +alphabet. He knew not a letter. He had seen one or two books, but he +knew not their use: he had never seen any one look upon them; he +regarded them merely as he did a picture--a piece of useless furniture, +or a plaything. Lame as he was, he had climbed the steep and the +dripping precipice for the eggs of the water-ouzel, sought among the +crags for the young of the gorgeous kingfisher, or climbed the tallest +trees in quest of the crested wrens, which chirped and fluttered in +invisible swarms among the branches.[A] The birds were to him +companions; he wished to rear their young, that they might love him, for +there was a lack of something in his heart--he knew not what it was--but +it was the void of being beloved, of being regarded. It is said that +nature abhors a vacuum, and so did the heart of Ebenezer. He knew not +what name to give it, but he longed for something that would show a +liking for him, and to which he could show a liking in return. The heart +is wicked, but it is not unsocial--its affections wither in +solitariness. When he strolled forth on these rambles about the glen, +having asked the permission of his mother or keeper (call her what you +will) before he went, "Go, imp! Ęsop!" she was wont to exclaim, "and I +shall pray that you may break your neck before you return." There were +no farmers' or shepherds' children within several miles: he had seen +some of them, and when they had seen him, they had laughed at his +deformity--they had imitated his lameness, and contorted their +countenances into a caricatured resemblance of his. Such were poor +Ebenezer's acquirements, and such his acquaintance with human nature, +when he entered the boarding-school. A primer was put into his hands. +"What must I do with it?" thought Ebenezer. He beheld the rod of +correction in the hands of the teacher, and he trembled--for his +misshapen shoulders were familiar with such an instrument. He heard +others read, he saw them write; and he feared, wondered, and trembled +the more. He thought that he would be called upon to do the same, and he +knew he could not. He had no idea of _learning_--he had never heard of +such a thing. He thought that he must do as he saw others doing at once, +and he cast many troubled looks at the lord of a hundred boys. When the +name of "Ebenezer Baird" was called out, he burst into tears, he sobbed, +terror overwhelmed him. But when the teacher approached him kindly, took +him from his seat, placed him between his knees, patted his head, and +desired him to speak after him, the heart of the little cripple was +assured, and more than assured; it was the first time he had experienced +kindness, and he could have fallen on the ground and hugged the knees of +his master. The teacher, indeed, found Ebenezer the most ignorant +scholar he had ever met with, but he was no tyrant of the birch, though +to his pupils + + "A man severe he was, and stern to view;" + +and though he had all the manners and austerity of the old school about +him, he did not lay his head upon the pillow with his arm tired by the +incessant use of the ferule. He was touched with the simplicity and the +extreme ignorance of his new boarder, and he felt also for his lameness +and deformity. Thrice he went over the alphabet with his pupil, +commencing, "_Big Aw_--_Little Aw_," and having got over _b_, he told +him to remember that _c_ was like a half-moon. "Ye'll aye mind _c_ +again," added he; "think ye _see_ the moon." Thus they went on to _g_, +and he asked him what the carters said to their horses when they wished +them to go faster; but this Ebenezer could not tell--carts and horses +were sights that he had seen as objects of wonder. They are but seldom +seen amongst the hills now, and in those days they were almost unknown. +Getting over _h_, he strove to impress _i_ upon the memory of his pupil, +by touching the solitary grey orbit in his countenance (for Ebenezer had +but one), and asking him what he called it. "My _e'e_," answered +Ebenezer. + +"No, sir, you must not say your _e'e_, but your _eye_--mind that; and +that letter is _I_." + +The teacher went on, showing him that he could not forget round O, and +crooked S; and in truth, after his first lesson, Ebenezer was master of +these two letters. And, afterwards, when the teacher, in trying him +promiscuously through the alphabet, would inquire, "What letter is +this?"--"I no ken," the cripple would reply; "but I'm sure it's no O, +and it's no S." Within a week he was master of the six-and-twenty +mystical symbols, with the exception of four--and those four were _b_ +and _d_, _p_ and _q_. Ebenezer could not for three months be brought to +distinguish the _b_ from the _d_, nor the _p_ from the _q_; but he had +never even heard that he had a right hand and a left until he came to +the school--and how could it be expected? + +Scarce, however, had he mastered the alphabet, until the faculties of +the deformed began to expand. He now both understood and felt what it +was to learn. He passed from class to class with a rapidity that +astonished his teacher. He could not join in the boisterous sports of +his schoolfellows, and while they were engaged in their pastime, he +sought solitude, and his task accompanied him. He possessed strong +natural talents, and his infirmities gave them the assistance of +industry. His teacher noted these things in the cripple, and he was +gratified with them; but he hesitated to express his feelings openly, +lest the charge of partiality should be brought against him. Ebenezer, +however, had entered the academy as the butt of his schoolfellows--they +mocked, they mimicked, they tormented, they despised, or affected to +despise him; and his talents and progress, instead of abating their +persecutions, augmented them. His teacher was afraid to show him more +kindness than he showed to others; and his schoolfellows gloried in +annoying the cripple--they persecuted, they shunned, they hated him more +than even his mother did. He began to hate the world, for he had found +none that would love him. His teacher was the only human being that had +ever whispered to him words of praise or of kindness, and that had +always been in cold, guarded, and measured terms. + +Before he was eighteen, he had acquired all the knowledge that his +teacher could impart, and he returned to the cottage among the +mountains. There, however, he was again subjected to a persecution more +barbarous than that which he had met with from his schoolfellows. Mrs +Baird mocked, insulted, and drove him from her presence; and her +domestic showed him neither kindness nor respect. In stature, he +scarcely exceeded five feet; and his body was feeble as well as +deformed. The cruelty with which he had been treated had given an +asperity to his temper, and made him almost a hater of the human race; +and these feelings had lent their character to his countenance, marking +its naturally harsh expression with suspicion and melancholy. + +He was about five-and-twenty when the pangs and the terrors of death +fell upon her whom he regarded as his parent. She died--as a sinner +dies--with insulted eternity frowning to receive her. A few minutes +before her death, she desired the cripple to approach her bedside. She +fixed her closing eyes, which affection had never lighted, upon his. She +informed him that he was not her son. + +"Oh, tell me, then, whose son I am! Who are my parents?" he exclaimed, +eagerly. "Speak! speak!" + +"Your parents!" she muttered; and remorse and ignorance held her +departing soul in their grasp. She struggled; she again continued: "Your +parents! no, Ebenezer, no! I dare not name them! I have sworn--I have +sworn! and a death-bed is no time to break an oath!" + +"Speak! speak! Tell me, as you hope for heaven!" cried the cripple, with +his thin, bony fingers grasping the wrists of the dying woman. + +"Monster! monster!" she screamed, wildly, and in terror, "leave +me--leave me! You are provided for--open that chest--the chest--the +chest!" + +Ebenezer loosed his grasp; he sprang towards a strong chest which stood +in the room. "The keys! the keys!" he exclaimed, wildly; and again +hurrying to the bed, he violently pulled a bunch of keys from beneath +her pillow. But while he applied them to the chest, the herald of death +rattled in the throat of its victim; and, with one agonising throe and a +deep groan, her spirit escaped, and her body lay a corpse upon the bed. + +He opened the chest, and in it he found securities, which settled upon +him, under the name of Ebenezer Baird, five thousand pounds. But there +was nothing which threw light on his parentage--nothing to inform who he +was, or why he was there. + +The body of her who had never shed a tear over him he accompanied to the +grave. But now a deeper gloom fell upon him. He met but few men, and the +few he met shunned him, for there was a wildness and a bitterness in his +words--a railing against the world--which they wished not to hear. He +fancied, too, that they despised him--that their eyes were ever +examining the form of his deformities; and he returned their glance with +a scowl, and their words with the accents of hatred. Even as he passed +the solitary farmhouse, the younger children fled in terror, and the +elder laughed, or pointed towards him the finger of curiosity. All these +things fell upon the heart of the cripple, and turned the human kindness +of his bosom into gall. His companions became the solitude of the +mountains, and the silence of the woods. They heard his bitter +soliloquies without reviling him, or echo answered him in tones of +sympathy more mournful than his own. He sought a thing that he might +love, that might unlock his prisoned heart, or give life to its blighted +feelings. He loved the very primrose, because it was a thing of beauty, +and shrank not from his deformity as man did. To him it gave forth its +sweetness, and its leaves withered not at his touch; and he bent and +kissed the flower that smiled upon him whom his kind avoided. He courted +the very storms of winter, for they shunned him not, but spent their +fury on his person, unconscious of its form. The only living thing that +regarded him, or that had ever evinced affection towards him, was a dog, +of the mastiff kind, which ever followed at his side, licked his hand, +and received its food from it. And on this living thing all the +affections that his heart ever felt were expended. He loved it as a +companion, a friend, and protector; and he knew it was not +ungrateful--it never avoided him; but, when mockery or insult was +offered to its master, it growled, and looked in his face, as if asking +permission to punish the offender. + +Such was the life that he had passed until he was between thirty and +forty years of age. Still he continued his solitary rambles, having a +feeling for everything around him but man. Man only was his +persecutor--man only despised him. His own kind and his own kindred had +shut him out from them and disowned him--his sight had been hateful to +them, and his form loathsome. He avoided the very sun, for it revealed +his shadow; but he wandered in rapture, gazing on the midnight heavens, +calling the stars by name, while his soul was lifted up with their +glory, and his deformity lost and overshadowed in the depth of their +magnificence. He loved the flowers of day, the song of morning birds, +and the wildness or beauty of the landscape; but these dwindled, and +drew not forth his soul as did the awful gorgeousness of night, with its +ten thousand worlds lighted up, burning, sparkling, glimmering in +immensity--the gems that studded the throne of the Eternal. While others +slept, the deformed wandered on the mountains, holding communion with +the heavens. + +About the period we refer to, a gay party came upon a visit to a +gentleman whose mansion was situated about three miles from the cottage +of the cripple. As they rode out, they frequently passed him in his +wanderings. And when they did so, some turned to gaze on him with a look +of prying curiosity, others laughed and called to their companions--and +the indignation of Ebenezer was excited, and the frown grew black upon +his face. + +He was wandering in a wood in the glen, visiting his favourite +wild-flowers (for he had many that he visited daily, and each was +familiar to him as the face of man to man--he rejoiced when they budded, +blossomed, and laughed in their summer joy, and he grieved when they +withered and died away), when a scream of distress burst upon his ear. +His faithful mastiff started, and answered to the sound. He hurried from +the wood to whence the sound proceeded as rapidly as his lameness would +admit. The mastiff followed by his side, and, by its signs of +impatience, seemed eager to increase its speed, though it would not +forsake him. The cries of distress continued, and became louder. On +emerging from the wood, he perceived a young lady rushing wildly towards +it, and behind her, within ten yards, followed an infuriated bull. A few +moments more, and she must have fallen its victim. With an eager howl, +the dog sprang from the side of its master, and stood between the lady +and her pursuer. Ebenezer forgot his lameness and the feebleness of his +frame, and he hastened at his utmost speed to the rescue of a human +being. Even at that moment a glow of delight passed through his heart, +that the despised cripple would save the life of a fellow-mortal--of one +of the race that shunned him. Ere he approached, the lady had fallen, +exhausted and in terror, on the ground. The mastiff kept the enraged +animal at bay, and, with a strength such as he had never before +exhibited, Ebenezer raised the lady in his arms, and bore her to the +wood. He placed her against a tree: the stream passed by within a few +yards, and he brought water in the palms of his hands, and knelt over +her, to bathe her temples and her fair brow. Her brow was indeed fair, +and her face beautiful beyond all that he had looked upon. Her golden +hair in wavy ringlets fell upon her shoulders--but her deep blue eyes +were closed. Her years did not appear to be more than twenty. + +"Beautiful!--beautiful!" exclaimed the cripple, as he dropped the water +on her face, and gazed on it as he spoke--"it is wondrous beautiful! But +she will open her eyes--she will turn from me as doth her race!--as from +the animal that pursued her!--yet, sure she is beautiful!" and again, as +he spoke, Ebenezer sighed. + +The fair being recovered--she raised her eyes--she gazed on his face, +and turned not away from it. She expressed no false horror on beholding +his countenance--no affected revulsion at the sight of his deformity; +but she looked upon him with gratitude--she thanked him with tears. The +cripple started--his heart burned. To be gazed on with kindness, to be +thanked, and with tears, and by one so fair, so young, so beautiful, was +to him so strange, so new, he half doubted the reality of the scene +before him. Before the kindness and gratitude that beamed from her eyes, +the misanthropy that had frozen up his bosom began to dissolve, and the +gloom on his features died away, as a vapour before the face of the +morning sun. New thoughts fired his imagination--new feelings transfixed +his heart. Her smile fell like a sunbeam on his soul, where light had +never before dawned; her accents of gratitude, from the moment they were +delivered, became the music of his memory. He found an object on the +earth that he could love--or shall we say that he _did_ love; for he +felt as though already her existence were mysteriously linked to his. We +are no believers in what is termed _love at first sight_. Some +romance-writers hold it up as an established doctrine, and love-sick +boys and moping girls will make oath to the creed. But there never was +love at first sight that a week's perseverance could not wear away. It +holds no intercourse with the heart, but is a mere _fancy_ of the eye; +as a man would fancy a horse, a house, or a picture, which he desires to +purchase. Love is not the offspring of an hour or a day, nor is it the +_ignis fatuus_ which plays about the brain, and disturbs the sleep of +the youth and the maiden in their teens. It slowly steals and dawns upon +the heart, as day imperceptibly creeps over the earth, first with the +tinged cloud--the grey and the clearer dawn--the approaching, the +rising, and the risen sun--blending into each other a brighter and a +brighter shade; but each indistinguishable in their progress and +blending, as the motion of the pointers on a watch, which move +unobserved as time flies, and we mark not the silent progress of light +till it envelop us in its majesty. Such is the progress of pure, holy, +and enduring love. It springs not from mere sight, but its radiance +grows with esteem; it is the whisper of sympathy, unity of feeling, and +mutual reverence, which increases with a knowledge of each other, until +but one pulse seems to throb in two bosoms. The feelings which now +swelled in the bosom of Ebenezer Baird were not the true and only love +which springs from esteem, but they were akin to it. For though the +beauty of the fair being he had rescued had struck his eye, it was not +her beauty that melted the misanthropy of his heart, but the tear of +gratitude, the voice of thanks, the glance that turned not away from +him, the smile--the first that woman had bestowed on him--that entered +his soul. They came from the heart, and they spoke to the heart. + +She informed him that her name was Maria Bradbury, and that she was one +of the party then on a visit to the gentleman in his neighbourhood. He +offered to accompany her to the house, and she accepted his offer. But +it was necessary to pass near the spot where he had rescued her from the +fury of the enraged bull. As they drew towards the side of the wood, +they perceived that the bull was gone, but the noble mastiff, the +friend, companion, and defender of the cripple, lay dead before them. +Ebenezer wrung his hands, he mourned over his faithful guardian. + +"Friend! poor Friend!" he cried (the name of the mastiff was Friend), +"hast thou, too, left me? Thou, of all the things that lived, alone +didst love thy master! Pardon me, lady, pardon an outcast; but until +this hour I have never experienced friendship from man nor kindness from +woman. The human race have treated me as a thing that belonged not to +the same family with themselves; they have persecuted or mocked me, and +I have hated them. Start not--hatred is an alien to my soul--it was not +born there, it was forced upon it--but I hate not you--no! no! You have +spoken kindly to me, you have smiled on me!--the despised, the disowned +Ebenezer will remember you. That poor dog alone, of all living things, +showed affection for me. But he died in a good cause! Poor Friend! poor +Friend!--where shall I find a companion now?" and the tears of the +cripple ran down his cheeks as he spoke. + +Maria wept also, partly for the fate of the noble animal that had died +in her deliverance, and partly from the sorrow of her companion; for +there is a sympathy in tears. + +"Ha! you weep!" cried the cripple; "you weep for poor Friend and for me. +Bless thee--bless thee, fair one! they are the first that were ever shed +for my sake! I thought there was not a tear on earth for me." + +He accompanied her to the lodge of the mansion where she was then +residing, and there he left her, though she invited him to accompany +her, that he might also receive the congratulations of her friends. + +She related to them her deliverance. "Ha! little Ebenezer turned a +hero!" cried one; "Ebenezer the cripple become a knight-errant!" said +another. But they resolved to visit him in a body, and return him their +thanks. + +But the soul of the deformed was now changed, and his countenance, +though still melancholy, had lost its asperity. His days became a dream, +his existence a wish. For the first time he entertained the hope of +happiness; it was vain, romantic, perhaps we might say absurd, but he +cherished it. + +Maria spoke much of the courage, the humanity, the seeming loneliness, +and the knowledge of the deformed, to her friends; and their +entertainer, with his entire party of visiters, with but one exception, +a few days afterwards, proceeded to the cottage of Ebenezer, to thank +him for his intrepidity. The exception we have alluded to was a Lady +Helen Dorrington, a woman of a proud and haughty temper, and whose +personal attractions, if she ever possessed any, were now disfigured by +the attacks of a violent temper, and the _crow-feet_ and the _wrinkles_ +which threescore years imprint on the fairest countenance. She excused +herself by saying, that the sight of deformed people affected her. +Amongst the party who visited the cripple was her son, Francis +Dorrington, a youth of two-and-twenty, who was haughty, fiery, and +impetuous as his mother. He sought the hand of Maria Bradbury, and he +now walked by her side. + +Ebenezer received them coldly; amongst them were some who were wont to +mock him as they passed, and he now believed that they had come to +gratify curiosity, by gazing on his person as on a wild animal. But, +when he saw the smile upon Maria's lips, the benign expression of her +glance, and her hand held forth to greet him, his coldness vanished, and +joy, like a flash of sunshine, lighted up his features. Yet he liked not +the impatient scowl with which Francis Dorrington regarded her attention +towards him, nor the contempt which moved visibly on his lip, when she +listened delighted to the words of the despised cripple. He seemed to +act as though her eyes should be fixed on him alone--her words addressed +only to him. Jealousy entered the soul of the deformed; and shall we say +that the same feeling was entertained by the gay and the haughty +Dorrington? It was. He felt that, insignificant as the outward +appearance of the cripple was, his soul was that of an intellectual +giant, before the exuberance of whose power the party were awed, and +Maria lost in admiration. His tones were musical as his figure was +unsightly, and his knowledge universal as his person was diminutive. He +discoursed with a poet's tongue on the beauty of the surrounding +scenery; he defined the botany and geology of the mountains. He traced +effect to cause, and both to their Creator. The party marvelled while +the deformed spoke; and he repelled the scowl and contempt of his rival +with sarcasm that scathed like passing lightning. These things produced +feelings of jealousy also in the breast of Francis Dorrington; though +from Maria Bradbury he had never received one smile of encouragement. On +their taking leave, the entertainer of the party invited Ebenezer to his +house, but the latter refused; he feared to mingle with society, for oft +as he had associated with man, he had been rendered their sport--the +thing they persecuted--the butt of their irony. + +For many days the cripple met, or rather sought, Maria in his solitary +rambles; for she, too, loved the solitude of the mountains or the +silence of the woods, which is broken only by the plaintive note of the +wood-pigeon, the _chirm_ of the linnet, the song of the thrush, the +twitter of the chaffinch, or the distant stroke of the woodman, lending +silence a charm. She had become familiar with his deformity, and as it +grew less singular to her eyes, his voice became sweeter to her ears. +Their conversation turned on many things--there was wisdom in his words, +and she listened to him as a pupil to a preceptor. His feelings deepened +with their interviews, his hopes brightened, and felicity seemed dawning +before him. As hope kindled, he acquired confidence. They were walking +together, he had pointed out the beauties and explained the properties +of the wild-flowers on their path, he had dwelt on the virtues of the +humblest weed, when he stopped short, and gazing in her face--"Maria!" +he added, "I have loved these flowers--I have cherished those simple +weeds, because they shunned me not--they shrank not from me, as did the +creatures of the human race--they spread their beauties before me--they +denied me not their sweetness. You only have I met with among the +children of Adam, who persecuted me not with ridicule, or who insulted +not my deformity with the vulgar gaze of curiosity. Who I am I know +not--from whence I was brought amongst these hills I cannot tell; I am a +thing which the world has laughed at, and of which my parents were +ashamed. But my wants have been few. I have gold to purchase flattery, +if I desired it--to buy tongues to tell me I am not deformed; but I +despise them. My soul partakes not of my body's infirmities--it has +sought a spirit to love, that would love it in return. Maria, has it +found one?" + +Maria was startled--she endeavoured to speak, but her tongue +faltered--tears gathered in her eyes, and her looks bespoke pity and +astonishment. + +"Fool! fool!" exclaimed the cripple, "I have been deceived! Maria +_pities_ me!--_only pities me_! Hate me, Maria--despise me as does the +world. I can bear hatred--I can endure scorn--I can repel them!--but +_pity_ consumes me!--and _pity_ from you! Fool! fool!" he added, +"wherefore dreamed I there was one that would look with love on deformed +Ebenezer? Farewell, Maria! farewell!--remember, but do not pity me!" and +he hurried from her side. + +She would have detained him--she would have told him that she reverenced +him--that she esteemed him; but he hastened away, and she felt also that +she _pitied_ him--and _love_ and _pity_ can never dwell in the same +breast for the same object. Maria stood and wept. + +Ebenezer returned to his cottage; but the hope which he had cherished, +the dream which he had fed, died reluctantly. He accused himself for +acting precipitately--he believed he had taken the tear of affection for +pity. His heart was at war with itself. Day after day he revisited the +mountainside, and the path in the wood where they had met; but Maria +wandered there no longer. His feelings, his impatience, his incertitude, +rose superior to the ridicule of man; he resolved to visit the mansion +of his neighbour, where Maria and her friends were residing. The +dinner-bell was ringing as he approached the house; but he knew little +of the etiquette of the world, and respected not its forms. The owner of +the mansion welcomed him with the right hand of cordiality, for his +discourse in the cottage had charmed him; others expressed welcome, for +some who before had mocked now respected him; and Maria took his hand +with a look of joy and her wonted sweetness. The heart of Ebenezer felt +assured. Francis Dorrington alone frowned, and rose not to welcome him. + +The dinner-bell again rang; the Lady Helen had not arrived, and dinner +was delayed for her, but she came not. They proceeded to the +dining-room. Ebenezer offered his arm to Maria, and she accepted it. +Francis Dorrington muttered angry words between his teeth. The dinner +passed--the dessert was placed upon the table--Lady Helen entered the +room--she prayed to be excused for her delay--her host rose to introduce +her to Ebenezer. + +"Ebenezer!--the deformed!" she exclaimed, in a tone of terror, and, +dashing her hands before her eyes, as he rose before her, she fell back +in hysterics. + +"Turn the monster from the house!" cried Francis Dorrington, springing +forward; "my mother cannot endure the sight of such." + +"Whom call ye monster, young man?" said Ebenezer, angrily. + +"You, wretch!" replied Dorrington, raising his hand, and striking the +cripple to the floor. + +"Shame! shame!" exclaimed the company. + +"Coward!" cried Maria, starting from her seat. + +The cripple, with a rapidity that seemed impossible, sprang to his +feet--he gasped, he trembled, every joint shook, rage boiled in his +veins--he glanced at his insulter, who attempted to repeat the blow--he +uttered a yell of vengeance, he clutched a dessert-knife from the table, +and within a moment it was plunged in the body of the man who had +injured him. + +A scream of horror burst from the company. Ebenezer, with the reeking +knife in his grasp, stood trembling from rage, not from remorse. But he +offered not to repeat the blow. A half-consciousness of what he had done +seemed to stay his hand. The sudden scream of the party aroused the Lady +Helen from her real or affected fit. She beheld her son bleeding on the +floor--she saw the vengeful knife in the hands of the cripple. She +screamed more wildly than before--she wrung her hands! + +"Monster!--murderer!" she exclaimed, "he has slain--_he has slain his +brother_!" + +"_My brother!_" shouted Ebenezer, still grasping the knife in his hand. +"Woman--woman! mother--mother!--who am I? Answer me--who are you?" and +he sprang forward, and held her by the arm. "Tell me," he continued, +"what mean ye--what mean ye? My _brother_--do ye say my _brother_? Art +thou my _mother_? Have I a _mother_? Speak--speak!" and he grasped her +arm more fiercely. + +"Monster!" she repeated, "offspring of my shame!--away--away! _He is thy +brother!_ I have shunned thee, wretch, I have disowned thee; but thou +hast carried murder to my bosom!" and, tearing her arm from his grasp, +she threw it round the neck of her wounded son. + +The company gazed upon each other. Ebenezer stood for a moment, his eyes +rolling, his teeth rattling together, the knife shaking in his hand. He +uttered a wild cry of agony--he tore the garments from his breast, as +though it were ready to burst, and, with the look and the howl of a +maniac, he sprang to the door, and disappeared. Some from an interest in +his fate, others from a desire to secure him, followed after him. But he +fled to the woods, and they traced him not. + +It was found that the wound of Francis Dorrington was not mortal; and +the fears of the company were directed from him to Ebenezer, who they +feared had laid violent hands upon his own life. + +On the following day, without again meeting the company, Lady Helen left +the house, having acknowledged the deformed Ebenezer to be her son--a +child of shame--whose birth had been concealed from the world. + +On the third day, the poor cripple was found by a shepherd wandering on +the hills. His head was uncovered; his garments and his body were torn +by the brambles through which he had rushed; his eyes rolled wildly, +and, when accosted, he fled, exclaiming, "I am Cain! I am Cain! I have +slain my brother! Touch me not--the mark is on my forehead!" He was +secured, and taken to a place of safety. + +The circumstances twined round Maria's heart; she heard no more of +Ebenezer the cripple, but she forgot him not. Several years passed, and +she, together with a friend, visited a lunatic asylum in a distant part +of the country, in which a female acquaintance, once the admired of +society, had become an inmate. They were shown round the different +wards; some of the inmates seemed happy, others melancholy, but all were +mild--all shrank from the eye of their keeper. The sound of the clanking +chains around their ankles filled Maria's soul with horror, and she +longed to depart; but the keeper invited them to visit the garden of his +asylum. They entered, and beheld several quiet-looking people engaged in +digging; others were pruning trees; and some sat upon benches on the +paths, playing with their fingers, striking their heels upon the ground, +or reading stray leaves of an old book or a newspaper. Each seemed +engaged with himself, none conversed with his neighbour. Upon a bench +near the entrance to a small arbour or summer-house sat a female, +conning an old ballad; and, as she perused it, she laughed, wept, and +sang by turns. Maria stopped to converse with her, and her friend +entered the arbour. In it sat a grey-headed and deformed man; he held a +volume of Savage in his hand, which had then been but a short time +published. + +"I am reading the 'Bastard,' by Savage," said he, as the stranger +entered; "he is my favourite author. His fate was mine--he describes my +feelings. He had an unnatural mother--so had I. He was disowned--so was +I. He slew a man, and so did I; but I my brother." + +The voice, the words, fell upon Maria's ear. She became pale, she +glanced towards the arbour, she cast an inquiring look upon the keeper. + +"Fear not, ma'am," he replied; "he is an innocent creature. He does not +rave now; and but that there is an occasional wildness in his language, +he is as well as you are. Enter and converse with him, ma'am; he is a +great speaker, and to much purpose, too, as visiters tell me." + +She entered the arbour. The cripple's eyes met hers--he threw down the +book. + +"Maria--Maria!" he exclaimed, "this is kind! this is kind, indeed! But +do not _pity_ me--do not _pity me again_! Hate me, Maria! you saw me +slay my brother!" + +She informed him that his brother was not dead--that he had recovered +within a few weeks. + +"Not dead!" replied the cripple. "Thank Heaven! Ebenezer is not a +murderer! But I am well now--the fever of my brain is passed. Go, Maria, +do this for me--it is all I now ask--inquire why I am here immured, and +by whose authority. Suffer not my reason to be buried in reason's tomb, +and crushed among its wrecks. Your smile, your words of kindness, your +tears of gratitude, caused me to dream once, and its remembrance is +still as a speck of light amidst the darkness of my bosom; but these +grey hairs have broken the dream." And Ebenezer bent his head upon his +breast, and sighed. + +Maria and her friend left the asylum, but in a few weeks they returned, +and when they again departed, Ebenezer Baird went with them. He now +sought not Maria's love, but he was gratified with her esteem, and that +of her friends. He outlived the persecution of his kindred and the +derision of the world; and in the forty-sixth year of his age he died in +peace, and bequeathed his property to Maria Bradbury--the first of the +human race that had looked on him with kindness, or cheered him with a +smile. + + +[Footnote A: The water-ouzel, the kingfisher, and the crested wren, +abound in the vicinity of the Cheviots, though the latter beautiful +little creature is generally considered as quite a _rara avis_; and last +year one being shot about Cumberland, the circumstance went the round of +the newspapers! But the bird is not rare, it is only difficult to be +seen, and generally flutters among the leaves and near the top +branches.] + + + + +THE LEGEND OF FAIR HELEN OF KIRCONNEL. + + +The seat of a branch of the Dumfries-shire Maxwells--Kirconnel--a +property lying not far distant from Dumfries, and surrounded by the +little pastoral stream, Kirtle--is one of the most beautiful that ever +gratified the taste or inspired the pride of a high family. It was not +until about the beginning of the seventeenth century that it came into +the possession of the Maxwells; for, during a long period, it belonged +to the old, though never illustrious, family of the Bells, who, amidst +all the turmoil and strife of the March territories, had the good sense +to prefer the quiet pleasures of the retreats of their own pure Kirtle, +to the tumultuous and cruel scenes which boasted no streamlet but the +heart's blood of contending foes. The power of Lord Maxwell, or the +threat of Douglas, were equally unavailing to force the old proprietor +of Kirconnel--though he ranked as a lesser baron, and might command +retainers to fight for his plea--to sacrifice the pleasures of domestic +peace on the altars of Laverna or Bellona: these conjunct goddesses who, +hand in hand, swayed the destinies of Border men, and regulated the +Border rights of mine and thine. He held his fine property directly of +the crown; and, so long as he fulfilled the conditions of his right, he +conceived himself entitled to the enjoyment of what had been fairly got +and honourably retained. One strong element in Kirconnel's determination +to live at home, in the enjoyment of what home may produce to a mind +capable of appreciating its sweets, was the fear of interrupting the +happiness of his lady--one of the family of Irvings in that quarter, who +latterly came to possess his property--and of one child, a daughter, the +Maid of Kirconnel, concerning whom, as all our readers know, more has +been said and sung by antiquarian minstrel than ever fell to the hapless +fame or treasured memory of fair woman. Ah, we need scarcely say, that +this young heiress of Kirconnel's name was Helen; for who that has read +the touching lines of Pinkerton can ever forget the appellation of one +whose fate has drawn more tears than ever did that of the heroine Lady +Margaret, in the old ballad of "Douglas' Tragedy?" The disasters of +ordinary women, though hallowed by the sanctifying power of love, have +seldom in this country inspired the harp of the minstrel; so far we are +forced to admit the power of beauty, abstracted from the qualities of +the mind and heart, that it has been a talisman to bardic genius in +every age; yet it is honourable to the character of our nation, that the +soul which illumines the "face divine" has called forth strains as +melting and triumphant as ever resulted from the effects of physical +beauty. It is, however, when the two qualities have been found combined +in a favoured daughter of Scotland, that an unhappy fate has called +forth a sympathy which has left no harp to sound fitfully in the +willow-tree, no heart in our true land untouched, no eye destitute of +sympathetic tears. Such has truly been the effect produced by the +fortune of Helen of Kirconnel--a fortune which came up on the revolving +wheel of the mutable goddess, notwithstanding all the efforts of her +father to make the course of her life happy, and its termination +blessed. Abstracted as the thoughts were of the three inhabitants of +Kirconnel--the lady, the laird, and the daughter--from the scenes that +were ever changing in the warlike world around them, so much greater was +the necessity for cultivating the opportunities of enjoyment that nature +and fortune had awarded to them; and so much greater also was the relish +for that enjoyment which has ever been found in minds and hearts +properly constituted and tuned to the harp of goodness, to increase with +possession as much as the false taste for stimulating avocations cloys +with the easy surfeit. It is not often, even in our virtuous land, and +even in these days when the blessings of a high civilisation have +inclined mankind to the cultivation of the social affections, that a +family is found with its different members so predisposed for the +harmony of exclusively domestic joys, that some chord does not +occasionally give forth a discordant sound when touched by an external +impulse; but, in the times of which we speak, and in the district where +the individuals resided, "the happy family" was a group that was more +often found in the lyrics of the poet or the creations of hope deferred +than in the real existences of the troubled and vexed world. + +The house of Kirconnel stood on "fair Kirconnel Lee;" a term implying +that the wood, which in those days encompassed every baronial residence, +had been, to a certain extent, cleared away, to allow the daisy-covered +lawn to rejoice in the beams of the generally excluded sun. But, at a +little distance, the empire of the forest was again resumed, on the +condition exacted by nature, of allowing the winding Kirtle to enjoy her +grassy bank, covered with the wild rose and the eglantine; and to roll +playfully along her pebbly bed, unimpeded by the neighbouring trees, +which, as if in amatory dalliance, sent down their straggling lips to +kiss her as she went. The wood bower--in early times a species of rural +retreat in much greater fashion than now-a-days--was, in repetition of +itself, seen rearing its ornamented walls, round which the native +parasite plants were entwined in close embrace in various parts of the +shady retreat. Some of these had been carefully looked to by the lady of +Kirconnel herself, who, anxious to confirm her husband's resolution +against engaging in the wars of the times, left no energy unemployed to +render their residence, not only within the walls of the house, but in +the bowers and gardens, as pleasant to the eye as the fruits of her +heart and mind were delightful to the rational and loving soul of her +appreciating and grateful lord. As Sir Owain says:-- + + "Fair were her erbers with flowers-- + Rose and lili divers colours, + Primrol and parvink; + Mint, feverfoy, and eglantine, + Colimbin, and mo there were, + Than ani man mocht think." + +True; the Graces had, as yet, but small influence in Scotland; but the +Genius of Chivalry, a cognate spirit, was busy in effecting a great +revolution in the minds of the inhabitants; and though there was little +to humanise, there was much to elevate and beautify. Traces of this +power might already be seen about the bowers and shades of Kirconnel, +where some rude figures of knights in various positions--one rescuing a +damsel from her enemies--one in the combat at outrance--one striking the +palisades of an armed city--placed, as they were, in the retreats of +peace and domestic happiness by a former warlike possessor of the +property, served the purpose of ornamenting the sequestered walks, and +supplying to the peaceful and happy inhabitants a contrast between the +pursuits of war and the pleasures of home, and home's blessed +enjoyments. + +At a little distance from the mansion or castle--for every house, in +those days, had a castellated character--was, and still is, the +burying-ground of Kirconnel; a spot which, from the peculiarity of its +situation, as well as from its own mournful associations, impressed the +mind of the visiter with feelings which startled him, as much from their +novelty as from their intensity. There is a small stone there, that +would, if deciphered and communicated to our readers, anticipate our +story, and claim the ready tear before our own sympathies are relieved +by our recital. We pass it by at present, to give some idea of the +extraordinary spot where it lies. This ground of the dead, or "Death's +Mailing," as it has sometimes been called, is invested with all the +_charms_ of a sublimed melancholy, which contemplates nature as a whole, +and looks to those high purposes of her great author in visiting poor +mortals with their heart-chastening woes. At the time of which we speak, +this place of the dead was entirely surrounded with high oaks and +spreading elms, except where the silvery Kirtle embraced the hallowed +spot, as she rolled slowly along--more slowly, it might almost appear, +at this spot than elsewhere--and murmured a soft threnody in the ears of +the guardian spirits, that there tended the clay forms which they once +animated. A few very rude stones, whose rudeness was their greatest +recommendation to the sentimental mind, told, in the quaint "old Inglis" +of that day, their simple tale. "Here lyethe the race of ye sons of +Kirconnelle," might have been seen on a rude freestone that has long +since disappeared. "Terraughtie did choose to lie her," appeared upon +another old relic; and some exhibited more simple tokens--still pointing +out nothing more than name and surname, yet more eloquent in that +brevity than the most "storied urn." "Jon Kirkpatrycke," "Andrew +Welles," "Heln Johnston," "Mary of the Le'," without one word more to +say what they were, where they lived, when they visited this scene of +sorrow, and when they departed from it, possessed an eloquence in their +simple brevity that moved the heart of the visiter with a power now +little felt and less appreciated. The swelling green tumuli, with these +simple-speaking, grey-headed stones, standing, yet leaning to a side, as +if themselves bent by the hands of time, how humbly might they appear, +encircled as they were, with the proud monarch of the wood, the primeval +oak, that had seen the sires and grandsires of the lowly inhabitants of +"Death's Mailing" rise and fall, and become dust, as man contemplates +the day-fly wing forth in the morning, live out its day, and die. Such +was the romantic burying-place of Kirconnel at the time of which we +speak; and even now, when the oak has fallen before the axe of +civilisation, and Fame's trump has sounded even over the tomb, the place +has a hallowed and romantic character (the Kirtle is still there) not +exhibited by other burying-grounds in Scotland. + +In those retreats, the members of the family of Kirconnel passed the +greater part of their time. Helen, though a lover of home, was fond of +gratifying a fancy pregnant of beautiful images, and a taste for what is +lovely in nature, by sitting by the banks of the Kirtle, and supplying +her mind with the pabulum of the old Scottish romances. "Raf Coilyear +and his Cross-bow," and "Gilbert with the White Hand," though soon +superseded by the continental romances, were then the legitimate +fountains of amusement to the fair maids of Scotland; and those who +aimed at sublimer flights, might have had recourse to "Fyn Maccowl," or +"Gret Gow Macmorne;" but there was in none of the works as yet +circulated in Scotland, what might gratify the intense yearnings of the +female heart for those poetical images which subsequently sprang up with +the more mature growth of chivalry. The loves of warriors are not the +loves of everyday life, far less the loves of the inspired poet; and +Helen, as she read these old legendary romances, might find in them the +amusement that afforded a relaxing alternative to her own poetical +communings with the oldest bard of all--Nature; but for the inspiration +of love itself she required the talisman--man--in that high aspect she +had prefigured of the noblest of God's creatures, to rouse her heart +from nature to the lover's dream. + +As yet the Maid of Kirconnel had not seen any one that realised the idea +she had formed, by the banks of the Kirtle, of the individual who could +call up in her young bosom those extraordinary emotions which constitute +"love's young dream." The secluded mode of life adopted by her parents +was unfavourable to a choice of the talismanic objects; and it even +appeared to be her father and mother's wish that such choice should be +excluded, that her heart might, in the absence of many forms, learn to +be pleased with the man whom their love or policy might point out to her +adoption. A second cousin of her own, Walter Bell of Blacket House, had +a free passport to the hall of Kirconnel, as well as to the bowers that +were enshrined in Kirconnel woods. The laird saw in the young man his +nearest heir, in the event of his Helen being taken from him by fate; +and the lady could detect, as she thought, in Bell's quiet and sombre +manner, some assimilation to her own love of retirement and ease, and a +consequent disrelish of the warlike and sanguinary customs of the times. +Yet it was known that the young laird of Blacket House had been engaged +in secret frays between the Johnstones and Crightons; while, for some +purpose not generally known, though, from what we have said, not +difficult to be surmised, he had fought in disguise, and disclaimed the +glory of having hewn off the heads of many Johnstones, whose deaths +might have brought him renown, if not wealth. He had fought from a +spirit of animosity and a thirst of blood that lay deep buried in his +heart, but which, along with its noisome fruits, he had striven to +conceal, from the knowledge he possessed of the pacific disposition of +his friends the Kirconnels, whose good-will he had a motive to cultivate +more powerful than that of wealth or glory. He wished to recommend +himself to the fair Helen, by acquiring the love and esteem of her +father and mother; and he doubted not that, by his own personal +accomplishments--neither few nor unimportant--aided by the advice or +power of parental love and authority, he would succeed in changing in +her the old habitual feelings of ordinary friendship into the higher and +purer sentiments of affection. + +And sure it was that no one who ever aimed to acquire a "ladye's love," +made his attempt with more advantages on his side than Walter Bell of +Blacket House. The gay lover in the old romance, who cried that, with +the advantage of making love in a wood, and by the side of a silver +stream, he would gain the heart of the fairest woman of Christendom, +though his face were as black as the coal slave's, and his lineage no +better than the knave-child's, spoke more of human nature than he +himself perhaps knew. But he spoke of women in the aggregate; and it is +not unlikely that such a woman as fair Helen of Kirconnel had never come +under the trial of his skill. The truth of the statement fell to be +tested by one who, besides the advantages stated by the gay knight, +could boast the consent of a father, old friendship, and a face and a +lineage against which no exception could be taken by the admirers of +graces and genealogy. Bell was aware of the advantages he possessed; but +he could calculate the strength of these better than he could fathom the +mysteries of woman's heart. Although the greater part of his time was +passed at Kirconnel, where he took every opportunity of threading the +mazes of the oak woods, or sitting by the side of the Kirtle, with the +object of his affections, it is doubtful if he ever ascertained, by the +passing indications she exhibited, that her thoughts and feelings were +pitched much beyond the grade of those which nature had awarded to +himself. She saw and felt beauties in the scenery of Kirconnel, which to +her lover were but as the "sear leaf." Every object in nature--from the +planet to the plant, from the shining levin of heaven to the phosphoric +beam on the margin of the Kirtle--had some intelligence for her +inquiring eye. Every power in operation around her--from the general +sympathy of nature's highest elements, to the loves of the little forest +birds that sung their love-song in her bower--had some charm to elevate +her thoughts and sublime her sentiments. She, therefore, who could +search for intelligence where others saw nothing but inert matter, or, +at least, the uninteresting indications of everyday nature, might +probably have been an unfortunate object on whom our said romantic +knight might try the effect of his extraneous charms of wood and water. +Nor was she at all fitted for being acted upon by the love intrigues of +her cousin of Blacket House, who, coming far short of a knowledge of the +elevated sentiments by which she was inspired, could neither yield her +that sympathy which she required as a _sine qua non_ of affection, nor +stand the investigation of the shrewd wisdom or the high philosophy of +the heart of an elevated woman. While he simply sued and used the +ordinary words of love, she analysed, and found that, where she never +could be understood, she never could dispose of her affections. + +The mind of Helen had long been made up on the question of her cousin's +suit. It had begun early; and the innumerable walks he had enjoyed with +her along the banks of the Kirtle had afforded him a thousand +opportunities of declaring his feelings. By the natural tact of women, +she had always contrived to evade the question, and contented herself, +even in the midst of extravagant declarations, with negative indications +of her inability to return his passion. These he understood not; and, +unfortunately, he acted upon the principle that has driven many a fond +lover to despair--that the mistress who appears to listen without +displeasure is presumed to give a tacit consent. They know little of the +heart of woman who trust their happiness or their lives to the frail +bark of such a fond and dangerous delusion. A woman will seldom put an +end to the adulation that supports her pride; but the Maid of Kirconnel, +who had no pride to gratify, acted as many a single-hearted female has +done and will do, who receives without a frown that her nature detests, +but without a satisfaction that her honesty will not allow her to +assume, the fond speeches of an old friend, couched in terms of an +admiration which is only her due. The native sensibility of her soul +shrank at the thought of first construing harshly her relative's +professions of affection, and then telling him that he was not the +individual who was qualified to win her heart. Yet, in justice to her, +it requires to be stated, that she often communed with herself, in her +solitary walks, on the necessity of checking her cousin's fond and +unfortunate delusion, lest evil might come out of gentleness so nearly +allied to good. + +This unfortunate connection between Blacket House and his fair cousin, +fated as it was to continue, assumed daily a more critical aspect. The +young man, overwhelmed by a passion that was daily and hourly fed by the +contemplation of a beauty and qualities seldom before witnessed in a +Scottish maiden, was not only intoxicated by the violence of his love, +but satisfied that his cousin, in return loved him with an affection +only more chastely expressed, though, of course, not less powerful than +his own. Her parents, too, who had lent a fond and willing ear to his +statements of their daughter's love for him, had made up their minds +upon a point which presented all the appearances of being sealed and +settled by her who had the greatest interest in its truth. She was +always to be found by him in her solitary walks among Kirconnel woods. +Their meetings were favoured by their parents; their walks were +uninterrupted; the current of his passion flowed without check, and his +expressions only varied in becoming more animated. The absence of a +_harsh denial_ filled the measure of a deluding, blending hope; and +while the courses of their two minds were in directions entirely +opposite--his along the rose-strewed valley of a requited affection; +hers in a channel that led to objects too brilliant for his dull eye to +scan, and too sublime for his unfledged fancy to reach--he conceived +that a mutual sympathy of congenial feeling animated both their hearts. + +It was at this extraordinary state of the domestic affairs of Kirconnel +that an extraneous cause gave a new current to the feelings of the young +maiden, without having the effect of changing that of her lover, or of +opening the eyes of her father and mother to the true fact, that she +could not love the man they intended as her husband. A gallant, +high-spirited youth, one of the Flemings of Kirkpatrick, had followed a +doe up to within a very short space of Kirconnel House. The timid +creature had taken to the water, and, springing on the opposite bank, +fled past a bower in which Helen was at the time sitting reading "Sir +Tristam," then in the hands of every young lady in Scotland and England. +She started as the creature shot past her, and, putting her head timidly +forward, to get a better view of the fleet inhabitant of the forest, saw +before her, with cap in hand, bowing, in knightly guise, Adam Fleming of +Kirkpatrick. Neither of the two had before seen the other; but the fame +of the one's noble mien, high mind, and martial virtues, and of the +other's incomparable beauty and elevation of sentiment, had reached +reciprocally their willing ears. + +"That a Fleming of Kirkpatrick," said the youth, still bowing humbly, +and smiling, "should have had the boldness to interpose the image of his +worthless person between the fancy and the heaven of the meditations of +fair Helen of Kirconnel, doth, by my sword, require an apology. Shall I +be still bolder in asking a pardon?" + +The effect produced on Helen's mind by the noble figure of the youth, +and the romantic and playful turn he had given to his intrusion, was +quick and heartfelt. It was, besides, simultaneous with the memory of +his spread fame; and in an instant her face was in a glow of mixed shame +and confusion, the causes of which, perhaps, lay deeper than the +influence of a mere feeling of surprise or interruption. + +"You have my full forgiveness, sir," she replied, while her face glowed +deeper, in spite of her efforts to appear unaffected. + +Her soft musical voice fell on the ear of the youth; but his keen, dark +eye was busy with the examination of charms with which his ear had been +long familiar. The blush of a woman is a man's triumph; whatever may be +its secret cause, the man will construe it favourably to himself, in the +face of a denial of his power; and so far at least he has the right, +that nature herself evidences in his favour, by an acknowledgment that +he has touched the fountains of the heart. Fleming was not different +from other men; and, though he might have been wrong in his construction +of the secret moving impulse which called up the mantling adornment of +beauty that was almost beyond the power of increase, he felt the full +influence of the effect he thought he had produced, and, conceiving +himself favourably received, laid in his heart the germs of an affection +that was to govern his destiny. The forms of breeding, more punctilious +in those days of chivalry than even now, forbade farther communication +at that time, and, bowing gracefully as he drank up the rays of her +blushing beauty, he bounded away after his dogs, that had kept their +course in pursuit of the flying doe. + +This was the first time that ever Helen had seen a stranger huntsman +cross Kirconnel Lee in pursuit of his game; but it was soon to appear +that roes and does, when pursued by the gallant Fleming, seemed to think +that in the recesses of Kirconnel they might find that safety which was +denied them in other coverts; at least it became certain that more of +that kind of game fled before the hunter over Kirconnel Lee, after the +meeting we have described, than ever were seen before by man or maiden. +Meanwhile the image of the noble youth, with his clear, intelligent eye, +his rising and expanded forehead, from which his black hair was shaded +to a side, and mixed with the long flowing locks that reached down to +his shoulders; his intellectual expression of countenance, where beauty +sat enshrined among the virtues, his breeding, his modesty, his voice +and general bearing--were all busy with the fancy of the Maid of +Kirconnel. Nature's talisman had been applied, and the charm had wrought +in its highest and most mysterious power. Nor less had been the effect +of that first meeting on the mind of the youthful heir of Kirkpatrick. +They loved; and the does which afterwards brushed over Kirconnel Lee +were only the scouts of the hunting lover, who, while he could not help +the choice of the flying wilding in taking that direction, could not, of +a consequence, avoid a repeated _intrusion_ on the wood-bower privacy of +her who longed to see him with a heart that palpitated at his coming as +strongly as did that of the flying deer. The rules of breeding direct +all their force against a first interview; against a second, though +brought about in the same way as the first, they have no efficacy; and +love, which defies the whole code, soon reconciled differences which he +despised. A few meetings revealed to each other the fact--which, somehow +or other, is discovered by nobody but lovers--that one person has been +intended from the beginning of the world to be formed for another. The +heir of Kirkpatrick and the Maid of Kirconnel exhibited to each other +such a similarity of thought, feeling, and sentiment, that love seemed +to have nothing more to do than to tie those threads which nature had +not only spun, but hung forth with a predisposed reciprocity of +communication. The discovery that their thoughts had taken the same +range, and reached an equal altitude of elevation, carried with it that +pleasant surprise that is always favourable to the progress of the +tender passion; and the delight of a new-born sympathy in sentiments +that had long gratified only the heart in which they were conceived, but +which now were seen glowing in the eyes of another, was only another +form of that passion itself. + +Though Helen had seen many indications that might have satisfied her (if +her mind had been directed to the subject) that her father and mother +were bent upon a match between her cousin of Blacket House and her, she +had never, either from a want of courage or steady serious thought on +the subject, put it to herself what was her precise predicament or +condition, on the supposition of such circumstance being in itself true +and irremediable. She had hitherto had no great need for secresy, +because she did not love another; and her father, mother, and lover, +having taken it for granted that she was favourable to her cousin's +suit, nothing of a definite nature had ever transpired to call for a +demonstration on her part, as an alternative of dishonesty and +double-dealing. Her situation was now changed. She now loved, and loved +ardently, another; and the necessity she felt of meeting the heir of +Kirkpatrick in secret, brought out in full relief her inmost sense of +what were the views and purposes of her father and mother, and all the +responsibility of her negative conduct, as regarded the suit of him she +could never love. But, strange as it may seem, if she felt a difficulty +in correcting her cousin and disobeying her parents before the accession +of her love, she felt that difficulty rise to an impossibility after +that important event of her life. She trembled at the thought of her +love being crossed: one word of her rejection of the suit of her cousin +would reach the ears of her parents; dissension would be thrown into the +temple of peace; her love would be discovered; her lover, a man famous +in arms, and an aider of the Johnstones, the opponents of Blacket House, +traced, rejected, and banished: and her heart finally torn and broken by +the antagonist powers of love and duty. She felt her own weakness, and +trembled at it, without coming to a resolution to make a disclosure; +while her overwhelming love carried her, on the moonlight nights, over +Kirconnel Lee, to meet her faithful Heir of Kirkpatrick in the romantic +burying-ground already described. This extraordinary place was that +fixed upon by the lovers for their night meetings; for in any other part +of the domains of Kirconnel they could not have escaped the eye of +Blacket House; who, though he had no suspicion of a rival, was so often +in search of the object of his engrossing passion, that she seldom went +out without being observed by the ever-waking and vigilant surveillance +of love. + +Many times already had Helen waited till her unconscious parents retired +to the rest of the aged, and the moon threw her sheet of silver over +Kirconnel Lee, and, wrapped up in a night-cloak, slipped out at the +wicker-gate of the west enclosure, to seek, under the shades of the +oaks, Death's Mailing, the appointed trysting-place of the ardent +lovers. Again she was to see her beloved Heir of Kirkpatrick, and at +last she had resolved to break to him the painful position in which she +was placed by the still existing belief of her parents and Blacket +House, that she was to be his wedded wife. On this occasion, she sat +wistfully looking out at her chamber window. Her father and mother had +retired to their couch. Everything was quiet, the wind stilled, and the +mighty oaks whispered not the faintest sigh to disturb the sensitive ear +of night. The moon was already up, and she was on the eve of wrapping +her cloak round her, and creeping forth into the forest shade, when she +observed the long shadow of a man extending many yards upon the shining +grass of the green lee. The figure of the individual she could not see; +for a projection of the building, sufficient to conceal him, but not to +prevent his shadow from being revealed, interrupted her vision. She +hesitated and trembled. If the shadow had moved and disappeared, she +could have accounted for it, by supposing that some of the domestics had +not yet retired to bed; but why should a man stand alone and stationary +at that hour, in that place, in that position? Her fears ran all upon +Blacket House, who was never happy but when in her presence or near her +person; and who had been, on a former occasion, reported by the servants +to have lain and slept under her window for an entire night, and never +left his position till the morning sun exposed the doting lover to the +wondering eyes of the domestics, who had never yet felt a love that kept +them awake for more than a dreamy hour at cockcrow. As she gazed and +hesitated, her hour was passing, and her lover would be among the +grave-stones, waiting for her. Her anxiety grew intense; she feared to +go, but shook at the thoughts of disappointing _him_; never dreaming (so +whispered love) of herself. The figure still stood as stationary as a +grave-stone, while her soul was agitated like the restless spirit that +hovers over it, sighing for the hour of departure to the regions of +ether. She could bear no longer; the projection which concealed him +would conceal her; she plied the furtive steps of love; and crossing, +like a fairy on the moonlit green knowe, the rising lawn, was forth +among the towering oaks in as little time as the shadow of a passing +cloud would have taken to trail its dingy traces over the shining lee. + +In a short time she arrived at the churchyard, and saw, through the +interstices of the surrounding trees, the Heir of Kirkpatrick sitting on +a green tumulus, the grave of one who had perhaps loved as they now +loved, waiting for her who was beyond the trysting-hour. In a moment +longer she was in his arms, and the stillness of the dead was invaded by +the stifled sighs, the burning whispers, the rustling pressure of +ardent, impatient lovers. The rising graves, and the mossy tomb-stones, +and the white scattered bones that had escaped the sexton's eye, and +glittered in the moonbeams, were equally neglected and overlooked; and +no fear of fairy, ghost, or gnome, or gowl, entered where Love left no +room but for his own engrossing sacrifices. The simple monument of love +of "Mary of the Le'," that rose by their side, had often brought the +tears to Helen's eyes; but Mary of the Lee was now forgotten. "There is +a time and a place for all things" but love, whose rule is general over +the flowery lee and the green grave, the mid-day hour and the dreary +key-stone of night's black arch. + +"What kept ye, sweet Helen, love?" whispered Kirkpatrick in her ear, as +she lay entranced in love's dream on his bosom. + +"By that question, good Adam," answered she, according to the mode of +familiar address of her day, "there hangs a secret that oppresses your +Helen, and drinks up all the joys of our affection." + +"Speak it forth, my gentle Helen," said Fleming. "What is it? The +secresy of our meeting? I have been meditating a resolution to address +your father, and this will confirm me. He can have no objections to my +suit, save that I am a friend of the Johnstones, and an open warrior; +while your cousin, whom you rejected before you saw me, is a concealed +mosstrooper, and a secret manslayer." + +"There, there," muttered Helen, with trembling emotion--"there, Adam, +you have hit the bleeding part of my heart. I did not say to you that I +had rejected Blacket House before I saw you; but you were entitled to +make that supposition, because I told you that I never received his +love; but, alas! Adam, there is a distinction there; and, small as it +may seem, its effects may be great upon the fortunes and happiness of +your Helen. It is true I have never received his love; but it is equally +true that his love, having overgrown the thought of a possibility of +rejection, has overlooked my negative indications, and put down my +silence for consent. Yes, Adam, yes--even now Blacket House thinks I +love him; and, oh! the full responsibility of my apathy rises before me +like a threatening giant; my father and my mother have, I fear, taken +for granted that I am to become the wedded wife of my cousin." + +"Helen, this does indeed surprise me," replied Kirkpatrick, thoughtfully +and sorrowfully. "I thought I had a sufficient objection to overcome on +the part of your father, when I had to conquer the prejudices of +clanship, and soothe his fears of my ardent spirit for the foray. But +this changes all, and my difficulties are increased from the height of +Kirconnel Lee to the towering Criffel." And he sat silent for a time, +and mused thoughtfully. "But why, my love," he continued, "have you +allowed this dangerous delusion to rest so long undisturbed, till it has +become a conviction that may only be removed with danger to us all?" + +"Ask me not, Adam," replied she, with a full heart, "what I cannot +explain. While the tongue of Blacket House's friendship was changing to +love, I, whose thoughts were otherwise directed, perceived not the +change; and when the truth appeared to me, my love for my father and +mother, against the placid stream of whose life I have ever trembled to +throw the smallest pebble of a daughter's disobedience, prevented me, +day by day, from making the avowal that I could not love their choice. +The difficulty increased with the hour; and, ah! my love for you crowned +it at last with impossibility." + +"That should rather have removed the difficulty," answered he. "Explain, +sweet Helen. You are dealing in shadowy parables." + +"Think you so, Adam?" said she, sighing. "Ah, then, is man's love +different from woman's? The one can look an obstacle in the face; the +other turns from it with terror, and flees. See you not that, by telling +my parents I could not love my cousin, I would have been conjuring up a +bad angel to cross, with his black wing, the secret but sweet path of +our affection. The very possibility of being separated from you--too +dear, Adam, as you are to this beating heart--made me tremble at the +articulation of that charmed word which contains all my happiness on +earth. You have stolen my heart from my father and mother, my sweet +woods and bowers, my bright moon and Kirtle; and think you what it would +be for me to lose him in whom all is centred!" + +"Ah! Helen, Helen, this is unlike the majesty of that mind that roved +the blue fields of the heavens, and searched the hidden springs of the +love that reigns through all created things. That such thoughts should +be allied to that weakness which increases inevitable danger by flying +from it, I could not have supposed to be exemplified by my Maid of +Kirconnel. Yet is that trembling fear not a greater proof of my Helen's +love than an outspoken rejection of twenty rival suitors? It is--I feel +it is; and who will chide a fault of earth that hangs by a virtue of +heaven? Dear, devoted, cherished object of my first passion, what has +the simple heir of Kirkpatrick to give in exchange for the devotion of +such a being?" + +And the impassioned youth pressed her closer and closer to his breast, +while he spread over her shoulders the falling cloak, to shield her from +the autumn dews. + +They sat for some time silent--the difficulty of their situation being +for a brief period forgotten and lost in the tumult of the rising +feelings of a strong mutual passion. + +"But this must not be allowed to continue," again said Kirkpatrick. "It +is _necessary_, Helen, that you do this duty to yourself, to your +cousin, your parents, and to me. Call up the necessary fortitude, my +love. Tell your mother that you cannot love Blacket House. I know the +pain it will produce to you and to them; but, alas! there are many +positions in this world where we can only get to the object of our +desires through painful means. Pain is, indeed, the price of most of our +pleasures; and, when we do not pay that price, we become bankrupt in our +best feelings, and die wretched. When the path is free, I shall come +forward and claim my Helen in the face of the world. Will you, will you, +love?" + +And he bent his head, and repeated the question in soft tones beneath +the cloak that covered her head; while she, in muffled accents, +replied-- + +"I will, I will, Adam, though I should die with the last word of the +declaration." + +A heavy groan at this moment fell upon their ear. Adam started hastily +up; and Helen, roused from her love's dream, stood petrified with fear. +They looked around them in every direction; but the proximity of the +place where they had been sitting to the edge of the wood, rendered it +easy for an intruder to overhear their discourse, and to escape among +the trees in an instant. Helen's fears again fell on Blacket House, and +she whimpered to Adam what she had observed previous to her leaving the +house. He conceived them to be well founded; and, as the thought of the +man who could kill his enemies in disguise, and deny the deed, flashed +upon his mind, he felt for his sword, and then smiled at the precipitude +of his defensive precaution. It was necessary, however, that Helen +should now hurry home; and, surmounting the turf-dyke of the +burying-ground, they, with rapid steps, made for Kirconnel House, at a +little distance from which they parted, with a close embrace. Helen +stood for a moment, and looked after her lover; then, wrapping her cloak +about her head, she moved quickly round the edge of the enclosed lawn, +and was on the eve of running forward to the wicket, when Blacket House +stood before her. He looked for a moment sternly at her, spoke not a +word, and then dashed away into the wood. Terrified still more, Helen +hurried away, and got into the house and her own chamber before the full +extent of her danger opened, with all its probable consequences, upon +her mind. Having undressed herself, she retired to her couch, and +meditated on the extraordinary position in which she was now placed. She +had now been discovered by her cousin, who, no doubt, knew well that she +had that night had a secret meeting with Kirkpatrick--a partisan of his +antagonists, the Johnstones. The discovery of a rival had come on him +with the discovery of a delusion under which he had sighed, and dreamed, +and hoped for years. It was probable, nay, certain, then, that the +communication she intended to make to her father and mother, that she +could not love Blacket House, would be received along with the +elucidating commentary, that the lover now despised had discovered her +love intercourse with the heir of Kirkpatrick. She would, therefore, get +no credit for her statement that she never loved her cousin; but would +be set down as a breaker of pledges, and one who traitorously amused +herself with the broken hopes of her unfortunate lovers. Whether she +made the communication or not, it would be made by Blacket House, whose +fear of losing the object of his affections, or his revenge--whichever +of the two moved him--would force him to the immediate disclosure. The +serenity of the domestic peace and happiness of Kirconnel House would be +clouded for the first time, and that by the disobedience of one who had +heretofore been held to contribute, in no small degree, to that which +she was to be the means of destroying, perhaps for ever. The contrast +between the confidence, the hope, and the affection with which she had +been, by her parents, contemplated, and fondly cherished, during all the +bygone part of her life, and the new-discovered treachery into which her +secret love for a stranger would be construed, was a thought she could +scarcely bear. These and a thousand other things passed through her +thoughts with a rapidity which did not lessen the burning pain of their +impress upon her mind; and the repetition of a thousand reflections, +fears, and hopes, produced in the end a confusion that terrified sleep +from her pillow, and consigned her to the powers of anguish for the +remainder of the night and morning. + +She rose with a burning cheek and a high-fluttering pulse, produced by +the fever of mind under which she still laboured. She opened the +casement to let in the cool breeze of morning to brace her nerves, and +enable her to stand an interview with her father and mother, who might +already (for Blacket House was at Kirconnel at all hours) be in +possession of the secret of what they conceived to be their once-loved +Helen's disobedience and treachery. Her own communication, which she had +pledged herself to Kirkpatrick to make, was now invested with treble +terrors; and though she knew that her safety and happiness depended upon +an open declaration, she felt herself totally unable to make it. +Trembling and irresolute, she approached the parlour where her father +and mother, along with herself, were in the habit of taking their +morning meal. They were there; and there was another there--it was her +cousin. He looked at her as she entered, with a calm, but mysterious +eye, which fluttered her nerves again, and forced her to stand for a +moment in the middle of the apartment, irresolute whether to go forward +or retreat. She fearfully threw her eye over the faces of her parents. +There was no change there; the ordinary placidity of their wonted +manner, and the kindly love-greeting borne in their mellow voices, +startled her--so strong had been her conviction that all was disclosed. +Her parents were destitute of guile; and an instant's thought satisfied +her that they were still in their ignorance of the secret. But Blacket +House continued his dark gaze in silence; and even this--a decided +alteration in his manner--was unnoticed by the unsuspecting couple, who +threw their fond eyes on their loving daughter as their only remaining +pride and solace. What meant this? The new turn taken by the stream of +her difficulty and danger surprised and confused her; but, calming by +the influence of her parents' kindness, she sat down and went through +the forms of the morning meal, without exhibiting a discomposure that +might attract the notice of these loving beings, who searched her face +only for the indications of health and the beams of her pleasure. Her +comparative composure enabled her to collect her ideas; and she thought +she now discovered a reason for this seeming forbearance or discretion +of Blacket House--a man little formed for these, or any other virtues: +he intended to _sell_ his knowledge at the price of a hand that never +could be his, but by this or some other means of compulsion. The moment +this thought--and, under all the circumstances, it was a reasonable +one--entered her mind, she trembled at the power of the dark-eyed, +silent being who sat there, and gazed upon her in revengeful triumph. +For relief, she turned her eyes to her parents; yet she saw there the +smile that approved his suit, and the confidence that would believe his +declaration. Her own Kirkpatrick was absent; and she dared not meet him +to receive the assistance of his advice, to enable her to support +herself under her trial, or devise a plan suited to the changed +circumstances for her relief. She hurried over her meal, and hastened +again to her apartment, to confirm herself in the opinion she had formed +of Blacket House's intentions. Every thought tended to add to her +conviction that she was correct, and told her that he never would +succeed in his scheme. He would now, for certain, endeavour to see her +alone, and lay before her the danger into which she had plunged herself, +and the bargain by which she would be relieved from it. But she would +defeat him; she would renounce her walks in the woods, desert, for a +time, her bowers, and bid adieu to her silver Kirtle. She would keep her +apartment under a pretence of slight indisposition--far from an +untruth--and, in the meantime, try to devise some mode of relief from +her painful situation. + +But the solicitude of her parents interfered, in some degree, with these +plans. They discovered that she was not so ill as to be unable to seek +what might do her service--her former walks and amusements around +Kirconnel Lee; and thus was she obliged to yield to kindness; yet she +contrived to have her parents near her, so as to deprive Blacket House +of an opportunity of communicating to her his imputed plan of enforcing +his suit. As yet, his silence had been continued: her parents were still +in ignorance; and it was only (so she argued) because he had not +hitherto found her alone, that his dreaded communication had not as yet +been made. On the occasion of her first walk, however, she, by some +untoward chance, was left in one of the arbours alone, and the +opportunity (the first that had occurred) was seized by him--Blacket +House was again before her, and all her fears were in a moment roused. +Their eyes met with an intelligence they had never before possessed. +Every passing thought seemed to be mutually read, while a few words of +ordinary import seemed to be only as a preparation to his expected +statement. Helen did not dare to leave him; she feared to rouse his +anger, and yet she wanted courage to reply with ordinary pertinence to +his remarks. His eye was constantly fixed on her, and the few words he +uttered came with difficulty and pain; yet was there not the slightest +allusion to the secret he undoubtedly held locked up in his breast. Was +he not to bring forward his threat of exposing her, as a wrenching +instrument, to force from her a consent that he was satisfied would +never be given voluntarily? There was no indication of any such issue. +What could be the true meaning of this dark-minded man's conduct? Again +he had disappointed her fearful anticipations. He had not told her +parents; he was not to tell herself. What then was he to do? She could +not answer her self-put question; and her surprise when he parted from +her, after a short conversation, conducted with difficulty, with his +secret unapproached, and the mysterious stare of his illegible eye, was +not less than her terror of the anticipated issue when she first +encountered him. + +This new extraordinary element in the subject of her meditations and +fears disarranged all her ideas, and sent her thoughts in new channels +for a discovery of what might be the secret plans of her cousin. She +sighed for an interview with her lover; but that, she was satisfied, +would be attended with great danger; and thus reduced to her own +resources, she passed the night following her meeting with Blacket House +in still increasing pain and difficulty. In the morning she was visited +in her own chamber by her mother, who appeared, from the serious aspect +of her countenance, to have something of great importance to +communicate. + +"Helen," began the good matron, "though your father and I have seldom +broached the subject of love and marriage in your presence, we have, +with heartfelt satisfaction, observed and understood that the man who +alone has our consent to win your virgin heart is your own choice. Your +wooing has lasted so long, that the very birds in the woods are familiar +with your persons and converse; and surely this is not to last always. +You are twenty years old, my dear Helen, at the next Beltane, the first +of May; and I know that it is Blacket House's wish that your happiness +may be crowned by a union within as short a period as we will agree to +fix. I have broken the matter to you, my love; and as I am well +acquainted with the fluttering of Love's wings when Hymen enters the +bower, I will not urge you to fix a day at present, but leave you to the +pleasant meditations my communication cannot but call forth. I shall +send your breakfast to your bedroom this morning, my love; but I hope we +may walk in the afternoon. Say nothing, Helen. Adieu! adieu!" + +And the mother left the room rapidly, as if to avoid noticing the +blushes of the supposed happy damsel. Helen heard the words uttered, as +one may be supposed to feel the syllables of a condemnation falling upon +the heart. It was well that her mother departed so rapidly, for the +agitation the kind parent attributed to joy, was but the prelude to a +faint, which retained her cold and struggling in its relentless arms for +a considerable period. The first indications of consciousness were, if +possible, more terrible than the last thoughts that frightened it away. +For a long period she sat upon the couch where she had heard the +dreadful intelligence, and, passing her hand over her brow, tried to +collect her energies, so as to be able to contemplate the full extent of +her evil. She thought she could now see some connection between the +announcement made by her mother and the extraordinary and mysterious +conduct of Blacket House, though she was satisfied that neither of her +parents possessed any knowledge of her intercourse with Kirkpatrick. The +scheme of the early marriage might originate in the fears of her cousin, +while his secresy was only still maintained till he found that she would +not yield to her parents' authority; when would be the time for using +his threat of disclosure to Helen, to compel her consent. All this +reasoning seemed founded in existing circumstances and appearances; but +so confused were her thoughts, and so painful every effort of her mind +to acquire clearer views, that she felt inclined to renounce reasoning +on a subject that seemed at every turn to defeat all her efforts to come +to the real truth. Her misery was at least certain; for now, while the +absolute necessity of a disclosure of her secret love became more +peremptory and inevitable, the circumstances under which it would be +made were such as would add to the unhappiness of her parents, and to +the apparent deceit and treachery of her own nature, which was, +notwithstanding, incapable of guile. + +Meanwhile, the effects of so much mental anguish, acting upon a tender +frame, became soon apparent in her pale countenance and swollen eyes. +She would not leave her apartment; and when her mother again visited +her, she saw a change on her daughter very different from that which +accompanies the character of a bride in prospective. The circumstance +surprised the old lady; but still so satisfied was she that there could +exist no objection to a lover whom she had (as was thought) cherished +for years, that it never occurred to her that the change in her daughter +was attributable to the announcement she had made to her; while Helen +herself, oppressed with the secret which she struggled (as yet in vain) +to divulge, shunned a subject which she found herself unable to treat in +such a way as would insure to her relief from her sorrow. Every effort +was made to get her out into the woods, where her former scenes might +enliven her mind, and bring back her wonted spirits, which, chiming the +musical bells of youth's happy glee, used to charm the age-stricken +hearts of her parents. But these scenes had lost their power over her. +The secrets Blacket House had to divulge still lay like an unholy spirit +upon her heart, killed its energies, and rendered her miserable. She +expected the additional sorrow of his society in these forced walks, and +her grief was mixed with surprise at his absence. He was often at the +house, but he avoided her. She even saw him turn into a by-path, to get +out of the way in which she walked--a circumstance as inexplicable as +any of the prior difficulties with which the whole affair was beset on +every side. She continued her meditations, called up repeated energies +to nerve her for her disclosure, and, with many a sigh, felt them die +away, and the tongue cleave to her mouth, as the unavailing effort shook +her frame. + +She had been in the habit of meeting Kirkpatrick at regular intervals; +but two of the stated periods had passed without an interview. The third +was approaching; and she trembled as the necessity of throwing herself +on his bosom, and seeking counsel in her difficulty, appeared to her in +such a form as to shake her resolution not to encounter another +night-meeting with her cousin. On the morning of that evening when she +must repair to the burying-ground, or lose the chance of meeting +Kirkpatrick for a considerable time, it was announced to her parents, in +her presence, at the table of the morning meal, that Blacket House had, +on the previous day, gone on a visit to a relation in a very distant +part of the country, and that he would not return for eight days. She +heard it, and her eyes were involuntarily turned up to heaven, in +thanksgiving for the opportunity she now enjoyed of sobbing out her +sorrows on the bosom of her Kirkpatrick, and getting good counsel in her +distress. She said nothing when the announcement was made, and heard, +without heeding, the remarks of her parents. Her thoughts were in +Death's Mailing, and the pallid hue of her cheek gave place for a moment +to the flush that followed the fancied touch of his lips, and the +pressure that brought her nearer to the bosom where lay all the relief +she now had in this world. She sought more freely than she had done for +some time her old retreats, and again the song of the merle had some +music for her ear--so ready is the oppressed soul to seek its accustomed +pleasures, that it will clutch them in the interval of a suspended +grief, though sure to return. Her cousin was gone for a time; he could +not cross in these paths of the wood; and, oh happy thought! she would +lie on the bosom of her Kirkpatrick, and breathe forth, uninterrupted, +love's sweet tale, rendered sweeter and dearer by the grief with which +it was shaded. + +The evening fell that night beautiful and serene. No vapour clouded the +"silver sheen," and no breath of wind rustled a leaf on the trees. + +"Hail to ye, bright queen!" ejaculated Helen, as she folded her mantle +round her, and was on the eve of seeking the wood; "once more light me +to my lover, if, after this meeting, you should for ever hide your face +among the curtains of heaven." + +And, breathing quick with the rising expectation of being enclosed in +his arms, she issued from the house, and sought the well-known loaning +that led to the burying-ground. Her grief had sunk for a time amidst the +swelling impulses of her passion; and it was not till she had been +pressed to his bosom, her brow kissed by his burning lips, and +deep-drawn sighs exhausted the ardour of a first embrace after so long a +separation, that one single thought of the cruelty of her situation +arose in her mind. They sat on the tumulus where they had sat often +before. The gravestones around them lay serene in a flood of moonlight; +the soft "buller" of the wimpling Kirtle was all that disturbed the +silence of the night; calmly there reposed the dead of many generations; +if their lives were ended, their griefs, too, were past; and Mary of the +Le', whose grey monument reflected clearly the moon's light, was free +from the anguish which, in struggling sighs, came from the bosom of her +who was _yet_ above the green mound. Helen told her lover all the +extraordinary circumstances of her situation. She wept at every turn of +a new difficulty, and Adam's eyes were also suffused with tears; he +pressed her again to his breast, and bade her be of better heart, for +that better days were coming on the wings of time. + +"I confess," he said, "my dear love, that I am unable to understand the +conduct of that dark-minded man; but what can he do, if my Helen should +yet redeem her error, and make this necessary disclosure? That is alone +the cure of our pain. Oh, Helen! what a load of evil might have been +averted from our heads by the exercise of a little self-command!" + +"I see it, I feel it," replied she; "but there are powers higher than +the resolves of mortals. I have struggled with myself till the blood was +sent back in my veins, and frightened nature saved the powerless victim +of grief by the mantle of unconsciousness. What, Adam, shall I do? I +feel I am unequal to the task of speaking a daughter's rebellion and a +traitor's resolution." + +"When everything is explained, Helen," replied the other, "the treachery +disappears, and a father and mother's love will not die under the +passing cloud of a little anger. Think of our bliss, love! Did hope +never bring courage to your tongue, Helen? Ah, what would that bright +goddess make Adam Fleming dare!" + +"And what," said she, "would Helen Bell not dare for the love she bears +to her Adam, if that sacred feeling of a daughter's duty were overcome? +But it must be. I shall fall upon my mother's neck, and weep out with +burning tears of repentance a daughter's contrition. I will appeal to +the heart of a mother and a woman. I will conjure up her own first love, +move again the spring of her earliest affection, and feign to her my +father lost, and her heart wrecked. Ay, Adam, hope--the hope of the +possession of you--will accomplish all this. Helen has said it, and the +issue will prove." + +This burst of generous resolution produced a flood of tears. She crept +closer to him, and the throbs of her heart were heard in the silence +which reigned among the graves. A rustling sound among the trees roused +her; she lifted her head, and fixed her eyes on a part of the wood on +the other side of the Kirtle. For a moment she watched some movements +not noticed by her lover. They rose, and Adam stood aside to get a +better view of the interruption. In an instant she clung to his bosom; a +loud shot reverberated through the wood; Helen fell dead--the ball +destined for Kirkpatrick having been received by the devoted maiden, who +saw the hand uplifted that was to do the deed of blood. Neither scream +nor audible sigh came from her; one spring when the ball entered the +heart--and death! + +Kirkpatrick saw at once death and the cause of it, and in an instant he +gave pursuit. Springing with a bound over the Kirtle, he seized Blacket +House in the act of flight. The murderer turned, sword in hand, and a +battle was fought in the wood, such as never was witnessed in the heat +of the contest of armies. Had his opponent had twenty lives, the fury of +Kirkpatrick would have been unsatiated by them all. His spirit was +roused to that of a demon; a supernatural strength nerved his arm; he +despised life and all its blessings; the world had in an instant lost +for him any charms, but as the place where lived that one man whose +blood was to glut his vengeance. His sword found the heart of Blacket +House, and twenty wounds verified the ballad:-- + + "I lighted down my sword to draw-- + I hacked him in pieces sma'-- + I hacked him in pieces sma', + For her sake that died for me." + +He returned to the burying-ground. His Helen's body was as cold as that +of those who lay beneath. + + "O Helen fair beyond compare, + I'll mak a garland of thy hair, + Shall bind my heart for evermair + Until the day I dee." + +Such is the story of Helen Bell, a subject that has employed the pen of +many a poet, and brought tears to the eyes of millions. We sometimes, +according to our privilege, amuse our readers with pure unadulterated +fiction. Would that our task had been such on this occasion!--for we +prefer the sorrow which fancy, imitating truth, rouses in the heart, to +the depressing power of "owre true a tale." We may add, that the Maid of +Kirconnel is more frequently called Helen Irving than Helen Bell, in +consequence of some doubt as to whether her mother was not really one of +the Bells, and her father an Irving. After giving the matter all due +consideration, and searching several authorities, we are satisfied that +the truth is as we have related it. Our very ingenious friend, Professor +Gillespie, in a section of the "Gleanings of the Covenant," says that +the beautiful ballad, some of the lines of which we have quoted, was +written on "Helen Palmer." We must have his authority. + + + + +TOM DUNCAN'S YARN. + + +William Duncan had lived nearly thirty years in the service of a landed +proprietor in Dumfries-shire; where his honest, upright, trustworthy +character had gained him the esteem and respect of his employer; and he +was looked upon more in the light of a humble friend, than of a hired +menial. Nearly five-and-twenty years had elapsed since his marriage to +Janet, who had long before been his "neebor" servant. Their family +consisted of two children, a son and daughter; the latter of whom had +been, at the time our story commences, for some time married to a +farm-servant, and was living in a cottage closely adjoining her +father's. The son had been sent, when about seventeen years of age, with +cattle to Annan, and had there made acquaintance with some seafaring +men, whose stories of the wonders of other lands had excited his +curiosity, and awakened an irrepressible longing to witness the strange +sights he had heard of. It was in vain that his father and mother strove +to divert his thoughts into another channel--"he _would_ be a sailor;" +and they at last wisely consented to what they could not prevent. About +two years after his departure, Willie's good old master died; having +left his faithful servant a small annuity, sufficient to make his old +age comfortable--for he was now almost superannuated. The old gentleman +had died childless, leaving his estate to a distant relative; and his +successor, knowing the estimation in which Willie had been held by his +late master, allowed him to live rent-free in one of the cottages on the +estate, and treated him, on all occasions, with great consideration and +kindness. There was but one thing wanting to make the old couple happy: +their simple appetites were easily satisfied; they had enough and to +spare, without the toil of labour; but their son, their only son, was a +wanderer, and years had passed since they had received any intelligence +of him, and then they had only been informed that he had gone to some +foreign station. "Oh, could we but see him ance mair afore we dee!" was +often their exclamation. + +One stormy night in October, the old couple were startled by a loud rap +at the door. + +"Preserve us!" said Janet, in great alarm, "what's that? Wha can that be +chappin at the door on sic a nicht as this? Maybe it's some puir seekin +body, wantin shelter frae the blast. Up, Willie, man, an' ask wha it +is." + +"It's me, faither--it's Betty," replied the voice of the daughter, in +answer to her father's queries; "let me in." + +"What's brocht ye oot, woman," said Willie, "in sic a clash o' rain as +this?" + +"There's a puir sailor lad come to oor hoose," replied she, "an' he +wants something to eat an' drink, an' we haena a bite o' cake left: hae +ye ony to spare? An', what think ye, faither? he kens oor Tam weel, an' +says he saw him no tha' lang syne." + +"Kens oor Tam!" said the old man; "what for did ye no bring him wi' ye? +Gie's doon my plaid; I'll gang an' speak to him mysel." + +"Na, na, faither; ye maunna cross the door while it's pourin this gate. +I'll fetch him when he's had his supper. I'd hae brocht him afore, but I +thocht maybe he micht be makin ye believe oor Tam was comin hame, or +some sic clavers, an' ye wad be wearyin to see him, an' maybe no see him +after a'." + +"An' what for micht he no be comin hame?" said Willie. "It's time he +war, I think, if he wishes to find the auld folk to the fore." + +"Well, but, faither, suppose he war to tell ye that he had seen oor Tam +twa or three days syne, an' that ye micht expeck to see him hame sune?" + +"Mercy, lass! what's the matter wi' ye, wi' yer maybes an' yer supposes? +What gars ye gang swaggerin up an' doon that gait, lookin as ye were +demented? There's something pleasin ye by common. If 'twar Tam himsel, +ye couldna be mair uplifted." + +"An' guid richt hae I to be uplifted, mither, if ye kent a'." + +"Eh, it's Tam himsel!" almost screamed the old woman; "where is he? Let +me see my bairn." + +"Here's all that's left of him, mother," said a fine, stout-looking +sailor; who, unable any longer to restrain his impatience, stumped in on +a wooden leg just as Janet was speaking. + +"My bairn! my bairn!" sobbed the old woman, throwing her arms round him; +"mony a lang day hae I prayed to see ye ance mair; an' noo that I hae +ye, oh, do I see ye a puir cripple!" + +"Oh, that's nothing, mother; nothing but the fortune of war. If I'd lost +my head instead of my leg, mother, I wouldn't have been here to tell my +own story." + +"That's Gude's truth; an' great reason hae we to be thankfu it's nae +waur. But, oh! it's a sair dispensation." + +"Ah, old boy! how are you?" said Tom, shaking his father heartily by the +hand; "all alive and hearty--eh?" + +"Weel aneugh, weel aneugh, Tam; just choppin on; but richt glad am I to +see ye again, my son. But, Tam, that wasna the gate ye wad hae spoken to +yer auld faither afore ye gaed frae hame." + +"My manner of speaking may be changed, father," replied the young man, +respectfully; "but there's no change in my heart--that's true-blue +still; and it'll be long before I can clear off my reckoning with you +for all your kindness to me. No, no, father, my _heart's_ in the right +place still." + +"Weel, my man, I hope sae. Sit doon an' tell us a' that's happened ye +sin' we last heard frae ye. But wait a wee. Janet, seek oot the best +that's in the hoose for the puir fallow; an', whan he's had a guid +supper, he'll be in better fettle for giein us his cracks." + +"Tak aff yer jacket, my bonny man," said his mother; "an' hing it up +afore the fire, an' draw in till't yersel. Willie, I'm thinkin there's +something in the bottle. I'll put on the kettle, an' we'll gie the lad +something he'll be nane the waur o'." + +After the sailor had done his devoirs at the supper-table, the whole +party drew round the fire, and the old man, lighting his "cutty," said-- + +"Noo, Tam, tell us a' aboot what ye've been doin, an' hoo ye cam to lose +yer leg." + +"It's a terrible long yarn, father, and I'm afeared ye'll be glad to +sing out Avast! before I've spun it out; besides, you'll not understand +my sea lingo." + +"Nae fear o' that," replied he; "ye ken I was ance a bit o' a sailor +mysel. We could see the Solway frae the hoose I hired at when I was a +callan." + +"But, eh, Tam, my man," said old Janet, "ye talk English as weel's the +grand folk doon by." + +"Ay, ay, mother; leave me alone for that. My messmates used to say as +how I ought to have been a Methodist preacher, seein I knowed so well +how to tip them the dictionary." + +"Hear till him!" said the delighted mother, holding up her hands in +admiration. + +"But, howsomdever, they haven't made me proud on't, you see, with all +their blarney. But I must carry on, or my yarn'll reach from this to the +end of next week. It's now six years since I got a berth on board one o' +them Newcastle colliers, and a jolly time we had on't; for, though we'd +lashing to do, and no want of wet jackets, there was always a full +bread-bag, and swipes and grub at no allowance. They're the craft to +teach a man his duty! Well, I'd been in that trade about a year, when I +goes ashore one day with the mate at Wapping; and, while we were sitting +comfortably swigging our grog, the landlord comes rushing in, and, says +he, 'My lads, you must brush; there's the pressgang a-coming.' Hearing +that, the mate and I bolted out of the door, and ran for it; but they +twigged us, and gave chase. They nabbed the mate in less nor no time; +but I cracked on a press o' sail, and was dropping them astern fast, +when, as I was looking back at them over my shoulder, I ran stem on to +an old fishwife. My eyes, what a crash! I sends her and her sprats +a-swimming in the gutter, and I falls as flat as a flounder on the +pavement, spouting out blood from my nose, like a whale. Well, to cut a +long yarn short, we were taken on board the tender, and afterwards +drafted into the Fire-eater frigate, which was stationed on the north +coast of Ireland. I was very well off on board the frigate. 'Sharp' was +the word, to be sure, and the cat often wagged her tail; but then, as +long as a man was smart and willing, he'd never no 'casion to be +afeared: there was never no favour nor affection there. Well, as I said +afore, we were cruising off the coast of Ireland, when, one day, it came +on to blow great guns from the westward. For three blessed days, there +was the little Fire-eater tossing and tumbling, and kicking up her +starn, and going through as many manoeuvres as a dancing-master, till +at last we were driven so far west that we made the coast of Argyle; +then 'bout ship we went, and stood away again to the eastward. Well, we +carried on for a matter of four-and-twenty hours, with a little more +northing in the wind, when we made land again, and hauled up two or +three points to clear it. The weather was so thick ye might a'most have +cut it with a knife, and there wasn't such a thing as a dirty face on +board, the sea made a clean wash of everything, and it blowed--my eyes, +how it did blow! Mayhap, you call this a gale, but you wouldn't have +heard it beside that. It was bad enough to be on deck, but ten times +worse below; a devil of a sea smashed in some of the ports, and the +leeside of the main-deck was three feet deep in water. And then, while +we were hard at work, stuffing up the holes where the water was pouring +in, and pumping, there was an awful stramash on deck; for there was the +land again, close aboard of us ahead. 'Wear ship!' was now the cry, and +away went the little hooker again on the other tack, and bravely did she +behave--a better sea-boat never swam; for, battered and knocked about as +she was, she showed true pluck; no sooner was she knocked over by a sea, +than she rose again like a duck, though she was forced to shake her +feathers now and then. Well, at eight-bells in the first watch +(midnight), we thought it was all up with us again, for there was the +surf breaking on the rocks little more than half-a-mile on the +lee-bow--and touch-and-go it was; but our tight little barky--though she +was anything but tight by that time--though she lay over till she was +half buried alive, looked boldly up in the wind, and shot past like a +sea-bird. If there hadn't been such a devil of a noise, you might have +heard a pin drop just then. There was not a man on deck who did not hold +his breath, and gasp, when the danger was past, like one that's just +escaped drowning. + +"'By the powers!' says I to Bill Jones, 'that was a close shave.' + +"'You may say that,' says he. + +"Just as he was a-speaking, the moon shone out, and there, not six +hundred yards to leeward, were breakers again. The sea was running as +high as our tops at the time; but beyond and above it we saw the +breakers curling their white tops, foaming, and dashing, and roaring, as +if they were raging to get at us, as you may have seen wild beasts +tearing and leaping, and striving to break their chain to get out of the +menagerie at their prey. Now, indeed, it seemed there was no chance of +escape--there was no room to wear, and the ship was already half-buried +under her canvas; our only hoped seemed to be in our ground tackle, and +orders were given to clear away the anchors, and to have all ready for +cutting away the masts. That was an awful moment; we thought it was all +up with us, and there was many a pale cheek, and many a muttered prayer +for mercy and deliverance; for the worst amongst us are glad to look +aloft when death is staring us in the face below. Our captain was as +brave a fellow, and as good a seaman, as ever stepped a plank. What his +feelings may have been, it's impossible for the likes o' me to say; but +I never seed him more cool in a calm than at that moment, when the +bravest might have flinched, and no man could have cast it in his teeth. +His voice never shook when he gave his orders, loud, clear, and +distinct; and his gallant bearing cheered the down-hearted, and gave +fresh pluck to the daring. He was a trump, that fellow! He ordered the +foretopsail and foresail to be set. It seemed to be a rash and dangerous +experiment, but it succeeded. Nothing venture, nothing win; we might +have lost our masts, but we saved the ship. The little frigate lay over +for a minute, as if she was never going to rise no more; all hands +thought the masts must go, for everything aloft grinned again, and the +rigging was as taut as bars of iron; but it held on, and the frigate +righted again, and sprung ahead, as you have seen a hare make a fresh +stretch from the hounds--and we were all saved. We shaved the reef so +close, that I'm blessed if I couldn't a'most have chucked a biscuit on +shore." + +"Mercy!" said the old woman; "what an escape!" + +"Ay, mother, we sailors have many a narrow squeak for it, that you +long-shore folks never dream of; but you know, as the song says, +'There's a sweet little cherub sits perched up aloft, to take care of +the life of poor Jack;' and we're as safe, for the matter o' that, on +the stormy sea, as you are on the terry firmy, as our doctor used to +call the land." + +"Weel, but what was the upshot o' the business?" said Willie. + +"Why, ye see, though we had escaped so mirac'lously like, we were still +too near a lee-shore to be quite comfortable; for we'd another headland +to weather afore we could say we was clear o' danger. There was never an +eye closed on board that night, and a long and weary night it was. +Blessed if ever I seed a craft stand up under her canvas as our little +barky did, carrying on at the rate of seven knots an hour, while the sea +made a fair breach over her every now and then, and made her stagger +from stem to starn. At last, 'old roarer,' as I've heard our doctor call +the daybreak, made its appearance, and we saw the land we was afeared +o', some distance astarn. After that, the gale began to moderate, and a +fair wind soon took us under our anchorage." + +Here old Janet interrupted her son, with, "Weel, but Tam, ye haena tauld +us yet hoo ye cam to lose yer leg." + +"Never hurry no man's cattle, mother," replied the sailor; "leave me to +spin my own yarn my own way, and I'll come to the end on't at last; I +told you you'd cry out Avast! afore I'd done." + +"Hoot, Janet," said Willie, "let the lad tak his ain gate. It just +astonishes me to hear him rinnin the words oot sae glib, an' him sic a +solid callant as he used to be." + +"Weel, weel, gang on, my man; I'll no meddle wi' ye ony mair." + +"Then here goes! Carry on again, says I," replied Tom. "The frigate I +belonged to afterwards went on the Jamaica station, and cruised about, +to protect the merchantmen from the pirates as infested them seas. Well, +we were dodging about one night, under topgallantsails, off Cape St +Antonio, with just wind enough to make the barky crawl through the +water. It was my look-out on deck, and I sees something like a large +bird, as it seemed to me, hovering about in a patch of clear sky; so I +stared at it, and stared at it, but I couldn't make out what it could +be, for it kept moving backwards and forwards, but always in the same +part of the sky. So I calls the midshipman of the watch, and says to +him-- + +"'D'ye see that large bird a-flying about there, sir? It's the biggest I +ever seed, and it keeps always about the same place; I can't make out +what it can be after.' Well, he looks and wonders like myself, and then +he goes to fetch the night-glass; and, after he'd squinted through it +for a minute or two, he just mutters to himself, 'The devil!' and away +he runs aft to the luftenant of the watch, and brings him a-running back +with him. + +"'Whereabouts?' said the luftenant. + +"'There, sir; just under that cloud that's hiding the moon.' + +"'Ay, so it is!' said he; 'I see her spars plain enough; nothing but a +royal loose--and there's her hull!' he continued, as the moon broke out, +and showed us a long, low, rakish-looking square brig, lying as snug as +a duck in the water, about two miles on our lee-bow. 'I don't like the +look of her at all,' says the luff, and away he goes to make his report. +She seemed to have twigged us at the same time, and didn't like the look +of us neither; for, almost before the smoke had cleared away from our +bows, after we had spoken to her with one of the forecastle guns, we +could hear the pipe on board of her, the night was so still; and, in a +crack, she was one cloud of canvas, from the truck to the lower boom. +Blowed if ever I seed a man-of-war do the thing smarter. 'All hands make +sail in chase!' was the cry on board of us, and, in a very short time, +the water was talking Spanish under our bows. Every stitch of sail was +packed on the ship: but the stranger stood right away before the light +breeze, and crawled away from us fast, for that was our worst sailing +point. We kept a-blazing away with our bow guns, to bring her to; but +the more we fired, the more she wouldn't stop; and we might just as well +have fired at the moon, for all the mischief we could do her. At +daylight, she was hull down ahead; but the breeze freshened with the +rising sun, and we began to fetch up our starnway, and, before noon, we +began to drop our shot into her. She wasn't slow in answering at first +from her stern guns, which were uncommon well sarved, and every now and +then walked a ball through our sails, but luckily did not strike our +masts. We were overhauling her in great style, peppering away as fast as +we could, when all at once she began to yaw about, and, giving a broad +sheer away to port, she shortened sail, and then came to the wind again +on the starboard tack, with her maintopsail to the mast, and doused a +red rag she had a-flying at the main. We gave over firing, and soon +bowled up alongside of her, rolled up the small sail, hauled up the +foresail, and backed the main-yard. Our captain hailed her in a devil of +a rage, and was answered in some lingo I couldn't understand; but the +fellow pointed to his boat, as had a plank knocked out of her side; and +orders were given to man our boats, and send them on board, to take +possession of her. Well, just as we were a-lowering the boats, and all +hands pleased at the thoughts of a good prize, blowed if she didn't +quietly steal her fore-yard forward a little, to gather way, and before +you could say Jack Robinson, she was braced sharp up, with all her small +kites set, and, as she stood across our bows, she pitched it into us in +style. It was a blind look-out, sartinly, to let the sneaking scoundrel +slip through our fingers that way; but there was no help for it now. The +boats were secured again; and in a few minutes we were after her. As +long as the breeze held strong and steady, we had rather the best on't; +but it soon began to die away, and then we thought we would lose her for +sartin, when a lucky shot crippled her gaff, which soon snapped like a +carrot. Now that so much after-sail was off her, she couldn't keep her +wind, and we neared her fast. 'Don't spare her, my lads!' shouted the +captain; and we _did_ pour the grape and canister into her in fine +style, till she was a regular wreck; but she showed pluck to the last, +and kept blazing away at us as long as she was able. At last she got +tired, and gave over firing, and struck her colours. The boats were well +manned and armed, and were again sent to take possession of her; the +frigate running almost alongside, and threatening to blow her out of the +water, if she attempted any further resistance. When we were coming up +under her quarter in the boats, we heard the sound of loud quarrelling +on board, and when we got fairly on the quarterdeck, we found the +captain of the pirate swearing like a trooper, and saying as how his +crew had betrayed him, like cowardly dogs, as they were. He kept +stamping up and down the deck like mad, looking as if he could eat the +luftenant, when he took his sword from him. Ten or twelve +desperate-looking rough'uns as ever I seed gathered round him, muttering +that it was better to die on the quarterdeck like men, than hang like +dogs at the yardarm, and all at once they snatched up some tommyhawks as +was lying on the deck, and made a desperate rush upon us. We had an +awful tussle for it; and, just as we were in the thick on't, hand to +hand, up runs a young man from below, and sings out to us, 'Save +me--save me!' As soon as the pirate captain seed him, he ran at him like +a tiger, and, seizing him by the throat, shouted out, 'Dead men tell no +tales!' and raised his tommyhawk to cleave him to the skull. Poor lad! +he thought his signal for sailing was made, that it was all up with him. +He muttered, 'Mercy! mercy!' But poor mercy would he have met with, if I +hadn't run up just in time, and fetched the fellow a slash with my +cutlass, which made him drop the tommyhawk like a hot potato. He left +the lad, and turned round upon me, gnashing his teeth like nothing at +all with very rage, and, before I had time to wink my eye, he snatches a +loaded pistol out of my belt, and smashes my leg to shivers. Down I +dropped; but before he could finish what he had begun so cleverly, a +pistol flashed close to his head, and he staggered, and fell, never to +rise no more. When I came to my senses again, I found myself in the +sick-bay, on board my own ship. The surgeon was forced to cut off my leg +to save my life; and when we arrived at Port Royal, I was sent ashore to +the hospital, and afterwards got my discharge." + +"An' what o' the--what d'ye ca' them--rats?" said old Janet. + +"Oh, they were taken into Port Royal, and tried for piracy; there was +lots of evidence against them, the bloodthirsty rascals, and they were +all hanged, except three or four. And so there's an end of my yarn, +father; and a precious long one, I daresay, you think it is; and here am +I come home a poor useless cripple, to moor myself for life, if so be +you'll let me come to an anchor under your lee." + +"Ay, my boy," replied the old man, clapping him kindly on the shoulder, +"as long's there's a plack to the fore in the purse, or a gowpenfu' o' +meal in the kist, ye'se aye be welcome to a share." + +"True-blue for ever!" shouted Tom; "but, father, it's not come to that +yet; I'm not going to anchor without paying the harbour dues. Here," +continued he, tossing a well-filled purse to the old man; "I haven't +been so long afloat for nothing; there's a good whack of prize-money +there, and I'll come in for a pension by and by, if I've luck." + +"Keep it yersel, Tam," replied Willie; "I'm no gaun to touch a bawbee +o't. Gude be thankit! I hae aneugh an' to spare." + +Finding his father firm in his refusal, Tom at last said-- + +"Well, well, keep it for me, if you won't keep it for yourself. It won't +keep company with me long; for, somehow, whenever I cast off the +standing part of a guinea, it devilish soon unreeves itself in quarter +less no time. Stow it away in your own lockers, and serve it out to me +now and then, when I wants baccy." + +As this seemed a very rational kind of arrangement, the old man +consented to become his son's banker. + +"And now that I've run all my line off the reel, father, you must give +me a spell, and let's hear all that's been put down in your log since I +left you." + +"Oh, it's no muckle I hae to tell, Tam," replied he; "ae day has been as +like the ane that gaed afore't, as ae pear to anither; I was born here, +and here I'll maist likely dee." + +"But what's become o' bonny Jean Cameron, father? I remember well how +fond I was of her, when I was a boy at school; I've oft thought on her, +when we've been keeping up Saturday night, at sea. Many's the _tot_ I've +emptied to her health." + +"She's still to the fore, Tam, and 'maist as bonny as ever; she was +married four years syne, but she's a widow noo." He then went on to tell +his son the other changes that had taken place since his departure, the +principal of which was the death of his late master and kind friend, +Murray of Greenha'. "He was a guid freend to me," said Willie, drawing +the back of his hand over his eyes; "but he's gane noo. I've nae cause +to compleen o' my present maister, for a kinder couldna be; but he'll +never be to me like him that's gane." + +James Hamilton, old Willie Duncan's present master, had made a large +fortune in the West India trade, and was proprietor of a valuable estate +in Jamaica. For a series of years, so rapidly had he amassed wealth, +that he seemed to be a peculiar favourite of Fortune; but Fortune has +ever been a capricious dame, and those who are apparently highest in her +good graces, are often made to feel how uncertain is the tenure by which +they hold them. She seems, like some of the savages of the western +world, to pamper her victims with the good things of this life, only to +make them feel more keenly the reverses she is preparing for them. James +Hamilton was one of those men, unfortunately too rare, who do not allow +themselves to be dazzled by the flattering appearances of present +prosperity, but who, aware of the changeable and fleeting nature of all +earthly possessions, hold on the even tenor of their course, with minds +prepared for every vicissitude. He always acted upon high and pure +principle, and never, in the height of prosperity, forgot that the same +Supreme Benefactor, who in his bounty had blessed him with abundance, +might, in his wisdom, think fit to try him with adversity. He was a +kind-hearted and liberal man, but withal cool, quiet, and methodical in +his manners and actions. Heedless of the opinion of the world, he acted +up to the dictates of his own conscientious feelings of right and wrong; +and his strict notions of evenhanded justice often led him to enter into +engagements, and to perform actions, which, though perfectly just and +rigidly honest, bore, in the eyes of a misjudging world, the impress of +calculating selfishness and niggardly illiberality. But, +notwithstanding, there was such straightforward honesty, such +child-like, confiding simplicity, and such pure and unpretending +Christianity, evident in his character, that it was impossible for those +who knew him well not to esteem and love him. His principal failing was +one which "leaned to virtue's side." Upright, and honourable, and +candid, he thought all others like himself, and was often the dupe of +designing and crafty men; who, with more worldly wisdom, were far his +inferiors in judgment, and sound, practical sense; but who practised +upon his confiding nature by the semblance of qualities which they did +not possess. He had long been blessed with the companionship of an +amiable and excellent wife; and, when she was snatched from him by a +sudden and virulent disorder, he could ill have borne his bereavement, +had he not been supported by the conviction that she was only removed to +a purer and happier state of existence; and he bowed with submission to +the decrees of that Being who "doeth all things wisely." His only son, +John, who had been an object of most tender solicitude to both his +parents, had been educated with the greatest care; and, though +apparently born the heir to great wealth, had undergone a regular +probation in a mercantile house in the city, of which he hoped soon to +become a partner. Many of the elder Hamilton's friends had expressed +their surprise at his choice of a profession for his son, and wondered +that, rolling in wealth, as he was supposed to be, he should condemn his +heir to the drudgery of a counting-house: but events proved that he had +acted wisely and well. The sudden and totally unexpected failure of a +large West India house with which he was connected, and to support which +he had advanced considerable sums, gave the first shock to his credit; +and, as is often the case, reverse followed reverse afterwards, until +utter ruin seemed to be inevitable. Undazzled by prosperity, Hamilton +proved himself to be equally unshaken by adversity. His character as a +mercantile man stood so high for unimpeachable integrity and +indefatigable industry, that he might have made head for some years +longer against the stream of adverse circumstances, and might, perhaps, +eventually have overcome them; but the plain path of duty was the one he +had followed through life, and he did not desert it now. He immediately +wound up his affairs, and, having settled with his creditors to the +uttermost farthing, he found himself almost destitute, with the +exception of his personal property, and the West India estate; which, +however, had for some years barely paid its own expenses. It was now +that Hamilton had reason to rejoice that his beloved son had, by his +wise foresight, been rendered independent of circumstances, and had been +bred up in habits which would enable him soon to acquire a comfortable +establishment for himself. He immediately sold his house and furniture, +and retired to a humble lodging in the city, where, with patient and +laudable energy, he exerted himself to recover the ground he had lost. +Sudden and unexpected as his reverses had been, he never murmured at the +hardship of his lot, convinced that all the dispensations of Providence +are wisely and mercifully ordered, and happy in the consciousness that +he had nothing to reproach himself with, as far as concerned his dealing +with his fellow-men. About this time, his son John was sent out to +Jamaica, on some mercantile speculation, by the house with which he was +connected, and obtained permission to remain some time on the island, to +inquire into the management of his father's plantation; and, if +necessary and possible, to effect its sale. He was about twenty-four +years of age; tall, and handsome in his appearance, and a youth of +excellent dispositions and steady principles. By his persevering and +conscientious attention to his duties, he had gained the confidence and +esteem of his employers, and had acquired the character of an active and +clever man of business. He had long been a secret admirer of Ellen +Winterton, the orphan child of an officer in the army, and who was +living under the guardianship of the head of his firm. Accustomed, +however, always to keep his feelings under control, and to regulate his +desires by the rules of honour and of prudence, young Hamilton did not +think himself justified in making his proposals in form, until fortune +should have enabled him to do so as an independent man. The change in +his father's circumstances, while it called for fresh exertions on his +part, seemed to separate him still more widely from the object of his +wishes; but he bore his prolonged probation with cheerfulness, and his +grief at parting with Ellen was almost neutralised by the animating +prospect of serving his beloved father. After an absence of some months, +during which he had written home several times, a letter was received +from him, announcing his having left Kingston harbour, in the +fast-sailing, well-armed merchant-ship, the Delight, and expressing his +hope soon to join his father again. Fortune, in the meanwhile, had +smiled again upon the elder Hamilton, in a way he little expected. He +was surprised one evening by the receipt of a note from a gentleman, +whose signature was unknown to him, and who requested a personal +interview with him next morning, at a neighbouring coffee-house. Thither +he repaired accordingly, wondering what could be the nature of the +communication the stranger wished to make to him. + +"Mr Hamilton, I believe?" said a gentleman, dressed in deep mourning, to +whom the waiter pointed him out, as he entered the room. "I know you +well by name and character, Mr Hamilton, though I have not the happiness +of your personal acquaintance, and I am happy to be the bearer of +pleasing intelligence to you. I am one of the executors of Mr Murray of +Greenha', who died childless, and, in consequence of the demise of his +near relations, has made you his heir; and I have to congratulate you +upon your accession to a valuable landed property and a handsome +fortune." + +Mr Hamilton was not a little surprised at this announcement. Murray of +Greenha' was a distant relation of his late father; but the families had +had no communication for several years, and he had almost forgotten that +such a person was in existence. This unexpected revolution, by which he +was again restored from poverty to wealth and comfort, excited his +warmest feelings of gratitude and thankfulness towards that Being in +whom he had always trusted with unwavering confidence. He immediately +set off to the north, to visit his newly-acquired property, and to carry +into effect the provisions of his benefactor's will. Among other duties +devolved upon him, was that of providing for our friend Willie Duncan, +whose upright, manly character, and grateful attachment to his late +master, gave him strong claims upon the good-will and respect of his +successor. He had been some time in the north when he heard of his son's +having left Jamaica; but months instead of weeks had elapsed, and still +no further accounts had been received of him, and he began to be +seriously alarmed on his account. His agent in town, in reply to his +anxious inquiries, informed him that the Delight was known to have left +Kingston harbour at the time specified, but that she had not since been +heard of; and, as she was so very much beyond her expected time, and +several ships had arrived in England, which had only just reached the +harbour when she left it, there was now little doubt of her loss. This +was sad news to the elder Hamilton, and it required the exercise of all +his Christian fortitude to enable him to bear up under the heavy +dispensation. He had gained unexpected wealth; but he for whom he prized +it had been snatched from him. One afternoon, shortly after the return +of the sailor, Tom Duncan, Mr Hamilton was sauntering, in a melancholy +mood, along the high road near Greenha', and was scarcely aroused from +his abstraction by the rattling of a post-chariot, which was almost upon +him before he was aware of its approach.--"Stop!--stop!" said a voice +from the inside. The door was dashed open, and in a moment the +bewildered father was in the arms of his long-lost son. It was some time +before either of them could speak. At last, the father sobbed out-- + +"My dear, dear son! I thought you were torn from me for ever! Heaven be +praised for all its mercies! I shall now die happy. But how have I been +so cruelly deceived? They told me you were lost, and my heart was almost +broken. But come, come away to the house, and, after you have refreshed +yourself, you can gratify my curiosity." On entering the house, John +congratulated his father most affectionately on the change that had +taken place in his affairs. "I am glad of it on your account, John; for +myself, I care not. I was as happy with my crust and cheese, and with my +consciousness that I was doing my duty, as I am now--rich beyond my +fondest hopes. Yes, John, I thank Heaven, for myself, that I am blessed +with a contented spirit; and, for _you_, that, when I die, you will be +amply provided for." As soon as John had done ample justice to the +substantial lunch placed before him, his father said to him, "If you are +not much fatigued, we will take a stroll, and, while I am showing you +the lions, you can be telling me your adventures." + +"With all my heart," replied he. + +"When we left Kingston harbour in the Delight, we were all in high glee, +in the anticipation of a speedy and pleasant voyage. Our ship was one of +the fastest of her class, well armed, and manned with an active and +spirited crew; so that, to all human appearance, we had little to dread, +either from man or the elements. We had scarcely lost sight of the land, +when the wind died away to a dead calm, and the sea became as smooth and +clear as a mirror, glancing back the reflection of a bright and +cloudless moon. The sails flapped heavily against the masts, as the ship +rolled helpless and unmanageable in the long swell, and the water +dripped from her channels, as she rose again, after dipping them deep +into the sea. All at once a small, dark cloud appeared on the larboard +beam. + +"'Oh, it's nothing,' said the mate. + +"Not so thought the captain, who fortunately came upon deck at the time. + +"'All hands shorten sail!' shouted he. 'Bear a hand! Up foresail!--in +royals and topgallantsails! Brace the yards round to port! Stand by +topsail--haulyards and sheets!' + +"These orders were barely carried into effect, when a sudden and +tremendous squall struck the ship. The small sails were clued up, and +the topsailyards on the caps; but the gallant little bark staggered +under the shock, lay over till her gunwale almost touched the water, +struggled for a moment, and then rose again. The squall had overtaken +them with lightning-like rapidity, and was gone again almost as quickly. +A few moments before, and a neater and snugger ship never swam the +water--now, she was almost a wreck aloft. The foretopmast was hanging +over the side, the jib-boom gone, the maintop-gallant-mast snapped short +above the step, and the maintopsail in tatters. All this desolation had +been the work of a moment; the demon of the storm had passed, and all +was again calm. + +"'Thank Heaven it's no worse!' said the captain. 'Two minutes sooner, +and we should all have been lost! Better lose a few sticks than the ship +herself. But this will be a warning to you, Mr Rogers,' said he to the +mate, 'not to be foolhardy for the future.' + +"All hands were immediately set to work to clear away the wreck of the +spars, and were busily employed all night. It was late in the forenoon +before the wreck of the foretopmast was launched clear of the ship, and +a new maintopsail bent. During this interval, a light breeze had sprung +up, and a strange sail hove in sight to windward. The captain mounted +the rigging, and got his glass to bear upon her, and, after a long and +anxious look, paced the quarterdeck with hurried and irregular steps, +glancing uneasily aloft, and hailing the men to bear a hand with their +mast-ropes. + +"'Rogers,' said he to the mate, at the same time handing him the glass, +'take a look at that craft, and tell me what you think of her.' + +"The mate looked long and carefully at her, and, returning the glass to +his superior, looked doubtingly and inquiringly in his face, and shook +his head-- + +"'I don't like the look of her at all, sir.' + +"'Nor I, Rogers; however, we'll say nothing about her just now. If the +air continues so light, it will take her some time to reach us, and we +must make good use of the opportunity. Hurry the men with the topmast. +Heaven send us a cloudy night! As soon as it is dark, we'll alter our +course.' + +"By dint of hard work, and a suspicion among the crew that the stranger +was an unpleasant neighbour, we were all ataunto, as the sailors call +it, before midnight, and were standing away before the light breeze. At +daylight, the captain's glass swept the horizon, and soon rested upon +the object of his search. A long and steady gaze seemed to confirm both +him and the mate in their first suspicion. The vessel, now considerably +nearer us, had been evidently watching our motions, and was as evidently +in pursuit of us. She was a long, low, rakish-looking brig, creeping +along before the faint breeze, and aiding its efforts with her sweeps. + +"'It's the Dare-Devil, sir!' said the mate, his cheek paling as he +spoke; 'I know her now by the black fiddlehead, and her mast-heads +black. A bloodier pirate never swam. The Lord have mercy upon us, for +_he_ won't!' + +"'Call the hands aft!' said the captain. + +"The men assembled on the quarterdeck in stern silence. They seemed to +anticipate what was to follow; but it was evident theirs was not the +quietness of fear, but of determination. + +"'My lads,' said the captain, 'that stranger, we have every reason to +believe, is a pirate. If there had been anything of a breeze, we might +have escaped; but now, our only chance is to show her what mettle we're +made of. You will have to fight for your lives; for so soon as they set +foot on this deck, they will murder every soul on board. What say you, +my lads? Will you die like dogs, or fighting like brave men?' + +"A simultaneous cheer from the crew was the only reply, and they were +immediately dismissed to prepare for the impending conflict. + +"'Ah, there she shows her teeth at last,' said the captain, as a puff of +smoke burst from the brig, followed by the flash and report of a gun, +the ball from which struck the water some distance from us. + +"'It is of no use our attempting to escape, Rogers!' said the captain; +'he is gaining upon us fast. We will not fire a gun till he is close +aboard of us, and till every shot will tell.' + +"The guns were all loaded with grape, the fire-arms placed in readiness +on deck, and the men ordered to lie down at their quarters, and not to +fire a shot till the order was given. Meantime, the pirate rapidly +approached, and her shot began to tell upon our rigging and sails. The +Delight kept steadily on her course; but her yards, which had been +nearly square, were drawn quietly forward, one by one, to port. The +pirate was sweeping up at some little distance on our quarter, and had +hailed us to heave to directly, or she would sink us. 'Now, my lads,' +said our captain, 'be cool and steady. I'm going to cross his hawse: as +soon as the guns bear upon him, blaze away.' + +"The helm was put a-starboard, and, as we crossed the bows, we poured +our grape into him. The fire was not such a _raking_ one as we expected; +for he was too quick for us, and sheered to port almost as soon as +ourselves; but it was evident that we had almost sickened him, for he +widened his distance, and before night was almost hull-down to windward +of us. + +"'I hope we have got rid of our troublesome customer, sir,' said Rogers +to the captain. + +"'Don't halloo till you're through the wood,' replied he; 'we haven't +done with him yet, I'm afraid. I'm much mistaken if he is not trying to +play a game at humbug with us; as soon as it is dark, he will edge down +upon us, and endeavour to take us by surprise. We will keep the men at +quarters all night, and haul close to the wind, on the starboard tack, +when darkness comes on.' + +"At nightfall strict orders were given that all the lights should be put +out, except that in the binnacle; and the ship's course was altered. We +were in great hopes that by these means we should elude the pursuit of +the pirate; for, though the breeze was still light, the night was dark +and cloudy, and the mate, after sweeping the horizon with his +night-glass, said, in a joyous tone, to the captain-- + +"'I think we have outwitted him, sir; I see no signs of him now.' + +"'Let _me_ look,' said the captain. 'Holloa! What is that dark body to +the northward? That infernal brig, I'll be bound. How could he have seen +us?' + +"As he spoke, his eye glanced aloft, and there, to his great surprise, +was a light shining at the mizentop-gallantmasthead! + +"'What light is that?' shouted he; 'who has dared to disobey the orders? +Jump up there, one of you boys, and douse it. Rogers, there's a traitor +on board.' + +"'Then Jose is the man, sir!' + +"The Delight had lost a few hands in harbour, by fever; and, a few days +before she sailed, a Portuguese seaman had been shipped to supply the +place of one of them. He was an active, able-bodied fellow, and produced +excellent certificates from former ships; but there was something +extremely forbidding and repulsive in his countenance, and the mate was +very unwilling to obey Captain Forbes's order to receive him on board. +He was a man of few words; but his eyes were constantly wandering, with +a furtive glance, round the ship; and, when he did speak, it was +generally to express his fear of pirates, and to inquire into the means +of defence of the Delight. On the evening before the ship sailed, he +went on shore as one of the boat's crew, but did not make his appearance +again till next morning. For this breach of duty he made some plausible +excuse, which was unfortunately accepted. It was afterwards proved that +he was one of the crew of the pirate, and had been employed to gain all +the information in his power, as to our guns, time of sailing, &c., and +to make private signals, if necessary. + +"The brig kept hovering about till daylight, and then bore down upon us, +and, when within range, fired a shot across our bows, to make us heave +to. To this salutation no answer was returned, but we stood steadily on, +as before, reserving our fire for closer quarters. Shot after shot was +dropped into us, but still not a hand was moved on board. At last the +pirate came within hail, and swore with the most horrid oaths that he +would sink us, if we did not immediately heave to. + +"'Now, my lads, stand by!' The men were on their feet in a moment. +'Starboard a little! Fire!' Again our grape rattled into her, and we +could judge, by the bustle on her decks, and by the loud cries and +execrations that reached our ears, that our fire had been a destructive +one. Two of our men were killed by his discharge, and our boat amidships +smashed to pieces; but he again sheered off, and, shaking his sails in +the wind, dropped slowly astern. Again our hopes revived, but only to be +miserably disappointed. When he was beyond the range of our short +carronades, he kept dropping shot after shot into us, with deadly +precision from his long gun. + +"'Rogers,' said the captain, 'if this game lasts long, it is all up with +us; unless the breeze freshens, we shall all be murdered like so many +sheep.' + +"In vain did we endeavour to come to closer quarters with him; as we +shortened sail, so did he. Our guns were useless, +while--crash--crash--crash--followed each remorseless shot from his long +twelve. The breeze, instead of freshening, gradually died away to a +calm, and we lay entirely at his mercy, for he kept sweeping round us, +and, unhurt himself, inflicted deadly injuries upon us. At last, we lay +a complete wreck upon the water; our gallant captain was killed, and +fifteen of the men either dead or desperately wounded, and the gallant, +but exhausted remnant of the crew were persuaded by the mate to consent +to surrender. Our colours were accordingly hauled down; yet the pirate +for some time paid no attention to this mark of submission on our part, +but seemed determined to gratify his thirst for slaughter, by putting +his threat of sinking us into execution. At last he ceased firing, and, +sweeping up on our quarter, hailed to order the captain of the Delight +on board. + +"'Our captain is killed, and we have not a boat left that can swim.' + +"'Oh, then, if you can't come to me, I must go and fetch you!' A boat, +well manned, soon pushed off from the pirates, and in a few minutes +dashed alongside of us. The first man who boarded us was the captain, as +ferocious-looking a monster as I ever beheld; and his followers, who +swarmed up the side after him, were, in appearance, worthy of their +leader. They rushed on board with cries of exultation and rage, +brandishing their cutlasses, and shouting, 'Down with them!' 'Cut them +down, and make an end of them at once!' And they were proceeding to put +their threats into execution, when they were checked in a moment by the +loud and commanding tones of the captain. 'Stand back, all of you! I'll +shoot the first man that lays a hand upon them! No, no, my lads; it +would be letting the rascals off too cheap to kill them at once; we'll +despatch them in pairs at a time; there are twelve of them, so we shall +have six days' sport instead of one.' This proposal was received with +shouts of savage joy by the crew. 'We'll keep these two till the last,' +continued he, pointing to the mate and myself, 'that they may have the +pleasure of seeing all their comrades walk the plank before them. But, +come my lads, be smart; we have no time to lose; put all these fellows +on board our little hooker; and then we'll see what's to be done below.' +We were all immediately forced into the boat, and rowed on board the +brig, where some of us were put in irons, and others lashed to ringbolts +on the deck. The boat then returned, and the work of plunder commenced; +and for some hours the pirate crew were busily employed in transferring +to the brig all the valuables they could lay their hands upon on board +the Delight. When they had taken everything available, they scuttled the +ship, and left her, and obliged us, with many taunts and blows, to watch +for the catastrophe. It was a heartrending sight to us all to see our +gallant little ship gradually settling in the water, rolling deep and +uneasily, till at last, after a heavy lurch, she dipped her bulwarks low +into the water, and, struggling in vain to recover herself, sank to rise +no more. A groan of horror burst from us all; we felt as if our last +connecting link with humanity was broken; we were left powerless in the +hands of monsters in human form, but with the spirit of demons. Alas! +our fears were but too well verified: that very evening two of our poor +shipmates, after having been tormented in the most savage manner, were +blindfolded, and compelled to walk out upon a plank launched from the +gangway, from the end of which they fell into the sea, shrieking with +horror as they fell. As their bodies plunged heavily into the smooth +water, the captain turned to us with a savage sneer, and said-- + +"'They were too well fed by half; when it comes to your turn, you won't +make such a disturbance amongst the fishes.' + +"But why need I dwell longer upon these horrors? For five succeeding +days, the same murderous scene was enacted; we were fed on bread and +water, and tormented in every way that cruelty could suggest, and then +had the horror of witnessing the death of our companions, and of +anticipating the same cruel fate for ourselves. At last the mate and I +were the only survivors, and we were brought to the gangway, to mount +the same fatal plank which had been the instrument of death to our +unfortunate shipmates. Our eyes were blindfolded, and, weak and +exhausted as we were, we looked forward to death as an easy and happy +release from our miseries. We bade each other farewell. + +"'Our murderers allow us one blessing, Rogers,' said I--'to die +together.' + +"That remark saved my life. + +"'A blessing is it?' exclaimed the captain; 'then it's one that I'll be +hanged if you enjoy. You shall go to the devil by yourself. Take the +handkerchief off that sentimental gentleman's eyes, and let him see his +dear friend take a leap in the dark. He can moralise about it till +to-morrow evening.' + +"Poor Rogers! I did indeed feel deserted, when the sullen plunge +announced that the sea had closed over its prey! To this refinement in +cruelty on the part of the pirate, however, I eventually owed my +deliverance. Slowly and painfully did the first hours of that night pass +over my head. My thoughts constantly recurred to the horrors I had +witnessed, and to the dreadful doom that awaited me on the morrow. The +tears filled my eyes as I prayed for forgiveness of my past sins, and +for strength to support me through the coming trial. The brig was +tumbling about on the almost calm sea, with all sails furled, except the +topgallantsail, which by some chance had broken adrift, and the crew, +not excepting the look-out man, were all asleep, when all at once the +report of a gun came booming over the water. The sound acted like magic +upon the slumbering crew--they were on the alert in a moment--the sails +were set with wonderful quickness--the sweeps were manned, and the +little schooner rippling through the water. Next morning we had +distanced the stranger considerably, and the pirate was in great hopes +of escaping; but the breeze freshened, and before noon the frigate, for +such she proved to be, had gained so much upon us, that her shot began +to tell upon us. I was now hurried below, and a sentry was placed over +me; the captain ordering him to blow my brains out if I attempted to +escape, and adding, 'I'll settle his account by and by.' It was with +impatience almost amounting to agony that I listened to the strange +medley of sounds which reached my ear--the creaking of the sweeps, the +curses and shouts of our crew cheering each other at their work, the +loud report of our guns, and the more faint and distant sound of those +of the frigate; and I prayed for deliverance--prayed that some lucky +ball might find its way into the cabin, and put an end to my suspense +and to my miseries at once. At last the sound of the sweeps ceased. I +heard the rattling of blocks and the sound of running feet. I felt, by +the motion of the vessel, that some alteration was made in her course, +and then--I burst into tears--I heard a voice hailing the brig! I felt +that the hour of my deliverance was at hand, and I breathed a prayer of +silent thankfulness to Heaven. Again there was a movement on deck, the +brig laid over to the breeze, and a loud shout burst from her crew, as +they discharged the guns. Merciful powers! she had escaped; and my +spirit sank within me. But the avenger of blood was behind us, and his +voice spoke in the thunder of his guns. I heard a crash upon deck, then +the noise of something coming down from aloft, followed by the muttered +curses of my sentry, as he exclaimed, 'The gaff is gone!' The report of +the frigate's guns now became louder and louder, and the little brig +absolutely staggered, when the grape-shot rattled against her sides. Her +crew, however, seemed to be fighting with the desperation of madmen, for +they maintained a warm fire. At last all was silent on board; the firing +ceased, and not even a voice could be heard. Presently I heard the dash +of oars; then the grating of a boat against the vessel's side; then loud +and angry voices, and afterwards all the sounds of a desperate conflict. +I looked up the companion--my sentinel had deserted his post, to join in +the fray. I saw the boat's crew of the frigate engaged in a deadly +struggle with the pirates. I rushed over to them, and had just joined +them, calling for help, when the pirate captain seized me by the +shoulder, and raised his tomahawk to cleave me to the deck. Weak as I +was, I must have fallen a victim to his fury, had not a gallant sailor +rushed between us, and inflicted a severe wound upon his upraised arm. I +saw my brave deliverer fall immediately afterwards by a pistol-shot; but +he was well avenged; for the next moment the pirate fell lifeless on his +body. I saw no more. I was carried, in a state of insensibility, on +board the frigate, and it was long before I recovered from the effects +of my severe discipline on board the pirate. As soon as I was +sufficiently recovered, I wished to hasten homewards immediately; but I +was obliged to remain, to give evidence against the crew of the +piratical brig, all of whom, with the exception of three or four, +suffered the extreme penalties of the law. And now, my dear father, my +tale is at an end, and grateful am I to the merciful Providence which +has restored me to your arms." + +"My dear, dear son!--doubly endeared to me by the dangers you have +undergone on my account--I am thankful that my altered fortunes now +enable me to gratify what I know to be the dearest wish of your heart. +Go to her, John--go to Miss Winterton--she is worthy of you: no longer +restrained by the clog of poverty, you may freely indulge the feelings +of your heart." + +As the father and son were walking along the road, they saw two men +approaching them at some distance. + +"Whom have we here?" said John Hamilton. + +"One of them is old Willie Duncan, a cottar of mine; and who the lame +man is that is with him I know not. By the by, I heard that his son was +returned from sea; perhaps that's the man." + +Willie Duncan respectfully saluted his master, when he approached, and +said-- + +"I was just bringing my son to----" + +"Good heavens!" exclaimed John Hamilton, gazing earnestly at the +disabled man; "it cannot be--yes, it is--my brave deliverer! My gallant +fellow," continued he, shaking him heartily by the hand, "how rejoiced I +am to see you, and to have an opportunity to prove my gratitude to you! +I heard you were dead--how did you escape?" + +"Why, blow me, your honour, if you didn't take me quite aback. I +couldn't make you out at first--you're twice the man you were when I +see'd you on the pirate's deck; and I'd never no thoughts of falling in +with you so near home. I'm right glad, however, to see your honour once +more." + +"Duncan," said Hamilton, senior, with a trembling voice, "I owe you a +debt I can never repay. You lost your limb in saving the life of my +son--it shall be my endeavour to make the loss to you as light as +possible." + +"And is the gentleman the son of my father's good master? Then a fig for +the leg!--it couldn't have been lost in a better cause. And, as for +gratitude, sir, you owe me none; his honour, here, would have done the +same for me, if the case had been reversed, like--if he'd been the +sailor, and I'd been the gemman." + +"Well, well, my good fellow--no doubt--we won't argue on that point; +only tell me how I can serve you, and I will do so, to the best of my +ability." + +"Why, your honour, I wants for nothing just now. I've got a lot of +prize-money, and my father's snug roadstead to anchor in; but, if your +honour likes to give me a few ounces of baccy, I won't say but what I'll +be obligated to you." + +"A modest request, certainly," said Mr Hamilton, laughing; "but we must +give you something better than tobacco, and as much of that as you like +into the bargain. Come, William, as your son won't speak, you must do so +for him. Tell me how I can best serve him." + +A whispering consultation here took place between father and son, which +was put a stop to by the latter addressing Mr Hamilton in a sheepish, +confused manner, twirling his hat in his hands at the same time, and +feeling the rim all around, as if to ascertain that it was all there. + +"Why, your honour, as your honour's so kind----Blow'd if I can speak +about it, father! You see, your honour, I'm a first-rate hand at a yarn +on a Saturday night; but, somehow, my jawing-tacks gets all bedevilled +when I begins to speak about _she_." + +"And who's she?" said Mr Hamilton, laughing--"some old sweetheart that +has been waiting for you?" + +"Why, it's bonny Jean Cameron that was when I went away. She's a widow +now, your honour, and, as I wants to be spliced, and she's no objection, +why, if it's not making too bold, if your honour would let us have one +of your empty cottages, we'd join company at once, and sail together for +the rest of our cruise." + +We need hardly say that the sailor's request was cheerfully granted; and +in a few weeks he and his wife were happily settled in a neat cottage, +comfortably and substantially furnished by Mr Hamilton, who likewise +settled upon him an annuity, sufficient to keep him from want, but not +so large as to encourage habits of idleness or dissapation. John +Hamilton was equally successful in his suit; and his union with Ellen +Winterton proved that those who have been tried by adversity are best +qualified to enjoy prosperity. + + + + +THE PROFESSOR'S TALES. + +THE THREE BRETHREN. + + "Together such as brethren are, + In unity to dwell." + + +The unity of the three brethren about whom I am going to speak is +complete: some are united in heart and soul, but these are united in +body and frame: closer than the Siamese twins did their union abide, +till, in an evil hour, the winds smote them, and they were no +more--"_Sed stat nominis umbra._" They have left behind them a name and +a record which will not soon perish. They might have said--had speaking +been at all their forte--with Horace, "_Non omnis moriar."_ They shall +live in the recollection of the present, and in the records of future +times--at least it will not be from want of will, if the pages of the +"Tales of the Borders" do not transmit their memorial to late posterity. +The three brethren! you exclaim, quite naturally enough. What! were they +brothers by blood or by marriage--brothers in profession--or, like +Simeon and Levi, in iniquity? We should like to see the mist cleared +away, and the subject made tangible. Well, listen! + +The three brethren were three trees, or rather divisions of one tree--as +like each other as one pea is to another--which once stood in the middle +of the high road from Glasgow to Dumfries, upon the banks of the Nith. +People had it that their similarity was so great that it reached the +details of their branches, and even leaves, and that they were in +every--even in the minutest--respect copies or fac-similes of each +other. Nobody living--and far less any one dead--can tell their age. +They saw Oliver Cromwell and his saintly crew march into Scotland; and +beheld, in later times, the Highland host, in the year '45, pass along. +They might have given an old chronicle of ancient times and manners, had +it not been that they probably did not outlive the age of Methuselah. +But + + "Improvisa vis lethi rapuit + Rapietque gentes." + +Destruction came in the shape of a nor'wester, and they are now in the +act of being converted into snuff-boxes, writing-desks, and +dressing-cases, for their old and attached acquaintances and friends; +every one seems more anxious than another to obtain a relic of the +immortal triumvirate--and they are more likely to be remembered with +pleasurable feelings than even were the Triumvirates of ancient Rome. +But now that they have bowed their heads, and given up their roots, it +is proper that some effort should be made to perpetuate their memory; +and who so fit as an old Closeburn man to execute this bold but +praiseworthy task? + +The explanation, however, requires a glance at the race of gipsies, one +of whom thus characterises the race:-- + + "My bonny lass, I work in brass-- + A tinkler is my station-- + I've travell'd round all Christian ground + In this my occupation. + + I've ta'en the gold--I've been enroll'd + In many a noble squadron-- + In vain they search'd, when off I march'd, + To go and clout the caldron." + +The gipsies have now disappeared entirely from the north of Scotland; +even in Fife, the former residence of the gipsy clan Jamphrey, no such +variety of the species is to be found. Their chief residence, as we have +had occasion to say before, is now on the Borders, where, in the village +of Yetholm, and in Langtown, they still maintain a separate clanship. +They still are, and have always been, extremely jealous of the marriage +of any of their daughters, in particular, out of the tribe. Hence the +fact, that almost every third person amongst them labours under some +mental peculiarity or defect. Their male youths enjoy greater latitude; +yet, on their alliance with the Philistine fair, they are usually looked +down upon, and regarded as a kind of amphibious race, who, like the +"Proselytes of the Gate" amongst the Jews, were not admitted into equal +communion. Their children are brought up (at least were so, till of +late) in the most religious contempt of the alphabet. Nor are any moral +principles inculcated, beyond successful thieving--that is, downright +knavery--and dexterity of execution as workmen, whether it be in forming +a ram's horn into a cutty spoon, or in appropriating the fattest hens +from the farmer's bauks. Their women, too, are expert fortunetellers, +and have husbands ready-made for sixpence. They are a fearful, fearless +race, wandering about, in former times, almost during the whole year, +and pitching their tents--in other words, setting their asses to graze, +and themselves to forage--wherever solitude or the tolerance of the +laird or farmer will permit their presence. When Scotland, in general, +and Dumfries-shire in particular, from Criffell to Corsincon, were +densely covered with natural wood, these people divided the woodland +with the fox, the boar, and the wolf, and were extremely expert in +noosing hares, rabbits, and polecats. Theirs was the bow, and ultimately +the long-barrelled gun, for securing the fowls of heaven; and the set +line, liester, and fishing-rod for the tenants of the water. + +As was the case with the Roman of old--"_Patres ad insignem deformitatem +puerum cito necaverunt;_" in other words, and in a different tongue, +they put their diseased and deformed offspring to death; and more than +one-half of those which were permitted to survive were killed in a year +or two by harsh usage, cold, and imperfect clothing. Thus their youth +which did survive these manifold trials and risks rose up into man and +womanhood, proud, hardy, strong, well-seasoned plants, exhibiting much +muscular power and symmetry in the male, and occasionally uncommon +beauty and figure in the female form. + +The "wild gazelle exulting" and bounding on the hills of Judah was not +more elastic in its motion, nor penetrating and fascinating in its +glance, than were many of the fairer wives and daughters of these hordes +of part mendicant, part predatory, and part artist wanderers. Their +chief resorts, in ancient times, were to the banks of the Hermitage and +Slitterick, near Hawick; to the banks of the Dee, near Kirkcudbright; +and, above and beyond all, to the woods of Colliston, and the linns of +Balachun, on the Nith, in Dumfries-shire; and it is to this last +locality that the following narrative particularly refers. + +It was about the middle of the month of October that a packman, or +pedlar, with an enormous chest laid transverse on his shoulders, was +seen wending his way up the banks of the Nith, from Manchester to +Glasgow. He had hoped to have reached Thornhill, then an exceedingly +small village, before dusk; but this being his first migration in this +direction, he found himself so surrounded and obstructed by the river +Nith on the one hand, the linns of Balachun on the other, and an almost +impenetrable wood in front, that night came upon him, dark and moonless, +whilst still pushing his way through brambles, thorns, and every species +of tangling and perplexing underwood. At last, despairing of extricating +himself, and terrified, at the same time, by the roaring of waters, +howling of wild beasts, and hooting of owls, he extricated his shoulders +from the pack-bands, and, selecting as dry and soft an apartment as +circumstances permitted, he set himself down on the grassy turf, with a +birch branch for his canopy, and the old stump of a tree for his lean. +In a little time he was alarmed by the cries of what appeared to be a +child in the act of being cruelly murdered. Mungo Clark (for such was +the packman's name) rose, and, advancing a few steps in the direction of +the now faintly-emitted sounds, found a hare in the act of expiring of +strangulation by means of a noose, or girn, formed of strong wire, and +placed so as to intercept a little footpath made by the feet of the wild +animals of the forest. Mungo was in the act of disengaging the dead +creature from its executioner, the noose, when he heard the rustling as +if of a lion on the spring, very near him, and all at once he found +himself in the iron grip of a customer with whom he had no wish, on +this occasion at least, to deal. + +"And wha are ye," were the sounds which, in a hollow and harsh tone, +first greeted his ears--"and wha are ye, man, wha hae made yer bed this +dark night wi' the howlets and the wull-cats--ye wha meddle wi' what +naething concerns ye, and burn yer fingers in ither folk's kail-pats? +Speak, man, and dinna keep me blethering here, for I hae got ither fish +to fry, I trow, than standing here palavering wi' sic as you--come, +speak, body, or I'll send ye, pack an' a', sixty yards lower into the +bumbling pool o' Balachun Linn." + +Mungo Clark was neither soldier nor belted knight, nor was he armed for +any deadly conflict; but he was not accustomed to submit without +resentment to such rough usage. + +"Unhand me, rascal!" was the packman's reply; and making, at the same +time, a lateral jerk, he twisted himself fairly out of the assailant's +grasp. + +A whistle was immediately set up, and in an instant our traveller was +surrounded by four strong, ablebodied men, who immediately flashed the +light side of a dark lantern full in his face. + +"Oh ho!" said one of the newly-assembled assailants; "this is neither +the deil, nor the factor, nor the wood-keeper, nor the old boy, +Colliston himsel, but just plain Mungo Clark, Widow Clark o' Penpont's +son, who has been at Manchester feathering his pack, for the first time, +wi' all manner o' varieties; such as Bibles, psalm-books, ribands, +shawls, and waistcoat-pieces. Why, by the flesh-pots o' Yetholm--and +that's a terrible oath--we'll adopt Brother Clark into our number, and +teach him how to snare game, and spear salmon, instead of drivelling +away his time and strength under the pressure of a load" (trying to +raise the pack) "which would break the back-bone of an elephant." + +The matter appeared to Mungo to be settled without any consent of his, +asked or obtained; so, knowing somewhat of the character and habits of +this wandering and peculiar race, he was compelled to make a virtue of +necessity, and, raising his pack again on his shoulders, to descend with +them into the very lowest depths of the linns of Balachun. Even at +noonday, on the 23d of June, the Pass, as it is called, is dreary, dark, +and dreadful; but now, under the cover of night, and with no other +guidance than a small lantern, which scarcely made darkness visible, +Mungo hesitated ere he would commit himself to the crossing of a fearful +gully, and the walking along the face of a rock, or scaur, scarcely +eight inches wide, and overhanging a fearful pool, well known by the +terrible appellation of "Hell's Caldron." The party at last arrived at a +small grassy plot, encircled on the one side by the roaring stream +called Clauchry Burn, and on the other by an amphitheatre of steep, +high, and overhanging rocks, fringed and darkened in with brushwood and +furze, and guarded, at the upper and lower extremities, by the rocks, +which, after receding a little to make room for this grassy retreat, +closed in again upon the current, and prevented all _easy_ entrance or +escape. Soon after Mungo's arrival, he discovered a large kettle, +boiling and bubbling, in a crevice of the cliff, suspended from a +transverse beam; and beheld around it, now that a parcel of sticks and +dry leaves were kindled, a most picturesque and motley group--women, +children, men, boys, and lasses, of all hues, aspects, and sizes, were +scattered about in profusion; and, as the flame flashed back from the +red sandstone of the linn, their faces glared on Mungo with a demoniac +expression. It seemed the very picture of Pandemonium; and yet the +hearty laugh, the bold oath, and the occasional inquiry, bespoke the +inhabitants to be at least one remove from devils. Mungo was desired to +rest him and his load on the apron of the rock, and compelled, without a +nay-say, to unstrap his pack, and expose his goods, not (seemingly) for +sale, but for plunder. This was not the way, assuredly, to turn the +penny to advantage, but what can one say, "_durum telum +necessitas?_"--there was no avoiding the spoliation. To be sure, the +king, or leader of the gipsy tribe--amounting probably to not less than +forty or fifty persons--hinted in his ear that he should not be a loser +at last; but, in the meantime, to his no small mortification, he saw his +shawls, napkins, stockings, and waistcoat-pieces, making the round of +the company without ceremony, and forgetting, like the dove from the +ark, to return whence they had fled. The pack having been thus +ransacked, and the pot having given audible intimation for some time of +its preparatory doings, the king--for such he was--the notorious Donald +Faa, with his three sons, Duncan, Cuthbert, and _Donnert_ Davie, +together with the king's fair daughter, Helen Yetholm Faa, squatted down +on the grass, and without the help of forks, made a hearty meal on +hares, chickens, turkeys, geese, and half-a-dozen brace of partridges, +which might have rejoiced the heart even of a Dominie Sampson. The other +members of the community seemed to acknowledge the deputed authority of +a young man of good features, and an athletic and genteel appearance, +who went by the name of the Squire. After _eating_ had had its fair +share of devoted and unremitted attention, a barrel, of considerable +dimensions, began to make its way downward from amidst the recesses of +this water-worn and excavated rock; and a tub being hurled sideways into +the service, boiling water was procured, and sugar in no ordinary +quantity commingled; and, by the help of a ladle and several chopin +decanters, the whole mass of Egyptian humanity was stirred up into song, +laugh, scream, inebriety, quarrel, battle, stupor, and insensibility. +Our friend Mungo had no objections whatever to the feast, or to the +means by which it was prolonged. He was afterwards notorious for his +drinking habits, insomuch that his observation on this occasion is still +repeated in the neighbourhood of the place of his nativity. When +questioned by the king respecting the size of his native village, +Penpont, his reply was--"It is an exceeding great city." This being +questioned, his proof was equally ingenious, and descriptive of his +habits--"Why, Nineveh took Jonah three days to travel through it, +whereas Penpont generally takes me _seven_." He referred manifestly to +his habit of stopping and drinking at every petty inn and public-house +in the village! The jest told exceedingly in his favour. Mungo, however, +in spite of his losses and crosses, had a noble night of it, as he +afterwards said, with the gipsies, and awakened next morning from his +grassy couch to cool his aching temples in the stream, and restore his +stomach by a hair of the dog that had bit him. He then observed that the +two sons, Duncan and Cuthbert, but not Davie (yclept Donnert, from his +peculiarity of mental constitution), were absent, and that their father +not only exhibited no surprise respecting his sons' absence, but refused +to give any account to his guest of the cause of it. Meanwhile, Mungo +had an opportunity of marking the appearances of the various objects +around him somewhat more distinctly than he had been able to do on the +preceding evening. Blankets, supported by forked poles, old clothes and +rags of every description, formed a kind of nightly shelter for the +common herd; whilst the royal head reposed in the midst of his male +progeny, on the lap of a projecting rock, with a few hare-skins for his +pillow, and a corn-sack for his coverlet. His fair daughter's bedchamber +was somewhat more removed beyond a projecting corner of the winding +linn, and she was protected from observation by the branches of the +overhanging trees being drawn closely down over her, and by what had +once, in all probability, been a soldier's tent, but which was now +miserably rent, and unweather-worthy. It was manifest that this child +was the darling and care of a fond father; for she was not only provided +in a superior manner, but, by the position of his own sleeping +apartment, she was protected from all intercourse with the other members +of the tribe. Honest nature! thou art too many, even for a gipsy life; +and even here parental affection hallowed and refined what was unseemly +and revolting. I say revolting; for, in an obscure corner, and under the +shelter of a hazel-bush, lay a figure, emaciated with disease, and +probably with dissipation and crime, groaning in agony, and regarded +with no more sympathy by the great mass of the tribe than if he had been +a strangled hare or a mangled horse. There was something indeed terrible +in this sight. True, Helen Faa did all that she was permitted, but that +was but little, to alleviate his sufferings; but death was in his eye +and in his throat--he made one great effort to rise, grasped a branch +convulsively, and ceased to live. Mungo would willingly have retired, +even with the losses he had sustained, but he was not +permitted--probably because old Donald conjectured that information +would be immediately lodged against him, and he would be compelled to +relinquish one of his strongest holds in the south of Scotland. +Meantime, Mungo had an opportunity of beholding more closely the female +portion of this society; and was exceedingly struck--for he was yet a +young man and unmarried--with the really handsome faces and well-formed +persons which characterised the whole; but far and away above all the +rest shone Miss Helen Yetholm Faa--for thus was she designated by the +clan--in the pride of health, youth, and black, or rather brown, +eyes--those weapons of female onset which are sharper than a two-edged +sword, as Mungo used to sing or say afterwards, in a song which he +composed on the occasion:-- + + "They were jet, jet black, and like a hawk, + And wadna let a body be." + +All this seemed to be fully appreciated by the Squire, who evidently +paid the young princess particular attention, and seemed, at the same +time, sufficiently jealous of any foreign interference with the object +of his attention. Donnert Davie was a stout, ill-made, squint-eyed +being, who stammered in his speech, and seemed particularly useful in +carrying on the culinary operations, under the direction of Helen, in +the retreat. He felled wood for the fire, carried water to the kettle, +heated cow and sheep horns in the flame; brought round about and close +to the operator old pots, pans, and trenchers, which had been obtained +to be clouted, clasped, and mended. He was, in short, a kind of gipsy +factotum; and when "the house affairs did not call him thence," he would +associate with the stranger, stammering out such incoherent inquiries +as--"Whare been?--What do?--What do?--Mother dead?--Mother dead?-- +Yes--yes--yes--true--true--true"--muttering to himself, and repeating +the same monosyllable half-a-dozen times. His sister Helen was +manifestly kind to him, and would not permit any of the company to +insult or ill-use him. + +Night arrived, but with it not Duncan or Cuthbert; and it was not till +late on the following evening that they made their appearance, and with +them came silver and gold in abundance: consequently Mungo Clark's +claims were satisfied; and he was informed that, next morning, as they +were all about to decamp, he might pursue his journey homewards; but +about the following dawn, an authoritative voice from the top of the +precipice summoned the whole party to a surrender. One figure stood +prominently forward, looking over the rock; and Donnert Davie, whose +blunderbuss always lay charged beside him, immediately fired, and the +figure came tumbling down headlong, and sunk in the yawning abyss of +boiling water. In a word, the whole party, after a most determined +resistance, were taken prisoners by a military party obtained from +Dumfries; and it being proved against Duncan and Donald Faa that they +had stolen some cattle from Dalswinton Mains, and sold them on the sands +of Dumfries--as also against Donnert Davie, that he had shot the +serjeant who commanded on the occasion--the whole three brothers were +tried, condemned, and sentenced to be executed, _in terrorem_, near the +spot where their depredations had been committed. As there were three +persons to execute, and the famous tree already referred to had three +branches, they appeared to the sheriff to be destined for each other; +and accordingly all the three were hung at the same time on the same +tree, which has ever since retained the appellation of "The Three +Brethren." + +Old Donald, his fair daughter, Mungo Clark, Squire Cockburn, and the +rest, were set at liberty; but the gipsies were conveyed by a military +escort across the Borders; and I have been given to understand that the +Squire, who was the young laird of Glenae, after considerable opposition +from the old father, was married to fair Helen Yetholm Faa; and that he +was the happy husband of the fair dame who used afterwards to go about +the country in disguise, attending in gipsy garb at weddings, kirns, and +merry-meetings, and giving origin to the well-known reel--"Auld Glenae." + + +THE MISTAKE RECTIFIED. + +"Now," said the traveller, as he wandered up one of those retired +Highland glens, which characterise and beautify the Grampian range, "I +shall once more visit my dear father and mother; and my sister, now +woman grown; and, what is more, my sweet Helen M'Donald, who used to +gather the mountain berries along with me, and pursue the little kids +and lambs. Ah, Helen was only about thirteen years old when I left; she +will now be eighteen; a full-grown beautiful woman, I have no doubt. I +wonder if old Andrew, her grandfather, be still living; he used to tell +me such tales of Prince Charlie, and Prestonpans, and Culloden, that my +hair yet almost stands erect at the recollection of them. And then there +was Euphemia M'Gregor, his son's wife, the mother of my dear Helen; and +Oscar and Fingal, my father's faithful attendants and servants: and we +had such fun during the long winter nights, when the sheep were in a +place of safety, and the door was barred, and the peat-fire was burning +clear, and the very cat and kitten enjoyed the cheery fireside--such +questions and commands, such guessing and forfeiting, and riding round +the fire on a besom, and holding one's mouth full of water to discharge +on the person's face who should first laugh at our grotesque gestures +and looks: but night is approaching whilst I linger by the way--my whole +heart heaves to behold once more the sweet home of my youth and +innocence." + +Thus said, or thought aloud, a young man, seemingly about twenty-two +years of age, as he ascended Glen----and approached the thatched +shieling which stood on the margin of a small mountain stream, which +wended its mazes along the tortuous glen. He had been five years, come +the time, absent from his mountain home, and had, during that period, +endured and encountered a variety of fortune. He sung as he went along-- + + "A light heart and thin pair of breeches, + Goes through the world, brave boys!" + +switching the bent and heather-bells with his cane, and treading with a +step as elastic as was his bosom. At last, just as the sun was tinging +with his departing ray the top of the highest mountain in the +neighbourhood, he turned the corner of a projecting rock, and came at +once into full and distinct view of his home. It was then grey twilight, +and objects began to assume an indistinct appearance. Walking by the +side of the stream, as if meditating, there appeared a figure wrapped up +in a Highland plaid. It immediately struck the young sailor that this +was his sister; and in order to give her what is called an agreeable +surprise, he stepped aside unperceived by her, and stood concealed +behind a projecting cliff, which the stream had stripped bare of soil in +its passing current. The figure came nearer and nearer, and then, +sighing deeply, uttered some sound, which his ear could not catch. At +last, tears and sobs followed, and he heard the words most distinctly +pronounced--"Alas, I can never truly love him! I shall be the most +wretched of women! But he whom I loved as angels love--oh, he, my own +dear William M'Pherson, is dead and gone, and I can never see him more." + +"But you can though, my own dear Helen;" and in an instant he held her +lifeless and motionless in his arms. She had uttered just one awful +scream, which was re-echoed by the surrounding cliffs, and had ceased to +feel or know anything connected with the living world. Alas! she was +dead, and he was distracted. He ran to the house, calling aloud for +help; but every one of its inmates, even the mother who bore him, fled +from his presence, uttering ejaculations, intimating the greatest terror +at his presence. In vain did he protest with tears--I am your son and no +other--I am Willie M'Pherson, your lost boy! His words bore no +conviction along with him. Avaunt, foul fiend! Avaunt, in the name of +God and the Holy Trinity--trouble me not--trouble me not; my dear child +is in heaven; and thou, foul spirit, art permitted for a time to assume +his shape. His sister, too, was equally incredulous, and his father had +not yet returned from the hill. What was to be done? Helen M'Donald was +in all probability dead, or dying, helpless and alone, and yet no one +would come to her assistance. At last, Oscar and Fingal made their +appearance in advance of his father; and though they barked at first +upon his naming them, they immediately ran up to him, and jumped upon +his back, his neck, his head, his whole person. They seemed in as much +danger of expressing joy as poor Helen had been of dying of fearful +surprise. + +"Stand back," said the delighted and believing father to his wife, who +absolutely clung to his knees to prevent his advance--"stand back, +woman; d'ye think Fingal and Oscar would caress the foul fiend in that +manner? Na--na--na. Ha! ha! ha!" And he fell upon his son's shoulders, +weeping and crying convulsively. + +"My father--my dear, dear father." + +"My son--my lost, my only, my restored son," was the response. + +But Helen, in an instant, brought the whole party, consisting of father, +mother, sister, and son, to her aid: a light was procured and held over +her face; her bosom was bared, and rubbed; her forehead had water +plentifully poured upon it from the stream; and, at last, symptoms of +returning life appeared. Oscar and Fingal, in the meantime, had licked +Helen's face, and neck, and shoulders, all over; and whether from any +virtue in the peculiar touch of their tongues, or from the natural +expiry of the trance, Helen breathed heavily--her bosom heaved; William +looked on her cheeks, and they were flushed with red. In a moment he had +her in his arms. Helen, for some time, suffered exquisite bodily +torture; but was at last capable of having the truth made gradually +known to her. She said surely she had been dreaming, as she had often +done, and that she was still surely asleep, and that she would waken at +last, as she had done before, to a dreadful perception of the reality. +William M'Pherson still continued to clasp and assure Helen of his +personal identity. But, even when convinced of the reality of William's +presence, Helen did not evince that degree of happiness which might have +been expected; she sat stupified and passive, and seemingly insensible +to everything around her; her mind was evidently wandering to a +disagreeable subject. However, she was prevailed upon to return with the +family into the house, and, worn out and fatigued, she was soon after +put to rest in an adjoining apartment. + +In the meantime, the young sailor was questioned minutely respecting the +reason of his reappearance, after he had been so long reported, and +believed by everybody, to be dead. + +Without repeating his answer in his own words, which were interlarded +with sea phrases, we may state, in general, that it was to the following +purpose:--He had gone to Dundee, with the view of making some small +purchases for the household, when he accidentally fell in with a +recruiting party, who were beating up for marines for the fleet, then +just returned from the capture of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen. +Inexperienced as he was, he was enticed into a public-house on the +shore, and awakened, after a stupor of some hours, on board a British +man-of-war. In a few hours, he was conveyed out to sea, along with +several others, and was conveyed immediately to Spithead. Having it +ultimately put to his choice whether he would stand by a gun, or handle +a musket and a sabre, he chose the former, and was regularly entered as +an ablebodied seaman on board His Majesty's ship the Victory. In her, +along with Admiral Nelson, he sailed for the West Indies, and then +crossed the Atlantic, back to the shores of France. The enemy still +eluding the eagle-eye of Lord Nelson, he sailed for the Mediterranean, +and, after various landings and inquiries, came upon the French fleet, +moored closely inland on the coast of Egypt, at the mouth of the Nile. +He was in the dreadful battle of the Nile, and assisted in rescuing +several who were blown up, but not killed, in the L'Orient. After the +battle, he had promotion, and ultimately prize-money, on account of his +brave and humane conduct, and sailed again for Naples, and latterly in +quest of the Spanish fleet on the coast of Spain. He was close by Nelson +when he was shot by a rifleman from the mast of the ship with which he +had grappled, and saw the fellow who did the deed drop on the deck, +being shot through the heart by a marine on board of Lord Nelson's ship. +After the battle, he was returned to Plymouth, having been wounded in +the leg--a musket-ball had passed through the flesh, and somewhat, but +not greatly, injured the bone. He spent some months in the hospital, and +was then despatched to the coast of France on board the Spitfire. There +he had distinguished himself in cutting out and burning several of the +enemy's craft at Havre; and being again wounded, though slightly, in the +arm, he was put upon the pension list, and allowed to dispose of himself +till his country should again require his services. In these +circumstances, he began to think of his home; and, with some hundreds of +pounds in the bank, and a pension order of about two shillings and +sixpence a-day in his pocket, he arrived at Dundee in a sailing vessel, +and was on his way to his _native glen_ when the reader first became +acquainted with him. When this narrative was finished, his father +retired for an instant, and then appeared with some papers, which he had +extracted from his private depositories. He first read a letter which +purported to come from a king's officer, who signed himself William +Wilson, and who informed his afflicted father that his son had been +induced to go on board a king's ship, to see the arrangements which it +exhibited; but that, in passing from the small boat to the deck, he had +missed a foot, and been drowned. The letter was dated on board the +Spitfire; and mentioned, likewise, that the ship was under sailing +orders for the general rendezvous at Spithead. The poor distracted +parent had come to Dundee, but could obtain no information of his +son--only, about three months after, he heard that a dead body, severely +mutilated, had been thrown out upon the sands of St Andrews; and, on +account of the state of its decomposition, had immediately been interred +in Christian burial-ground. A second pilgrimage to St Andrews was +undertaken by the father and daughter; but nothing satisfactory was +discovered, except that the corpse exhibited marks of having been +dressed in a blue-and-white striped waistcoat, which answered to that in +which he had left Denhead, his home in the Highlands. After this last +discovery, all further inquiry ceased, and the afflicted family +fulfilled the period of their sincere mourning, and things returned +nearly to their usual bearing. But, when father, and mother, and sister +had seemingly got over the worst of their grief, Helen M'Donald still +pined in silence over the recollections of her early companion; and as +she expanded into womanhood, her grief seemed to grow "with her growth;" +and her father became extremely anxious to have Helen properly and +creditably disposed of in marriage. + +The son of a small proprietor in the neighbourhood had lately become +laird himself; and, though far exceeding Helen in years, having had +frequent opportunities of seeing her, particularly at church on Sabbath, +he had become enamoured of so much beauty and innocence. Proposals had +been made to the father, which were immediately accepted; and the young +lady had been dealt with, as young ladies in such situations generally +are, by arguments of interest, and worldly comfort, and even grandeur. +First impressions are deep (oh, how deep!); and Helen could not yet +entirely exclude the image of her beloved William from her recollection. +Laird M'Wharry was urgent in his suit--her father, whom she +affectionately loved, was troubled and anxious--her mother, too, pressed +home upon her attention prudential considerations--so, after long delays +and many internal struggles, Helen at last consented to become, but not +till some months afterwards, Mrs or Lady M'Wharry, as the peasantry +styled the laird's wife. It was during her visit (previous to her +marriage) to M'Wharry that the incident took place which thus connects +our narrative, and brings us up to the point of time when William +M'Pherson arrived at Denhead. + +William, learning from Helen, as well as from his father and mother, how +matters were situated, suddenly disappeared, and left no means of +tracing the place of his retreat. Days, and even weeks, passed, but no +letter arrived, and no message came. In the meantime, the day appointed +for the marriage approached, and Helen seemed to have made up her mind +to submit to necessity; at least she tried to look cheerful, and put as +good a face upon it as many tears, shed in private, would permit. + +Laird M'Wharry was a true Highlander--he had much of that clannish +feeling which is peculiar to the Celt. He was, besides, exceedingly +passionate, and had more than once got into trouble from having used +hasty and unguarded expressions. Nay, he had once been prosecuted in the +Court of Session, and damages had been obtained to a considerable +amount, by one of his servants, or rather slaves, whom he had beat most +unmercifully. In attending a Perth market, he had occasion to ride +homewards, after dark, with a brother proprietor, who had lately bought +an estate in his neighbourhood. This proprietor could not boast a Celtic +name or origin. He was plain Mr Monnipenny, from the town of Kirkcaldy, +in Fife. They had both been drinking during the course of the day, and +were, therefore, more liable to get into some dispute or quarrel. +M'Wharry began by deprecating Mr Monnipenny's horse, whose character the +master supported with some warmth; so, to settle the matter, they both +set off at the gallop, and the fire flashed from the horses' heels as +they passed through Dunkeld. Unfortunately for Laird M'Wharry, however, +about a mile beyond the above town, the saddle-girth gave way, and he +came to the ground head foremost. He was dead when Mr Monnipenny came up +with him. He had suffered a concussion of the brain; and, +notwithstanding that medical aid was immediately obtained from Dunkeld, +nothing could be done. + +Poor Helen M'Pherson really mourned his fate; for, though she had no +love for him, she had brought herself to think that it was her duty to +fulfil her promise. But where was he whom her young heart held in its +core? No one knew--no one could tell. Helen had inwardly resolved to +live single on his account, even if no further accounts were received of +William M'Pherson. But her father in the meantime died of a fever; and +her mother was compelled to remove from the farm to the village of +Dunkeld, where, in order to support herself and her lovely daughter, she +set up a little shop with a small sum which her husband and she had +saved, and was highly respected by all who knew her. In the meantime, +the parish schoolmaster, an excise officer, and a wealthy sheep-farmer, +all solicited Helen's hand; but she lent a deaf ear to all these offers, +still thinking, and speaking, and dreaming about her William. + +One day, when she was standing at the shop-door, she observed a crowd +gathered about a horse and gig, out of which a person had just been +thrown, and was taken up as was feared lifeless. Helen, from motives of +humanity, rushed into the crowd to make inquiries, and saw the person +carried into an adjoining apothecary's shop; there he was immediately +bled, and, to the infinite satisfaction of all, had begun to recover. +The fact turned out to be, that he had been stunned by the fall on his +head, but no concussion or fracture had taken place. The gentleman, she +learned, had been put to bed, but was mighty unruly, as he insisted upon +pursuing his journey that very evening into the Highlands; and a +post-chaise, with two horses and a steady driver, had been brought to +the apothecary's door, and the traveller was passing into it, with his +head and arm tied up, when all at once Helen uttered a scream, and stood +trembling betwixt him and the conveyance. It was her own William, +returned from sea--to which he had again fled--and making all despatch +to reach Denhead, as he had learned, on his way towards the Highlands, +the fate that had overtaken the bridegroom, Laird M'Wharry. Now, reader, +you and I part--I can do no more for you; for, if you cannot far better +conceive than I can describe what followed, you can be no reader of +mine--you will never have perused the story at all. William was now +comfortably circumstanced, pensioned, and dismissed the service; and the +last time I had a week's fishing at Amalrie, I spent my evenings and +nights under his roof. He is now, like myself, a grandfather; and Helen, +though not quite so young as she was some thirty or forty years ago, is +still in my mind a perfect beauty, and has blessed her husband, during a +pretty long life, with all that kind husbands can expect or obtain by +marriage. She has made him a happy father, and a fond, foolish, +indulgent grandpapa. + + +DURA DEN; OR, SECOND THOUGHTS ARE BEST. + +I took my way, a few days ago, fishing-rod in hand, from Cupar in Fife, +by Dura Den, up towards the healthy and sequestered village of Ceres. +Dura Den was once romantic and secluded. Its brawling stream, which +empties the waters of the upper basin into the Eden, leaped and tumbled +over igneous, and penetrated its way through aqueous, formations, till +it mingled into rejoicing union with the lovely Eden immediately under +the old towers of Spottiswood, and the fine Gothic church of Dairsie. +This deep and beautifully-winding ravine was covered from rock to rock, +on each successively sunny side, by trees of various name and leaf, from +the scented sloe and hawthorn, up to the hazel, the birch, and the oak. +It was a perfect aviary during the spring months. A few wild deer +browsed amidst recesses, and various love-smitten maids and men repaired +to this retreat, to talk of many things which were only interesting to +themselves. The soft projecting sandstone rocks had been water-run into +caves and recesses; and in some of these report had fixed the residence, +for a night at least, of the famous Balfour of Burley, after the affair +of Magus Muir.[A] It is not, however, to this, but to a more recent +occurrence, that I am now about to solicit your attention, after, +however, premising the change which has now been wrought upon this once +rural, secluded, romantic, lovely spot. At the very entrance, there +stands a bone-mill, grinding, with grating activity and horrible crunch, +into powder the mingled bones of man and beast. You have scarcely +escaped from the horrible jarring sound of the modern ogre, than you +come full plump upon a spinning-mill, with as many windows as there are +days in the year. There it stands bestriding the valley like a colossus, +and commanding all the collected energies of the once pure and solitary +stream. Bless me! how it thunders: the very rocks seem to shake under +the whirl of the tremendous machinery; whilst at every open window out +flies in clouds the imprisoned dust and stour. A single door opens, and +the sound maddens on your ear into a screwing torture. It shuts again. +You are greatly relieved by the compressed and imprisoned horror. A +little further up this once delightful den, a pillar of smoke shoots out +on the eye, like an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This is an evidence that +(as in the formation of this globe) fire has been called upon to assist +water. Again and again, another and another hulking dirty erection fixes +its hideous trail in the lovely localities, till the landscape still +onwards opens upon green fields, all covered and whitened over, _not_ +with daisies, but with _yarn_, which has just been removed from the +vitriolic vat. I had essayed here and there to fish, but had not even a +nibble. A little factory urchin, who saw my mistake, immediately +accosted me with-- + +"Ye needna fish here about, sir, for the fish are a' dead." + +"What has _deaded_ them?" said I. + +"Oh! I dinna ken, except maybe it's the vitriol--they dinna tak wi' the +vitriol ava." + +"No wonder," thought I. "I suspect neither you nor I would tak weel with +such a beverage." So I at once rolled in my line, put up my rod, and was +on the eve of returning, somewhat disappointed, from my forenoon's +ramble, when my attention was attracted by an old, though fresh-looking +man _in his "cruda viridisque senectus_," who was sitting on a bench in +the sunshine, betwixt the door and the window of one of those very neat +and cleanly cottages, which have been erected for the convenience and +accommodation of the mill-spinners, and which, from the name of the +spirited proprietor, has been called "Yoolfield." + +"James," said the old man--"come here, James, and tell me what's that ye +waur saying to the gentleman." + +"Ou, I was only telling him there waur nae trouts, except _stane +anes_,[B] here." + +In the meantime, I had approached the old man's seat, and thinking that +he motioned me to be seated, I at once took my place, as if I had been +an old acquaintance, by his side. It turned out that he was the +grandfather of this urchin, who in a few minutes reappeared with a face +of great comfort and vigorous health; "_causa erat in aperto_"--he had +dined. + +"Ye'll be a stranger hereaboots, I mak nae doubt?" said the old man. + +I replied that I had been so for some time past; that I had stopped, on +my way north, a day in Cupar, in order to revisit this romantic retreat; +but that it was now sadly changed, and I had not the heart to pursue my +walk any further. I miss, added I, everything which I expected to see: +the solitude, the green banks, the trees, the pure waters, the yellow +trouts, the all of innocence and nature by which this den was marked, +ere these vile spinning-jennies had entered, with noise, confusion, and +defilement in their train. + +"And so," said the aged Nestor, "ye are up in arms against the late +erections, because ye canna get an hour or twa's fishing, nor pursue +your own fancies about solitude, and innocence, and that! I will tell +ye, my good sir--for ye're but a bairn in comparison wi' me--that had ye +experienced what I hae experienced, ye wad hae blessed the day which +converted this solitary and useless den into a source of comfortable +living to hundreds of families, who might otherwise be starving at home, +or banished from all that they hold dear into a foreign land." + +"Grandfather," hereupon said a fine rosy girl about fourteen, "dinner's +ready: will ye come in, or will I bring it out to you?" + +"I think," said the ancient patriarch, "I'll just rest whar I am; it's a +bonny sunny day, and the den is a' loun and sheltered. Just bring out +the broth and the wee bit Irish stew here, and maybe this gentleman, now +tired wi' nae fishing, will no scorn to tak a spoonfu' and a bit +alangside o' a puir auld body." + +I immediately assured my kind host that I had provisions in my basket, +which I soon disengaged, together with a flask containing a sufficiency +of old Nantz. To it, therefore, we set, exchanging viands: I partaking +of the excellent and savoury stew, and he of a wee drap, only a very wee +drap, of the brandy. Like Sir Walter Scott's minstrel, the soul of the +old yet vigorous Trojan waxed strong within him; and, after having duly +returned thanks to the Giver of all good, he drew me close to his elbow, +and proceeded thus:-- + +"Indeed, sir, I'm now considerably upwards of eighty years--the period +at which the psalmist says the strength of man is but grief and labour; +but I haena found it sae, for a' my griefs and labours were confined to +the earlier pairt o' my life, and no to the latter day--His name be +praised for the same." + +I instinctively answered "Amen;" and, partly encouraged by this, and +partly by an additional pull at the brandy-flask, the old man pursued +his egotism. + +"Well, ye see, ye are against spinning-jennies and large manufactures, +ye say; but they are the freends o' the puir, sir--the blessed +supporters o' thousands and millions in these lands.[C] You shall hear; +for, as you seem to have time on your hands, I will, for your father's +sake" (I had made him acquainted with my descent from a worthy clergyman +in the north), "unfold to you my whole history, and that of my children, +up to this hour:-- + +"My name, sir, is Donald Sutherland. I belong originally to the county +of that name; and I was bred a farmer on the estates of the Duchess of +Sutherland. But there was neither duke nor duchess then, oh dear!" +(Hereupon the old man absolutely cried; having, however, checked himself +by observing that he was an old fool, he again proceeded):--"I had, as I +said, a small sheep-farm, of about one thousand acres, in the western +district of that county. I see, sir, you are surprised at my saying +_small_; but, sir, when land is let at a shilling an acre, as it was in +my day, such a farm is but small--a thousand shillings, ye ken, is just +fifty pounds o' yearly rent: and that was my rent at _Edderachills_, +near by Loch Assynt. I am now, as ye see, an auld man, and a grey; but I +was ance young, and stout, and foolish too, nae doobt. I thought +naething wad war me, sae I just married whan I was a young, +inexperienced callan, about nineteen; and, having got a brother of my +puir father's to be security (ye see my puir father was only a hind on +the estate o' Sutherland, and had neither money nor credit), I took my +dear Helen M'Roy home to no that ill a bigging--wi' a hantle o' +blankets, a peat-fire, a herd callan, and twa as canny and sensible dogs +as ever followed a herd, or turned a hirsel. Aweel, ye ken, Helen and me +war very happy, for we loved each other dearly; we had been acquainted +frae the time we could climb a brae or eat a cranberry; and things went +on no that ill ava. We had twa bairns in the course o' twal years, a +lassie, and a fine lad, wha was drowned, as ye shall hear; but oh my +heart is sair whan I think o't. It was one awful night in the month of +January. A vessel had stranded in Loch Assynt. The men were seen, +through a stormy moonshine, hanging to the topmast, which, however, went +from side to side, with a fearful swing. At every turn or jerk, another +and another human being was plunged into the roaring foam. My son +Archibald, my shepherd, and I, pushed from the shore in a fishing-boat, +which was lying high and dry--we heard the fearful screams of perishing +men--we rowed off at all hazards, but had not neared the vessel, when +our boat fairly swamped. We were still, however, within wading depth, +and with difficulty regained our feet and the boat. We again pushed hard +from land, and at last came under the lee of the wreck. My son was +young, active, and daring; and, in order to ascertain how matters were, +or what remained of the deck, he caught a rope, and leaped on board. In +an instant, a young man, a passenger, with his wife and child, were +slung, as it were, miraculously on board our little boat. The waves went +up in spouting foam betwixt the wreck and the boat, and then subsiding, +heaved us with a tremendous crash against the side of the vessel; and I +remember no more till I awoke to misery, in a kelp hut by the sea-shore. +I found that my son, with the woman and child, had perished; but that +the husband, my shepherd, and myself, had been cast ashore, and with +difficulty resuscitated. My grief and his mother's grief were loud and +severe. But 'what cannot be cured must be endured.' The stranger was a +native of Fife, who had been to America on a mercantile speculation, and +having married at New York, and become a father, was on his way towards +Kirkcaldy, his native place, when this dreadful accident occurred. He +had lost all his effects, and some money in the wreck, and was content +to take part of my humble dwelling for a season. In the meantime, my +lease expired, and another proprietor had arisen, who knew not Donald +Sutherland. The rent offered by my next and more wealthy neighbour was +far above what I would think of promising, so I behoved to leave sweet +Edderachills, with all its heath, and moss, and muir, for a sea-shore +appointment in the manufacturing of kelp from sea-weed--at that time a +very flourishing employment in the West Highlands in particular. The +stranger about this time took his departure, but not without many +promises of returning again to visit the grave of his wife and child, +and to renew his acquaintance with my wife, my daughter, and myself. For +a time the kelp concern did pretty well; we had good and regular payment +for the article, and an increasing demand; and we contrived to live at +least as comfortably as we had done as sheep-farmers. But man is always +finding out inventions; a method was devised of dispensing, by means of +a chemical discovery, with our kelp entirely; and we were suddenly and +entirely ruined. It was at this period that I, in a manner, _cursed_, +like you, the spirit of discovery and invention. I was disgusted by the +change which the progress of science had made, and I did not know how to +turn myself for a bare subsistence. In this situation of affairs, my +daughter Nelly within there (pointing to the door) was courted by a +neighbouring sheep-farmer's son, of a somewhat disreputable character, +but of considerable reputed wealth. This was a sad trial to us all; for, +though the marriage might have benefited us somewhat, in a worldly point +of view, we did not like to see our blooming and virtuous child +sacrificed, it might be, to the momentary feelings of a known deceiver. +Nelly could not bear the thoughts of such a union; and one night she +told her lover as much. In consequence of this unfortunate affair, we +were very soon after turned out of house and hold--the old farmer having +contracted with the proprietor for the huts and steadings which had once +been peopled with busy and prosperous hands, but which now were nearly +empty. Baser proposals than before were made by the degraded and +vindictive young man; and we set off, one moonlight night, across the +hills, for the town of Dornoch. We were three wanderers in the +wilderness--my wife Helen, my daughter Nelly, and myself. I was still +comparatively strong, and was determined to work, but could find no +employment. For days we slept (for the weather was fine) on the heath, +and lived on what little of our means yet remained. I was resolved, come +what might, that I would not beg. My wife and daughter bore up +amazingly; for we trusted that our God--the God of the hills, as well as +of the valleys; of the poor and the outcast, as well as of the rich and +provided--would not forget us. I found temporary work, at last, in a +stone quarry, and occupied a hut close upon the sea-shore. This, to us +all, was luxury; for it was independence. Contentment _kitchened_ +labour, and we slept soundly in our poverty and innocence. But this, I +saw, could not long continue; my strength was not equal to this severe +labour, to which I was unaccustomed; so I persuaded, not without +difficulty, my wife and daughter to accompany me to Canada, to which the +Countess of Sutherland was then offering a free passage from Cromarty +Frith, in the good ship Aurora. I should, however, have mentioned that, +whilst residing at Dornoch, I had observed the son of a neighbouring +proprietor--a somewhat smart-looking gentleman--frequently passing our +door, and sometimes conversing with my wife and daughter; but I took no +notice of the affair, as I felt secure in the virtue and prudence of +both parties. No proposals, honourable or otherwise, were made to my +daughter, and I conceived the matter to be at an end. On the day of the +ship's sailing, we were all on the quay, and ready to embark. My wife +and I had entered the boat, and were waiting for my daughter, who had +been sent by us on a message to a shop. She did not return in time for +the boat in which we were conveyed to the Aurora; but we were told by +the sailors that she would probably arrive in the next. One boat, +however, arrived, but our dear Nelly was not in it; another came, but +with it no daughter. Meantime the ship was under sail, and the captain +said he would not lose the favourable breeze for all the girls in +Scotland. My dear wife was inconsolable, and I petitioned hard to be let +out, even on one of the Western Isles; but the weather was exceeding +stormy, and we kept as far as possible from land. 'God,' said I to my +grieving partner, 'will protect Nelly; for she is good and virtuous. God +can be father and mother, and more than all that, to those who fear and +obey him.' We landed at Quebec, and maintained ourselves for some +time--I acting as a kind of shore-porter, and my wife assisting in +assorting furs in a great warehouse. But our means were but small; so we +bethought us of removing more inland. So we arrived ultimately at +Montreal, where I had the good fortune to meet with a distant relative +in pretty good circumstances. He had long been engaged in a mercantile +house, and had now obtained a considerable and a profitable share in it. +He immediately found employment for me as a warehouse servant, whilst my +wife washed and dressed for himself and a few friends. Year after year +passed by, and many a letter did we write to Edderachills and Dornoch; +but we received no answer. At last it pleased God to remove my dear +Helen by death; and my friend having resolved to remove to Kirkcaldy, +his native place, I took shipping with him in the ship St John, and we +arrived off the Land's End in safety. But it came on to blow dreadfully +from the north and the east, as we rounded the island; and one dark +night in the month of November we struck upon a rock in the +neighbourhood of Ely. The ship fired signals of distress, and a boat +came out, which saved the passengers and crew; but the ship and cargo +were lost. What was my surprise, upon arriving at the inn, to find, in +the person of one of the boatmen, the shipwrecked stranger, Sam Rogers, +who had lodged so long with us at Edderachills. He insisted upon my +immediately repairing to his cabin, as he termed it, on the shore, with +the view of introducing me to his wife and a large family of children. + +"'Have you ever heard,' continued he, after we were seated, 'anything of +your daughter Nelly?' + +"'Not a word,' said I, eagerly. 'Have you?' + +"'Would you know her,' continued he, 'if you were again to see her?' + +"'Know her,' said I; 'to be sure I would--her image is ever before me. I +see her, at this moment, as plainly as if she were still alive. Oh! +what--horrible!--stand off!--stand off! Do these old eyes deceive me, or +art thou indeed my own darling, lost child?' said I; whilst Nelly--the +real flesh-and-blood Nelly--clasped me to her arms, and burst into a +flood of tears. + +"'My father!--my father!' she exclaimed, whilst the young ones gathered +around us in stupid amazement; and my son-in-law, Sam Rogers, rubbed his +hands and flapped his arms in perfect delight. It was indeed my dear +Nelly, in the person of Helen Rogers, the still handsome mother of seven +children. + +"But, Helen, I say--Helen, set down the bairn a wee bit, and tell this +honest gentleman the Dornoch story, ye ken." + +"Hout," said Helen, "I hae nae time, father, to enter into a' the outs +and ins o' thae langsyne tales; besides, I see Sam waving me up to the +mill--I'm wanted, father, an' ye maun look after the bairn till I come +back again." + +Being foiled in his wish to set his daughter's tongue agoing to the tune +of her own adventures, the old man placed the child on the greensward in +front of the cottage, and, after once more paying his respects to my +brandy-flask, proceeded as follows:-- + +"Weel, the lassie disna like to hear me tell the story; I ken she aye +blushes at bits o't; but now that she's awa, I may just as weel finish, +by letting ye know that the scamp wha had seen, and fallen in love, as +he called it, with her at Dornoch, had watched her down to the beach, +and having hired some accomplice in the person of one of the sailors, +had her misdirected in the first place, and lifted off her feet in the +second, and placed beside the well-known gentleman in a post-chaise, +which drove off immediately in an inland direction. In vain were all her +struggles and entreaties. The young blackguard immediately proceeded to +inform her that her struggles and her shouts were of no avail; that he +could not promise her marriage, as he was already engaged, to please his +mother; but he would give her love in abundance, and a cottage +residence, which he had provided for her on his father's property, at no +great distance. It was in vain for her to resist; but she had resolved +rather to die than to yield to his wishes; so, when they had arrived at +the centre of an extensive plantation, he caused her to alight, and +dismissing, as it was now nearly dark, the chaise and driver, proceeded +to conduct her, as he said, on foot to the cottage which he had +provided. He half dragged her a few paces from the road, or rather track +through the wood, and, unveiling all at once the fiend within him, +proceeded to open and undisguised violence. But, sir," said the old man, +with emphasis, "he thought himself alone, but he was not alone--God saw +him, and had marked his proceedings; and God sent a deliverer, in the +person of him owre by yonder" (pointing to the mills). "God sent Sam +Rogers, with a guid oak plank, to free the captive, and make the captor +flee for his life: in short, sir--for I fear I have tired ye wi' my +lang-winded story--Sam, by the mercy of God, had just landed at Dornoch +as we sailed from it; and being on his way to Edderachills, for the very +purpose of asking my Nelly in marriage, he had pushed on, meaning to +travel all night across the country, when the providential occurrence +took place. Weel, we went now to Ely, where we remained for a time--old +grandy, that is, myself, my son, and his family; but times became tight +there, and the family kept still increasing; so at last we got +acquainted with the worthy gentleman, Mr Yool, to whom all these great +works and these neat cottages belong, and he brought us up here, and set +us down comfortably, where not only my son-in-law, but every wean, male +and female, above seven years of age, can earn its own clothes and +subsistence. We are now, sir, in comparative affluence; and all this, +sir, is owing to these improvements in machinery and in chemistry, which +at one time drove me from my native land. 'SECOND THOUGHTS, THEY SAY, +ARE BEST;' at least so it has been with me, as I sit here in my old age, +in comparative ease and comfort, and see my grandchildren growing up in +domestic affection and public usefulness around me. Here is no +scattering of the young family--one going east, and one west, never to +meet again; but here, every night, all congregate around _one hearth_, +whilst a psalm is sung, a chapter is read, and a prayer said by grandy +himself!" + +I shall never regret the loss of my old and favourite amusement, whilst +I can recollect this old man's narrative, and the many happy and +comfortable homes which now occupy the once solitary holms of _Dura +Den_. + + +[Footnote A: A sword has lately been discovered in one of the caves, +rusted and broken--probably once the sword of Burley!--19th Oct., 1839.] + +[Footnote B: _Vide_ recent discoveries of extinct species of fish found +in this den. "Fife Illustrated." Glasgow: James Swan.] + +[Footnote C: Very different this deliverance from that of Mrs Trollope +in her "Factory Boy."] + + + + +THE LAIRD OF LUCKY'S HOW + + +Have any of our readers ever been at the Hague? It doesn't much signify +whether they have or not. They know that it is one of the most beautiful +towns in the Netherlands, and that it is not a little famous in ancient +story; and their knowing this is quite enough for our present purpose. +If, however, they knew the town a little more intimately, they would +know that one of its principal and most ancient streets is called the +Hoogstraat; and that here, once on a time, stood the principal inn or +hostelry of the town. It was an oldfashioned house, with a great variety +of projecting and excrescent structures, of all sorts and sizes, stuck +to it, to increase its internal accommodation, and to puzzle the curious +inquirer--at least this seemed a part of the design--who, while taking +an outside view, wondered what they could all be intended for. + +Notwithstanding, however, the somewhat uncouth and perplexing appearance +of the exterior of the Drouthsloken--which was the name of the ancient +hostel in question--it was a sufficiently handsome and comfortable house +within. Its kitchen, in particular, was a sight; it was so clean, so +bright, and so cheerful: shining all round with pewter trenchers and +brass utensils of various descriptions, all as lustrous as whiting and +hard rubbing could make them. The place was a treat to look at; and no +less a treat to look at was its jolly landlord, Thonder Vander Tromp. +From stem to stern, Thonder was of the regular Dutch build; which, +without descending to particulars, we may say consists, as our readers +know, in exhibiting an amplitude of material at all points of the +person. In this respect, our good friend Thonder might be considered a +_chef d'oeuvre_; for he was of the most magnificent dimensions, +especially latitudinally. In longitude, indeed, he might be considered +as a little deficient. He was of no great height; but his girth was +superb, and told a tale of good living, with an unction which no +language could approach. In this tale the ruddy, jovial countenance of +mine host of the Drouthsloken cordially joined; and supported by its +hilarious testimony the facts therein set forth. + +Having thus shortly described both mine host and his hostel, we proceed +to say that, on a certain evening in the middle of the winter of 1651, a +stranger, carrying a small bundle under his arm, walked, or rather +stalked--for there was something uncouth in his gait--into the passage +of the Drouthsloken. He was wrapped up in a Scottish plaid, and wore on +his head the well-known flat blue bonnet of the Scottish Lowlands. In +person, he was tall and spare, with the grave and serious cast of +countenance so characteristic of that people whose national dress he +wore. Unpolished, however, as the exterior of this person bespoke him to +be, there was yet, in his light grey eye, a mingled expression of +determination and intelligence, that never failed to secure the respect +which his manner and first appearance might well have forfeited. His age +seemed about forty or forty-five. + +Finding no one to whom he might address himself in the passage of the +inn, the stranger held on his way to its further extremity--no trifling +distance; towards which he was attracted by sounds of laughter and +merriment, issuing from the kitchen of the Drouthsloken, which was +situated at the farther end of the passage by which the house was +intersected, and the same with that which he was now traversing. + +The sounds of merriment by which the stranger had been attracted +proceeded from a group of young men, who, standing in the form of a +semicircle in front of the jolly landlord of the house--who, again, +stood with his back to the fire, wielding a huge black bottle in his +hand--were indulging in uproarious laughter at the witty sayings which +he, the latter, seemed throwing amongst them like so many squibs and +crackers. + +At the moment that our friend of the plaid and bonnet entered the +kitchen of the Drouthsloken, our jovial host was standing, as we have +said, with his back to the fire--a roaring one, by the way--and looking +the very personification of all that's joyous, and comfortable, and +care-dispelling. A bright and broad red waistcoat covered his portly +front; but buttoned so short a way up as to expose a dazzling display of +snow-white linen beneath. Across this brilliant garment there lay also +the folds of a pure white apron, tucked up with business-like smartness. +Dark velveteen small-clothes, with well-polished shoes, on which shone a +pair of massive silver buckles, completed the outer man of Thonder +Vander Tromp. + +Amongst the merry group of which Tromp was one, something like a +sensation was created by the entrance of the stranger. The career of +badinage was instantly arrested, and the eyes of the whole party turned +towards him. Undismayed by the general attention he had excited, the +stranger coolly deposited his bundle on a side-table, and, approaching +at once the fire, and the group by which it was surrounded, delivered +himself, as he did so, of the very simple and homely remark-- + +"There's a wat nicht, gentlemen." + +Now, the stranger, although he had thus expressed himself, had not +ventured to hope that his language would be understood. He had spoken +mechanically as it were, and delivered himself in his usual way, simply +because he could do no otherwise, and because he thought it necessary to +say something. Great, therefore, was his surprise, and, we may add, his +joy also, when one of the young men of the party, of singularly graceful +manners and bearing, acknowledged his greeting in excellent English, and +with great politeness and civility of speech. + +Delighted at having met with a native of Great Britain, which he could +not doubt the young man who had addressed him was-- + +"Feth, but I am richt glad, sir," said the stranger--"excuse my +freedom--at having met wi' a countryman, as I tak ye to be, sir--in this +outlandish place. It's mair than I expeckit, I'm sure. I had nae thochts +o' meetin wi' ony but ane." + +"And pray who was that one, my good friend?" said the young man, +throwing, at the same time, a rapid look of intelligence around on his +companions, who seemed at once to comprehend its meaning. "Who was that +one, my good friend," he said, "if I may ask, without subjecting myself +to a charge of impertinence?" + +"Ou, nae impertinence at a', sir; only ye'll excuse me keepin my thoom +on the mater ye inquire aboot till I ken better wha's speerin. Excuse +me, sir, excuse me, for this plainness," continued the stranger, +smiling; "but I hae come frae a country whar a slip o' the tongue, in +thae times, micht cost a man his head; and that maks folks wary, ye +ken." + +"Faith, and good reason it should, friend," replied the young man, +laughingly. "Thou hast well accounted for thy caution. But recollect +thou art now in a different country, mine honest friend, and hast no +need to be so guarded in thy speech." + +"Feth, sir, I dinna ken. That may be; but, if ye had fan the ticklin o' +a tow aboot yer craig, as I hae dune, ye wadna forget it in a hurry, nor +the lesson it taught ye to keep yer tongue atween yer teeth." + +"Well, no doubt; that certainly is rough schooling," said the young +cavalier; "but I repeat again, that thou art now in a different country, +friend; and one where thou hast nothing to fear from a reasonable use of +thy tongue." + +"Aweel, it may be sae, sir," replied the imperturbable stranger; "but I +ken o' nae country whar a calm sough's no guid counsel." + +"Ha! ha! ha! right, friend, right," roared mine jolly host of the +Drouthsloken, with open mouth and noisy laugh. "It is not goot to say +too moosh anywhere; no more in the Hague as any oder place. But here is +all honourable gentlemen," he added, casting a furtive glance of +good-humoured meaning at the young man who had first addressed the +Scotch visiter, "who will not make bad use of what you shall say." + +"Ou, I hae nae doot o' that at a', sir," replied the latter; "but, to be +plain wi' ye, it's no my intention to say onything that onybody can mak +ony use o', either guid, bad, or indifferent." And, having said this, +the speaker showed a very palpable desire to put an end to the +conference, which he evidently began to think was studiously directed by +the other party towards an elucidation of his purposes in visiting the +Hague. In this disposition, however, he was by no means joined by the +party in whose presence he was, particularly by the young man by whom he +had been first addressed, who evinced a gratification in the peculiar +humour of the stranger, and an interest in him altogether that would not +permit of his being shaken off. So far indeed, was he from permitting +this, that he insisted on the latter's joining him in a bottle of wine, +which he instantly ordered mine jolly host of the Drouthsloken to +produce. + +On the return of the latter, bearing a bottle of wine in one hand and a +screw in the other-- + +"Will your--your----" he said, but was here interrupted by a wink from +the person he addressed, which had the evident effect of making him +substitute a different word for that which he had intended to use, and +he added "your honour." "Will your honour not go up-stairs to your own +favourite apartment, de leetle blue parlour?" + +"No, no, Mynheer Tromp," replied the young cavalier, "we'll just stay +where we are. The night is cold, and I have always thought your kitchen +the most comfortable and cheerful apartment in your house. So place us a +table here, close by the fire, if you please." + +Mynheer Vander Tromp bowed a humble assent; and, in an instant after, a +small round table of walnut-tree, shining like a mirror, was placed in +the desired situation. Bottles and glasses covered it in a twinkling, +and in a twinkling also was the party seated around it, including our +friend of the bonnet and plaid. This worthy person at first shied the +good fellowship thus thrust upon him; but, gradually warming with the +wine he drank--for bottle succeeded bottle with marvellous celerity--he +became by degrees less and less reserved in his manner, until at length +his natural caution giving way altogether before the increasing pressure +of the vinous influence, he became as communicative as he had before +been the reverse. + +Availing himself of the altered disposition of the stranger, the young +cavalier, whom we have represented as having more especially attached +himself to the former, again endeavoured to extract from him the purpose +of his visit to the Hague; and his attempt was now successful. + +"Aweel, I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, gentlemen," he said, in answer +to a question, or rather hint, on the subject of explanation which had +just been addressed to him by his young friend; and for the reply to +which all waited--"I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, as I think ye're a' +honourable men, and wadna willingly bring a man into trouble, wha has +gien ye nae cause o' offence. Ye see, then freends, I hae just arrived +frae Scotland, and hae come here to see our unfortunate young king, +Charles the Second that should be, whase unhappy story ye dootless a' +ken. I hae been ruined oot o' hoose and ha' for the part I took in his +puir faither's behalf, and hae been obliged to flee my ain country, +besides, for the same reason; and hae noo come here, to see if His +Majesty, God bless him, could afford me ony sort o' protection till the +storm that's noo tearin a' up by the roots in Scotland blaws by; and +that's just the hail affair, gentlemen." + +Long ere the stranger had concluded this account of the purpose of his +visit to the Hague, a look of intelligence, which originated with his +young friend, had passed amongst his auditors, and, in the case of the +former, was associated with a peculiar expression of sympathy. Both, +however, the look alluded to, and the latter symptom of a yet deeper +feeling, was unobserved by the person whose communication had given rise +to them. Becoming now querist in turn, he asked, "if ony o' the +gentlemen could tell him whar the king leeved, and if they could put him +on a way o' gettin introduced to him?" + +"Thou couldst not have lighted more luckily for that, my friend," said +the young man to whom we have already so often alluded, "than thou hast +done in coming amongst us; for it happens that I hold a confidential +place near the person of Charles, and will have much pleasure in +exerting my influence in procuring you the introduction you desire." + +"Mony thanks to ye, freend," replied the martyr to royalty--"mony thanks +to ye, if ye mean, by Charles, His Majesty the King o' England--God +bless him!" + +"I certainly do, my friend. I mean him and no other." + +"Weel, sir--excuse my freedom--if ye do, I think ye micht ca' him sae. +Wha can dispute his title, although his back be at the wa'?" + +"Oh! no one--no one, my good friend, I believe--that is, lawfully," +replied the young cavalier, laughingly; "but, seeing his present +circumstances--a wandering exile in a foreign land, crownless and +coinless--we, somehow or other, cannot get our tongues about those +sounding titles that are his birthright. We prefer calling him simply +Charles, or English Charles; and I rather think he prefers it himself. +His titles he thinks best left in abeyance in the meantime." + +"Aweel, if it be his ain pleasure, I hae nae mair to say. Perhaps it's +as prudent and becomin; for, as ye say, sir, a king that has neither a +croon on his head nor in his pouch is in but a sair condition for his +dignity. That maun be allowed." + +There was not much in this remark itself to excite merriment; but there +was certainly something in the naļve manner in which it was delivered +that was calculated to produce this effect; and it did. A shout of +laughter, in which the speaker's young friend was the loudest and +heartiest performer, acknowledged the peculiarity to which we have +alluded. On the laugh subsiding, the latter again addressed the former, +saying-- + +"But, friend, you have not yet told us by what name we should address +you." + +"As to that," replied the stranger, smilingly, "I believe the maist +appropriate name or title ye could gie me at the present moment wad be +that o' the Launless Laird. But it wasna aye sae. I had a bit guid +property in the Loudans, ca'ed Lucky's How, every clod o't my ain, wi' a +yearly rental o' forty merks, guid siller, forby the thirlage o' the +Mill o' Meldrum, that was worth a guid twa or three merks mair. But a's +gane awa like a handfu o' ingan peelins on a windy day; that cursed +battle o' Worcester settled a', and left me withoot a groat, and withoot +as much grund as wad mak the hillock o' a moudiwart. But it's a' gane in +a guid cause; I dinna begrudge't; and, besides, things 'll maybe come +roond again; and, if they dinna, there's nae help for't." + +"So you were at the battle of Worcester, laird?" said the speaker's +young friend. + +"Feth! that I was, sir; and there," he added, holding out his right +hand, which was minus the forefinger and thumb--"there's a certificate +o' the truth o' my statement, gien under the hand o' ane o' Crum'll's +praying dragoons. It was an ugly lick; but there were a hantle o' uglier +anes than it gaun whar it was gotten. It was a coorse business +athegither." + +"It was no less, my good friend," said the young cavalier. "I was there, +too." + +"Was ye, feth?" replied the laird. "Then, if ye was, sir, ye saw a bonny +stramash--mair than ye'll forget in a hurry, I daursay. It was an awfu +scene yon, when the dragoons cam in upon us in the streets o' Worcester. +'Od! they sliced and slapped aboot them as if they had gotten into a +plantation o' lang kale, and no amang Christian men like themsels." + +"It was indeed a sad business," replied the young man, with a melancholy +smile. "Saw ye the king on that day?" + +"I did," replied the laird. + +"Wouldst know him again?" + +"No; I canna think I wad. I just got a glisk o' him, for the first and +last time, in the middle o' the dirdum at Worcester. When I saw him, the +puir lad was fechtin like a Turk; but it was a' to nae purpose. He was +obleeged to rin for't at last, and to perk himsel up in a tree, like a +hoolet, to keep oot o' the way o' Crum'll's sodgers. If they had gotten +the puir lad--as it was a God's mercy they didna--they wad hae taen aff +his head, nae doot, as they did his unfortunate faither's; and then, as, +indeed, it's said they proposed to do, made a buttonmaker o' his sister, +and maybe a Spitalfields weaver o' his brither, the Duke o' Gloucester." + +"I _have_ heard," replied the young cavalier, with a contemptuous smile, +while a blush of deep feeling, it might be indignation, overspread his +intelligent countenance--"I have heard that some such idea was actually +entertained by the Parliament as that thou hast alluded to." + +"There's nae doot that such a report was current, sir; but whether true +or no, I winna tak upon me to say. They may hae been belied in't." + +"I hope they may," replied the young cavalier, musingly. Then, suddenly +recovering himself, and assuming his usual cheerfulness of manner--"And +what are the king's friends about in Scotland?" he said, slapping the +laird good-humouredly on the knee. + +"Dooms little, sir," replied the laird. "They daurna cheep. Monk has +gotten his heel fairly on their necks; so that deil a ane o' them can +wag either tongue or finger. There's a wheen o' them taen to the hills +wi' Glencairn and Balcarras; but what can they do? Naething. It's a puir +thing to be in that way, sir. I had a trial o' that mysel. Tak my word +for't, that sleepin in a moss hag, or in the lee o' a whin-bush, and +leevin upon lavrocks, or raw turnips and bog-water, is nae better than +it's ca'ed." + +"Well, well, laird, I hope times will mend with our poor friends in +Scotland," replied the young cavalier, to whom this picture of the +sufferings of the royalists, notwithstanding the strong tincture it +exhibited of the speaker's natural humour, seemed to give much pain. "I +hope times will mend with them yet, and that feasting and feather-beds +will make them forget the raw turnips and whin-bushes ye speak of. In +the meantime, my good friend, push round the bottle, and let us talk of +other matters; for these make me sad." + +Nothing loth, the Laird of Lucky's How filled up a brimming bumper, and, +drinking "better times," sent it down after some two or three dozen that +had preceded it. + +The party were now getting into high glee. The laugh, the joke, and the +bottle went merrily round, and the merriest, and apparently the most +jovial of the company, was the young gentleman whom we have hitherto +represented as expressly attaching himself to the laird, and whose name, +as the latter learned from himself, was Jones. This roysterer was the +life and soul of the company, when roystering became the order of the +evening; but his mirth was tempered with a gentleness of demeanour, and +an air of polished hilarity, if such a phrase may be permitted, as +inspired the idea of the presence of a perfect gentleman. His whole +manner, in short, was exceedingly captivating. His fancy was ready and +playful; his wit brilliant and appropriate; and the affability and +winning character of his smile irresistible. Altogether, he was a most +delightful companion, and admirably calculated to figure in such +circumstances as those in which he was now placed. How he might acquit +himself in a scene of a more grave and serious character, it would not +perhaps have been easy to guess. + +The mirth of the party in the kitchen of the Drouthsloken had just +attained its height, when a circumstance occurred which did not affect +its humour, but somewhat changed its character. This was the entrance of +two of the landlord's daughters. Dressed in the neat and simple, +although somewhat peculiar, costume of their country, with their hair +tightly braided up, and bound with a broad silver frontlet, so as to +exhibit in bold relief the contour of their full and fair countenances, +two prettier girls than Juliana and Joan Vander Tromp were not within +the walls of the Hague. + +As they entered the kitchen, to which they had come merely, or, perhaps, +we should have said ostensibly, to look after some household affairs, +the girls curtsied slightly but gracefully to the company by which it +was occupied, and, smiling pleasantly and good-naturedly the while, +passed on to the upper end of the apartment, and began to occupy +themselves in some little domestic duties. They had not, however, been +permitted to enter unnoticed. On their appearance, the whole party got +up from their seats, and acknowledged their presence by a gallant +greeting; and in this courtesy, Mr Jones again shone pre-eminent by the +greater grace and deeper devotion he displayed in his chivalrous welcome +to the fair visitors. + +It might have been observed, too, that to him, in turn, were the +curtsies and the looks also of the young ladies most especially +directed; but in this case these were associated with a degree of +respect for which it would not have been easy to account. + +"What think ye of our fair Netherlanders, laird?" said Mr Jones to the +latter, in a half whisper, when the ladies' attention was, or seemed to +be, engrossed by their occupation. "Will they not match your Scotch +lasses, think you?" + +"That's a pair o' braw queans, I maun allow," replied the laird. "Just +twa as bonny bits o' lassocks as ane wad wish to see; but I think they +want the complexion--they haena the blume o' our kilted heather +trampers. They want the caller red that the norland breeze puts on the +cheeks o' our Scottish gilpies. That's my humble opinion, sir. But +they're twa bonny lassocks, for a' that. Nae doot o't." + +"On the score of complexion I grant ye, laird, they are, perhaps, +deficient a little, but I think this amply compensated by the +intellectual expression, the fine contour, and the softer and more +intense lustre of the eye. I have seen your Scottish maidens, laird, and +admired them in my time." + +"Feth, sir, I maun say your taste wad hae been very questionable if ye +hadna," interposed the laird. "When and whar saw ye them, if ye please, +sir? What pairt o' Scotland was ye in?" he added. + +The question appeared to place Jones in a difficulty for a moment; but +he at length answered-- + +"Why, laird, I have been in many parts of Scotland in my day. I was with +the king at Scone." + +"Was that at the time o' his coronation?" inquired the laird. + +"It was," said Jones. + +"And it wad be there, like, and aboot the quarter o' Perth, that ye saw +our bonny Scotch lasses, I warrant," said the laird, laughingly. "Ay, if +a' tales be true, the king admired them when he saw them, as muckle as +ye could do, sir," continued the laird. + +"Why, they do report something of that kind," replied Jones, with some +confusion of manner, and slightly colouring as he spoke--indications of +a feeling, whatever it was, which seemed highly edifying to his +companions, who marked it with repeated bursts of laughter; "they do +report something of the kind," said Jones; "but we mustn't credit all we +hear, laird." + +"The tae half's aboot the usual thing I believe," replied the latter; +"and, if we tak that in the present case--that is, regarding the king's +gallantries----" + +"Ay, ay, go on, laird, go on--that's it--give us all you know about the +king's gallantries in Scotland," shouted, almost simultaneously, the +other members of the party. "Go on, go on, like a good fellow." + +"Nay, nay, now," exclaimed Jones, earnestly, but good-humouredly, "as +one of the king's confidential servants, I must protest, laird, against +your divulging anything of that kind in my presence." + +"Never mind the protest--never mind the protest, laird. Go on, and we'll +stand between you and the consequences," again shouted several members +of the party. "What know ye about the king's gallantries at Scone?" + +"Ou, it was nae great things after a', to mak a wark aboot; but, ye see, +there war a wheen unco godly ministers there at the time, an' they made +an awfu ado aboot it. The hale affair was just this. The king happenin +to go into the room that he usually occupied in the Palace o' Scone ae +mornin earlier than ordinar, wha does he fin sortin't oot but a bit +bonny lassie o' a chaumermaid. Aweel, whan she saw the king enter, wham +she hadna expeckit for at least an hour after, what does she do but mak +a rin oot, as it war, and what does the king do but kep her, throw his +arms aboot her neck, and gie her a hearty kiss--a reglar royal salute? +And awa gaed the lassie, skirlin like a curlew, half-mad wi' the fricht +an' the honour. But what wad ye hae o't but that ane o' the Covenantin +ministers, wha war then as thick as craws aboot Scone--it bein just like +a rookery wi' the black coats for the time--suld be just at the moment +stanin at a window, in anither apartment that lookit richt into the ane +whar the king had kissed the bit lassie, and saw the hale affair; and +what does he do but report the scandal to his brethren, wha, shocked at +the indecency, appointed a committee o' ministers to reprove the royal +offender! This committee accordingly waited on the king, whan their +spokesman, ane Douglas--an awfu stern man--after rebookin His Majesty, +added, that it wad be prudent o' him, whan he desired to amuse himsel in +future, to be mair carefu in shuttin the windows." + +"Capital, laird; capital!" shouted several of the party, in convulsions +of laughter. "Any more--any more?" + +"Nay, nay, now, laird," said Jones, laughing, and clapping his hand on +the mouth of the tell-tale; "on your allegiance to your lawful +sovereign, I command ye to silence. He must not, in my presence, be made +a subject of mirth to these idle jesters." + +"Tuts, it's but a joke, man; but if ye think it wad offend His Majesty, +I'll say nae mair. I wad suner lose something considerable than do that. +But what the waur can the king be o' it's bein kent that he likes the +lasses? I trow it's rather a feather in his kep than a discredit till +him." + +"Well done, laird!" exclaimed Jones, clapping the former jocosely on the +shoulder. "Thou'rt a good old soul; and I shall take care that Charles +knows of thy lenity towards his failings. It will do thee no harm with +him." + +Having said this, Jones rose from the table, and went towards the +landlord's daughters, who were still busily occupied, or apparently so, +at any rate, at the further end of the apartment. His approach to these +fair damsels was made in the most gallant fashion imaginable, and with +all the air and manner of a thoroughbred courtier and cavalier. What +conversation passed between him and the girls was not overheard by the +other members of the party; but the frequent bursts of laughter which +were from time to time elicited, sufficiently showed that it was of a +mirthful character, and that the badinage of Jones fully supported, in +point and brilliancy, the credit of his other kindred qualifications. +After some time, he returned to his party, and again took his seat +beside the laird; who, on his doing so, remarked-- + +"Feth, sir, ye seem as guid a hand at botherin the lasses as your +master. It's in the family, I think." + +A roar of laughter succeeded this sally, to which Jones himself was one +of the largest contributors, although it was certainly mingled with some +embarrassment of manner. From this embarrassment, however, he was +unexpectedly relieved by the strains of a wandering minstrel, which +suddenly rose from the street, just underneath the window of the kitchen +of the Drouthsloken. As these strains were of no ordinary excellence, +they instantly attracted the attention of all in the apartment, +inclusive of the landlord's two fair daughters, one of whom in especial +(Juliana) evinced, by her flurried and agitated manner, a greater +interest in the presence of the minstrel than would have been warranted +on the supposition that it was merely accidental. Her confusion, +however, and the consciousness which it implied of a knowledge exceeding +that of those around her, passed undiscovered by all except Jones, whose +more vigilant eye detected these symptoms of secret and mysterious +understanding. He made no remark, however, on the subject; and carefully +concealed his discovery, not only from the rest of the party, but from +her who was the object of his mental speculations. Having concluded his +serenade, or at least its first department, which consisted, first, of a +preliminary flourish on a violin, executed with great spirit and +felicity, and then of a song, accompanied by the instrument, sung in a +peculiarly deep-toned, but exceedingly melodious, voice, the minstrel +ceased for a few seconds, when Jones proposed that he should be invited +in; and that, if he proved merely a gallant, he should be asked to a +glass of wine; and if he turned out a professional performer, who came +in the exercise of his vocation, he should be requested to entertain +them with his music within-doors. To this proposal a general assent was +at once given; and this assent was immediately followed by the +proceeding proper to its fulfilment. Three or four of the party, headed +by Jones, instantly rushed out, and surrounded the astonished minstrel +before he was aware. At first he discovered symptoms of a desire to +escape from the party; but, seeing this impossible, he stood his ground +manfully, and awaited the pleasure of the gentlemen, whose notice, he +said, he had the honour, it seemed, of so specially attracting. A +momentary glance at the speaker satisfied Jones and his party of his +quality. It was that of a professed street performer; or at least of a +person of the humblest class, as was indicated by his apparel, which +consisted of a short cloak, with a sort of coarse jerkin underneath, a +pair of wide and ill-made knee-breeches, coarse blue woollen stockings, +and a pair of enormous wooden shoes. On his head was a brown felt hat, +of a conical shape, adorned with a cock's feather, and altogether +resembling those seen in paintings of Dutch boors. These outward +indications, then, settled the question of the minstrel's rank, and +rendered no ceremony necessary in inviting him in. + +"You play well, friend," said Jones. "We have been listening to you, and +will be glad if you will come and amuse us for half-an-hour or so. I +will see to your being suitably recompensed." + +"Thank you, honourable sirs," replied the minstrel. "I doubt not of my +recompense, were it once earned; but the hour is late, and I may not +tarry abroad longer. Moreover, I make it a rule never to enter any +house, or to perform to any private party within-doors. I bid you a +good-night, gentlemen." + +"Nay, by my troth, and you do no such thing, friend," said Jones, +seizing the minstrel, who was at this moment about making off, by the +skirt of his jerkin. "We don't part with good company in this way. +Friends," he said, addressing his companions, "lend a hand here, to +secure the fiddler. We must compel him to his own interest, which he +would thus wilfully neglect." + +No sooner said than done. In a twinkling the reluctant minstrel was +grasped on all sides, and in an instant after found himself in the +centre of the kitchen of the Drouthsloken, to which he had been carried +almost bodily, in despite of a certain quantum of vain resistance and +remonstrance, by which he had at first endeavoured to thwart the purpose +of his captors. On being brought into the light of the kitchen, it was +discovered that the captured fiddler and songster was deficient of an +eye, at least of the use of it, as it was covered by a large green +shade, apparently unnecessarily large, as it concealed the half of his +face. Another peculiarity was now also observable, and this was, that +the neck of his cloak was clasped at a most extraordinary height up on +his face, and that he would by no means listen to any entreaties, either +to lay aside the said cloak, or even to unloosen the clasp by which it +was secured in so strange a position. We need scarcely add, that the +effect of these various dispositions of his externals was to conceal +almost entirely his countenance, of which only a small portion of the +left side was visible; and even this it was attempted to circumscribe as +much as possible, by the disposition of the hair of the head, which was +carefully combed down over the exposed space. + +"Come now, friend," said Jones, addressing the musician, and handing +him, at the same time, a huge brimmer of wine, "gulp this with a +celerity that shall be creditable to thy craft, man, and let us have +thereafter a taste of thy calling--some of thy merriest strains; for I +mean to see if we cannot make a dance of it, by the help of these fair +dames there"--inclining his head towards the landlord's daughters, who +still kept their ground in the kitchen; although, if the matter had been +inquired into, we rather fear they would have found some difficulty in +naming the particular duty that detained them. + +Finding it of no use to resist the spirit which he saw prevailed amongst +the party, the minstrel quietly despatched the contents of the goblet +that had been presented to him, and commenced the duty that had been +imposed upon him. On the first sound of the preliminary flourish of his +bow becoming audible, Jones went up to the buxom daughters of Mynheer +Tromp, and in his most gallant manner asked them if they would have any +objection to take the floor with him and his friends, seeing that they +had unexpectedly made the acquisition of an admirable musician, +although, he must confess, rather an odd-looking man; and Jones, as he +made the latter remark, looked slyly at Juliana, to mark its effect, and +found it acknowledged by a deep but transient blush, which she +endeavoured to conceal. + +The proposal, however, of a dance was accepted on the part of the +younger sister, Joan, with eager alacrity; and on the part of Juliana +with an appearance of the same willingness, but with a confusion and +hesitation of manner that gave token of a counteracting feeling. Having +obtained the consent of the fair sisters to "tread a measure," the gay +courtier took a hand of each, and gallantly led them to the middle of +the floor; intimating, at the same time, by signal, to his friends to +clear the space for the impending performances--a signal which they lost +no time in obeying; two or three seizing chairs apiece; and other two or +three--one of whom was the laird, who seemed to enter with great +goodwill into the spirit of the thing--lifting the table, with all it +carried, to a distant corner of the apartment. + +Just as these preparations were completed, and while Jones stood in the +middle of the floor, doing the polite to his two ladies--but directing +his attentions most especially to the elder--their father, the jolly +Vander Tromp, who had been absent for a considerable time, entered the +apartment, when, perceiving what was going on-- + +"Ah, very goot, very goot!" he said, in his most hilarious manner--his +jolly, broad red face beaming with delight. "A daunce, a daunce--ah, +very goot thing a daunce"--and he cracked his finger and thumb, and +threw up one of his huge legs in the air, with an expression of +highly-excited feeling. Then, calming down a moment--"You vill have no +objection, Mynheer Jones, to my frow have share in the daunce?" + +"Objection, Tromp!" ejaculated Jones, with well-feigned horror at the +supposition. "By no means. I shall be but too proud of the honour." + +"An tank you, Mynheer Jones--you are too goot." And saying this, Vander +Tromp disappeared, with another joyous flourish of finger and thumb and +left leg, in search of Mrs Tromp, to conduct her into the presence of +the dancers, and to a share of their amusement. + +In the meantime, the parties were set, and the dance commenced with +great vigour; Jones displaying in this exercise a degree of skill and +grace in entire keeping with the refinement of his general manner. His +spirits, too, were exuberant, and infused a life into all around him, +that all the other circumstances combined could not have inspired. + +Although by no means wanting in attention to the younger lady, it might +be observed, however, that Jones was much more assiduous in his +civilities to Juliana; and, what was a yet more remarkable circumstance, +it might also have been observed, that the musician evinced a strange +sensation of uneasiness whenever he saw Jones paying any particular +attention to this lady. He fidgeted in his seat, bungled the tune he was +playing, and shot fiercer glances from his solitary optic on the +revellers on the floor, but most especially on Jones and his fair +favourite. What was odd, too, Jones seemed to be aware of the feeling he +was exciting in the sensitive fiddler, and to delight in the uneasiness +he was occasioning; for the more markedly it was evinced, the more +assiduous and persevering was he in his gallantries. Although, however, +all this might have been sufficiently evident to a close and vigilant +observer, it escaped the notice of those present; for Jones managed his +secret tactics, whatever these were, with great caution, and exhibited +no other symptoms of consciousness than a slight, scarcely perceptible, +smile of sly intelligence. + +We have said that none present were cognisant of this mysterious +understanding, or rather misunderstanding, between Jones and the +musician; but we are not sure that this is quite correct. There was an +air of embarrassment about the manner of the fair Juliana, that seemed +to indicate that she was also in possession of some share of the secret +knowledge that was working so much underhand mischief; and of this Jones +appeared likewise to be aware. + +Thus stood matters, then, with this trio, when Vander Tromp and his +wife--the former leading the latter on his arm--came tripping into the +kitchen, with the grace and agility of a couple of elephants; for the +worthy spouse of the worthy landlord of the Drouthsloken was, like +himself, of the regular Dutch build, and had very much the shape and +appearance of a featherbed upon legs, if such an object can be +conceived. Her breadth, which was naturally of the most formidable +dimensions, was greatly increased by a stiff silk gown, which projected +in rigid amplitude on all sides, and gave to her whole person an +appearance of illimitable expanse. Notwithstanding these vast +dimensions, there was yet a comeliness about her bulk, and an expression +of benevolence and good-nature in her rosy countenance, that rendered +her altogether by no means an unpleasing object. + +On the entrance of mine host and his larger as well as better half, +Jones, with that gallant devotion which seemed natural to him, instantly +advanced towards the latter, and, with a preliminary flourish of some of +his most graceful obeisances, in which, perhaps, a very shrewd observer +might have discovered a slight tincture of mock gallantry, invited her +to join him in the next dance. The large lady, with a good-humoured +smile, curtsied a ready acquiescence to the polite invitation; and, in +the next instant, might be seen sailing majestically through the mazes +of the dance, closely attended by her respectful and devoted partner. + +In the meantime, the unwilling musician seemed heartily tired of his +employment, and looked as if he would have given a trifle not only to +have got quit of that employment, but to have got out of the house +altogether. Jones, however, was inexorable; and the more marked the +fiddler's impatience became, the more unmercifully did he deal out his +orders to "play up;" and much did he seem to delight, although he kept +the satisfaction to himself, in the grin of irritation which his +commands never failed to produce on the countenance of the hapless +musician. Leaving, then, the general position of matters in the kitchen +of the Drouthsloken in this state, we shall resume the particular +history of the laird's proceedings, which we fear the reader may think +we have already too long neglected. + +Of the ongoings of the evening the laird, who was now pretty well in the +wind, was an attentive, but by no means a silent, spectator. In the +enthusiasm which the proceedings passing before him had excited, he had +mounted a chair, and from that elevated position was whooping, and +yelling, and shouting, and clapping his hands--at once to express his +own delight in the performances, and to encourage the performers. + +"That's it, my bonny lassie!" he screamed out, addressing the younger +Tromp, whose agility particularly pleased him. "'Od ye're just doin +amazinly! That's it! Kilt yer coats, ye cutty, and skelp at it withouten +fear or dread! That's the true way to mak a figure on a flure!" + +"Feth, no amiss, guidwife, no amiss ava," he said, and now addressing +himself to the better half of mine host of the Drouthsloken, who was +heaving like a seventy-four in a ground-swell--"no amiss ava, considerin +the wecht ye carry. Ye're just doin wonderfu, too, to be sae broad in +the beam. My word, but ye are a sonsy lass," he continued, his attention +gradually directing itself to a contemplation of her personal +dimensions. "If ye're an unce, ye're twenty stane, quarry wecht; and +everybody kens that's no scrimpit." + +"Weel dune, Jones! weel dune, lad! Hoo, hurrah! up wi't! Ye've a pair o' +guid souple shanks o' your ain. That's it, lad--that's it! Up wi't! Hoo, +hurrah, hurrah!" + +And the laird clapped his hands with a vigour and energy that emitted a +sound more like the contact of a pair of boards than human palms; and +accompanying this expression of heartiness of feeling with whoops and +shouts, that drowned the noise of both feet and fiddle. + +Impartial in the distribution of his praises, the laird now directed his +compliments to the various other members of the dancing party, +severally, and finished with mine host himself. + +"Unco weel, laird, unco weel," he exclaimed, addressing that worthy +performer. "Really, unco weel! ye've a wonderfu licht foot to hae sic a +heavy stern. That's it, laird! Up wi' the left leg!--capital, capital!" +And again the laird clapped his hands, and again raised his tremendous +war-whoop. + +Hitherto the dancers had paid no particular attention to the laird's +noisy expressions of interest in their proceedings; but they so highly +tickled Mr Jones, that, on the conclusion of the dance, he came laughing +up to the laird, and asked him if he would not take a turn on the floor +on the next occasion. + +"No, thank ye, Mr Jones," replied the latter; "my dancin days are weel +aboot owre now; but, though the flesh is weak, the spirit's willin, and, +to mak mysel as guid company as possible, I'll tak a screed o' the +fiddle an ye like; for I'm mair souple aboot the elbows than the ankles +now-a-days, and, besides, I dinna think that fallow puts the richt +smeddum in his tunes. They're awfu draicky, and no like our Scotch +measures, that mak ye fling your legs aboot like flails, till ye dinna +ken whether your heels or your head's uppermost." + +"Ah ha, very fair, laird," replied Jones, laughing; "and although I have +reasons for keeping all relief from the fiddler as long as possible, I +am so curious to hear your performance, that I, for my part, consent to +your taking a turn of his instrument, provided he will allow you." + +"We'll try him," replied the laird, briefly, and at the same time +stepping down from his high place, and thereafter proceeding with Jones +towards the musician of the evening, in order to offer his services in +the way of assisting him. + +"Friend," said Jones to the one-eyed minstrel, while the laird stood +behind, or rather beside him, waiting the result of his +application--"friend, have you any objection to be relieved a little in +your labours? Here is a brother musician, who would gladly take a turn +with you, provided you would favour him with the loan of your +instrument." + +The only reply of the fiddler was a sullen, dissentient growl; for he +was as averse to speaking as to exposing his countenance. + +"What! won't you lend our friend here your fiddle?" said Jones, now +bursting out into a fit of suppressed laughter, which seemed, from its +heartiness, and the relief which it evidently afforded him, to have been +long pent up. "Do, man, do--you had better do. _I'll_ be much obliged to +you"--with marked emphasis on the pronoun, which he further increased by +a gentle but significant tread on the toe of the perplexed minstrel, +who, after returning the secret intimation of Jones by a smile and an +intelligent leer of his open eye, handed the fiddle to the laird without +saying a word. + +The incident which we have just described was unobserved by any other +party but those concerned in it; or, at least, if it was observed, it +was not understood; and in this predicament also stood he who had the +best opportunity of seeing it--namely, the laird. He saw all that passed +between Jones and the fiddler; but he could not make out what it meant; +nor did he seem to concern himself about discovering it. Having got the +fiddle into his possession, the laird commenced tuning it with great +assiduity, and with a bow stroke that showed he was well practised in +the use of the instrument. The tuning effected to his mind, he struck +up, with great vigour, a ranting Scotch reel, which he played with +uncommon spirit and skill. At first, the novelty of the measure took the +greater part of the audience by surprise. For a time they could make +nothing of it; but music being a universal language, both the spirit and +rhythm of the tune soon began to be perceived and appreciated; and, with +a little schooling from Jones, who seemed not only to understand the +music, but to be delighted with it, the dancers were placed in the order +of a reel; and, by a vigilant superintendence of their motions on the +part of the latter, they contrived to get through the figure with +tolerable correctness. All were delighted with the new dance. It was +repeated again and again, and every time with increased success, and a +diminishing necessity for the interference of Jones, who, having entered +fully into the spirit of the mirthful train, whooped and yelled as +vociferously as ever the laird had done. His enthusiasm was infectious; +all caught it--even the broad-beamed wife of Vander Tromp, who moved +under the inspiring influence of the laird's bow with an agility that no +one could have believed her ponderous person capable of; while the +others, including mine portly host himself, flung, and flew, and +shuffled, as madly as the witches in the midnight dance in Alloway Kirk. +The spell, in short, of the laird's music was complete, and each owned +the hilarious spirit which it was so well calculated to diffuse over all +who were within reach of its influence--in other words, over all who +were within hearing of the laird's admirably-played fiddle. Inspired +with additional glee by these indications of the powerful effect of his +music, the laird still further heightened its influence by breaking out, +as he played, into short, abrupt shouts, which were responded to, from +time to time, by the male dancers, but with most especial emphasis by +Jones, who seemed to be, altogether, at the very acme of human +enjoyment. + +It was while the revellers were thus dinning the drowsy ear of night +with their obstreperous mirth, and while they were yet in the full +career of enjoyment, that four persons suddenly entered the kitchen of +the Drouthsloken. They were in the garb of seamen, wearing large, shaggy +pea-jackets, and low, round-crowned, glazed hats, with circular flaps +projecting behind. Although, however, all were dressed nearly alike, +there was one who evidently took the lead amongst them. He was a young +man, and had an air of authority in his manner to which the rest seemed +to pay deference. Some differences, too, in his outer habiliments, +notwithstanding of the general resemblance that prevailed in this +particular, pointed him out as of a superior grade to the others. This +person was not unknown to the inmates of the house. He was recognised as +Captain Hagedorn of the Jungfrau of Rotterdam--a man of fierce, +irascible temper, and an ardent, although not very acceptable, admirer +of Juliana. On his entrance, therefore, he was immediately greeted as an +acquaintance by Tromp, his wife, and their two daughters--by Juliana, +however, with an evident confusion and embarrassment of manner. To these +greetings, Hagedorn vouchsafed the return only of a surly and +unintelligible muttering, while he proceeded to provide himself with a +chair, on which he placed himself directly opposite the one-eyed +minstrel, at whom he threw, from time to time, looks of the most +malignant ferocity. + +All, especially Juliana, who had reasons for fearing the worst, seemed +impressed with the belief that the fellow was bent on mischief, and that +he had come there for the especial purpose. Of this they were more +convinced, on observing the brass-tipped sheaths of cutlasses projecting +from beneath the pea-jackets of the intruders. Their fears were not long +of being realised. + +"Tromp," said Hagedorn (we take the liberty of translating, in this, and +all other similar cases), "I thought you kept a regular, decent house. +Such is the character you pretend to, at any rate." + +"And such," replied Tromp, with a blush of honest indignation, "is the +character I maintain. Who shall gainsay it?" + +"Why, there are some things going on here to-night that don't look much +like it," replied Hagedorn. "Know ye, Tromp, or does Juliana know, who +this one-eyed gallant is?" pointing to the late serenader. + +"Whether they do or not, they shall soon know, and so shall you to your +cost, Hagedorn!" replied the minstrel, starting to his feet, and hastily +stripping off the disguise, eye-patch and all, in which he was +enveloped; a proceeding which discovered to the astonished +onlookers--not, however, including either Jones or Juliana, who had a +previous knowledge of his identity--a tall, handsome, +gentlemanly-looking young man, well known as Sir Lionel Musgrave, one of +the gayest and most respected of those English gentlemen who shared the +misfortunes and exile of Charles II. during the existence of the +Commonwealth. + +"Ha!" said Hagedorn, starting to his feet, on Musgrave discovering +himself. "So, I have unearthed the fox, eh!" And, as he spoke, he made a +grasp at Musgrave's throat; which the latter evaded by adroitly stepping +back a pace, when he instantly drew his sword and made a pass at +Hagedorn, who, however, skilfully warded it off with his cutlass, to +which he had had recourse the moment he missed his hold of his +antagonist. These proceedings were, of course, a signal to all the other +men in the apartment to muster on their respective sides; and this they +instantly did. Hagedorn's men immediately drew; Jones and his party did +the same; and the women ran screaming from the scene of the impending +contest. In one instant after, a general melée commenced. There were +deep oaths, overturning of tables, and clashing of swords in every +direction, and all the other characteristics of a tremendous and very +serious hubbub. Blows, too, were not wanting. They fell thick and fast +on all sides. + +Hitherto our friend the laird had remained an idle, but +sufficiently-astonished spectator of the strange and sudden scene that +had been thus brought before his visual organs. Though an idle, he was +not altogether, however, a mute witness of the proceedings that were +going forward. + +"'Od! this _is_ a queer business!" he muttered to himself. "Wha on earth +wad hae thocht that yon blin-ee'd, broken-doon-lookin soul o' a fiddler +wad hae turned oot a braw young swanky like that? Na, na, that'll no +do," suddenly added the laird, and now referring to the circumstance of +Jones being hard pressed by two of the intruders. "Twa on ane--that'll +never do." And the laird looked around him for some weapon wherewith he +might compensate the odds against his friend. Nothing of this kind more +efficient than the tongs presenting itself, the laird leaped down from +the table on which he had been perched in the quality of musician, and, +seizing the afore-mentioned instrument by the feet, advanced upon the +foe, shouting, "Stan to them, Jones! stan to them, lad! till I gie them +a taste o' the tangs!" And, in the same instant, he discharged a blow at +the head of one of Jones' assailants that laid him senseless on the +floor. Finding his first effort so successful, the laird repeated the +experiment on the prostrate man's companion with precisely the same +result. Down he went also with a fractured skull. "That's the way!" +shouted the laird, now greatly excited by his own destructive exertions; +"ca' them down like nine-pins! Soop them aff the face o' the yearth!" + +At this moment, the laird's Io Pęans were interrupted by the entrance of +a party of the town-guard, whom Tromp had summoned to his aid. These +immediately seized on the intruders, as they were pointed out by the +latter--the fallen men having so far recovered as to be now sitting up, +although evidently sick and giddy from the effects of the laird's blows, +and looking, as he said himself, "unco white aboot the gills"--and +marched them off to the guard-house, to answer in due time to the +judicial authorities of the city for the breach of the peace of which +they had been guilty. + +On the kitchen of the Drouthsloken being cleared of the enemy, an +investigation into the extent of personal injury sustained took place, +when it was found that this was, after all, very trivial, consisting +only of two or three slight flesh wounds, of which Musgrave bore two, +and one or two others one apiece. + +"And now, laird," said Jones, addressing the latter, "what share of the +honours have you got?" + +"Deil a scratch," replied the laird. "Feth, I didna gie them time for +that. I didna stan whilly-whain wi' them, wi' a bit shabble in my haun, +as ye a' did, but gied them richt knock-me-doon thuds at ance--sent them +owre like stots, ane after the ither. Feth! commen me to a pair o' tangs +in a kitchen row. It maks clean wark. I'll think mair o' them as a +weapon, baith o' offence and defence, than ever I did." + +"In such hands as yours, laird, they certainly are a +sufficiently-formidable weapon. Had it not been for them and you +together, I would scarce have got off so scatheless as I have done. I +owe you a good turn, and it shall not be forgotten. I promised you an +introduction to the king; and I shall not only fulfil that promise, but, +as my word goes a long way with him, I shall give such an account of you +as, I answer for it, will insure you a favourable reception, and +probably procure you some still more substantial tokens of his regard." + +"Ou, thank ye, sir, thank ye," said the laird; "but I dinna see that I +hae dune onything the nicht that should entitle me to ony special favour +frae his most gracious Majesty. What interest can he possibly hae in a +kitchen collyshangy like this?" + +"More than you're aware of, perhaps, laird; but never mind that in the +meantime. Here comes Tromp, to read us a lecture, I daresay, on the +evening's occurrences, although it was none of our fault either. Ha, +Musgrave, my spark!" continued Jones, and now turning to that +gallant--"didst think I couldn't have known thee? 'Od's fish, man, I +would have known the cut of thy jib, although thou hadst been sewn in a +sack." + +"Faith, your ----" A wink from Jones prevented the word that was about +to follow. The wink was understood. "Faith, my friend," said Musgrave, +laughing, "to tell a truth, I had no idea you were here. It was intended +for a stolen march--to see whether I could not win my wager, by cutting +ye out in the good graces of our landlord's fair daughter July." The +conversation between Jones and Musgrave was here interrupted by the +approach of Tromp, who came not, as the latter had suspected, to +complain of what had occurred, but merely to request that the gentlemen +would now retire, as it was getting late, and as his household was in a +state of great alarm and confusion, in consequence of what had taken +place. + +The request was too respectfully made, and in itself too reasonable, to +admit of the smallest objection. The party immediately donned their hats +and cloaks, when Jones, taking the laird by the hand, told him to remain +where he was for the night, and that he would wait upon him on the +following morning to conduct him to the king. + +Agreeably to his promise, early in the forenoon of the following day, +Jones, attended by a gay band of cavaliers, entered the apartment in +which the laird was at breakfast. + +"Oh, Mr Jones, hoo are ye?" said the latter, rising from his seat on the +entrance of the former. "I'm sure this is very guid o' ye. Nane the waur +o' the bit stramash we had last nicht, I hope?" + +"Oh! not a bit, not a bit, kind thanks to you for that, laird," replied +Jones. "Now, my friend," continued the latter, "I am better than my +word: I promised to bring you to the king; instead of this, I have +brought the king to you. Any objection, laird, to take me for your +lawful, but unfortunate king? I am Charles," he said, in a tone of more +earnest emphasis. + +Need we describe the laird's amazement at this astounding disclosure? We +need not. The reader will conceive it. Although he looked unutterable +things, all that he said was-- + +"Gude preserve me! is that a fact?" pronounced in the slow, deliberate +tone of overwhelming and perplexed amazement. + +The sequel of our tale is soon told. Charles settled a small pension on +the laird--all that his circumstances at the time would afford--on which +he lived for several years at the Hague. He subsequently found his way +back to Scotland, the distracted state of the king's affairs preventing +the regular payment of his pension. In the meantime, years rolled on, +and changes took place, and amongst these came the Restoration. Charles +was restored to the throne of his ancestors. On this throne the monarch +had not been many days seated, when he was informed by one of the pages +in waiting that they had been much annoyed by an old grey-headed +Scotchman, with a large flat blue bonnet on his head, insisting on +admission to His Majesty's presence. + +"Did he give his name?" replied the monarch. + +"He did, please your majesty," replied the page; "he said he was sure +that, if we would inform your majesty that it was the Laird of Lucky's +How who sought admission, your majesty would instantly grant him an +audience." + +"He was right," said Charles, smiling. "I recollect the honest man well. +Admit him next time he presents himself." + +The laird came, was admitted, and was received with a most cordial +welcome by the good-natured monarch. They talked over the occurrences of +the evening they had spent in the kitchen of the Drouthsloken; and the +laird was finally dismissed, with a promise, shortly afterwards +redeemed, of his being reinstated in his patrimonial lands. To this +other gratuities were added, to an amount that amply compensated him, as +he often himself said, for all that he had suffered in the royal cause. +Some will say, perhaps, and with too much truth, that Charles was not so +grateful to all his friends; but, in the present instance, we have only +to do with the case of the Laird of Lucky's How. + + + + +THE ABDUCTION. + + +The farm of Kelpiehaugh, at a short distance from Lessudden, was, at an +early period of the St Boswell's meetings, occupied by Giles Ramsay--a +man who, as often happens in Scotland, was not loth to admit that "his +grey mare was the better horse." He liked the philosophy of the old +ballad quoted by Shakspere, and received it as a general maxim, that +"nought's to be had at a woman's hand" unless, in every case, "ye gie +her a' the plea." And, verily, Matty did not love him the worse for his +correct notions of woman-kind, though, as for anything like gratitude +for his easy submission to her entire authority, she knew nothing of the +sentiment, if she did not heartily despise it. The reason was indeed +plain enough; for she had the capacity to know that, whatever +superiority nature intended her husband should possess over her, in his +character of one of the lords of the creation, he had none whatever in +the capacity of her husband. In this there was a secret which she +communicated to no one; and that was simply, that Giles was, in all +respects, a stupid, simple, honest "cudden," and she was one of the +cleverest dames that ever made a good-natured husband cry "barlafummil" +in a matrimonial skirmish. Yet, with all the guidwife's cleverness, she +had not been able either to prevent Giles from getting behind with his +rent--the more by token as, we fancy, that Kelpiehaugh was too dear--or +to get "the glaikit hizzy," Mary, her daughter, well buckled to a canny +laird, who might help them to pay up their arrears. The first was +clearly no marvel; but the second might have been termed some what +extraordinary, seeing the young woman was as fair as Dowsabell. + +Something as regarded the rent depended upon the next sale of cattle at +St Boswell's, for which honest Giles had ready six as good stirks as +ever grazed on a green lea; and it was arranged between him and the +better partner of the matrimonial firm, that he must get six pounds for +every head of them, otherwise he might have small chance for "love's +roundelay" on his return. + +"It will mak thirty-six pounds, Giles," said Matty; "and that will +enable us to pay up ten pounds o' oor arrears." + +"And what will I get for a superplus o' a pound a-head on them?" said +Giles. + +"The liberty to buy a new gown for Mary," replied she, "that we may try +to get her aff at the next fair. But, if ye sell them for a pound less, +I rede ye to seek a quieter bield for your hame than Kelpiehaugh will be +on your return." + +And so primed, old Giles set off with his six stirks to St Boswell's. He +arrived at the green, and exposed his bestial in the most favourable +manner he could; but he found that Matty's price did not accord with the +humour of the buyers, who probably thought proper to judge for +themselves in the question of value. The time passed, and Giles saw +before him nothing but the necessity of driving the stirks back again to +Kelpiehaugh--an operation he by no means relished. As he stood musing on +the apparently forlorn hope of a customer, an old man, much bent, with a +grey beard, and a patch over his left eye as big as the blind of him of +forging celebrity, "Blackpatch" himself, came up to him, and at once +offered him eight pounds a-head for his stock. The old farmer wondered, +smiled, and accepted. The bargain was struck, and forty-eight good +pounds were instanter placed in the hands of the seller. + +"Now I have a favour to ask of you, good Mr Ramsay," said the buyer. + +"It will be an unreasonable request I winna grant to ane wha has gien me +my ain price," replied the farmer. "What is't?" + +"That you will drive the cattle home to Kelpiehaugh, and keep them there +at my risk and cost till I send for them," said the other. + +"Granted, and wi' thanks," said the farmer. + +"I have another favour to ask," said the other. + +"As mony's ye like, sir, if they're a' o' a kind," answered the farmer, +smiling. "Out wi't." + +"That you'll give me a bed at Kelpiehaugh to-night," said the old man. +"I have a distance to ride, and would fain halve the stage, by making +your house a half-way resting-place. + +"Of a surety, sir," replied the farmer; "ye'll hae the best bed and the +best victuals Kelpiehaugh can boast o', and nae boast after a', though +Matty, I am proud to say, kens hussyskep as weel as ony woman in a' the +shirradom. Will ye gang wi' me, or come yersel?" + +"I will come by myself," said the buyer. "I have some other affairs to +settle before the fair breaks up, and it may be later than your time +before I have finished." + +The matter being thus arranged, the two parted. Giles was anxious to +know who his customer was; but no one could tell anything of him, and +the hour getting forward to the gloaming, he set off again for his farm, +with his forty-eight pounds in his pocket, and the cattle before him. On +his approaching Kelpiehaugh, Matty, along with her fair daughter, was at +the door, waiting for him. It was now dark; but she could hear his voice +in articulations which pleased her not. "Hey! hey! yaud! yaud!" and then +came the sound of a thwack on the backs of the lazy troop he was driving +before him. + +"And ye've brought them back again, ye sorry simpleton?" cried the wife. + +The husband answered nothing, but continued thumping at the nolt with +his "hey," and "yaud," and "phew"--every ejaculation having the effect +of an objurgatory attack on the dame herself. + +"Ay, ay," she cried, "thump them and drive them into the shed, Giles, +that they may be ready for the roup o' our plenishing and stocking. The +auctioneer's hammer will knock them down wi' mair pith than that rung ye +are using, wi' a' the spite o' an angry disappointed man, wha couldna +mak a sale o' his ain kye." + +Her cutting words had still no effect upon the good-natured farmer, who +continued his operations till he got the six steers safely lodged in +their shed. He then came into the house quietly, and, with a "heigh-ho, +that job's weel owre," sat him down by the side of the fire, opposite to +his wife and daughter. For some minutes there was silence in the house +of Kelpiehaugh; the reason whereof was that Matty's authority was for +once apparently disregarded, or set at naught, by the apparent absence +of all tokens of fear and contrition on the part of her mate. She had +already indicated sufficiently her sense of his stupidity, and given him +a peremptory notice of what he might expect for the next half-year to +come; yet there was he, against all custom, and all the laws of marital +subordination, sitting as easy and comfortable as if he merited her +praise and deserved her blessing. She could only look daggers at him, +with occasionally an expression of staring wonder at a nonchalance that +disproved twenty years of authority. + +"Is there naething in Kelpiehaugh for its master to eat or drink?" said +he, at last, in a calm, soft voice. "A hard day's wark deserves +something at e'en." + +"Is he adding impertinence to his folly?" thought the dame, as she sat +doggedly silent and immoveable. + +"Come, Mary," added he; "since Matty will gie us naething, rise, lassie, +and gie your father the best that's in the house, and, by way o' bribe, +here's a new gown to ye--the bonniest and brawest I could find at St +Boswell's." + +The girl started up and laid hold of the dress. The bright hues glared +on her eyes. The dame cast a side-eye on the gaudy article. + +"Waur and waur, Giles," she ejaculated. "Are ye mad, man? What, in the +name o' a' that's guid or ill, possessed ye? Will that gown pay our +rent?" + +"Maybe it may," rejoined Giles. "Mary's the bonniest lass on this side +o' the Tweed, and beauty's nae waur o' being weel buskit. It may bring +her a husband wha'll pay our rent; and, if it doesna, there's nae +skaith, seeing we may yet be able to do it oursels." + +"The man's as mad as a March hare, or a gled-stung quey," cried Matty. + +"But am I to get nae supper, Matty?" rejoined he, with the same +calmness. + +"The deil a bit," ejaculated the dame. + +"Maybe this may bribe ye," said he, as he pulled out of another pocket a +gown-piece, as bright as the other, for his beloved spouse. + +The charm had no power, save that of increasing the wonder of the dame; +and the statement which immediately followed, that there was a stranger +to be entertained at Kelpiehaugh that night, roused her still farther. +It was not till she began to look more narrowly into the face of her +husband, that she observed a dry humour about him, that might be +anything but the result of an unsuccessful attempt to dispose of his +bestial, and, going up to him, she shook him heartily by the shoulders. + +"Come, come, Giles," she said, "there's a secret at the bottom o' a' +this, and maybe this may explain it." + +And, seizing his pocket-book, she opened it, and pulled forth the bunch +of notes. They were counted on the instant, and the eyes of the dame +brightened up at every addition to the calculation. The farmer explained +all, and, in the course of his narration, Matty's wonder waxed great +again. She was not altogether satisfied. She looked at the notes, to see +that they were not forged; glanced at Giles; fell into a brown study; +looked at Mary; hemmed and heyed; and began to make preparations for the +stranger. In about an hour afterwards, the old customer arrived, was +ushered in to the fire, and took his seat, while Giles went to look to +the putting-up of his horse, which, he observed, was as clever and +clean-limbed a creature as that which carried the "fair ladye" and "true +Thomas" over the Eildon Hills. The supper was, in the meantime, in the +act of being served up. The old man coughed and told stories, Mary +listened, and Matty eyed her guest with a peculiar expression, which +made him rub his beard, cough more and more, and retire farther into the +recess which he had taken possession of. Nor would the supper draw him +forth; for he said he had supped before he came, yet had he no objection +to drink the ale which Matty handed him, and was as merry as an old man +might be, who had seen so many summers as his beard betokened. Many a +thing they talked of, but they all concerned the farmer, and his wife +and daughter; for the never a word would he say of himself, either as to +what he was, or where he lived--the dry skeleton of a name, Mr +Farquharson, being all he gratified them with, while, in return, he +asked so much of the condition and doings of his host and family, that +one might have thought he intended either to pay their arrears of rent, +or marry the daughter, at the very least. The supper, of which he +partook not, being done, he said he wished not to put them about in +their arrangements, and would be very well pleased to lie in the small +bed behind him, unless that were set apart for some other of the family. + +"That ye may weel hae, sir," said Matty on the instant, "if ye hae a +fancy to it. A sma' reward for the guid price ye gae for the cattle. +Mary can sleep for a nicht in the kitchen--for Jenny is at St Boswell's, +and winna be hame before the morn." + +"You will have only one night's trouble of me," replied the old man; +"but you may have more of the cattle--eight at least--and I think I will +better pay you beforehand, Mr Ramsay, that there may be no mistake when +the men come to take them away." + +And he put into the farmer's hand three times the sum he would have +demanded for the keeping of the steers. The farmer would have refused +the money, but Matty, whose by-play all along had been unnoticed by her +husband, pinched him on the arm, and the words of rejection died away in +his mouth. The parties afterwards retired to bed, leaving the strange +visiter in the apartment allotted to him. + +"I never did a better day's wark, guidwife," said the farmer to his +partner, when they went up-stairs. + +"Hush! hush! man, ye dinna ken what ye have done," replied she; and the +next moment she was busy whispering something in the ear of the farmer. +He started instantly, cried, "Impossible, impossible!" and stood for a +moment in dismay and consternation. But Matty gave him no time for +thought. She was again busy with his ear; and the next exhibition he +made was of an opposite character--a strange expression was upon his +face, and he slapped her upon the back in the extravagance of a feeling +that, whether betokening good-humour or not, seemed to have no bounds. +In a short time, the house was as quiet as Grimalkin himself could have +wished it, when bent on a hunting foray. All had apparently gone to bed, +and the stillness continued till considerably after midnight. A slow tap +at the kitchen-door showed that one individual at least was astir. + +"Mary, Mary, are you awake?" said a voice, that at least was +uninterrupted by a cough. + +The answer was a whisper from within. After some parley, the door was +opened, and a series of secret doings, among which the opening of the +outer door of the house, a recourse to the stable, the saddling of the +fleet horse, and other furtive preparations for a departure, were the +most important. During all this time, the figure of a female wrapped in +a cloak stood in the recess of the door. The horse was quietly walked to +the loan, and the mantled figure glided as secretly as a ghost, who +knows that the pimp Gallus will shortly awaken, to the starting-post. +One swing brought her to the pad, and another placed before her one whom +the light of the faint moon exhibited without a bend in his body or +beard on his chin. Away they set-- + + "On, on they rade, and farther on-- + The steed gaed swifter than the wind-- + Until they reach'd a desert wide, + And living land was left behind." + +Not a word passed between the couple. The one was occupied spurring on +the steed, and the other clung to him, as if love had nerved her arms, +and made them as tenacious of the grasp of his waist as Lenora, of +German celebrity, was of the soulless body of her Wilhelm. Sometimes he +slackened his pace, to ascertain whether the guidman of Kelpiehaugh was +up and away in quest of runaway bride, like the Gręmes after the heiress +of Netherby, over Cannobie-lee; and then, when he thought he heard the +clatter of a horse's hoof, he applied the spur again, and away they +went, over moss and muir, with such speed as love and fear in the rider +may alone impart to the obedient steed. At other times, the space of a +few minutes was devoted to soft whispers, and the gallant pressed the +encircling arms of his fair one, and sighed as he felt her embrace as +tight as a lover's heart could wish. He was as happy as one who is on +the verge of the enjoyment of stolen pleasures can be in a world where +lawful indulgences had no zest for him; and he turned his head for the +muffled kiss, which was granted as freely as any rieving lover, even +Lochinvar himself or Jock o' Hazeldean, could have desired. Nor less was +he pleased with the pressure of her fair arms, which accompanied or +followed the other demonstrations of her affection, and the speed of his +steed, now safe, as he thought himself, from all pursuit, was quickened, +that he might reach the goal, where all the joys of a long-sighed-for +possession awaited him. At length he gave his horse breathing-time, and, +taking himself a long inspiration-- + +"When, think ye, Mary," said he, "I will send for the six steers I +purchased from your father yesterday?" + +"Maybe never, Robert," was the whispered reply. + +"You say right, love. It was never my intention," said he. "I thought it +but fair to leave old Giles some consideration for his daughter." + +A squeeze was the expression of the gratitude felt by the female for the +boon so generously bestowed on the farmer of Kelpiehaugh. + +"Was I known, think ye?" he continued. "I liked not the sharp eye of +your mother. By my faith! I quailed under it. The devil an ancient +carlin duenna in an old romance ever observed so sharp a look-out for +the safety of her ward. But, ha! ha! Mary, we have outwitted the old +dame, and let her catch us now, if she can. We want only two miles of +Langholm, and then, hey! hey! and be merry, as the song says-- + + 'Now all this time let us be merry, + And set nocht by this world a cherry.' + +Safe in my house at Langholm, Mary, let Giles and his old dame enjoy the +bargain they have got. They may sell the steers at the next fair of St +Boswell's; but I will not so soon part with my Mary." + +"Na, I hope not," replied the whispering female. "But hearna ye the +sounds of a horse's feet?" + +The lover turned his head. + +"Your father, by the rood!" cried he; and, clapping spurs again to his +horse, they set off at a quick gallop, with a view to distance their +pursuer, who was no other than Giles Ramsay himself, mounted on one of +his quickest plough-horses, and brandishing a huge cudgel, in the double +act of beating his nag and threatening vengeance on the fugitives. + +The pursued were now in danger of being overtaken; for the greater speed +of the hunter was counterbalanced by the greater burden, and it was +clearly a cast-up whether they would be able to escape the vengeance +that awaited them. But, whatever might be the issue, there was no want +of energy in either hand or heel of the abductor; and he lashed and +spurred his steed more furiously as his fears increased-- + + "Still looking the sidelong woods among, + Before, around him, and behind; + And aye, whene'er the echo rung, + The steed flew swifter than the wind." + +And no less energetic was the fearful pursuer, whose hearty thwacks upon +the curpan of his shaggy cart-tracer, mixed with loud halloos, might be +heard in the distance, awakening the echoes of the silent night. The +lover relished not the appearance, and still less the cries, of the +lusty farmer; and as little apparently did his companion--who, as the +horse increased his speed, grasped her abductor round the waist--wish to +fall into the hands of the enraged pursuer. Away they scoured, and, +"Fear not, Mary--love will distance the old churl," fell from the lips +of the panting lover, in reply to the inspiring pressure of her arms; +while, "Na, na, Robert, flee for the love o' heaven," added more energy +to the spur, and more passion to his breast. They reached the skirts of +the woody Langholm; but it was not the abductor's intention to stop at +his residence, while he was in danger of being overtaken; so, striking +to the left, and dashing into a _corrie_, or deep lirk of a hill, he +stretched on with the flight of desperation. His wish was to clear the +fern brae, as the height was called, and, getting into the thick wood at +the back, make a sudden turn, and elude the quick eye of the farmer; but +the latter kept dashing and bounding on, hallooing in the distance, and +still brandishing his oaken ryss, in the most fearful demonstrations of +a vengeance that would be contented with nothing less, apparently, than +the body of the one, and the life of the other. Still the fond female +turned her eyes behind, and, giving her companion reports of the +progress of the pursuer, kept up his energies and alive his spirit. + +"All the work of that accursed old duenna, your mother," muttered he. + +"Ay, ay, nae doot, nae doot," rejoined she, and hugged him again more +closely than ever. The turn of the fern hill did not seem, however, to +bring the relief which it promised, for the couple were still within +hail of the redoubted Giles; and his shouting reverberated among the +rocks like the tally-ho of the hunter, or rather like the deep-mouthed +bay of the pack. + +But here a more extraordinary phenomenon presented itself, and that was +an accession of strength to the sturdy Giles of no fewer than three +horsemen, who, probably attracted by his war-whoop, had tendered their +services in endeavouring to overtake and seize the fugitives. This +circumstance was proclaimed by a united cry of the whole pursuers, which +rung in the ears of the lover like the howl which met the Florentine on +his visit to the region of the wicked in Hades. There was, however, more +in the appearance of the strangers, as seen in the light of the now +bright moon, than in their war-shout that carried dismay to the breast +of the abductor. What this was, he told not; but his muttering of "Who +can have brought him and his servants to this part of the country at +this time?" satisfied his companion that he knew the individuals who had +thus opportunely joined the cause of the farmer; and now, if indeed that +were possible, he urged his panting steed forward at a still quicker +pace. His chance of escape was diminishing every moment. The horses of +the assistants were fleeter than those of the farmer; and, if he did not +succeed in overtaking the fugitives, it was too evident that they would +accomplish for him the object he had in view. The lover seemed doubtful +what he should do--whether still to press on, lay down his charge, or +make a sweep round the hill, and take refuge in Langholm. A clump of +trees now intervening between him and the party, he appeared to resolve +suddenly on the last manoeuvre; and his reason probably was, that he +might have time to secrete his fair one among some of the outhouses of +the mansion before the pursuers came up. Acting upon this resolution, he +turned the head of his horse, swept in by the tail of the height, struck +into a loan, and, after a rapid run of a few minutes, was opposite to +the house of Langholm. + +"Quick! quick, Mary! jump and follow me," he cried, as he took her in +his arms. "This way," and he flew first to one door and then another. +They were shut, and he had no alternative left but to take his fair +charge into the mansion itself. Rushing up-stairs, and dragging after +him his abducted love, he reached a small bedroom, thrust her into it, +shut the door, locked it, and returned to face boldly his pursuers. By +the time he arrived at the landing-place, his horse had sought the +stable; and there was no apparent sign, save his appearance there at +that hour, of his having been engaged in the unlawful undertaking for +which he had been so hotly pursued. + +"I have paid well for my love-errantry," said he, as he took a +handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from his face. "There is not another +beauty in Scotland for whom I would have toiled as I have now done. Have +I given them the slip? Mayhap I may, unless I am right in that fearful +conjecture, suggested by the appearance of my strange pursuers." + +"Ho, there!" cried the voice of a man, rushing up on horseback. "What is +this, Robert?" + +"My father!" ejaculated the youth; "what has brought you from Craigton +at this hour?" + +"Robert! Robert!" ejaculated a voice from a bedroom window, at that +moment drawn up--"why have you placed a woman in my bedroom, and locked +her in?" + +"Is that you, my love?" rejoined the father, in answer to the cry of his +wife. "Why, here is some infernal mystery. Your mother and I arrived +here to-day. We heard you were at St Boswell's, and I left her here that +I might go and join you at the market. Now I have returned to witness a +scene that baffles all my wits. Here is a man who has a claim upon you +which your mother corroborates by her extraordinary inquiry." + +The cavalcade at that moment came up--Giles in the rear, still +brandishing his rung, and muttering incoherent threats against the +abductor. The youth was surrounded: his father cried for information, +his mother screamed from the window. Giles demanded restitution, and the +voice of the abducted female was heard in shrill tones over all. + +"Ha! Matty, lass, this is sad wark," cried the farmer, on recognising +the voice of his wife. + +"Is it possible, Robert Melville," said the father, "that you could +disgrace your family and your pedigree, by carrying off the wife of this +honest farmer--a woman stricken in years--and place her in the bedroom +occupied by your mother?" + +"It's owre true," cried Giles, with something like a suppressed laugh. +"I see her face at the window. He came to Kelpiehaugh habited as an auld +man, wi' a grey beard stuck on his chin, and a scratch wig on his head; +and, in return for a supper and a bed, carried aff my helpmate, wi' whom +I hae lived, in love and honour, for thirty years." + +The scene was getting more extraordinary. The young man was sceptical of +the truth of Giles' statement; but he could not disprove it by stating +what he conceived to be the veritable fact--that he had run away with +Mary, the young daughter of the farmer of Kelpiehaugh. He looked at the +latter, then turned up his eyes to the window, where he then saw only +the face of his mother. Her cries still rung in his ears; the father +called for the key; Giles insisted on the truth of his statement; and +the inquiries of the servants mingled with the general confusion. By an +impulse he could not resist, he gave his father the key; the door was +opened, and the mother, who was now dressed, came down-stairs, along +with her husband, followed by the female, on whom they turned eyes in +which wonder and indignation alternated their suitable expressions. The +female threw back her hood. + +"We hae had a lang and a hard ride, Mr Melville," said she. "My feth, ye +did weel, but your horse did better; and, Giles, man, ye did as I never +saw ye do before." + +"I couldna want ye, Matty," replied Giles; "and, if I havena testified +my love for ye by this nicht's wark, never a man in Scotland ever proved +his affection for his wife." + +The absence of all ill-humour, the winks which Matty directed to the +wonderstruck youth, and his apparent amazement, added to the puzzle +which perplexed the minds of the father and the mother. + +"What does all this mean, Robert?" cried the mother. + +"For God's sake, explain this extraordinary affair!" rejoined the +father. + +The youth was still mute. At length Matty whispered something in his +ear. He spoke for the first time since the scene commenced. + +"It may be as you say, Mrs Ramsay," said he. + +"Aweel, it's a' richt," replied she; "but it may please Giles and mysel +if ye will acknowledge it in the presence o' your father and mother." + +"I have no objections," replied he; and, turning to his parents, who +understood not one word of all this dialogue, and far less of the +strange scene still acting around them, he added, "I hereby declare, in +presence of you, as witnesses, that I hereby renounce all claim----" + +"To whom?" cried the mother; "to another man's wife--an aged matron? +Fie, Robert! Say no more. Close the lips that would dishonour a son in +presence of his parents." + +"I hereby renounce all claim to six stirks at present lying at the farm +of Kelpiehaugh, and promise never to trouble Giles Ramsay for the same." + +"It's a' settled and adjusted," cried Matty. "I am satisfied; and Giles, +I fancy, you are no ill-pleased wi' my nicht's wark?" + +"I dinna ken which o' us hae dune best," replied the farmer. "Between +us, our arrears o' rent will be paid up. My bargain was guid; but I +freely admit yours is better." + +"Then this affair is at last arranged?" said the youth. + +The farmer assented. The worthy couple bade adieu to their friends, and +proceeded on their way to Kelpiehaugh. We cannot tell what explanations +took place at Langholm between the young man and his parents; neither +can we tell precisely the import of the conversation that took place +between the farmer and his wife on their journey homewards; but we +strongly suspect they enjoyed a hearty laugh at the clever manoeuvre +of the dame. It is probable that Giles himself was in the secret; at +least the good-humour he exhibited in getting again possession of his +spouse would lead us to believe that he had been a willing party in the +plot that had been so cleverly laid and executed. How far the daughter +was to blame has not been recorded; and, to do justice to the farmer and +his wife, they never taxed her with indiscretion. She was some time +afterwards married, and so put beyond the power of the wild youth who +had been so completely foiled by the genius of a clever dame. + + + + +SIR PATRICK HUME. + +A TALE OF THE HOUSE OF MARCHMONT. + + +Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth was elected representative of the County of +Berwick in the year 1665, being then in the twenty-fifth year of his +age. He was a lover of freedom, a lover of his country, and a staunch +Presbyterian. In those days, however, a love of freedom was a dangerous +principle either to avow or to carry into Parliament. The tyrant +Charles, whom some falsely call the Merry Monarch, was then attempting +to rule the empire with a rod of iron. You have all heard of his Long +Parliament, and of his afterwards governing the country, like an +absolute tyrant, without a Parliament at all. Fettered and servile as +parliaments then were, young Hume had boldly stood forward as the +advocate of civil and religious liberty; and, when the arbitrary monarch +sent down a mandate to Scotland for a levy of men and of money, that he +might carry his plans of despotism the more effectually into execution, +Sir Patrick resisted the slavishness with which it was about to be +obeyed. + +"What!" exclaimed he, "are we mere instruments in the hands of the +king--creatures appointed to minister to his pleasure? Are we not +representatives of the people of Scotland--the representatives of their +wants and their wishes, and the defenders of their rights? And shall we, +as such, at the mere nod of a monarch, drag them from following their +plough in the valley, or attending their hirsels on the hill--shall we +do these things, and lay contributions on their cattle, on their corn, +and on their coffers, merely because His Majesty wills it? Pause, my +countrymen. The king has no authority to compel such a measure, and it +can only be rendered legal by the concurrence of the assembled +representatives of the people." + +"Treason!" vociferated the Duke of Lauderdale, who was the arch-minion +of Charles; "before the Parliament of Scotland, I denounce Sir Patrick +Hume as a dangerous man--as a plotter against the life and dignity of +our sovereign lord the king!" + +"What!" exclaimed Sir Patrick, indignantly fixing his eyes upon +Lauderdale. "Though there may be amongst us a slave who would sell his +country for a royal smile, I still hope that this is a FREE Parliament, +and it concerns all the members to be FREE in what concerns the nation." + +From that day, Sir Patrick Hume became a suspected man, and the eyes of +the king's creatures were upon him; and when, two years afterwards, +Charles endeavoured to put down the people by the sword, and establish +garrisons throughout the country, again the Laird of Polwarth stood +foremost in the ranks of opposition, and resisted his power. The king +accordingly ordered his privy council to crush so dangerous a spirit; +and Sir Patrick was confined in Stirling Castle, where, with the +exception of a short interval, he was imprisoned for two years. + +Britain had long been distracted with the pretended discovery of +fabulous or ridiculous plots against the royal family; and the perjury +of paid miscreants, like the infamous Titus Oates, was causing the +scaffolds to run with gore. But tyranny being glutted with Catholic +blood, and the extinguishing of what were called Popish plots, the +myrmidons of Charles (who lived a libertine, and died a Papist) +professed that they had discovered a Protestant plot against his royal +person. In this plot the incorruptible Algernon Sydney, Lord Russell, Mr +Bailie of Jerviswoode, and Sir Patrick Hume, were included. They beheld +their common country withering and wasting beneath the grasp of a +tyrant; and true it is they had united together to restore it to +freedom, but they were innocent of designs against his life, or even of +a wish to dethrone him. They did not, however, act sufficiently in +concert, and were unable to bring their plans into operation. A price +was set upon their heads--some fled into exile, and others sought refuge +on the mountain and in the wilderness; while the amiable Russell died +upon the scaffold. + +It was near nightfall, in the month of September, 1684, when Jamie +Winter, who was joiner on the estate of Polwarth, ran breathless up to +Redbraes Castle, and knocked loudly at the door. It was opened by John +Allan, the land-steward, who, perceiving his agitation, inquired-- + +"In the name o' guidness, Jamie, what's happened, or what do ye want?" + +"Dinna ask, Maister Allan," replied Jamie; "but, for Heaven's sake, tell +me, is Sir Patrick at hame? and let me speak to him presently, as ye +value his life." + +"Follow me, then, Jamie," said the other, "and come in quietly, that the +servants mayna observe onything extraordinar; for we live in times when +a man canna trust his ain brither." + +The honest joiner was ushered into a room where Sir Patrick sat in the +midst of his family, acting at once as their schoolmaster and their +playmate. + +"Weel, James," said the laird, "I understand ye hae been at Berwick the +day. Ye've got early back. What uncos heard ye there?" + +"I watna, Sir Patrick," replied the other; "now-a-days, I think, there's +naething unco that can happen. Satan seems to have been let loose on our +poor misgoverned country. But I wish to speak to your honour very +particularly, and in private, if you please." + +"You may speak on, James," said the laird; "I am private in the midst o' +my ain family." + +"Wi' your guid leave sir," returned the cautious servant, "I wad rather +the bairns were oot o' the way, for what I hae to say is no proper for +them to hear, and the sooner ye are acquainted wi' it the better." + +Sir Patrick led his younger children out of the room, but requested Lady +Polwarth and their eldest daughter, Grizel, a lovely dark-haired girl, +about twelve years of age, to remain. + +"You are the bearer of evil tidings, James," said he, as he returned, +"but you may tell them now--it is meet that my wife should hear them, if +they concern me; and," added he, taking Grizel's hand in his, "I keep no +secrets from my little secretary." + +"God bless her!" said James, "she's an auld-farrant bairn, as wise as +she's bonny, I ken that. But, your honour, I am, indeed, the bearer of +evil tidings. A party o' troopers arrived at Berwick this morning, and +it was nae secret there that they would be baith at Jerviswoode and +Redbraes before midnicht. I heard them talk o' the premium that was set +upon your life, and slipped out o' the town immediately, without +performing a single transaction, or speaking a word to a living +creature. How I've got alang the road is mair than I can tell; for I was +literally sick, blind, and desperate wi' grief. I've this minute +arrived, and whatever can be done to save you maun be done instantly." + +Lady Polwarth burst into tears. Sir Patrick grasped the hand of his +faithful servant. Little Grizel gazed in her father's face with a look +of silent despair, but neither spoke nor wept. + +"Oh, fly! fly instantly, my dear husband!" cried Lady Polwarth, "and +Heaven direct you." + +"Be composed, my love," said Sir Patrick; "I fear that flight is +impossible; but some means of evading them may perhaps be devised." + +"Oh, my leddy," said Jamie Winter, "to flee is out o' the question +athegither. Government has its spies at every turn o' the road--in every +house in the country--even in this house. Our only hope is to conceal +Sir Patrick; but how or where is beyond my comprehension." + +Many were the schemes devised by the anxious wife--many the suggestions +of her husband, and honest Jamie proposed numerous plans--but each was, +in its turn, rejected as being unsafe. More than an hour had passed in +these anxious deliberations; within three hours more, and the king's +troops would be at his gate. Grizel had, till now, remained silent, and +dashing away the first tear that rolled down her cheek, she flung her +arms around her father's neck, and exclaimed, in an eager and breathless +whisper-- + +"I ken a place, faither--I ken a place that the king's troopers and his +spies will never find out; and I'll stop beside ye, to bear ye company." + +"Bless the bairn!" said Sir Patrick, pressing her to his breast; "and +where's the place, dearest?" + +"The aisle below Polwarth Kirk, faither," returned Grizel. "Nae trooper +will find out such a hiding-place; for the mouth's a bit wee hole, and +the long grass, and the docks, and the nettles grow owre it, and I could +slip out and in without trampling them down; and naebody would think o' +seeking ye there, faither." + +Lady Polwarth shuddered, and Sir Patrick pressed the cheek of his lovely +daughter to his lips. + +"Save us a', bairn!" said Jamie, "there's surely something no earthly +about yer young laddyship, for ye hae mair sense than us a' put +thegither. The aisle is the very place. I'll steal awa, and hae a kind +o' bed put up in it, and tak ither twa or three bits o' necessary +things; and, Sir Patrick, ye'll slip out o' the house and meet me there +as soon as possible." + +Within an hour, Sir Patrick had joined Jamie Winter in the dark and +dismal aisle. The humble bed was soon and silently fitted up, and the +faithful servant, wishing his master "farewell," left him alone in his +dreary prison-house. Slow and heavily the hours of darkness moved on. He +heard the trampling of the troopers' horses galloping in quest of him. +The oaths and the imprecations of the riders fell distinctly on his +ears. Amidst such sounds he heard them mention his name. But his heart +failed not. He knelt down upon the cold damp floor of his +hiding-place--upon the bones of his fathers--and there, in soundless, +but earnest prayer, supplicated his father's God to protect his +family--to save his country--to forgive his persecutors, and to do with +him as seemed good in his sight. He arose; and, laying himself upon his +cold and comfortless bed, slept calmly. He awoke shivering and benumbed. +Faint streaks of light stole into the place of death through its narrow +aperture, dimly revealing the ghastly sights of the charnel-house, and +the slow reptiles that crawled along the floor. Again night came on, and +the shadows of light, if I may use the expression, which revealed his +cell, died away. A second morning had come, and a second time the feeble +rays had been lost in utter darkness. It was near midnight, and the +slender stock of provisions which he had brought with him were nigh +exhausted. He started from his lowly couch--he heard a rustling among +the weeds at the mouth of the aisle--he heard some one endeavouring to +remove the fragment of an old gravestone that covered it. + +"Faither!" whispered an eager voice--"faither--it is me--yer ain +Grizel!" + +"My own, devoted, my matchless child!" said Sir Patrick, stretching his +hands towards the aperture, and receiving her in his arms. + +She sat down beside him on the bed--she detailed the search of the +troopers--she stated that they were watched in their own house--that a +spy was set over the very victuals that came from their table, lest he +should be concealed near, and fed by his family. + +"But what of that?" continued the light-hearted and heroic girl; "while +my plate is supplied, my faither's shall not be empty; and here," added +she, laughing--"here is a flask of wine, cakes, and a sheep's-head. But +I will tell you a story about the sheep's-head. It was placed on a plate +before me at dinner-time. The servant was out o' the room, naebody was +looking, and I whupped it into my apron. Little Sandy wanted a piece, +and, turning round for it, and missing the head, 'Ah, mother!' he cried, +'our Grizzy has swallowed a sheep's-head, bones and a', in a +moment!'--'Wheesht, laddie!' said my mother; 'eat ye next ane +then.'--'Oh, ye greedy Grizzy!' said Sandy, shaking his little nieve in +my face, 'I'll mind you for this.'--'I'm sure Sandy will ne'er forget +me,' said I, and slipped away out to hide the sheep's-head in my own +room; and as soon as I thought naebody was astir, I creeped out quietly +by the window, and got down here behint the hedges; and I'll come every +nicht, faither. But last nicht the troopers were still about the house." + +In spite of his misery, Sir Patrick laughed at the ingenuity of his +beloved and heroic daughter; then wept and laughed again, and pressed +her to his bosom. + +He had passed many weeks in this cheerless dungeon, with no companion +during the day save a volume of Buchanan's Psalms; but every night he +was visited by his intrepid daughter, who at once supplied him with +food, and beguiled the hours of his solitude. He was sitting in the +gloomy cell, conning over his favourite volume--the stone at the +aperture had been pushed aside a few inches to admit the light more +freely, and the weeds at the entrance were now bowed down and withered +by the frost--a few boys were playing in the churchyard, and tossing a +ball against the kirk. Being driven from the hand of an unskilful +player, it suddenly bounded into the aisle. Sir Patrick started, and the +book dropped from his hand. Immediately the aperture was surrounded by +the boys, and the stone removed. They stood debating who should enter, +but none had sufficient courage. At length one more hardy than the rest +volunteered to enter, if another would follow him. The laird gave +himself up as lost, for he knew that even the tale of a schoolboy would +effect his ruin. He was aware he could disperse them with a single +groan; but even that, when told to his enemies, might betray him. At +length three agreed to enter, and the feet of the first already +protruded into the aisle. Sir Patrick crept silently to its farthest +corner, when the gruff voice of the old gravedigger reached his ear, +shouting-- + +"The mischief's in the callants, and nae guid. What are ye doing there? +Do ye want the ghaists o' the auld Humes aboot yer lugs?" + +The boys fled amain, and the old man came growling to the mouth of the +aisle. + +"The deevil's in the bairns o' Polwarth," said he; "for they wad disturb +the very dead in their graves. I'll declare, they've the stane frae the +mouth o' the aisle!" + +He stooped down, and Sir Patrick saw his grim visage through the +aperture, and heard him thus continue his soliloquy, as he replaced the +stone-- + +"Sorrow tak the hands that moved the stane! Ye're hardly worth the +covering up again, for ye're a profitless hole to me; and I fancy him +that I should lay in ye next, be he whaur he likes, will gang the gate +that his freend Bailie gaed yesterday on a scaffold. A gravedigger's a +puir bisness, I am sorry to say, in our king's reign; and the fient a +ane thrives but the common executioner." + +So saying, he enveloped Sir Patrick in utter darkness. That night Grizel +and her father left the aisle together, and from her he learned the +particulars of what he had heard muttered by the gravedigger, that his +friend, Mr Bailie of Jerviswoode, had been executed the previous day. + +Disguised, and in the character of a surgeon, he by byways reached +London, and from thence fled to France. On the death of Charles, and +when the bigot James ascended the throne, Sir Patrick was one of the +leaders of the band of patriots who drew their swords in behalf of a +Protestant succession. + +That enterprise was unsuccessful; and, after contending, almost +singlehanded, against the enemies of his religion and his country, he +and his family sought refuge in a foreign land. He assumed the name of +Dr Peter Wallace, and they took up their abode in Utrecht. There poverty +and privations sought and found the exiles. They had parted with every +domestic, and the lovely Grizel was the sole servant and helper of her +mother, and, when their work was done, the assistant of her father in +the education of the younger children; for he had no longer the means of +providing them a tutor. Yet theirs was a family of love--a family of +happiness; and poverty purified their affections. But their remittances +from Scotland were not only scanty but uncertain. Till now Sir Patrick +had borne his misfortunes with resignation, and even cheerfulness; he +cared not that he was stripped of attendants, and of every luxury of +life; yet at times the secret and unbidden tears would start into his +eyes, as he beheld his wife and his fair daughter performing, without a +murmur, the most menial offices. But the measure of his trials was not +yet full--luxuries were not only denied him, but he was without food to +set before his children. The father wept, and his spirit heaved with +anguish. Grizel beheld his tears, and she knew the cause. She spoke not; +but, hastening to her little cabinet, she took from it a pair of +jewelled bracelets, and, wrapping herself up in a cloak, she took a +basket under her arm, and hurried to the street. The gentle being glided +along the streets of Utrecht, with her eyes fixed upon the ground, and +shunning the glance of the passengers, as if each knew her errand. She +stood before a shop in which all manner of merchandise was exposed, and +three golden balls were suspended over the door. She cast a timid gaze +into the shop--thrice she passed and repassed it, and repeated the timid +glance. She entered--she placed the bracelets upon the counter. + +"How much?" was the laconic question of the shopman. + +Grizel burst into tears. He handed her a sum of money across the +counter, and deposited the bracelets in his desk. She bounded from the +shop with a heart and a step light as a young bird in its first pride of +plumage. She hastened home with her basket filled. She placed it upon +the table. Lady Polwarth wept, and fell upon her daughter's neck. + +"Where have you been, Grizel?" faltered her father. + +"Purchasing provisions for a bauble," said she; and the smile and the +tear were seen on her cheek together. + +But many were the visits which the gentle Grizel had to pay to the +Golden Balls, while one piece of plate was pledged after another, that +her father, and her mother, and her brethren, might eat, and not die; +and even then the table of Sir Patrick, humble as it was, and +uncertainly provided for, was open to the needy of his countrymen. Thus +three years passed--the memorable 1688 arrived. Sir Patrick was the +friend, the counsellor, and supporter of King William--he arrived with +him in England--he shared in his triumph. He was created Lord Polwarth, +and appointed Sheriff of Berwickshire; and in 1696, though not a lawyer, +but an upright man, he was made Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and created +Earl of Marchmont, and Lord of Polwarth, Redbraes, and Greenlaw. He was +one of the most ardent promoters of the Union; and with it ceased his +political career. In 1710, when the Tories came into power, the earl +being the staunchest Whig in Scotland, he was deprived of the office of +Sheriff of Berwickshire, but was reinstated in 1715. His lady being +dead, he came to take up his residence in Berwick-upon-Tweed; and there, +when the heroic Grizel, who was now a wife and a mother (being married +to the son of his unfortunate friend, Mr Bailie of Jerviswoode), came +with her children and friends to visit him for the last time, as they +danced in the hall, though unable to walk, he desired to be carried into +the midst of them, and, beating time with his foot-- + +"See, Grizel," exclaimed the old patriot, "though your father is unable +to dance, he can still beat time with his foot." + +Shortly after this, he died in Berwick, on the 1st of August, 1724, in +the eighty-third year of his age--leaving behind him an example of +piety, courage, and patriotism, worthy the imitation of posterity. + + + + +THE SERJEANT'S TALES. + +THE PACKMAN'S JOURNEY TO LONDON. + + +At the next opportunity, I got Serjeant Square to resume the narrative +of his adventures. + +No feeling that the human mind is called upon to sustain (said he) is +more depressing than the consciousness of being alone in a strange place +without friend or acquaintance--the populous city and the desert are +alike lonely. I have been, in the wildernesses of America and in London, +the victim of this saddening sensation, and felt it perhaps less keenly +when a solitary wanderer in the trackless wilds; for there bodily +exertion, and the hopes of soon being in the haunts of men, deadened its +force; while, in the populous city, I felt as if I had, after severe +suffering and toil, attained an object to me worse than worthless. +Amidst the densest crowds, after all, a man can only feel himself truly +alone when no hand is held out to him, no eye beams the glance of +recognition, and all is strange as a dream. Such were my feelings on the +morning after my arrival in Berwick, on my way to London on foot. +Fortune had been adverse to me in my native city, Edinburgh--in truth, I +had hitherto been her plaything; and, even now, had no definite object +in view. Tired of my walk, I had agreed with the captain of a trader for +my passage by sea, for the remainder of my journey; and lay upon my bed, +awaiting the morning light, a prey to my feelings, and musing upon my +chequered fortunes. The wind began gradually to rise and mourn sadly +through the windows and in the chimney of the room where I lay. As the +morning advanced, the storm increased and raged, so that no vessel could +put to sea. After walking down to the harbour, I returned back to my +inn, half resolved not to proceed to the south, but return to Leith in a +vessel that was also ready to sail, loaded with grain. I felt myself as +if I had been a child, without a will of my own, not caring what became +of me. Had I been seized with a mortal disease, I would, I thought, have +welcomed death as a relief; so completely had my spirits, somehow or +other, become depressed. How I escaped the pressgang, I have often +wondered since; for they were very diligent in impressing seamen at this +time, and I was in seamen's clothes. Perhaps the fearless manner in +which I walked about had led them and the informers to suppose that I +had a protection, or was belonging to some ship, and at large on leave +of absence. + +After breakfast, as I sat conversing with one of the captains about the +weather and other trivial matters, a person entered the room with a pack +upon his back, and inquired if any of the gentlemen would be so kind as +look over his assortment of goods; strongly recommending some silk +handkerchiefs. + +"No," said the person with whom I was conversing, gruffly. "I want none +of your goods. You packmen are all swindling knaves." + +"Not all knaves, my good sir. There are knaves in all trades, I allow; +but there are honest men, too." And, addressing himself to me, he +repeated his request. + +His voice at first had sounded in my ears like some well-known sound, +and roused my attention; but in vain I endeavoured to call to mind where +I had heard it. I had not yet looked towards him; but the instant I did, +a mutual recognition took place. He set his pack upon one of the tables +of the tap-room. Our hands were clasped in each other's. "Square!" and +"Wilson!" were uttered with mutual feelings of joy and surprise. I had +met a companion of my early days and sufferings. Often had we spent the +long and chilling winter nights, huddled together to keep each other +warm, in the snuggest corner we could find; hungry and ill clothed, +often had we shared the precarious morsel of charity with each other, +when either could have devoured it all. We had not met since I had first +left Edinburgh, many years before; and, if a tear was shed for my +mysterious disappearance, it was by Bill Wilson. A glow of pleasure, +such as I had never felt before, thawed the icy feeling that had chilled +my mind. How delightful must some of the stronger affections be, when +the meeting of an early associate can cause so much pleasure! We stood +gazing in silence upon each other for some time, ere we could find words +to express our feelings. At length they were poured forth in +congratulations and kind inquiries. To be alone, we retired to my +bedroom, where I gave him a full account of all that had befallen me +since we last met, and the present unsettled state of my resolves. He +heard me with varying interest, until I had concluded. + +"Square," said he, "you have been sorely knocked about, a passive agent, +without an object, save to enjoy or suffer the present hour. Now, to +succeed, we must have an aim, and hold it in sight, whatever may befall; +even should it often elude our grasp, we must not despair or relinquish +it for another. My wish is an old age of independence. I may die this +night, or I may live until old age has long impaired my energies. To +obtain this, my wish, I have, from circumstances, chosen my present +calling; nor have I allowed the most adverse fortune to shake my +resolve, or change my method of recovering it; for perseverance is the +only road that leads to success. Fortune placed you in America at your +outset in life. You forsook the path others have trod in with success. +You prospered at sea, and threw the golden opportunity away for a whim; +a third time you were placed in fortune's way; a dark cloud passed over +it; you gave way to your feelings, and are once more, with years of lost +time, where you commenced." + +As he spoke, a feeling anything but gratifying passed over my mind. I +felt that what he said was strictly true; that I had been living, until +now, without an aim, either of avarice or ambition--my thoughts never +having extended to the future, nor a care for to-morrow having ever +occupied my mind. His cares, again, were all for to-morrow. This +difference could not have arisen from education; for in this we were +both alike. He, in short, had more prudence. But to proceed. I requested +him to give me an account of the manner in which he had lived since we +had been separated. + +"You know, John," he began, "that we were twins in adversity upon the +streets of Edinburgh, equally friendless and penniless. After your +departure, I felt for a few days very sad and lonely. I sought you +everywhere in vain, and made every inquiry; but who cared aught about a +homeless beggar-boy? Had a dog as strangely disappeared, the public +crier would have proclaimed him through the streets. I began, young as I +was, seriously to reflect upon my desolate situation, and plan in my +mind ways to mend it. The childish wishes we had often formed of being +rich, and the happy dreams of what we would do if we were so, rose with +tenfold force into my memory, and I resolved to be rich; but how to +attain my aim was the rub. Wishing, I knew well, brought no gain. It +must be toiled for, and steadily pursued. A tradesman I could not hope +to be. No one would receive me for my labour during my apprenticeship, +and clothe and feed me; and I was too young and weak for labouring work +in town or country. There was one way alone open to me--to commence +merchant. You may smile at the word; but you shall see. It was not my +choice; but what have the poor to do with choice? My object now was to +obtain a capital to commence business upon. I was far from fortunate. It +was nearly a month before I had accumulated a groat; yet my labour and +anxiety were intense. No gentleman appeared on horseback in the city, +whom I did not follow, in anxious hopes to get, by holding his horse, a +penny, to increase my capital. In messages I was more indefatigable than +usual. No length of space or weight of load daunted me, if a penny was +to be earned; but it appeared to my eager mind that the gentlemen, at +this time, required less service than usual, and those that employed me +were more liberal of their food than halfpence. Still I steadily held on +unflinching, adding halfpenny to halfpenny, my mind a prey to a new +fear, that of losing my treasure. But I had joys mixed with my fears; +for, when I retired to a quiet corner, and counted again and again my +increasing store, what a pleasure I felt in adding a halfpenny to it, +and carefully wrapping up the paper! When I had reached my eightpence, I +could delay my undertaking no longer. I felt I had attained my first +step; and, with a feeling of importance to be envied, proceeded to a +bookseller's shop, and purchased ballads, of which I got, for my groat, +one dozen and three, with a piece of paper to wrap them in, and left the +shop, exulting that I was now a merchant, and had goods to dispose of. + +"As it was not my intention to sing them on the streets--for from this +my pride revolted--I set off in the direction of Lasswade, calling at +every door to offer my wares. In two days I had sold off my whole stock, +and returned to town for more ballads. After a time, I added other small +books, and my trade prospered amazingly. My living cost me nothing; my +voice was good, and a supper and bed to the pedlar-boy, were the +purchase of my songs, at the cottar's or the farmer's ingle. During the +first year my two groats had grown to nearly a pound, and my ambition +had grown with it. Pins, tapes, and thread were added to my store; my +excursions were extended, and Bill Wilson was a known and a welcome +guest over the whole county of Mid-Lothian. My toil was great, but my +strength seemed to increase with my load. I had now in view my second +step in advance, a horse and cart to carry my load. Years had passed on; +my pack, worth twenty pounds, was all my own, and I had two pounds in my +pocket; it was far on in the year, and the day was short and louring. I +had some goods bespoke for a bridal, which required to be delivered on +the following day. My route lay over the Soutra Hill; and had the +weather kept up, my task was easy of accomplishment--so I cheerily +plodded on, counting my gains; but scarce had I reached the ascent, when +the wind began to moan along the dreary waste, and thin flakes of snow +to fall, while the blast, from the east, blew right in my face. I +quickened my pace; but the storm increased before I reached the top, the +drifting snow blinding me, and the fitful gusts almost lifting me off my +feet. Cold and biting as was the air, I was wet with perspiration, from +my load and my struggles against the blast. I could not see two yards +before me; I was truly alone in the howling waste, yet I yielded not to +despondency, but struggled on for life. I had, it seemed, deviated from +the road, for all was now a trackless waste, when suddenly I stumbled +and fell on the edge of a declivity, and my pack, the whole of my +wealth, bounded from me, in what direction I knew not. It was vain to +look for it in such a situation, in such a storm; but what is wealth +under such circumstances, when life is scarcely to be hoped for? + +"When I recovered my feet, I was bruised, and began to chill. Hope of +escape had nearly fled; despondency was stealing fast upon me; but life +is sweet, and so I urged on, as much to overcome the intense cold I +felt, as with any hope of finding a shelter from the pitiless storm. The +magnitude of my loss never once entered my mind in this struggle for +existence. I would have given all the remainder of my hard earnings for +the sight of a cottage, in which to preserve my life. In this, my hour +of need, I was snatched from death. As I stood, unable to move a step +farther, and on the point of sinking upon the snow, to rise no more, the +sound of a dog, barking loudly, fell upon my ear. There was life in the +welcome sound; and, with an energy I had felt myself incapable of a +minute before, I started off towards the spot from whence the sounds +proceeded, calling at intervals with all my strength, and listening as +the barking of the dog became more and more distinct. At length I could +perceive the light shine dimly through the drifting snow, from a cottage +window, which, having reached, I entered, almost exhausted. I was kindly +received by the humane inmates, to whom I told my piteous tale. The +storm still howled without. The good woman made for me a shake-down upon +the floor, close by the fire, whereon to pass the night. After my +benumbed limbs were restored to animation, the good man of the house +took the book, and, after the worship, in which I joined with a fervour +I had never felt before, we all retired to rest, the family speaking all +the comfort to me their feeling hearts could dictate, and promising to +rise before dawn, to assist in searching for my pack. All was still +within; but the storm raged with unabated violence without, and for +hours sleep forsook my pillow. I was tormented with heat; pains shot +through my frame, and before the dawn I was in a raging fever, and +unable to rise. The good people of the house were sore distressed. I +gave them the best information I could where to search for my pack; but +it was very vague, for I knew not myself the spot where it had bounded +from me, and I was at this time two long Scotch miles from the Soutra +Hill, and one mile off the highway. The storm of the preceding evening +had been followed by a partial thaw after daybreak; but all, save where +the wind had blown the snow from the heights, lay a trackless waste. Far +on in the day the searchers returned from their fruitless labours, +fatigued and hungry. I was myself much worse; no doctor was to be had +nearer than Haddington, neither was there accommodation for me in the +house. Ill as I was, I had no choice. A horse and cart were, at my +request, procured, and, carefully wrapped up, I was conveyed to +Haddington. What followed for some days I know not. I will hurry on. I +would not have been so minute, were it not to show you that there are +shipwrecks and disasters on land as well as at sea. + +"When I recovered my consciousness, I found myself in an obscure garret, +the dwelling of a lone and pious widow, who had taken into her house the +sick stranger, when all else had refused. I had occupied her only bed, +while she passed her nights, seated by her scanty fire, and nursed me in +my delirium and fever. The good doctor had attended me as assiduously as +if I had been his own son, and aided the widow in supporting me. The +snow had been all off the ground for many days; and whoever had found my +store had kept it concealed, for I never heard of it. I was once again +penniless, and worse than I was at the commencement; for I was indebted +to my kind landlady and the doctor. My two guineas and seven shillings +were still in my pocket untouched; for the pious widow had, even in her +straits, on my account held them sacred, and they knew from the people +who brought me of my ruinous misfortune. When I became able to move +about, I besought them to accept of even one of the guineas as a +remuneration; but their answer was, they would give me credit until I +was enabled to pay them in full--and, thank God, I have done this long +ago. + +"It was well up in February before I could resume my toils. +Disheartening as my misfortune had been, my ultimate object, and the +means of attaining it, I had never for one moment allowed to pass from +my mind. It was now that the reward of honesty and fair dealing was felt +by me, and proved of immense advantage in enabling me to recover my +loss. There was not a merchant with whom I had ever dealed, who did not +offer me his goods in trust, to what amount I chose; but to avoid debt +has ever been my maxim, and I took no more than my finances would allow. +I had only a smaller assortment, and returned the sooner. I was +astonished at the rapidity of my own sales--for all had heard of my +misfortunes, and pitied me; and, if I was expected, no other packman had +any chance. What was required, if not in my pack, I got orders for, and +brought at the appointed time. From that day to this, everything has +prospered with me. I have attained my second step, and am now on my way +to London, and other towns, to purchase goods, and a horse and cart. To +cover my expenses, I am doing a little business by the way. An extensive +shop, and at length a competency, are, I trust, not far distant." + +By mid-day, the gale of wind had considerably abated; the tide being in +the evening, the vessels could not depart. We sat chatting together. The +perseverance and success of my companion had made a deep impression on +me. I began to think that I might do worse than follow his example; for +I had never left my country through choice. + +"Wilson," said I, "do you think I could be converted into a packman? I +care not what I do for an honest livelihood. I have often heard that an +old packman makes a good merchant--I am willing to try if an old +merchant can make a good packman. I have a few guineas to purchase goods +with. If you will tell me what are the proper kinds, we will go +together, by sea, to London, where you are going, and make our +purchases: are you agreed?" + +"No! Square, no! I will never agree to trust myself upon the fickle +element, when there is no occasion for it, besides manifest loss. With +what goods are in my pack, I will travel free to London, and put a pound +in my pocket, at least. If you have any thought of turning to my +profession, you must study economy and a placid temper--'take the bit +and the buffet with it.' I have not a doubt you may succeed, if you +stick to it in earnest; and I have no objection to give you all the +information I can, before we part." + +I myself had, indeed, no other motive for going by sea to London, than +to avoid the fatigue and get quickly there; so it was agreed that I +should proceed with him, and learn from his experience. My sailor's +dress was sold, and one similar to his own purchased; and, while this +was being done, he told me that he had upon his person, carefully +concealed, an order from the Royal Bank of Scotland, upon the Bank of +England, for one hundred and sixty guineas, which he had doubly secured. +It was, he said, not indorsed, nor would he indorse it, until he was +obtaining the cash. "There are such things as robberies," he said, "and +much worse. I have left a letter and instructions at the bank, and with +Widow Craig, who nursed me in my sickness (we have been as mother and +son since then), that, if my order is not called for within twelve +months, she is to give my letter to the worthy doctor, who will receive +the amount, and administer to the widow's comforts. What remains at her +death, I cheerfully bequeath to him. You may smile at this; but our +trade is one not without danger even in Scotland; and in England, where +highwaymen and footpads are plenty, we travel with our lives in our +hands." + +Before the evening closed, I was all ready to start upon my new line of +life. As Berwick, he said, was not a proper place to lay in a store of +goods to sell again with a sufficient profit, I purchased only a few +pounds' worth of hardware, Wilson being so kind as sell me, at cost, one +dozen of Barcelona silk handkerchiefs, of which he had a great supply, +and which he esteemed as valuable and light of carriage. The remainder +of my cash he made me take out of my purse, saying that none but those +who knew not the value of money carried it in purses. It was as if the +owner had collected it for the first who chose to put his hand in his +pocket, or for a vain display. + +"Square," said he, "if you had a thousand guineas in your pocket, among +strangers never show or say you have a coin in gold. Tempt no man to +evil. The poor travel safe, when the rich are in peril. Allow me to +place your guineas in the bank." + +He then opened the lining of the waistband of my small-clothes, and +stitched them in so dexterously, that no one could have thought there +was coin there. + +"Now," says he, "we are all ready to start for London on the morning. +The way is long, and our burdens heavy; but they will get lighter as we +move along. Our lodging for to-morrow night is Belford. I shall manage +so that we shall reach it before dark. The direct distance is only +fifteen miles; but we may travel thirty in quest of customers. You are +not now, as you were a few months since, to expect that customers will +come to you--the pack is a travelling counter, and must move about." + +Next morning, after an early breakfast, we crossed the Tweed, and walked +on, with our packs slung over our shoulders--the weather cool and +pleasing. I felt a buoyancy of spirits I had not experienced for some +time; I dreamed waking dreams, and built castles in the air. Wilson sung +snatches of songs. I had once more entered on a new walk in life, and +begun at the right end, as Wilson said in one of his sage remarks. + +"Square, your last misfortune arose from this--you began business at the +wrong end; you commenced too soon and too full. No man can manage money +well who knows not, by earning, the value of it. Be prudent--be cunning, +too, if you please; but use not your cunning to wrong any one--a +shilling won by fraud is a pound of loss. I have known many since I +began who have hastened to be rich in that way; but they have all failed +in their attempts. Those who once dealt would never deal with them +again; their means of success became every journey more circumscribed. +Here is a farm-steading--we must try how we are to succeed on the south +of the Tweed." + +I will not weary you with our hawking adventures. We progressed on our +journey with various success, but constantly with gain, our packs +lightening apace; I liking the profession very ill. I loved not money +sufficiently to bend my mind to the slights and insults we were often +forced to endure. Upon Wilson they had no effect in ruffling his temper. +He would smile, and, with a slyness of humour, turn their bitterest +taunts against the taunters, or banter them into good-humour, and effect +a sale. He would, indeed, be as good-humoured under insult as if he had +been civilly treated; while I was on the eve of bursting into a rage, +and either looking sulky or returning taunt for taunt. Indeed, before we +reached Northallerton, I had made up my mind to relinquish my new +calling as soon as we got to London; and told Wilson so. He shook his +head. + +"John Square, you are one of those who, for want of firmness, never get +on in the world. When there is an object to gain, we must not be scared +from it by trifles, or neglect an honest mean that leads to success. You +have commenced at the hardest part of a packman's life--his journey in +England. But, ho! here is Northallerton. To-morrow we will strike off +the eastern road, and go to York. I expect to see some acquaintances +there." + +Thus we journeyed on, I more through a dogged stubbornness not to yield, +than any love I had for the mode of life I had chosen, until we were a +few miles from York, where we overtook a brother of the trade. As soon +as he came in sight, Wilson said-- + +"There is Simon Hepburn, the Praying Packman, as the profane call him, +or Pious Simon, his more befitting name; for he really is a good, +well-meaning man. I have known him for some years, neither richer nor +poorer; his pack or cash seldom exceeds twenty pounds, yet he could +easily increase his store, if he had ambition; but that he wants; and +his gains are always spent upon objects of charity or piety. He is never +without Bibles or pious books, which he bestows, in free gift, where he +thinks they may be of use; he has only particular houses where he stops, +and he is always a welcome guest, superseding the goodman of the house, +for the time, in the Christian office of a teacher. The most pleasing +and edifying evenings I have ever spent were with him. When he is in +Haddington, Widow Craig's is his home; and, although we are two of a +trade, happy am I when we meet. You shall judge for yourself. His +history is a most singular one, and nothing gives him more pleasure than +to relate it. Let him speak for himself." + +We quickened our pace, and soon overtook him. He was a man, to all +appearance, above sixty years of age; his hair was white as snow, with a +shade of care at times upon his regular features, that flitted off, and +was succeeded by a gleam of internal satisfaction. The smoothness of his +brow, and the fulness of his features, bore an unusual contrast to the +whiteness of his locks, the appearance of age and youth being strangely +combined, while his whole appearance was winning in the extreme. When we +came up to him, Bill said-- + +"Simon, I am happy to have met you; how come you on?" + +"Far beyond my deserts," said he. "How are you? and how did you leave my +worthy friend the widow?" + +"In good health," said Bill; "I thank you. I have been just talking of +you to my friend Square here, who would feel obliged were you to give +him an outline of your strange history, as we walk on to York." + +"Certainly, Bill, certainly; it may be of use to him. He is a new +beginner in his present craft, as I was when the events happened that I +am going to relate. + +"The changes that occur both in nations and families," said Simon, "are +soon felt by the individuals. Lawsuits and bad management had reduced +the once extensive patrimony of our family to a small farm. At my +grandfather's death, my father, who had married, as his father thought, +far beneath him, had three sons. My oldest brother, before he succeeded, +went to Holland, having got a commission in the Scottish brigade; the +second attended the farm, at which I assisted until I was about +eighteen. I grew weary of farming, and resolved to become a merchant. I +was induced to this by the success of several who had left our +neighbourhood, done well after a few years' travel as packmen, and were +then settled in various towns, and prosperous. It was in the beginning +of May, as soon as the weather became settled, that I left the +neighbourhood of Annan, with a few pounds, on my way to Dumfries, and +thence to Edinburgh; my object being to furnish my pack. I had a +relation of my mother's, a wholesale merchant, in the first town, who +had promised to do all in his power for me, as far as advice and a few +articles would go. Cheerful and full of hope, I strode along, till, +within about two miles from Dumfries, I overtook a young and interesting +female, accompanied by a young man. We entered into conversation as we +walked along. She appeared sad, and often sighed; while he was taciturn, +and appeared to avoid conversation. When within a few hundred yards of +the town, they stopped behind for a minute or so, and then, the man +leaving her, she overtook me, and we entered the town together. I +learned from her that she was on her way to Edinburgh, and, having a +brother married in Dumfries, she was going to his house for some +articles belonging to her, and her fellow-traveller was to meet her +there. + +"Anxious to commence my new mode of life, I had soon completed my +business with my friend. He was standing at the door when I came up with +the young woman, and, laughing, inquired if she was my sweetheart or +wife. In the course of two or three hours, I was again upon the road +towards Moffat, on my way to Edinburgh, with my light pack upon my back, +as happy as a king. As I passed the side of a young plantation that +skirted the road, a few miles from Dumfries, I saw, lying on the side of +the way, a small bundle, tied in a silk handkerchief. I immediately +picked it up; and, after standing a few minutes, and looking around to +see if any one was in sight who might have dropped it, I called aloud, +but there was no answer. I continued my pace, rejoicing in my good +fortune. At about a quarter-of-a-mile from the spot, there was a +public-house, into which I entered, for a little refreshment, and to +inquire if they would purchase anything I could supply them. I placed +the bundle I had picked up and my pack upon the table, got what I asked +for, and then inquired if they would purchase. During my stay, two +farm-servants came in; and, when I was about to depart, they, seeing me +lift the bundle from the table, inquired if it was my own. I hesitated +for a moment, and, unfortunately, said that it was. They looked at each +other; no more passed, and I resumed my journey towards Moffat, which I +was anxious to reach before nightfall. I accomplished it; and, stopping +at a cheap lodging-house, had an early supper, and went soon to bed, +weary with my day's walk. + +"Scarce had I fallen asleep, when I was aroused by a loud knocking at +the door, and the sound of many voices. Before I was fully awake, I was +seized in my bed, and my hands bound tightly together. My terror became +extreme--I shook in every limb. In vain I strove to speak, and inquire +what all this meant. I could only see that every eye was bent on me with +an expression of horror and rage. My clothes were searched, and then +forced upon me. I was not allowed to assist myself--my hands were +unbound to get on my coat; but a man held each arm while another pulled. +They seemed afraid I would do something desperate, and were as coarse +and cautious as if I had been a ferocious animal; yet I was passive from +excess of fear; and, although numbers were speaking, I was in such a +state that I could not collect the purport of their conversation. +Execrations sounded in my ears above the confusion of voices, and the +first sentence I made out was spoken by my landlady:--'Oh, the +bloody-minded young wretch!' she cried. 'Who would have thought it, to +look at him? But I hope they will hang him as high as Haman. And, after +all, to come into a lone widow's house to bring disgrace on it. Take him +away, sirs, as quick as you can, or I shall be an undone woman, and my +character entirely lost.' + +"Astonished at what the woman said, I inquired what offence I had +committed--or where. O God! what was my horror to learn that I was +charged with murder!--that the bundle in my possession had been the +property of the victim of some ruthless villain--and that I was taken +for him! In vain I protested my innocence. The two men were present to +whom I had said, when they inquired, that the bundle was my own. I was +thus, by my own confession--if not a murderer--a convicted liar. No one, +for a moment, thought me innocent. So strong was their conviction of my +guilt, that had the laws not deterred them, they would have rejoiced to +have put me to death on the spot. Even this would have been kindness, in +a worldly sense, to what I was doomed to suffer. + +"It was nearly eleven o'clock at night, but clear and bright; the moon +was nearly full; the air a little sharp, but not cold, when I was +placed, bound hand and foot, in a cart, and accompanied by the two men +and two officers. I thought my heart would have burst. I opened not my +mouth to speak in answer to their questions, cruel taunts, and +upbraidings. I saw I was an object of horror and loathing to them--and +deservedly so, had I been the guilty creature they had cause to think +me. I passed the melancholy time we were upon the road in tears, and +prayers that my innocence might be made manifest; but I knew not yet the +extent of my misery. At length the cart stopped at the door of the +public-house; my feet were loosened, and I was desired to come down, and +enter the same room where I had been in the afternoon. A crowd of +horrorstricken people were huddled round the fireplace. In the wooden +bed lay an object, covered with a white sheet, resembling a human body. +I had never seen a corpse laid out in my life; yet the idea rushed upon +my mind that this was one; and my blood curdled in my veins, as the +conviction came over me that it was one that had met its fate by +violence. I trembled, while the large drops of sweat stood upon my brow. +All eyes were turned to me; a grim smile of malicious satisfaction was +on the faces of some, while horror and pity were equally strongly marked +upon the countenances of others. My natural feelings were, to all +present, a sure indication of my guilt. I would have sunk to the ground +had not the two men supported me. My head fell upon my breast. I +requested a little water, in a voice scarcely audible. It was given me, +and the sickness went off. One of the officers then, taking a lamp, went +to the bed, and removed the sheet from the body. My eyes involuntarily +followed him; a cry of horror escaped my lips; and I felt my muscles +become rigid. Before me lay the body of the female I had parted with in +health early in the forenoon, at the shop-door of my relation, +shockingly mangled, her long fair hair clotted with blood, and her mild +blue eyes, that had smiled upon me, dulled by the shade of death. I +could only groan. My sufferings at this sight were beyond utterance. All +in the room moved to the bed, and placed their hands upon the bosom of +the dead, and protested their innocence. I was ordered to do the same; +but I could not summon resolution to touch the body. My whole nature +revolted from the contact. + +"'I am innocent!' I cried; 'God knows I am innocent! I know nothing of +this foul murder. Ask me to cut off my hand, or place it in the burning +fire, among the live coals; but ask me not to touch that bloody body, +for pity's sake!' + +"My appeals were vain; they only served to confirm the prepossessions of +my hearers that I was guilty. As I stood, shrinking from the fearful +object as far as those who held me would permit, a cry arose that I was +the murderer beyond a doubt, and that I should be compelled to touch the +body. One of the officers seized my hand; those who held me pushed me +towards the bed; I struggled in vain; my hand was held fast as I was +forced along; and the consequence was, that it came with force upon the +chest of the murdered victim, when a gurgling sound issued from the +gaping wound. I became insensible. + +"When my faculties returned, it was the grey of the morning. We were +entering the town of Dumfries; I in the cart, and the murdered body by +my side. I was lodged in the jail--a criminal already condemned in the +eyes of my fellow-men. Even the felons and debtors in prison avoided my +society. At my examination before the sheriff, I trembled at the array +of circumstantial evidence that was brought against me. My own relation +admitted that he had seen us together at his shop-door. The young woman +had gone from thence to her brother's, and staid only a short +time--telling them she was on her way to Edinburgh, and was to meet a +young man, who was to accompany her there. She had been seen by the two +men lingering upon the Moffat road, near the planting, a short time +before, with the same bundle in her hand that I had said was mine when +they saw me in the public-house with it in my possession. They had +thought it strange, but paid no attention until the body of the young +woman was discovered in the wood a few hours after, and still warm. I +had been pursued, and the property proved to belong to the victim of my +cruelty. My terror at being apprehended, and my refusal to touch the +dead body, all militated against me. I was fully committed as the +murderer, without hope of escape, innocent as I was of the crime. To +this damning evidence, all I had to advance was my unheeded assertion of +my innocence. + +"From the beginning of May until the month of September I lay in jail--a +stranger to comfort of any kind. Every anguish was mine, except remorse. +I was looked upon by all, except my parents, as the most hardened +villain on earth. No one doubted my guilt, except my parents; and it was +only their parental feelings that made them doubt and pray that, if +innocent, the really guilty might be discovered. I will not attempt to +describe the scenes between me and my parents. They both wished that the +grave might hide their shame before the fatal day of the execution of +their son; for all chance of proving my innocence seemed out of the +question. The worthy minister that visited the jail firmly believed in +my guilt; to all my solemn asseverations of innocence, he only replied +by holding forth on the dangers of hardened crime, with earnest +exhortations for me to confess and make atonement as far as was in my +power. He would for hours lay before me the horrors of appearing before +my Maker with a lie in my mouth. My pride was wounded by the good man's +well-meant efforts. I began to avoid him as much as possible; and, when +I could not, I was silent and sullen. This, also, was held to be a sure +token of my guilt. Alas! I was not hardened; but I was heart-broken. My +Bible was my only companion--my soother and support; for I found no +threat there but against the wicked. Its Author was the searcher of +hearts. In it I found I was really guilty of many crimes which my +fellow-men thought nothing of; but there I also found a Saviour and +Mediator. My mind became humbled and composed; and, while I still +solemnly asserted my innocence of the murder, I did it with temper and +meekness. + +"'Worthy sir,' I said to the clergyman, 'appearances have deceived you. +If it is the will of God that the innocent should suffer, for some wise +purpose, his will be done. If it is not so, my guiltlessness of blood +will be made evident in this world--at least I shall be declared +innocent on that great day when all shall render their account--in this +matter, innocent, save of the guilty falsehood I stated, that the +unfortunate female's bundle was my own. Alas! I wished not to keep the +property from the rightful owner. My thought at the time was, that, if I +owned that I had found it, they would take it from me, or make a +disturbance about it. Had they only said a few words more, I had told +the truth; and thus, probably, have contributed to the proof of my +innocence.' + +"At length, the Lords of Justiciary entered the town. None but those who +are within the walls of a jail, awaiting their arrival, can conceive the +dread sensation of fear and hope awakened in the breasts of criminals by +the clang of the trumpets and shouting of the mob, as the pageant +proceeds through the streets. How bitter are the feelings produced by +the joyous shouts of the thoughtless people! forgetful, or heedless, of +the fates of their fellow-mortals. Next day I was led into the court, +more dead than alive. My head became giddy. Everything before me--the +crowded court, the judges, jury, and officers--became a confused mass; a +murmur as if of horror sounded in my ears from the assembled multitude; +the fatal bundle lay upon the table before me. At length all was ready; +and, the indictment having been read aloud by the clerk, the judge, in a +solemn voice, asked if I was guilty or not. After a gasp or two for +breath-- + +"'O my lord!' I said, 'I am as guiltless of this crime as the unborn +babe. Have mercy on me!' And I sank upon the table before me, +overpowered. + +"The public prosecutor then opened the case, and harrowed up my soul +with the fearful account of the diabolical deed. He almost persuaded me +I was the murderer; so clearly did he reason from appearances. The +witnesses were called; a chain of circumstantial evidence was made out; +all that was awanting in it was, that I had not been seen to do the +deed. Witnesses I had not one. Those whom I could have called could have +said nothing but what they had already said, and it was wrested to my +disadvantage by my own story; for I was a self-convicted liar, and +little better than a thief, in my attempt to appropriate what was not my +own--even in the most favourable construction my able counsel could put +upon my case. The jury, without leaving their box, pronounced me guilty, +without a dissentient voice. The judge put on the fearful black hat upon +his head; and, after a heart-harrowing speech upon my guilt, pronounced +sentence of death upon me. I was to be taken back to the jail, and from +thence to the spot where the murder had been committed, and hung in +chains on the second market-day in October. How I was removed from the +court I cannot tell; neither can I tell what intervened for some hours. +The last thing strongly impressed upon my memory is a burst of +satisfaction in the court, when the sentence was passed upon me, and the +hooting of the crowd without; yet, strange to say, I slept soundly after +the irons were riveted upon my ankles, and awoke to find my doom fixed, +and my days on earth numbered. I became, in a manner, resigned to my +fate. Indeed, save for my parents, I had no other regret in leaving the +world; yet, at times, an anxious wish would steal upon my mind that I +might be saved from my unmerited death. It was the shuddering of nature +at entering upon eternity. The hope never left me that my innocence +would, at one time or another, sooner or later, be made manifest to my +fellow-men--for murder will not hide, nor innocent blood cry from the +earth in vain. The hours flew past with fearful rapidity; the +neighbouring clock seemed never to cease to strike the hour. Night +followed day, and day night, as if there was no interval between; yet +there was a heaviness upon me that bowed me down. My last Sabbath on +earth arrived; the day was spent in devotion--my heart-broken parents, +who now were convinced of my innocence, pouring out their souls with +mine to the Throne of Grace. If ever there was on earth a foretaste of +the joys of heaven, I felt it that day in the condemned cell, loaded +with irons. We had taken farewell of each other, in the full assurance +of soon meeting where there is no sorrow or shame. The bitterness of +death was past. My thoughts were no longer of this world. + +"The Monday passed on. There was but one whole day more for me on the +earth. Wednesday was to be my last. On the morning of Tuesday, as soon +as the jail was opened, my brother, who had always thought hardly of me, +and visited me only twice, rushed into my cell, and, weeping, fell upon +my bosom. After a few minutes, he sobbed-- + +"'My brother! Simon, my brother! can you forgive me for thinking so +hardly of you?' + +"'My brother,' I replied, 'I have ever thought of you in grief and pity, +never in anger. My heart blesses you for this kindness.' + +"'You are innocent, my own Simon! You are cleared of this crime. All is +made manifest. The worthy minister is at present with the provost, who +will write to the sheriff to delay the fatal day, until your pardon +come.' + +"I heard no more: a faintness came over me; my heart ceased to beat, and +all consciousness left me for some time. When I recovered, we fell upon +our knees, and poured out our souls in thanksgivings. At that time I +dedicated the whole remainder of my days to the service of that merciful +God who had made clear my innocence, and spared my parents and friends +from shame. + +"When we had become composed, I learned from him the wonderful manner in +which my innocence had been discovered, and the guilty punished by the +hand of the sufferer's own brother. She had resided in the parish of +Caerlaverock, with a brother, a widower, as his housekeeper, for some +years; and it had been understood that she was soon to marry a young +man, a stranger, who had come some years before into the parish. He was +on intimate terms with her brother; but her other friends did not +approve of the connection, as his character was none of the best. Her +brother was of a thoughtless, jovial disposition, and saw no harm in +him, for he was an excellent boon-companion, and they were thus +inseparable on all occasions of festivity. On the Saturday afternoon +before the day appointed for my execution, they had gone out with their +guns to shoot for amusement. Both had been drinking pretty hard; and it +was observed that the stranger had for some time almost entirely given +himself up to intoxication, especially since the death of Grace, his +sweetheart. This was attributed to his grief, and begat pity for him, +and no one was more assiduous in endeavouring to cheer his gloom than +her brother. After their search for game, they were returning to the +village, when, by some accident, the gun which Grace's brother carried +went off, and lodged its contents in the body of his companion, who +fell, dreadfully wounded. A surgeon was sent for, who gave little hopes +of his recovery. No blame could be attached to his companion, as the +accident was seen by several, and the grief of Grace's brother was +excessive. On the Sabbath, the stranger was much worse. His mind seemed +to suffer more than his body; and words of fearful import escaped from +him at intervals, which harrowed up the souls of those who attended him. +Cries of despair, mixed with horrid imprecations, burst from his lips. +Yet death evidently was approaching fast to seize his victim. When they +spoke of sending for the minister to pray with and console him, he +blasphemed, and thus spent he his last Sabbath on earth. Through the +night he fell into a troubled sleep, and began to mutter. Gradually his +words became more distinct. He talked of Grace, and recounted her murder +as he had perpetrated it; writhed in remorse, and called for mercy from +my injured spirit, as if I had already suffered. As soon as the morning +dawned, the minister was sent for, and what the guilty man had said in +his sleep recounted to him. He was now very low; the hand of death was +on him; and, for some time, he was deaf to the remonstrances of the +divine. But at length he confessed all; told that they would find the +knife with which he had done the fearful crime buried at the back of the +cottage where he lay. All was written down by the minister. The knife +was found, stained with the blood of his victim. I was now as much the +object of pity as I had been of hatred and horror. That day my irons +were struck off; I had the freedom of the jail until my pardon arrived, +and was visited by numbers of the inhabitants, who loaded me with +presents. But my feelings of gratitude were principally awakened on my +parents' account, for the joy it imparted to them. Many, many years have +passed since that event, but it is ever present with me, and spurs me on +in my labours of love, in comforting and winning souls to God." + +So deeply had I been interested in the narrative of the Pious Pedlar, +that we had reached York, and stood at the door of the Duke of +Marlborough public-house, before I was aware of the distance we had +walked after he commenced. As this was the house where Bill and a number +of others in his line were in the habit of staying during the time they +were in the town, we entered, and found two or three, who, like +ourselves, had come to purchase goods. I was astonished at the haughty +manner in which they returned our salutation. The landlord, who seemed +to know all his guests well, received William and Simon with a hearty +welcome; and, shaking me by the hand, wished me success in my new +calling, expressing his hope that I would find everything in the +Marlborough to my liking. We were then ushered into a small room, where +dinner was to be served to us. When we were comfortably seated, I +remarked to Bill the impression the lofty bearing of the others had made +upon me, and inquired if he knew the cause. He laughed-- + +"Quite well," said he; "there is an aristocracy among pedlars as well as +other callings. They belong to the waggoners, and would think it a +degradation to associate with us bearers. We are a grade beneath them; +besides, the waggoners are, for the most part, gentlemen by birth--the +younger cadets of decayed houses of long standing. With a little capital +to commence with, they never dealt in small quantities, their line lying +in supplying the retailers in distant towns, and many of them are very +wealthy. Upon my return from London, when I have purchased my horse and +waggon, I will be entitled to rank with them, but will never be treated +as the equal of those who have both birth and waggons; nevertheless, I +will be a waggoner until I commence business in my own shop, when I will +be a grade higher than even waggoner; and, with economy and my usual +perseverance, I may be a bailie, or even provost, of the town I settle +in. Only think of that, John Square! Stick to your present occupation, +and, without trusting the stormy ocean, you may, by following my +counsel, succeed as well as I or any one." + +"My young friend," said the pious Simon, "all these are good in +subjection; but a higher aim ought to be your guide through life; for +all these give not peace to the soul." + +While he spoke, we were joined by other two of our own rank, to whom my +two companions were barely civil, and very distant. Both were well +advanced in years, with a forward cast of countenance and a look of low +cunning strangely blended, which they endeavoured to make pass for +frankness. Having settled our small bill, and left our packs in charge +of the landlord, I walked out to see the minster, they to transact some +business of their own. + +I returned when the shades of evening fell, and found that Wilson and +Simon had arrived some time before me, and were seated by themselves. +There were several others in the room in general conversation, in which +we took no part. The two whom I had left before I went out were still in +the same position, evidently under the influence of liquor. They were +clearly unwelcome; their conversation was only calculated to beget +disgust in well-regulated minds, consisting of anecdotes of fraud and +imposition, of which they seemed proud of being the heroes. + +"These two," said Simon to me, "are a specimen of those who bring +disrepute upon any callings, and much more so on ours. They are not +without talents, but they cultivate them to unprofitable ends. I have +known them for many years; and, with all their boasted cunning, they +are, I believe, poorer at this moment than they were when I first knew +them, and must still become poorer, for their character is gone. The +public fear to deal with them, and will not do it, even when they would +act honestly. They are forced to range far, to places where they are +unknown; and even there they are every year circumscribing and planting +thorns for others to walk over. They, besides, are ever under the fear +of injury from some one or other whom they have defrauded. Such are the +fruits of dishonest dealing." + +All our business being transacted, it was agreed that we should continue +our route for London, to purchase silks and light goods, and return by +the same route to Scotland. William having purchased a small waggon and +horse, together with a small assortment of woollens, my stock remained +much the same, and was slung over my shoulder, save when, for ease, and +there were no houses on the road, I placed it in the waggon; for I was +weary of my pedlar's life, and only endured it until I should reach +London. We arrived at Hatfield, about twenty-five miles from London, +early in the afternoon, and resolved to stay for the night, as Wilson +had hopes of doing some good in the neighbourhood. As for me, I had +ceased, much to his chagrin, to attempt any sales, as my pack was now +much reduced. While he was gone, I sat at the inn-door, amusing myself +in the best manner I could--sometimes musing on my strange fate, at +others gazing listlessly upon the passers-by--when a post-chaise drove +up to the door at a furious rate. The horses were extremely blown, and +covered with perspiration. A gentleman and lady descended from the +chaise; she evidently was under restraint, and looked anxiously and +fearfully around. Our eyes met; I thought she gave her hand that was +disengaged a movement, as if she wished me to come to her. She was in +tears. I rose, and moved to approach, but she was hurried into the house +before I could advance; for I was in doubt--yet her look expressed what +her hand signalled. I thought it strange, for a moment; but this feeling +died away, for I might have been deceived. The gentleman came to the +door, to hurry the people, as they were rather slow, as he thought, in +procuring fresh horses. I good-naturedly went to assist the postilion. +As I stood before the chaise, I looked up to one of the windows, and saw +the female weeping at it. Our eyes again met; she clasped her hands +imploringly, and, taking a small packet, placed it behind the +window-shutter, and, raising her clasped hands to heaven, looked +earnestly at me. I gave a nod of assent. She retired from the window. +All this had passed quickly as a shadow. In a few minutes they were +again in the chaise. As it passed off, I again gave a nod, and a languid +smile passed over her face. I entered the house, and inquired of the +landlord who they were; but got no information, as he said they were +unknown to him. I requested to have a glass of brandy-and-water in the +room where the lady had been. As soon as it was brought, and he had +retired, I looked behind the window-shutter, and, taking out the parcel, +found it to contain a sum of money and a sealed letter, upon the inside +of the wrapper of which was written in pencil--"Benevolent stranger, +whoever you are, for mercy's sake and all that is dear to you, deliver +this as directed, with your utmost despatch, and snatch a +fellow-creature from misery. Let this supply your immediate wants, and +an ample reward shall follow. Use all despatch, I again implore you." + +I was for a few minutes lost in amazement. The letter was addressed to +Captain James H----, Strand, London. Could this be my old patron and +captain? There was not one moment to lose. I descended to the bar, and +told the landlord I must set off for London immediately, and requested +his advice how I was to proceed. He told me I must make the journey on +horseback, as he had not another pair of horses. I told him that was +impossible, as I had never been on horseback in my life, and I could +walk it faster and with more ease than I could ride. I would walk on to +Barnet before dark, and get a chaise there if I could find none sooner. +As I was on the eve of setting off, he found means to procure an old +phęton; and, while it was getting ready, I wrote to Wilson that +circumstances forced me to London, but that I would perhaps see him in +the morning. At all events, I made him heartily welcome to my pack, as I +meant to carry it no more, wishing him health and prosperity if we +should not meet. + +I mounted the high-hung, crazy vehicle, with a lad to drive and bring it +back, having satisfied mine host to his utmost wish. By half-past ten +o'clock, I reached the jeweller's in the Strand, whose first floor +Captain H----occupied, and found him at home. His lady was also present. +His surprise was great at my entering. Our joy was mutual, and only +damped by my relating the strange manner in which I had again had the +pleasure of seeing him. He broke the letter open, and having hastily +perused it, turned to his wife, who sat pale and anxiously looking at +him--"My love, I must be off this instant, and endeavour to rescue +Catherine from her unpleasant thraldom. Do not be alarmed--there is no +danger. During the time I am getting all ready, you may peruse the +letter." Saying this, he rung the bell, and ordered his servant to +procure a post-chaise as quickly as he could, and send in refreshments +for me. Mrs H---- was dissolved in tears, as she had read the letter to +an end. When we were again alone, "James," said she, "this proceeding of +Master Wilton is very cruel to my cousin; although he is her guardian, +he has, I should think, no right to wound her feelings, and hurry her +about the country in this mysterious manner. I am fearful he has some +reason he is ashamed to confess. My dear James, be careful of yourself +for my sake; I shall be miserable until your return." + +"There is not the smallest occasion, my love; I shall write you as soon +as I arrive at Mr Wilton's. In the morning, you must write a note to Mr +Stenton, to call upon you. Show him your cousin's letter, and order him +to take what steps he may judge necessary in this affair." + +"Can it be possible," said she, "that my aunt approves of this +proceeding? He could not have removed Catherine without her consent." + +"I shall soon know, my love. The dear girl must not be allowed to suffer +from their designs or caprice." + +At this moment the chaise was announced to be at the door, and in a +short time we were in it, and rattling along towards Barnet, where we +changed horses, and were in Hatfield a little after daybreak. During our +dark and comfortless ride, I told him all that had befallen me since we +parted in Lisbon. He had only been in London a few months, where he had +come upon business--an uncle of his wife's having died some time before, +leaving the bulk of his fortune to his two nieces--Catherine, the young +lady whose letter I had brought to London, and his wife. To Catherine, +his favourite sister's daughter, he had left, besides an equal sum in +cash, all his landed and other property. Mr Wilton's sister, the aunt of +both, was a rich widow, but of a morose and finical temper. Catherine +had been brought up by her some fifty miles from London, and Mr H---- +had no idea until my arrival that she had not been still with her. "I +hope there is no foolish love affair in this strange business," said he; +"for Catherine is a warmhearted, susceptible girl. Her father was our +countryman, and my intimate friend." + +As Mr Wilton's property lay near Baldock, about eighteen miles distant, +and no post-horses were to be got, the captain, on horseback, set off +alone; I was to follow on foot, which I preferred, to Stevenage, where I +was to wait until I heard from him. After a hasty parting from my +fellow-traveller Wilson, which was not without regret on both sides, I +set off for Stevenage; he saying, as he shook my hand-- + +"John Square, I hope you will never want, but you will never be rich. +You are as unstable as water." + +I had only been in the inn at Stevenage a short time, when a servant +arrived with a note, informing me that Captain H---- had got all +arranged to his satisfaction, and would return to London on the +following day, requesting me to hasten thither with a letter for Mrs +H----; which I did, and took lodgings for myself in Lower Thames Street. +When the captain and I again met, I found present the young lady and +another gentleman. I was most graciously received by all. The uncle of +Catherine was likewise present, and, turning to his niece, said-- + +"So this is the messenger you contrived to engage, strictly as I watched +you in this foolish affair. I see that a woman's invention, like her +love, has no bounds"--saying which, he good-humouredly patted the happy +and blushing Catherine under the chin. + +The captain retired with me to a separate room, where he told me that +the whole had arisen out of the anger of his wife's aunt, who had set +her heart upon marrying her niece to a young clergyman of her +neighbourhood, for whom she had not the smallest regard, and whose +assiduities were hateful to her, as her heart was already engaged to Mr +Stenton, a distant relation of her own; but, as his circumstances were +not sufficiently prosperous to enable them to marry, she had concealed +their love from all but Mrs H----. + +"The death of her uncle, and my arrival in London, altered her views. +She rebelled against her aunt's authority, and refused to see the +clergyman as a lover. This threw the old lady into a paroxysm of rage. +Poor Catherine was locked up, and, all her repositories being searched, +Mr Stenton's letters were found. They were immediately sealed up, and a +letter written to Mr Wilton, her brother, of the most alarming kind for +the safety of his now wealthy niece, representing that she meant to +throw herself and fortune away upon some peasant in the neighbourhood. +He had posted, on receipt of the packet, to his sister, when his fears +were further excited by the old lady's conjectures. Catherine was +unconscious of what had passed, until she was summoned to the presence +of her uncle, whom she had seldom before seen. He is a good-hearted, but +a positive, irascible man. No explanation was asked. When all appeared +so plain against the trembling girl, she was, by her uncle and aunt, +hurried into a post-chaise, and was on her way to Mr Wilton's. She had +contrived to write to me during the short time she was allowed to +prepare for the journey, but had no opportunity until, struck by your +manners, she resolved to shorten her confinement by trusting you, as her +uncle's anger was so great that he had scarce spoken to her since they +entered the chaise, but to threaten and abuse her. When I arrived, an +explanation and reconciliation had taken place, and the marriage will +follow in a few weeks. It only remains for you to consider in what +manner we can serve you." + +I returned him my thanks for their kind intentions; and said the young +lady's purse, which I would not affront them by offering to return, was +much more than sufficient reward for all I had done; and, begging I +might not detain him longer from his friends, I bade him adieu, +promising to call in a day or two. + + + + +CHARLES LAWSON. + + +"Tak a faither's advice, Betty, my woman," said Andrew Weir to his only +daughter--"tak a faither's advice, and avoid gaun blindfolded to your +ruin. Ye are sune aneugh to marry these seven years yet. Marry! preserve +us! for I dinna ken what the generation is turning to, but I'll declare +bits o' lasses now-a-days haena the dolls weel oot o' their arms, till +they tak a guidman by the hand. But aboon everything earthly, I wad +impress it upon ye, bairn, that ye canna be owre carefu o' your company; +mind that a character is a' a woman has to carry her through the warld, +and ye should guard it like the apple o' your e'e; and remember, that +folk are aye judged o' frae the company they keep. Now, how often maun I +warn ye no to be seen wi' Charles Lawson? He's a clever lad, nae +doubt--naebody denies that; but, oh, Betty, Betty, woman! wad ye only +reflect that a' gifts are no graces; and I am far mistaen if he hasna a +serpent's heart as weel as his tongue. He has naething o' the fear o' +God before his een--ye canna deny that. In ae word, he is a wild, +thoughtless ne'er-do-weel; and I charge ye--I command ye--Betty, that ye +ne'er speak to him again in your born days; or, if ye do, ye surely will +hae but little satisfaction to break your faither's heart, and bring him +to the grave wi' sorrow and wi' shame--for that, Betty, that wad be the +end o't." + +Elizabeth heard him, and bent her head upon her bosom to conceal her +confusion. The parental homily was too late--she was already the wife of +Charles Lawson. + +Having thus begun our story in the middle, it is necessary that we go +back, and inform the reader, in a few words, that Andrew Weir was a +respectable farmer on the north side of the Tweed, and withal a decent +and devout Presbyterian, and an elder in the kirk. Charles Lawson's +parents were originally from Northumberland. They had known better days, +and, at the period we have alluded to, were struggling with a hard farm +in the neighbourhood of Andrew Weir's. Charles was not exactly what his +father-in-law had described him; and, were we to express his portrait in +a line, we should say, he had blue eyes and a broad brow, a goodly form +and open heart. The ringlets which parted on Elizabeth's forehead were +like the raven's wing, and loveliness, if not beauty, nestled around the +dimples on her cheeks. Their affection for each other began in +childhood, and grew with their years, till it became strong as their +existence. + +A few weeks after Andrew Weir had delivered the advice we have quoted to +his daughter, Charles Lawson bade farewell to his parents, his wife, and +his country, and proceeded to India, where a relative of his mother's +had amassed a fortune, and who, while he refused to assist them in their +distress, had promised to make provision for their son. As we are not +writing a novel in three volumes, we shall not describe the scene of +their parting, and tell with what agony, with what tears, and with what +bitter words, Charles tore himself from his father, his mother, and his +yet unacknowledged wife. The imagination of the reader may supply the +blank. Hope urged him to go--necessity compelled him. + +After his departure, Elizabeth drooped like an early lily beneath the +influence of a returning frost. There were whisperings among the matrons +and maidens of the neigbouring village. They who had formerly courted +her society began to shun it; and even the rude clown, who lately stood +abashed in her presence, approached her with indecent familiarity. The +fatal whisper first reached Andrew's ear at a meeting of the +kirk-session, of which he was a member. He returned home troubled in +spirit, a miserable and a humbled man, for his daughter had been his +pride. Poor Elizabeth confessed that she was married, and attempted to +prove what she affirmed. But this afforded no palliation of her offence +in the eyes of her rigid and offended father. + +"Oh, what hae I been born to suffer ?" cried he, stamping his feet upon +the ground. "O, you Witch o' Endor!--you Jezebel!--you disgrace o' kith +and kin! Could naething--naething serve ye but breaking your puir auld +faither's heart? Get out o' my sicht!--get out o' my sicht!" + +He remained silent for a few moments--the parent arose in his +heart--tears gathered in his eyes. + +"But ye are still my bairn," he continued. "Oh, Betty, Betty, woman! +what hae ye brocht us to?" + +Again he was silent, and again proceeded-- + +"But I forgie ye, Betty! Yes, if naebody else will, your faither will +forgie ye for your mother's sake, for ye are a' that I hae left o' her. +But we canna haud up our heads again in this pairt o' the +country--that's impossible. I've lang thocht o' gaun to America; and now +I'm driven till't." + +He parted with his farm, and in the ensuing spring proceeded with his +daughter to Canada. We shall not enter upon his fortunes in the New +World--he was still broken in spirit; and, after twelve years' +residence, he was neither richer nor happier than when he left Scotland. +Elizabeth was now a mother, and the smiles of her young son seemed to +shorten the years of her exile; yet, ever as she returned his smile, the +thought of the husband of her youth flashed back on her remembrance, and +anguish and misery shot through her bosom as the eagle darteth on its +prey. Her heart was not broken; but it fell like a proud citadel, +burying the determined garrison. + +Charles Lawson had not been in India many months, when a party of native +troops attacking the property of his relative, Charles, who had fallen +wounded amongst them, was carried by them in their retreat into the +interior of the country, where, for several years, he was cut off from +all intercourse or communication with his countrymen. On obtaining his +liberty, he found that his kinsman had been for some time dead, and had +left him his heir. His wife--his parents--doubt--anxiety--impatient +affection--trembling hope--all hastened his return. At length the white +cliffs of Albion appeared before him, like a fair cloud spread on the +unruffled bosom of the ocean; and in a few days more the green hills of +his childhood met his anxious eye. + +It was the grey hour of a summer night as he again approached the roof +that sheltered his childhood. His horse as if conscious of supporting an +almost unconscious rider, stopped involuntarily at the threshold. He +trembled upon the saddle as a leaf that rustles in the wind. He raised +his hand to knock at the door, but again withdrew it. The inmates of the +house, aroused by the sound of a horse stopping at the door, came out to +inquire the cause. Charles gazed upon them for a moment--it was a look +of agony and disappointment--his heart gave one convulsive throb, and +the icy sweat burst from his temples. + +"Does not--does not Mr Lawson live here?" he inquired, almost gasping +for words to convey the question. + +"Mr Lawson! Na, na, sir," replied the senior of the group, "it's lang +since he gaed awa. Ye ken he gaed a' wrang, puir man, and he's no lived +here since the hard winter, for they didna come upon this parish." + +"Did not come upon this parish!" exclaimed Charles; "heaven and earth! +what do you mean?" + +"Mean! what wad I mean," answered the other, "but just that they were +removed to their ain parish! Is there ony disgrace in that?" + +"Oh, my father!--my poor mother!" cried Charles, wildly. + +"Mercy, sir!" rejoined the astonished farmer, "are ye Maister Charles? +Bairns! haste ye, tak the horse to the stable. Losh, Charles, man, and +how hae ye been? But ye dinna ken me, man; I'm your auld schulefellow, +Bob Graham, and this is my wife, Mysie Allan--ye mind o' Mysie! Haste +ye, Mysie lass, kill twa ducks, and the bairns and me will hool the +peas. Really, Charles, man, I'm sae glad to see ye!" + +During this harangue, Charles, led by his warmhearted friend, had +entered the dwelling of his nativity; where Mr Graham again continued-- + +"Ye aiblins dinna ken that auld Andrew Weir was sae sair in the dorts +when ye gaed awa, that he set aff wi' Betty for America. But I hear they +are comin hame again this back end. The bairn will be a stout callant +noo, and faith ye maun marry Betty, for she was a mensefu lass." + +Charles could only reply by exclaiming-- + +"America!--my wife!--my child!" + +Having ascertained where he would find his parents, early on the +following morning he departed, and about five in the afternoon +approached the village where he had been told they resided. When near +the little burying-ground, he stopped to look upon the most melancholy +funeral procession he had ever witnessed. The humble coffin was scarce +coloured, and they who bore it seemed tired of their burden. Three or +four aged and poor-looking people walked behind it. Scarce was it +lowered into the grave, ere all departed save one, meanly clothed in +widow's weeds, and bent rather with the load of grief than of years. She +alone lingered, weeping over the hastily-covered grave. + +"She seems poor," said Charles, "and if I cannot comfort her, I may at +least relieve her necessities;" and, fastening his horse to the gate, he +entered the churchyard. + +She held an old handkerchief before her face, only removing it at +intervals to steal a hurried glance at the new-made grave. + +"Good woman," said Charles, as he approached her, "your sorrows demand +my sympathy--could I assist you?" + +"No! no!" replied the poor widow, without raising her face; "but I thank +you for your kindness. Can the grave give up its dead?" + +"But why should you remain here?" said he, with emotion; "tell me, could +not I assist you?" And he placed a piece of money in her hand. + +"No! no!" cried the widow, bitterly, and raising her head; "oh, that +Mary Lawson should have lived to be offered charity on her husband's +grave!" + +"My mother! Gracious heaven, my mother!" exclaimed Charles, casting his +arms around her neck. + +Shall we describe the scene that followed? We will not--we cannot. He +had seen his father laid in the dust, he had met his mother on his +father's grave----But we will not go on. + +It was some weeks after this that he proceeded with his widowed mother +to his native village, to wait the return of Elizabeth. Nor had he to +wait; for, on the day previous to his return, Elizabeth, her son, and +her father, had arrived. Charles and his parent had reached Mr +Graham's--the honest farmer rushed to the door, and, hurrying both +towards the house, exclaimed-- + +"Now, see if you can find onybody that ye ken here!" + +His Elizabeth--his wife--his son--were there to meet him; the next +moment she was upon his bosom, and her child clinging by her side, and +gazing on his face. He alternately held both to his heart--the mother +and her son. Andrew Weir took his hand--his mother wept with joy, and +blessed her children. Bob Graham and his Mysie were as happy as their +guests. Charles Lawson bought the farm which Andrew Weir had formerly +tenanted; and, our informant adds, they live on it still. + + + + +BON GAULTIER'S TALES. + +MRS HUMPHREY GREENWOOD'S TEA-PARTY. + + +Mrs Humphrey Greenwood was a stirring, lively, good-natured sort of +person; had touched the meridian of her years; was mistress of a +comfortable income; and possessed, withal, the privileged vivacity of a +widow. Nobody gave nicer tea-parties than she; nobody managed to keep +such a number of eligible bachelors on her visiting-list, and +possessing, as she did, the nicest discrimination in drafting these in +among the young ladies under her patronage, what wonder if no +inconsiderable proportion of the matrimonial arrangements of her friends +deduced their origin from these dangerously-seductive sofas in her snug +little drawing-room? + +It was in that snug little drawing-room that Mr Simon Silky first saw +the future Mrs Simon; it was on one of those dangerously-seductive sofas +that he found courage to put that question which procured him a better +half, and a comfortable settlement for life for Miss Jemima Linton. + +Miss Jemima Linton was still in that fluctuating period, between girl +and womanhood, at which young ladies giggle a great deal, and seem to be +always in a flutter, when Mr Simon Silky first met her. She was fair in +complexion, with light hair and blue eyes; her face, in short, had all +the delicacy of a wax doll, and nearly as much expression. She could say +"yes, sir!" and "no, sir!" at the proper intervals in the course of a +_tźte-ą-tźte_ conversation, and, when warmed a little into familiarity +and ease, could even hazard an observation with reference to the +weather, without changing colour above twice in the course of it. In a +word, she was one of those excessively bashful and retiring young +ladies, who always look as if they thought a man was going to make +violent love to them, and who, if your conversation happen to diverge +from the beaten track of the smallest of small talk, take fright, and +are off as fast as possible to whisper to some of their companions, "La! +what a strange man that is!" + +This was the very kind of person for Mr Simon Silky, who was a bit of a +sentimentalist in his way. When he met Miss Jemima Linton, the fair +ideal on whom his fancy had often dwelt seemed to be realised. He came, +he saw, and was conquered. + +On entering Mrs Greenwood's drawing-room, one evening that he had been +invited there to meet "a few friends in an easy way," having arrived +rather late, he found the party already assembled. The fire blazed +cheerfully out upon a bevy of tittering misses, who were seated on +either side of it, whispering to each other in a timid and confidential +tone, with here and there a young man amongst them making convulsive +efforts to render himself amusing, while two or three putty-faced +juniors, with very white shirt-collars, and very brightly-polished +pumps--who had been called in to stop gaps in quadrilles, and render +themselves otherwise useful--sat in the background, for the most part +two on a chair, and speculating how many of the cakes that glistened on +the table they might appropriate to themselves with any degree of +decency. Mrs Humphrey Greenwood, the presiding divinity of this motley +gathering, vulgarly yclept a "cookie-shine," was planted behind a +brightly-burnished brass urn of liberal dimension, that hissed loudly on +the table. + +"Mr Simon," she exclaimed, advancing from her post of honour--" Mr Simon +Silky, I'm so glad to see you; I really thought you had been going to +desert us." + +Our hero blustered out some inarticulate apology, to which his hostess +of course paid no attention, but hurried on into the work of +introduction. + +"Mr Silky, Miss Silliman, Miss Gingerly, Miss Barbara Silliman, Miss +Eggemon, Miss Jemima Linton; I think you know all the rest. Mr +Scratcherd, you know Mr Silky." Mr Scratcherd grinned an assent. "Mr +Silky, Mr Slap'emup. You'll find a seat for yourself somewhere. Try if +some of the ladies will have pity, and take you in among them." + +All this time, Mr Silky was engaged in distributing a comprehensive bow +to everybody about him--an ordeal which, in any circumstances, to a +nervous man like him, was no joke. But his agitation had the finishing +touch given it by Mrs Greenwood's facetious observation as to the ladies +_taking him_ IN _among them_. The blood rushed to his temples, and he +subsided into a vacant chair, with a remark, directed to nobody in +particular, as to how very warm the room was. Attention having been once +drawn to this interesting fact, it became the topic of conversation for +some five minutes, which gave Mr Simon Silky time to cool down, and to +look about him a little. In the course of his survey, his eyes alighted +on Miss Jemima Linton, who just at that moment happened to be +scrutinising his outward man. Their eyes met; a glance of quick +intelligence passed between them. The lady lowered hers, blushing up to +them as she did so; and the enraptured Simon muttered to himself, "What +charming confusion!" He felt a novel sensation gathering about his +heart. Could it be love? At first sight, too. Many deny it, but we say +that all genuine love is at first sight. + + "He never loved, who loved not at first sight." + +Mr Simon Silky was a reader of the Beauties of Shakspere. This line took +possession of his head, and he mused and looked, looked and mused, till +he was roused from his reverie by Mrs Greenwood calling upon him to +assist in handing round the "cups which cheer but not inebriate." He +started up, with a very vague notion of what he was to be about, and +grasping a tea-cup, which his hostess informed him was Miss Jemima +Linton's, in one hand, and a plate of cheesecakes in the other, he +stumbled up to the lady, and consigning the cakes to her outstretched +hand, held out the tea-cup to Miss Eggemon, who sat next, inquiring if +she would please to be helped to a little cake. Miss Eggemon tittered, +and exclaimed, + +"Well, I never!" + +"Gracious! the like of that, you know!" simpered Miss Silliman, burying +her face in Miss Eggemon's neck. + +"How very absurd!" sneered Miss Gingerly, who was verging to +old-maidishness, and had a temper in which vinegar was the principal +ingredient. + +"Bless me, Mr Silky! what _are_ you about?" cried Mrs Greenwood. + +"Oh--why--yes--no--I see--beg pardon--dear me!" stammered poor Silky, +reddening like an enraged turkey-cock, as he handed Miss Linton the cup, +out of which the greater part of its contents had by this time been +shaken and seizing the dish of cakes with a sudden jerk, deposited +one-half of them in the lady's lap, and the other half on the carpet. + +"Tell me, where is fancy bre_a_d?" said Mr Horatio Slap'emup, who was a +wit in his own small way, pointing to the cakes, which our hero was +endeavouring to bring together again from the different corners into +which they had wandered. A general laugh greeted him on every side as he +rose from his knees covered with confusion. He looked at the fair Jemima +as he did so. There was not the vestige of a smile on her face. "Good +kind soul! _she_ does not join in the vulgar mirth of these unfeeling +creatures!" thought the unhappy Silky. "She pities me, and pity is akin +to love." It did not strike him that there might be another reason for +her gravity. The spilled tea and greasy cheesecake had spoiled her white +muslin dress irremediably, for that night at least--a circumstance +calculated certainly to make any young lady melancholy enough; but this +never entered the brain of Mr Simon Silky. Happy man! + + "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." + +With some difficulty he regained his chair, after stumbling over a +footstool, and crushing the tail of a King Charles cocker, that was +snorting on the hearthrug in all the offensiveness of canine obesity. +His distress was at its climax. + + "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions," + +thought he, recurring once more to the Beauties of Shakspere. His ears +felt as if they had been newly scalded, and objects floated in hazy +confusion before his eyes. He commenced sipping his tea with desperate +energy, wishing for a moment that it had been so much prussic acid. The +patter of many voices sounded in his ears. They must be talking of him, +"for they laughed consumedly;" and that confounded Slap'emup was +obviously getting up a reputation for wit by cutting minute jokes at his +expense. + +"You've been at the Exhibition, Mr Silky," said Mrs Greenwood, recalling +him from the state of mental imbecility into which he was fast sinking. + +"The Exhibition, you said, ma'am! Yes, yes, certainly, the Exhibition. +Oh yes!" rejoined Mr Silky, struggling to concentrate his scattered +faculties. + +"Well, what is your opinion about the portrait?" continued his hostess. + +"Portrait, really--which of them--there's so many?" + +"Why, Mr Silky, what _has_ come over you to-night? The ladies have been +like to pull each other to pieces, for the last five minutes, about the +portrait of an officer a little to the left of the door of the first +room; and, I declare, you have not heard a word that has been going. +Pretty doings, Mr Simon; and who, may I ask, is the happy lady that so +engrosses your thoughts?" + +"Oh, Mrs. Greenwood!" + +"Well, well, then, if it's a secret, I won't press it! But what is your +opinion of the portrait? Miss Barbara Silliman here maintains it is +beauty in the abstract." + +"Oh he's quite a love of a man!" broke in Miss Barbara, in a rapture of +affectation; whereat Miss Gingerly appeared mightily shocked, and pursed +up her mouth till it looked like a parched apple. + +"But Miss Linton, on the contrary, says she thinks it rather plain for a +military man. Now, we want your decision on this knotty point." + +"Oh, why, really--a portrait of an officer, I think you said. Fair +complexion, flaxen ringlets, and light blue eyes--beautiful, indeed! +That is to say--I don't know; but"--and here poor Silky looked +hopelessly about for an idea--"upon the whole, I think I declare for +Miss Linton." + +"Well, really, Mr Simon, that _is_ coming to the point. Jemima, my dear, +do you hear what Mr Silky says? Declares for you already! Upon my word, +a fair proposal!" said Mrs Greenwood, catching up the allusion, and +looking excessively matronly and significant. + +"Fair complexion, flaxen ringlets, light blue eyes!" broke in Miss +Barbara Silliman, with that delicate spitefulness to which young ladies +are subject, when they suspect any of their rivals of having produced an +impression on one of the male creatures. "A pretty officer, indeed! It's +you, Miss Linton, that Mr Silky means. Quite a conquest, I declare." +Having said this for the benefit of the company, she murmured to +herself, "I wonder at the man's taste. A gawky minx!" + +If Mr Silky felt uncomfortable before, he was now reduced to the lowest +pitch of personal misery. He tried to smile, as if he took the thing as +a good joke; but the contortions of his visage were galvanic. Everybody, +he was sure, was looking at him, and he stammered out some inarticulate +words, by way of extricating himself from his awkward position. What +they were he knew not; but they only seemed to have made matters worse; +for another titter ran round the circle, and showers of badinage +assailed him on every side. Mr Simon Silky began to speculate whether +sitting on the points of a score of red-hot toasting-forks could be +worse than his present torment. + +He was pursuing this agreeable train of reflection, when the removal of +the table to a corner of the room, and a general commotion, occasioned +by the pushing back of sofas, and the laying away of chairs, made him +aware that dancing was about to commence. The men, as they always do on +these occasions, clustered together near the door, pulling on +gloves--such of them as had them--and talking very thick and fast about +nothing at all. + +"Miss Gingerly, may I ask you to give the young folks a set of +quadrilles?" inquired Mrs Greenwood. + +"Certainly--with a great deal of pleasure," coldly responded Miss +Gingerly, blowing her nose with the end of her pocket-handkerchief, +which she extracted partially from her black satin bag for the purpose, +and feeling particularly venomous at being cut out of the dance, and her +very, very faint chance of captivating a partner therein. + +"Oh, thank you," said Miss Eggemon, laying her hands affectionately on +Miss Gingerly's wrists. "You play quadrilles so nicely." And then +turning to Miss Jemima Linton, Miss Eggemon whispered, confidentially, +"Such a player you never heard. Not three bars in time. How provoking +Mrs Greenwood should ask her to play. Just listen; did you ever hear the +like of that?" + +Miss Gingerly had laid her black satin bag on the piano, drawn herself +up with all the frosty-faced dignity of waning maidenhood, and was +performing a prelude before commencing operations, which was chiefly +remarkable for its ingenious flights from key to key, and bewildering +accumulation of false concords. + +"Gentlemen, find partners for yourselves," said the lively Mrs +Greenwood; and the gentlemen, after looking at one another, disentangled +themselves from the knot into which they were gathered, and, shuffling +up each to the lady that pleased his fancy, solicited the honour of her +hand. The couples had taken their places, and Miss Gingerly was dashing +away into the heart of the "Highland Laddie," when it was discovered +that there was still a couple awanting. + +"Mr Silky, you dance?" said all the men at once to that gentleman, who +was sitting pensively in a corner. + +"Oh, really!" replied Silky, smiling a sickly smile, and making vague +protestations of inability. + +"Not dance!" said the vivacious Mr Slap'emup. "Fie on you!--oh, fie! And +Miss Linton looking at you there, like Eve on the eve of Paradise, as if + + 'She would be woo'd, and not unsought be won.'" + +There was nothing for it but that Silky should make up to Miss Jemima, +and lead her out to dance. This he did among the nods, and winks, and +whispers of all present; and by the time he got into his place in the +quadrille, he did not very well know which end of him was uppermost. +Away rattled Miss Gingerly at the "Highland Laddie," and away bounced +the dancers through the mazes of the figure. Dancing a quadrille is with +some people no trifling matter, and Mr Simon Silky was one of these. He +bent to it all the energies of his not over-powerful mind; and, while it +lasted, beyond a passing word or two, he had no conversation to bestow +upon his partner. It was amusing to see with what earnestness he watched +the movements of those who preceded him, and, when his own turn came, +the exhibition he made would have made a Timor grin. First, he threw out +his arms to steady himself, and then jerking forward his right foot, +brought himself suddenly into the centre of the floor, where he began +throwing his legs confusedly about, till they seemed to be involved in +hopeless entanglement. All the time he kept his eyes fixed anxiously +upon his shoe-ties. It was obviously a critical affair with him to +preserve his equipoise, and each time that he got back safely to his +place, a sigh broke from him, as if a great burden had been taken off +his mind, and he wiped the sweat away that glistered in heavy beads upon +his brow. At length the quadrille ended. Mr Silky thanked heaven; and, +leading the fair Jemima to a seat, planted himself at her side, and +manfully endeavoured to open up a conversation with her. + +Dance succeeded dance, and by degrees the elements of the party got +tolerably well interfused. Poor Miss Gingerly wrought away at her +everlasting set of Scotch quadrilles, and nobody ever volunteered to +relieve her of her task, "she played so well." At intervals some of the +young ladies quivered through a fashionable ballad, and occasionally an +attempt was made to get up one of those melancholy chants, which, by +some strange misnomer, pass current in society for glees. In these, Mr +Scratcherd, who sang bass, distinguished himself so signally, that loud +calls were made upon him for a song, and Mr Scratcherd, after a little +preliminary modesty, yielded to the call. He then began raving about an +"Old Oak Tree," and groaned up and down the scale, till his voice became +lost in the bottom of his neckcloth. Serious fears were entertained +whether he would be able to get it up again, but these happily turned +out to be unfounded. Again his voice mounted to its natural level, and +after rolling about for some time, "grating harsh discord," wore itself +out in a cadence of confused gutturals. "Bravo, bravo," cried the men. +"A very fine quality of bass," exclaimed his friend, Slap'emup, who +affected to be a judge; and Mr Scratcherd blew his nose, and fell back +in his chair in a state of great personal satisfaction. + +With a thoughtful regard for the comforts of her guests, Mrs Greenwood +had, early in the evening, thrown open her little back drawing-room, in +which were placed abundance of refreshments, to sustain them through the +fatigues of dancing and conversation. By a succession of visits to this +room, Mr Simon Silky had succeeded in giving firmness to his nerves. He +was gradually becoming less and less bashful. There must have been +something bracing about the atmosphere of the apartments, for to this, +and not to the bottle of port, to which he was observed to have frequent +recourse, must be attributed that jauntiness of step and slipshod +volubility of tongue which he now displayed. He danced every dance, and +for the most part with Miss Jemima for his partner. What though his +uncouth gestures provoked a smile, and his assiduities to the young lady +were commented on at every hand. He cared not. His spirit was in the +third heaven of exaltation, and the whole world might go hang for him. + +"Miss Linton," he exclaimed, seizing her hand fervently--they were +seated on a sofa in the back drawing-room, while the others were +labouring through a country-dance in the front--"Miss Linton, hear me +for a moment. Let me use this opportunity of stating what I have long +felt--what I now feel--what I shall always feel." And again Mr Silky +pressed her hand tenderly in both of his. + +"Oh, sir!" timidly responded the lady. + +"Yes, adorable Jemima! I can no longer repress my emotion. You see +before you a victim to your charms. The moment I beheld you, I don't +know how it was, but my heart thrilled with a transport delightful as it +was new. I felt--I felt--in short, I felt as I never felt before. My +senses forsook me, and I said and did I know not what. These soulless +creatures treated my confusion with ridicule; but, in your eyes, +methought I could read pity, compassion, commiseration, sympathy. Say, +was I right, or was I misled by the fond delusions of my own passion?" + +"Oh, sir!" again exclaimed the bewildered Jemima. + +"That look! I was not then deceived. Oh extend that pity into love! I +lay myself and my fortune at your feet." And here Mr Simon Silky slipped +off the sofa and down upon his knees, overcome partly with love and +partly with intoxication. "Dearest Jemima! say only that you will be +mine?" + +"Oh, sir!" once more sighed the blushing maiden, dropping her head upon +the shoulder of her suitor, who acknowledged the movement by snatching a +kiss from her pouting lips. + +"Ods! that came twangingly off. I'm afraid we're like to spoil sport +here," exclaimed Mr Slap'emup, who at this moment entered the room, with +Miss Gingerly on his arm. + +"Gracious! how very improper!" cried Miss Gingerly, wishing from the +depth of her soul that it had only been her own case. + +"What's improper, ma'am?" retorted Silky, turning to her a look of +drunken gravity, and endeavouring, with no little difficulty, to get on +his legs again. "If I choose to kiss this young lady, or this young lady +chooses to kiss me, that's no business of yours, I suppose? 'Have not +saints lips, and holy palmers, too?' as the divine Shakspere says; and +what are lips for, I should like to know, if not to kiss? Don't frown at +me, Miss Graveairs. I'm a man--a man, ma'am, and I shall do just as I +please. Shan't I, Jemima, dear?" + +He turned for an answer to his appeal; but the young lady had left the +room. + +"Jemima, I say," continued Silky, getting more and more overcome. He +looked around the room; and, finding no trace of the lady, began +chanting in a lackadaisical tone-- + + 'And has she then fail'd in her truth, + The beautiful maid I adore?' + +But I don't care that for her!" And he tried to snap his fingers; but +failed in the attempt. "It's an ungrateful world--a vile world." + +"Oh, gracious me! let me away," exclaimed Miss Gingerly, in alarm. "He's +certainly tipsy." + +"Tipsy--tipsy! Who's tipsy? Let me see her. Woman, woman, to get +yourself into such a state! I'm ashamed of you; I am indeed. But it's +the weakness of the sex. + + 'Frailty, thy name is woman!'" + +This apostrophe was addressed to some visionary female that flitted +before Mr Silky's mental optics, and whom he followed, with his hands +groping before him, with the voice and gesture of Mr Charles Kean +pursuing the airdrawn dagger in the character of Macbeth. "Laugh away; +it's very amusing, isn't it! Nero fiddled while Rome was burning; but I +know better." + +"Mr Silky, you'll better go home," said Mrs Greenwood, who, with the +remainder of the party, had by this time entered the room. + +"Home! exactly so. I _am_ at home, my charmer--perfectly at home; and +you're at home; we're all at home. But no more wine, Mrs Greenwood; +temperance and teetotalism for ever. We are beset with temptations in +this wicked world--temptations, I say--Jemima, you're an angel! It is as +much as a man can do to preserve his uprightness." And, in proof that it +was more than he could, down rolled our hero on the floor, in a profound +stupor. + +"Carry Master Silence to bed," remarked the ingenious Slap'emup, highly +tickled with the catastrophe that had befallen the too--too bashful +Silky. + +A coach was procured, and he was conveyed to his lodgings, where the sun +found him in bed at noon next day. His dreams had been of the most +ghastly kind. He had fancied himself compelled, by a fiend, to swallow +huge goblets of port wine, strongly adulterated with brimstone, and +dragged about by a fury, who held his neck within a halter. The fiend +was Slap'emup--the fury, Miss Jemima Linton. He started from his dream, +and with his hand pressed against his aching head, fell to adjusting the +confused reminiscences of the previous evening's proceedings. He +remembered nothing but that he had proposed for the hand of some young +lady or other, and had been accepted. Well for him it was that memory +went no farther, or he would never have found courage to visit Mrs +Greenwood again. That he did visit her again, however, may be inferred +from an announcement which the newspapers, not many weeks after, gave to +the public:-- + +"Married at Edinburgh, on the 6th instant, Mr Simon Silky to Miss Jemima +Linton." + + + + +THE RECLUSE OF THE HEBRIDES. + + "Still caring, despairing, + Must be my bitter doom; + My woes here shall close ne'er + But with the closing tomb."--BURNS. + + +I resided some years ago in the Island of Tyree, which is one of the +most western of the Hebrides; and, in the course of my business, had +often occasion to cross by the base of Ben Chinevarah, whose rugged and +sterile appearance impresses the mind with a sickening sadness. The +narrow footpath sometimes dives into the deep and sullen gloom of the +mountain glen, whose silence is unbroken, save by the torrent's red +rush, and again winds along the edge of the steep precipice, among the +loose rocks that have been hurled from their beds aloft by the giant +efforts of time, where the least false step would precipitate the unwary +traveller into the abyss below. There no cheering sound of mirth was +ever heard, the blithe whistle of the ploughman never swelled upon its +echoes, nor often did the reaper's song disturb its gloomy silence. The +ear is assailed, on the one hand, by the discordant and dismal notes of +the screech-owl; and, on the other, by the angry roar of the waves that +beat, with ceaseless lash, the broken shore. A small hut now and then +bursts upon the view, raising its lowly roof beneath the shelter of the +mountain rock, and adds to the cheerlessness of the scene. One of those +small cottages often attracted my notice, by its external neatness, and +the laborious industry by which a small garden had been formed around +the dwelling; and by degrees I ingratiated myself into the good graces +of its owner, who, I found, by his knowledge and conversation, was of a +different cast from the dwellers around him. I knew by his accent that +he was a foreigner; and, feeling an interest in him, I often endeavoured +to gain some account from him of the early part of his life; but when +the subject was hinted at, he at once changed the conversation. + +Having occasion last summer to spend some days at the house of a friend +in Argyleshire, I availed myself of this opportunity to visit my old +acquaintance at Tyree. I found him stretched on the bed of sickness, and +fast verging towards his end. When last I had seen him, his appearance, +though infirm, evinced but few signs of physical decay; and, though the +storms of scores of winters had blown over him, still his eye sparkled +with animation, and his raven locks retained the fresh and jetty colour +of the native of "Italia's sunny clime." But now, how changed the +appearance! His eyeballs were dim, deep sunken in their sockets; a few +scattered grey hairs waved carelessly over his finely-arched eyebrows; +and his forehead and cheeks were deeply furrowed with the traces of +sickness and secret wo. When I entered the lowly dwelling, he raised his +lacklustre eyes, and stretched forth his hand to meet my grasp. + +"And is Heaven yet so kind," said he, raising his wasted hand in thanks +to the Disposer of all good, "as to send one pitying friend to soothe my +dreary and departing moments? Ah, sir, the hand of the grim tyrant is +laid heavily upon me, and I must soon appear in the presence of an +offended Deity. If you knew how awful are the feelings of a mind loaded +with iniquity, of a soul immersed in guilt, when the last moment is +approaching that separates us from mortality, and the misdeeds of a +wicked life stand in ghastly array, adding stings to an already seared +conscience, you would shrink at what you now deem the gay dreams of +youthful frailty, and shun the delusive and seducing snares of a +wretched world." + +Pointing to a block of wood alongside his pallet bed, he desired me to +be seated, and, after drying the tear of sorrow from his swollen eye, he +thus proceeded:-- + +"Often, in those moments when the sweet beams of health were mine, have +you desired a recital of the events of my past life; but a feeling of +shame withheld me from the task. Now, when I have nothing to fear but +death and the dread hereafter, if you will have the patience to hear me, +I will briefly unfold to you the causes which reduced me from a state of +affluence, to become a fugitive amid the rugged rocks and the inclement +skies of a foreign land." + +I assented, and he went on with his story. + +"My name," said he, "in the more fortunate years of my life, was +Alphonso; and the city of Venice gave me birth. I was the only child of +an opulent citizen, and need scarcely inform you that no restraint was +laid upon my inclinations when a child; and the dawn of manhood beheld +me plunged amid every intemperance which that luxurious city then +afforded. Money was plentifully supplied me by my parents to support my +extravagances; and I sought after happiness among the rounds of pleasure +and the gay circles of society; but I only met with desires ungratified, +hopes often frustrated, and wishes never satisfied. I had a friend. He +was called Theodore. I loved him as dearly as a selfish being like +myself _could_ love any one. He shared in all my pleasures. + +"An amorous, jealous, and revengeful disposition is commonly laid to the +share of the Italians; and, with sorrow I confess, that formed the +principal ingredient of my character. I had reached my twentieth year of +thoughtlessness and folly, when, one night at the opera, a young lady in +an opposite box attracted my attention; and my eyes were insensibly +riveted upon the beauteous figure. I need not tell you that she was +beautiful--she was loveliness itself. I will not trespass on your time +in describing the new and pleasing sensations that arose in my bosom; +you have trod the magic paths of pleasure, and bowed to the charms of +beauty: they are not unknown to you. + +"I felt that all my libertine pursuits had only been the shadows of +pleasure; and from that moment I determined to abandon them, and fix my +love on her alone. We became acquainted, and I found that she was as +worthy of the purest love as my fond wishes desired. She was the only +child of Count Rudolpho; and, for the space of three months, I was a +constant visiter at her father's palazzo. In due time I pleaded the +force of my love. But what were the sensations of my soul, when the tear +started from her eye of beauty, and the dreadful sentence burst upon my +ear--'I am the bride of Theodore!' + +"I burst from her presence with a palpitating heart, and returned +homewards, agitated by the conflicting passions of despair and revenge. +I drew my sword from its sheath, and promised the blood of Theodore, of +the friend of my bosom, to its point. The steel trembled in my grasp as +the vow fell from my lips, and my heart recoiled at the idea of shedding +blood; but the still small voice was an unequal match with the baneful +principles of a corrupted soul." + +The recluse stopped, and the loud sobs of sorrow and repentance alone +burst upon the gloomy silence of the scene. The hectic flush of fever +played and wantoned across his pallid features, as if it seemed to exult +in the weakness of mortality, and delight in the loveliness of its own +soul-loathed ravages. The tears dropped large and plentiful from his +eyes, and his spirit seemed bended and broken with the racking +remembrance. I bent over the wasted form of the wretched penitent, and +while I poured the voice of comfort in his ear, and wiped the tears from +his eyes, his soul resumed its wonted firmness, and even a smile beamed +upon his blanched lips, as he grasped my hand, and pressed it to his +bosom in silence, and with thankfulness. + +"Behold!" said he, drawing an old sword from beneath the side of his +miserable straw pallet--"behold this steel, red-rusted with the blood of +Theodore, from which the bitter tears of sixty long winters have been +unable to efface the stain. Pardon the feelings of an infirm old man. My +soul weeps blood at the remembrance. + +"I pitched upon the bridal eve of Theodore for that of his death, and +the seizure of his bride; and hired the leader of a band of ruffians to +assist me in the scheme. The fatal night, so big with horror, at last +arrived. The sun sank sullenly into the shades of the west, and his +departing gleams glanced redly and angrily upon me. The raven wings of +early night fell upon Venice; and I stepped into my gondola, with my +hired followers. We set forward upon our errand. The palazzo of Count +Albert was soon gained. Busy nature waxed calm and hushed; the artisan +had retired to the sweets of his lowly but happy cottage; the +convent-bell had tolled, solemn and slow, the vesper knell; and then + + 'Uprose the yellow moon,' + +silvering the rippling waters of the canals, and glancing its beams upon +the glittering palaces of Venice. It was a lovely night; but my soul ill +brooked the calm grandeur of the scene. + +"By the treachery of a servant, my comrades were admitted into Count +Rudolpho's grounds, whilst I attended the nuptial rites with the +well-dissembled face of friendship. Joy was dancing in every eye but +mine. My hand trembled at times on the hilt of my poniard, and I awaited +the favourable moment with a degree of impatience bordering on frenzy. +Many a fair maid was there, tripping amid the joyous throng, whose +beauty might have warmed the frigid heart of an anchorite; but my eyes +and mind were upon the dear, dear Violetta: she was lovelier than ever, +but--she was the spouse of Theodore. + +"The garden of the count was remarkably beautiful, and the trees in it +had been grandly festooned with variegated lamps on the present +occasion. The night was pleasant and calm, and the youthful couple +retired from the crowded saloon to the garden for a few minutes, to +enjoy the freshness of nature. I silently followed, unperceived, till +they seated themselves in an arbour, whose beauty was unworthy of a +villain's tread. Then suddenly I presented myself at the entrance; and +the unsuspicious Theodore rose to embrace me. How shall I give utterance +to the rest? My friend rose to embrace me; and I drew my poniard, and +was about to plunge it into his bosom, when Violetta, whose attention +this action had not escaped, rushed between us, to stay my hand. Horror! +her heart received the blow I had intended for her husband. She uttered +a piercing cry, and fell, a bleeding corpse, at my feet. + +"The sound attracted the attention of my ruffianly associates, who were +ready at hand, to carry off the bride, and they hurried to the spot. +Theodore, at first surprised and terror-stricken, now roused himself to +energy. With the fury of a maniac, he rushed upon me, and felled me +senseless to the earth. How long I lay in this situation I know not; but +when my senses returned, the palazzo was in flames, and the clashing of +swords and the groans of the wounded sounded horribly in my ears. And +this was my doing. I had been the means of introducing into Count +Rudolpho's grounds a band of desperadoes, to whom bloodshed was +familiar; and I doubted not that they were at their work of blood and +rapine. I repented of the deed, but it was too late. + +"The murdered Violetta lay on the ground at a short distance from me; +the moonbeams played full upon her ghastly and distorted features; and +her robes, her bridal robes, were deeply stained with blood. Her pulse +had long since ceased to beat, and she felt cold to the touch. Resolved +that no profane hand should consign to the earth her blessed remains, I +threw the body across my shoulder, and fled with it from the garden. I +felt not the weight of the burden, for excitement made me 'hardy as the +Némean lion's nerve.' I soon reached the canal, leaped into my gondola +with my precious burden, and, shortly afterwards, gained my father's +palace. Ere the moon set, I had dug a deep grave in his garden, in which +I buried her on whom I had doated, bedewing the earth with my tears as I +proceeded in my work. + +"It was at length completed; and, with the morning's dawn, I fled from +Venice. Despair added wings to my flight, and the land of France +received me in her fostering arms. I have, since that time, wandered in +many a clime, to wear away my grief, but in vain. I have fought under +the banner of your king; and, though my arm was never palsied in the day +of battle, death has been denied me. I now lie here, aged and forlorn. +The hand of death is heavy on me, and chilly tremors are creeping over +my exhausted frame. The just decrees of God have denied me even a friend +to close my weary eyes; and my dust must mingle with the dust of +strangers, far, far from the sepulchre of my fathers, and the home of my +childhood." + +After a short pause, the Recluse continued-- + +"Here, sir," said he, "take this sword--it has been the constant +companion of my travels--its blade is unsullied by ignoble blood; and +when you look upon it, after the grave receives the wretched Alphonso, +it may convey a lesson that volumes could not inculcate." + +I received the sword from his hand, which was trembling and cold. He +turned his face from me; and before I had time to speak, a deep groan +announced his departure to the mansions of another world. I called the +inmates of the adjoining cottage, who took charge of the body; and I +left the spot with a feeling which words cannot express, but which will +be understood by those who look with the eye of pity upon the errors of +a fellow-mortal. + + + + +ELLEN ARUNDEL. + + +Ellen Arundel was the only daughter of an officer in the British +service, who, with his sword for his patrimony, had entered early into +the profession of arms as the means of maintenance; and he had, +accordingly, pursued it with that enthusiastic spirit of honour which is +dictated by the considerations of family pride, the hope of fame, the +dread of disgrace, and the most ardent love of glory. + +The utmost height, however, to which he had risen, when he committed the +folly of matrimony, by uniting his destiny to that of the portionless +daughter of a venerable, respectable, unbeneficed clergyman, was that of +a lieutenant in a foot regiment. By dint of careful management on the +part of his wife, they contrived to live happily together, nor did the +increase of their family--for Ellen made her appearance within the first +year after their marriage--add to their difficulties. + +In the care and superintendence of their darling daughter, did their +years roll on in humble content. If they heaved a sigh, it was for their +Ellen's future welfare; if they breathed a wish, it was to see her +placed in a situation which might guard her against the attacks of +poverty, and the designs of iniquity. From the former, they were aware, +beauty and accomplishments would prove no shield; and they trembled when +they reflected that they might prove the most powerful incitement to the +latter. The sweets of life are not to be enjoyed without its +accompanying embitterments. The regiment in which Mr Arundel served +received orders to embark for America, in transports already prepared +for the reception of the British forces. On the communication of this +intelligence, so subversive of their little plans of economy and +felicity, Mrs Arundel earnestly entreated that she and Ellen might be +the companions of his voyage. For awhile Mr Arundel would not consent to +this, from a fear of incurring expense which they were unable to +support; but all the difficulties which the narrowness of their finances +suggested were obviated by a thousand little arrangements, the ingenious +devices of love; and the command of a company, which was conferred upon +him before the embarkation, relieved them from their anxiety. + +Few events happened, either during their voyage, or on their arrival at +Boston, except that the assiduities of a young officer of another +regiment, who accompanied them in the transport, seemed to have made +some impression on the heart of Ellen Arundel. She listened to his tales +of love, with the full sanction of her parents, and sighed out the +confession that his passion was returned. Mr Meredith was formed on the +model which Captain Arundel had, in idea, fixed on for the husband of +his Ellen. To the qualifications of a soldier, he added those which most +highly adorn private life; nor was his income limited, for he was the +only son of a gentleman of fortune. But both Captain Arundel and Mr +Meredith were too regardful of decency and propriety to hasten an event +of so much importance, till the father of the young gentleman had been +made acquainted with the attachment; and letters from Captain Arundel +and the lover were, accordingly, prepared, for the purpose of being +despatched to Europe by the first ship that should sail. + +But alas! these precautions were soon rendered unnecessary, by events +which dissolved the bonds of affection. On that day when the attack of +Bunker's Hill occasioned a carnage which thinned the British ranks, +Captain Arundel and Mr Meredith stood foremost in the bloody contest. +Accident had placed them in the same brigade: they fought and fell +together. The body of the young officer was carried off by the +Americans; and the mortally-wounded captain conveyed to the habitation +of his wretched wife and daughter, where, shortly afterwards, he +expired. + +The keen and piercing anguish felt by Ellen and her mother, in +consequence of this sorrowful event, had changed to silent and corroding +melancholy, when they embarked for their native land, after having +received every attention which the governor and garrison could offer as +a tribute to the memory of the deceased. On their arrival in Britain, a +pension was granted to Mrs Arundel, which, in the event of her death, +was to be continued to her daughter; and with this they retired to a +small village northward of the Scottish metropolis, where a maiden +sister of Captain Arundel, who was remarkably fond of Ellen, resided. + +But, as no retirement will conceal the charms of beauty, nor any circle, +however confined, prevent the fame of accomplishments from spreading +beyond its limit, Mr Newton, a widower of independent fortune, not much +past the prime of life, having been told of Ellen, resolved to visit the +Arundels. An opportunity soon presented itself. The house which the +ladies inhabited was advertised for sale; and, under pretence of an +intention to purchase, he wrote Mrs Arundel, desiring to know when it +would be convenient for him to call; to which Mrs Arundel returned a +polite answer, naming an early day. + +Mr Newton went; and, after he had viewed the house and gardens with the +air of an intending purchaser, Mrs Arundel, desirous of cultivating the +acquaintance of so distinguished a neighbour, asked him to stay tea; +which being unhesitatingly accepted, he was introduced to the fair, the +amiable, the still mourning Ellen. Prepared by the universal voice to +admire, love was the immediate consequence of a visit, which he +requested leave to repeat, in terms with which civility could not refuse +to comply; and a few weeks confirmed Mr Newton the ardent and the +professed lover of Ellen. But her heart was still engaged; nor could she +abandon even a hopeless passion. The character, the fortune, the +unobjectionable person of Mr Newton, were urged to her, by her only +friends, with such energy, but mildness, of persuasion, that, enforced +by the declarations of her admirer, she was prevailed upon to promise +him her hand, though not her heart; and a day was named for the +celebration of their nuptials. + +The necessary preparations now engaged the attention of Mr Newton and +the two matron ladies; whilst Ellen passively yielded to the assiduities +of her friends, and suffered the adornments of her person, and the +intended provisions of settlement to be adjusted, without once +interfering. + +A few mornings before the appointed day, as Ellen was seated at +breakfast with her mother and aunt, a note was put into her hands. She +saw at a glance that it was from Mr Newton; and she immediately handed +it across the table to Mrs Arundel, who read:-- + +"MADAM,--That your heart is not at all interested in the intended event, +you have, with candour, frequently acknowledged to me. You will not, +therefore, even wish to receive an apology for my releasing you from an +unsuitable engagement. + +"My long-lost son--my son whom I had for years resigned to Heaven--is +restored to me; and Providence, which has bestowed on me this consummate +happiness, will not permit me to add to it a wish which concerns myself. +He is young; he is amiable; and more worthy of your regard than I am. It +is my sincere wish that he should become your husband. I shall, +therefore, take an early opportunity of introducing him to you. + +"My real name is _not_ what you have hitherto considered it to be. I +changed it when, on the supposed death of my son, I retired from my +usual place of residence to a distant part of the kingdom, to avoid the +importunities of some worthless relations; but, until I have the honour +of disclosing to you in person my real name, I beg to subscribe myself, +Madam, yours very truly, + +"J. B. NEWTON. + +"_To Miss Ellen Arundel._" + +When this most extraordinary epistle was read, Ellen turned deadly pale, +and would certainly have fallen to the ground, had not a young man +entered through the window which opened out on the lawn, and caught her +in his arms. He was followed by Mr Newton. + +"Ellen," exclaimed the latter, "behold my son!" + +The sorrowing girl cast her eyes upon the form of him who held her. + +"Meredith!" she cried, and threw herself, weeping, upon his shoulder. +Her tears were tears of joy. Little more remains to tell. Ellen Arundel +gave her hand to the son on the very day which had been appointed for +her nuptials with the father. + + + + +CHATELARD. + + +Some time after the unfortunate Queen Mary had established her court at +Holyrood, on her return from France, to ascend the throne of her +ancestors, a stranger arrived at a certain tavern or hostelry, kept by +one Goodal, at the foot of the Canongate of Edinburgh. The former had +last come from Leith, where he had been landed from a French vessel some +two or three hours previously. He was a young man, probably about three +or four and twenty, tall and handsome in person, of a singularly +pleasing countenance, and of mild and exceedingly gentleman-like +demeanour. His lofty forehead and expressive eye bespoke the presence of +genius, or, at least, of an intellect of a very high order; while his +general manners indicated a refined and cultivated mind. There was +marked, however, on the brow of the interesting stranger very palpable +traces of saddening thoughts--his whole countenance, indeed, exhibiting +the characteristics of a deep and rooted melancholy; but it was of a +gentle kind, and bore no likeness to the stern gloominess of +disappointed ambition. His sadness was evidently a sadness of the +heart--the result of some grievous pressure on its best and tenderest +feelings and affections. + +After having partaken of some refreshment, the stranger desired a small +measure of wine to be brought him. This order was executed by mine host +in person; and, indeed, from what afterwards followed, it seemed to have +been given with an express view to that result; for, on the landlord's +placing the wine before his guest, the latter requested him, with great +politeness of manner, to sit down and share it with him; saying that he +wanted a little information on two or three particular points. Mine +host, seating himself as desired, expressed his readiness to afford him +any information of which he himself was possessed. Having thanked the +former for his civility, and pressed him, not in vain, to taste of his +own wine, the stranger said-- + +"Is the queen, my friend, just now at Holyrood?" + +He was answered in the affirmative. The querist paused, sighed, and next +inquired if she walked much abroad--what were the hours she devoted to +that recreation--whether she was accompanied by many attendants on these +occasions--and whether her ordinary promenade was a place easy of +access. Having been informed on all these points, he again relapsed into +thought, and again sighed profoundly. After a short time, however, he +once more recovered himself, and suddenly exclaimed, but more by way of +soliloquy than inquiry-- + +"Is she not beautiful--transcendently beautiful?" + +Mine host, who was not a little surprised by the abruptness of the +question, and the enthusiasm of manner in which it was expressed, +replied, that she surely was "Just as bonny a creature as he had ever +clapt ee on--a plump, sonsy, nice-lookin lass." + +A slight expression of disgust, or rather of horror, at the homely terms +employed by mine host in speaking of the beauty of the queen, passed +over the countenance of his guest. It was, however, but momentary, and +was not observed, or at any rate not understood, by him whose language +had called it forth. + +"Ay, beautiful is she," went on the enthusiastic stranger, leaning back +in his chair, and gazing on the roof, in a fit of ecstasy, and in +seeming unconsciousness of the presence of a third party--"beautiful is +she to look upon, as is the rising sun emerging from the purpled east; +beautiful as his setting amidst the burnished clouds of the west; lovely +as the full moon hanging midway in her field of azure; grateful to the +sight as the green fields of spring, or the flowers of the garden; and +pleasant to the ear are the tones of her voice, as the song of the +nightingale in the grove, or the sound of the distant waterfall." + +Here the speaker paused in his rhapsody, continued silent for some +moments, then suddenly returning, as it were, to a sense of the +circumstances in which he was placed, he brought his hands over his +forehead and eyes, as one recovering from an agony of painful and +melancholy thoughts. Surprised by this extraordinary conduct of his +guest, the landlord of the house began to conceive that he had got into +the company of a madman; yet he marvelled much what description of +madness it could be, since it was made evident only when the queen was +spoken of--the stranger speaking on all other subjects rationally and +composedly. + +"She walks not much abroad, you say, my friend?" said the latter, +resuming the conversation which he had broken off to give utterance to +the rhapsody which has just been quoted. + +"Very seldom, sir," replied mine host; "for ye see she doesna fin hersel +quite at hame yet amang us; but she'll come to by and by, I've nae +doot." + +"And she is not easy of access, you say--no chance of one being able to +throw himself in her way?" + +"Unco little, I should think," replied mine host, "unless she could be +fa'n in wi' gaun to the chapel to mass; for she still abides by thae +abominations, for a' John Knox can say till her." + +A flush of resentment and indignation crossed the pale countenance of +the stranger at the last expressions of the innkeeper, and he threw a +glance at him strongly expressive of these feelings, but suddenly +checked himself, paused for a moment, and then resumed his queries in +the calm and gentle tones which seemed natural to him-- + +"How likes she the country, know ye? + +"Indeed, I canna weel say," replied mine host; "but I rather doot, frae +what I hear, she's no athegither reconciled till't yet. She thinks, I +daursay, we're rather a roughspun set o' folk--a wee thing coorse i' the +grain or sae." + +"Ay, that ye are, that ye are," said the stranger, with more candour +than courtesy, again throwing himself back in his chair, and again +beginning to rhapsodise as before. "She is among ye--the beautiful, the +gentle, the accomplished, the refined--as a fawn amongst a herd of +bears. She is in your wild and savage land, like a lovely and tender +flower growing in the cleft of a rock--a sweet and gentle thing, +blooming alone in the midst of rudeness and barrenness. Oh, uncongenial +soil! Oh, discordant association! Dearest, cruellest, loveliest of thy +sex!" + +If mine host was amazed at the first outpouring of his guest's excited +mind, it will readily be believed that it was not lessened by this +second ebullition of fervour and passion. He, in truth, now became +convinced that he was distracted; and, under this impression, felt a +strong desire to be quit of him as soon as possible. With this view, he +took an early opportunity of stealing unobserved out of the apartment--a +feat which he found no difficulty in performing, as his guest seemed +ultimately so wholly wrapped up in his own thoughts, as to be quite +unconscious of what was either said or done in his presence. Soon after +mine host had retired, the stranger ordered paper, pen, and ink to be +brought him. They were placed upon his table, he himself the while +walking up and down the apartment with measured stride and downcast +look, as if again lost in profound and perplexing thought; and at +intervals the sound of his footsteps, thus traversing his chamber, was +heard throughout the whole of the night. The stranger had slept none; he +had not even retired to seek repose; but those periods during the +night--and they were of considerable length--in which all was silent in +his apartment, were employed in writing; and when morning came, the +result of his labours was exhibited in a letter, curiously, or rather +fancifully, folded, tied with a green silk thread, and highly perfumed. +This letter was addressed on the back, "To the Most Illustrious +Princess, Mary, Queen of Scotland." + +Having brought the proceedings of the stranger to this point, we will +shift the scene to the sitting apartment of the queen in Holyrood. Here, +surrounded with her maids, the young and lovely princess was, at the +moment of which we speak, engaged in working embroidery, and laughing +and chatting with her attendants, amongst whom were two or three young +French ladies, who had accompanied her from France. The queen and her +maids were thus employed, then, when the gentleman-usher, who stood at +the door of the apartment, entered, and, with a low obeisance, presented +a letter to the queen. It was the same as that addressed to her by the +stranger, and above referred to. The queen took the letter, with a +gracious smile, from the person presenting it, and, contemplating it for +a moment, before she opened it, with a look of pleased surprise-- + +"This, sure," she said, "is from none of our Scottish subjects: the fold +is French." And she sighed. "It has the cut and fashion of the _billet +doux_ of St Germains; and," she added, laughing, "the precise flavour, +too, I declare. But I should know this handwriting," she went on; "I +have seen it before. This, however, will solve the mystery." And she +tore the letter open, and was instantly employed in reading it, blushing +and smiling by turns, as she proceeded with the perusal. When she had +done, "Maria," she said, raising her eyes from the paper, and addressing +one of her French ladies, "who, think you, is this letter from?" + +"I cannot guess, madam," replied the young lady appealed to. + +"Do try," rejoined Mary. + +"Nay, indeed, I cannot," said the former, now pausing in her work, and +looking laughingly at her mistress. "Perhaps from the Count Desmartine, +or from Dufour, or Dubois." + +"No, no, no," replied the queen, laughing; "neither of these, Maria; but +I will have compassion on your curiosity, and tell you. Would you +believe it?--it is from Chatelard, the poet." + +"Chatelard!" repeated the maiden, in amazement. "What in all the earth +can have brought him here?" + +"Nay, I know not," said the queen, blushing, for she guessed, or rather +feared, the cause. "But read, and judge for yourself," she added, +handing her attendant the letter, which contained a very beautiful +laudatory poem, full of passion and feeling, addressed to herself, and +which the writer concluded by requesting that he might be permitted to +form part of her court; declaring that it would be joy inexpressible to +him to be near her person--he cared not in how mean a capacity. The +having opportunities of seeing and serving her, he said, would reconcile +him to any degradation of rank--to any loss, save that of honour. + +"In truth, very pretty verses," said the lady-in-waiting, returning the +poem to the queen; "but, methinks, somewhat over-bold." + +"Why, I do think so too, Maria," replied Mary. "Chatelard rather forgets +himself; but poets, you know, have a license, and I cannot be harsh to +the poor young man. It would be cruel, ungenerous, and unworthy of me." + +"But what say you, madam, to his request to be attached to your court?" + +"Really, as to that, I know not well what to say, indeed," rejoined the +queen. "Chatelard, you know, Maria, is a gentleman, both by birth and +education. He is accomplished in a very high degree, and of a graceful +person and pleasing manners, and would thus do no discredit to our +court; but, I fear me, he might be guilty of some indiscretions--for he +is a child of passion as well as song--that might lead himself into +danger, and bring some blame on me. Still, I cannot think of rejecting +altogether his humble suit, so prettily preferred; and, if he would +promise to conduct himself with becoming gravity and reserve in all +matters, and at all times, I should have no objection that he was +attached to our court. I will, at all events, make trial of him for a +short space." + +Having said this, the queen, now addressing the ladies present +generally, went on-- + +"Ladies, I will shortly introduce to you a new gallant; but I pray ye +take care of your hearts; for he is, I warrant ye, one especially given +to purloining these little commodities. He is handsome, accomplished, +and a poet; so mind ye, ladies, I have warned you--be on your guard. +Kerr," she now called out to a page in waiting, "go to the hostelry +whence this letter came, and say to the gentleman by whom it has been +sent, that we desire to see him forthwith. Let him accompany you, Kerr." + +The page instantly departed; and we will avail ourselves of his short +absence on this mission, to say briefly who Chatelard was--what was his +object in coming to the Scottish court--and of what nature were the +fears which the queen expressed regarding him. + +Chatelard, then, was a young French gentleman of rank, of rare +accomplishments, and a poet of very considerable excellence. His seeking +to attach himself to Mary's court, was the result of a violent and +unhappy attachment to her person; and her fears for him, proceeding from +a suspicion of this attachment, were, that he would commit himself by +some rash expression of his feelings. She was displeased with his +presumptuous love, yet found she could not, as a woman, but look on it +with pity and compassion and hence her disposition to treat with +kindness and affability its unhappy victim. Prudence, indeed, would +certainly have dictated another course than what Mary pursued with +Chatelard, in thus admitting him to her presence; but Mary's error here +was an error of the heart, and more to be regretted than blamed. + +In a short while after the messenger had been despatched with the +invitation to Chatelard, the door of the queen's apartment was thrown +wide open, and that person entered. His bow to the queen was exceedingly +graceful; and not less so, though measured with scrupulous exactness in +their expression of deference, were those he directed to her ladies. +Chatelard's countenance was at this instant suffused with a blush, and +it was evident he was under the excitement of highly-agitated feelings; +but he lost not, for a moment, nor in the slightest degree, his presence +of mind; neither did these feelings prevent him conducting himself at +this interview with the most perfect propriety. + +"Chatelard," said the queen, after the ceremonies of a first salutation +were over, "I perceive you have lost none of your cunning in the gentle +craft. These were really pretty lines you sent me--choice in expression, +and melodiously arranged. I assure thee it is a very happy piece." + +"How could it be otherwise, madam," replied Chatelard, bowing low, "with +such a subject?" + +"Nay, nay," said Mary, laughing and blushing at the same time, "I am no +subject, Chatelard, but an anointed queen. Thou canst not make a subject +of me." + +Chatelard now in turn blushed, and said, smiling, "Your wit, madam, has +thrown me out; but, avoiding this play on words, my position is good, +undeniable. All men acknowledge it." + +"Go to--go to, Chatelard--thou wert ever a flatterer. But 'tis a poet's +trade. Thou art a dangerous flatterer, however; for thou dost praise so +prettily that one cannot suspect thy sincerity, nor be angry with thee, +even when thou deservest that they should. But enough of this in the +meantime. Thou mayst now retire; and I think the sooner the better, for +the safety of these fair maidens' hearts, and your own peace of mind, +which a longer stay might endanger. Our chamberlain will provide thee +with suitable apartments, and see to thy wants. Mark," she added, +laughingly, "we retain thee in our service in the capacity of our +poet--of court poet--a high and honourable appointment; and thy reward +shall be the smiles and approbation of these fair ladies--the beauty of +all and each of whom I expect thou wilt forthwith embalm in immortal +verse." + +Chatelard, bowing, was now about to retire, when the queen, again +addressing him, said, "We will send for thee again in the afternoon, to +bear us company for awhile, when thou wilt please bring with thee some +of thy newest and choicest madrigals." + +Expressing a deep sense of the honour proposed to be conferred on him, +of the queen's kind condescension, and avowing his devotedness to her +service, Chatelard withdrew, and was provided with the promised +apartments by the express orders of Mary herself. To these apartments we +shall follow the enthusiastic but audacious lover. On being left alone, +Chatelard again fell into one of those reveries which we have already +described, and again launched into that strain of extravagant adulation +which, on another occasion, we represented him as indulging in. Again he +compared Mary, in his incoherent ravings, to everything that is +beautiful in earth, sea, and sky; but comparing her to these only that +he might assert how far she surpassed them. There were mingled, too, +with his eulogiums, on this occasion, expressions of that imprudent +passion which subsequently at once urged him to commit the most daring +offences, and blinded him to their consequences. Poor Chatelard's +ravings, in the instance of which we are just speaking, were +unconsciously uttered; but they were unfortunately loud enough to arrest +the attention of the domestics, who were passing to and fro in the lobby +into which the door of his apartment opened. These, attracted by his +rapturous exclamations, listened, from time to time, at his door, and +were highly amused with the rhapsodies of the imprudent poet. The +latter, becoming more and more vehement, and, in proportion, more +entertaining, the domestics finally gathered in a cluster around the +door, to the number of six or eight, and, with suppressed laughter, +overheard all that the excited and unguarded inmate chose to utter. +That, however, was so incoherent, or at least of so high-flown a +character, that the listeners could make nothing of it; and, as they +could not, they immediately concluded it to be nonsense, and the speaker +a madman. But there came one to the spot, at this unfortunate moment, +who, with sharper intellect and more apt comprehension, at once +discovered the meaning that lurked under the florid language of the +poet's ill-timed soliloquies. + +While the servants were crowded around the door of Chatelard's +apartment, too intent on their amusement to notice the approach of any +one, another party, we say, had advanced to within a few paces of where +they stood. Here, with his arms folded across his breast, he had +remained observed for several seconds, gazing with a look of surprise +and displeasure on the merry group assembled around the poet's door. He +was, however, at length discovered, when the knot of listeners instantly +broke up in the greatest hurry and alarm. + +"How now," exclaimed the unexpected intruder--a person of about thirty +years of age, of rather slender form, of cold and haughty demeanour, and +austere countenance--"How now?" he exclaimed, in a voice whose tones +were naturally severe--"what means this idling?--what do ye all here, +knaves, in place of attending to your duties?" + +Instead of answering this question, the terrified domestics were now +endeavouring to make off in all directions; but the querist's curiosity, +or perhaps suspicion, having been excited by what he had seen, he +instantly arrested their progress, by calling on them, in a voice of +increased severity and vehemence, to stop. + +"Come hither, Johnstone," he exclaimed, addressing one of the +fugitives--"I must know what you have been all about." And, without +waiting for an answer, "Who occupies this apartment?" he inquired, +pointing to that in which was Chatelard. + +"And please ye, my lord," replied Johnstone, bowing with the most +profound respect--"ane that we think's no very wise. He's been bletherin +awa there to himsel, saving yer honour's presence, like a bubbly-jock, +for this half-hour back, and we can neither mak tap, tail, nor mane o' +what he's sayin." + +"What! a madman, Johnstone?" said the Earl of Murray, the queen's +half-brother, for it was no less a personage; then hurriedly added, "Who +is he?--what is he?--where is he from?--when came he hither?" + +The man answered categorically-- + +"I dinna ken, my lord, wha he is; but, frae the thinness o' his chafts, +I tak him to be ane o' your French laun-loupers. He cam to the palace +about twa hours syne." + +The earl's curiosity was now still further excited, and, without saying +a word more, he drew near to the door of Chatelard's apartment, and +became also an auditor of the poor poet's unguarded language; but not +such as it was in the case of the listeners who had preceded him; to him +that language was perfectly intelligible--at least to the extent of +informing him of Chatelard's ambitious love. To Murray this was a secret +worth knowing; and, in the hope that he might discover this attachment +to be reciprocal, and thus acquire an additional influence over the +queen, his sister, at the expense of her reputation, he considered it a +singularly fortunate incident. Perhaps he expected that it would do even +more for him than this: that it would eventually help him to the +accomplishment of certain daring views towards the crown itself, of +which he was not unsuspected. Whether, however, he was able to trace, in +distinct and definite lines, any consequences favourable to himself from +the fact which had just come to his knowledge, it is certain he was +pleased with the discovery, and considered it as an important +acquisition. That he viewed it in this light, indeed, was evident even +by his countenance, cautiously guarded as its expressions ever were. + +On being satisfied of the fact of Chatelard's attachment to the queen, +he withdrew from the door with a look and brief expression of +satisfaction, and went directly in quest of the chamberlain. On finding +whom-- + +"So, Mr Chamberlain," he said, "we have got, I find, another animal +added to our herd of fawning, drivelling courtiers. Pray, who or what is +he, this person who has taken up his quarters in the northern gallery, +and by whose authority has he been installed there?" + +"By the queen's, my lord," replied the chamberlain. "I have had express +and direct orders from the queen herself, to provide the gentleman with +apartments in the palace, and to see to his suitable entertainment." + +"Ah, indeed," said the earl, biting his lip, and musing for a moment. +"By her own express orders!" he repeated. "It is very well." Then, after +a pause--"Know ye this favoured person's name, Mr Chamberlain?" + +"Chatelard," replied the latter. + +"Chatelard! Chatelard!" repeated the earl, mechanically, and again +musing; "why, I think I have heard of that gallant before. He is one of +those triflers called poets, me-thinks--a versifier, a scribbler of +jingling rhymes. Is it not so?" + +"I have heard the queen say so, my lord," replied the chamberlain. "She +has spoken of him in my hearing as a poet." + +"Ah! the same, the same," said the earl; "but how obtained he access to +the queen, know ye?" + +"Through his own direct application, my lord. He addressed a poetical +epistle to her majesty, I understand, from Goodal's hostelry, where he +had taken up his quarters in the first place, requesting permission to +wait upon her." + +"And it was granted?" interrupted the earl. + +"It was, my lord; and he has already had an audience." + +"Ah! so!" said the earl, without yet betraying, or having, during any +part of this conversation, betrayed, the slightest emotion or symptom of +the deep interest he took in the communications which were being made to +him. "Know ye," he went on, "if that favour is to be soon again +conferred on him? When will he again be admitted to the presence?" + +"That, my lord, rests on the queen's pleasure; but I hear say that he is +to attend her again this evening in her sitting apartment." + +"So, so," said the earl, nodding his head, as he uttered the words. And, +turning on his heel, he walked away without further remark. + +From the officer with whom he had just been speaking, the Earl of Murray +carefully concealed the motives which had prompted his inquiries, but +determined, henceforth, to watch with the utmost vigilance the +proceedings of the queen and Chatelard, until some circumstance should +occur that might put them both fairly within his power. Unaware of the +dangerous surveillance under which he was already placed, it was with a +delight which only he himself perhaps could feel, that Chatelard +received, in the evening, the promised invitation from the queen to +attend her and her ladies in their sitting chamber. The invitation was +conveyed in some playful verses--an art in which Mary excelled--written +on embossed paper. The enthusiastic poet read the delightful lines a +thousand times over, dwelt with rapture on each word and phrase, and +finally kissed the precious document with all the eagerness and fervour +of a highly-excited and uncontrollable passion. Having indulged in these +tender sensibilities for some time, Chatelard at length folded up the +unconscious object of his adoration, thrust it into his bosom, took up a +small _portfeuille_, covered with red morocco leather, gilt, and +embossed, the depository of his poetical effusions, and hurried to the +apartment of the queen, where he was speedily set to the task of reading +his compositions, for the entertainment of the assembled fair ones; and +it is certain that on more than one of them the tender and impassioned +manner of the bard, as he recited his really beautiful verses, added to +his highly prepossessing appearance and graceful delivery, made an +impression by no means favourable to their night's repose. It would, +however, perhaps be more tedious than interesting to the reader, were we +to detail all that passed on the night in question in the queen's +apartment; to record all the witty and pleasant things that were said +and done by the queen, her ladies, and her poet. Be it enough to say, +that the latter retired at a pretty late hour; his imprudent passion, we +cannot say increased--for of increase it would not admit--but +strengthened in its wild and ambitious hopes. + +From that fatal night, poor Chatelard firmly believed that his love was +returned--that he had inspired in the bosom of Mary a passion as ardent +as his own. Into this unhappy error the poet's own heated and disturbed +imagination had betrayed him, by representing in the light of special +marks of favour, occurrences that were merely the emanations of a kind +and gentle nature--thus fatally misled by a passion which, if notorious +for occasioning groundless fears, is no less so for inspiring unfounded +hopes. Such, at any rate, was its effect in the case of Chatelard on the +night in question. On gaining his own chamber, he flung himself into a +chair, and spent nearly the whole of the remainder of the night in the +indulgence of the wildest and most extravagant dreams of future bliss; +for, in the blindness of his passion and tumult of his hopes, he saw no +dangers, and feared no difficulties. + +From this time forward, Chatelard's conduct to the queen became so +marked and unguarded in various particulars, as to excite her alarm, and +even to draw down upon the offender some occasional rebukes, although +these were at first sufficiently gentle and remote. Nor did the +imprudences of the infatuated poet escape the cold, keen eye of Murray. +He saw them, and noted them; but took care to wear the semblance of +unconsciousness. It was not his business to interrupt, by hinting +suspicions, the progress of an affair which he hoped would, on some +occasion or other, lead to consequences that he might turn to account. +Feeling this, it was not for him to help Chatelard and the queen to +elude his vigilance, and defeat his views, by discovering what he +observed, and thus putting them on their guard. This was not his +business; but it was his business to lie concealed, and to spring out on +his quarry the instant that its position invited to the effort. Coldly +and sternly, therefore, he watched the motions of Chatelard and his +sister; but was little satisfied to perceive nothing in the conduct of +the latter regarding the former which at all spoke of the feelings he +secretly desired to find. As it was impossible, however, for the earl +personally to watch all the movements of Chatelard, he looked around him +for some individual of the queen's household whom he might bribe to +perform the duties of a spy; and such a one he found amongst the +attendants whom Mary had brought with her from France, of which country +he was also a native. The name of this ungrateful and despicable wretch, +who undertook to betray a kind and generous mistress, whenever he should +discover anything in her conduct to betray, was Choisseul--a man of +pleasing manners and address, but of low and vicious habits. Without any +certain knowledge of his character, or any previous information +regarding him, the Earl of Murray's singular tact and penetration at +once singled him out as a likely person for his purposes. On this +presumption, he sent for him, and, cautiously and gradually opening him +up, found that he had judged correctly of his man. + +"Choisseul," he said, on that person being ushered into his presence, "I +have good reason to think that you are one in whom I may put trust; and, +in this assurance, I have selected you for an especial mark of my +confidence. Do you know anything of this Chatelard, who has lately come +to court?" + +"I do, my lor'. He is countryman of my own." + +"So I understand. Well, then, I'll tell you what it is, Choisseul: I +believe the fellow has come here for no good--I believe, in short, that +he has designs upon the queen. Now, my good fellow, will you undertake +to ascertain this for me? Will you watch their proceedings, watch them +narrowly, and give me instant information of anything suspicious that +may come to your knowledge--and ye shall not miss of your reward?" added +the earl, now opening a little desk which stood before him, and taking +from it a well-filled purse. + +Choisseul, with many bows and grimaces, readily undertook to play the +knave, and, with still more, took the price of his knavery, the purse +already alluded to, which the earl now handed him. + +"Now, Choisseul," said Murray, just before dismissing the miscreant, "I +may depend on you?" + +"Mine honneur," replied the Frenchman, placing his hand on his breast, +with a theatrical air, and bowing to the ground as he pronounced the +words--"Je suis votre serviteur till die." + +"Enough," said the earl, waving his hand as a signal to him to retire; +"be vigilant and prompt in communicating with me when you have anything +of consequence to say." + +Choisseul again bowed low, and left the apartment. In the meantime, the +gallant, accomplished, but imprudent Chatelard, hurried blindly along by +the impetuosity of his passion, and altogether unsettled by the +intoxicating belief that his love was returned--a belief which had now +taken so fast a hold of his understanding that nothing could loosen +it--proceeded from one impropriety to another, till he at length +committed one which all but brought matters to a crisis; and this was +avoided only by its having escaped the vigilance of Choisseul, and +having been compassionately concealed by the queen herself. + +On retiring one night, early in February, 1563, to her sleeping +apartment, Mary and her attendants were suddenly alarmed by an +extraordinary movement in a small closet or wardrobe, in which was kept +the clothes the queen was in the habit of daily using. The maids would +have screamed out and fled from the apartment, but were checked in both +these feminine resorts by observing the calm and collected manner of +their mistress, in which there was not the slightest appearance of +perturbation. + +"Ladies, ladies," she exclaimed, laughingly, as her attendants were +about to rush out of the room, "what a pretty pair of heroines ye are! +Shame, shame! ye surely would not leave your mistress alone, in the +midst of such a perilous adventure as this. Come hither," she added, at +the same time stepping towards her toilet, and taking up a small silver +lamp that burned on it, "and let us see who this intruder is--whether +ghost or gallant." + +Saying this--her maids having returned, reassured by her +intrepidity--she proceeded, with steady step, towards the suspected +closet, seized the door by the handle, flung it boldly open, and +discovered, to the astonished eyes of her attendants, and to her own +inexpressible amazement, the poet Chatelard, armed with sword and +dagger. For some seconds the queen uttered not a syllable; but a flush +of indignation and of insulted pride suffused her exquisitely lovely +countenance. + +"Chatelard," she at length said, in a tone of calm severity, and with a +dignity of manner becoming her high state and lineage, "come forth and +answer for this daring and atrocious conduct, this unheard-of insolence +and presumption." Chatelard obeyed, and was about to throw himself at +her feet, when she sternly forbade him. + +"I want no apologies, presumptuous man," she said--"no craving of +forgiveness. I want explanation of this infamous proceeding, and that I +demand of you in the presence of my attendants here. Know ye not, sir," +she went on, "that your head is forfeited by this offence, and that I +have but to give the word, and the forfeit will be exacted?" + +"I know it, I know it," exclaimed Chatelard, persisting in throwing +himself on his knees; "but the threat has no terrors for me. It is your +displeasure alone--fairest, brightest of God's creatures--that I fear. +It is----" + +"Peace, Chatelard," interrupted Mary, peremptorily. "What mean ye by +this language, sir? Would ye cut yourself off from all hope of pardon, +by adding offence upon offence? Rise, sir, and leave this apartment +instantly, I command you; I will now hear neither explanation nor +apology." + +"Then, will you forgive me?" said Chatelard; "will you forgive a +presumption of which----" + +"I will hear no more, sir," again interrupted the queen, indignantly. +"Begone, sir! Remain another instant, and I give the alarm. Your life +depends on your obedience." And Mary placed her hand on a small silver +bell, from which had she drawn the slightest sound, the poet's doom was +sealed, and she would have rung his funeral knell. + +Chatelard now slowly rose from his knees, folded his arms across his +breast, and with downcast look, but without uttering another word, +strode out of the apartment. When he had gone, the queen, no longer +supported by the excitement occasioned by the presence of the intruder, +flung herself into a chair, greatly agitated and deadly pale. Here she +sat in silence for several minutes, evidently employed in endeavouring +to obtain a view of the late singular occurrence in all its bearings, +and in determining on the course which she herself ought to pursue +regarding it. + +Having seemingly satisfied herself on these points-- + +"Ladies," she at length said--these ladies were two of her Maries, Mary +Livingstone and Mary Fleeming--"this is a most extraordinary +circumstance. Rash, thoughtless, presumptuous man, how could he have +been so utterly lost to every sense of propriety and of his own peril, +as to think of an act of such daring insolence?" + +"Poor man, I pity him," here simply, but naturally enough, perhaps, +interrupted Mary Fleeming. "Doubtless, madam, you will report the matter +instantly to the earl?" + +"Nay, Mary, I know not if I will, after all," replied the queen. "I +perhaps ought to do so; but methinks it would be hardly creditable to +me, as a woman, to bring this poor thoughtless young man to the +scaffold, whither, you know, my stern brother would have him instantly +dragged, if he knew of his offence; and besides, ladies," went on the +queen, in whose gentle bosom the kindly feelings of her nature had now +completely triumphed over those of insulted dignity and pride, "I know +not how far I am myself to blame in this matter. I fear me, I ought to +have been more guarded in my conduct towards this infatuated young man. +I should have kept him at a greater distance, and been more cautious of +admitting him to familiar converse, since he has evidently misconstrued +our affability and condescension. There may have been error there, you +see, ladies." + +"Yet," said Mary Livingstone, "methinks the daring insolence of the man +ought not to go altogether unpunished, madam. If he has chosen to +misconstrue, it can be no fault of yours." + +"Perhaps not," replied Mary. "As a queen, I certainly ought to give him +up to the laws; but as a woman I cannot. Yet shall he not go unpunished. +He shall be forthwith banished from our court and kingdom. To-morrow I +shall cause it to be intimated to him that he leave our court instantly, +and Scotland within four-and-twenty hours thereafter, on pain of our +highest displeasure, and peril of disclosure of his crime." + +Having thus spoken, and having obtained a promise of secresy regarding +Chatelard's offence from her two attendants, Mary retired for the night, +not however, quite assured that she was pursuing the right course for +her own reputation, in thus screening the guilt of the poet; but +nevertheless determined, at all risks, to save him, in this instance at +least, from the consequence of his indiscretion. On the following +morning, the queen despatched a note to Chatelard, to the purpose which +we have represented her as expressing on the preceding night, and, in +obedience to the command it contained, he instantly left the palace, but +in a state of indescribable mental agitation and distraction; for in the +determination expressed by the queen he saw at once an end to all his +wild hopes, and more unendurable still, an assurance that he had wholly +mistaken the feelings with which Mary regarded him. We have said that +Chatelard obeyed one of the injunctions of the queen--that was, to leave +the palace instantly. He did so; but whether he conformed to the other +the sequel will show. + +Two days after the occurrences just related, Mary set out for St. +Andrew's; taking the route of the Queensferry, and sleeping the first +night at Dunfermline, and the second at Burntisland. On the evening of +her arrival at the latter place, the queen, fatigued by her journey, +which had been prolonged by hunting and hawking, retired early to her +apartment. Here she had not been many minutes, when the door was thrown +suddenly open, and Chatelard entered. + +"What! again, Chatelard!" exclaimed Mary, with the utmost indignation +and astonishment. "What means this, sir? How have you dared to intrude +yourself again into my apartment?" + +Without making any reply to this salutation, Chatelard threw himself on +his knees before the queen, and, seizing the skirt of her robe, implored +her pardon for his presumption; adding, that he had been impelled to +this second intrusion solely by a desire to explain to her the motives +of his former conduct, which, he said, had been wrongly interpreted, and +to bid her farewell before he went into the banishment to which she had +doomed him. + +"Rise, sir, rise," said Mary; "I will listen to no explanations forced +on me in this extraordinary manner. I desire that you instantly quit +this apartment. This repetition of your offence, sir, I will neither +bear with nor overlook. Rise, I command you, and begone!" + +Instead of obeying, the infatuated poet not only persisted in remaining +in the position he was in, but, still keeping hold of the queen's robe, +began to speak the language of passion and love. The queen endeavoured +to release herself from his hold, and was in the act of attempting to do +so, when the door of the apartment, which Chatelard had closed behind +him, was violently thrown open, and the Earl of Murray entered. Having +advanced two or three steps, he stood still, and, folding his arms +across his breast, looked sternly, but in silence, first at the queen, +and then at Chatelard; keeping, at the same time, sufficiently near the +door to prevent the escape of the latter, in case he should make such an +attempt. Having gazed on them for some time without opening his lips, +but with an ominous expression of countenance-- + +"Well, Sir Poet," he at length said, addressing Chatelard, with cold +deliberation, "pray do me the favour to enlighten me as to the meaning +of your having thus intruded yourself into the queen's apartment. Why do +I find you here, sir, and wherefore have I found you in the position +from which you have just now risen? Pray, sir, explain." + +"I came here, my lord," replied Chatelard, with firmness and dignity, +"to take leave of Her Majesty before returning to France, for which I +set out to-morrow." + +An ironical and incredulous smile played on the stern countenance of +Murray. "A strange place this, methinks, and a strange season, for +leave-taking; and yet stranger than all the language in which I just now +heard you speak. You are aware, I presume, sir," he added, "that you are +just now in the queen's sleeping apartment, where none dare intrude but +on the peril of their lives. But probably, madam," he said, now turning +to the queen, without waiting any reply to his last remark, "you can +explain the meaning of this extraordinary scene." + +"You had better, my lord," replied Mary, evasively--for she was still +reluctant to commit the unfortunate poet--"obtain what explanations you +desire from Chatelard himself. He surely is the fittest person to +explain his own conduct." + +"True, madam," said Murray, sneeringly, "but I thought it not by any +means improbable that you might be as well informed on the point in +question as the gentleman himself." + +"Your insinuation is rude, my lord," replied the queen, haughtily; and, +without vouchsafing any other remark, walked away to the further end of +the apartment, leaving the earl and Chatelard together. + +Murray now saw, from the perfectly composed and independent manner of +the queen, that he could make out nothing to her prejudice from the case +before him, nor elicit the slightest evidence of anything like +connivance, on the part of Mary, at Chatelard's intrusion. Seeing this, +he determined on proceeding against the unfortunate poet with the utmost +rigour to which his imprudence had exposed him, in the hope that +severity would wring from him such confessions as would implicate the +queen. + +Having come to this resolution--"Sir," he said, addressing Chatelard, +"prepare to abide the consequences of your presumption." And he +proceeded to the door, called an attendant, and desired him to send the +captain of the guard and a party to him instantly. + +In a few minutes, they appeared, when the earl, addressing the officer +just named, and pointing to Chatelard, desired him to put that gentleman +in ward; and the latter was immediately hurried out of the apartment. +When the guard, with their prisoner, had left the queen's chamber, the +earl walked up to Mary, who, with her head leaning pensively on her +hand, had been silently contemplating the proceedings that were going +forward in her apartment. + +"Madam," said Murray, on approaching her, "I think you may consider +yourself in safety for this night, at any rate, from any further +intrusion from this itinerant versifier; and it shall be my fault if he +ever again annoys you or any one else." + +"What, brother!" exclaimed Mary, in evident alarm at this ambiguous, but +ominous hint--"you will not surely proceed to extremities against the +unfortunate young man?" + +"By St Bride, but I will though," replied Murray, angrily. "Why, madam, +has not your reputation as a woman, and your dignity as a queen, both +been assailed by this insolent foreigner, in the daring act he has +done?" + +"Nay, my lord," replied the queen, haughtily, "methinks it will take +much more than this to affect my reputation. I indeed marvel much to +hear you speak thus, my lord. My dignity, again, can be debased only by +mine own acts, and cannot be affected by the act of another." + +"Nevertheless, madam," rejoined her brother, "ye cannot stop slanderous +tongues, and I know not how the world may construe this circumstance. +Both your honour and station require that this presumtuous knave suffer +the penalty of his crime in its utmost rigour. What would the world say +else? Why, it would have suspicions that ought not for an instant to be +associated with the name of Mary Stuart." + +"But you will not have his life taken, brother?" said Mary, in a gentle +tone--subdued by the thoughts of the severe doom that threatened the +unfortunate gentleman, and placing her hand affectionately on the earl's +arm as she spoke. "Can ye not banish him forth of the realm, or imprison +him--anything short of death, which, methinks, would be, after all, hard +measure for the offence?" + +"You have reasons, doubtless, madam," said the earl, coldly and bluntly, +"for this tenderness." + +"I have," said Mary, indignantly; "but not, my lord, such as you would +seem to insinuate. My reasons are, humanity and a feeling of compassion +for the misguided and unhappy youth." + +"Chatelard shall have such mercy, madam, as your Majesty's Privy Council +may deem him deserving of," replied the earl, turning round on his heel, +and quitting the apartment. + +On leaving the presence of the queen, the Earl of Murray retired to his +own chamber where he was shortly after, waited upon by Choisseul, who +had been for some time watching his return. + +"Ha, Choisseul art there?" said the earl, with an unusual expression of +satisfaction on his countenance, on the former's entrance. "Thou hast +done well, friend: I found matters exactly as you stated, and am obliged +by the promptness and accuracy of your information." + +"Vere happy, my lor', I am serve to your satisfaction," replied +Choisseul, bowing low. "I vas vatch Monsieur Chatelard as vone cat shall +vatch vone leetle mice, and did caught him at las." + +"You did well, Choisseul, and shall be suitably recompensed. Dost know +how the fellow came here, and when?" + +"He did come in vone leetle barque, my lor' from over de riviere, on de +todder side opposite." + +"Ah, so!" said the earl. "Well, you may now retire, Choisseul. To-morrow +I shall see to your reward." + +Choisseul bowed, and withdrew. + +When he had retired, the earl sat down to a small writing table, and, +late as the hour was, began writing with great assiduity--an employment +at which he continued until he had written eight or ten different +letters, each of considerable length. These were addressed to various +members of the Queen's Privy Council in Edinburgh, and to some of the +law officers of the crown. They were all nearly copies of each other, +and contained an account of Chatelard's conduct, with a charge to the +several parties addressed to repair to St. Andrews on the second day +following, for the purpose of holding a court on the offender, and +awarding him such punishment as the case might seem to demand. + +On the day succeeding that on which the occurrence just related took +place, the queen and her retinue proceeded to St. Andrews, whither the +prisoner Chatelard was also carried; and, on the next again, the +unfortunate gentleman was brought to trial, the scene of which was an +apartment in the Castle of St Andrews, which had been hastily prepared +for the occasion. In the centre of this apartment was placed a large +oblong oaken table, covered with crimson velvet, and surrounded by a +circle of high-backed chairs, with cushions covered with the same +material. These were subsequently occupied by eight or ten persons of +the Privy Council, including Mary's secretary of state, Maitland of +Lethington, who sat at one end of the table. At the opposite end sat the +Earl of Murray; the prisoner occupying a place in the centre at one of +the sides. During the investigation which followed into the offence of +Chatelard, the Earl of Murray made repeated indirect attempts to lead +him to make statements prejudicial to the queen; urging him, with a show +of candour and pretended regard for justice, to inform the court of +anything and everything which he thought might be available in his +defence, without regard to the rank or condition of those whom such +statements might implicate. This language was too plain to be +misunderstood. Every one present perceived that it conveyed a pointed +allusion to the queen. Chatelard, amongst the rest, felt that it did so, +and indignantly repelled the insinuation. + +"I have none," he said, "to accuse but myself; nothing to blame but my +own folly. Folly, did I say?" went on the fearless enthusiast; "it was +no folly--it was love, love, love--all-powerful love--love for her, the +noblest, the loveliest of created beings, for whom I could die ten +thousand deaths. It was love for her who has been to me the breath of +life, the light of mine eyes, the idol of my heart; around which were +entwined all the feelings and susceptibilities of my nature, even as the +ivy entwines the tree--the constant theme of my dreams by night; the +sole subject of my thoughts by day. It has been hinted to me that I may +blame freely, where to blame may serve me. But whom shall I blame? Not +her, surely, who is the object of my idolatry--my sun, moon, and +stars--my heaven, my soul, my existence. Not her, surely; for she is +faultless as the unborn babe, pure and spotless as the snow-wreath in +the hollow of the mountain. Who shall maintain the contrary fies in his +throat, and is a foul-mouthed, villanous slanderer." + +Here the enthusiastic and somewhat incoherent speaker was abruptly +interrupted by Maitland of Lethington, who, rising to his feet, and +resting his hands on the low table around which Chatelard's judges were +seated, said, looking at the prisoner-- + +"Friend, ye must speak to your defence, if ye would speak at all. This +that you have said is nothing to the purpose; and you cannot be +permitted to take up the time of this court with such rhapsodies as +these, that make not for any point of your accusation. Think ye not so, +my lords?" he added, glancing around the table. + +Several nods of assent spoke acquiescence. When Maitland had concluded-- + +"I have done, then, my lords," said Chatelard, bowing, and seating +himself. "I have no more to say." + +A short conversation now took place amongst the prisoner's judges, when +sentence of death was unanimously agreed to, and he was ordered to be +beheaded on the following day, the 22d of February, 1563. + +On the rising of the court, the Earl of Murray repaired to the queen, +and informed her of the doom awarded against Chatelard. Mary was greatly +affected by the intelligence. She burst into tears, exclaiming-- + +"Oh, unhappy, thrice unhappy, countenance! thou hast been given me for a +curse, instead of a blessing--the ruin of these who love me best--that, +by inspiring a silly passion, at once dangerous and worthless, will not +permit one to remain near me in the character of friend! My lord, my +lord," she continued, in great agitation, "can you not, will you not +save the unhappy young man? I beseech thee, I implore thee, by the ties +of consanguinity that connect us, by the duty ye owe to me as thy +sovereign, to spare his life!" + +"You know not what you ask, madam," replied Murray, stalking up and down +the apartment. "How can his life be spared consistently with your +honour? Save him, and you will set a thousand slanderous tongues +a-wagging. It may not, must not, be." + +Mary herself could not deny the force of this remark, and, finding she +had nothing to oppose to it, she flung herself into a chair, and again +burst into tears. In this condition the earl left her, to give orders +respecting the execution of Chatelard on the following day, and to put +another proceeding in train for obtaining that result which he had aimed +at on the trial of the unfortunate young man. Sending again for +Choisseul-- + +"Friend," he said, on that person's entering the apartment, "I wish +another small piece of service at your hands." + +Choisseul bowed, and expressed his readiness to do anything he might be +required to do. + +"I vas proud to discharge all de drops of my blood in your service, my +lor'," said the knave, with a profound obeisance. + +The earl carelessly nodded approbation. + +"To-night, then, Choisseul," he went on, "you will repair to the dungeon +in which Chatelard is confined. You will see him as a friend. You +understand me?" + +"Ah, well, my lor', vere well." + +"Just so. Well, then, you will hint to him that you have reason to +believe he might yet save his life by confessing a participation in his +guilt on the part of the queen. You may add, though not as from me, of +course, that I have no doubt of his having been encouraged to those +liberties for which his life is forfeited; and you may say that you know +I feel for him, and would readily procure his pardon, if he would only +give me a reasonable ground or pretext for doing so, by showing that +there were _others_ equally in fault with him. Do you entirely +understand me, Choisseul?" + +"Entirely, my lor'," replied the latter; "bright, clear, as noonday at +the sun." + +"So, then, return to me when you have seen Chatelard, and let me know +the result," said the earl. + +Choisseul once more withdrew, to perform the treacherous and knavish +part assigned him. About midnight he sought the dungeon of the unhappy +gentleman, and, having been admitted by the guards, found him busily +employed in writing; the indulgence of a lamp, with pen, ink, and paper, +having, at his most earnest request, been afforded him. Indeed, these +were more readily and willingly given than he was aware of. They were +given in the hope that he would commit something to writing which, +without his intending it, might compromise the character of the queen. +But in this her enemies were disappointed. + +On Choisseul's entering Chatelard's dungeon, the latter, as we have +already said, was busily engaged in writing. He was inditing a last +farewell to the queen in verse. On this employment he was so intent, +that he did not observe, or at least pay any attention to, the entrance +of Choisseul, but continued writing on till he had completed his task, +which now, however, occupied only a very few minutes. On finishing-- + +"'Tis done," he said, and threw down his pen with violence on the table. +"These are the last notes of the harp of Chatelard. Ha, Choisseul!" he +immediately added, and only now for the first time seeming conscious of +that person's presence; "I am glad to see you, my countryman. This is +kind. I thought there were none in this strange land to care for me. But +they shall see, Choisseul," he added, proudly, "how a Frenchman and a +poet can die. That is, boldly and bravely. He were no true poet whose +soul was not elevated above the fear of death. I said, my friend," he +went on, after a momentary pause, and sighing deeply as he spoke, "that +I thought there were none in this land to care for me, or to sorrow for +me--and perhaps it is so; but there is one, Choisseul, whom I would not +willingly believe indifferent to my fate. She surely, much as I have +offended her, will say, 'Poor Chatelard!' Nay, methinks I see a tear +standing in that peerless eye, when she recalls the memory of her +departed poet. That--that, Choisseul," said the unhappy captive, with an +enthusiasm which even the near approach of death had not been able to +abate--"that would be something worth dying for!" + +Choisseul smiled. + +"You hold your life lightly, indeed, Chatelard," he said, speaking in +his native language, "if you think its loss compensated by a woman's +tear." + +"Ah, Choisseul, but such a woman!" exclaimed Chatelard. + +"Well, well," replied the former, again smiling; "but you can have no +doubt that _she_ at least will regret your death. _She_ loved you too +well not to deplore your fate." + +"Did she?" exclaimed Chatelard, eagerly, and with such a look of inquiry +and doubt as greatly disappointed the asserter. "You know who I mean, +then; but how know ye that which you have just now said? Assure me that +ye speak true, Choisseul, and I shall die happy." + +"Ah, bah! you know it yourself, my friend, better than I," replied the +latter. "No use in concealing it now," he added, with an intelligent +look. + +"Concealing what, sir?" said Chatelard, in a tone of mingled surprise +and displeasure. + +"Why, the affection the queen entertained for you," replied Choisseul. +"We all know, my friend, you would not have done what you did, had she +not encouraged your addresses. And I'll tell you what, Chatelard," he +went on, "I have reason to believe that your life would yet be spared, +if you would only show that this was so." + +"Ah, I understand you," said Chatelard, with suppressed passion. "If I +will accuse the queen--if I will put her in the power of her +enemies--her enemies will be obliged to me. In other words, I may save +my life by sacrificing her reputation; and it would be little matter +whether what I said should be true or not. Is it not so, Choisseul?" +Then, without waiting for an answer--"Villain, devil that thou art," he +exclaimed, now suddenly giving full swing to the passion that had been +raised within him, "how hast thou dared to come to me with such an +infamous proposal as this? Didst think, most dastardly knave, that my +soul was as mean as thine own? Begone, begone, ruffian! Thy presence, +thy breath, pollutes my dungeon more than the fetid damps that exhale +from its walls--more than the noxious reptiles that crawl on its floor. +Begone! begone, I say!" And he seized the now trembling caitiff by the +throat, and dashed him against the door of the cell, with a violence +that instantly brought in the guards who were stationed on the outside. +These, seeing how matters stood, hurried Choisseul out of the dungeon, +and again secured the door on its unfortunate inmate. + +On leaving Chatelard, Choisseul repaired to the Earl of Murray, but with +infinitely less confidence in his looks and manner than on the former +occasion when his villany had been successful. To the earl he detailed +the particulars of his interview with Chatelard; not forgetting to +mention the rough treatment he had received from the infuriated poet. + +"Then he'll confess nothing, Choisseul?" said Murray, when the former +had done speaking. + +"Not anything at all, my lor'. Dere is no hope; for he make no more of +dying than I do of taking vone leetle pinch of snuff." + +"Obstinate fool," exclaimed the earl, evidently chagrined and +disappointed. "Let him die, then! You may retire, Choisseul," he +abruptly added. + +Choisseul obeyed. + +"His execution, at any rate, shall be public," said the earl to himself, +when the latter had left him. "Perhaps he may make some confession on +the scaffold, and it will be well to have it amply testified." + +On the following day, Chatelard was led out to execution, when his +gentleman-like appearance and noble bearing excited the utmost sympathy +of the crowd. On ascending the scaffold, he pulled a small volume from +his pocket, opened it, and read aloud, with great dignity and composure, +Ronsard's Hymn on Death. When he had done, he turned towards that part +of the Castle of St Andrew's where he supposed the queen to be, and, +kissing his hand, waved a graceful adieu, exclaiming--"Farewell, +loveliest and most cruel princess whom the world contains!" + +Having uttered these words, he laid his head, with the utmost composure, +on the block. The axe of the executioner fell, and the high-souled, +accomplished, but enthusiastic Chatelard was no more. + + + + +CHRISTIE OF THE CLEEK. + + +Though the records of history and everyday experience teach us that +human nature, when pressed beyond certain limits by the force of stern +necessity, loses all trace of the lineaments of the lord of the +creation, and degenerates as far below the grade of brute existence as +it is, when not subjected to any such power, above it; yet it is +remarkable how determinedly mankind cling to a sceptical incredulity in +regard to those facts which derogate, in a very great degree, from the +dignity of the character of their species. The story of Christiecleek +has been considered by many as only fit for being, what it has been for +five hundred years, a nursery bugbear, and yet it is narrated by Winton, +one of the least credulous of historians, was attended by circumstances +rendering it highly probable at the time, and has been corroborated by +instances of _civilised_ cannabalism, produced by necessity, in cases of +shipwreck, of almost yearly occurrence. + +The united powers of war and famine, which have so often poured forth +their fury on the devoted head of poor Scotland, at no time exhibited +greater malignity than in the beginning of the reign of David II. For +about fifty years, the country had scarcely ever enjoyed a year of +quiet--with, perhaps, the exception of a short period of the reign of +Bruce. Repeatedly swept from one end to the other by the invading armies +of the Edwards, carrying the sword and the faggot in every direction, +she was, on the very instant of the departure of the foreign foes (in +all cases starved out of a burned and devastated land), laid hold of by +the harpies of intestine wars. The strong resilient energies of the +country could have thrown off the effects of one attack, however severe +and however protracted; but a series of incursions of the same disease, +at intervals allowing of no time for recruiting her powers, produced a +political marasmus--a confirmed famine--one of the most dreadful evils, +including in itself all others, that ever was visited on mankind. + +It would be difficult to draw a picture--because imagination falls short +of the powers of a proper portraiture--of the misery and desolation of +Scotland at the time we have mentioned. The land had got gradually out +of cultivation, and the herds of black cattle and sheep, on which the +people relied, in default of the productive powers of agriculture, had +been either driven into England, or consumed by the myriads of soldiers +of the English invading armies. Great numbers of the people, having +nothing wherewith to allay the pangs of hunger, though they had plenty +of money, quitted their country in despair, and took refuge in Flanders. +Those who had no money to pay their passage, left their homes, and +betook themselves to the woods, where, to appease their agonies, they +lay on the ground, and devoured, like the inhabitants of their sties, +the acorns and the nuts that had fallen from the trees. In the want of +these, the very branches were laid hold of and gnawed; and many poor +creatures were found lying dead, with the half-masticated boughs in +their clenched hands. The only remedial influence that was experienced, +was the growth of dysenteries and other intestine diseases, which, +produced by hunger and becoming epidemic, kindly swept off thousands who +would otherwise have died of protracted famine. + +At a wild spot near the Grampian Hills, a number of destitute beings had +collected, for the purpose of catching deer (a few of which still +remained), to keep in the spark of life. They agreed to associate +together, and divide their prey, which was dressed in a mountain cave, +where they had assembled. Every morning they sallied forth, women and +all, on the dreadful errand of taking advantage of chance, in supplying +them with any species of wild animals that came in their way, to satisfy +the imperative demands of hunger. They got a few creatures at first, +consisting chiefly of hares and foxes, and occasionally wolves, as +ferocious and hungry as their captors; and such was the extremity to +which they were often reduced, that they sat down on the spot where the +animals were caught, divided the smoking limbs among their number, and +devoured them without any culinary preparation. + +This supply very soon ceased--the animals in the neighbourhood having +either been consumed or frightened away to more inaccessible places. The +wretched beings, like others in their situation, had recourse to the +woods for acorns; but the time of the year had passed, and no nuts were +to be found. Weakness preyed on their limbs; and several of their +number, unable longer to go in search of food, which was nowhere to be +found, lay on the floor of the cavern in the agonies of a hunger which +their stronger companions, concerned for their own fate, would not +alleviate. All ties between the members of the association began to give +way before the despair of absolute famine. They ceased all personal +communication; silence, feeding on the morbid forms of misery called up +by diseased imaginations, reigned throughout the society of skeletons, +and hollow eyes, which spoke unutterable things, glanced through the +gloom of the cavern, where a glimmering fire, on which they had, for a +time, prepared the little meat they had procured, was still kept up, by +adding a few pieces of wood from the neighbouring forest. No notice was +taken of each other's agonies, nor could the groans which mixed and +sounded with a hollow noise through the dark recess, have been +distinguished by the ear of sympathy; an occasional scream from a female +sufferer who experienced a paroxysm of more than her ordinary agony, was +only capable of fixing the attention for an instant, till individual +pain laid hold again of the tortured feelings. + +A person of the name of Andrew Christie, a butcher, originally from +Perth, had endeavoured, at first, to organise the society, with a view +to save himself and his fellow-sufferers. He was a strong, hardy man; +and, if any of the number could be said to retain a small portion of +self-command, in the midst of the horrible scene of suffering which +surrounded them, it was this man. He was still able to walk, though with +difficulty, and continued to feed the fire, going out occasionally and +seizing on grubs that were to be found about the mouth of the cavern. +The others were unable to follow his example, and even he latterly was +unfitted for his loathsome search. All were now nearly in the same +predicament: agony and despair reigned throughout, to the exclusion of a +single beam of hope of any one ever again visiting the haunts of man. At +Christie's side a woman ceased to groan; an intermission of agony was a +circumstance, and the only circumstance to be remarked. The thought +struck him she was dead; he laid his hand upon her mouth to be assured +of the fact; she was no more! The dead body was a talisman in the temple +of misery--in a short time, that body was gone! + +The Rubicon of the strongest of natural prejudices was passed, with the +goading furies of hunger and despair behind. A prejudice overcome is an +acquisition of liberty, though it may be for evil. The death of the +woman had saved them all from death; but the efficacy of the salvation +would postpone a similar course of relief. Christie saw the predicament +of his friends, and proposed in the hollow, husky voice of starvation, +that one of their number should die by lot, and that then, having +recovered strength, they should proceed to the mountain pass and procure +victims. + +This oration was received with _groans_, meant to be of applause. The +lot of death fell on another woman, who was sacrificed to the prevailing +demon. A consequent recovery of strength now fitted the survivors for +their dreadful task. They proceeded to the mountain pass, headed by +Christie, and killed a traveller, by knocking him on the head with a +hammer, and then removed him to the cavern, where his body was treated in +the same manner as that of the woman on whom the lot of death had +fallen. They repeated this operation whenever their hunger returned; +making no selection of their victims, unless when there was a choice +between a foot-passenger and a horseman--the latter of whom, always +preferred for the sake of his horse, was dragged from his seat with a +large iron hook, fixed to the end of a pole--an invention of Christie's, +serving afterwards to give him the dreadful name by which he became so +well known. That which hunger at first suggested became afterwards a +matter of choice, if not of fiendish delight. The silent process of +assuaging the pain arising from want subsequently changed into a banquet +of cannibals; the song of rivalry was sounded in dithyrambic measure +over the dead body of the victim, and the corrybantic dance of the +wretches who required to still conscience by noise, or die, was footed +to the wild music which, escaping from the cavern, rung among the hills. +Such were the obsequies which Scotchmen, resigning the nature of man, +amidst unheard-of agonies, celebrated over the corpses of their +countrymen. + +These things reached the ears of government; and an armed force was +despatched to the hills to seize the cannibals. Several of them were +caught; but Christie and some others escaped, and were never captured. +The bones of their victims were collected, and conveyed to Perth; where, +upon being counted, it appeared that they had killed no fewer than +thirty travellers. From these transactions sprung that name, +Christiecleek, which is so familiar to the ears of Scotchmen. +"Christiecleek! Christiecleek!" became instantly the national nursery +bugbear. No child would cry after the charmed name escaped from the lips +of the nurse; and even old people shuddered at the mention of a term +which produced ideas so revolting to human nature, and so derogatory of +Scottish character. + +Now it is said that, some time after the performance of the dreadful +tragedy we have narrated, an old man in the town of Dumfries, who had +three children by his wife, quarrelled her often for the use of a term +intended simply to pacify her children when they cried, but which he +declared was too much even for his ears. He was a respectable merchant, +had earned a considerable sum of money by his trade, and was reputed a +most godly man, attending divine service regularly, and performing all +the domestic duties with order and great suavity of manner. His +neighbours looked up to him with love and respect, and solicited his +counsel in their difficulties. His name--David Maxwell--was applauded in +the neighbourhood, and he received great sympathy from all who knew him, +in consequence of having, as was reported, lost an only brother among +Christiecleek's victims--a fact he had concealed from his wife, till her +use of the name compelled him to mention it to her, but which afterwards +came to be well known. + +The silence of the mother had, however, no effect upon the urchins, who, +the more they were requested to cease terrifying each other by their +national _terriculamentum_, "Christiecleek," the more terrible it +appeared to them, and the more they used it. If they abstained from the +use of the word in the presence of their parents, they were the more +ready to have recourse to it in the passages of the house, and in the +dark rooms, and wherever the dreaded being might be supposed to be. The +pastime was general throughout Scotland; and David Maxwell's children +only followed an example which has been repeated for five hundred years. +"Christiecleek!--Christiecleek!" What Scotchman has not heard the +dreaded words? Time rolled on, and the Misses Maxwell resigned their +childish pastime for the duties of women. Their father had become a very +old man; and the attentions which their mother could not bestow, were +willingly yielded by the young women, who were remarked as being very +beautiful, as well as very good. They loved their father dearly, and +looked upon their filial duties as willing tributes of affection. After +they became intrusted with the secret, they substituted for the cry of +their youth, which had given their father so much pain, pity for the +brother of the victim of the execrated fiend. + +At last David Maxwell came to die; and, as he lay on his bed, surrounded +by his wife and daughters, he seemed to be wrestling with some dreadful +thought which allowed him no rest, but wrung from him, incessantly, +heavy groans and muttered prayers. His wife pressed him to open his +heart to her, or, if he was disinclined to repose that confidence in her +when dying, which he had awarded to her so liberally during a long +union, he should, she recommended, send for Father John of the Monastery +of St Agnes, and be shrived. The daughters wept as they heard these +melancholy statements, and the old man sympathised in their sorrow, +which seemed to give him additional pain. At last he seemed inclined to +be communicative, and, after a struggle, said to his wife-- + +"Wha is to tak care o' my dochters when I am consigned to that cauld +habitation whar a faither's love and an enemy's anger are alike unfelt +and unknown? My effects will be sufficient for the support o' my +household; but money, without a guardian, is only a temptation to +destroyers and deceivers. If I could get this point settled to my +satisfaction, I micht die in peace." + +"You never tauld me o' yer freens, David," said his wife--"a +circumstance that has often grieved me. The hundreds o' Maxwells in the +Stewartry and in Dumfries-shire surely contain among them some relation, +however distant; but my uncle will act as guardian to our dochters, and +ye hae tried his honesty." + +"Yet I dinna want relations," groaned the dying man. "I hae a +_brither_." + +"A brither," ejaculated the mother and daughter in astonishment; "was he +no killed by the monster, Christiecleek, in the Highland cavern?" + +"No," answered David, with great pain. + +"Whar lives he, and what's his Christian name?" cried the wife, in +amazement. + +"Is it his _Christian_ name ye ask?" said the old man. "Surely David," +replied the wife--"his surname maun be Maxwell." + +"But it is not Maxwell," said he, still groaning. + +"Not Maxwell!" said the wife. "What is it then?" + +"_Christie!_" ejaculated David, with a groan. + +The mention of this name produced a strange effect on the minds of the +wife and daughters, who, in the brother, saw (as they thought) at once +the hated Christiecleek, and found an explanation of the horror which +David Maxwell had uniformly exhibited when the name was mentioned in his +presence. They had at last discovered the true solution of what had +appeared so wonderful; and, having retired for a few minutes, to allow +their excitement to subside, they, by comparing notes, came to the +conclusion that their father, having been ashamed of his connection with +the unnatural being, had changed his name, and dropped all intercourse +with him; but that now, when he was about to die, his feelings had +overpowered him, and forced him to make the awful confession he had +uttered. Pained and shamed by this newly-discovered connection, they +were not regardless of what was due to him whose shame and grief had +been even greater than theirs, and, accordingly, resolved to yield all +the consolation in their power to the good man who could not help having +a bad brother. On their return to the bedside, they found him in great +agony both of mind and body. + +"This brither, David," said the wife, "I fear, is little worthy o' your +friendship, and the change o' your name is, doubtless, the consequence +o' a virtuous shame o' the connection. But can it be possible that he is +that man o' the mountain cavern, whose name terrifies the bairns o' +Scotland, and maks even the witches o' the glens raise their bony hands +in wonder and execration? Tell us, David, freely, if this be the burden +which presses sae heavily on yer mind. Yer wife and dochters will think +nae less o' you for having been unfortunate; and consolation is never +sae usefu as when it is applied to a grief that is nae langer secret. +The surgeon's skill is o' little avail when the disease is unknown." + +This speech, containing apparently the fatal secret, produced a great +effect upon the bedridden patient, who rolled from side to side, and +sawed the air with his sinewy hands, like one in a state of madness. + +"We were speakin o' guardians for my dochters," said he, at last, "and I +said I had a brither whase surname is Christie. You promised me +consolation. Is this your comfort to a deein man? For twenty years I +have hated the mention o' that dreadfu name; and now, when I am on my +death-bed, speakin o' curators for my bairns, ye rack my ears by tellin +me I am the brither o' _Christiecleek_! Would Christiecleek be a +suitable guardian for my dochters? Speak, Agnes--say if ye think +Christiecleek would tak care o' their bodies and their gowd as weel as +he tended the victims o' the Highland cave?" + +The wife saw she had gone too far, and begged his pardon for having made +the suggestion. + +"Ye will forgive me, David," said she, "for the remark I hae dune ye +great injustice; for how is it possible to conceive that sae guid a man +could be sae nearly related to a monster? But ye hae to explain to me +the change o' name. How hae you and your brither different surnames?" + +"_Because_," said the dying man, turning round, and staring with +lacklustre eyes broadly in the face of his wife--"_because I am +Christiecleek!_" + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +- Obvious punctuation errors repaired. +- Title page: No glossary included in the original. +- pg 010: 'ferula' corrected to 'ferule' +- pg 081: 'douce' corrected to 'douse' +- pg 095: 'iron gripe' corrected to 'iron grip' +- pg 107; 'spitfire' corrected to 'Spitfire' +- pg 211: 'neices' corrected to 'nieces' +- pg 223: 'Shakpere' corrected to 'Shakspere' (to match GWL) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of +Scotland, Vol. 9, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDER, VOL 9 *** + +***** This file should be named 32956-8.txt or 32956-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/9/5/32956/ + +Produced by David Clarke, Sunflower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/32956-8.zip b/32956-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aaaae91 --- /dev/null +++ b/32956-8.zip diff --git a/32956-h.zip b/32956-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..70f8b3a --- /dev/null +++ b/32956-h.zip diff --git a/32956-h/32956-h.htm b/32956-h/32956-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8ff7e0b --- /dev/null +++ b/32956-h/32956-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9629 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and Scotland Vol. IX, by Alexander Leighton. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +p.quotsig { /* signature of letter aligned right */ + text-align: right; + } + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} +.p3 {margin-top: 3em;} +.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} + +ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + +.tnote {border: dashed 1px; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.c33 {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em} +hr.c10 {width: 10%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em} +hr.c5 {width: 5%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.toc {margin-left: 3%; text-align: left;} + +.center { + text-align: center; + font-size: 0.9em; +} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +/* Footnotes */ + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:25%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; + font-size: 0.9em; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of +Scotland, Vol. 9, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. 9 + +Author: Various + +Editor: Alexander Leighton + +Release Date: June 23, 2010 [EBook #32956] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDER, VOL 9 *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Sunflower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1>Wilson's<br /> +Tales of the Borders</h1> + +<h2>AND OF SCOTLAND.</h2> + +<h3>HISTORICAL, TRADITIONARY, & IMAGINATIVE.</h3> + +<h4>WITH A <ins title="Transcriber's Note: No glossary included in the original.">GLOSSARY.</ins></h4> + +<h5 class="p4">REVISED BY</h5> + +<h2>ALEXANDER LEIGHTON,</h2> + +<h5>ONE OF THE ORIGINAL EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS.</h5> + +<h5 class="p4">VOL. IX.</h5> + +<p class="center">LONDON:<br /> +WALTER SCOTT, 14 PATERNOSTER SQUARE.<br /> +AND NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE.<br /> +1885.</p> + +<hr class="c5" /> + +<h2 class="p4">CONTENTS.</h2> + +<div> +<table class="bold" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" summary="Table of Contents"> +<col align="left" /> +<col align="right" /> +<col align="right" /> + +<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td>Page.</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#1">The Cripple; or, Ebenezer the Disowned</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>John Mackay Wilson</i>)</td><td align='right'>1</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#2">The Legend of Fair Helen of Kirconnel</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Alexander Leighton</i>)</td><td align='right'>23</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#3">Tom Duncan's Yarn</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Oliver Richardson</i>)</td><td align='right'>55</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Professor's Tales</span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Professor Thomas Gillespie</i>)</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"> <a href="#4">The Three Brethren</a></span></td> +<td></td><td align='right'>87</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"> <a href="#5">The Mistake Rectified</a></span></td> +<td></td><td align='right'>97</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"> <a href="#6">Dura Den; or, Second Thoughts are Best</a></span></td> +<td></td><td align='right'>106</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#7">The Laird of Lucky's How</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Alexander Campbell</i>)</td><td align='right'>119</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#8"><ins title="Transcriber's Note: Line indented in original">The Abduction</ins></a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Alexander Leighton</i>)</td><td align='right'>151</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#9">Sir Patrick Hume: a Tale of the House of Marchmont</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>John Mackay Wilson</i>)</td><td align='right'>167</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Serjeant's Tales</span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>John Howell</i>)</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"> <a href="#10">The Packman's Journey To London</a></span></td> +<td></td><td align='right'>178</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#11">Charles Lawson</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>John Mackay Wilson</i>)</td><td align='right'>210</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Bon Gaultier's Tales</span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Theodore Martin</i>)</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"> <a href="#12">Mrs. Humphrey Greenwood's Tea-party</a></span></td> +<td></td><td align='right'>217</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#13">The Recluse of the Hebrides</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Walter Logan</i>)</td><td align='right'>230</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#14">Ellen Arundel</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Walter Logan</i>)</td><td align='right'>238</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#15">Chatelard</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Alexander Campbell</i>)</td><td align='right'>243</td></tr> + +<tr><td><span class="smcap"><a href="#16">Christie of the Cleek</a></span></td> +<td align='right'>(<i>Alexander Leighton</i>)</td><td align='right'>275</td></tr> + +</table> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p4">WILSON'S</h3> + +<h2>TALES OF THE BORDERS,</h2> + +<h4>AND OF SCOTLAND.</h4> + +<hr class="c10" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="1">THE CRIPPLE; OR, EBENEZER THE DISOWNED.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">It is proverbial to say, with reference to particular constitutions or +habits of body, that May is a <i>trying</i> month, and we have known what it +is to experience its trials in the sense signified. With our +grandmothers too, yea, and with our grandfathers also, May was held to +be an unlucky month. Nevertheless, it is a lovely, it is a beautiful +month, and the forerunner of the most healthy of the twelve. It is like +a timid maiden blushing into womanhood, wooing and yet shrinking from +the admiration which her beauty compels. The buds, the blossoms, the +young leaves, the tender flowers, the glittering dew-drops, and the song +of birds, burst from the grasp of winter as if the God of nature +whispered in the sunbeams—"Let there be life!" But it is in the morning +only, and before the business of the world summons us to its mechanical +and artificial realities, that the beauties of May can be felt in all +their freshness. We read of the glories of Eden, and that the earth was +cursed because of man's transgression; yet, when we look abroad upon the +glowing landscape, above us, and around us, and behold the pure heavens +like a sea of music floating over us, and hear the earth answer it back +in varied melody, while mountain, wood, and dale, seem dreaming in the +sound, and stealing into loveliness, we almost wonder that a bad man +should exist in the midst of a world that is still so beautiful, and +where every object around him is a representative of the wisdom, the +goodness, the mercy, the purity, and the omnipotence of his Creator. +There is a language in the very wild-flowers among our feet that +breathes a lesson of virtue. We can appreciate the feeling with which +the poet beheld</p> + +<p class="center">"The <i>last</i> rose of summer left blooming alone;"</p> + +<p>but in the firstlings of the spring, the primrose, the lily, and their +early train, there is an appeal that passes beyond our senses. They are +like the lispings and the smiles of infancy—lowly preachers, emblems of +our own immortality, and we love them like living things. They speak to +us of childhood and the scenes of youth, and <i>memory</i> dwells in their +very fragrance. Yes, May is a beautiful month—it is a month of fair +sights and of sweet sounds. To it belongs the lowly primrose blushing by +the brae-side in congregated beauty, with here and there a cowslip +bending over them like a lover among the flowers; the lily hanging its +head by the brook that reflects its image, like a bride at the altar, as +if conscious of its own loveliness; the hardy daisy on the green sward, +like a proud man struggling in penury with the storms of fate. Now, too, +the blossoms on a thousand trees unfold their rainbow hues; the tender +leaves seem instinct with life, and expand to the sunbeams; and the +bright fields, like an emerald sea, wave their first undulations to the +breeze. The lark pours down a flood of melody on the nest of its mate, +and the linnet trills a lay of love to its partner from the yellow +furze. The chaffinch chants in the hedge its sweet but unvaried <i>line of +music</i>; the thrush hymns his bold roundelay; and the blackbird swells +the chorus; while the bird of spring sends its voice from the glens, +like a wandering echo lost between love and sadness; and the swallow, +newly returned from warmer climes or its winter sleep,</p> + +<p class="center">"Twitters from the straw-built shed."</p> + +<p>The insect tribe leap into being, countless in numbers and matchless in +livery, and their low hum swims like the embodiment of a dream in the +air. The May-fly invites the angler to the river, while the minnow +gambols in the brook; the young salmon sports and sparkles in the +stream, and the grey trout glides slowly beneath the shadow of a rock in +the deep pool. To enjoy for a single hour in a May morning the luxuries +which nature spreads around—to wander in its fields and in its +woods—to feel ourselves a part of God's glad creation—to <i>feel</i> the +gowan under our feet, and health circulating through our veins with the +refreshing breeze, is a recipe worth all in the Materia Medica.</p> + +<p>Now, it was before sunrise on such a morning in May as I have described, +that a traveller left the Black Bull in Wooler, and proceeded to the +Cheviots. He took his route by way of Earle and Langleeford; and, at the +latter place, leaving the long and beautiful glen, began to ascend the +mountain. On the cairn, which is perhaps about five hundred yards from +what is called the extreme summit of the mountain, he met an old and +intelligent shepherd, from whom he heard many tales, the legends of the +mountains—and amongst others, the following story:—</p> + +<p>Near the banks of one of the romantic streams which take their rise +among the Cheviots, stood a small and pleasant, and what might be termed +respectable or genteel-looking building. It stood like the home of +solitude, excluded by mountains from the world. Beneath it, the rivulet +wandered over its rugged bed; to the east rose Cheviot, the giant of the +hills; to the west, lesser mountains reared their fantastic forms, +thinly studded here and there with dwarf alders, which the birds of +heaven had planted, and their progeny had nestled in their branches; to +the north and the south stretched a long and secluded glen, where beauty +blushed in the arms of wildness—and thick woods, where the young fir +and the oak of the ancient forest grew together, flourished beneath the +shelter of the hills. Fertility also smiled by the sides of the rivulet, +though the rising and setting sun threw the shadows of barrenness over +it. Around the cottage stood a clump of solitary firs, and behind it an +enclosure of alders, twisted together, sheltered a garden from the +storms that swept down the hills.</p> + +<p>Now, many years ago, a stranger woman, who brought with her a female +domestic and a male infant, became the occupant of this house among the +hills. She lived more luxuriously than the sheep-farmers in the +neighbourhood, and her accent was not that of the Borders. She was +between forty and fifty years of age, and her stature and strength were +beyond the ordinary stature and strength of women. Her manners were +repulsive, and her bearing haughty; but it seemed the haughtiness of a +weak and uneducated mind. Her few neighbours, simple though they were, +and little as they saw or knew of the world, its inhabitants and its +manners, perceived that the stranger who had come amongst them had not +been habituated to the affluence or easy circumstances with which she +was then surrounded. The child also was hard-favoured, and of a +disagreeable countenance; his back was strangely deformed; his feet were +distorted, and his limbs of unequal length. No one could look upon the +child without a feeling of compassion, save the woman who was his +mother, his nurse, or his keeper (for none knew in what relation she +stood to him), and she treated him as a persecutor, who hated his sight, +and was weary of his existence.</p> + +<p>She gave her name as Mrs Baird; and, as the child grew up, she generally +in derision called him "<i>Ęsop</i>," or, in hatred, "the little monster!" +but the woman-servant called him Ebenezer, though she treated him with a +degree of harshness only less brutal than she whom he began to call +mother. We shall, therefore, in his history mention him by the name of +Ebenezer Baird. As he grew in years, the disagreeable expression of his +countenance became stronger, his deformity and lameness increased, and +the treatment he had experienced added to both.</p> + +<p>When nine years of age, he was sent to a boarding-school about twelve +miles distant. Here a new series of persecutions awaited him. Until the +day of his entering the school, he was almost ignorant that there was an +alphabet. He knew not a letter. He had seen one or two books, but he +knew not their use: he had never seen any one look upon them; he +regarded them merely as he did a picture—a piece of useless furniture, +or a plaything. Lame as he was, he had climbed the steep and the +dripping precipice for the eggs of the water-ouzel, sought among the +crags for the young of the gorgeous kingfisher, or climbed the tallest +trees in quest of the crested wrens, which chirped and fluttered in +invisible swarms among the branches.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> The birds were to him +companions; he wished to rear their young, that they might love him, for +there was a lack of something in his heart—he knew not what it was—but +it was the void of being beloved, of being regarded. It is said that +nature abhors a vacuum, and so did the heart of Ebenezer. He knew not +what name to give it, but he longed for something that would show a +liking for him, and to which he could show a liking in return. The heart +is wicked, but it is not unsocial—its affections wither in +solitariness. When he strolled forth on these rambles about the glen, +having asked the permission of his mother or keeper (call her what you +will) before he went, "Go, imp! Ęsop!" she was wont to exclaim, "and I +shall pray that you may break your neck before you return." There were +no farmers' or shepherds' children within several miles: he had seen +some of them, and when they had seen him, they had laughed at his +deformity—they had imitated his lameness, and contorted their +countenances into a caricatured resemblance of his. Such were poor +Ebenezer's acquirements, and such his acquaintance with human nature, +when he entered the boarding-school. A primer was put into his hands. +"What must I do with it?" thought Ebenezer. He beheld the rod of +correction in the hands of the teacher, and he trembled—for his +misshapen shoulders were familiar with such an instrument. He heard +others read, he saw them write; and he feared, wondered, and trembled +the more. He thought that he would be called upon to do the same, and he +knew he could not. He had no idea of <i>learning</i>—he had never heard of +such a thing. He thought that he must do as he saw others doing at once, +and he cast many troubled looks at the lord of a hundred boys. When the +name of "Ebenezer Baird" was called out, he burst into tears, he sobbed, +terror overwhelmed him. But when the teacher approached him kindly, took +him from his seat, placed him between his knees, patted his head, and +desired him to speak after him, the heart of the little cripple was +assured, and more than assured; it was the first time he had experienced +kindness, and he could have fallen on the ground and hugged the knees of +his master. The teacher, indeed, found Ebenezer the most ignorant +scholar he had ever met with, but he was no tyrant of the birch, though +to his pupils</p> + +<p class="center">"A man severe he was, and stern to view;"</p> + +<p>and though he had all the manners and austerity of the old school about +him, he did not lay his head upon the pillow with his arm tired by the +incessant use of the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'ferula'">ferule</ins>. He was touched with the simplicity and the +extreme ignorance of his new boarder, and he felt also for his lameness +and deformity. Thrice he went over the alphabet with his pupil, +commencing, "<i>Big Aw</i>—<i>Little Aw</i>," and having got over <i>b</i>, he told +him to remember that <i>c</i> was like a half-moon. "Ye'll aye mind <i>c</i> +again," added he; "think ye <i>see</i> the moon." Thus they went on to <i>g</i>, +and he asked him what the carters said to their horses when they wished +them to go faster; but this Ebenezer could not tell—carts and horses +were sights that he had seen as objects of wonder. They are but seldom +seen amongst the hills now, and in those days they were almost unknown. +Getting over <i>h</i>, he strove to impress <i>i</i> upon the memory of his pupil, +by touching the solitary grey orbit in his countenance (for Ebenezer had +but one), and asking him what he called it. "My <i>e'e</i>," answered +Ebenezer.</p> + +<p>"No, sir, you must not say your <i>e'e</i>, but your <i>eye</i>—mind that; and +that letter is <i>I</i>."</p> + +<p>The teacher went on, showing him that he could not forget round O, and +crooked S; and in truth, after his first lesson, Ebenezer was master of +these two letters. And, afterwards, when the teacher, in trying him +promiscuously through the alphabet, would inquire, "What letter is +this?"—"I no ken," the cripple would reply; "but I'm sure it's no O, +and it's no S." Within a week he was master of the six-and-twenty +mystical symbols, with the exception of four—and those four were <i>b</i> +and <i>d</i>, <i>p</i> and <i>q</i>. Ebenezer could not for three months be brought to +distinguish the <i>b</i> from the <i>d</i>, nor the <i>p</i> from the <i>q</i>; but he had +never even heard that he had a right hand and a left until he came to +the school—and how could it be expected?</p> + +<p>Scarce, however, had he mastered the alphabet, until the faculties of +the deformed began to expand. He now both understood and felt what it +was to learn. He passed from class to class with a rapidity that +astonished his teacher. He could not join in the boisterous sports of +his schoolfellows, and while they were engaged in their pastime, he +sought solitude, and his task accompanied him. He possessed strong +natural talents, and his infirmities gave them the assistance of +industry. His teacher noted these things in the cripple, and he was +gratified with them; but he hesitated to express his feelings openly, +lest the charge of partiality should be brought against him. Ebenezer, +however, had entered the academy as the butt of his schoolfellows—they +mocked, they mimicked, they tormented, they despised, or affected to +despise him; and his talents and progress, instead of abating their +persecutions, augmented them. His teacher was afraid to show him more +kindness than he showed to others; and his schoolfellows gloried in +annoying the cripple—they persecuted, they shunned, they hated him more +than even his mother did. He began to hate the world, for he had found +none that would love him. His teacher was the only human being that had +ever whispered to him words of praise or of kindness, and that had +always been in cold, guarded, and measured terms.</p> + +<p>Before he was eighteen, he had acquired all the knowledge that his +teacher could impart, and he returned to the cottage among the +mountains. There, however, he was again subjected to a persecution more +barbarous than that which he had met with from his schoolfellows. Mrs +Baird mocked, insulted, and drove him from her presence; and her +domestic showed him neither kindness nor respect. In stature, he +scarcely exceeded five feet; and his body was feeble as well as +deformed. The cruelty with which he had been treated had given an +asperity to his temper, and made him almost a hater of the human race; +and these feelings had lent their character to his countenance, marking +its naturally harsh expression with suspicion and melancholy.</p> + +<p>He was about five-and-twenty when the pangs and the terrors of death +fell upon her whom he regarded as his parent. She died—as a sinner +dies—with insulted eternity frowning to receive her. A few minutes +before her death, she desired the cripple to approach her bedside. She +fixed her closing eyes, which affection had never lighted, upon his. She +informed him that he was not her son.</p> + +<p>"Oh, tell me, then, whose son I am! Who are my parents?" he exclaimed, +eagerly. "Speak! speak!"</p> + +<p>"Your parents!" she muttered; and remorse and ignorance held her +departing soul in their grasp. She struggled; she again continued: "Your +parents! no, Ebenezer, no! I dare not name them! I have sworn—I have +sworn! and a death-bed is no time to break an oath!"</p> + +<p>"Speak! speak! Tell me, as you hope for heaven!" cried the cripple, with +his thin, bony fingers grasping the wrists of the dying woman.</p> + +<p>"Monster! monster!" she screamed, wildly, and in terror, "leave +me—leave me! You are provided for—open that chest—the chest—the +chest!"</p> + +<p>Ebenezer loosed his grasp; he sprang towards a strong chest which stood +in the room. "The keys! the keys!" he exclaimed, wildly; and again +hurrying to the bed, he violently pulled a bunch of keys from beneath +her pillow. But while he applied them to the chest, the herald of death +rattled in the throat of its victim; and, with one agonising throe and a +deep groan, her spirit escaped, and her body lay a corpse upon the bed.</p> + +<p>He opened the chest, and in it he found securities, which settled upon +him, under the name of Ebenezer Baird, five thousand pounds. But there +was nothing which threw light on his parentage—nothing to inform who he +was, or why he was there.</p> + +<p>The body of her who had never shed a tear over him he accompanied to the +grave. But now a deeper gloom fell upon him. He met but few men, and the +few he met shunned him, for there was a wildness and a bitterness in his +words—a railing against the world—which they wished not to hear. He +fancied, too, that they despised him—that their eyes were ever +examining the form of his deformities; and he returned their glance with +a scowl, and their words with the accents of hatred. Even as he passed +the solitary farmhouse, the younger children fled in terror, and the +elder laughed, or pointed towards him the finger of curiosity. All these +things fell upon the heart of the cripple, and turned the human kindness +of his bosom into gall. His companions became the solitude of the +mountains, and the silence of the woods. They heard his bitter +soliloquies without reviling him, or echo answered him in tones of +sympathy more mournful than his own. He sought a thing that he might +love, that might unlock his prisoned heart, or give life to its blighted +feelings. He loved the very primrose, because it was a thing of beauty, +and shrank not from his deformity as man did. To him it gave forth its +sweetness, and its leaves withered not at his touch; and he bent and +kissed the flower that smiled upon him whom his kind avoided. He courted +the very storms of winter, for they shunned him not, but spent their +fury on his person, unconscious of its form. The only living thing that +regarded him, or that had ever evinced affection towards him, was a dog, +of the mastiff kind, which ever followed at his side, licked his hand, +and received its food from it. And on this living thing all the +affections that his heart ever felt were expended. He loved it as a +companion, a friend, and protector; and he knew it was not +ungrateful—it never avoided him; but, when mockery or insult was +offered to its master, it growled, and looked in his face, as if asking +permission to punish the offender.</p> + +<p>Such was the life that he had passed until he was between thirty and +forty years of age. Still he continued his solitary rambles, having a +feeling for everything around him but man. Man only was his +persecutor—man only despised him. His own kind and his own kindred had +shut him out from them and disowned him—his sight had been hateful to +them, and his form loathsome. He avoided the very sun, for it revealed +his shadow; but he wandered in rapture, gazing on the midnight heavens, +calling the stars by name, while his soul was lifted up with their +glory, and his deformity lost and overshadowed in the depth of their +magnificence. He loved the flowers of day, the song of morning birds, +and the wildness or beauty of the landscape; but these dwindled, and +drew not forth his soul as did the awful gorgeousness of night, with its +ten thousand worlds lighted up, burning, sparkling, glimmering in +immensity—the gems that studded the throne of the Eternal. While others +slept, the deformed wandered on the mountains, holding communion with +the heavens.</p> + +<p>About the period we refer to, a gay party came upon a visit to a +gentleman whose mansion was situated about three miles from the cottage +of the cripple. As they rode out, they frequently passed him in his +wanderings. And when they did so, some turned to gaze on him with a look +of prying curiosity, others laughed and called to their companions—and +the indignation of Ebenezer was excited, and the frown grew black upon +his face.</p> + +<p>He was wandering in a wood in the glen, visiting his favourite +wild-flowers (for he had many that he visited daily, and each was +familiar to him as the face of man to man—he rejoiced when they budded, +blossomed, and laughed in their summer joy, and he grieved when they +withered and died away), when a scream of distress burst upon his ear. +His faithful mastiff started, and answered to the sound. He hurried from +the wood to whence the sound proceeded as rapidly as his lameness would +admit. The mastiff followed by his side, and, by its signs of +impatience, seemed eager to increase its speed, though it would not +forsake him. The cries of distress continued, and became louder. On +emerging from the wood, he perceived a young lady rushing wildly towards +it, and behind her, within ten yards, followed an infuriated bull. A few +moments more, and she must have fallen its victim. With an eager howl, +the dog sprang from the side of its master, and stood between the lady +and her pursuer. Ebenezer forgot his lameness and the feebleness of his +frame, and he hastened at his utmost speed to the rescue of a human +being. Even at that moment a glow of delight passed through his heart, +that the despised cripple would save the life of a fellow-mortal—of one +of the race that shunned him. Ere he approached, the lady had fallen, +exhausted and in terror, on the ground. The mastiff kept the enraged +animal at bay, and, with a strength such as he had never before +exhibited, Ebenezer raised the lady in his arms, and bore her to the +wood. He placed her against a tree: the stream passed by within a few +yards, and he brought water in the palms of his hands, and knelt over +her, to bathe her temples and her fair brow. Her brow was indeed fair, +and her face beautiful beyond all that he had looked upon. Her golden +hair in wavy ringlets fell upon her shoulders—but her deep blue eyes +were closed. Her years did not appear to be more than twenty.</p> + +<p>"Beautiful!—beautiful!" exclaimed the cripple, as he dropped the water +on her face, and gazed on it as he spoke—"it is wondrous beautiful! But +she will open her eyes—she will turn from me as doth her race!—as from +the animal that pursued her!—yet, sure she is beautiful!" and again, as +he spoke, Ebenezer sighed.</p> + +<p>The fair being recovered—she raised her eyes—she gazed on his face, +and turned not away from it. She expressed no false horror on beholding +his countenance—no affected revulsion at the sight of his deformity; +but she looked upon him with gratitude—she thanked him with tears. The +cripple started—his heart burned. To be gazed on with kindness, to be +thanked, and with tears, and by one so fair, so young, so beautiful, was +to him so strange, so new, he half doubted the reality of the scene +before him. Before the kindness and gratitude that beamed from her eyes, +the misanthropy that had frozen up his bosom began to dissolve, and the +gloom on his features died away, as a vapour before the face of the +morning sun. New thoughts fired his imagination—new feelings transfixed +his heart. Her smile fell like a sunbeam on his soul, where light had +never before dawned; her accents of gratitude, from the moment they were +delivered, became the music of his memory. He found an object on the +earth that he could love—or shall we say that he <i>did</i> love; for he +felt as though already her existence were mysteriously linked to his. We +are no believers in what is termed <i>love at first sight</i>. Some +romance-writers hold it up as an established doctrine, and love-sick +boys and moping girls will make oath to the creed. But there never was +love at first sight that a week's perseverance could not wear away. It +holds no intercourse with the heart, but is a mere <i>fancy</i> of the eye; +as a man would fancy a horse, a house, or a picture, which he desires to +purchase. Love is not the offspring of an hour or a day, nor is it the +<i>ignis fatuus</i> which plays about the brain, and disturbs the sleep of +the youth and the maiden in their teens. It slowly steals and dawns upon +the heart, as day imperceptibly creeps over the earth, first with the +tinged cloud—the grey and the clearer dawn—the approaching, the +rising, and the risen sun—blending into each other a brighter and a +brighter shade; but each indistinguishable in their progress and +blending, as the motion of the pointers on a watch, which move +unobserved as time flies, and we mark not the silent progress of light +till it envelop us in its majesty. Such is the progress of pure, holy, +and enduring love. It springs not from mere sight, but its radiance +grows with esteem; it is the whisper of sympathy, unity of feeling, and +mutual reverence, which increases with a knowledge of each other, until +but one pulse seems to throb in two bosoms. The feelings which now +swelled in the bosom of Ebenezer Baird were not the true and only love +which springs from esteem, but they were akin to it. For though the +beauty of the fair being he had rescued had struck his eye, it was not +her beauty that melted the misanthropy of his heart, but the tear of +gratitude, the voice of thanks, the glance that turned not away from +him, the smile—the first that woman had bestowed on him—that entered +his soul. They came from the heart, and they spoke to the heart.</p> + +<p>She informed him that her name was Maria Bradbury, and that she was one +of the party then on a visit to the gentleman in his neighbourhood. He +offered to accompany her to the house, and she accepted his offer. But +it was necessary to pass near the spot where he had rescued her from the +fury of the enraged bull. As they drew towards the side of the wood, +they perceived that the bull was gone, but the noble mastiff, the +friend, companion, and defender of the cripple, lay dead before them. +Ebenezer wrung his hands, he mourned over his faithful guardian.</p> + +<p>"Friend! poor Friend!" he cried (the name of the mastiff was Friend), +"hast thou, too, left me? Thou, of all the things that lived, alone +didst love thy master! Pardon me, lady, pardon an outcast; but until +this hour I have never experienced friendship from man nor kindness from +woman. The human race have treated me as a thing that belonged not to +the same family with themselves; they have persecuted or mocked me, and +I have hated them. Start not—hatred is an alien to my soul—it was not +born there, it was forced upon it—but I hate not you—no! no! You have +spoken kindly to me, you have smiled on me!—the despised, the disowned +Ebenezer will remember you. That poor dog alone, of all living things, +showed affection for me. But he died in a good cause! Poor Friend! poor +Friend!—where shall I find a companion now?" and the tears of the +cripple ran down his cheeks as he spoke.</p> + +<p>Maria wept also, partly for the fate of the noble animal that had died +in her deliverance, and partly from the sorrow of her companion; for +there is a sympathy in tears.</p> + +<p>"Ha! you weep!" cried the cripple; "you weep for poor Friend and for me. +Bless thee—bless thee, fair one! they are the first that were ever shed +for my sake! I thought there was not a tear on earth for me."</p> + +<p>He accompanied her to the lodge of the mansion where she was then +residing, and there he left her, though she invited him to accompany +her, that he might also receive the congratulations of her friends.</p> + +<p>She related to them her deliverance. "Ha! little Ebenezer turned a +hero!" cried one; "Ebenezer the cripple become a knight-errant!" said +another. But they resolved to visit him in a body, and return him their +thanks.</p> + +<p>But the soul of the deformed was now changed, and his countenance, +though still melancholy, had lost its asperity. His days became a dream, +his existence a wish. For the first time he entertained the hope of +happiness; it was vain, romantic, perhaps we might say absurd, but he +cherished it.</p> + +<p>Maria spoke much of the courage, the humanity, the seeming loneliness, +and the knowledge of the deformed, to her friends; and their +entertainer, with his entire party of visiters, with but one exception, +a few days afterwards, proceeded to the cottage of Ebenezer, to thank +him for his intrepidity. The exception we have alluded to was a Lady +Helen Dorrington, a woman of a proud and haughty temper, and whose +personal attractions, if she ever possessed any, were now disfigured by +the attacks of a violent temper, and the <i>crow-feet</i> and the <i>wrinkles</i> +which threescore years imprint on the fairest countenance. She excused +herself by saying, that the sight of deformed people affected her. +Amongst the party who visited the cripple was her son, Francis +Dorrington, a youth of two-and-twenty, who was haughty, fiery, and +impetuous as his mother. He sought the hand of Maria Bradbury, and he +now walked by her side.</p> + +<p>Ebenezer received them coldly; amongst them were some who were wont to +mock him as they passed, and he now believed that they had come to +gratify curiosity, by gazing on his person as on a wild animal. But, +when he saw the smile upon Maria's lips, the benign expression of her +glance, and her hand held forth to greet him, his coldness vanished, and +joy, like a flash of sunshine, lighted up his features. Yet he liked not +the impatient scowl with which Francis Dorrington regarded her attention +towards him, nor the contempt which moved visibly on his lip, when she +listened delighted to the words of the despised cripple. He seemed to +act as though her eyes should be fixed on him alone—her words addressed +only to him. Jealousy entered the soul of the deformed; and shall we say +that the same feeling was entertained by the gay and the haughty +Dorrington? It was. He felt that, insignificant as the outward +appearance of the cripple was, his soul was that of an intellectual +giant, before the exuberance of whose power the party were awed, and +Maria lost in admiration. His tones were musical as his figure was +unsightly, and his knowledge universal as his person was diminutive. He +discoursed with a poet's tongue on the beauty of the surrounding +scenery; he defined the botany and geology of the mountains. He traced +effect to cause, and both to their Creator. The party marvelled while +the deformed spoke; and he repelled the scowl and contempt of his rival +with sarcasm that scathed like passing lightning. These things produced +feelings of jealousy also in the breast of Francis Dorrington; though +from Maria Bradbury he had never received one smile of encouragement. On +their taking leave, the entertainer of the party invited Ebenezer to his +house, but the latter refused; he feared to mingle with society, for oft +as he had associated with man, he had been rendered their sport—the +thing they persecuted—the butt of their irony.</p> + +<p>For many days the cripple met, or rather sought, Maria in his solitary +rambles; for she, too, loved the solitude of the mountains or the +silence of the woods, which is broken only by the plaintive note of the +wood-pigeon, the <i>chirm</i> of the linnet, the song of the thrush, the +twitter of the chaffinch, or the distant stroke of the woodman, lending +silence a charm. She had become familiar with his deformity, and as it +grew less singular to her eyes, his voice became sweeter to her ears. +Their conversation turned on many things—there was wisdom in his words, +and she listened to him as a pupil to a preceptor. His feelings deepened +with their interviews, his hopes brightened, and felicity seemed dawning +before him. As hope kindled, he acquired confidence. They were walking +together, he had pointed out the beauties and explained the properties +of the wild-flowers on their path, he had dwelt on the virtues of the +humblest weed, when he stopped short, and gazing in her face—"Maria!" +he added, "I have loved these flowers—I have cherished those simple +weeds, because they shunned me not—they shrank not from me, as did the +creatures of the human race—they spread their beauties before me—they +denied me not their sweetness. You only have I met with among the +children of Adam, who persecuted me not with ridicule, or who insulted +not my deformity with the vulgar gaze of curiosity. Who I am I know +not—from whence I was brought amongst these hills I cannot tell; I am a +thing which the world has laughed at, and of which my parents were +ashamed. But my wants have been few. I have gold to purchase flattery, +if I desired it—to buy tongues to tell me I am not deformed; but I +despise them. My soul partakes not of my body's infirmities—it has +sought a spirit to love, that would love it in return. Maria, has it +found one?"</p> + +<p>Maria was startled—she endeavoured to speak, but her tongue +faltered—tears gathered in her eyes, and her looks bespoke pity and +astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Fool! fool!" exclaimed the cripple, "I have been deceived! Maria +<i>pities</i> me!—<i>only pities me</i>! Hate me, Maria—despise me as does the +world. I can bear hatred—I can endure scorn—I can repel them!—but +<i>pity</i> consumes me!—and <i>pity</i> from you! Fool! fool!" he added, +"wherefore dreamed I there was one that would look with love on deformed +Ebenezer? Farewell, Maria! farewell!—remember, but do not pity me!" and +he hurried from her side.</p> + +<p>She would have detained him—she would have told him that she reverenced +him—that she esteemed him; but he hastened away, and she felt also that +she <i>pitied</i> him—and <i>love</i> and <i>pity</i> can never dwell in the same +breast for the same object. Maria stood and wept.</p> + +<p>Ebenezer returned to his cottage; but the hope which he had cherished, +the dream which he had fed, died reluctantly. He accused himself for +acting precipitately—he believed he had taken the tear of affection for +pity. His heart was at war with itself. Day after day he revisited the +mountainside, and the path in the wood where they had met; but Maria +wandered there no longer. His feelings, his impatience, his incertitude, +rose superior to the ridicule of man; he resolved to visit the mansion +of his neighbour, where Maria and her friends were residing. The +dinner-bell was ringing as he approached the house; but he knew little +of the etiquette of the world, and respected not its forms. The owner of +the mansion welcomed him with the right hand of cordiality, for his +discourse in the cottage had charmed him; others expressed welcome, for +some who before had mocked now respected him; and Maria took his hand +with a look of joy and her wonted sweetness. The heart of Ebenezer felt +assured. Francis Dorrington alone frowned, and rose not to welcome him.</p> + +<p>The dinner-bell again rang; the Lady Helen had not arrived, and dinner +was delayed for her, but she came not. They proceeded to the +dining-room. Ebenezer offered his arm to Maria, and she accepted it. +Francis Dorrington muttered angry words between his teeth. The dinner +passed—the dessert was placed upon the table—Lady Helen entered the +room—she prayed to be excused for her delay—her host rose to introduce +her to Ebenezer.</p> + +<p>"Ebenezer!—the deformed!" she exclaimed, in a tone of terror, and, +dashing her hands before her eyes, as he rose before her, she fell back +in hysterics.</p> + +<p>"Turn the monster from the house!" cried Francis Dorrington, springing +forward; "my mother cannot endure the sight of such."</p> + +<p>"Whom call ye monster, young man?" said Ebenezer, angrily.</p> + +<p>"You, wretch!" replied Dorrington, raising his hand, and striking the +cripple to the floor.</p> + +<p>"Shame! shame!" exclaimed the company.</p> + +<p>"Coward!" cried Maria, starting from her seat.</p> + +<p>The cripple, with a rapidity that seemed impossible, sprang to his +feet—he gasped, he trembled, every joint shook, rage boiled in his +veins—he glanced at his insulter, who attempted to repeat the blow—he +uttered a yell of vengeance, he clutched a dessert-knife from the table, +and within a moment it was plunged in the body of the man who had +injured him.</p> + +<p>A scream of horror burst from the company. Ebenezer, with the reeking +knife in his grasp, stood trembling from rage, not from remorse. But he +offered not to repeat the blow. A half-consciousness of what he had done +seemed to stay his hand. The sudden scream of the party aroused the Lady +Helen from her real or affected fit. She beheld her son bleeding on the +floor—she saw the vengeful knife in the hands of the cripple. She +screamed more wildly than before—she wrung her hands!</p> + +<p>"Monster!—murderer!" she exclaimed, "he has slain—<i>he has slain his +brother</i>!"</p> + +<p>"<i>My brother!</i>" shouted Ebenezer, still grasping the knife in his hand. +"Woman—woman! mother—mother!—who am I? Answer me—who are you?" and +he sprang forward, and held her by the arm. "Tell me," he continued, +"what mean ye—what mean ye? My <i>brother</i>—do ye say my <i>brother</i>? Art +thou my <i>mother</i>? Have I a <i>mother</i>? Speak—speak!" and he grasped her +arm more fiercely.</p> + +<p>"Monster!" she repeated, "offspring of my shame!—away—away! <i>He is thy +brother!</i> I have shunned thee, wretch, I have disowned thee; but thou +hast carried murder to my bosom!" and, tearing her arm from his grasp, +she threw it round the neck of her wounded son.</p> + +<p>The company gazed upon each other. Ebenezer stood for a moment, his eyes +rolling, his teeth rattling together, the knife shaking in his hand. He +uttered a wild cry of agony—he tore the garments from his breast, as +though it were ready to burst, and, with the look and the howl of a +maniac, he sprang to the door, and disappeared. Some from an interest in +his fate, others from a desire to secure him, followed after him. But he +fled to the woods, and they traced him not.</p> + +<p>It was found that the wound of Francis Dorrington was not mortal; and +the fears of the company were directed from him to Ebenezer, who they +feared had laid violent hands upon his own life.</p> + +<p>On the following day, without again meeting the company, Lady Helen left +the house, having acknowledged the deformed Ebenezer to be her son—a +child of shame—whose birth had been concealed from the world.</p> + +<p>On the third day, the poor cripple was found by a shepherd wandering on +the hills. His head was uncovered; his garments and his body were torn +by the brambles through which he had rushed; his eyes rolled wildly, +and, when accosted, he fled, exclaiming, "I am Cain! I am Cain! I have +slain my brother! Touch me not—the mark is on my forehead!" He was +secured, and taken to a place of safety.</p> + +<p>The circumstances twined round Maria's heart; she heard no more of +Ebenezer the cripple, but she forgot him not. Several years passed, and +she, together with a friend, visited a lunatic asylum in a distant part +of the country, in which a female acquaintance, once the admired of +society, had become an inmate. They were shown round the different +wards; some of the inmates seemed happy, others melancholy, but all were +mild—all shrank from the eye of their keeper. The sound of the clanking +chains around their ankles filled Maria's soul with horror, and she +longed to depart; but the keeper invited them to visit the garden of his +asylum. They entered, and beheld several quiet-looking people engaged in +digging; others were pruning trees; and some sat upon benches on the +paths, playing with their fingers, striking their heels upon the ground, +or reading stray leaves of an old book or a newspaper. Each seemed +engaged with himself, none conversed with his neighbour. Upon a bench +near the entrance to a small arbour or summer-house sat a female, +conning an old ballad; and, as she perused it, she laughed, wept, and +sang by turns. Maria stopped to converse with her, and her friend +entered the arbour. In it sat a grey-headed and deformed man; he held a +volume of Savage in his hand, which had then been but a short time +published.</p> + +<p>"I am reading the 'Bastard,' by Savage," said he, as the stranger +entered; "he is my favourite author. His fate was mine—he describes my +feelings. He had an unnatural mother—so had I. He was disowned—so was +I. He slew a man, and so did I; but I my brother."</p> + +<p>The voice, the words, fell upon Maria's ear. She became pale, she +glanced towards the arbour, she cast an inquiring look upon the keeper.</p> + +<p>"Fear not, ma'am," he replied; "he is an innocent creature. He does not +rave now; and but that there is an occasional wildness in his language, +he is as well as you are. Enter and converse with him, ma'am; he is a +great speaker, and to much purpose, too, as visiters tell me."</p> + +<p>She entered the arbour. The cripple's eyes met hers—he threw down the +book.</p> + +<p>"Maria—Maria!" he exclaimed, "this is kind! this is kind, indeed! But +do not <i>pity</i> me—do not <i>pity me again</i>! Hate me, Maria! you saw me +slay my brother!"</p> + +<p>She informed him that his brother was not dead—that he had recovered +within a few weeks.</p> + +<p>"Not dead!" replied the cripple. "Thank Heaven! Ebenezer is not a +murderer! But I am well now—the fever of my brain is passed. Go, Maria, +do this for me—it is all I now ask—inquire why I am here immured, and +by whose authority. Suffer not my reason to be buried in reason's tomb, +and crushed among its wrecks. Your smile, your words of kindness, your +tears of gratitude, caused me to dream once, and its remembrance is +still as a speck of light amidst the darkness of my bosom; but these +grey hairs have broken the dream." And Ebenezer bent his head upon his +breast, and sighed.</p> + +<p>Maria and her friend left the asylum, but in a few weeks they returned, +and when they again departed, Ebenezer Baird went with them. He now +sought not Maria's love, but he was gratified with her esteem, and that +of her friends. He outlived the persecution of his kindred and the +derision of the world; and in the forty-sixth year of his age he died in +peace, and bequeathed his property to Maria Bradbury—the first of the +human race that had looked on him with kindness, or cheered him with a +smile.</p> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> The water-ouzel, the kingfisher, and the crested wren, +abound in the vicinity of the Cheviots, though the latter beautiful +little creature is generally considered as quite a <i>rara avis</i>; and last +year one being shot about Cumberland, the circumstance went the round of +the newspapers! But the bird is not rare, it is only difficult to be +seen, and generally flutters among the leaves and near the top +branches.</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="2">THE LEGEND OF FAIR HELEN OF KIRCONNEL.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">The seat of a branch of the Dumfries-shire Maxwells—Kirconnel—a +property lying not far distant from Dumfries, and surrounded by the +little pastoral stream, Kirtle—is one of the most beautiful that ever +gratified the taste or inspired the pride of a high family. It was not +until about the beginning of the seventeenth century that it came into +the possession of the Maxwells; for, during a long period, it belonged +to the old, though never illustrious, family of the Bells, who, amidst +all the turmoil and strife of the March territories, had the good sense +to prefer the quiet pleasures of the retreats of their own pure Kirtle, +to the tumultuous and cruel scenes which boasted no streamlet but the +heart's blood of contending foes. The power of Lord Maxwell, or the +threat of Douglas, were equally unavailing to force the old proprietor +of Kirconnel—though he ranked as a lesser baron, and might command +retainers to fight for his plea—to sacrifice the pleasures of domestic +peace on the altars of Laverna or Bellona: these conjunct goddesses who, +hand in hand, swayed the destinies of Border men, and regulated the +Border rights of mine and thine. He held his fine property directly of +the crown; and, so long as he fulfilled the conditions of his right, he +conceived himself entitled to the enjoyment of what had been fairly got +and honourably retained. One strong element in Kirconnel's determination +to live at home, in the enjoyment of what home may produce to a mind +capable of appreciating its sweets, was the fear of interrupting the +happiness of his lady—one of the family of Irvings in that quarter, who +latterly came to possess his property—and of one child, a daughter, the +Maid of Kirconnel, concerning whom, as all our readers know, more has +been said and sung by antiquarian minstrel than ever fell to the hapless +fame or treasured memory of fair woman. Ah, we need scarcely say, that +this young heiress of Kirconnel's name was Helen; for who that has read +the touching lines of Pinkerton can ever forget the appellation of one +whose fate has drawn more tears than ever did that of the heroine Lady +Margaret, in the old ballad of "Douglas' Tragedy?" The disasters of +ordinary women, though hallowed by the sanctifying power of love, have +seldom in this country inspired the harp of the minstrel; so far we are +forced to admit the power of beauty, abstracted from the qualities of +the mind and heart, that it has been a talisman to bardic genius in +every age; yet it is honourable to the character of our nation, that the +soul which illumines the "face divine" has called forth strains as +melting and triumphant as ever resulted from the effects of physical +beauty. It is, however, when the two qualities have been found combined +in a favoured daughter of Scotland, that an unhappy fate has called +forth a sympathy which has left no harp to sound fitfully in the +willow-tree, no heart in our true land untouched, no eye destitute of +sympathetic tears. Such has truly been the effect produced by the +fortune of Helen of Kirconnel—a fortune which came up on the revolving +wheel of the mutable goddess, notwithstanding all the efforts of her +father to make the course of her life happy, and its termination +blessed. Abstracted as the thoughts were of the three inhabitants of +Kirconnel—the lady, the laird, and the daughter—from the scenes that +were ever changing in the warlike world around them, so much greater was +the necessity for cultivating the opportunities of enjoyment that nature +and fortune had awarded to them; and so much greater also was the relish +for that enjoyment which has ever been found in minds and hearts +properly constituted and tuned to the harp of goodness, to increase with +possession as much as the false taste for stimulating avocations cloys +with the easy surfeit. It is not often, even in our virtuous land, and +even in these days when the blessings of a high civilisation have +inclined mankind to the cultivation of the social affections, that a +family is found with its different members so predisposed for the +harmony of exclusively domestic joys, that some chord does not +occasionally give forth a discordant sound when touched by an external +impulse; but, in the times of which we speak, and in the district where +the individuals resided, "the happy family" was a group that was more +often found in the lyrics of the poet or the creations of hope deferred +than in the real existences of the troubled and vexed world.</p> + +<p>The house of Kirconnel stood on "fair Kirconnel Lee;" a term implying +that the wood, which in those days encompassed every baronial residence, +had been, to a certain extent, cleared away, to allow the daisy-covered +lawn to rejoice in the beams of the generally excluded sun. But, at a +little distance, the empire of the forest was again resumed, on the +condition exacted by nature, of allowing the winding Kirtle to enjoy her +grassy bank, covered with the wild rose and the eglantine; and to roll +playfully along her pebbly bed, unimpeded by the neighbouring trees, +which, as if in amatory dalliance, sent down their straggling lips to +kiss her as she went. The wood bower—in early times a species of rural +retreat in much greater fashion than now-a-days—was, in repetition of +itself, seen rearing its ornamented walls, round which the native +parasite plants were entwined in close embrace in various parts of the +shady retreat. Some of these had been carefully looked to by the lady of +Kirconnel herself, who, anxious to confirm her husband's resolution +against engaging in the wars of the times, left no energy unemployed to +render their residence, not only within the walls of the house, but in +the bowers and gardens, as pleasant to the eye as the fruits of her +heart and mind were delightful to the rational and loving soul of her +appreciating and grateful lord. As Sir Owain says:—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">Fair were her erbers with flowers—</span><br /> + <span class="i2">Rose and lili divers colours,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">Primrol and parvink;</span><br /> + <span class="i2">Mint, feverfoy, and eglantine,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">Colimbin, and mo there were,</span><br /> + <span class="i2">Than ani man mocht think."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>True; the Graces had, as yet, but small influence in Scotland; but the +Genius of Chivalry, a cognate spirit, was busy in effecting a great +revolution in the minds of the inhabitants; and though there was little +to humanise, there was much to elevate and beautify. Traces of this +power might already be seen about the bowers and shades of Kirconnel, +where some rude figures of knights in various positions—one rescuing a +damsel from her enemies—one in the combat at outrance—one striking the +palisades of an armed city—placed, as they were, in the retreats of +peace and domestic happiness by a former warlike possessor of the +property, served the purpose of ornamenting the sequestered walks, and +supplying to the peaceful and happy inhabitants a contrast between the +pursuits of war and the pleasures of home, and home's blessed +enjoyments.</p> + +<p>At a little distance from the mansion or castle—for every house, in +those days, had a castellated character—was, and still is, the +burying-ground of Kirconnel; a spot which, from the peculiarity of its +situation, as well as from its own mournful associations, impressed the +mind of the visiter with feelings which startled him, as much from their +novelty as from their intensity. There is a small stone there, that +would, if deciphered and communicated to our readers, anticipate our +story, and claim the ready tear before our own sympathies are relieved +by our recital. We pass it by at present, to give some idea of the +extraordinary spot where it lies. This ground of the dead, or "Death's +Mailing," as it has sometimes been called, is invested with all the +<i>charms</i> of a sublimed melancholy, which contemplates nature as a whole, +and looks to those high purposes of her great author in visiting poor +mortals with their heart-chastening woes. At the time of which we speak, +this place of the dead was entirely surrounded with high oaks and +spreading elms, except where the silvery Kirtle embraced the hallowed +spot, as she rolled slowly along—more slowly, it might almost appear, +at this spot than elsewhere—and murmured a soft threnody in the ears of +the guardian spirits, that there tended the clay forms which they once +animated. A few very rude stones, whose rudeness was their greatest +recommendation to the sentimental mind, told, in the quaint "old Inglis" +of that day, their simple tale. "Here lyethe the race of ye sons of +Kirconnelle," might have been seen on a rude freestone that has long +since disappeared. "Terraughtie did choose to lie her," appeared upon +another old relic; and some exhibited more simple tokens—still pointing +out nothing more than name and surname, yet more eloquent in that +brevity than the most "storied urn." "Jon Kirkpatrycke," "Andrew +Welles," "Heln Johnston," "Mary of the Le'," without one word more to +say what they were, where they lived, when they visited this scene of +sorrow, and when they departed from it, possessed an eloquence in their +simple brevity that moved the heart of the visiter with a power now +little felt and less appreciated. The swelling green tumuli, with these +simple-speaking, grey-headed stones, standing, yet leaning to a side, as +if themselves bent by the hands of time, how humbly might they appear, +encircled as they were, with the proud monarch of the wood, the primeval +oak, that had seen the sires and grandsires of the lowly inhabitants of +"Death's Mailing" rise and fall, and become dust, as man contemplates +the day-fly wing forth in the morning, live out its day, and die. Such +was the romantic burying-place of Kirconnel at the time of which we +speak; and even now, when the oak has fallen before the axe of +civilisation, and Fame's trump has sounded even over the tomb, the place +has a hallowed and romantic character (the Kirtle is still there) not +exhibited by other burying-grounds in Scotland.</p> + +<p>In those retreats, the members of the family of Kirconnel passed the +greater part of their time. Helen, though a lover of home, was fond of +gratifying a fancy pregnant of beautiful images, and a taste for what is +lovely in nature, by sitting by the banks of the Kirtle, and supplying +her mind with the pabulum of the old Scottish romances. "Raf Coilyear +and his Cross-bow," and "Gilbert with the White Hand," though soon +superseded by the continental romances, were then the legitimate +fountains of amusement to the fair maids of Scotland; and those who +aimed at sublimer flights, might have had recourse to "Fyn Maccowl," or +"Gret Gow Macmorne;" but there was in none of the works as yet +circulated in Scotland, what might gratify the intense yearnings of the +female heart for those poetical images which subsequently sprang up with +the more mature growth of chivalry. The loves of warriors are not the +loves of everyday life, far less the loves of the inspired poet; and +Helen, as she read these old legendary romances, might find in them the +amusement that afforded a relaxing alternative to her own poetical +communings with the oldest bard of all—Nature; but for the inspiration +of love itself she required the talisman—man—in that high aspect she +had prefigured of the noblest of God's creatures, to rouse her heart +from nature to the lover's dream.</p> + +<p>As yet the Maid of Kirconnel had not seen any one that realised the idea +she had formed, by the banks of the Kirtle, of the individual who could +call up in her young bosom those extraordinary emotions which constitute +"love's young dream." The secluded mode of life adopted by her parents +was unfavourable to a choice of the talismanic objects; and it even +appeared to be her father and mother's wish that such choice should be +excluded, that her heart might, in the absence of many forms, learn to +be pleased with the man whom their love or policy might point out to her +adoption. A second cousin of her own, Walter Bell of Blacket House, had +a free passport to the hall of Kirconnel, as well as to the bowers that +were enshrined in Kirconnel woods. The laird saw in the young man his +nearest heir, in the event of his Helen being taken from him by fate; +and the lady could detect, as she thought, in Bell's quiet and sombre +manner, some assimilation to her own love of retirement and ease, and a +consequent disrelish of the warlike and sanguinary customs of the times. +Yet it was known that the young laird of Blacket House had been engaged +in secret frays between the Johnstones and Crightons; while, for some +purpose not generally known, though, from what we have said, not +difficult to be surmised, he had fought in disguise, and disclaimed the +glory of having hewn off the heads of many Johnstones, whose deaths +might have brought him renown, if not wealth. He had fought from a +spirit of animosity and a thirst of blood that lay deep buried in his +heart, but which, along with its noisome fruits, he had striven to +conceal, from the knowledge he possessed of the pacific disposition of +his friends the Kirconnels, whose good-will he had a motive to cultivate +more powerful than that of wealth or glory. He wished to recommend +himself to the fair Helen, by acquiring the love and esteem of her +father and mother; and he doubted not that, by his own personal +accomplishments—neither few nor unimportant—aided by the advice or +power of parental love and authority, he would succeed in changing in +her the old habitual feelings of ordinary friendship into the higher and +purer sentiments of affection.</p> + +<p>And sure it was that no one who ever aimed to acquire a "ladye's love," +made his attempt with more advantages on his side than Walter Bell of +Blacket House. The gay lover in the old romance, who cried that, with +the advantage of making love in a wood, and by the side of a silver +stream, he would gain the heart of the fairest woman of Christendom, +though his face were as black as the coal slave's, and his lineage no +better than the knave-child's, spoke more of human nature than he +himself perhaps knew. But he spoke of women in the aggregate; and it is +not unlikely that such a woman as fair Helen of Kirconnel had never come +under the trial of his skill. The truth of the statement fell to be +tested by one who, besides the advantages stated by the gay knight, +could boast the consent of a father, old friendship, and a face and a +lineage against which no exception could be taken by the admirers of +graces and genealogy. Bell was aware of the advantages he possessed; but +he could calculate the strength of these better than he could fathom the +mysteries of woman's heart. Although the greater part of his time was +passed at Kirconnel, where he took every opportunity of threading the +mazes of the oak woods, or sitting by the side of the Kirtle, with the +object of his affections, it is doubtful if he ever ascertained, by the +passing indications she exhibited, that her thoughts and feelings were +pitched much beyond the grade of those which nature had awarded to +himself. She saw and felt beauties in the scenery of Kirconnel, which to +her lover were but as the "sear leaf." Every object in nature—from the +planet to the plant, from the shining levin of heaven to the phosphoric +beam on the margin of the Kirtle—had some intelligence for her +inquiring eye. Every power in operation around her—from the general +sympathy of nature's highest elements, to the loves of the little forest +birds that sung their love-song in her bower—had some charm to elevate +her thoughts and sublime her sentiments. She, therefore, who could +search for intelligence where others saw nothing but inert matter, or, +at least, the uninteresting indications of everyday nature, might +probably have been an unfortunate object on whom our said romantic +knight might try the effect of his extraneous charms of wood and water. +Nor was she at all fitted for being acted upon by the love intrigues of +her cousin of Blacket House, who, coming far short of a knowledge of the +elevated sentiments by which she was inspired, could neither yield her +that sympathy which she required as a <i>sine qua non</i> of affection, nor +stand the investigation of the shrewd wisdom or the high philosophy of +the heart of an elevated woman. While he simply sued and used the +ordinary words of love, she analysed, and found that, where she never +could be understood, she never could dispose of her affections.</p> + +<p>The mind of Helen had long been made up on the question of her cousin's +suit. It had begun early; and the innumerable walks he had enjoyed with +her along the banks of the Kirtle had afforded him a thousand +opportunities of declaring his feelings. By the natural tact of women, +she had always contrived to evade the question, and contented herself, +even in the midst of extravagant declarations, with negative indications +of her inability to return his passion. These he understood not; and, +unfortunately, he acted upon the principle that has driven many a fond +lover to despair—that the mistress who appears to listen without +displeasure is presumed to give a tacit consent. They know little of the +heart of woman who trust their happiness or their lives to the frail +bark of such a fond and dangerous delusion. A woman will seldom put an +end to the adulation that supports her pride; but the Maid of Kirconnel, +who had no pride to gratify, acted as many a single-hearted female has +done and will do, who receives without a frown that her nature detests, +but without a satisfaction that her honesty will not allow her to +assume, the fond speeches of an old friend, couched in terms of an +admiration which is only her due. The native sensibility of her soul +shrank at the thought of first construing harshly her relative's +professions of affection, and then telling him that he was not the +individual who was qualified to win her heart. Yet, in justice to her, +it requires to be stated, that she often communed with herself, in her +solitary walks, on the necessity of checking her cousin's fond and +unfortunate delusion, lest evil might come out of gentleness so nearly +allied to good.</p> + +<p>This unfortunate connection between Blacket House and his fair cousin, +fated as it was to continue, assumed daily a more critical aspect. The +young man, overwhelmed by a passion that was daily and hourly fed by the +contemplation of a beauty and qualities seldom before witnessed in a +Scottish maiden, was not only intoxicated by the violence of his love, +but satisfied that his cousin, in return loved him with an affection +only more chastely expressed, though, of course, not less powerful than +his own. Her parents, too, who had lent a fond and willing ear to his +statements of their daughter's love for him, had made up their minds +upon a point which presented all the appearances of being sealed and +settled by her who had the greatest interest in its truth. She was +always to be found by him in her solitary walks among Kirconnel woods. +Their meetings were favoured by their parents; their walks were +uninterrupted; the current of his passion flowed without check, and his +expressions only varied in becoming more animated. The absence of a +<i>harsh denial</i> filled the measure of a deluding, blending hope; and +while the courses of their two minds were in directions entirely +opposite—his along the rose-strewed valley of a requited affection; +hers in a channel that led to objects too brilliant for his dull eye to +scan, and too sublime for his unfledged fancy to reach—he conceived +that a mutual sympathy of congenial feeling animated both their hearts.</p> + +<p>It was at this extraordinary state of the domestic affairs of Kirconnel +that an extraneous cause gave a new current to the feelings of the young +maiden, without having the effect of changing that of her lover, or of +opening the eyes of her father and mother to the true fact, that she +could not love the man they intended as her husband. A gallant, +high-spirited youth, one of the Flemings of Kirkpatrick, had followed a +doe up to within a very short space of Kirconnel House. The timid +creature had taken to the water, and, springing on the opposite bank, +fled past a bower in which Helen was at the time sitting reading "Sir +Tristam," then in the hands of every young lady in Scotland and England. +She started as the creature shot past her, and, putting her head timidly +forward, to get a better view of the fleet inhabitant of the forest, saw +before her, with cap in hand, bowing, in knightly guise, Adam Fleming of +Kirkpatrick. Neither of the two had before seen the other; but the fame +of the one's noble mien, high mind, and martial virtues, and of the +other's incomparable beauty and elevation of sentiment, had reached +reciprocally their willing ears.</p> + +<p>"That a Fleming of Kirkpatrick," said the youth, still bowing humbly, +and smiling, "should have had the boldness to interpose the image of his +worthless person between the fancy and the heaven of the meditations of +fair Helen of Kirconnel, doth, by my sword, require an apology. Shall I +be still bolder in asking a pardon?"</p> + +<p>The effect produced on Helen's mind by the noble figure of the youth, +and the romantic and playful turn he had given to his intrusion, was +quick and heartfelt. It was, besides, simultaneous with the memory of +his spread fame; and in an instant her face was in a glow of mixed shame +and confusion, the causes of which, perhaps, lay deeper than the +influence of a mere feeling of surprise or interruption.</p> + +<p>"You have my full forgiveness, sir," she replied, while her face glowed +deeper, in spite of her efforts to appear unaffected.</p> + +<p>Her soft musical voice fell on the ear of the youth; but his keen, dark +eye was busy with the examination of charms with which his ear had been +long familiar. The blush of a woman is a man's triumph; whatever may be +its secret cause, the man will construe it favourably to himself, in the +face of a denial of his power; and so far at least he has the right, +that nature herself evidences in his favour, by an acknowledgment that +he has touched the fountains of the heart. Fleming was not different +from other men; and, though he might have been wrong in his construction +of the secret moving impulse which called up the mantling adornment of +beauty that was almost beyond the power of increase, he felt the full +influence of the effect he thought he had produced, and, conceiving +himself favourably received, laid in his heart the germs of an affection +that was to govern his destiny. The forms of breeding, more punctilious +in those days of chivalry than even now, forbade farther communication +at that time, and, bowing gracefully as he drank up the rays of her +blushing beauty, he bounded away after his dogs, that had kept their +course in pursuit of the flying doe.</p> + +<p>This was the first time that ever Helen had seen a stranger huntsman +cross Kirconnel Lee in pursuit of his game; but it was soon to appear +that roes and does, when pursued by the gallant Fleming, seemed to think +that in the recesses of Kirconnel they might find that safety which was +denied them in other coverts; at least it became certain that more of +that kind of game fled before the hunter over Kirconnel Lee, after the +meeting we have described, than ever were seen before by man or maiden. +Meanwhile the image of the noble youth, with his clear, intelligent eye, +his rising and expanded forehead, from which his black hair was shaded +to a side, and mixed with the long flowing locks that reached down to +his shoulders; his intellectual expression of countenance, where beauty +sat enshrined among the virtues, his breeding, his modesty, his voice +and general bearing—were all busy with the fancy of the Maid of +Kirconnel. Nature's talisman had been applied, and the charm had wrought +in its highest and most mysterious power. Nor less had been the effect +of that first meeting on the mind of the youthful heir of Kirkpatrick. +They loved; and the does which afterwards brushed over Kirconnel Lee +were only the scouts of the hunting lover, who, while he could not help +the choice of the flying wilding in taking that direction, could not, of +a consequence, avoid a repeated <i>intrusion</i> on the wood-bower privacy of +her who longed to see him with a heart that palpitated at his coming as +strongly as did that of the flying deer. The rules of breeding direct +all their force against a first interview; against a second, though +brought about in the same way as the first, they have no efficacy; and +love, which defies the whole code, soon reconciled differences which he +despised. A few meetings revealed to each other the fact—which, somehow +or other, is discovered by nobody but lovers—that one person has been +intended from the beginning of the world to be formed for another. The +heir of Kirkpatrick and the Maid of Kirconnel exhibited to each other +such a similarity of thought, feeling, and sentiment, that love seemed +to have nothing more to do than to tie those threads which nature had +not only spun, but hung forth with a predisposed reciprocity of +communication. The discovery that their thoughts had taken the same +range, and reached an equal altitude of elevation, carried with it that +pleasant surprise that is always favourable to the progress of the +tender passion; and the delight of a new-born sympathy in sentiments +that had long gratified only the heart in which they were conceived, but +which now were seen glowing in the eyes of another, was only another +form of that passion itself.</p> + +<p>Though Helen had seen many indications that might have satisfied her (if +her mind had been directed to the subject) that her father and mother +were bent upon a match between her cousin of Blacket House and her, she +had never, either from a want of courage or steady serious thought on +the subject, put it to herself what was her precise predicament or +condition, on the supposition of such circumstance being in itself true +and irremediable. She had hitherto had no great need for secresy, +because she did not love another; and her father, mother, and lover, +having taken it for granted that she was favourable to her cousin's +suit, nothing of a definite nature had ever transpired to call for a +demonstration on her part, as an alternative of dishonesty and +double-dealing. Her situation was now changed. She now loved, and loved +ardently, another; and the necessity she felt of meeting the heir of +Kirkpatrick in secret, brought out in full relief her inmost sense of +what were the views and purposes of her father and mother, and all the +responsibility of her negative conduct, as regarded the suit of him she +could never love. But, strange as it may seem, if she felt a difficulty +in correcting her cousin and disobeying her parents before the accession +of her love, she felt that difficulty rise to an impossibility after +that important event of her life. She trembled at the thought of her +love being crossed: one word of her rejection of the suit of her cousin +would reach the ears of her parents; dissension would be thrown into the +temple of peace; her love would be discovered; her lover, a man famous +in arms, and an aider of the Johnstones, the opponents of Blacket House, +traced, rejected, and banished: and her heart finally torn and broken by +the antagonist powers of love and duty. She felt her own weakness, and +trembled at it, without coming to a resolution to make a disclosure; +while her overwhelming love carried her, on the moonlight nights, over +Kirconnel Lee, to meet her faithful Heir of Kirkpatrick in the romantic +burying-ground already described. This extraordinary place was that +fixed upon by the lovers for their night meetings; for in any other part +of the domains of Kirconnel they could not have escaped the eye of +Blacket House; who, though he had no suspicion of a rival, was so often +in search of the object of his engrossing passion, that she seldom went +out without being observed by the ever-waking and vigilant surveillance +of love.</p> + +<p>Many times already had Helen waited till her unconscious parents retired +to the rest of the aged, and the moon threw her sheet of silver over +Kirconnel Lee, and, wrapped up in a night-cloak, slipped out at the +wicker-gate of the west enclosure, to seek, under the shades of the +oaks, Death's Mailing, the appointed trysting-place of the ardent +lovers. Again she was to see her beloved Heir of Kirkpatrick, and at +last she had resolved to break to him the painful position in which she +was placed by the still existing belief of her parents and Blacket +House, that she was to be his wedded wife. On this occasion, she sat +wistfully looking out at her chamber window. Her father and mother had +retired to their couch. Everything was quiet, the wind stilled, and the +mighty oaks whispered not the faintest sigh to disturb the sensitive ear +of night. The moon was already up, and she was on the eve of wrapping +her cloak round her, and creeping forth into the forest shade, when she +observed the long shadow of a man extending many yards upon the shining +grass of the green lee. The figure of the individual she could not see; +for a projection of the building, sufficient to conceal him, but not to +prevent his shadow from being revealed, interrupted her vision. She +hesitated and trembled. If the shadow had moved and disappeared, she +could have accounted for it, by supposing that some of the domestics had +not yet retired to bed; but why should a man stand alone and stationary +at that hour, in that place, in that position? Her fears ran all upon +Blacket House, who was never happy but when in her presence or near her +person; and who had been, on a former occasion, reported by the servants +to have lain and slept under her window for an entire night, and never +left his position till the morning sun exposed the doting lover to the +wondering eyes of the domestics, who had never yet felt a love that kept +them awake for more than a dreamy hour at cockcrow. As she gazed and +hesitated, her hour was passing, and her lover would be among the +grave-stones, waiting for her. Her anxiety grew intense; she feared to +go, but shook at the thoughts of disappointing <i>him</i>; never dreaming (so +whispered love) of herself. The figure still stood as stationary as a +grave-stone, while her soul was agitated like the restless spirit that +hovers over it, sighing for the hour of departure to the regions of +ether. She could bear no longer; the projection which concealed him +would conceal her; she plied the furtive steps of love; and crossing, +like a fairy on the moonlit green knowe, the rising lawn, was forth +among the towering oaks in as little time as the shadow of a passing +cloud would have taken to trail its dingy traces over the shining lee.</p> + +<p>In a short time she arrived at the churchyard, and saw, through the +interstices of the surrounding trees, the Heir of Kirkpatrick sitting on +a green tumulus, the grave of one who had perhaps loved as they now +loved, waiting for her who was beyond the trysting-hour. In a moment +longer she was in his arms, and the stillness of the dead was invaded by +the stifled sighs, the burning whispers, the rustling pressure of +ardent, impatient lovers. The rising graves, and the mossy tomb-stones, +and the white scattered bones that had escaped the sexton's eye, and +glittered in the moonbeams, were equally neglected and overlooked; and +no fear of fairy, ghost, or gnome, or gowl, entered where Love left no +room but for his own engrossing sacrifices. The simple monument of love +of "Mary of the Le'," that rose by their side, had often brought the +tears to Helen's eyes; but Mary of the Lee was now forgotten. "There is +a time and a place for all things" but love, whose rule is general over +the flowery lee and the green grave, the mid-day hour and the dreary +key-stone of night's black arch.</p> + +<p>"What kept ye, sweet Helen, love?" whispered Kirkpatrick in her ear, as +she lay entranced in love's dream on his bosom.</p> + +<p>"By that question, good Adam," answered she, according to the mode of +familiar address of her day, "there hangs a secret that oppresses your +Helen, and drinks up all the joys of our affection."</p> + +<p>"Speak it forth, my gentle Helen," said Fleming. "What is it? The +secresy of our meeting? I have been meditating a resolution to address +your father, and this will confirm me. He can have no objections to my +suit, save that I am a friend of the Johnstones, and an open warrior; +while your cousin, whom you rejected before you saw me, is a concealed +mosstrooper, and a secret manslayer."</p> + +<p>"There, there," muttered Helen, with trembling emotion—"there, Adam, +you have hit the bleeding part of my heart. I did not say to you that I +had rejected Blacket House before I saw you; but you were entitled to +make that supposition, because I told you that I never received his +love; but, alas! Adam, there is a distinction there; and, small as it +may seem, its effects may be great upon the fortunes and happiness of +your Helen. It is true I have never received his love; but it is equally +true that his love, having overgrown the thought of a possibility of +rejection, has overlooked my negative indications, and put down my +silence for consent. Yes, Adam, yes—even now Blacket House thinks I +love him; and, oh! the full responsibility of my apathy rises before me +like a threatening giant; my father and my mother have, I fear, taken +for granted that I am to become the wedded wife of my cousin."</p> + +<p>"Helen, this does indeed surprise me," replied Kirkpatrick, thoughtfully +and sorrowfully. "I thought I had a sufficient objection to overcome on +the part of your father, when I had to conquer the prejudices of +clanship, and soothe his fears of my ardent spirit for the foray. But +this changes all, and my difficulties are increased from the height of +Kirconnel Lee to the towering Criffel." And he sat silent for a time, +and mused thoughtfully. "But why, my love," he continued, "have you +allowed this dangerous delusion to rest so long undisturbed, till it has +become a conviction that may only be removed with danger to us all?"</p> + +<p>"Ask me not, Adam," replied she, with a full heart, "what I cannot +explain. While the tongue of Blacket House's friendship was changing to +love, I, whose thoughts were otherwise directed, perceived not the +change; and when the truth appeared to me, my love for my father and +mother, against the placid stream of whose life I have ever trembled to +throw the smallest pebble of a daughter's disobedience, prevented me, +day by day, from making the avowal that I could not love their choice. +The difficulty increased with the hour; and, ah! my love for you crowned +it at last with impossibility."</p> + +<p>"That should rather have removed the difficulty," answered he. "Explain, +sweet Helen. You are dealing in shadowy parables."</p> + +<p>"Think you so, Adam?" said she, sighing. "Ah, then, is man's love +different from woman's? The one can look an obstacle in the face; the +other turns from it with terror, and flees. See you not that, by telling +my parents I could not love my cousin, I would have been conjuring up a +bad angel to cross, with his black wing, the secret but sweet path of +our affection. The very possibility of being separated from you—too +dear, Adam, as you are to this beating heart—made me tremble at the +articulation of that charmed word which contains all my happiness on +earth. You have stolen my heart from my father and mother, my sweet +woods and bowers, my bright moon and Kirtle; and think you what it would +be for me to lose him in whom all is centred!"</p> + +<p>"Ah! Helen, Helen, this is unlike the majesty of that mind that roved +the blue fields of the heavens, and searched the hidden springs of the +love that reigns through all created things. That such thoughts should +be allied to that weakness which increases inevitable danger by flying +from it, I could not have supposed to be exemplified by my Maid of +Kirconnel. Yet is that trembling fear not a greater proof of my Helen's +love than an outspoken rejection of twenty rival suitors? It is—I feel +it is; and who will chide a fault of earth that hangs by a virtue of +heaven? Dear, devoted, cherished object of my first passion, what has +the simple heir of Kirkpatrick to give in exchange for the devotion of +such a being?"</p> + +<p>And the impassioned youth pressed her closer and closer to his breast, +while he spread over her shoulders the falling cloak, to shield her from +the autumn dews.</p> + +<p>They sat for some time silent—the difficulty of their situation being +for a brief period forgotten and lost in the tumult of the rising +feelings of a strong mutual passion.</p> + +<p>"But this must not be allowed to continue," again said Kirkpatrick. "It +is <i>necessary</i>, Helen, that you do this duty to yourself, to your +cousin, your parents, and to me. Call up the necessary fortitude, my +love. Tell your mother that you cannot love Blacket House. I know the +pain it will produce to you and to them; but, alas! there are many +positions in this world where we can only get to the object of our +desires through painful means. Pain is, indeed, the price of most of our +pleasures; and, when we do not pay that price, we become bankrupt in our +best feelings, and die wretched. When the path is free, I shall come +forward and claim my Helen in the face of the world. Will you, will you, +love?"</p> + +<p>And he bent his head, and repeated the question in soft tones beneath +the cloak that covered her head; while she, in muffled accents, +replied—</p> + +<p>"I will, I will, Adam, though I should die with the last word of the +declaration."</p> + +<p>A heavy groan at this moment fell upon their ear. Adam started hastily +up; and Helen, roused from her love's dream, stood petrified with fear. +They looked around them in every direction; but the proximity of the +place where they had been sitting to the edge of the wood, rendered it +easy for an intruder to overhear their discourse, and to escape among +the trees in an instant. Helen's fears again fell on Blacket House, and +she whimpered to Adam what she had observed previous to her leaving the +house. He conceived them to be well founded; and, as the thought of the +man who could kill his enemies in disguise, and deny the deed, flashed +upon his mind, he felt for his sword, and then smiled at the precipitude +of his defensive precaution. It was necessary, however, that Helen +should now hurry home; and, surmounting the turf-dyke of the +burying-ground, they, with rapid steps, made for Kirconnel House, at a +little distance from which they parted, with a close embrace. Helen +stood for a moment, and looked after her lover; then, wrapping her cloak +about her head, she moved quickly round the edge of the enclosed lawn, +and was on the eve of running forward to the wicket, when Blacket House +stood before her. He looked for a moment sternly at her, spoke not a +word, and then dashed away into the wood. Terrified still more, Helen +hurried away, and got into the house and her own chamber before the full +extent of her danger opened, with all its probable consequences, upon +her mind. Having undressed herself, she retired to her couch, and +meditated on the extraordinary position in which she was now placed. She +had now been discovered by her cousin, who, no doubt, knew well that she +had that night had a secret meeting with Kirkpatrick—a partisan of his +antagonists, the Johnstones. The discovery of a rival had come on him +with the discovery of a delusion under which he had sighed, and dreamed, +and hoped for years. It was probable, nay, certain, then, that the +communication she intended to make to her father and mother, that she +could not love Blacket House, would be received along with the +elucidating commentary, that the lover now despised had discovered her +love intercourse with the heir of Kirkpatrick. She would, therefore, get +no credit for her statement that she never loved her cousin; but would +be set down as a breaker of pledges, and one who traitorously amused +herself with the broken hopes of her unfortunate lovers. Whether she +made the communication or not, it would be made by Blacket House, whose +fear of losing the object of his affections, or his revenge—whichever +of the two moved him—would force him to the immediate disclosure. The +serenity of the domestic peace and happiness of Kirconnel House would be +clouded for the first time, and that by the disobedience of one who had +heretofore been held to contribute, in no small degree, to that which +she was to be the means of destroying, perhaps for ever. The contrast +between the confidence, the hope, and the affection with which she had +been, by her parents, contemplated, and fondly cherished, during all the +bygone part of her life, and the new-discovered treachery into which her +secret love for a stranger would be construed, was a thought she could +scarcely bear. These and a thousand other things passed through her +thoughts with a rapidity which did not lessen the burning pain of their +impress upon her mind; and the repetition of a thousand reflections, +fears, and hopes, produced in the end a confusion that terrified sleep +from her pillow, and consigned her to the powers of anguish for the +remainder of the night and morning.</p> + +<p>She rose with a burning cheek and a high-fluttering pulse, produced by +the fever of mind under which she still laboured. She opened the +casement to let in the cool breeze of morning to brace her nerves, and +enable her to stand an interview with her father and mother, who might +already (for Blacket House was at Kirconnel at all hours) be in +possession of the secret of what they conceived to be their once-loved +Helen's disobedience and treachery. Her own communication, which she had +pledged herself to Kirkpatrick to make, was now invested with treble +terrors; and though she knew that her safety and happiness depended upon +an open declaration, she felt herself totally unable to make it. +Trembling and irresolute, she approached the parlour where her father +and mother, along with herself, were in the habit of taking their +morning meal. They were there; and there was another there—it was her +cousin. He looked at her as she entered, with a calm, but mysterious +eye, which fluttered her nerves again, and forced her to stand for a +moment in the middle of the apartment, irresolute whether to go forward +or retreat. She fearfully threw her eye over the faces of her parents. +There was no change there; the ordinary placidity of their wonted +manner, and the kindly love-greeting borne in their mellow voices, +startled her—so strong had been her conviction that all was disclosed. +Her parents were destitute of guile; and an instant's thought satisfied +her that they were still in their ignorance of the secret. But Blacket +House continued his dark gaze in silence; and even this—a decided +alteration in his manner—was unnoticed by the unsuspecting couple, who +threw their fond eyes on their loving daughter as their only remaining +pride and solace. What meant this? The new turn taken by the stream of +her difficulty and danger surprised and confused her; but, calming by +the influence of her parents' kindness, she sat down and went through +the forms of the morning meal, without exhibiting a discomposure that +might attract the notice of these loving beings, who searched her face +only for the indications of health and the beams of her pleasure. Her +comparative composure enabled her to collect her ideas; and she thought +she now discovered a reason for this seeming forbearance or discretion +of Blacket House—a man little formed for these, or any other virtues: +he intended to <i>sell</i> his knowledge at the price of a hand that never +could be his, but by this or some other means of compulsion. The moment +this thought—and, under all the circumstances, it was a reasonable +one—entered her mind, she trembled at the power of the dark-eyed, +silent being who sat there, and gazed upon her in revengeful triumph. +For relief, she turned her eyes to her parents; yet she saw there the +smile that approved his suit, and the confidence that would believe his +declaration. Her own Kirkpatrick was absent; and she dared not meet him +to receive the assistance of his advice, to enable her to support +herself under her trial, or devise a plan suited to the changed +circumstances for her relief. She hurried over her meal, and hastened +again to her apartment, to confirm herself in the opinion she had formed +of Blacket House's intentions. Every thought tended to add to her +conviction that she was correct, and told her that he never would +succeed in his scheme. He would now, for certain, endeavour to see her +alone, and lay before her the danger into which she had plunged herself, +and the bargain by which she would be relieved from it. But she would +defeat him; she would renounce her walks in the woods, desert, for a +time, her bowers, and bid adieu to her silver Kirtle. She would keep her +apartment under a pretence of slight indisposition—far from an +untruth—and, in the meantime, try to devise some mode of relief from +her painful situation.</p> + +<p>But the solicitude of her parents interfered, in some degree, with these +plans. They discovered that she was not so ill as to be unable to seek +what might do her service—her former walks and amusements around +Kirconnel Lee; and thus was she obliged to yield to kindness; yet she +contrived to have her parents near her, so as to deprive Blacket House +of an opportunity of communicating to her his imputed plan of enforcing +his suit. As yet, his silence had been continued: her parents were still +in ignorance; and it was only (so she argued) because he had not +hitherto found her alone, that his dreaded communication had not as yet +been made. On the occasion of her first walk, however, she, by some +untoward chance, was left in one of the arbours alone, and the +opportunity (the first that had occurred) was seized by him—Blacket +House was again before her, and all her fears were in a moment roused. +Their eyes met with an intelligence they had never before possessed. +Every passing thought seemed to be mutually read, while a few words of +ordinary import seemed to be only as a preparation to his expected +statement. Helen did not dare to leave him; she feared to rouse his +anger, and yet she wanted courage to reply with ordinary pertinence to +his remarks. His eye was constantly fixed on her, and the few words he +uttered came with difficulty and pain; yet was there not the slightest +allusion to the secret he undoubtedly held locked up in his breast. Was +he not to bring forward his threat of exposing her, as a wrenching +instrument, to force from her a consent that he was satisfied would +never be given voluntarily? There was no indication of any such issue. +What could be the true meaning of this dark-minded man's conduct? Again +he had disappointed her fearful anticipations. He had not told her +parents; he was not to tell herself. What then was he to do? She could +not answer her self-put question; and her surprise when he parted from +her, after a short conversation, conducted with difficulty, with his +secret unapproached, and the mysterious stare of his illegible eye, was +not less than her terror of the anticipated issue when she first +encountered him.</p> + +<p>This new extraordinary element in the subject of her meditations and +fears disarranged all her ideas, and sent her thoughts in new channels +for a discovery of what might be the secret plans of her cousin. She +sighed for an interview with her lover; but that, she was satisfied, +would be attended with great danger; and thus reduced to her own +resources, she passed the night following her meeting with Blacket House +in still increasing pain and difficulty. In the morning she was visited +in her own chamber by her mother, who appeared, from the serious aspect +of her countenance, to have something of great importance to +communicate.</p> + +<p>"Helen," began the good matron, "though your father and I have seldom +broached the subject of love and marriage in your presence, we have, +with heartfelt satisfaction, observed and understood that the man who +alone has our consent to win your virgin heart is your own choice. Your +wooing has lasted so long, that the very birds in the woods are familiar +with your persons and converse; and surely this is not to last always. +You are twenty years old, my dear Helen, at the next Beltane, the first +of May; and I know that it is Blacket House's wish that your happiness +may be crowned by a union within as short a period as we will agree to +fix. I have broken the matter to you, my love; and as I am well +acquainted with the fluttering of Love's wings when Hymen enters the +bower, I will not urge you to fix a day at present, but leave you to the +pleasant meditations my communication cannot but call forth. I shall +send your breakfast to your bedroom this morning, my love; but I hope we +may walk in the afternoon. Say nothing, Helen. Adieu! adieu!"</p> + +<p>And the mother left the room rapidly, as if to avoid noticing the +blushes of the supposed happy damsel. Helen heard the words uttered, as +one may be supposed to feel the syllables of a condemnation falling upon +the heart. It was well that her mother departed so rapidly, for the +agitation the kind parent attributed to joy, was but the prelude to a +faint, which retained her cold and straggling in its relentless arms for +a considerable period. The first indications of consciousness were, if +possible, more terrible than the last thoughts that frightened it away. +For a long period she sat upon the couch where she had heard the +dreadful intelligence, and, passing her hand over her brow, tried to +collect her energies, so as to be able to contemplate the full extent of +her evil. She thought she could now see some connection between the +announcement made by her mother and the extraordinary and mysterious +conduct of Blacket House, though she was satisfied that neither of her +parents possessed any knowledge of her intercourse with Kirkpatrick. The +scheme of the early marriage might originate in the fears of her cousin, +while his secresy was only still maintained till he found that she would +not yield to her parents' authority; when would be the time for using +his threat of disclosure to Helen, to compel her consent. All this +reasoning seemed founded in existing circumstances and appearances; but +so confused were her thoughts, and so painful every effort of her mind +to acquire clearer views, that she felt inclined to renounce reasoning +on a subject that seemed at every turn to defeat all her efforts to come +to the real truth. Her misery was at least certain; for now, while the +absolute necessity of a disclosure of her secret love became more +peremptory and inevitable, the circumstances under which it would be +made were such as would add to the unhappiness of her parents, and to +the apparent deceit and treachery of her own nature, which was, +notwithstanding, incapable of guile.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the effects of so much mental anguish, acting upon a tender +frame, became soon apparent in her pale countenance and swollen eyes. +She would not leave her apartment; and when her mother again visited +her, she saw a change on her daughter very different from that which +accompanies the character of a bride in prospective. The circumstance +surprised the old lady; but still so satisfied was she that there could +exist no objection to a lover whom she had (as was thought) cherished +for years, that it never occurred to her that the change in her daughter +was attributable to the announcement she had made to her; while Helen +herself, oppressed with the secret which she struggled (as yet in vain) +to divulge, shunned a subject which she found herself unable to treat in +such a way as would insure to her relief from her sorrow. Every effort +was made to get her out into the woods, where her former scenes might +enliven her mind, and bring back her wonted spirits, which, chiming the +musical bells of youth's happy glee, used to charm the age-stricken +hearts of her parents. But these scenes had lost their power over her. +The secrets Blacket House had to divulge still lay like an unholy spirit +upon her heart, killed its energies, and rendered her miserable. She +expected the additional sorrow of his society in these forced walks, and +her grief was mixed with surprise at his absence. He was often at the +house, but he avoided her. She even saw him turn into a by-path, to get +out of the way in which she walked—a circumstance as inexplicable as +any of the prior difficulties with which the whole affair was beset on +every side. She continued her meditations, called up repeated energies +to nerve her for her disclosure, and, with many a sigh, felt them die +away, and the tongue cleave to her mouth, as the unavailing effort shook +her frame.</p> + +<p>She had been in the habit of meeting Kirkpatrick at regular intervals; +but two of the stated periods had passed without an interview. The third +was approaching; and she trembled as the necessity of throwing herself +on his bosom, and seeking counsel in her difficulty, appeared to her in +such a form as to shake her resolution not to encounter another +night-meeting with her cousin. On the morning of that evening when she +must repair to the burying-ground, or lose the chance of meeting +Kirkpatrick for a considerable time, it was announced to her parents, in +her presence, at the table of the morning meal, that Blacket House had, +on the previous day, gone on a visit to a relation in a very distant +part of the country, and that he would not return for eight days. She +heard it, and her eyes were involuntarily turned up to heaven, in +thanksgiving for the opportunity she now enjoyed of sobbing out her +sorrows on the bosom of her Kirkpatrick, and getting good counsel in her +distress. She said nothing when the announcement was made, and heard, +without heeding, the remarks of her parents. Her thoughts were in +Death's Mailing, and the pallid hue of her cheek gave place for a moment +to the flush that followed the fancied touch of his lips, and the +pressure that brought her nearer to the bosom where lay all the relief +she now had in this world. She sought more freely than she had done for +some time her old retreats, and again the song of the merle had some +music for her ear—so ready is the oppressed soul to seek its accustomed +pleasures, that it will clutch them in the interval of a suspended +grief, though sure to return. Her cousin was gone for a time; he could +not cross in these paths of the wood; and, oh happy thought! she would +lie on the bosom of her Kirkpatrick, and breathe forth, uninterrupted, +love's sweet tale, rendered sweeter and dearer by the grief with which +it was shaded.</p> + +<p>The evening fell that night beautiful and serene. No vapour clouded the +"silver sheen," and no breath of wind rustled a leaf on the trees.</p> + +<p>"Hail to ye, bright queen!" ejaculated Helen, as she folded her mantle +round her, and was on the eve of seeking the wood; "once more light me +to my lover, if, after this meeting, you should for ever hide your face +among the curtains of heaven."</p> + +<p>And, breathing quick with the rising expectation of being enclosed in +his arms, she issued from the house, and sought the well-known loaning +that led to the burying-ground. Her grief had sunk for a time amidst the +swelling impulses of her passion; and it was not till she had been +pressed to his bosom, her brow kissed by his burning lips, and +deep-drawn sighs exhausted the ardour of a first embrace after so long a +separation, that one single thought of the cruelty of her situation +arose in her mind. They sat on the tumulus where they had sat often +before. The gravestones around them lay serene in a flood of moonlight; +the soft "buller" of the wimpling Kirtle was all that disturbed the +silence of the night; calmly there reposed the dead of many generations; +if their lives were ended, their griefs, too, were past; and Mary of the +Le', whose grey monument reflected clearly the moon's light, was free +from the anguish which, in struggling sighs, came from the bosom of her +who was <i>yet</i> above the green mound. Helen told her lover all the +extraordinary circumstances of her situation. She wept at every turn of +a new difficulty, and Adam's eyes were also suffused with tears; he +pressed her again to his breast, and bade her be of better heart, for +that better days were coming on the wings of time.</p> + +<p>"I confess," he said, "my dear love, that I am unable to understand the +conduct of that dark-minded man; but what can he do, if my Helen should +yet redeem her error, and make this necessary disclosure? That is alone +the cure of our pain. Oh, Helen! what a load of evil might have been +averted from our heads by the exercise of a little self-command!"</p> + +<p>"I see it, I feel it," replied she; "but there are powers higher than +the resolves of mortals. I have struggled with myself till the blood was +sent back in my veins, and frightened nature saved the powerless victim +of grief by the mantle of unconsciousness. What, Adam, shall I do? I +feel I am unequal to the task of speaking a daughter's rebellion and a +traitor's resolution."</p> + +<p>"When everything is explained, Helen," replied the other, "the treachery +disappears, and a father and mother's love will not die under the +passing cloud of a little anger. Think of our bliss, love! Did hope +never bring courage to your tongue, Helen? Ah, what would that bright +goddess make Adam Fleming dare!"</p> + +<p>"And what," said she, "would Helen Bell not dare for the love she bears +to her Adam, if that sacred feeling of a daughter's duty were overcome? +But it must be. I shall fall upon my mother's neck, and weep out with +burning tears of repentance a daughter's contrition. I will appeal to +the heart of a mother and a woman. I will conjure up her own first love, +move again the spring of her earliest affection, and feign to her my +father lost, and her heart wrecked. Ay, Adam, hope—the hope of the +possession of you—will accomplish all this. Helen has said it, and the +issue will prove."</p> + +<p>This burst of generous resolution produced a flood of tears. She crept +closer to him, and the throbs of her heart were heard in the silence +which reigned among the graves. A rustling sound among the trees roused +her; she lifted her head, and fixed her eyes on a part of the wood on +the other side of the Kirtle. For a moment she watched some movements +not noticed by her lover. They rose, and Adam stood aside to get a +better view of the interruption. In an instant she clung to his bosom; a +loud shot reverberated through the wood; Helen fell dead—the ball +destined for Kirkpatrick having been received by the devoted maiden, who +saw the hand uplifted that was to do the deed of blood. Neither scream +nor audible sigh came from her; one spring when the ball entered the +heart—and death!</p> + +<p>Kirkpatrick saw at once death and the cause of it, and in an instant he +gave pursuit. Springing with a bound over the Kirtle, he seized Blacket +House in the act of flight. The murderer turned, sword in hand, and a +battle was fought in the wood, such as never was witnessed in the heat +of the contest of armies. Had his opponent had twenty lives, the fury of +Kirkpatrick would have been unsatiated by them all. His spirit was +roused to that of a demon; a supernatural strength nerved his arm; he +despised life and all its blessings; the world had in an instant lost +for him any charms, but as the place where lived that one man whose +blood was to glut his vengeance. His sword found the heart of Blacket +House, and twenty wounds verified the ballad:—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"I lighted down my sword to draw—</span><br /> + <span class="i0">I hacked him in pieces sma'—</span><br /> + <span class="i0">I hacked him in pieces sma',</span><br /> + <span class="i0">For her sake that died for me."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>He returned to the burying-ground. His Helen's body was as cold as that +of those who lay beneath.</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"O Helen fair beyond compare,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">I'll mak a garland of thy hair,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">Shall bind my heart for evermair</span><br /> + <span class="i0">Until the day I dee."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Such is the story of Helen Bell, a subject that has employed the pen of +many a poet, and brought tears to the eyes of millions. We sometimes, +according to our privilege, amuse our readers with pure unadulterated +fiction. Would that our task had been such on this occasion!—for we +prefer the sorrow which fancy, imitating truth, rouses in the heart, to +the depressing power of "owre true a tale." We may add, that the Maid of +Kirconnel is more frequently called Helen Irving than Helen Bell, in +consequence of some doubt as to whether her mother was not really one of +the Bells, and her father an Irving. After giving the matter all due +consideration, and searching several authorities, we are satisfied that +the truth is as we have related it. Our very ingenious friend, Professor +Gillespie, in a section of the "Gleanings of the Covenant," says that +the beautiful ballad, some of the lines of which we have quoted, was +written on "Helen Palmer." We must have his authority.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="3">TOM DUNCAN'S YARN.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">William Duncan had lived nearly thirty years in the service of a landed +proprietor in Dumfries-shire; where his honest, upright, trustworthy +character had gained him the esteem and respect of his employer; and he +was looked upon more in the light of a humble friend, than of a hired +menial. Nearly five-and-twenty years had elapsed since his marriage to +Janet, who had long before been his "neebor" servant. Their family +consisted of two children, a son and daughter; the latter of whom had +been, at the time our story commences, for some time married to a +farm-servant, and was living in a cottage closely adjoining her +father's. The son had been sent, when about seventeen years of age, with +cattle to Annan, and had there made acquaintance with some seafaring +men, whose stories of the wonders of other lands had excited his +curiosity, and awakened an irrepressible longing to witness the strange +sights he had heard of. It was in vain that his father and mother strove +to divert his thoughts into another channel—"he <i>would</i> be a sailor;" +and they at last wisely consented to what they could not prevent. About +two years after his departure, Willie's good old master died; having +left his faithful servant a small annuity, sufficient to make his old +age comfortable—for he was now almost superannuated. The old gentleman +had died childless, leaving his estate to a distant relative; and his +successor, knowing the estimation in which Willie had been held by his +late master, allowed him to live rent-free in one of the cottages on the +estate, and treated him, on all occasions, with great consideration and +kindness. There was but one thing wanting to make the old couple happy: +their simple appetites were easily satisfied; they had enough and to +spare, without the toil of labour; but their son, their only son, was a +wanderer, and years had passed since they had received any intelligence +of him, and then they had only been informed that he had gone to some +foreign station. "Oh, could we but see him ance mair afore we dee!" was +often their exclamation.</p> + +<p>One stormy night in October, the old couple were startled by a loud rap +at the door.</p> + +<p>"Preserve us!" said Janet, in great alarm, "what's that? Wha can that be +chappin at the door on sic a nicht as this? Maybe it's some puir seekin +body, wantin shelter frae the blast. Up, Willie, man, an' ask wha it +is."</p> + +<p>"It's me, faither—it's Betty," replied the voice of the daughter, in +answer to her father's queries; "let me in."</p> + +<p>"What's brocht ye oot, woman," said Willie, "in sic a clash o' rain as +this?"</p> + +<p>"There's a puir sailor lad come to oor hoose," replied she, "an' he +wants something to eat an' drink, an' we haena a bite o' cake left: hae +ye ony to spare? An', what think ye, faither? he kens oor Tam weel, an' +says he saw him no tha' lang syne."</p> + +<p>"Kens oor Tam!" said the old man; "what for did ye no bring him wi' ye? +Gie's doon my plaid; I'll gang an' speak to him mysel."</p> + +<p>"Na, na, faither; ye maunna cross the door while it's pourin this gate. +I'll fetch him when he's had his supper. I'd hae brocht him afore, but I +thocht maybe he micht be makin ye believe oor Tam was comin hame, or +some sic clavers, an' ye wad be wearyin to see him, an' maybe no see him +after a'."</p> + +<p>"An' what for micht he no be comin hame?" said Willie. "It's time he +war, I think, if he wishes to find the auld folk to the fore."</p> + +<p>"Well, but, faither, suppose he war to tell ye that he had seen oor Tam +twa or three days syne, an' that ye micht expeck to see him hame sune?"</p> + +<p>"Mercy, lass! what's the matter wi' ye, wi' yer maybes an' yer supposes? +What gars ye gang swaggerin up an' doon that gait, lookin as ye were +demented? There's something pleasin ye by common. If 'twar Tam himsel, +ye couldna be mair uplifted."</p> + +<p>"An' guid richt hae I to be uplifted, mither, if ye kent a'."</p> + +<p>"Eh, it's Tam himsel!" almost screamed the old woman; "where is he? Let +me see my bairn."</p> + +<p>"Here's all that's left of him, mother," said a fine, stout-looking +sailor; who, unable any longer to restrain his impatience, stumped in on +a wooden leg just as Janet was speaking.</p> + +<p>"My bairn! my bairn!" sobbed the old woman, throwing her arms round him; +"mony a lang day hae I prayed to see ye ance mair; an' noo that I hae +ye, oh, do I see ye a puir cripple!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's nothing, mother; nothing but the fortune of war. If I'd lost +my head instead of my leg, mother, I wouldn't have been here to tell my +own story."</p> + +<p>"That's Gude's truth; an' great reason hae we to be thankfu it's nae +waur. But, oh! it's a sair dispensation."</p> + +<p>"Ah, old boy! how are you?" said Tom, shaking his father heartily by the +hand; "all alive and hearty—eh?"</p> + +<p>"Weel aneugh, weel aneugh, Tam; just choppin on; but richt glad am I to +see ye again, my son. But, Tam, that wasna the gate ye wad hae spoken to +yer auld faither afore ye gaed frae hame."</p> + +<p>"My manner of speaking may be changed, father," replied the young man, +respectfully; "but there's no change in my heart—that's true-blue +still; and it'll be long before I can clear off my reckoning with you +for all your kindness to me. No, no, father, my <i>heart's</i> in the right +place still."</p> + +<p>"Weel, my man, I hope sae. Sit doon an' tell us a' that's happened ye +sin' we last heard frae ye. But wait a wee. Janet, seek oot the best +that's in the hoose for the puir fallow; an', whan he's had a guid +supper, he'll be in better fettle for giein us his cracks."</p> + +<p>"Tak aff yer jacket, my bonny man," said his mother; "an' hing it up +afore the fire, an' draw in till't yersel. Willie, I'm thinkin there's +something in the bottle. I'll put on the kettle, an' we'll gie the lad +something he'll be nane the waur o'."</p> + +<p>After the sailor had done his devoirs at the supper-table, the whole +party drew round the fire, and the old man, lighting his "cutty," said—</p> + +<p>"Noo, Tam, tell us a' aboot what ye've been doin, an' hoo ye cam to lose +yer leg."</p> + +<p>"It's a terrible long yarn, father, and I'm afeared ye'll be glad to +sing out Avast! before I've spun it out; besides, you'll not understand +my sea lingo."</p> + +<p>"Nae fear o' that," replied he; "ye ken I was ance a bit o' a sailor +mysel. We could see the Solway frae the hoose I hired at when I was a +callan."</p> + +<p>"But, eh, Tam, my man," said old Janet, "ye talk English as weel's the +grand folk doon by."</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay, mother; leave me alone for that. My messmates used to say as +how I ought to have been a Methodist preacher, seein I knowed so well +how to tip them the dictionary."</p> + +<p>"Hear till him!" said the delighted mother, holding up her hands in +admiration.</p> + +<p>"But, howsomdever, they haven't made me proud on't, you see, with all +their blarney. But I must carry on, or my yarn'll reach from this to the +end of next week. It's now six years since I got a berth on board one o' +them Newcastle colliers, and a jolly time we had on't; for, though we'd +lashing to do, and no want of wet jackets, there was always a full +bread-bag, and swipes and grub at no allowance. They're the craft to +teach a man his duty! Well, I'd been in that trade about a year, when I +goes ashore one day with the mate at Wapping; and, while we were sitting +comfortably swigging our grog, the landlord comes rushing in, and, says +he, 'My lads, you must brush; there's the pressgang a-coming.' Hearing +that, the mate and I bolted out of the door, and ran for it; but they +twigged us, and gave chase. They nabbed the mate in less nor no time; +but I cracked on a press o' sail, and was dropping them astern fast, +when, as I was looking back at them over my shoulder, I ran stem on to +an old fishwife. My eyes, what a crash! I sends her and her sprats +a-swimming in the gutter, and I falls as flat as a flounder on the +pavement, spouting out blood from my nose, like a whale. Well, to cut a +long yarn short, we were taken on board the tender, and afterwards +drafted into the Fire-eater frigate, which was stationed on the north +coast of Ireland. I was very well off on board the frigate. 'Sharp' was +the word, to be sure, and the cat often wagged her tail; but then, as +long as a man was smart and willing, he'd never no 'casion to be +afeared: there was never no favour nor affection there. Well, as I said +afore, we were cruising off the coast of Ireland, when, one day, it came +on to blow great guns from the westward. For three blessed days, there +was the little Fire-eater tossing and tumbling, and kicking up her +starn, and going through as many manœuvres as a dancing-master, till +at last we were driven so far west that we made the coast of Argyle; +then 'bout ship we went, and stood away again to the eastward. Well, we +carried on for a matter of four-and-twenty hours, with a little more +northing in the wind, when we made land again, and hauled up two or +three points to clear it. The weather was so thick ye might a'most have +cut it with a knife, and there wasn't such a thing as a dirty face on +board, the sea made a clean wash of everything, and it blowed—my eyes, +how it did blow! Mayhap, you call this a gale, but you wouldn't have +heard it beside that. It was bad enough to be on deck, but ten times +worse below; a devil of a sea smashed in some of the ports, and the +leeside of the main-deck was three feet deep in water. And then, while +we were hard at work, stuffing up the holes where the water was pouring +in, and pumping, there was an awful stramash on deck; for there was the +land again, close aboard of us ahead. 'Wear ship!' was now the cry, and +away went the little hooker again on the other tack, and bravely did she +behave—a better sea-boat never swam; for, battered and knocked about as +she was, she showed true pluck; no sooner was she knocked over by a sea, +than she rose again like a duck, though she was forced to shake her +feathers now and then. Well, at eight-bells in the first watch +(midnight), we thought it was all up with us again, for there was the +surf breaking on the rocks little more than half-a-mile on the +lee-bow—and touch-and-go it was; but our tight little barky—though she +was anything but tight by that time—though she lay over till she was +half buried alive, looked boldly up in the wind, and shot past like a +sea-bird. If there hadn't been such a devil of a noise, you might have +heard a pin drop just then. There was not a man on deck who did not hold +his breath, and gasp, when the danger was past, like one that's just +escaped drowning.</p> + +<p>"'By the powers!' says I to Bill Jones, 'that was a close shave.'</p> + +<p>"'You may say that,' says he.</p> + +<p>"Just as he was a-speaking, the moon shone out, and there, not six +hundred yards to leeward, were breakers again. The sea was running as +high as our tops at the time; but beyond and above it we saw the +breakers curling their white tops, foaming, and dashing, and roaring, as +if they were raging to get at us, as you may have seen wild beasts +tearing and leaping, and striving to break their chain to get out of the +menagerie at their prey. Now, indeed, it seemed there was no chance of +escape—there was no room to wear, and the ship was already half-buried +under her canvas; our only hoped seemed to be in our ground tackle, and +orders were given to clear away the anchors, and to have all ready for +cutting away the masts. That was an awful moment; we thought it was all +up with us, and there was many a pale cheek, and many a muttered prayer +for mercy and deliverance; for the worst amongst us are glad to look +aloft when death is staring us in the face below. Our captain was as +brave a fellow, and as good a seaman, as ever stepped a plank. What his +feelings may have been, it's impossible for the likes o' me to say; but +I never seed him more cool in a calm than at that moment, when the +bravest might have flinched, and no man could have cast it in his teeth. +His voice never shook when he gave his orders, loud, clear, and +distinct; and his gallant bearing cheered the down-hearted, and gave +fresh pluck to the daring. He was a trump, that fellow! He ordered the +foretopsail and foresail to be set. It seemed to be a rash and dangerous +experiment, but it succeeded. Nothing venture, nothing win; we might +have lost our masts, but we saved the ship. The little frigate lay over +for a minute, as if she was never going to rise no more; all hands +thought the masts must go, for everything aloft grinned again, and the +rigging was as taut as bars of iron; but it held on, and the frigate +righted again, and sprung ahead, as you have seen a hare make a fresh +stretch from the hounds—and we were all saved. We shaved the reef so +close, that I'm blessed if I couldn't a'most have chucked a biscuit on +shore."</p> + +<p>"Mercy!" said the old woman; "what an escape!"</p> + +<p>"Ay, mother, we sailors have many a narrow squeak for it, that you +long-shore folks never dream of; but you know, as the song says, +'There's a sweet little cherub sits perched up aloft, to take care of +the life of poor Jack;' and we're as safe, for the matter o' that, on +the stormy sea, as you are on the terry firmy, as our doctor used to +call the land."</p> + +<p>"Weel, but what was the upshot o' the business?" said Willie.</p> + +<p>"Why, ye see, though we had escaped so mirac'lously like, we were still +too near a lee-shore to be quite comfortable; for we'd another headland +to weather afore we could say we was clear o' danger. There was never an +eye closed on board that night, and a long and weary night it was. +Blessed if ever I seed a craft stand up under her canvas as our little +barky did, carrying on at the rate of seven knots an hour, while the sea +made a fair breach over her every now and then, and made her stagger +from stem to starn. At last, 'old roarer,' as I've heard our doctor call +the daybreak, made its appearance, and we saw the land we was afeared +o', some distance astarn. After that, the gale began to moderate, and a +fair wind soon took us under our anchorage."</p> + +<p>Here old Janet interrupted her son, with, "Weel, but Tam, ye haena tauld +us yet hoo ye cam to lose yer leg."</p> + +<p>"Never hurry no man's cattle, mother," replied the sailor; "leave me to +spin my own yarn my own way, and I'll come to the end on't at last; I +told you you'd cry out Avast! afore I'd done."</p> + +<p>"Hoot, Janet," said Willie, "let the lad tak his ain gate. It just +astonishes me to hear him rinnin the words oot sae glib, an' him sic a +solid callant as he used to be."</p> + +<p>"Weel, weel, gang on, my man; I'll no meddle wi' ye ony mair."</p> + +<p>"Then here goes! Carry on again, says I," replied Tom. "The frigate I +belonged to afterwards went on the Jamaica station, and cruised about, +to protect the merchantmen from the pirates as infested them seas. Well, +we were dodging about one night, under topgallantsails, off Cape St +Antonio, with just wind enough to make the barky crawl through the +water. It was my look-out on deck, and I sees something like a large +bird, as it seemed to me, hovering about in a patch of clear sky; so I +stared at it, and stared at it, but I couldn't make out what it could +be, for it kept moving backwards and forwards, but always in the same +part of the sky. So I calls the midshipman of the watch, and says to +him—</p> + +<p>"'D'ye see that large bird a-flying about there, sir? It's the biggest I +ever seed, and it keeps always about the same place; I can't make out +what it can be after.' Well, he looks and wonders like myself, and then +he goes to fetch the night-glass; and, after he'd squinted through it +for a minute or two, he just mutters to himself, 'The devil!' and away +he runs aft to the luftenant of the watch, and brings him a-running back +with him.</p> + +<p>"'Whereabouts?' said the luftenant.</p> + +<p>"'There, sir; just under that cloud that's hiding the moon.'</p> + +<p>"'Ay, so it is!' said he; 'I see her spars plain enough; nothing but a +royal loose—and there's her hull!' he continued, as the moon broke out, +and showed us a long, low, rakish-looking square brig, lying as snug as +a duck in the water, about two miles on our lee-bow. 'I don't like the +look of her at all,' says the luff, and away he goes to make his report. +She seemed to have twigged us at the same time, and didn't like the look +of us neither; for, almost before the smoke had cleared away from our +bows, after we had spoken to her with one of the forecastle guns, we +could hear the pipe on board of her, the night was so still; and, in a +crack, she was one cloud of canvas, from the truck to the lower boom. +Blowed if ever I seed a man-of-war do the thing smarter. 'All hands make +sail in chase!' was the cry on board of us, and, in a very short time, +the water was talking Spanish under our bows. Every stitch of sail was +packed on the ship: but the stranger stood right away before the light +breeze, and crawled away from us fast, for that was our worst sailing +point. We kept a-blazing away with our bow guns, to bring her to; but +the more we fired, the more she wouldn't stop; and we might just as well +have fired at the moon, for all the mischief we could do her. At +daylight, she was hull down ahead; but the breeze freshened with the +rising sun, and we began to fetch up our starnway, and, before noon, we +began to drop our shot into her. She wasn't slow in answering at first +from her stern guns, which were uncommon well sarved, and every now and +then walked a ball through our sails, but luckily did not strike our +masts. We were overhauling her in great style, peppering away as fast as +we could, when all at once she began to yaw about, and, giving a broad +sheer away to port, she shortened sail, and then came to the wind again +on the starboard tack, with her maintopsail to the mast, and doused a +red rag she had a-flying at the main. We gave over firing, and soon +bowled up alongside of her, rolled up the small sail, hauled up the +foresail, and backed the main-yard. Our captain hailed her in a devil of +a rage, and was answered in some lingo I couldn't understand; but the +fellow pointed to his boat, as had a plank knocked out of her side; and +orders were given to man our boats, and send them on board, to take +possession of her. Well, just as we were a-lowering the boats, and all +hands pleased at the thoughts of a good prize, blowed if she didn't +quietly steal her fore-yard forward a little, to gather way, and before +you could say Jack Robinson, she was braced sharp up, with all her small +kites set, and, as she stood across our bows, she pitched it into us in +style. It was a blind look-out, sartinly, to let the sneaking scoundrel +slip through our fingers that way; but there was no help for it now. The +boats were secured again; and in a few minutes we were after her. As +long as the breeze held strong and steady, we had rather the best on't; +but it soon began to die away, and then we thought we would lose her for +sartin, when a lucky shot crippled her gaff, which soon snapped like a +carrot. Now that so much after-sail was off her, she couldn't keep her +wind, and we neared her fast. 'Don't spare her, my lads!' shouted the +captain; and we <i>did</i> pour the grape and canister into her in fine +style, till she was a regular wreck; but she showed pluck to the last, +and kept blazing away at us as long as she was able. At last she got +tired, and gave over firing, and struck her colours. The boats were well +manned and armed, and were again sent to take possession of her; the +frigate running almost alongside, and threatening to blow her out of the +water, if she attempted any further resistance. When we were coming up +under her quarter in the boats, we heard the sound of loud quarrelling +on board, and when we got fairly on the quarterdeck, we found the +captain of the pirate swearing like a trooper, and saying as how his +crew had betrayed him, like cowardly dogs, as they were. He kept +stamping up and down the deck like mad, looking as if he could eat the +luftenant, when he took his sword from him. Ten or twelve +desperate-looking rough'uns as ever I seed gathered round him, muttering +that it was better to die on the quarterdeck like men, than hang like +dogs at the yardarm, and all at once they snatched up some tommyhawks as +was lying on the deck, and made a desperate rush upon us. We had an +awful tussle for it; and, just as we were in the thick on't, hand to +hand, up runs a young man from below, and sings out to us, 'Save +me—save me!' As soon as the pirate captain seed him, he ran at him like +a tiger, and, seizing him by the throat, shouted out, 'Dead men tell no +tales!' and raised his tommyhawk to cleave him to the skull. Poor lad! +he thought his signal for sailing was made, that it was all up with him. +He muttered, 'Mercy! mercy!' But poor mercy would he have met with, if I +hadn't run up just in time, and fetched the fellow a slash with my +cutlass, which made him drop the tommyhawk like a hot potato. He left +the lad, and turned round upon me, gnashing his teeth like nothing at +all with very rage, and, before I had time to wink my eye, he snatches a +loaded pistol out of my belt, and smashes my leg to shivers. Down I +dropped; but before he could finish what he had begun so cleverly, a +pistol flashed close to his head, and he staggered, and fell, never to +rise no more. When I came to my senses again, I found myself in the +sick-bay, on board my own ship. The surgeon was forced to cut off my leg +to save my life; and when we arrived at Port Royal, I was sent ashore to +the hospital, and afterwards got my discharge."</p> + +<p>"An' what o' the—what d'ye ca' them—rats?" said old Janet.</p> + +<p>"Oh, they were taken into Port Royal, and tried for piracy; there was +lots of evidence against them, the bloodthirsty rascals, and they were +all hanged, except three or four. And so there's an end of my yarn, +father; and a precious long one, I daresay, you think it is; and here am +I come home a poor useless cripple, to moor myself for life, if so be +you'll let me come to an anchor under your lee."</p> + +<p>"Ay, my boy," replied the old man, clapping him kindly on the shoulder, +"as long's there's a plack to the fore in the purse, or a gowpenfu' o' +meal in the kist, ye'se aye be welcome to a share."</p> + +<p>"True-blue for ever!" shouted Tom; "but, father, it's not come to that +yet; I'm not going to anchor without paying the harbour dues. Here," +continued he, tossing a well-filled purse to the old man; "I haven't +been so long afloat for nothing; there's a good whack of prize-money +there, and I'll come in for a pension by and by, if I've luck."</p> + +<p>"Keep it yersel, Tam," replied Willie; "I'm no gaun to touch a bawbee +o't. Gude be thankit! I hae aneugh an' to spare."</p> + +<p>Finding his father firm in his refusal, Tom at last said—</p> + +<p>"Well, well, keep it for me, if you won't keep it for yourself. It won't +keep company with me long; for, somehow, whenever I cast off the +standing part of a guinea, it devilish soon unreeves itself in quarter +less no time. Stow it away in your own lockers, and serve it out to me +now and then, when I wants baccy."</p> + +<p>As this seemed a very rational kind of arrangement, the old man +consented to become his son's banker.</p> + +<p>"And now that I've run all my line off the reel, father, you must give +me a spell, and let's hear all that's been put down in your log since I +left you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's no muckle I hae to tell, Tam," replied he; "ae day has been as +like the ane that gaed afore't, as ae pear to anither; I was born here, +and here I'll maist likely dee."</p> + +<p>"But what's become o' bonny Jean Cameron, father? I remember well how +fond I was of her, when I was a boy at school; I've oft thought on her, +when we've been keeping up Saturday night, at sea. Many's the <i>tot</i> I've +emptied to her health."</p> + +<p>"She's still to the fore, Tam, and 'maist as bonny as ever; she was +married four years syne, but she's a widow noo." He then went on to tell +his son the other changes that had taken place since his departure, the +principal of which was the death of his late master and kind friend, +Murray of Greenha'. "He was a guid freend to me," said Willie, drawing +the back of his hand over his eyes; "but he's gane noo. I've nae cause +to compleen o' my present maister, for a kinder couldna be; but he'll +never be to me like him that's gane."</p> + +<p>James Hamilton, old Willie Duncan's present master, had made a large +fortune in the West India trade, and was proprietor of a valuable estate +in Jamaica. For a series of years, so rapidly had he amassed wealth, +that he seemed to be a peculiar favourite of Fortune; but Fortune has +ever been a capricious dame, and those who are apparently highest in her +good graces, are often made to feel how uncertain is the tenure by which +they hold them. She seems, like some of the savages of the western +world, to pamper her victims with the good things of this life, only to +make them feel more keenly the reverses she is preparing for them. James +Hamilton was one of those men, unfortunately too rare, who do not allow +themselves to be dazzled by the flattering appearances of present +prosperity, but who, aware of the changeable and fleeting nature of all +earthly possessions, hold on the even tenor of their course, with minds +prepared for every vicissitude. He always acted upon high and pure +principle, and never, in the height of prosperity, forgot that the same +Supreme Benefactor, who in his bounty had blessed him with abundance, +might, in his wisdom, think fit to try him with adversity. He was a +kind-hearted and liberal man, but withal cool, quiet, and methodical in +his manners and actions. Heedless of the opinion of the world, he acted +up to the dictates of his own conscientious feelings of right and wrong; +and his strict notions of evenhanded justice often led him to enter into +engagements, and to perform actions, which, though perfectly just and +rigidly honest, bore, in the eyes of a misjudging world, the impress of +calculating selfishness and niggardly illiberality. But, +notwithstanding, there was such straightforward honesty, such +child-like, confiding simplicity, and such pure and unpretending +Christianity, evident in his character, that it was impossible for those +who knew him well not to esteem and love him. His principal failing was +one which "leaned to virtue's side." Upright, and honourable, and +candid, he thought all others like himself, and was often the dupe of +designing and crafty men; who, with more worldly wisdom, were far his +inferiors in judgment, and sound, practical sense; but who practised +upon his confiding nature by the semblance of qualities which they did +not possess. He had long been blessed with the companionship of an +amiable and excellent wife; and, when she was snatched from him by a +sudden and virulent disorder, he could ill have borne his bereavement, +had he not been supported by the conviction that she was only removed to +a purer and happier state of existence; and he bowed with submission to +the decrees of that Being who "doeth all things wisely." His only son, +John, who had been an object of most tender solicitude to both his +parents, had been educated with the greatest care; and, though +apparently born the heir to great wealth, had undergone a regular +probation in a mercantile house in the city, of which he hoped soon to +become a partner. Many of the elder Hamilton's friends had expressed +their surprise at his choice of a profession for his son, and wondered +that, rolling in wealth, as he was supposed to be, he should condemn his +heir to the drudgery of a counting-house: but events proved that he had +acted wisely and well. The sudden and totally unexpected failure of a +large West India house with which he was connected, and to support which +he had advanced considerable sums, gave the first shock to his credit; +and, as is often the case, reverse followed reverse afterwards, until +utter ruin seemed to be inevitable. Undazzled by prosperity, Hamilton +proved himself to be equally unshaken by adversity. His character as a +mercantile man stood so high for unimpeachable integrity and +indefatigable industry, that he might have made head for some years +longer against the stream of adverse circumstances, and might, perhaps, +eventually have overcome them; but the plain path of duty was the one he +had followed through life, and he did not desert it now. He immediately +wound up his affairs, and, having settled with his creditors to the +uttermost farthing, he found himself almost destitute, with the +exception of his personal property, and the West India estate; which, +however, had for some years barely paid its own expenses. It was now +that Hamilton had reason to rejoice that his beloved son had, by his +wise foresight, been rendered independent of circumstances, and had been +bred up in habits which would enable him soon to acquire a comfortable +establishment for himself. He immediately sold his house and furniture, +and retired to a humble lodging in the city, where, with patient and +laudable energy, he exerted himself to recover the ground he had lost. +Sudden and unexpected as his reverses had been, he never murmured at the +hardship of his lot, convinced that all the dispensations of Providence +are wisely and mercifully ordered, and happy in the consciousness that +he had nothing to reproach himself with, as far as concerned his dealing +with his fellow-men. About this time, his son John was sent out to +Jamaica, on some mercantile speculation, by the house with which he was +connected, and obtained permission to remain some time on the island, to +inquire into the management of his father's plantation; and, if +necessary and possible, to effect its sale. He was about twenty-four +years of age; tall, and handsome in his appearance, and a youth of +excellent dispositions and steady principles. By his persevering and +conscientious attention to his duties, he had gained the confidence and +esteem of his employers, and had acquired the character of an active and +clever man of business. He had long been a secret admirer of Ellen +Winterton, the orphan child of an officer in the army, and who was +living under the guardianship of the head of his firm. Accustomed, +however, always to keep his feelings under control, and to regulate his +desires by the rules of honour and of prudence, young Hamilton did not +think himself justified in making his proposals in form, until fortune +should have enabled him to do so as an independent man. The change in +his father's circumstances, while it called for fresh exertions on his +part, seemed to separate him still more widely from the object of his +wishes; but he bore his prolonged probation with cheerfulness, and his +grief at parting with Ellen was almost neutralised by the animating +prospect of serving his beloved father. After an absence of some months, +during which he had written home several times, a letter was received +from him, announcing his having left Kingston harbour, in the +fast-sailing, well-armed merchant-ship, the Delight, and expressing his +hope soon to join his father again. Fortune, in the meanwhile, had +smiled again upon the elder Hamilton, in a way he little expected. He +was surprised one evening by the receipt of a note from a gentleman, +whose signature was unknown to him, and who requested a personal +interview with him next morning, at a neighbouring coffee-house. Thither +he repaired accordingly, wondering what could be the nature of the +communication the stranger wished to make to him.</p> + +<p>"Mr Hamilton, I believe?" said a gentleman, dressed in deep mourning, to +whom the waiter pointed him out, as he entered the room. "I know you +well by name and character, Mr Hamilton, though I have not the happiness +of your personal acquaintance, and I am happy to be the bearer of +pleasing intelligence to you. I am one of the executors of Mr Murray of +Greenha', who died childless, and, in consequence of the demise of his +near relations, has made you his heir; and I have to congratulate you +upon your accession to a valuable landed property and a handsome +fortune."</p> + +<p>Mr Hamilton was not a little surprised at this announcement. Murray of +Greenha' was a distant relation of his late father; but the families had +had no communication for several years, and he had almost forgotten that +such a person was in existence. This unexpected revolution, by which he +was again restored from poverty to wealth and comfort, excited his +warmest feelings of gratitude and thankfulness towards that Being in +whom he had always trusted with unwavering confidence. He immediately +set off to the north, to visit his newly-acquired property, and to carry +into effect the provisions of his benefactor's will. Among other duties +devolved upon him, was that of providing for our friend Willie Duncan, +whose upright, manly character, and grateful attachment to his late +master, gave him strong claims upon the good-will and respect of his +successor. He had been some time in the north when he heard of his son's +having left Jamaica; but months instead of weeks had elapsed, and still +no further accounts had been received of him, and he began to be +seriously alarmed on his account. His agent in town, in reply to his +anxious inquiries, informed him that the Delight was known to have left +Kingston harbour at the time specified, but that she had not since been +heard of; and, as she was so very much beyond her expected time, and +several ships had arrived in England, which had only just reached the +harbour when she left it, there was now little doubt of her loss. This +was sad news to the elder Hamilton, and it required the exercise of all +his Christian fortitude to enable him to bear up under the heavy +dispensation. He had gained unexpected wealth; but he for whom he prized +it had been snatched from him. One afternoon, shortly after the return +of the sailor, Tom Duncan, Mr Hamilton was sauntering, in a melancholy +mood, along the high road near Greenha', and was scarcely aroused from +his abstraction by the rattling of a post-chariot, which was almost upon +him before he was aware of its approach.—"Stop!—stop!" said a voice +from the inside. The door was dashed open, and in a moment the +bewildered father was in the arms of his long-lost son. It was some time +before either of them could speak. At last, the father sobbed out—</p> + +<p>"My dear, dear son! I thought you were torn from me for ever! Heaven be +praised for all its mercies! I shall now die happy. But how have I been +so cruelly deceived? They told me you were lost, and my heart was almost +broken. But come, come away to the house, and, after you have refreshed +yourself, you can gratify my curiosity." On entering the house, John +congratulated his father most affectionately on the change that had +taken place in his affairs. "I am glad of it on your account, John; for +myself, I care not. I was as happy with my crust and cheese, and with my +consciousness that I was doing my duty, as I am now—rich beyond my +fondest hopes. Yes, John, I thank Heaven, for myself, that I am blessed +with a contented spirit; and, for <i>you</i>, that, when I die, you will be +amply provided for." As soon as John had done ample justice to the +substantial lunch placed before him, his father said to him, "If you are +not much fatigued, we will take a stroll, and, while I am showing you +the lions, you can be telling me your adventures."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart," replied he.</p> + +<p>"When we left Kingston harbour in the Delight, we were all in high glee, +in the anticipation of a speedy and pleasant voyage. Our ship was one of +the fastest of her class, well armed, and manned with an active and +spirited crew; so that, to all human appearance, we had little to dread, +either from man or the elements. We had scarcely lost sight of the land, +when the wind died away to a dead calm, and the sea became as smooth and +clear as a mirror, glancing back the reflection of a bright and +cloudless moon. The sails flapped heavily against the masts, as the ship +rolled helpless and unmanageable in the long swell, and the water +dripped from her channels, as she rose again, after dipping them deep +into the sea. All at once a small, dark cloud appeared on the larboard +beam.</p> + +<p>"'Oh, it's nothing,' said the mate.</p> + +<p>"Not so thought the captain, who fortunately came upon deck at the time.</p> + +<p>"'All hands shorten sail!' shouted he. 'Bear a hand! Up foresail!—in +royals and topgallantsails! Brace the yards round to port! Stand by +topsail—haulyards and sheets!'</p> + +<p>"These orders were barely carried into effect, when a sudden and +tremendous squall struck the ship. The small sails were clued up, and +the topsailyards on the caps; but the gallant little bark staggered +under the shock, lay over till her gunwale almost touched the water, +struggled for a moment, and then rose again. The squall had overtaken +them with lightning-like rapidity, and was gone again almost as quickly. +A few moments before, and a neater and snugger ship never swam the +water—now, she was almost a wreck aloft. The foretopmast was hanging +over the side, the jib-boom gone, the maintop-gallant-mast snapped short +above the step, and the maintopsail in tatters. All this desolation had +been the work of a moment; the demon of the storm had passed, and all +was again calm.</p> + +<p>"'Thank Heaven it's no worse!' said the captain. 'Two minutes sooner, +and we should all have been lost! Better lose a few sticks than the ship +herself. But this will be a warning to you, Mr Rogers,' said he to the +mate, 'not to be foolhardy for the future.'</p> + +<p>"All hands were immediately set to work to clear away the wreck of the +spars, and were busily employed all night. It was late in the forenoon +before the wreck of the foretopmast was launched clear of the ship, and +a new maintopsail bent. During this interval, a light breeze had sprung +up, and a strange sail hove in sight to windward. The captain mounted +the rigging, and got his glass to bear upon her, and, after a long and +anxious look, paced the quarterdeck with hurried and irregular steps, +glancing uneasily aloft, and hailing the men to bear a hand with their +mast-ropes.</p> + +<p>"'Rogers,' said he to the mate, at the same time handing him the glass, +'take a look at that craft, and tell me what you think of her.'</p> + +<p>"The mate looked long and carefully at her, and, returning the glass to +his superior, looked doubtingly and inquiringly in his face, and shook +his head—</p> + +<p>"'I don't like the look of her at all, sir.'</p> + +<p>"'Nor I, Rogers; however, we'll say nothing about her just now. If the +air continues so light, it will take her some time to reach us, and we +must make good use of the opportunity. Hurry the men with the topmast. +Heaven send us a cloudy night! As soon as it is dark, we'll alter our +course.'</p> + +<p>"By dint of hard work, and a suspicion among the crew that the stranger +was an unpleasant neighbour, we were all ataunto, as the sailors call +it, before midnight, and were standing away before the light breeze. At +daylight, the captain's glass swept the horizon, and soon rested upon +the object of his search. A long and steady gaze seemed to confirm both +him and the mate in their first suspicion. The vessel, now considerably +nearer us, had been evidently watching our motions, and was as evidently +in pursuit of us. She was a long, low, rakish-looking brig, creeping +along before the faint breeze, and aiding its efforts with her sweeps.</p> + +<p>"'It's the Dare-Devil, sir!' said the mate, his cheek paling as he +spoke; 'I know her now by the black fiddlehead, and her mast-heads +black. A bloodier pirate never swam. The Lord have mercy upon us, for +<i>he</i> won't!'</p> + +<p>"'Call the hands aft!' said the captain.</p> + +<p>"The men assembled on the quarterdeck in stern silence. They seemed to +anticipate what was to follow; but it was evident theirs was not the +quietness of fear, but of determination.</p> + +<p>"'My lads,' said the captain, 'that stranger, we have every reason to +believe, is a pirate. If there had been anything of a breeze, we might +have escaped; but now, our only chance is to show her what mettle we're +made of. You will have to fight for your lives; for so soon as they set +foot on this deck, they will murder every soul on board. What say you, +my lads? Will you die like dogs, or fighting like brave men?'</p> + +<p>"A simultaneous cheer from the crew was the only reply, and they were +immediately dismissed to prepare for the impending conflict.</p> + +<p>"'Ah, there she shows her teeth at last,' said the captain, as a puff of +smoke burst from the brig, followed by the flash and report of a gun, +the ball from which struck the water some distance from us.</p> + +<p>"'It is of no use our attempting to escape, Rogers!' said the captain; +'he is gaining upon us fast. We will not fire a gun till he is close +aboard of us, and till every shot will tell.'</p> + +<p>"The guns were all loaded with grape, the fire-arms placed in readiness +on deck, and the men ordered to lie down at their quarters, and not to +fire a shot till the order was given. Meantime, the pirate rapidly +approached, and her shot began to tell upon our rigging and sails. The +Delight kept steadily on her course; but her yards, which had been +nearly square, were drawn quietly forward, one by one, to port. The +pirate was sweeping up at some little distance on our quarter, and had +hailed us to heave to directly, or she would sink us. 'Now, my lads,' +said our captain, 'be cool and steady. I'm going to cross his hawse: as +soon as the guns bear upon him, blaze away.'</p> + +<p>"The helm was put a-starboard, and, as we crossed the bows, we poured +our grape into him. The fire was not such a <i>raking</i> one as we expected; +for he was too quick for us, and sheered to port almost as soon as +ourselves; but it was evident that we had almost sickened him, for he +widened his distance, and before night was almost hull-down to windward +of us.</p> + +<p>"'I hope we have got rid of our troublesome customer, sir,' said Rogers +to the captain.</p> + +<p>"'Don't halloo till you're through the wood,' replied he; 'we haven't +done with him yet, I'm afraid. I'm much mistaken if he is not trying to +play a game at humbug with us; as soon as it is dark, he will edge down +upon us, and endeavour to take us by surprise. We will keep the men at +quarters all night, and haul close to the wind, on the starboard tack, +when darkness comes on.'</p> + +<p>"At nightfall strict orders were given that all the lights should be put +out, except that in the binnacle; and the ship's course was altered. We +were in great hopes that by these means we should elude the pursuit of +the pirate; for, though the breeze was still light, the night was dark +and cloudy, and the mate, after sweeping the horizon with his +night-glass, said, in a joyous tone, to the captain—</p> + +<p>"'I think we have outwitted him, sir; I see no signs of him now.'</p> + +<p>"'Let <i>me</i> look,' said the captain. 'Holloa! What is that dark body to +the northward? That infernal brig, I'll be bound. How could he have seen +us?'</p> + +<p>"As he spoke, his eye glanced aloft, and there, to his great surprise, +was a light shining at the mizentop-gallantmasthead!</p> + +<p>"'What light is that?' shouted he; 'who has dared to disobey the orders? +Jump up there, one of you boys, and <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'douce'">douse</ins> it. Rogers, there's a traitor +on board.'</p> + +<p>"'Then Jose is the man, sir!'</p> + +<p>"The Delight had lost a few hands in harbour, by fever; and, a few days +before she sailed, a Portuguese seaman had been shipped to supply the +place of one of them. He was an active, able-bodied fellow, and produced +excellent certificates from former ships; but there was something +extremely forbidding and repulsive in his countenance, and the mate was +very unwilling to obey Captain Forbes's order to receive him on board. +He was a man of few words; but his eyes were constantly wandering, with +a furtive glance, round the ship; and, when he did speak, it was +generally to express his fear of pirates, and to inquire into the means +of defence of the Delight. On the evening before the ship sailed, he +went on shore as one of the boat's crew, but did not make his appearance +again till next morning. For this breach of duty he made some plausible +excuse, which was unfortunately accepted. It was afterwards proved that +he was one of the crew of the pirate, and had been employed to gain all +the information in his power, as to our guns, time of sailing, &c., and +to make private signals, if necessary.</p> + +<p>"The brig kept hovering about till daylight, and then bore down upon us, +and, when within range, fired a shot across our bows, to make us heave +to. To this salutation no answer was returned, but we stood steadily on, +as before, reserving our fire for closer quarters. Shot after shot was +dropped into us, but still not a hand was moved on board. At last the +pirate came within hail, and swore with the most horrid oaths that he +would sink us, if we did not immediately heave to.</p> + +<p>"'Now, my lads, stand by!' The men were on their feet in a moment. +'Starboard a little! Fire!' Again our grape rattled into her, and we +could judge, by the bustle on her decks, and by the loud cries and +execrations that reached our ears, that our fire had been a destructive +one. Two of our men were killed by his discharge, and our boat amidships +smashed to pieces; but he again sheered off, and, shaking his sails in +the wind, dropped slowly astern. Again our hopes revived, but only to be +miserably disappointed. When he was beyond the range of our short +carronades, he kept dropping shot after shot into us, with deadly +precision from his long gun.</p> + +<p>"'Rogers,' said the captain, 'if this game lasts long, it is all up with +us; unless the breeze freshens, we shall all be murdered like so many +sheep.'</p> + +<p>"In vain did we endeavour to come to closer quarters with him; as we +shortened sail, so did he. Our guns were useless, +while—crash—crash—crash—followed each remorseless shot from his long +twelve. The breeze, instead of freshening, gradually died away to a +calm, and we lay entirely at his mercy, for he kept sweeping round us, +and, unhurt himself, inflicted deadly injuries upon us. At last, we lay +a complete wreck upon the water; our gallant captain was killed, and +fifteen of the men either dead or desperately wounded, and the gallant, +but exhausted remnant of the crew were persuaded by the mate to consent +to surrender. Our colours were accordingly hauled down; yet the pirate +for some time paid no attention to this mark of submission on our part, +but seemed determined to gratify his thirst for slaughter, by putting +his threat of sinking us into execution. At last he ceased firing, and, +sweeping up on our quarter, hailed to order the captain of the Delight +on board.</p> + +<p>"'Our captain is killed, and we have not a boat left that can swim.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, then, if you can't come to me, I must go and fetch you!' A boat, +well manned, soon pushed off from the pirates, and in a few minutes +dashed alongside of us. The first man who boarded us was the captain, as +ferocious-looking a monster as I ever beheld; and his followers, who +swarmed up the side after him, were, in appearance, worthy of their +leader. They rushed on board with cries of exultation and rage, +brandishing their cutlasses, and shouting, 'Down with them!' 'Cut them +down, and make an end of them at once!' And they were proceeding to put +their threats into execution, when they were checked in a moment by the +loud and commanding tones of the captain. 'Stand back, all of you! I'll +shoot the first man that lays a hand upon them! No, no, my lads; it +would be letting the rascals off too cheap to kill them at once; we'll +despatch them in pairs at a time; there are twelve of them, so we shall +have six days' sport instead of one.' This proposal was received with +shouts of savage joy by the crew. 'We'll keep these two till the last,' +continued he, pointing to the mate and myself, 'that they may have the +pleasure of seeing all their comrades walk the plank before them. But, +come my lads, be smart; we have no time to lose; put all these fellows +on board our little hooker; and then we'll see what's to be done below.' +We were all immediately forced into the boat, and rowed on board the +brig, where some of us were put in irons, and others lashed to ringbolts +on the deck. The boat then returned, and the work of plunder commenced; +and for some hours the pirate crew were busily employed in transferring +to the brig all the valuables they could lay their hands upon on board +the Delight. When they had taken everything available, they scuttled the +ship, and left her, and obliged us, with many taunts and blows, to watch +for the catastrophe. It was a heartrending sight to us all to see our +gallant little ship gradually settling in the water, rolling deep and +uneasily, till at last, after a heavy lurch, she dipped her bulwarks low +into the water, and, struggling in vain to recover herself, sank to rise +no more. A groan of horror burst from us all; we felt as if our last +connecting link with humanity was broken; we were left powerless in the +hands of monsters in human form, but with the spirit of demons. Alas! +our fears were but too well verified: that very evening two of our poor +shipmates, after having been tormented in the most savage manner, were +blindfolded, and compelled to walk out upon a plank launched from the +gangway, from the end of which they fell into the sea, shrieking with +horror as they fell. As their bodies plunged heavily into the smooth +water, the captain turned to us with a savage sneer, and said—</p> + +<p>"'They were too well fed by half; when it comes to your turn, you won't +make such a disturbance amongst the fishes.'</p> + +<p>"But why need I dwell longer upon these horrors? For five succeeding +days, the same murderous scene was enacted; we were fed on bread and +water, and tormented in every way that cruelty could suggest, and then +had the horror of witnessing the death of our companions, and of +anticipating the same cruel fate for ourselves. At last the mate and I +were the only survivors, and we were brought to the gangway, to mount +the same fatal plank which had been the instrument of death to our +unfortunate shipmates. Our eyes were blindfolded, and, weak and +exhausted as we were, we looked forward to death as an easy and happy +release from our miseries. We bade each other farewell.</p> + +<p>"'Our murderers allow us one blessing, Rogers,' said I—'to die +together.'</p> + +<p>"That remark saved my life.</p> + +<p>"'A blessing is it?' exclaimed the captain; 'then it's one that I'll be +hanged if you enjoy. You shall go to the devil by yourself. Take the +handkerchief off that sentimental gentleman's eyes, and let him see his +dear friend take a leap in the dark. He can moralise about it till +to-morrow evening.'</p> + +<p>"Poor Rogers! I did indeed feel deserted, when the sullen plunge +announced that the sea had closed over its prey! To this refinement in +cruelty on the part of the pirate, however, I eventually owed my +deliverance. Slowly and painfully did the first hours of that night pass +over my head. My thoughts constantly recurred to the horrors I had +witnessed, and to the dreadful doom that awaited me on the morrow. The +tears filled my eyes as I prayed for forgiveness of my past sins, and +for strength to support me through the coming trial. The brig was +tumbling about on the almost calm sea, with all sails furled, except the +topgallantsail, which by some chance had broken adrift, and the crew, +not excepting the look-out man, were all asleep, when all at once the +report of a gun came booming over the water. The sound acted like magic +upon the slumbering crew—they were on the alert in a moment—the sails +were set with wonderful quickness—the sweeps were manned, and the +little schooner rippling through the water. Next morning we had +distanced the stranger considerably, and the pirate was in great hopes +of escaping; but the breeze freshened, and before noon the frigate, for +such she proved to be, had gained so much upon us, that her shot began +to tell upon us. I was now hurried below, and a sentry was placed over +me; the captain ordering him to blow my brains out if I attempted to +escape, and adding, 'I'll settle his account by and by.' It was with +impatience almost amounting to agony that I listened to the strange +medley of sounds which reached my ear—the creaking of the sweeps, the +curses and shouts of our crew cheering each other at their work, the +loud report of our guns, and the more faint and distant sound of those +of the frigate; and I prayed for deliverance—prayed that some lucky +ball might find its way into the cabin, and put an end to my suspense +and to my miseries at once. At last the sound of the sweeps ceased. I +heard the rattling of blocks and the sound of running feet. I felt, by +the motion of the vessel, that some alteration was made in her course, +and then—I burst into tears—I heard a voice hailing the brig! I felt +that the hour of my deliverance was at hand, and I breathed a prayer of +silent thankfulness to Heaven. Again there was a movement on deck, the +brig laid over to the breeze, and a loud shout burst from her crew, as +they discharged the guns. Merciful powers! she had escaped; and my +spirit sank within me. But the avenger of blood was behind us, and his +voice spoke in the thunder of his guns. I heard a crash upon deck, then +the noise of something coming down from aloft, followed by the muttered +curses of my sentry, as he exclaimed, 'The gaff is gone!' The report of +the frigate's guns now became louder and louder, and the little brig +absolutely staggered, when the grape-shot rattled against her sides. Her +crew, however, seemed to be fighting with the desperation of madmen, for +they maintained a warm fire. At last all was silent on board; the firing +ceased, and not even a voice could be heard. Presently I heard the dash +of oars; then the grating of a boat against the vessel's side; then loud +and angry voices, and afterwards all the sounds of a desperate conflict. +I looked up the companion—my sentinel had deserted his post, to join in +the fray. I saw the boat's crew of the frigate engaged in a deadly +struggle with the pirates. I rushed over to them, and had just joined +them, calling for help, when the pirate captain seized me by the +shoulder, and raised his tomahawk to cleave me to the deck. Weak as I +was, I must have fallen a victim to his fury, had not a gallant sailor +rushed between us, and inflicted a severe wound upon his upraised arm. I +saw my brave deliverer fall immediately afterwards by a pistol-shot; but +he was well avenged; for the next moment the pirate fell lifeless on his +body. I saw no more. I was carried, in a state of insensibility, on +board the frigate, and it was long before I recovered from the effects +of my severe discipline on board the pirate. As soon as I was +sufficiently recovered, I wished to hasten homewards immediately; but I +was obliged to remain, to give evidence against the crew of the +piratical brig, all of whom, with the exception of three or four, +suffered the extreme penalties of the law. And now, my dear father, my +tale is at an end, and grateful am I to the merciful Providence which +has restored me to your arms."</p> + +<p>"My dear, dear son!—doubly endeared to me by the dangers you have +undergone on my account—I am thankful that my altered fortunes now +enable me to gratify what I know to be the dearest wish of your heart. +Go to her, John—go to Miss Winterton—she is worthy of you: no longer +restrained by the clog of poverty, you may freely indulge the feelings +of your heart."</p> + +<p>As the father and son were walking along the road, they saw two men +approaching them at some distance.</p> + +<p>"Whom have we here?" said John Hamilton.</p> + +<p>"One of them is old Willie Duncan, a cottar of mine; and who the lame +man is that is with him I know not. By the by, I heard that his son was +returned from sea; perhaps that's the man."</p> + +<p>Willie Duncan respectfully saluted his master, when he approached, and +said—</p> + +<p>"I was just bringing my son to——"</p> + +<p>"Good heavens!" exclaimed John Hamilton, gazing earnestly at the +disabled man; "it cannot be—yes, it is—my brave deliverer! My gallant +fellow," continued he, shaking him heartily by the hand, "how rejoiced I +am to see you, and to have an opportunity to prove my gratitude to you! +I heard you were dead—how did you escape?"</p> + +<p>"Why, blow me, your honour, if you didn't take me quite aback. I +couldn't make you out at first—you're twice the man you were when I +see'd you on the pirate's deck; and I'd never no thoughts of falling in +with you so near home. I'm right glad, however, to see your honour once +more."</p> + +<p>"Duncan," said Hamilton, senior, with a trembling voice, "I owe you a +debt I can never repay. You lost your limb in saving the life of my +son—it shall be my endeavour to make the loss to you as light as +possible."</p> + +<p>"And is the gentleman the son of my father's good master? Then a fig for +the leg!—it couldn't have been lost in a better cause. And, as for +gratitude, sir, you owe me none; his honour, here, would have done the +same for me, if the case had been reversed, like—if he'd been the +sailor, and I'd been the gemman."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, my good fellow—no doubt—we won't argue on that point; +only tell me how I can serve you, and I will do so, to the best of my +ability."</p> + +<p>"Why, your honour, I wants for nothing just now. I've got a lot of +prize-money, and my father's snug roadstead to anchor in; but, if your +honour likes to give me a few ounces of baccy, I won't say but what I'll +be obligated to you."</p> + +<p>"A modest request, certainly," said Mr Hamilton, laughing; "but we must +give you something better than tobacco, and as much of that as you like +into the bargain. Come, William, as your son won't speak, you must do so +for him. Tell me how I can best serve him."</p> + +<p>A whispering consultation here took place between father and son, which +was put a stop to by the latter addressing Mr Hamilton in a sheepish, +confused manner, twirling his hat in his hands at the same time, and +feeling the rim all around, as if to ascertain that it was all there.</p> + +<p>"Why, your honour, as your honour's so kind——Blow'd if I can speak +about it, father! You see, your honour, I'm a first-rate hand at a yarn +on a Saturday night; but, somehow, my jawing-tacks gets all bedevilled +when I begins to speak about <i>she</i>."</p> + +<p>"And who's she?" said Mr Hamilton, laughing—"some old sweetheart that +has been waiting for you?"</p> + +<p>"Why, it's bonny Jean Cameron that was when I went away. She's a widow +now, your honour, and, as I wants to be spliced, and she's no objection, +why, if it's not making too bold, if your honour would let us have one +of your empty cottages, we'd join company at once, and sail together for +the rest of our cruise."</p> + +<p>We need hardly say that the sailor's request was cheerfully granted; and +in a few weeks he and his wife were happily settled in a neat cottage, +comfortably and substantially furnished by Mr Hamilton, who likewise +settled upon him an annuity, sufficient to keep him from want, but not +so large as to encourage habits of idleness or dissapation. John +Hamilton was equally successful in his suit; and his union with Ellen +Winterton proved that those who have been tried by adversity are best +qualified to enjoy prosperity.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="THE_PROFESSORS_TALES" id="THE_PROFESSORS_TALES"></a>THE PROFESSOR'S TALES.</h2> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="4">THE THREE BRETHREN.</a></h3> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"Together such as brethren are,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">In unity to dwell."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p class="p2">The unity of the three brethren about whom I am going to speak is +complete: some are united in heart and soul, but these are united in +body and frame: closer than the Siamese twins did their union abide, +till, in an evil hour, the winds smote them, and they were no +more—"<i>Sed stat nominis umbra.</i>" They have left behind them a name and +a record which will not soon perish. They might have said—had speaking +been at all their forte—with Horace, "<i>Non omnis moriar."</i> They shall +live in the recollection of the present, and in the records of future +times—at least it will not be from want of will, if the pages of the +"Tales of the Borders" do not transmit their memorial to late posterity. +The three brethren! you exclaim, quite naturally enough. What! were they +brothers by blood or by marriage—brothers in profession—or, like +Simeon and Levi, in iniquity? We should like to see the mist cleared +away, and the subject made tangible. Well, listen!</p> + +<p>The three brethren were three trees, or rather divisions of one tree—as +like each other as one pea is to another—which once stood in the middle +of the high road from Glasgow to Dumfries, upon the banks of the Nith. +People had it that their similarity was so great that it reached the +details of their branches, and even leaves, and that they were in +every—even in the minutest—respect copies or fac-similes of each +other. Nobody living—and far less any one dead—can tell their age. +They saw Oliver Cromwell and his saintly crew march into Scotland; and +beheld, in later times, the Highland host, in the year '45, pass along. +They might have given an old chronicle of ancient times and manners, had +it not been that they probably did not outlive the age of Methuselah. +But</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"Improvisa vis lethi rapuit</span><br /> + <span class="i0">Rapietque gentes."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Destruction came in the shape of a nor'wester, and they are now in the +act of being converted into snuff-boxes, writing-desks, and +dressing-cases, for their old and attached acquaintances and friends; +every one seems more anxious than another to obtain a relic of the +immortal triumvirate—and they are more likely to be remembered with +pleasurable feelings than even were the Triumvirates of ancient Rome. +But now that they have bowed their heads, and given up their roots, it +is proper that some effort should be made to perpetuate their memory; +and who so fit as an old Closeburn man to execute this bold but +praiseworthy task?</p> + +<p>The explanation, however, requires a glance at the race of gipsies, one +of whom thus characterises the race:—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"My bonny lass, I work in brass—</span><br /> + <span class="i2">A tinkler is my station—</span><br /> + <span class="i0">I've travell'd round all Christian ground</span><br /> + <span class="i2">In this my occupation.</span><br /> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">I've ta'en the gold—I've been enroll'd</span><br /> + <span class="i2">In many a noble squadron—</span><br /> + <span class="i0">In vain they search'd, when off I march'd,</span><br /> + <span class="i2">To go and clout the caldron."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>The gipsies have now disappeared entirely from the north of Scotland; +even in Fife, the former residence of the gipsy clan Jamphrey, no such +variety of the species is to be found. Their chief residence, as we have +had occasion to say before, is now on the Borders, where, in the village +of Yetholm, and in Langtown, they still maintain a separate clanship. +They still are, and have always been, extremely jealous of the marriage +of any of their daughters, in particular, out of the tribe. Hence the +fact, that almost every third person amongst them labours under some +mental peculiarity or defect. Their male youths enjoy greater latitude; +yet, on their alliance with the Philistine fair, they are usually looked +down upon, and regarded as a kind of amphibious race, who, like the +"Proselytes of the Gate" amongst the Jews, were not admitted into equal +communion. Their children are brought up (at least were so, till of +late) in the most religious contempt of the alphabet. Nor are any moral +principles inculcated, beyond successful thieving—that is, downright +knavery—and dexterity of execution as workmen, whether it be in forming +a ram's horn into a cutty spoon, or in appropriating the fattest hens +from the farmer's bauks. Their women, too, are expert fortunetellers, +and have husbands ready-made for sixpence. They are a fearful, fearless +race, wandering about, in former times, almost during the whole year, +and pitching their tents—in other words, setting their asses to graze, +and themselves to forage—wherever solitude or the tolerance of the +laird or farmer will permit their presence. When Scotland, in general, +and Dumfries-shire in particular, from Criffell to Corsincon, were +densely covered with natural wood, these people divided the woodland +with the fox, the boar, and the wolf, and were extremely expert in +noosing hares, rabbits, and polecats. Theirs was the bow, and ultimately +the long-barrelled gun, for securing the fowls of heaven; and the set +line, liester, and fishing-rod for the tenants of the water.</p> + +<p>As was the case with the Roman of old—"<i>Patres ad insignem deformitatem +puerum cito necaverunt;</i>" in other words, and in a different tongue, +they put their diseased and deformed offspring to death; and more than +one-half of those which were permitted to survive were killed in a year +or two by harsh usage, cold, and imperfect clothing. Thus their youth +which did survive these manifold trials and risks rose up into man and +womanhood, proud, hardy, strong, well-seasoned plants, exhibiting much +muscular power and symmetry in the male, and occasionally uncommon +beauty and figure in the female form.</p> + +<p>The "wild gazelle exulting" and bounding on the hills of Judah was not +more elastic in its motion, nor penetrating and fascinating in its +glance, than were many of the fairer wives and daughters of these hordes +of part mendicant, part predatory, and part artist wanderers. Their +chief resorts, in ancient times, were to the banks of the Hermitage and +Slitterick, near Hawick; to the banks of the Dee, near Kirkcudbright; +and, above and beyond all, to the woods of Colliston, and the linns of +Balachun, on the Nith, in Dumfries-shire; and it is to this last +locality that the following narrative particularly refers.</p> + +<p>It was about the middle of the month of October that a packman, or +pedlar, with an enormous chest laid transverse on his shoulders, was +seen wending his way up the banks of the Nith, from Manchester to +Glasgow. He had hoped to have reached Thornhill, then an exceedingly +small village, before dusk; but this being his first migration in this +direction, he found himself so surrounded and obstructed by the river +Nith on the one hand, the linns of Balachun on the other, and an almost +impenetrable wood in front, that night came upon him, dark and moonless, +whilst still pushing his way through brambles, thorns, and every species +of tangling and perplexing underwood. At last, despairing of extricating +himself, and terrified, at the same time, by the roaring of waters, +howling of wild beasts, and hooting of owls, he extricated his shoulders +from the pack-bands, and, selecting as dry and soft an apartment as +circumstances permitted, he set himself down on the grassy turf, with a +birch branch for his canopy, and the old stump of a tree for his lean. +In a little time he was alarmed by the cries of what appeared to be a +child in the act of being cruelly murdered. Mungo Clark (for such was +the packman's name) rose, and, advancing a few steps in the direction of +the now faintly-emitted sounds, found a hare in the act of expiring of +strangulation by means of a noose, or girn, formed of strong wire, and +placed so as to intercept a little footpath made by the feet of the wild +animals of the forest. Mungo was in the act of disengaging the dead +creature from its executioner, the noose, when he heard the rustling as +if of a lion on the spring, very near him, and all at once he found +himself in the iron <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'gripe'">grip</ins> of a customer with whom he had no wish, on +this occasion at least, to deal.</p> + +<p>"And wha are ye," were the sounds which, in a hollow and harsh tone, +first greeted his ears—"and wha are ye, man, wha hae made yer bed this +dark night wi' the howlets and the wull-cats—ye wha meddle wi' what +naething concerns ye, and burn yer fingers in ither folk's kail-pats? +Speak, man, and dinna keep me blethering here, for I hae got ither fish +to fry, I trow, than standing here palavering wi' sic as you—come, +speak, body, or I'll send ye, pack an' a', sixty yards lower into the +bumbling pool o' Balachun Linn."</p> + +<p>Mungo Clark was neither soldier nor belted knight, nor was he armed for +any deadly conflict; but he was not accustomed to submit without +resentment to such rough usage.</p> + +<p>"Unhand me, rascal!" was the packman's reply; and making, at the same +time, a lateral jerk, he twisted himself fairly out of the assailant's +grasp.</p> + +<p>A whistle was immediately set up, and in an instant our traveller was +surrounded by four strong, ablebodied men, who immediately flashed the +light side of a dark lantern full in his face.</p> + +<p>"Oh ho!" said one of the newly-assembled assailants; "this is neither +the deil, nor the factor, nor the wood-keeper, nor the old boy, +Colliston himsel, but just plain Mungo Clark, Widow Clark o' Penpont's +son, who has been at Manchester feathering his pack, for the first time, +wi' all manner o' varieties; such as Bibles, psalm-books, ribands, +shawls, and waistcoat-pieces. Why, by the flesh-pots o' Yetholm—and +that's a terrible oath—we'll adopt Brother Clark into our number, and +teach him how to snare game, and spear salmon, instead of drivelling +away his time and strength under the pressure of a load" (trying to +raise the pack) "which would break the back-bone of an elephant."</p> + +<p>The matter appeared to Mungo to be settled without any consent of his, +asked or obtained; so, knowing somewhat of the character and habits of +this wandering and peculiar race, he was compelled to make a virtue of +necessity, and, raising his pack again on his shoulders, to descend with +them into the very lowest depths of the linns of Balachun. Even at +noonday, on the 23d of June, the Pass, as it is called, is dreary, dark, +and dreadful; but now, under the cover of night, and with no other +guidance than a small lantern, which scarcely made darkness visible, +Mungo hesitated ere he would commit himself to the crossing of a fearful +gully, and the walking along the face of a rock, or scaur, scarcely +eight inches wide, and overhanging a fearful pool, well known by the +terrible appellation of "Hell's Caldron." The party at last arrived at a +small grassy plot, encircled on the one side by the roaring stream +called Clauchry Burn, and on the other by an amphitheatre of steep, +high, and overhanging rocks, fringed and darkened in with brushwood and +furze, and guarded, at the upper and lower extremities, by the rocks, +which, after receding a little to make room for this grassy retreat, +closed in again upon the current, and prevented all <i>easy</i> entrance or +escape. Soon after Mungo's arrival, he discovered a large kettle, +boiling and bubbling, in a crevice of the cliff, suspended from a +transverse beam; and beheld around it, now that a parcel of sticks and +dry leaves were kindled, a most picturesque and motley group—women, +children, men, boys, and lasses, of all hues, aspects, and sizes, were +scattered about in profusion; and, as the flame flashed back from the +red sandstone of the linn, their faces glared on Mungo with a demoniac +expression. It seemed the very picture of Pandemonium; and yet the +hearty laugh, the bold oath, and the occasional inquiry, bespoke the +inhabitants to be at least one remove from devils. Mungo was desired to +rest him and his load on the apron of the rock, and compelled, without a +nay-say, to unstrap his pack, and expose his goods, not (seemingly) for +sale, but for plunder. This was not the way, assuredly, to turn the +penny to advantage, but what can one say, "<i>durum telum +necessitas?</i>"—there was no avoiding the spoliation. To be sure, the +king, or leader of the gipsy tribe—amounting probably to not less than +forty or fifty persons—hinted in his ear that he should not be a loser +at last; but, in the meantime, to his no small mortification, he saw his +shawls, napkins, stockings, and waistcoat-pieces, making the round of +the company without ceremony, and forgetting, like the dove from the +ark, to return whence they had fled. The pack having been thus +ransacked, and the pot having given audible intimation for some time of +its preparatory doings, the king—for such he was—the notorious Donald +Faa, with his three sons, Duncan, Cuthbert, and <i>Donnert</i> Davie, +together with the king's fair daughter, Helen Yetholm Faa, squatted down +on the grass, and without the help of forks, made a hearty meal on +hares, chickens, turkeys, geese, and half-a-dozen brace of partridges, +which might have rejoiced the heart even of a Dominie Sampson. The other +members of the community seemed to acknowledge the deputed authority of +a young man of good features, and an athletic and genteel appearance, +who went by the name of the Squire. After <i>eating</i> had had its fair +share of devoted and unremitted attention, a barrel, of considerable +dimensions, began to make its way downward from amidst the recesses of +this water-worn and excavated rock; and a tub being hurled sideways into +the service, boiling water was procured, and sugar in no ordinary +quantity commingled; and, by the help of a ladle and several chopin +decanters, the whole mass of Egyptian humanity was stirred up into song, +laugh, scream, inebriety, quarrel, battle, stupor, and insensibility. +Our friend Mungo had no objections whatever to the feast, or to the +means by which it was prolonged. He was afterwards notorious for his +drinking habits, insomuch that his observation on this occasion is still +repeated in the neighbourhood of the place of his nativity. When +questioned by the king respecting the size of his native village, +Penpont, his reply was—"It is an exceeding great city." This being +questioned, his proof was equally ingenious, and descriptive of his +habits—"Why, Nineveh took Jonah three days to travel through it, +whereas Penpont generally takes me <i>seven</i>." He referred manifestly to +his habit of stopping and drinking at every petty inn and public-house +in the village! The jest told exceedingly in his favour. Mungo, however, +in spite of his losses and crosses, had a noble night of it, as he +afterwards said, with the gipsies, and awakened next morning from his +grassy couch to cool his aching temples in the stream, and restore his +stomach by a hair of the dog that had bit him. He then observed that the +two sons, Duncan and Cuthbert, but not Davie (yclept Donnert, from his +peculiarity of mental constitution), were absent, and that their father +not only exhibited no surprise respecting his sons' absence, but refused +to give any account to his guest of the cause of it. Meanwhile, Mungo +had an opportunity of marking the appearances of the various objects +around him somewhat more distinctly than he had been able to do on the +preceding evening. Blankets, supported by forked poles, old clothes and +rags of every description, formed a kind of nightly shelter for the +common herd; whilst the royal head reposed in the midst of his male +progeny, on the lap of a projecting rock, with a few hare-skins for his +pillow, and a corn-sack for his coverlet. His fair daughter's bedchamber +was somewhat more removed beyond a projecting corner of the winding +linn, and she was protected from observation by the branches of the +overhanging trees being drawn closely down over her, and by what had +once, in all probability, been a soldier's tent, but which was now +miserably rent, and unweather-worthy. It was manifest that this child +was the darling and care of a fond father; for she was not only provided +in a superior manner, but, by the position of his own sleeping +apartment, she was protected from all intercourse with the other members +of the tribe. Honest nature! thou art too many, even for a gipsy life; +and even here parental affection hallowed and refined what was unseemly +and revolting. I say revolting; for, in an obscure corner, and under the +shelter of a hazel-bush, lay a figure, emaciated with disease, and +probably with dissipation and crime, groaning in agony, and regarded +with no more sympathy by the great mass of the tribe than if he had been +a strangled hare or a mangled horse. There was something indeed terrible +in this sight. True, Helen Faa did all that she was permitted, but that +was but little, to alleviate his sufferings; but death was in his eye +and in his throat—he made one great effort to rise, grasped a branch +convulsively, and ceased to live. Mungo would willingly have retired, +even with the losses he had sustained, but he was not +permitted—probably because old Donald conjectured that information +would be immediately lodged against him, and he would be compelled to +relinquish one of his strongest holds in the south of Scotland. +Meantime, Mungo had an opportunity of beholding more closely the female +portion of this society; and was exceedingly struck—for he was yet a +young man and unmarried—with the really handsome faces and well-formed +persons which characterised the whole; but far and away above all the +rest shone Miss Helen Yetholm Faa—for thus was she designated by the +clan—in the pride of health, youth, and black, or rather brown, +eyes—those weapons of female onset which are sharper than a two-edged +sword, as Mungo used to sing or say afterwards, in a song which he +composed on the occasion:—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"They were jet, jet black, and like a hawk,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">And wadna let a body be."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>All this seemed to be fully appreciated by the Squire, who evidently +paid the young princess particular attention, and seemed, at the same +time, sufficiently jealous of any foreign interference with the object +of his attention. Donnert Davie was a stout, ill-made, squint-eyed +being, who stammered in his speech, and seemed particularly useful in +carrying on the culinary operations, under the direction of Helen, in +the retreat. He felled wood for the fire, carried water to the kettle, +heated cow and sheep horns in the flame; brought round about and close +to the operator old pots, pans, and trenchers, which had been obtained +to be clouted, clasped, and mended. He was, in short, a kind of gipsy +factotum; and when "the house affairs did not call him thence," he would +associate with the stranger, stammering out such incoherent inquiries +as—"Whare been?—What do?—What do?—Mother dead?—Mother dead?— +Yes—yes—yes—true—true—true"—muttering to himself, and repeating +the same monosyllable half-a-dozen times. His sister Helen was +manifestly kind to him, and would not permit any of the company to +insult or ill-use him.</p> + +<p>Night arrived, but with it not Duncan or Cuthbert; and it was not till +late on the following evening that they made their appearance, and with +them came silver and gold in abundance: consequently Mungo Clark's +claims were satisfied; and he was informed that, next morning, as they +were all about to decamp, he might pursue his journey homewards; but +about the following dawn, an authoritative voice from the top of the +precipice summoned the whole party to a surrender. One figure stood +prominently forward, looking over the rock; and Donnert Davie, whose +blunderbuss always lay charged beside him, immediately fired, and the +figure came tumbling down headlong, and sunk in the yawning abyss of +boiling water. In a word, the whole party, after a most determined +resistance, were taken prisoners by a military party obtained from +Dumfries; and it being proved against Duncan and Donald Faa that they +had stolen some cattle from Dalswinton Mains, and sold them on the sands +of Dumfries—as also against Donnert Davie, that he had shot the +serjeant who commanded on the occasion—the whole three brothers were +tried, condemned, and sentenced to be executed, <i>in terrorem</i>, near the +spot where their depredations had been committed. As there were three +persons to execute, and the famous tree already referred to had three +branches, they appeared to the sheriff to be destined for each other; +and accordingly all the three were hung at the same time on the same +tree, which has ever since retained the appellation of "The Three +Brethren."</p> + +<p>Old Donald, his fair daughter, Mungo Clark, Squire Cockburn, and the +rest, were set at liberty; but the gipsies were conveyed by a military +escort across the Borders; and I have been given to understand that the +Squire, who was the young laird of Glenae, after considerable opposition +from the old father, was married to fair Helen Yetholm Faa; and that he +was the happy husband of the fair dame who used afterwards to go about +the country in disguise, attending in gipsy garb at weddings, kirns, and +merry-meetings, and giving origin to the well-known reel—"Auld Glenae."</p> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="5">THE MISTAKE RECTIFIED.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">"Now," said the traveller, as he wandered up one of those retired +Highland glens, which characterise and beautify the Grampian range, "I +shall once more visit my dear father and mother; and my sister, now +woman grown; and, what is more, my sweet Helen M'Donald, who used to +gather the mountain berries along with me, and pursue the little kids +and lambs. Ah, Helen was only about thirteen years old when I left; she +will now be eighteen; a full-grown beautiful woman, I have no doubt. I +wonder if old Andrew, her grandfather, be still living; he used to tell +me such tales of Prince Charlie, and Prestonpans, and Culloden, that my +hair yet almost stands erect at the recollection of them. And then there +was Euphemia M'Gregor, his son's wife, the mother of my dear Helen; and +Oscar and Fingal, my father's faithful attendants and servants: and we +had such fun during the long winter nights, when the sheep were in a +place of safety, and the door was barred, and the peat-fire was burning +clear, and the very cat and kitten enjoyed the cheery fireside—such +questions and commands, such guessing and forfeiting, and riding round +the fire on a besom, and holding one's mouth full of water to discharge +on the person's face who should first laugh at our grotesque gestures +and looks: but night is approaching whilst I linger by the way—my whole +heart heaves to behold once more the sweet home of my youth and +innocence."</p> + +<p>Thus said, or thought aloud, a young man, seemingly about twenty-two +years of age, as he ascended Glen——and approached the thatched +shieling which stood on the margin of a small mountain stream, which +wended its mazes along the tortuous glen. He had been five years, come +the time, absent from his mountain home, and had, during that period, +endured and encountered a variety of fortune. He sung as he went along—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"A light heart and thin pair of breeches,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">Goes through the world, brave boys!"</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>switching the bent and heather-bells with his cane, and treading with a +step as elastic as was his bosom. At last, just as the sun was tinging +with his departing ray the top of the highest mountain in the +neighbourhood, he turned the corner of a projecting rock, and came at +once into full and distinct view of his home. It was then grey twilight, +and objects began to assume an indistinct appearance. Walking by the +side of the stream, as if meditating, there appeared a figure wrapped up +in a Highland plaid. It immediately struck the young sailor that this +was his sister; and in order to give her what is called an agreeable +surprise, he stepped aside unperceived by her, and stood concealed +behind a projecting cliff, which the stream had stripped bare of soil in +its passing current. The figure came nearer and nearer, and then, +sighing deeply, uttered some sound, which his ear could not catch. At +last, tears and sobs followed, and he heard the words most distinctly +pronounced—"Alas, I can never truly love him! I shall be the most +wretched of women! But he whom I loved as angels love—oh, he, my own +dear William M'Pherson, is dead and gone, and I can never see him more."</p> + +<p>"But you can though, my own dear Helen;" and in an instant he held her +lifeless and motionless in his arms. She had uttered just one awful +scream, which was re-echoed by the surrounding cliffs, and had ceased to +feel or know anything connected with the living world. Alas! she was +dead, and he was distracted. He ran to the house, calling aloud for +help; but every one of its inmates, even the mother who bore him, fled +from his presence, uttering ejaculations, intimating the greatest terror +at his presence. In vain did he protest with tears—I am your son and no +other—I am Willie M'Pherson, your lost boy! His words bore no +conviction along with him. Avaunt, foul fiend! Avaunt, in the name of +God and the Holy Trinity—trouble me not—trouble me not; my dear child +is in heaven; and thou, foul spirit, art permitted for a time to assume +his shape. His sister, too, was equally incredulous, and his father had +not yet returned from the hill. What was to be done? Helen M'Donald was +in all probability dead, or dying, helpless and alone, and yet no one +would come to her assistance. At last, Oscar and Fingal made their +appearance in advance of his father; and though they barked at first +upon his naming them, they immediately ran up to him, and jumped upon +his back, his neck, his head, his whole person. They seemed in as much +danger of expressing joy as poor Helen had been of dying of fearful +surprise.</p> + +<p>"Stand back," said the delighted and believing father to his wife, who +absolutely clung to his knees to prevent his advance—"stand back, +woman; d'ye think Fingal and Oscar would caress the foul fiend in that +manner? Na—na—na. Ha! ha! ha!" And he fell upon his son's shoulders, +weeping and crying convulsively.</p> + +<p>"My father—my dear, dear father."</p> + +<p>"My son—my lost, my only, my restored son," was the response.</p> + +<p>But Helen, in an instant, brought the whole party, consisting of father, +mother, sister, and son, to her aid: a light was procured and held over +her face; her bosom was bared, and rubbed; her forehead had water +plentifully poured upon it from the stream; and, at last, symptoms of +returning life appeared. Oscar and Fingal, in the meantime, had licked +Helen's face, and neck, and shoulders, all over; and whether from any +virtue in the peculiar touch of their tongues, or from the natural +expiry of the trance, Helen breathed heavily—her bosom heaved; William +looked on her cheeks, and they were flushed with red. In a moment he had +her in his arms. Helen, for some time, suffered exquisite bodily +torture; but was at last capable of having the truth made gradually +known to her. She said surely she had been dreaming, as she had often +done, and that she was still surely asleep, and that she would waken at +last, as she had done before, to a dreadful perception of the reality. +William M'Pherson still continued to clasp and assure Helen of his +personal identity. But, even when convinced of the reality of William's +presence, Helen did not evince that degree of happiness which might have +been expected; she sat stupified and passive, and seemingly insensible +to everything around her; her mind was evidently wandering to a +disagreeable subject. However, she was prevailed upon to return with the +family into the house, and, worn out and fatigued, she was soon after +put to rest in an adjoining apartment.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the young sailor was questioned minutely respecting the +reason of his reappearance, after he had been so long reported, and +believed by everybody, to be dead.</p> + +<p>Without repeating his answer in his own words, which were interlarded +with sea phrases, we may state, in general, that it was to the following +purpose:—He had gone to Dundee, with the view of making some small +purchases for the household, when he accidentally fell in with a +recruiting party, who were beating up for marines for the fleet, then +just returned from the capture of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen. +Inexperienced as he was, he was enticed into a public-house on the +shore, and awakened, after a stupor of some hours, on board a British +man-of-war. In a few hours, he was conveyed out to sea, along with +several others, and was conveyed immediately to Spithead. Having it +ultimately put to his choice whether he would stand by a gun, or handle +a musket and a sabre, he chose the former, and was regularly entered as +an ablebodied seaman on board His Majesty's ship the Victory. In her, +along with Admiral Nelson, he sailed for the West Indies, and then +crossed the Atlantic, back to the shores of France. The enemy still +eluding the eagle-eye of Lord Nelson, he sailed for the Mediterranean, +and, after various landings and inquiries, came upon the French fleet, +moored closely inland on the coast of Egypt, at the mouth of the Nile. +He was in the dreadful battle of the Nile, and assisted in rescuing +several who were blown up, but not killed, in the L'Orient. After the +battle, he had promotion, and ultimately prize-money, on account of his +brave and humane conduct, and sailed again for Naples, and latterly in +quest of the Spanish fleet on the coast of Spain. He was close by Nelson +when he was shot by a rifleman from the mast of the ship with which he +had grappled, and saw the fellow who did the deed drop on the deck, +being shot through the heart by a marine on board of Lord Nelson's ship. +After the battle, he was returned to Plymouth, having been wounded in +the leg—a musket-ball had passed through the flesh, and somewhat, but +not greatly, injured the bone. He spent some months in the hospital, and +was then despatched to the coast of France on board the Spitfire. There +he had distinguished himself in cutting out and burning several of the +enemy's craft at Havre; and being again wounded, though slightly, in the +arm, he was put upon the pension list, and allowed to dispose of himself +till his country should again require his services. In these +circumstances, he began to think of his home; and, with some hundreds of +pounds in the bank, and a pension order of about two shillings and +sixpence a-day in his pocket, he arrived at Dundee in a sailing vessel, +and was on his way to his <i>native glen</i> when the reader first became +acquainted with him. When this narrative was finished, his father +retired for an instant, and then appeared with some papers, which he had +extracted from his private depositories. He first read a letter which +purported to come from a king's officer, who signed himself William +Wilson, and who informed his afflicted father that his son had been +induced to go on board a king's ship, to see the arrangements which it +exhibited; but that, in passing from the small boat to the deck, he had +missed a foot, and been drowned. The letter was dated on board the +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: word not capitalized in original.">Spitfire</ins>; and mentioned, likewise, that the ship was under sailing +orders for the general rendezvous at Spithead. The poor distracted +parent had come to Dundee, but could obtain no information of his +son—only, about three months after, he heard that a dead body, severely +mutilated, had been thrown out upon the sands of St Andrews; and, on +account of the state of its decomposition, had immediately been interred +in Christian burial-ground. A second pilgrimage to St Andrews was +undertaken by the father and daughter; but nothing satisfactory was +discovered, except that the corpse exhibited marks of having been +dressed in a blue-and-white striped waistcoat, which answered to that in +which he had left Denhead, his home in the Highlands. After this last +discovery, all further inquiry ceased, and the afflicted family +fulfilled the period of their sincere mourning, and things returned +nearly to their usual bearing. But, when father, and mother, and sister +had seemingly got over the worst of their grief, Helen M'Donald still +pined in silence over the recollections of her early companion; and as +she expanded into womanhood, her grief seemed to grow "with her growth;" +and her father became extremely anxious to have Helen properly and +creditably disposed of in marriage.</p> + +<p>The son of a small proprietor in the neighbourhood had lately become +laird himself; and, though far exceeding Helen in years, having had +frequent opportunities of seeing her, particularly at church on Sabbath, +he had become enamoured of so much beauty and innocence. Proposals had +been made to the father, which were immediately accepted; and the young +lady had been dealt with, as young ladies in such situations generally +are, by arguments of interest, and worldly comfort, and even grandeur. +First impressions are deep (oh, how deep!); and Helen could not yet +entirely exclude the image of her beloved William from her recollection. +Laird M'Wharry was urgent in his suit—her father, whom she +affectionately loved, was troubled and anxious—her mother, too, pressed +home upon her attention prudential considerations—so, after long delays +and many internal struggles, Helen at last consented to become, but not +till some months afterwards, Mrs or Lady M'Wharry, as the peasantry +styled the laird's wife. It was during her visit (previous to her +marriage) to M'Wharry that the incident took place which thus connects +our narrative, and brings us up to the point of time when William +M'Pherson arrived at Denhead.</p> + +<p>William, learning from Helen, as well as from his father and mother, how +matters were situated, suddenly disappeared, and left no means of +tracing the place of his retreat. Days, and even weeks, passed, but no +letter arrived, and no message came. In the meantime, the day appointed +for the marriage approached, and Helen seemed to have made up her mind +to submit to necessity; at least she tried to look cheerful, and put as +good a face upon it as many tears, shed in private, would permit.</p> + +<p>Laird M'Wharry was a true Highlander—he had much of that clannish +feeling which is peculiar to the Celt. He was, besides, exceedingly +passionate, and had more than once got into trouble from having used +hasty and unguarded expressions. Nay, he had once been prosecuted in the +Court of Session, and damages had been obtained to a considerable +amount, by one of his servants, or rather slaves, whom he had beat most +unmercifully. In attending a Perth market, he had occasion to ride +homewards, after dark, with a brother proprietor, who had lately bought +an estate in his neighbourhood. This proprietor could not boast a Celtic +name or origin. He was plain Mr Monnipenny, from the town of Kirkcaldy, +in Fife. They had both been drinking during the course of the day, and +were, therefore, more liable to get into some dispute or quarrel. +M'Wharry began by deprecating Mr Monnipenny's horse, whose character the +master supported with some warmth; so, to settle the matter, they both +set off at the gallop, and the fire flashed from the horses' heels as +they passed through Dunkeld. Unfortunately for Laird M'Wharry, however, +about a mile beyond the above town, the saddle-girth gave way, and he +came to the ground head foremost. He was dead when Mr Monnipenny came up +with him. He had suffered a concussion of the brain; and, +notwithstanding that medical aid was immediately obtained from Dunkeld, +nothing could be done.</p> + +<p>Poor Helen M'Pherson really mourned his fate; for, though she had no +love for him, she had brought herself to think that it was her duty to +fulfil her promise. But where was he whom her young heart held in its +core? No one knew—no one could tell. Helen had inwardly resolved to +live single on his account, even if no further accounts were received of +William M'Pherson. But her father in the meantime died of a fever; and +her mother was compelled to remove from the farm to the village of +Dunkeld, where, in order to support herself and her lovely daughter, she +set up a little shop with a small sum which her husband and she had +saved, and was highly respected by all who knew her. In the meantime, +the parish schoolmaster, an excise officer, and a wealthy sheep-farmer, +all solicited Helen's hand; but she lent a deaf ear to all these offers, +still thinking, and speaking, and dreaming about her William.</p> + +<p>One day, when she was standing at the shop-door, she observed a crowd +gathered about a horse and gig, out of which a person had just been +thrown, and was taken up as was feared lifeless. Helen, from motives of +humanity, rushed into the crowd to make inquiries, and saw the person +carried into an adjoining apothecary's shop; there he was immediately +bled, and, to the infinite satisfaction of all, had begun to recover. +The fact turned out to be, that he had been stunned by the fall on his +head, but no concussion or fracture had taken place. The gentleman, she +learned, had been put to bed, but was mighty unruly, as he insisted upon +pursuing his journey that very evening into the Highlands; and a +post-chaise, with two horses and a steady driver, had been brought to +the apothecary's door, and the traveller was passing into it, with his +head and arm tied up, when all at once Helen uttered a scream, and stood +trembling betwixt him and the conveyance. It was her own William, +returned from sea—to which he had again fled—and making all despatch +to reach Denhead, as he had learned, on his way towards the Highlands, +the fate that had overtaken the bridegroom, Laird M'Wharry. Now, reader, +you and I part—I can do no more for you; for, if you cannot far better +conceive than I can describe what followed, you can be no reader of +mine—you will never have perused the story at all. William was now +comfortably circumstanced, pensioned, and dismissed the service; and the +last time I had a week's fishing at Amalrie, I spent my evenings and +nights under his roof. He is now, like myself, a grandfather; and Helen, +though not quite so young as she was some thirty or forty years ago, is +still in my mind a perfect beauty, and has blessed her husband, during a +pretty long life, with all that kind husbands can expect or obtain by +marriage. She has made him a happy father, and a fond, foolish, +indulgent grandpapa.</p> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="6">DURA DEN; OR, SECOND THOUGHTS ARE BEST.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">I took my way, a few days ago, fishing-rod in hand, from Cupar in Fife, +by Dura Den, up towards the healthy and sequestered village of Ceres. +Dura Den was once romantic and secluded. Its brawling stream, which +empties the waters of the upper basin into the Eden, leaped and tumbled +over igneous, and penetrated its way through aqueous, formations, till +it mingled into rejoicing union with the lovely Eden immediately under +the old towers of Spottiswood, and the fine Gothic church of Dairsie. +This deep and beautifully-winding ravine was covered from rock to rock, +on each successively sunny side, by trees of various name and leaf, from +the scented sloe and hawthorn, up to the hazel, the birch, and the oak. +It was a perfect aviary during the spring months. A few wild deer +browsed amidst recesses, and various love-smitten maids and men repaired +to this retreat, to talk of many things which were only interesting to +themselves. The soft projecting sandstone rocks had been water-run into +caves and recesses; and in some of these report had fixed the residence, +for a night at least, of the famous Balfour of Burley, after the affair +of Magus Muir.<a name="FNanchor_A_2" id="FNanchor_A_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_2" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> It is not, however, to this, but to a more recent +occurrence, that I am now about to solicit your attention, after, +however, premising the change which has now been wrought upon this once +rural, secluded, romantic, lovely spot. At the very entrance, there +stands a bone-mill, grinding, with grating activity and horrible crunch, +into powder the mingled bones of man and beast. You have scarcely +escaped from the horrible jarring sound of the modern ogre, than you +come full plump upon a spinning-mill, with as many windows as there are +days in the year. There it stands bestriding the valley like a colossus, +and commanding all the collected energies of the once pure and solitary +stream. Bless me! how it thunders: the very rocks seem to shake under +the whirl of the tremendous machinery; whilst at every open window out +flies in clouds the imprisoned dust and stour. A single door opens, and +the sound maddens on your ear into a screwing torture. It shuts again. +You are greatly relieved by the compressed and imprisoned horror. A +little further up this once delightful den, a pillar of smoke shoots out +on the eye, like an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This is an evidence that +(as in the formation of this globe) fire has been called upon to assist +water. Again and again, another and another hulking dirty erection fixes +its hideous trail in the lovely localities, till the landscape still +onwards opens upon green fields, all covered and whitened over, <i>not</i> +with daisies, but with <i>yarn</i>, which has just been removed from the +vitriolic vat. I had essayed here and there to fish, but had not even a +nibble. A little factory urchin, who saw my mistake, immediately +accosted me with—</p> + +<p>"Ye needna fish here about, sir, for the fish are a' dead."</p> + +<p>"What has <i>deaded</i> them?" said I.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I dinna ken, except maybe it's the vitriol—they dinna tak wi' the +vitriol ava."</p> + +<p>"No wonder," thought I. "I suspect neither you nor I would tak weel with +such a beverage." So I at once rolled in my line, put up my rod, and was +on the eve of returning, somewhat disappointed, from my forenoon's +ramble, when my attention was attracted by an old, though fresh-looking +man <i>in his "cruda viridisque senectus</i>," who was sitting on a bench in +the sunshine, betwixt the door and the window of one of those very neat +and cleanly cottages, which have been erected for the convenience and +accommodation of the mill-spinners, and which, from the name of the +spirited proprietor, has been called "Yoolfield."</p> + +<p>"James," said the old man—"come here, James, and tell me what's that ye +waur saying to the gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Ou, I was only telling him there waur nae trouts, except <i>stane +anes</i>,<a name="FNanchor_B_3" id="FNanchor_B_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_3" class="fnanchor">[B]</a> here."</p> + +<p>In the meantime, I had approached the old man's seat, and thinking that +he motioned me to be seated, I at once took my place, as if I had been +an old acquaintance, by his side. It turned out that he was the +grandfather of this urchin, who in a few minutes reappeared with a face +of great comfort and vigorous health; "<i>causa erat in aperto</i>"—he had +dined.</p> + +<p>"Ye'll be a stranger hereaboots, I mak nae doubt?" said the old man.</p> + +<p>I replied that I had been so for some time past; that I had stopped, on +my way north, a day in Cupar, in order to revisit this romantic retreat; +but that it was now sadly changed, and I had not the heart to pursue my +walk any further. I miss, added I, everything which I expected to see: +the solitude, the green banks, the trees, the pure waters, the yellow +trouts, the all of innocence and nature by which this den was marked, +ere these vile spinning-jennies had entered, with noise, confusion, and +defilement in their train.</p> + +<p>"And so," said the aged Nestor, "ye are up in arms against the late +erections, because ye canna get an hour or twa's fishing, nor pursue +your own fancies about solitude, and innocence, and that! I will tell +ye, my good sir—for ye're but a bairn in comparison wi' me—that had ye +experienced what I hae experienced, ye wad hae blessed the day which +converted this solitary and useless den into a source of comfortable +living to hundreds of families, who might otherwise be starving at home, +or banished from all that they hold dear into a foreign land."</p> + +<p>"Grandfather," hereupon said a fine rosy girl about fourteen, "dinner's +ready: will ye come in, or will I bring it out to you?"</p> + +<p>"I think," said the ancient patriarch, "I'll just rest whar I am; it's a +bonny sunny day, and the den is a' loun and sheltered. Just bring out +the broth and the wee bit Irish stew here, and maybe this gentleman, now +tired wi' nae fishing, will no scorn to tak a spoonfu' and a bit +alangside o' a puir auld body."</p> + +<p>I immediately assured my kind host that I had provisions in my basket, +which I soon disengaged, together with a flask containing a sufficiency +of old Nantz. To it, therefore, we set, exchanging viands: I partaking +of the excellent and savoury stew, and he of a wee drap, only a very wee +drap, of the brandy. Like Sir Walter Scott's minstrel, the soul of the +old yet vigorous Trojan waxed strong within him; and, after having duly +returned thanks to the Giver of all good, he drew me close to his elbow, +and proceeded thus:—</p> + +<p>"Indeed, sir, I'm now considerably upwards of eighty years—the period +at which the psalmist says the strength of man is but grief and labour; +but I haena found it sae, for a' my griefs and labours were confined to +the earlier pairt o' my life, and no to the latter day—His name be +praised for the same."</p> + +<p>I instinctively answered "Amen;" and, partly encouraged by this, and +partly by an additional pull at the brandy-flask, the old man pursued +his egotism.</p> + +<p>"Well, ye see, ye are against spinning-jennies and large manufactures, +ye say; but they are the freends o' the puir, sir—the blessed +supporters o' thousands and millions in these lands.<a name="FNanchor_C_4" id="FNanchor_C_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_C_4" class="fnanchor">[C]</a> You shall hear; +for, as you seem to have time on your hands, I will, for your father's +sake" (I had made him acquainted with my descent from a worthy clergyman +in the north), "unfold to you my whole history, and that of my children, +up to this hour:—</p> + +<p>"My name, sir, is Donald Sutherland. I belong originally to the county +of that name; and I was bred a farmer on the estates of the Duchess of +Sutherland. But there was neither duke nor duchess then, oh dear!" +(Hereupon the old man absolutely cried; having, however, checked himself +by observing that he was an old fool, he again proceeded):—"I had, as I +said, a small sheep-farm, of about one thousand acres, in the western +district of that county. I see, sir, you are surprised at my saying +<i>small</i>; but, sir, when land is let at a shilling an acre, as it was in +my day, such a farm is but small—a thousand shillings, ye ken, is just +fifty pounds o' yearly rent: and that was my rent at <i>Edderachills</i>, +near by Loch Assynt. I am now, as ye see, an auld man, and a grey; but I +was ance young, and stout, and foolish too, nae doobt. I thought +naething wad war me, sae I just married whan I was a young, +inexperienced callan, about nineteen; and, having got a brother of my +puir father's to be security (ye see my puir father was only a hind on +the estate o' Sutherland, and had neither money nor credit), I took my +dear Helen M'Roy home to no that ill a bigging—wi' a hantle o' +blankets, a peat-fire, a herd callan, and twa as canny and sensible dogs +as ever followed a herd, or turned a hirsel. Aweel, ye ken, Helen and me +war very happy, for we loved each other dearly; we had been acquainted +frae the time we could climb a brae or eat a cranberry; and things went +on no that ill ava. We had twa bairns in the course o' twal years, a +lassie, and a fine lad, wha was drowned, as ye shall hear; but oh my +heart is sair whan I think o't. It was one awful night in the month of +January. A vessel had stranded in Loch Assynt. The men were seen, +through a stormy moonshine, hanging to the topmast, which, however, went +from side to side, with a fearful swing. At every turn or jerk, another +and another human being was plunged into the roaring foam. My son +Archibald, my shepherd, and I, pushed from the shore in a fishing-boat, +which was lying high and dry—we heard the fearful screams of perishing +men—we rowed off at all hazards, but had not neared the vessel, when +our boat fairly swamped. We were still, however, within wading depth, +and with difficulty regained our feet and the boat. We again pushed hard +from land, and at last came under the lee of the wreck. My son was +young, active, and daring; and, in order to ascertain how matters were, +or what remained of the deck, he caught a rope, and leaped on board. In +an instant, a young man, a passenger, with his wife and child, were +slung, as it were, miraculously on board our little boat. The waves went +up in spouting foam betwixt the wreck and the boat, and then subsiding, +heaved us with a tremendous crash against the side of the vessel; and I +remember no more till I awoke to misery, in a kelp hut by the sea-shore. +I found that my son, with the woman and child, had perished; but that +the husband, my shepherd, and myself, had been cast ashore, and with +difficulty resuscitated. My grief and his mother's grief were loud and +severe. But 'what cannot be cured must be endured.' The stranger was a +native of Fife, who had been to America on a mercantile speculation, and +having married at New York, and become a father, was on his way towards +Kirkcaldy, his native place, when this dreadful accident occurred. He +had lost all his effects, and some money in the wreck, and was content +to take part of my humble dwelling for a season. In the meantime, my +lease expired, and another proprietor had arisen, who knew not Donald +Sutherland. The rent offered by my next and more wealthy neighbour was +far above what I would think of promising, so I behoved to leave sweet +Edderachills, with all its heath, and moss, and muir, for a sea-shore +appointment in the manufacturing of kelp from sea-weed—at that time a +very flourishing employment in the West Highlands in particular. The +stranger about this time took his departure, but not without many +promises of returning again to visit the grave of his wife and child, +and to renew his acquaintance with my wife, my daughter, and myself. For +a time the kelp concern did pretty well; we had good and regular payment +for the article, and an increasing demand; and we contrived to live at +least as comfortably as we had done as sheep-farmers. But man is always +finding out inventions; a method was devised of dispensing, by means of +a chemical discovery, with our kelp entirely; and we were suddenly and +entirely ruined. It was at this period that I, in a manner, <i>cursed</i>, +like you, the spirit of discovery and invention. I was disgusted by the +change which the progress of science had made, and I did not know how to +turn myself for a bare subsistence. In this situation of affairs, my +daughter Nelly within there (pointing to the door) was courted by a +neighbouring sheep-farmer's son, of a somewhat disreputable character, +but of considerable reputed wealth. This was a sad trial to us all; for, +though the marriage might have benefited us somewhat, in a worldly point +of view, we did not like to see our blooming and virtuous child +sacrificed, it might be, to the momentary feelings of a known deceiver. +Nelly could not bear the thoughts of such a union; and one night she +told her lover as much. In consequence of this unfortunate affair, we +were very soon after turned out of house and hold—the old farmer having +contracted with the proprietor for the huts and steadings which had once +been peopled with busy and prosperous hands, but which now were nearly +empty. Baser proposals than before were made by the degraded and +vindictive young man; and we set off, one moonlight night, across the +hills, for the town of Dornoch. We were three wanderers in the +wilderness—my wife Helen, my daughter Nelly, and myself. I was still +comparatively strong, and was determined to work, but could find no +employment. For days we slept (for the weather was fine) on the heath, +and lived on what little of our means yet remained. I was resolved, come +what might, that I would not beg. My wife and daughter bore up +amazingly; for we trusted that our God—the God of the hills, as well as +of the valleys; of the poor and the outcast, as well as of the rich and +provided—would not forget us. I found temporary work, at last, in a +stone quarry, and occupied a hut close upon the sea-shore. This, to us +all, was luxury; for it was independence. Contentment <i>kitchened</i> +labour, and we slept soundly in our poverty and innocence. But this, I +saw, could not long continue; my strength was not equal to this severe +labour, to which I was unaccustomed; so I persuaded, not without +difficulty, my wife and daughter to accompany me to Canada, to which the +Countess of Sutherland was then offering a free passage from Cromarty +Frith, in the good ship Aurora. I should, however, have mentioned that, +whilst residing at Dornoch, I had observed the son of a neighbouring +proprietor—a somewhat smart-looking gentleman—frequently passing our +door, and sometimes conversing with my wife and daughter; but I took no +notice of the affair, as I felt secure in the virtue and prudence of +both parties. No proposals, honourable or otherwise, were made to my +daughter, and I conceived the matter to be at an end. On the day of the +ship's sailing, we were all on the quay, and ready to embark. My wife +and I had entered the boat, and were waiting for my daughter, who had +been sent by us on a message to a shop. She did not return in time for +the boat in which we were conveyed to the Aurora; but we were told by +the sailors that she would probably arrive in the next. One boat, +however, arrived, but our dear Nelly was not in it; another came, but +with it no daughter. Meantime the ship was under sail, and the captain +said he would not lose the favourable breeze for all the girls in +Scotland. My dear wife was inconsolable, and I petitioned hard to be let +out, even on one of the Western Isles; but the weather was exceeding +stormy, and we kept as far as possible from land. 'God,' said I to my +grieving partner, 'will protect Nelly; for she is good and virtuous. God +can be father and mother, and more than all that, to those who fear and +obey him.' We landed at Quebec, and maintained ourselves for some +time—I acting as a kind of shore-porter, and my wife assisting in +assorting furs in a great warehouse. But our means were but small; so we +bethought us of removing more inland. So we arrived ultimately at +Montreal, where I had the good fortune to meet with a distant relative +in pretty good circumstances. He had long been engaged in a mercantile +house, and had now obtained a considerable and a profitable share in it. +He immediately found employment for me as a warehouse servant, whilst my +wife washed and dressed for himself and a few friends. Year after year +passed by, and many a letter did we write to Edderachills and Dornoch; +but we received no answer. At last it pleased God to remove my dear +Helen by death; and my friend having resolved to remove to Kirkcaldy, +his native place, I took shipping with him in the ship St John, and we +arrived off the Land's End in safety. But it came on to blow dreadfully +from the north and the east, as we rounded the island; and one dark +night in the month of November we struck upon a rock in the +neighbourhood of Ely. The ship fired signals of distress, and a boat +came out, which saved the passengers and crew; but the ship and cargo +were lost. What was my surprise, upon arriving at the inn, to find, in +the person of one of the boatmen, the shipwrecked stranger, Sam Rogers, +who had lodged so long with us at Edderachills. He insisted upon my +immediately repairing to his cabin, as he termed it, on the shore, with +the view of introducing me to his wife and a large family of children.</p> + +<p>"'Have you ever heard,' continued he, after we were seated, 'anything of +your daughter Nelly?'</p> + +<p>"'Not a word,' said I, eagerly. 'Have you?'</p> + +<p>"'Would you know her,' continued he, 'if you were again to see her?'</p> + +<p>"'Know her,' said I; 'to be sure I would—her image is ever before me. I +see her, at this moment, as plainly as if she were still alive. Oh! +what—horrible!—stand off!—stand off! Do these old eyes deceive me, or +art thou indeed my own darling, lost child?' said I; whilst Nelly—the +real flesh-and-blood Nelly—clasped me to her arms, and burst into a +flood of tears.</p> + +<p>"'My father!—my father!' she exclaimed, whilst the young ones gathered +around us in stupid amazement; and my son-in-law, Sam Rogers, rubbed his +hands and flapped his arms in perfect delight. It was indeed my dear +Nelly, in the person of Helen Rogers, the still handsome mother of seven +children.</p> + +<p>"But, Helen, I say—Helen, set down the bairn a wee bit, and tell this +honest gentleman the Dornoch story, ye ken."</p> + +<p>"Hout," said Helen, "I hae nae time, father, to enter into a' the outs +and ins o' thae langsyne tales; besides, I see Sam waving me up to the +mill—I'm wanted, father, an' ye maun look after the bairn till I come +back again."</p> + +<p>Being foiled in his wish to set his daughter's tongue agoing to the tune +of her own adventures, the old man placed the child on the greensward in +front of the cottage, and, after once more paying his respects to my +brandy-flask, proceeded as follows:—</p> + +<p>"Weel, the lassie disna like to hear me tell the story; I ken she aye +blushes at bits o't; but now that she's awa, I may just as weel finish, +by letting ye know that the scamp wha had seen, and fallen in love, as +he called it, with her at Dornoch, had watched her down to the beach, +and having hired some accomplice in the person of one of the sailors, +had her misdirected in the first place, and lifted off her feet in the +second, and placed beside the well-known gentleman in a post-chaise, +which drove off immediately in an inland direction. In vain were all her +struggles and entreaties. The young blackguard immediately proceeded to +inform her that her struggles and her shouts were of no avail; that he +could not promise her marriage, as he was already engaged, to please his +mother; but he would give her love in abundance, and a cottage +residence, which he had provided for her on his father's property, at no +great distance. It was in vain for her to resist; but she had resolved +rather to die than to yield to his wishes; so, when they had arrived at +the centre of an extensive plantation, he caused her to alight, and +dismissing, as it was now nearly dark, the chaise and driver, proceeded +to conduct her, as he said, on foot to the cottage which he had +provided. He half dragged her a few paces from the road, or rather track +through the wood, and, unveiling all at once the fiend within him, +proceeded to open and undisguised violence. But, sir," said the old man, +with emphasis, "he thought himself alone, but he was not alone—God saw +him, and had marked his proceedings; and God sent a deliverer, in the +person of him owre by yonder" (pointing to the mills). "God sent Sam +Rogers, with a guid oak plank, to free the captive, and make the captor +flee for his life: in short, sir—for I fear I have tired ye wi' my +lang-winded story—Sam, by the mercy of God, had just landed at Dornoch +as we sailed from it; and being on his way to Edderachills, for the very +purpose of asking my Nelly in marriage, he had pushed on, meaning to +travel all night across the country, when the providential occurrence +took place. Weel, we went now to Ely, where we remained for a time—old +grandy, that is, myself, my son, and his family; but times became tight +there, and the family kept still increasing; so at last we got +acquainted with the worthy gentleman, Mr Yool, to whom all these great +works and these neat cottages belong, and he brought us up here, and set +us down comfortably, where not only my son-in-law, but every wean, male +and female, above seven years of age, can earn its own clothes and +subsistence. We are now, sir, in comparative affluence; and all this, +sir, is owing to these improvements in machinery and in chemistry, which +at one time drove me from my native land. '<span class="smcap">Second thoughts, they say, +are best</span>;' at least so it has been with me, as I sit here in my old age, +in comparative ease and comfort, and see my grandchildren growing up in +domestic affection and public usefulness around me. Here is no +scattering of the young family—one going east, and one west, never to +meet again; but here, every night, all congregate around <i>one hearth</i>, +whilst a psalm is sung, a chapter is read, and a prayer said by grandy +himself!"</p> + +<p>I shall never regret the loss of my old and favourite amusement, whilst +I can recollect this old man's narrative, and the many happy and +comfortable homes which now occupy the once solitary holms of <i>Dura +Den</i>.</p> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_2" id="Footnote_A_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_2"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> A sword has lately been discovered in one of the caves, +rusted and broken—probably once the sword of Burley!—19th Oct., 1839.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B_3" id="Footnote_B_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_3"><span class="label">[B]</span></a> <i>Vide</i> recent discoveries of extinct species of fish found +in this den. "Fife Illustrated." Glasgow: James Swan.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C_4" id="Footnote_C_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C_4"><span class="label">[C]</span></a> Very different this deliverance from that of Mrs Trollope +in her "Factory Boy."</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="7">THE LAIRD OF LUCKY'S HOW</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">Have any of our readers ever been at the Hague? It doesn't much signify +whether they have or not. They know that it is one of the most beautiful +towns in the Netherlands, and that it is not a little famous in ancient +story; and their knowing this is quite enough for our present purpose. +If, however, they knew the town a little more intimately, they would +know that one of its principal and most ancient streets is called the +Hoogstraat; and that here, once on a time, stood the principal inn or +hostelry of the town. It was an oldfashioned house, with a great variety +of projecting and excrescent structures, of all sorts and sizes, stuck +to it, to increase its internal accommodation, and to puzzle the curious +inquirer—at least this seemed a part of the design—who, while taking +an outside view, wondered what they could all be intended for.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding, however, the somewhat uncouth and perplexing appearance +of the exterior of the Drouthsloken—which was the name of the ancient +hostel in question—it was a sufficiently handsome and comfortable house +within. Its kitchen, in particular, was a sight; it was so clean, so +bright, and so cheerful: shining all round with pewter trenchers and +brass utensils of various descriptions, all as lustrous as whiting and +hard rubbing could make them. The place was a treat to look at; and no +less a treat to look at was its jolly landlord, Thonder Vander Tromp. +From stem to stern, Thonder was of the regular Dutch build; which, +without descending to particulars, we may say consists, as our readers +know, in exhibiting an amplitude of material at all points of the +person. In this respect, our good friend Thonder might be considered a +<i>chef d'œuvre</i>; for he was of the most magnificent dimensions, +especially latitudinally. In longitude, indeed, he might be considered +as a little deficient. He was of no great height; but his girth was +superb, and told a tale of good living, with an unction which no +language could approach. In this tale the ruddy, jovial countenance of +mine host of the Drouthsloken cordially joined; and supported by its +hilarious testimony the facts therein set forth.</p> + +<p>Having thus shortly described both mine host and his hostel, we proceed +to say that, on a certain evening in the middle of the winter of 1651, a +stranger, carrying a small bundle under his arm, walked, or rather +stalked—for there was something uncouth in his gait—into the passage +of the Drouthsloken. He was wrapped up in a Scottish plaid, and wore on +his head the well-known flat blue bonnet of the Scottish Lowlands. In +person, he was tall and spare, with the grave and serious cast of +countenance so characteristic of that people whose national dress he +wore. Unpolished, however, as the exterior of this person bespoke him to +be, there was yet, in his light grey eye, a mingled expression of +determination and intelligence, that never failed to secure the respect +which his manner and first appearance might well have forfeited. His age +seemed about forty or forty-five.</p> + +<p>Finding no one to whom he might address himself in the passage of the +inn, the stranger held on his way to its further extremity—no trifling +distance; towards which he was attracted by sounds of laughter and +merriment, issuing from the kitchen of the Drouthsloken, which was +situated at the farther end of the passage by which the house was +intersected, and the same with that which he was now traversing.</p> + +<p>The sounds of merriment by which the stranger had been attracted +proceeded from a group of young men, who, standing in the form of a +semicircle in front of the jolly landlord of the house—who, again, +stood with his back to the fire, wielding a huge black bottle in his +hand—were indulging in uproarious laughter at the witty sayings which +he, the latter, seemed throwing amongst them like so many squibs and +crackers.</p> + +<p>At the moment that our friend of the plaid and bonnet entered the +kitchen of the Drouthsloken, our jovial host was standing, as we have +said, with his back to the fire—a roaring one, by the way—and looking +the very personification of all that's joyous, and comfortable, and +care-dispelling. A bright and broad red waistcoat covered his portly +front; but buttoned so short a way up as to expose a dazzling display of +snow-white linen beneath. Across this brilliant garment there lay also +the folds of a pure white apron, tucked up with business-like smartness. +Dark velveteen small-clothes, with well-polished shoes, on which shone a +pair of massive silver buckles, completed the outer man of Thonder +Vander Tromp.</p> + +<p>Amongst the merry group of which Tromp was one, something like a +sensation was created by the entrance of the stranger. The career of +badinage was instantly arrested, and the eyes of the whole party turned +towards him. Undismayed by the general attention he had excited, the +stranger coolly deposited his bundle on a side-table, and, approaching +at once the fire, and the group by which it was surrounded, delivered +himself, as he did so, of the very simple and homely remark—</p> + +<p>"There's a wat nicht, gentlemen."</p> + +<p>Now, the stranger, although he had thus expressed himself, had not +ventured to hope that his language would be understood. He had spoken +mechanically as it were, and delivered himself in his usual way, simply +because he could do no otherwise, and because he thought it necessary to +say something. Great, therefore, was his surprise, and, we may add, his +joy also, when one of the young men of the party, of singularly graceful +manners and bearing, acknowledged his greeting in excellent English, and +with great politeness and civility of speech.</p> + +<p>Delighted at having met with a native of Great Britain, which he could +not doubt the young man who had addressed him was—</p> + +<p>"Feth, but I am richt glad, sir," said the stranger—"excuse my +freedom—at having met wi' a countryman, as I tak ye to be, sir—in this +outlandish place. It's mair than I expeckit, I'm sure. I had nae thochts +o' meetin wi' ony but ane."</p> + +<p>"And pray who was that one, my good friend?" said the young man, +throwing, at the same time, a rapid look of intelligence around on his +companions, who seemed at once to comprehend its meaning. "Who was that +one, my good friend," he said, "if I may ask, without subjecting myself +to a charge of impertinence?"</p> + +<p>"Ou, nae impertinence at a', sir; only ye'll excuse me keepin my thoom +on the mater ye inquire aboot till I ken better wha's speerin. Excuse +me, sir, excuse me, for this plainness," continued the stranger, +smiling; "but I hae come frae a country whar a slip o' the tongue, in +thae times, micht cost a man his head; and that maks folks wary, ye +ken."</p> + +<p>"Faith, and good reason it should, friend," replied the young man, +laughingly. "Thou hast well accounted for thy caution. But recollect +thou art now in a different country, mine honest friend, and hast no +need to be so guarded in thy speech."</p> + +<p>"Feth, sir, I dinna ken. That may be; but, if ye had fan the ticklin o' +a tow aboot yer craig, as I hae dune, ye wadna forget it in a hurry, nor +the lesson it taught ye to keep yer tongue atween yer teeth."</p> + +<p>"Well, no doubt; that certainly is rough schooling," said the young +cavalier; "but I repeat again, that thou art now in a different country, +friend; and one where thou hast nothing to fear from a reasonable use of +thy tongue."</p> + +<p>"Aweel, it may be sae, sir," replied the imperturbable stranger; "but I +ken o' nae country whar a calm sough's no guid counsel."</p> + +<p>"Ha! ha! ha! right, friend, right," roared mine jolly host of the +Drouthsloken, with open mouth and noisy laugh. "It is not goot to say +too moosh anywhere; no more in the Hague as any oder place. But here is +all honourable gentlemen," he added, casting a furtive glance of +good-humoured meaning at the young man who had first addressed the +Scotch visiter, "who will not make bad use of what you shall say."</p> + +<p>"Ou, I hae nae doot o' that at a', sir," replied the latter; "but, to be +plain wi' ye, it's no my intention to say onything that onybody can mak +ony use o', either guid, bad, or indifferent." And, having said this, +the speaker showed a very palpable desire to put an end to the +conference, which he evidently began to think was studiously directed by +the other party towards an elucidation of his purposes in visiting the +Hague. In this disposition, however, he was by no means joined by the +party in whose presence he was, particularly by the young man by whom he +had been first addressed, who evinced a gratification in the peculiar +humour of the stranger, and an interest in him altogether that would not +permit of his being shaken off. So far indeed, was he from permitting +this, that he insisted on the latter's joining him in a bottle of wine, +which he instantly ordered mine jolly host of the Drouthsloken to +produce.</p> + +<p>On the return of the latter, bearing a bottle of wine in one hand and a +screw in the other—</p> + +<p>"Will your—your——" he said, but was here interrupted by a wink from +the person he addressed, which had the evident effect of making him +substitute a different word for that which he had intended to use, and +he added "your honour." "Will your honour not go up-stairs to your own +favourite apartment, de leetle blue parlour?"</p> + +<p>"No, no, Mynheer Tromp," replied the young cavalier, "we'll just stay +where we are. The night is cold, and I have always thought your kitchen +the most comfortable and cheerful apartment in your house. So place us a +table here, close by the fire, if you please."</p> + +<p>Mynheer Vander Tromp bowed a humble assent; and, in an instant after, a +small round table of walnut-tree, shining like a mirror, was placed in +the desired situation. Bottles and glasses covered it in a twinkling, +and in a twinkling also was the party seated around it, including our +friend of the bonnet and plaid. This worthy person at first shied the +good fellowship thus thrust upon him; but, gradually warming with the +wine he drank—for bottle succeeded bottle with marvellous celerity—he +became by degrees less and less reserved in his manner, until at length +his natural caution giving way altogether before the increasing pressure +of the vinous influence, he became as communicative as he had before +been the reverse.</p> + +<p>Availing himself of the altered disposition of the stranger, the young +cavalier, whom we have represented as having more especially attached +himself to the former, again endeavoured to extract from him the purpose +of his visit to the Hague; and his attempt was now successful.</p> + +<p>"Aweel, I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, gentlemen," he said, in answer +to a question, or rather hint, on the subject of explanation which had +just been addressed to him by his young friend; and for the reply to +which all waited—"I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, as I think ye're a' +honourable men, and wadna willingly bring a man into trouble, wha has +gien ye nae cause o' offence. Ye see, then freends, I hae just arrived +frae Scotland, and hae come here to see our unfortunate young king, +Charles the Second that should be, whase unhappy story ye dootless a' +ken. I hae been ruined oot o' hoose and ha' for the part I took in his +puir faither's behalf, and hae been obliged to flee my ain country, +besides, for the same reason; and hae noo come here, to see if His +Majesty, God bless him, could afford me ony sort o' protection till the +storm that's noo tearin a' up by the roots in Scotland blaws by; and +that's just the hail affair, gentlemen."</p> + +<p>Long ere the stranger had concluded this account of the purpose of his +visit to the Hague, a look of intelligence, which originated with his +young friend, had passed amongst his auditors, and, in the case of the +former, was associated with a peculiar expression of sympathy. Both, +however, the look alluded to, and the latter symptom of a yet deeper +feeling, was unobserved by the person whose communication had given rise +to them. Becoming now querist in turn, he asked, "if ony o' the +gentlemen could tell him whar the king leeved, and if they could put him +on a way o' gettin introduced to him?"</p> + +<p>"Thou couldst not have lighted more luckily for that, my friend," said +the young man to whom we have already so often alluded, "than thou hast +done in coming amongst us; for it happens that I hold a confidential +place near the person of Charles, and will have much pleasure in +exerting my influence in procuring you the introduction you desire."</p> + +<p>"Mony thanks to ye, freend," replied the martyr to royalty—"mony thanks +to ye, if ye mean, by Charles, His Majesty the King o' England—God +bless him!"</p> + +<p>"I certainly do, my friend. I mean him and no other."</p> + +<p>"Weel, sir—excuse my freedom—if ye do, I think ye micht ca' him sae. +Wha can dispute his title, although his back be at the wa'?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! no one—no one, my good friend, I believe—that is, lawfully," +replied the young cavalier, laughingly; "but, seeing his present +circumstances—a wandering exile in a foreign land, crownless and +coinless—we, somehow or other, cannot get our tongues about those +sounding titles that are his birthright. We prefer calling him simply +Charles, or English Charles; and I rather think he prefers it himself. +His titles he thinks best left in abeyance in the meantime."</p> + +<p>"Aweel, if it be his ain pleasure, I hae nae mair to say. Perhaps it's +as prudent and becomin; for, as ye say, sir, a king that has neither a +croon on his head nor in his pouch is in but a sair condition for his +dignity. That maun be allowed."</p> + +<p>There was not much in this remark itself to excite merriment; but there +was certainly something in the naļve manner in which it was delivered +that was calculated to produce this effect; and it did. A shout of +laughter, in which the speaker's young friend was the loudest and +heartiest performer, acknowledged the peculiarity to which we have +alluded. On the laugh subsiding, the latter again addressed the former, +saying—</p> + +<p>"But, friend, you have not yet told us by what name we should address +you."</p> + +<p>"As to that," replied the stranger, smilingly, "I believe the maist +appropriate name or title ye could gie me at the present moment wad be +that o' the Launless Laird. But it wasna aye sae. I had a bit guid +property in the Loudans, ca'ed Lucky's How, every clod o't my ain, wi' a +yearly rental o' forty merks, guid siller, forby the thirlage o' the +Mill o' Meldrum, that was worth a guid twa or three merks mair. But a's +gane awa like a handfu o' ingan peelins on a windy day; that cursed +battle o' Worcester settled a', and left me withoot a groat, and withoot +as much grund as wad mak the hillock o' a moudiwart. But it's a' gane in +a guid cause; I dinna begrudge't; and, besides, things 'll maybe come +roond again; and, if they dinna, there's nae help for't."</p> + +<p>"So you were at the battle of Worcester, laird?" said the speaker's +young friend.</p> + +<p>"Feth! that I was, sir; and there," he added, holding out his right +hand, which was minus the forefinger and thumb—"there's a certificate +o' the truth o' my statement, gien under the hand o' ane o' Crum'll's +praying dragoons. It was an ugly lick; but there were a hantle o' uglier +anes than it gaun whar it was gotten. It was a coorse business +athegither."</p> + +<p>"It was no less, my good friend," said the young cavalier. "I was there, +too."</p> + +<p>"Was ye, feth?" replied the laird. "Then, if ye was, sir, ye saw a bonny +stramash—mair than ye'll forget in a hurry, I daursay. It was an awfu +scene yon, when the dragoons cam in upon us in the streets o' Worcester. +'Od! they sliced and slapped aboot them as if they had gotten into a +plantation o' lang kale, and no amang Christian men like themsels."</p> + +<p>"It was indeed a sad business," replied the young man, with a melancholy +smile. "Saw ye the king on that day?"</p> + +<p>"I did," replied the laird.</p> + +<p>"Wouldst know him again?"</p> + +<p>"No; I canna think I wad. I just got a glisk o' him, for the first and +last time, in the middle o' the dirdum at Worcester. When I saw him, the +puir lad was fechtin like a Turk; but it was a' to nae purpose. He was +obleeged to rin for't at last, and to perk himsel up in a tree, like a +hoolet, to keep oot o' the way o' Crum'll's sodgers. If they had gotten +the puir lad—as it was a God's mercy they didna—they wad hae taen aff +his head, nae doot, as they did his unfortunate faither's; and then, as, +indeed, it's said they proposed to do, made a buttonmaker o' his sister, +and maybe a Spitalfields weaver o' his brither, the Duke o' Gloucester."</p> + +<p>"I <i>have</i> heard," replied the young cavalier, with a contemptuous smile, +while a blush of deep feeling, it might be indignation, overspread his +intelligent countenance—"I have heard that some such idea was actually +entertained by the Parliament as that thou hast alluded to."</p> + +<p>"There's nae doot that such a report was current, sir; but whether true +or no, I winna tak upon me to say. They may hae been belied in't."</p> + +<p>"I hope they may," replied the young cavalier, musingly. Then, suddenly +recovering himself, and assuming his usual cheerfulness of manner—"And +what are the king's friends about in Scotland?" he said, slapping the +laird good-humouredly on the knee.</p> + +<p>"Dooms little, sir," replied the laird. "They daurna cheep. Monk has +gotten his heel fairly on their necks; so that deil a ane o' them can +wag either tongue or finger. There's a wheen o' them taen to the hills +wi' Glencairn and Balcarras; but what can they do? Naething. It's a puir +thing to be in that way, sir. I had a trial o' that mysel. Tak my word +for't, that sleepin in a moss hag, or in the lee o' a whin-bush, and +leevin upon lavrocks, or raw turnips and bog-water, is nae better than +it's ca'ed."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, laird, I hope times will mend with our poor friends in +Scotland," replied the young cavalier, to whom this picture of the +sufferings of the royalists, notwithstanding the strong tincture it +exhibited of the speaker's natural humour, seemed to give much pain. "I +hope times will mend with them yet, and that feasting and feather-beds +will make them forget the raw turnips and whin-bushes ye speak of. In +the meantime, my good friend, push round the bottle, and let us talk of +other matters; for these make me sad."</p> + +<p>Nothing loth, the Laird of Lucky's How filled up a brimming bumper, and, +drinking "better times," sent it down after some two or three dozen that +had preceded it.</p> + +<p>The party were now getting into high glee. The laugh, the joke, and the +bottle went merrily round, and the merriest, and apparently the most +jovial of the company, was the young gentleman whom we have hitherto +represented as expressly attaching himself to the laird, and whose name, +as the latter learned from himself, was Jones. This roysterer was the +life and soul of the company, when roystering became the order of the +evening; but his mirth was tempered with a gentleness of demeanour, and +an air of polished hilarity, if such a phrase may be permitted, as +inspired the idea of the presence of a perfect gentleman. His whole +manner, in short, was exceedingly captivating. His fancy was ready and +playful; his wit brilliant and appropriate; and the affability and +winning character of his smile irresistible. Altogether, he was a most +delightful companion, and admirably calculated to figure in such +circumstances as those in which he was now placed. How he might acquit +himself in a scene of a more grave and serious character, it would not +perhaps have been easy to guess.</p> + +<p>The mirth of the party in the kitchen of the Drouthsloken had just +attained its height, when a circumstance occurred which did not affect +its humour, but somewhat changed its character. This was the entrance of +two of the landlord's daughters. Dressed in the neat and simple, +although somewhat peculiar, costume of their country, with their hair +tightly braided up, and bound with a broad silver frontlet, so as to +exhibit in bold relief the contour of their full and fair countenances, +two prettier girls than Juliana and Joan Vander Tromp were not within +the walls of the Hague.</p> + +<p>As they entered the kitchen, to which they had come merely, or, perhaps, +we should have said ostensibly, to look after some household affairs, +the girls curtsied slightly but gracefully to the company by which it +was occupied, and, smiling pleasantly and good-naturedly the while, +passed on to the upper end of the apartment, and began to occupy +themselves in some little domestic duties. They had not, however, been +permitted to enter unnoticed. On their appearance, the whole party got +up from their seats, and acknowledged their presence by a gallant +greeting; and in this courtesy, Mr Jones again shone pre-eminent by the +greater grace and deeper devotion he displayed in his chivalrous welcome +to the fair visitors.</p> + +<p>It might have been observed, too, that to him, in turn, were the +curtsies and the looks also of the young ladies most especially +directed; but in this case these were associated with a degree of +respect for which it would not have been easy to account.</p> + +<p>"What think ye of our fair Netherlanders, laird?" said Mr Jones to the +latter, in a half whisper, when the ladies' attention was, or seemed to +be, engrossed by their occupation. "Will they not match your Scotch +lasses, think you?"</p> + +<p>"That's a pair o' braw queans, I maun allow," replied the laird. "Just +twa as bonny bits o' lassocks as ane wad wish to see; but I think they +want the complexion—they haena the blume o' our kilted heather +trampers. They want the caller red that the norland breeze puts on the +cheeks o' our Scottish gilpies. That's my humble opinion, sir. But +they're twa bonny lassocks, for a' that. Nae doot o't."</p> + +<p>"On the score of complexion I grant ye, laird, they are, perhaps, +deficient a little, but I think this amply compensated by the +intellectual expression, the fine contour, and the softer and more +intense lustre of the eye. I have seen your Scottish maidens, laird, and +admired them in my time."</p> + +<p>"Feth, sir, I maun say your taste wad hae been very questionable if ye +hadna," interposed the laird. "When and whar saw ye them, if ye please, +sir? What pairt o' Scotland was ye in?" he added.</p> + +<p>The question appeared to place Jones in a difficulty for a moment; but +he at length answered—</p> + +<p>"Why, laird, I have been in many parts of Scotland in my day. I was with +the king at Scone."</p> + +<p>"Was that at the time o' his coronation?" inquired the laird.</p> + +<p>"It was," said Jones.</p> + +<p>"And it wad be there, like, and aboot the quarter o' Perth, that ye saw +our bonny Scotch lasses, I warrant," said the laird, laughingly. "Ay, if +a' tales be true, the king admired them when he saw them, as muckle as +ye could do, sir," continued the laird.</p> + +<p>"Why, they do report something of that kind," replied Jones, with some +confusion of manner, and slightly colouring as he spoke—indications of +a feeling, whatever it was, which seemed highly edifying to his +companions, who marked it with repeated bursts of laughter; "they do +report something of the kind," said Jones; "but we mustn't credit all we +hear, laird."</p> + +<p>"The tae half's aboot the usual thing I believe," replied the latter; +"and, if we tak that in the present case—that is, regarding the king's +gallantries——"</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay, go on, laird, go on—that's it—give us all you know about the +king's gallantries in Scotland," shouted, almost simultaneously, the +other members of the party. "Go on, go on, like a good fellow."</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay, now," exclaimed Jones, earnestly, but good-humouredly, "as +one of the king's confidential servants, I must protest, laird, against +your divulging anything of that kind in my presence."</p> + +<p>"Never mind the protest—never mind the protest, laird. Go on, and we'll +stand between you and the consequences," again shouted several members +of the party. "What know ye about the king's gallantries at Scone?"</p> + +<p>"Ou, it was nae great things after a', to mak a wark aboot; but, ye see, +there war a wheen unco godly ministers there at the time, an' they made +an awfu ado aboot it. The hale affair was just this. The king happenin +to go into the room that he usually occupied in the Palace o' Scone ae +mornin earlier than ordinar, wha does he fin sortin't oot but a bit +bonny lassie o' a chaumermaid. Aweel, whan she saw the king enter, wham +she hadna expeckit for at least an hour after, what does she do but mak +a rin oot, as it war, and what does the king do but kep her, throw his +arms aboot her neck, and gie her a hearty kiss—a reglar royal salute? +And awa gaed the lassie, skirlin like a curlew, half-mad wi' the fricht +an' the honour. But what wad ye hae o't but that ane o' the Covenantin +ministers, wha war then as thick as craws aboot Scone—it bein just like +a rookery wi' the black coats for the time—suld be just at the moment +stanin at a window, in anither apartment that lookit richt into the ane +whar the king had kissed the bit lassie, and saw the hale affair; and +what does he do but report the scandal to his brethren, wha, shocked at +the indecency, appointed a committee o' ministers to reprove the royal +offender! This committee accordingly waited on the king, whan their +spokesman, ane Douglas—an awfu stern man—after rebookin His Majesty, +added, that it wad be prudent o' him, whan he desired to amuse himsel in +future, to be mair carefu in shuttin the windows."</p> + +<p>"Capital, laird; capital!" shouted several of the party, in convulsions +of laughter. "Any more—any more?"</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay, now, laird," said Jones, laughing, and clapping his hand on +the mouth of the tell-tale; "on your allegiance to your lawful +sovereign, I command ye to silence. He must not, in my presence, be made +a subject of mirth to these idle jesters."</p> + +<p>"Tuts, it's but a joke, man; but if ye think it wad offend His Majesty, +I'll say nae mair. I wad suner lose something considerable than do that. +But what the waur can the king be o' it's bein kent that he likes the +lasses? I trow it's rather a feather in his kep than a discredit till +him."</p> + +<p>"Well done, laird!" exclaimed Jones, clapping the former jocosely on the +shoulder. "Thou'rt a good old soul; and I shall take care that Charles +knows of thy lenity towards his failings. It will do thee no harm with +him."</p> + +<p>Having said this, Jones rose from the table, and went towards the +landlord's daughters, who were still busily occupied, or apparently so, +at any rate, at the further end of the apartment. His approach to these +fair damsels was made in the most gallant fashion imaginable, and with +all the air and manner of a thoroughbred courtier and cavalier. What +conversation passed between him and the girls was not overheard by the +other members of the party; but the frequent bursts of laughter which +were from time to time elicited, sufficiently showed that it was of a +mirthful character, and that the badinage of Jones fully supported, in +point and brilliancy, the credit of his other kindred qualifications. +After some time, he returned to his party, and again took his seat +beside the laird; who, on his doing so, remarked—</p> + +<p>"Feth, sir, ye seem as guid a hand at botherin the lasses as your +master. It's in the family, I think."</p> + +<p>A roar of laughter succeeded this sally, to which Jones himself was one +of the largest contributors, although it was certainly mingled with some +embarrassment of manner. From this embarrassment, however, he was +unexpectedly relieved by the strains of a wandering minstrel, which +suddenly rose from the street, just underneath the window of the kitchen +of the Drouthsloken. As these strains were of no ordinary excellence, +they instantly attracted the attention of all in the apartment, +inclusive of the landlord's two fair daughters, one of whom in especial +(Juliana) evinced, by her flurried and agitated manner, a greater +interest in the presence of the minstrel than would have been warranted +on the supposition that it was merely accidental. Her confusion, +however, and the consciousness which it implied of a knowledge exceeding +that of those around her, passed undiscovered by all except Jones, whose +more vigilant eye detected these symptoms of secret and mysterious +understanding. He made no remark, however, on the subject; and carefully +concealed his discovery, not only from the rest of the party, but from +her who was the object of his mental speculations. Having concluded his +serenade, or at least its first department, which consisted, first, of a +preliminary flourish on a violin, executed with great spirit and +felicity, and then of a song, accompanied by the instrument, sung in a +peculiarly deep-toned, but exceedingly melodious, voice, the minstrel +ceased for a few seconds, when Jones proposed that he should be invited +in; and that, if he proved merely a gallant, he should be asked to a +glass of wine; and if he turned out a professional performer, who came +in the exercise of his vocation, he should be requested to entertain +them with his music within-doors. To this proposal a general assent was +at once given; and this assent was immediately followed by the +proceeding proper to its fulfilment. Three or four of the party, headed +by Jones, instantly rushed out, and surrounded the astonished minstrel +before he was aware. At first he discovered symptoms of a desire to +escape from the party; but, seeing this impossible, he stood his ground +manfully, and awaited the pleasure of the gentlemen, whose notice, he +said, he had the honour, it seemed, of so specially attracting. A +momentary glance at the speaker satisfied Jones and his party of his +quality. It was that of a professed street performer; or at least of a +person of the humblest class, as was indicated by his apparel, which +consisted of a short cloak, with a sort of coarse jerkin underneath, a +pair of wide and ill-made knee-breeches, coarse blue woollen stockings, +and a pair of enormous wooden shoes. On his head was a brown felt hat, +of a conical shape, adorned with a cock's feather, and altogether +resembling those seen in paintings of Dutch boors. These outward +indications, then, settled the question of the minstrel's rank, and +rendered no ceremony necessary in inviting him in.</p> + +<p>"You play well, friend," said Jones. "We have been listening to you, and +will be glad if you will come and amuse us for half-an-hour or so. I +will see to your being suitably recompensed."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, honourable sirs," replied the minstrel. "I doubt not of my +recompense, were it once earned; but the hour is late, and I may not +tarry abroad longer. Moreover, I make it a rule never to enter any +house, or to perform to any private party within-doors. I bid you a +good-night, gentlemen."</p> + +<p>"Nay, by my troth, and you do no such thing, friend," said Jones, +seizing the minstrel, who was at this moment about making off, by the +skirt of his jerkin. "We don't part with good company in this way. +Friends," he said, addressing his companions, "lend a hand here, to +secure the fiddler. We must compel him to his own interest, which he +would thus wilfully neglect."</p> + +<p>No sooner said than done. In a twinkling the reluctant minstrel was +grasped on all sides, and in an instant after found himself in the +centre of the kitchen of the Drouthsloken, to which he had been carried +almost bodily, in despite of a certain quantum of vain resistance and +remonstrance, by which he had at first endeavoured to thwart the purpose +of his captors. On being brought into the light of the kitchen, it was +discovered that the captured fiddler and songster was deficient of an +eye, at least of the use of it, as it was covered by a large green +shade, apparently unnecessarily large, as it concealed the half of his +face. Another peculiarity was now also observable, and this was, that +the neck of his cloak was clasped at a most extraordinary height up on +his face, and that he would by no means listen to any entreaties, either +to lay aside the said cloak, or even to unloosen the clasp by which it +was secured in so strange a position. We need scarcely add, that the +effect of these various dispositions of his externals was to conceal +almost entirely his countenance, of which only a small portion of the +left side was visible; and even this it was attempted to circumscribe as +much as possible, by the disposition of the hair of the head, which was +carefully combed down over the exposed space.</p> + +<p>"Come now, friend," said Jones, addressing the musician, and handing +him, at the same time, a huge brimmer of wine, "gulp this with a +celerity that shall be creditable to thy craft, man, and let us have +thereafter a taste of thy calling—some of thy merriest strains; for I +mean to see if we cannot make a dance of it, by the help of these fair +dames there"—inclining his head towards the landlord's daughters, who +still kept their ground in the kitchen; although, if the matter had been +inquired into, we rather fear they would have found some difficulty in +naming the particular duty that detained them.</p> + +<p>Finding it of no use to resist the spirit which he saw prevailed amongst +the party, the minstrel quietly despatched the contents of the goblet +that had been presented to him, and commenced the duty that had been +imposed upon him. On the first sound of the preliminary flourish of his +bow becoming audible, Jones went up to the buxom daughters of Mynheer +Tromp, and in his most gallant manner asked them if they would have any +objection to take the floor with him and his friends, seeing that they +had unexpectedly made the acquisition of an admirable musician, +although, he must confess, rather an odd-looking man; and Jones, as he +made the latter remark, looked slyly at Juliana, to mark its effect, and +found it acknowledged by a deep but transient blush, which she +endeavoured to conceal.</p> + +<p>The proposal, however, of a dance was accepted on the part of the +younger sister, Joan, with eager alacrity; and on the part of Juliana +with an appearance of the same willingness, but with a confusion and +hesitation of manner that gave token of a counteracting feeling. Having +obtained the consent of the fair sisters to "tread a measure," the gay +courtier took a hand of each, and gallantly led them to the middle of +the floor; intimating, at the same time, by signal, to his friends to +clear the space for the impending performances—a signal which they lost +no time in obeying; two or three seizing chairs apiece; and other two or +three—one of whom was the laird, who seemed to enter with great +goodwill into the spirit of the thing—lifting the table, with all it +carried, to a distant corner of the apartment.</p> + +<p>Just as these preparations were completed, and while Jones stood in the +middle of the floor, doing the polite to his two ladies—but directing +his attentions most especially to the elder—their father, the jolly +Vander Tromp, who had been absent for a considerable time, entered the +apartment, when, perceiving what was going on—</p> + +<p>"Ah, very goot, very goot!" he said, in his most hilarious manner—his +jolly, broad red face beaming with delight. "A daunce, a daunce—ah, +very goot thing a daunce"—and he cracked his finger and thumb, and +threw up one of his huge legs in the air, with an expression of +highly-excited feeling. Then, calming down a moment—"You vill have no +objection, Mynheer Jones, to my frow have share in the daunce?"</p> + +<p>"Objection, Tromp!" ejaculated Jones, with well-feigned horror at the +supposition. "By no means. I shall be but too proud of the honour."</p> + +<p>"An tank you, Mynheer Jones—you are too goot." And saying this, Vander +Tromp disappeared, with another joyous flourish of finger and thumb and +left leg, in search of Mrs Tromp, to conduct her into the presence of +the dancers, and to a share of their amusement.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the parties were set, and the dance commenced with +great vigour; Jones displaying in this exercise a degree of skill and +grace in entire keeping with the refinement of his general manner. His +spirits, too, were exuberant, and infused a life into all around him, +that all the other circumstances combined could not have inspired.</p> + +<p>Although by no means wanting in attention to the younger lady, it might +be observed, however, that Jones was much more assiduous in his +civilities to Juliana; and, what was a yet more remarkable circumstance, +it might also have been observed, that the musician evinced a strange +sensation of uneasiness whenever he saw Jones paying any particular +attention to this lady. He fidgeted in his seat, bungled the tune he was +playing, and shot fiercer glances from his solitary optic on the +revellers on the floor, but most especially on Jones and his fair +favourite. What was odd, too, Jones seemed to be aware of the feeling he +was exciting in the sensitive fiddler, and to delight in the uneasiness +he was occasioning; for the more markedly it was evinced, the more +assiduous and persevering was he in his gallantries. Although, however, +all this might have been sufficiently evident to a close and vigilant +observer, it escaped the notice of those present; for Jones managed his +secret tactics, whatever these were, with great caution, and exhibited +no other symptoms of consciousness than a slight, scarcely perceptible, +smile of sly intelligence.</p> + +<p>We have said that none present were cognisant of this mysterious +understanding, or rather misunderstanding, between Jones and the +musician; but we are not sure that this is quite correct. There was an +air of embarrassment about the manner of the fair Juliana, that seemed +to indicate that she was also in possession of some share of the secret +knowledge that was working so much underhand mischief; and of this Jones +appeared likewise to be aware.</p> + +<p>Thus stood matters, then, with this trio, when Vander Tromp and his +wife—the former leading the latter on his arm—came tripping into the +kitchen, with the grace and agility of a couple of elephants; for the +worthy spouse of the worthy landlord of the Drouthsloken was, like +himself, of the regular Dutch build, and had very much the shape and +appearance of a featherbed upon legs, if such an object can be +conceived. Her breadth, which was naturally of the most formidable +dimensions, was greatly increased by a stiff silk gown, which projected +in rigid amplitude on all sides, and gave to her whole person an +appearance of illimitable expanse. Notwithstanding these vast +dimensions, there was yet a comeliness about her bulk, and an expression +of benevolence and good-nature in her rosy countenance, that rendered +her altogether by no means an unpleasing object.</p> + +<p>On the entrance of mine host and his larger as well as better half, +Jones, with that gallant devotion which seemed natural to him, instantly +advanced towards the latter, and, with a preliminary flourish of some of +his most graceful obeisances, in which, perhaps, a very shrewd observer +might have discovered a slight tincture of mock gallantry, invited her +to join him in the next dance. The large lady, with a good-humoured +smile, curtsied a ready acquiescence to the polite invitation; and, in +the next instant, might be seen sailing majestically through the mazes +of the dance, closely attended by her respectful and devoted partner.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the unwilling musician seemed heartily tired of his +employment, and looked as if he would have given a trifle not only to +have got quit of that employment, but to have got out of the house +altogether. Jones, however, was inexorable; and the more marked the +fiddler's impatience became, the more unmercifully did he deal out his +orders to "play up;" and much did he seem to delight, although he kept +the satisfaction to himself, in the grin of irritation which his +commands never failed to produce on the countenance of the hapless +musician. Leaving, then, the general position of matters in the kitchen +of the Drouthsloken in this state, we shall resume the particular +history of the laird's proceedings, which we fear the reader may think +we have already too long neglected.</p> + +<p>Of the ongoings of the evening the laird, who was now pretty well in the +wind, was an attentive, but by no means a silent, spectator. In the +enthusiasm which the proceedings passing before him had excited, he had +mounted a chair, and from that elevated position was whooping, and +yelling, and shouting, and clapping his hands—at once to express his +own delight in the performances, and to encourage the performers.</p> + +<p>"That's it, my bonny lassie!" he screamed out, addressing the younger +Tromp, whose agility particularly pleased him. "'Od ye're just doin +amazinly! That's it! Kilt yer coats, ye cutty, and skelp at it withouten +fear or dread! That's the true way to mak a figure on a flure!"</p> + +<p>"Feth, no amiss, guidwife, no amiss ava," he said, and now addressing +himself to the better half of mine host of the Drouthsloken, who was +heaving like a seventy-four in a ground-swell—"no amiss ava, considerin +the wecht ye carry. Ye're just doin wonderfu, too, to be sae broad in +the beam. My word, but ye are a sonsy lass," he continued, his attention +gradually directing itself to a contemplation of her personal +dimensions. "If ye're an unce, ye're twenty stane, quarry wecht; and +everybody kens that's no scrimpit."</p> + +<p>"Weel dune, Jones! weel dune, lad! Hoo, hurrah! up wi't! Ye've a pair o' +guid souple shanks o' your ain. That's it, lad—that's it! Up wi't! Hoo, +hurrah, hurrah!"</p> + +<p>And the laird clapped his hands with a vigour and energy that emitted a +sound more like the contact of a pair of boards than human palms; and +accompanying this expression of heartiness of feeling with whoops and +shouts, that drowned the noise of both feet and fiddle.</p> + +<p>Impartial in the distribution of his praises, the laird now directed his +compliments to the various other members of the dancing party, +severally, and finished with mine host himself.</p> + +<p>"Unco weel, laird, unco weel," he exclaimed, addressing that worthy +performer. "Really, unco weel! ye've a wonderfu licht foot to hae sic a +heavy stern. That's it, laird! Up wi' the left leg!—capital, capital!" +And again the laird clapped his hands, and again raised his tremendous +war-whoop.</p> + +<p>Hitherto the dancers had paid no particular attention to the laird's +noisy expressions of interest in their proceedings; but they so highly +tickled Mr Jones, that, on the conclusion of the dance, he came laughing +up to the laird, and asked him if he would not take a turn on the floor +on the next occasion.</p> + +<p>"No, thank ye, Mr Jones," replied the latter; "my dancin days are weel +aboot owre now; but, though the flesh is weak, the spirit's willin, and, +to mak mysel as guid company as possible, I'll tak a screed o' the +fiddle an ye like; for I'm mair souple aboot the elbows than the ankles +now-a-days, and, besides, I dinna think that fallow puts the richt +smeddum in his tunes. They're awfu draicky, and no like our Scotch +measures, that mak ye fling your legs aboot like flails, till ye dinna +ken whether your heels or your head's uppermost."</p> + +<p>"Ah ha, very fair, laird," replied Jones, laughing; "and although I have +reasons for keeping all relief from the fiddler as long as possible, I +am so curious to hear your performance, that I, for my part, consent to +your taking a turn of his instrument, provided he will allow you."</p> + +<p>"We'll try him," replied the laird, briefly, and at the same time +stepping down from his high place, and thereafter proceeding with Jones +towards the musician of the evening, in order to offer his services in +the way of assisting him.</p> + +<p>"Friend," said Jones to the one-eyed minstrel, while the laird stood +behind, or rather beside him, waiting the result of his +application—"friend, have you any objection to be relieved a little in +your labours? Here is a brother musician, who would gladly take a turn +with you, provided you would favour him with the loan of your +instrument."</p> + +<p>The only reply of the fiddler was a sullen, dissentient growl; for he +was as averse to speaking as to exposing his countenance.</p> + +<p>"What! won't you lend our friend here your fiddle?" said Jones, now +bursting out into a fit of suppressed laughter, which seemed, from its +heartiness, and the relief which it evidently afforded him, to have been +long pent up. "Do, man, do—you had better do. <i>I'll</i> be much obliged to +you"—with marked emphasis on the pronoun, which he further increased by +a gentle but significant tread on the toe of the perplexed minstrel, +who, after returning the secret intimation of Jones by a smile and an +intelligent leer of his open eye, handed the fiddle to the laird without +saying a word.</p> + +<p>The incident which we have just described was unobserved by any other +party but those concerned in it; or, at least, if it was observed, it +was not understood; and in this predicament also stood he who had the +best opportunity of seeing it—namely, the laird. He saw all that passed +between Jones and the fiddler; but he could not make out what it meant; +nor did he seem to concern himself about discovering it. Having got the +fiddle into his possession, the laird commenced tuning it with great +assiduity, and with a bow stroke that showed he was well practised in +the use of the instrument. The tuning effected to his mind, he struck +up, with great vigour, a ranting Scotch reel, which he played with +uncommon spirit and skill. At first, the novelty of the measure took the +greater part of the audience by surprise. For a time they could make +nothing of it; but music being a universal language, both the spirit and +rhythm of the tune soon began to be perceived and appreciated; and, with +a little schooling from Jones, who seemed not only to understand the +music, but to be delighted with it, the dancers were placed in the order +of a reel; and, by a vigilant superintendence of their motions on the +part of the latter, they contrived to get through the figure with +tolerable correctness. All were delighted with the new dance. It was +repeated again and again, and every time with increased success, and a +diminishing necessity for the interference of Jones, who, having entered +fully into the spirit of the mirthful train, whooped and yelled as +vociferously as ever the laird had done. His enthusiasm was infectious; +all caught it—even the broad-beamed wife of Vander Tromp, who moved +under the inspiring influence of the laird's bow with an agility that no +one could have believed her ponderous person capable of; while the +others, including mine portly host himself, flung, and flew, and +shuffled, as madly as the witches in the midnight dance in Alloway Kirk. +The spell, in short, of the laird's music was complete, and each owned +the hilarious spirit which it was so well calculated to diffuse over all +who were within reach of its influence—in other words, over all who +were within hearing of the laird's admirably-played fiddle. Inspired +with additional glee by these indications of the powerful effect of his +music, the laird still further heightened its influence by breaking out, +as he played, into short, abrupt shouts, which were responded to, from +time to time, by the male dancers, but with most especial emphasis by +Jones, who seemed to be, altogether, at the very acme of human +enjoyment.</p> + +<p>It was while the revellers were thus dinning the drowsy ear of night +with their obstreperous mirth, and while they were yet in the full +career of enjoyment, that four persons suddenly entered the kitchen of +the Drouthsloken. They were in the garb of seamen, wearing large, shaggy +pea-jackets, and low, round-crowned, glazed hats, with circular flaps +projecting behind. Although, however, all were dressed nearly alike, +there was one who evidently took the lead amongst them. He was a young +man, and had an air of authority in his manner to which the rest seemed +to pay deference. Some differences, too, in his outer habiliments, +notwithstanding of the general resemblance that prevailed in this +particular, pointed him out as of a superior grade to the others. This +person was not unknown to the inmates of the house. He was recognised as +Captain Hagedorn of the Jungfrau of Rotterdam—a man of fierce, +irascible temper, and an ardent, although not very acceptable, admirer +of Juliana. On his entrance, therefore, he was immediately greeted as an +acquaintance by Tromp, his wife, and their two daughters—by Juliana, +however, with an evident confusion and embarrassment of manner. To these +greetings, Hagedorn vouchsafed the return only of a surly and +unintelligible muttering, while he proceeded to provide himself with a +chair, on which he placed himself directly opposite the one-eyed +minstrel, at whom he threw, from time to time, looks of the most +malignant ferocity.</p> + +<p>All, especially Juliana, who had reasons for fearing the worst, seemed +impressed with the belief that the fellow was bent on mischief, and that +he had come there for the especial purpose. Of this they were more +convinced, on observing the brass-tipped sheaths of cutlasses projecting +from beneath the pea-jackets of the intruders. Their fears were not long +of being realised.</p> + +<p>"Tromp," said Hagedorn (we take the liberty of translating, in this, and +all other similar cases), "I thought you kept a regular, decent house. +Such is the character you pretend to, at any rate."</p> + +<p>"And such," replied Tromp, with a blush of honest indignation, "is the +character I maintain. Who shall gainsay it?"</p> + +<p>"Why, there are some things going on here to-night that don't look much +like it," replied Hagedorn. "Know ye, Tromp, or does Juliana know, who +this one-eyed gallant is?" pointing to the late serenader.</p> + +<p>"Whether they do or not, they shall soon know, and so shall you to your +cost, Hagedorn!" replied the minstrel, starting to his feet, and hastily +stripping off the disguise, eye-patch and all, in which he was +enveloped; a proceeding which discovered to the astonished +onlookers—not, however, including either Jones or Juliana, who had a +previous knowledge of his identity—a tall, handsome, +gentlemanly-looking young man, well known as Sir Lionel Musgrave, one of +the gayest and most respected of those English gentlemen who shared the +misfortunes and exile of Charles II. during the existence of the +Commonwealth.</p> + +<p>"Ha!" said Hagedorn, starting to his feet, on Musgrave discovering +himself. "So, I have unearthed the fox, eh!" And, as he spoke, he made a +grasp at Musgrave's throat; which the latter evaded by adroitly stepping +back a pace, when he instantly drew his sword and made a pass at +Hagedorn, who, however, skilfully warded it off with his cutlass, to +which he had had recourse the moment he missed his hold of his +antagonist. These proceedings were, of course, a signal to all the other +men in the apartment to muster on their respective sides; and this they +instantly did. Hagedorn's men immediately drew; Jones and his party did +the same; and the women ran screaming from the scene of the impending +contest. In one instant after, a general melée commenced. There were +deep oaths, overturning of tables, and clashing of swords in every +direction, and all the other characteristics of a tremendous and very +serious hubbub. Blows, too, were not wanting. They fell thick and fast +on all sides.</p> + +<p>Hitherto our friend the laird had remained an idle, but +sufficiently-astonished spectator of the strange and sudden scene that +had been thus brought before his visual organs. Though an idle, he was +not altogether, however, a mute witness of the proceedings that were +going forward.</p> + +<p>"'Od! this <i>is</i> a queer business!" he muttered to himself. "Wha on earth +wad hae thocht that yon blin-ee'd, broken-doon-lookin soul o' a fiddler +wad hae turned oot a braw young swanky like that? Na, na, that'll no +do," suddenly added the laird, and now referring to the circumstance of +Jones being hard pressed by two of the intruders. "Twa on ane—that'll +never do." And the laird looked around him for some weapon wherewith he +might compensate the odds against his friend. Nothing of this kind more +efficient than the tongs presenting itself, the laird leaped down from +the table on which he had been perched in the quality of musician, and, +seizing the afore-mentioned instrument by the feet, advanced upon the +foe, shouting, "Stan to them, Jones! stan to them, lad! till I gie them +a taste o' the tangs!" And, in the same instant, he discharged a blow at +the head of one of Jones' assailants that laid him senseless on the +floor. Finding his first effort so successful, the laird repeated the +experiment on the prostrate man's companion with precisely the same +result. Down he went also with a fractured skull. "That's the way!" +shouted the laird, now greatly excited by his own destructive exertions; +"ca' them down like nine-pins! Soop them aff the face o' the yearth!"</p> + +<p>At this moment, the laird's Io Pęans were interrupted by the entrance of +a party of the town-guard, whom Tromp had summoned to his aid. These +immediately seized on the intruders, as they were pointed out by the +latter—the fallen men having so far recovered as to be now sitting up, +although evidently sick and giddy from the effects of the laird's blows, +and looking, as he said himself, "unco white aboot the gills"—and +marched them off to the guard-house, to answer in due time to the +judicial authorities of the city for the breach of the peace of which +they had been guilty.</p> + +<p>On the kitchen of the Drouthsloken being cleared of the enemy, an +investigation into the extent of personal injury sustained took place, +when it was found that this was, after all, very trivial, consisting +only of two or three slight flesh wounds, of which Musgrave bore two, +and one or two others one apiece.</p> + +<p>"And now, laird," said Jones, addressing the latter, "what share of the +honours have you got?"</p> + +<p>"Deil a scratch," replied the laird. "Feth, I didna gie them time for +that. I didna stan whilly-whain wi' them, wi' a bit shabble in my haun, +as ye a' did, but gied them richt knock-me-doon thuds at ance—sent them +owre like stots, ane after the ither. Feth! commen me to a pair o' tangs +in a kitchen row. It maks clean wark. I'll think mair o' them as a +weapon, baith o' offence and defence, than ever I did."</p> + +<p>"In such hands as yours, laird, they certainly are a +sufficiently-formidable weapon. Had it not been for them and you +together, I would scarce have got off so scatheless as I have done. I +owe you a good turn, and it shall not be forgotten. I promised you an +introduction to the king; and I shall not only fulfil that promise, but, +as my word goes a long way with him, I shall give such an account of you +as, I answer for it, will insure you a favourable reception, and +probably procure you some still more substantial tokens of his regard."</p> + +<p>"Ou, thank ye, sir, thank ye," said the laird; "but I dinna see that I +hae dune onything the nicht that should entitle me to ony special favour +frae his most gracious Majesty. What interest can he possibly hae in a +kitchen collyshangy like this?"</p> + +<p>"More than you're aware of, perhaps, laird; but never mind that in the +meantime. Here comes Tromp, to read us a lecture, I daresay, on the +evening's occurrences, although it was none of our fault either. Ha, +Musgrave, my spark!" continued Jones, and now turning to that +gallant—"didst think I couldn't have known thee? 'Od's fish, man, I +would have known the cut of thy jib, although thou hadst been sewn in a +sack."</p> + +<p>"Faith, your ——" A wink from Jones prevented the word that was about +to follow. The wink was understood. "Faith, my friend," said Musgrave, +laughing, "to tell a truth, I had no idea you were here. It was intended +for a stolen march—to see whether I could not win my wager, by cutting +ye out in the good graces of our landlord's fair daughter July." The +conversation between Jones and Musgrave was here interrupted by the +approach of Tromp, who came not, as the latter had suspected, to +complain of what had occurred, but merely to request that the gentlemen +would now retire, as it was getting late, and as his household was in a +state of great alarm and confusion, in consequence of what had taken +place.</p> + +<p>The request was too respectfully made, and in itself too reasonable, to +admit of the smallest objection. The party immediately donned their hats +and cloaks, when Jones, taking the laird by the hand, told him to remain +where he was for the night, and that he would wait upon him on the +following morning to conduct him to the king.</p> + +<p>Agreeably to his promise, early in the forenoon of the following day, +Jones, attended by a gay band of cavaliers, entered the apartment in +which the laird was at breakfast.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr Jones, hoo are ye?" said the latter, rising from his seat on the +entrance of the former. "I'm sure this is very guid o' ye. Nane the waur +o' the bit stramash we had last nicht, I hope?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! not a bit, not a bit, kind thanks to you for that, laird," replied +Jones. "Now, my friend," continued the latter, "I am better than my +word: I promised to bring you to the king; instead of this, I have +brought the king to you. Any objection, laird, to take me for your +lawful, but unfortunate king? I am Charles," he said, in a tone of more +earnest emphasis.</p> + +<p>Need we describe the laird's amazement at this astounding disclosure? We +need not. The reader will conceive it. Although he looked unutterable +things, all that he said was—</p> + +<p>"Gude preserve me! is that a fact?" pronounced in the slow, deliberate +tone of overwhelming and perplexed amazement.</p> + +<p>The sequel of our tale is soon told. Charles settled a small pension on +the laird—all that his circumstances at the time would afford—on which +he lived for several years at the Hague. He subsequently found his way +back to Scotland, the distracted state of the king's affairs preventing +the regular payment of his pension. In the meantime, years rolled on, +and changes took place, and amongst these came the Restoration. Charles +was restored to the throne of his ancestors. On this throne the monarch +had not been many days seated, when he was informed by one of the pages +in waiting that they had been much annoyed by an old grey-headed +Scotchman, with a large flat blue bonnet on his head, insisting on +admission to His Majesty's presence.</p> + +<p>"Did he give his name?" replied the monarch.</p> + +<p>"He did, please your majesty," replied the page; "he said he was sure +that, if we would inform your majesty that it was the Laird of Lucky's +How who sought admission, your majesty would instantly grant him an +audience."</p> + +<p>"He was right," said Charles, smiling. "I recollect the honest man well. +Admit him next time he presents himself."</p> + +<p>The laird came, was admitted, and was received with a most cordial +welcome by the good-natured monarch. They talked over the occurrences of +the evening they had spent in the kitchen of the Drouthsloken; and the +laird was finally dismissed, with a promise, shortly afterwards +redeemed, of his being reinstated in his patrimonial lands. To this +other gratuities were added, to an amount that amply compensated him, as +he often himself said, for all that he had suffered in the royal cause. +Some will say, perhaps, and with too much truth, that Charles was not so +grateful to all his friends; but, in the present instance, we have only +to do with the case of the Laird of Lucky's How.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="8">THE ABDUCTION.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">The farm of Kelpiehaugh, at a short distance from Lessudden, was, at an +early period of the St Boswell's meetings, occupied by Giles Ramsay—a +man who, as often happens in Scotland, was not loth to admit that "his +grey mare was the better horse." He liked the philosophy of the old +ballad quoted by Shakspere, and received it as a general maxim, that +"nought's to be had at a woman's hand" unless, in every case, "ye gie +her a' the plea." And, verily, Matty did not love him the worse for his +correct notions of woman-kind, though, as for anything like gratitude +for his easy submission to her entire authority, she knew nothing of the +sentiment, if she did not heartily despise it. The reason was indeed +plain enough; for she had the capacity to know that, whatever +superiority nature intended her husband should possess over her, in his +character of one of the lords of the creation, he had none whatever in +the capacity of her husband. In this there was a secret which she +communicated to no one; and that was simply, that Giles was, in all +respects, a stupid, simple, honest "cudden," and she was one of the +cleverest dames that ever made a good-natured husband cry "barlafummil" +in a matrimonial skirmish. Yet, with all the guidwife's cleverness, she +had not been able either to prevent Giles from getting behind with his +rent—the more by token as, we fancy, that Kelpiehaugh was too dear—or +to get "the glaikit hizzy," Mary, her daughter, well buckled to a canny +laird, who might help them to pay up their arrears. The first was +clearly no marvel; but the second might have been termed some what +extraordinary, seeing the young woman was as fair as Dowsabell.</p> + +<p>Something as regarded the rent depended upon the next sale of cattle at +St Boswell's, for which honest Giles had ready six as good stirks as +ever grazed on a green lea; and it was arranged between him and the +better partner of the matrimonial firm, that he must get six pounds for +every head of them, otherwise he might have small chance for "love's +roundelay" on his return.</p> + +<p>"It will mak thirty-six pounds, Giles," said Matty; "and that will +enable us to pay up ten pounds o' oor arrears."</p> + +<p>"And what will I get for a superplus o' a pound a-head on them?" said +Giles.</p> + +<p>"The liberty to buy a new gown for Mary," replied she, "that we may try +to get her aff at the next fair. But, if ye sell them for a pound less, +I rede ye to seek a quieter bield for your hame than Kelpiehaugh will be +on your return."</p> + +<p>And so primed, old Giles set off with his six stirks to St Boswell's. He +arrived at the green, and exposed his bestial in the most favourable +manner he could; but he found that Matty's price did not accord with the +humour of the buyers, who probably thought proper to judge for +themselves in the question of value. The time passed, and Giles saw +before him nothing but the necessity of driving the stirks back again to +Kelpiehaugh—an operation he by no means relished. As he stood musing on +the apparently forlorn hope of a customer, an old man, much bent, with a +grey beard, and a patch over his left eye as big as the blind of him of +forging celebrity, "Blackpatch" himself, came up to him, and at once +offered him eight pounds a-head for his stock. The old farmer wondered, +smiled, and accepted. The bargain was struck, and forty-eight good +pounds were instanter placed in the hands of the seller.</p> + +<p>"Now I have a favour to ask of you, good Mr Ramsay," said the buyer.</p> + +<p>"It will be an unreasonable request I winna grant to ane wha has gien me +my ain price," replied the farmer. "What is't?"</p> + +<p>"That you will drive the cattle home to Kelpiehaugh, and keep them there +at my risk and cost till I send for them," said the other.</p> + +<p>"Granted, and wi' thanks," said the farmer.</p> + +<p>"I have another favour to ask," said the other.</p> + +<p>"As mony's ye like, sir, if they're a' o' a kind," answered the farmer, +smiling. "Out wi't."</p> + +<p>"That you'll give me a bed at Kelpiehaugh to-night," said the old man. +"I have a distance to ride, and would fain halve the stage, by making +your house a half-way resting-place.</p> + +<p>"Of a surety, sir," replied the farmer; "ye'll hae the best bed and the +best victuals Kelpiehaugh can boast o', and nae boast after a', though +Matty, I am proud to say, kens hussyskep as weel as ony woman in a' the +shirradom. Will ye gang wi' me, or come yersel?"</p> + +<p>"I will come by myself," said the buyer. "I have some other affairs to +settle before the fair breaks up, and it may be later than your time +before I have finished."</p> + +<p>The matter being thus arranged, the two parted. Giles was anxious to +know who his customer was; but no one could tell anything of him, and +the hour getting forward to the gloaming, he set off again for his farm, +with his forty-eight pounds in his pocket, and the cattle before him. On +his approaching Kelpiehaugh, Matty, along with her fair daughter, was at +the door, waiting for him. It was now dark; but she could hear his voice +in articulations which pleased her not. "Hey! hey! yaud! yaud!" and then +came the sound of a thwack on the backs of the lazy troop he was driving +before him.</p> + +<p>"And ye've brought them back again, ye sorry simpleton?" cried the wife.</p> + +<p>The husband answered nothing, but continued thumping at the nolt with +his "hey," and "yaud," and "phew"—every ejaculation having the effect +of an objurgatory attack on the dame herself.</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay," she cried, "thump them and drive them into the shed, Giles, +that they may be ready for the roup o' our plenishing and stocking. The +auctioneer's hammer will knock them down wi' mair pith than that rung ye +are using, wi' a' the spite o' an angry disappointed man, wha couldna +mak a sale o' his ain kye."</p> + +<p>Her cutting words had still no effect upon the good-natured farmer, who +continued his operations till he got the six steers safely lodged in +their shed. He then came into the house quietly, and, with a "heigh-ho, +that job's weel owre," sat him down by the side of the fire, opposite to +his wife and daughter. For some minutes there was silence in the house +of Kelpiehaugh; the reason whereof was that Matty's authority was for +once apparently disregarded, or set at naught, by the apparent absence +of all tokens of fear and contrition on the part of her mate. She had +already indicated sufficiently her sense of his stupidity, and given him +a peremptory notice of what he might expect for the next half-year to +come; yet there was he, against all custom, and all the laws of marital +subordination, sitting as easy and comfortable as if he merited her +praise and deserved her blessing. She could only look daggers at him, +with occasionally an expression of staring wonder at a nonchalance that +disproved twenty years of authority.</p> + +<p>"Is there naething in Kelpiehaugh for its master to eat or drink?" said +he, at last, in a calm, soft voice. "A hard day's wark deserves +something at e'en."</p> + +<p>"Is he adding impertinence to his folly?" thought the dame, as she sat +doggedly silent and immoveable.</p> + +<p>"Come, Mary," added he; "since Matty will gie us naething, rise, lassie, +and gie your father the best that's in the house, and, by way o' bribe, +here's a new gown to ye—the bonniest and brawest I could find at St +Boswell's."</p> + +<p>The girl started up and laid hold of the dress. The bright hues glared +on her eyes. The dame cast a side-eye on the gaudy article.</p> + +<p>"Waur and waur, Giles," she ejaculated. "Are ye mad, man? What, in the +name o' a' that's guid or ill, possessed ye? Will that gown pay our +rent?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe it may," rejoined Giles. "Mary's the bonniest lass on this side +o' the Tweed, and beauty's nae waur o' being weel buskit. It may bring +her a husband wha'll pay our rent; and, if it doesna, there's nae +skaith, seeing we may yet be able to do it oursels."</p> + +<p>"The man's as mad as a March hare, or a gled-stung quey," cried Matty.</p> + +<p>"But am I to get nae supper, Matty?" rejoined he, with the same +calmness.</p> + +<p>"The deil a bit," ejaculated the dame.</p> + +<p>"Maybe this may bribe ye," said he, as he pulled out of another pocket a +gown-piece, as bright as the other, for his beloved spouse.</p> + +<p>The charm had no power, save that of increasing the wonder of the dame; +and the statement which immediately followed, that there was a stranger +to be entertained at Kelpiehaugh that night, roused her still farther. +It was not till she began to look more narrowly into the face of her +husband, that she observed a dry humour about him, that might be +anything but the result of an unsuccessful attempt to dispose of his +bestial, and, going up to him, she shook him heartily by the shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Come, come, Giles," she said, "there's a secret at the bottom o' a' +this, and maybe this may explain it."</p> + +<p>And, seizing his pocket-book, she opened it, and pulled forth the bunch +of notes. They were counted on the instant, and the eyes of the dame +brightened up at every addition to the calculation. The farmer explained +all, and, in the course of his narration, Matty's wonder waxed great +again. She was not altogether satisfied. She looked at the notes, to see +that they were not forged; glanced at Giles; fell into a brown study; +looked at Mary; hemmed and heyed; and began to make preparations for the +stranger. In about an hour afterwards, the old customer arrived, was +ushered in to the fire, and took his seat, while Giles went to look to +the putting-up of his horse, which, he observed, was as clever and +clean-limbed a creature as that which carried the "fair ladye" and "true +Thomas" over the Eildon Hills. The supper was, in the meantime, in the +act of being served up. The old man coughed and told stories, Mary +listened, and Matty eyed her guest with a peculiar expression, which +made him rub his beard, cough more and more, and retire farther into the +recess which he had taken possession of. Nor would the supper draw him +forth; for he said he had supped before he came, yet had he no objection +to drink the ale which Matty handed him, and was as merry as an old man +might be, who had seen so many summers as his beard betokened. Many a +thing they talked of, but they all concerned the farmer, and his wife +and daughter; for the never a word would he say of himself, either as to +what he was, or where he lived—the dry skeleton of a name, Mr +Farquharson, being all he gratified them with, while, in return, he +asked so much of the condition and doings of his host and family, that +one might have thought he intended either to pay their arrears of rent, +or marry the daughter, at the very least. The supper, of which he +partook not, being done, he said he wished not to put them about in +their arrangements, and would be very well pleased to lie in the small +bed behind him, unless that were set apart for some other of the family.</p> + +<p>"That ye may weel hae, sir," said Matty on the instant, "if ye hae a +fancy to it. A sma' reward for the guid price ye gae for the cattle. +Mary can sleep for a nicht in the kitchen—for Jenny is at St Boswell's, +and winna be hame before the morn."</p> + +<p>"You will have only one night's trouble of me," replied the old man; +"but you may have more of the cattle—eight at least—and I think I will +better pay you beforehand, Mr Ramsay, that there may be no mistake when +the men come to take them away."</p> + +<p>And he put into the farmer's hand three times the sum he would have +demanded for the keeping of the steers. The farmer would have refused +the money, but Matty, whose by-play all along had been unnoticed by her +husband, pinched him on the arm, and the words of rejection died away in +his mouth. The parties afterwards retired to bed, leaving the strange +visiter in the apartment allotted to him.</p> + +<p>"I never did a better day's wark, guidwife," said the farmer to his +partner, when they went up-stairs.</p> + +<p>"Hush! hush! man, ye dinna ken what ye have done," replied she; and the +next moment she was busy whispering something in the ear of the farmer. +He started instantly, cried, "Impossible, impossible!" and stood for a +moment in dismay and consternation. But Matty gave him no time for +thought. She was again busy with his ear; and the next exhibition he +made was of an opposite character—a strange expression was upon his +face, and he slapped her upon the back in the extravagance of a feeling +that, whether betokening good-humour or not, seemed to have no bounds. +In a short time, the house was as quiet as Grimalkin himself could have +wished it, when bent on a hunting foray. All had apparently gone to bed, +and the stillness continued till considerably after midnight. A slow tap +at the kitchen-door showed that one individual at least was astir.</p> + +<p>"Mary, Mary, are you awake?" said a voice, that at least was +uninterrupted by a cough.</p> + +<p>The answer was a whisper from within. After some parley, the door was +opened, and a series of secret doings, among which the opening of the +outer door of the house, a recourse to the stable, the saddling of the +fleet horse, and other furtive preparations for a departure, were the +most important. During all this time, the figure of a female wrapped in +a cloak stood in the recess of the door. The horse was quietly walked to +the loan, and the mantled figure glided as secretly as a ghost, who +knows that the pimp Gallus will shortly awaken, to the starting-post. +One swing brought her to the pad, and another placed before her one whom +the light of the faint moon exhibited without a bend in his body or +beard on his chin. Away they set—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"On, on they rade, and farther on—</span><br /> + <span class="i2">The steed gaed swifter than the wind—</span><br /> + <span class="i0">Until they reach'd a desert wide,</span><br /> + <span class="i2">And living land was left behind."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Not a word passed between the couple. The one was occupied spurring on +the steed, and the other clung to him, as if love had nerved her arms, +and made them as tenacious of the grasp of his waist as Lenora, of +German celebrity, was of the soulless body of her Wilhelm. Sometimes he +slackened his pace, to ascertain whether the guidman of Kelpiehaugh was +up and away in quest of runaway bride, like the Gręmes after the heiress +of Netherby, over Cannobie-lee; and then, when he thought he heard the +clatter of a horse's hoof, he applied the spur again, and away they +went, over moss and muir, with such speed as love and fear in the rider +may alone impart to the obedient steed. At other times, the space of a +few minutes was devoted to soft whispers, and the gallant pressed the +encircling arms of his fair one, and sighed as he felt her embrace as +tight as a lover's heart could wish. He was as happy as one who is on +the verge of the enjoyment of stolen pleasures can be in a world where +lawful indulgences had no zest for him; and he turned his head for the +muffled kiss, which was granted as freely as any rieving lover, even +Lochinvar himself or Jock o' Hazeldean, could have desired. Nor less was +he pleased with the pressure of her fair arms, which accompanied or +followed the other demonstrations of her affection, and the speed of his +steed, now safe, as he thought himself, from all pursuit, was quickened, +that he might reach the goal, where all the joys of a long-sighed-for +possession awaited him. At length he gave his horse breathing-time, and, +taking himself a long inspiration—</p> + +<p>"When, think ye, Mary," said he, "I will send for the six steers I +purchased from your father yesterday?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe never, Robert," was the whispered reply.</p> + +<p>"You say right, love. It was never my intention," said he. "I thought it +but fair to leave old Giles some consideration for his daughter."</p> + +<p>A squeeze was the expression of the gratitude felt by the female for the +boon so generously bestowed on the farmer of Kelpiehaugh.</p> + +<p>"Was I known, think ye?" he continued. "I liked not the sharp eye of +your mother. By my faith! I quailed under it. The devil an ancient +carlin duenna in an old romance ever observed so sharp a look-out for +the safety of her ward. But, ha! ha! Mary, we have outwitted the old +dame, and let her catch us now, if she can. We want only two miles of +Langholm, and then, hey! hey! and be merry, as the song says—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">'Now all this time let us be merry,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">And set nocht by this world a cherry.'</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Safe in my house at Langholm, Mary, let Giles and his old dame enjoy the +bargain they have got. They may sell the steers at the next fair of St +Boswell's; but I will not so soon part with my Mary."</p> + +<p>"Na, I hope not," replied the whispering female. "But hearna ye the +sounds of a horse's feet?"</p> + +<p>The lover turned his head.</p> + +<p>"Your father, by the rood!" cried he; and, clapping spurs again to his +horse, they set off at a quick gallop, with a view to distance their +pursuer, who was no other than Giles Ramsay himself, mounted on one of +his quickest plough-horses, and brandishing a huge cudgel, in the double +act of beating his nag and threatening vengeance on the fugitives.</p> + +<p>The pursued were now in danger of being overtaken; for the greater speed +of the hunter was counterbalanced by the greater burden, and it was +clearly a cast-up whether they would be able to escape the vengeance +that awaited them. But, whatever might be the issue, there was no want +of energy in either hand or heel of the abductor; and he lashed and +spurred his steed more furiously as his fears increased—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"Still looking the sidelong woods among,</span><br /> + <span class="i2">Before, around him, and behind;</span><br /> + <span class="i0">And aye, whene'er the echo rung,</span><br /> + <span class="i2">The steed flew swifter than the wind."</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>And no less energetic was the fearful pursuer, whose hearty thwacks upon +the curpan of his shaggy cart-tracer, mixed with loud halloos, might be +heard in the distance, awakening the echoes of the silent night. The +lover relished not the appearance, and still less the cries, of the +lusty farmer; and as little apparently did his companion—who, as the +horse increased his speed, grasped her abductor round the waist—wish to +fall into the hands of the enraged pursuer. Away they scoured, and, +"Fear not, Mary—love will distance the old churl," fell from the lips +of the panting lover, in reply to the inspiring pressure of her arms; +while, "Na, na, Robert, flee for the love o' heaven," added more energy +to the spur, and more passion to his breast. They reached the skirts of +the woody Langholm; but it was not the abductor's intention to stop at +his residence, while he was in danger of being overtaken; so, striking +to the left, and dashing into a <i>corrie</i>, or deep lirk of a hill, he +stretched on with the flight of desperation. His wish was to clear the +fern brae, as the height was called, and, getting into the thick wood at +the back, make a sudden turn, and elude the quick eye of the farmer; but +the latter kept dashing and bounding on, hallooing in the distance, and +still brandishing his oaken ryss, in the most fearful demonstrations of +a vengeance that would be contented with nothing less, apparently, than +the body of the one, and the life of the other. Still the fond female +turned her eyes behind, and, giving her companion reports of the +progress of the pursuer, kept up his energies and alive his spirit.</p> + +<p>"All the work of that accursed old duenna, your mother," muttered he.</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay, nae doot, nae doot," rejoined she, and hugged him again more +closely than ever. The turn of the fern hill did not seem, however, to +bring the relief which it promised, for the couple were still within +hail of the redoubted Giles; and his shouting reverberated among the +rocks like the tally-ho of the hunter, or rather like the deep-mouthed +bay of the pack.</p> + +<p>But here a more extraordinary phenomenon presented itself, and that was +an accession of strength to the sturdy Giles of no fewer than three +horsemen, who, probably attracted by his war-whoop, had tendered their +services in endeavouring to overtake and seize the fugitives. This +circumstance was proclaimed by a united cry of the whole pursuers, which +rung in the ears of the lover like the howl which met the Florentine on +his visit to the region of the wicked in Hades. There was, however, more +in the appearance of the strangers, as seen in the light of the now +bright moon, than in their war-shout that carried dismay to the breast +of the abductor. What this was, he told not; but his muttering of "Who +can have brought him and his servants to this part of the country at +this time?" satisfied his companion that he knew the individuals who had +thus opportunely joined the cause of the farmer; and now, if indeed that +were possible, he urged his panting steed forward at a still quicker +pace. His chance of escape was diminishing every moment. The horses of +the assistants were fleeter than those of the farmer; and, if he did not +succeed in overtaking the fugitives, it was too evident that they would +accomplish for him the object he had in view. The lover seemed doubtful +what he should do—whether still to press on, lay down his charge, or +make a sweep round the hill, and take refuge in Langholm. A clump of +trees now intervening between him and the party, he appeared to resolve +suddenly on the last manœuvre; and his reason probably was, that he +might have time to secrete his fair one among some of the outhouses of +the mansion before the pursuers came up. Acting upon this resolution, he +turned the head of his horse, swept in by the tail of the height, struck +into a loan, and, after a rapid run of a few minutes, was opposite to +the house of Langholm.</p> + +<p>"Quick! quick, Mary! jump and follow me," he cried, as he took her in +his arms. "This way," and he flew first to one door and then another. +They were shut, and he had no alternative left but to take his fair +charge into the mansion itself. Rushing up-stairs, and dragging after +him his abducted love, he reached a small bedroom, thrust her into it, +shut the door, locked it, and returned to face boldly his pursuers. By +the time he arrived at the landing-place, his horse had sought the +stable; and there was no apparent sign, save his appearance there at +that hour, of his having been engaged in the unlawful undertaking for +which he had been so hotly pursued.</p> + +<p>"I have paid well for my love-errantry," said he, as he took a +handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from his face. "There is not another +beauty in Scotland for whom I would have toiled as I have now done. Have +I given them the slip? Mayhap I may, unless I am right in that fearful +conjecture, suggested by the appearance of my strange pursuers."</p> + +<p>"Ho, there!" cried the voice of a man, rushing up on horseback. "What is +this, Robert?"</p> + +<p>"My father!" ejaculated the youth; "what has brought you from Craigton +at this hour?"</p> + +<p>"Robert! Robert!" ejaculated a voice from a bedroom window, at that +moment drawn up—"why have you placed a woman in my bedroom, and locked +her in?"</p> + +<p>"Is that you, my love?" rejoined the father, in answer to the cry of his +wife. "Why, here is some infernal mystery. Your mother and I arrived +here to-day. We heard you were at St Boswell's, and I left her here that +I might go and join you at the market. Now I have returned to witness a +scene that baffles all my wits. Here is a man who has a claim upon you +which your mother corroborates by her extraordinary inquiry."</p> + +<p>The cavalcade at that moment came up—Giles in the rear, still +brandishing his rung, and muttering incoherent threats against the +abductor. The youth was surrounded: his father cried for information, +his mother screamed from the window. Giles demanded restitution, and the +voice of the abducted female was heard in shrill tones over all.</p> + +<p>"Ha! Matty, lass, this is sad wark," cried the farmer, on recognising +the voice of his wife.</p> + +<p>"Is it possible, Robert Melville," said the father, "that you could +disgrace your family and your pedigree, by carrying off the wife of this +honest farmer—a woman stricken in years—and place her in the bedroom +occupied by your mother?"</p> + +<p>"It's owre true," cried Giles, with something like a suppressed laugh. +"I see her face at the window. He came to Kelpiehaugh habited as an auld +man, wi' a grey beard stuck on his chin, and a scratch wig on his head; +and, in return for a supper and a bed, carried aff my helpmate, wi' whom +I hae lived, in love and honour, for thirty years."</p> + +<p>The scene was getting more extraordinary. The young man was sceptical of +the truth of Giles' statement; but he could not disprove it by stating +what he conceived to be the veritable fact—that he had run away with +Mary, the young daughter of the farmer of Kelpiehaugh. He looked at the +latter, then turned up his eyes to the window, where he then saw only +the face of his mother. Her cries still rung in his ears; the father +called for the key; Giles insisted on the truth of his statement; and +the inquiries of the servants mingled with the general confusion. By an +impulse he could not resist, he gave his father the key; the door was +opened, and the mother, who was now dressed, came down-stairs, along +with her husband, followed by the female, on whom they turned eyes in +which wonder and indignation alternated their suitable expressions. The +female threw back her hood.</p> + +<p>"We hae had a lang and a hard ride, Mr Melville," said she. "My feth, ye +did weel, but your horse did better; and, Giles, man, ye did as I never +saw ye do before."</p> + +<p>"I couldna want ye, Matty," replied Giles; "and, if I havena testified +my love for ye by this nicht's wark, never a man in Scotland ever proved +his affection for his wife."</p> + +<p>The absence of all ill-humour, the winks which Matty directed to the +wonderstruck youth, and his apparent amazement, added to the puzzle +which perplexed the minds of the father and the mother.</p> + +<p>"What does all this mean, Robert?" cried the mother.</p> + +<p>"For God's sake, explain this extraordinary affair!" rejoined the +father.</p> + +<p>The youth was still mute. At length Matty whispered something in his +ear. He spoke for the first time since the scene commenced.</p> + +<p>"It may be as you say, Mrs Ramsay," said he.</p> + +<p>"Aweel, it's a' richt," replied she; "but it may please Giles and mysel +if ye will acknowledge it in the presence o' your father and mother."</p> + +<p>"I have no objections," replied he; and, turning to his parents, who +understood not one word of all this dialogue, and far less of the +strange scene still acting around them, he added, "I hereby declare, in +presence of you, as witnesses, that I hereby renounce all claim——"</p> + +<p>"To whom?" cried the mother; "to another man's wife—an aged matron? +Fie, Robert! Say no more. Close the lips that would dishonour a son in +presence of his parents."</p> + +<p>"I hereby renounce all claim to six stirks at present lying at the farm +of Kelpiehaugh, and promise never to trouble Giles Ramsay for the same."</p> + +<p>"It's a' settled and adjusted," cried Matty. "I am satisfied; and Giles, +I fancy, you are no ill-pleased wi' my nicht's wark?"</p> + +<p>"I dinna ken which o' us hae dune best," replied the farmer. "Between +us, our arrears o' rent will be paid up. My bargain was guid; but I +freely admit yours is better."</p> + +<p>"Then this affair is at last arranged?" said the youth.</p> + +<p>The farmer assented. The worthy couple bade adieu to their friends, and +proceeded on their way to Kelpiehaugh. We cannot tell what explanations +took place at Langholm between the young man and his parents; neither +can we tell precisely the import of the conversation that took place +between the farmer and his wife on their journey homewards; but we +strongly suspect they enjoyed a hearty laugh at the clever manœuvre +of the dame. It is probable that Giles himself was in the secret; at +least the good-humour he exhibited in getting again possession of his +spouse would lead us to believe that he had been a willing party in the +plot that had been so cleverly laid and executed. How far the daughter +was to blame has not been recorded; and, to do justice to the farmer and +his wife, they never taxed her with indiscretion. She was some time +afterwards married, and so put beyond the power of the wild youth who +had been so completely foiled by the genius of a clever dame.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2 class="p3">SIR PATRICK HUME.</h2> + +<h3><a name="9">A TALE OF THE HOUSE OF MARCHMONT.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth was elected representative of the County of +Berwick in the year 1665, being then in the twenty-fifth year of his +age. He was a lover of freedom, a lover of his country, and a staunch +Presbyterian. In those days, however, a love of freedom was a dangerous +principle either to avow or to carry into Parliament. The tyrant +Charles, whom some falsely call the Merry Monarch, was then attempting +to rule the empire with a rod of iron. You have all heard of his Long +Parliament, and of his afterwards governing the country, like an +absolute tyrant, without a Parliament at all. Fettered and servile as +parliaments then were, young Hume had boldly stood forward as the +advocate of civil and religious liberty; and, when the arbitrary monarch +sent down a mandate to Scotland for a levy of men and of money, that he +might carry his plans of despotism the more effectually into execution, +Sir Patrick resisted the slavishness with which it was about to be +obeyed.</p> + +<p>"What!" exclaimed he, "are we mere instruments in the hands of the +king—creatures appointed to minister to his pleasure? Are we not +representatives of the people of Scotland—the representatives of their +wants and their wishes, and the defenders of their rights? And shall we, +as such, at the mere nod of a monarch, drag them from following their +plough in the valley, or attending their hirsels on the hill—shall we +do these things, and lay contributions on their cattle, on their corn, +and on their coffers, merely because His Majesty wills it? Pause, my +countrymen. The king has no authority to compel such a measure, and it +can only be rendered legal by the concurrence of the assembled +representatives of the people."</p> + +<p>"Treason!" vociferated the Duke of Lauderdale, who was the arch-minion +of Charles; "before the Parliament of Scotland, I denounce Sir Patrick +Hume as a dangerous man—as a plotter against the life and dignity of +our sovereign lord the king!"</p> + +<p>"What!" exclaimed Sir Patrick, indignantly fixing his eyes upon +Lauderdale. "Though there may be amongst us a slave who would sell his +country for a royal smile, I still hope that this is a <span class="smcap">FREE</span> Parliament, +and it concerns all the members to be <span class="smcap">FREE</span> in what concerns the nation."</p> + +<p>From that day, Sir Patrick Hume became a suspected man, and the eyes of +the king's creatures were upon him; and when, two years afterwards, +Charles endeavoured to put down the people by the sword, and establish +garrisons throughout the country, again the Laird of Polwarth stood +foremost in the ranks of opposition, and resisted his power. The king +accordingly ordered his privy council to crush so dangerous a spirit; +and Sir Patrick was confined in Stirling Castle, where, with the +exception of a short interval, he was imprisoned for two years.</p> + +<p>Britain had long been distracted with the pretended discovery of +fabulous or ridiculous plots against the royal family; and the perjury +of paid miscreants, like the infamous Titus Oates, was causing the +scaffolds to run with gore. But tyranny being glutted with Catholic +blood, and the extinguishing of what were called Popish plots, the +myrmidons of Charles (who lived a libertine, and died a Papist) +professed that they had discovered a Protestant plot against his royal +person. In this plot the incorruptible Algernon Sydney, Lord Russell, Mr +Bailie of Jerviswoode, and Sir Patrick Hume, were included. They beheld +their common country withering and wasting beneath the grasp of a +tyrant; and true it is they had united together to restore it to +freedom, but they were innocent of designs against his life, or even of +a wish to dethrone him. They did not, however, act sufficiently in +concert, and were unable to bring their plans into operation. A price +was set upon their heads—some fled into exile, and others sought refuge +on the mountain and in the wilderness; while the amiable Russell died +upon the scaffold.</p> + +<p>It was near nightfall, in the month of September, 1684, when Jamie +Winter, who was joiner on the estate of Polwarth, ran breathless up to +Redbraes Castle, and knocked loudly at the door. It was opened by John +Allan, the land-steward, who, perceiving his agitation, inquired—</p> + +<p>"In the name o' guidness, Jamie, what's happened, or what do ye want?"</p> + +<p>"Dinna ask, Maister Allan," replied Jamie; "but, for Heaven's sake, tell +me, is Sir Patrick at hame? and let me speak to him presently, as ye +value his life."</p> + +<p>"Follow me, then, Jamie," said the other, "and come in quietly, that the +servants mayna observe onything extraordinar; for we live in times when +a man canna trust his ain brither."</p> + +<p>The honest joiner was ushered into a room where Sir Patrick sat in the +midst of his family, acting at once as their schoolmaster and their +playmate.</p> + +<p>"Weel, James," said the laird, "I understand ye hae been at Berwick the +day. Ye've got early back. What uncos heard ye there?"</p> + +<p>"I watna, Sir Patrick," replied the other; "now-a-days, I think, there's +naething unco that can happen. Satan seems to have been let loose on our +poor misgoverned country. But I wish to speak to your honour very +particularly, and in private, if you please."</p> + +<p>"You may speak on, James," said the laird; "I am private in the midst o' +my ain family."</p> + +<p>"Wi' your guid leave sir," returned the cautious servant, "I wad rather +the bairns were oot o' the way, for what I hae to say is no proper for +them to hear, and the sooner ye are acquainted wi' it the better."</p> + +<p>Sir Patrick led his younger children out of the room, but requested Lady +Polwarth and their eldest daughter, Grizel, a lovely dark-haired girl, +about twelve years of age, to remain.</p> + +<p>"You are the bearer of evil tidings, James," said he, as he returned, +"but you may tell them now—it is meet that my wife should hear them, if +they concern me; and," added he, taking Grizel's hand in his, "I keep no +secrets from my little secretary."</p> + +<p>"God bless her!" said James, "she's an auld-farrant bairn, as wise as +she's bonny, I ken that. But, your honour, I am, indeed, the bearer of +evil tidings. A party o' troopers arrived at Berwick this morning, and +it was nae secret there that they would be baith at Jerviswoode and +Redbraes before midnicht. I heard them talk o' the premium that was set +upon your life, and slipped out o' the town immediately, without +performing a single transaction, or speaking a word to a living +creature. How I've got alang the road is mair than I can tell; for I was +literally sick, blind, and desperate wi' grief. I've this minute +arrived, and whatever can be done to save you maun be done instantly."</p> + +<p>Lady Polwarth burst into tears. Sir Patrick grasped the hand of his +faithful servant. Little Grizel gazed in her father's face with a look +of silent despair, but neither spoke nor wept.</p> + +<p>"Oh, fly! fly instantly, my dear husband!" cried Lady Polwarth, "and +Heaven direct you."</p> + +<p>"Be composed, my love," said Sir Patrick; "I fear that flight is +impossible; but some means of evading them may perhaps be devised."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my leddy," said Jamie Winter, "to flee is out o' the question +athegither. Government has its spies at every turn o' the road—in every +house in the country—even in this house. Our only hope is to conceal +Sir Patrick; but how or where is beyond my comprehension."</p> + +<p>Many were the schemes devised by the anxious wife—many the suggestions +of her husband, and honest Jamie proposed numerous plans—but each was, +in its turn, rejected as being unsafe. More than an hour had passed in +these anxious deliberations; within three hours more, and the king's +troops would be at his gate. Grizel had, till now, remained silent, and +dashing away the first tear that rolled down her cheek, she flung her +arms around her father's neck, and exclaimed, in an eager and breathless +whisper—</p> + +<p>"I ken a place, faither—I ken a place that the king's troopers and his +spies will never find out; and I'll stop beside ye, to bear ye company."</p> + +<p>"Bless the bairn!" said Sir Patrick, pressing her to his breast; "and +where's the place, dearest?"</p> + +<p>"The aisle below Polwarth Kirk, faither," returned Grizel. "Nae trooper +will find out such a hiding-place; for the mouth's a bit wee hole, and +the long grass, and the docks, and the nettles grow owre it, and I could +slip out and in without trampling them down; and naebody would think o' +seeking ye there, faither."</p> + +<p>Lady Polwarth shuddered, and Sir Patrick pressed the cheek of his lovely +daughter to his lips.</p> + +<p>"Save us a', bairn!" said Jamie, "there's surely something no earthly +about yer young laddyship, for ye hae mair sense than us a' put +thegither. The aisle is the very place. I'll steal awa, and hae a kind +o' bed put up in it, and tak ither twa or three bits o' necessary +things; and, Sir Patrick, ye'll slip out o' the house and meet me there +as soon as possible."</p> + +<p>Within an hour, Sir Patrick had joined Jamie Winter in the dark and +dismal aisle. The humble bed was soon and silently fitted up, and the +faithful servant, wishing his master "farewell," left him alone in his +dreary prison-house. Slow and heavily the hours of darkness moved on. He +heard the trampling of the troopers' horses galloping in quest of him. +The oaths and the imprecations of the riders fell distinctly on his +ears. Amidst such sounds he heard them mention his name. But his heart +failed not. He knelt down upon the cold damp floor of his +hiding-place—upon the bones of his fathers—and there, in soundless, +but earnest prayer, supplicated his father's God to protect his +family—to save his country—to forgive his persecutors, and to do with +him as seemed good in his sight. He arose; and, laying himself upon his +cold and comfortless bed, slept calmly. He awoke shivering and benumbed. +Faint streaks of light stole into the place of death through its narrow +aperture, dimly revealing the ghastly sights of the charnel-house, and +the slow reptiles that crawled along the floor. Again night came on, and +the shadows of light, if I may use the expression, which revealed his +cell, died away. A second morning had come, and a second time the feeble +rays had been lost in utter darkness. It was near midnight, and the +slender stock of provisions which he had brought with him were nigh +exhausted. He started from his lowly couch—he heard a rustling among +the weeds at the mouth of the aisle—he heard some one endeavouring to +remove the fragment of an old gravestone that covered it.</p> + +<p>"Faither!" whispered an eager voice—"faither—it is me—yer ain +Grizel!"</p> + +<p>"My own, devoted, my matchless child!" said Sir Patrick, stretching his +hands towards the aperture, and receiving her in his arms.</p> + +<p>She sat down beside him on the bed—she detailed the search of the +troopers—she stated that they were watched in their own house—that a +spy was set over the very victuals that came from their table, lest he +should be concealed near, and fed by his family.</p> + +<p>"But what of that?" continued the light-hearted and heroic girl; "while +my plate is supplied, my faither's shall not be empty; and here," added +she, laughing—"here is a flask of wine, cakes, and a sheep's-head. But +I will tell you a story about the sheep's-head. It was placed on a plate +before me at dinner-time. The servant was out o' the room, naebody was +looking, and I whupped it into my apron. Little Sandy wanted a piece, +and, turning round for it, and missing the head, 'Ah, mother!' he cried, +'our Grizzy has swallowed a sheep's-head, bones and a', in a +moment!'—'Wheesht, laddie!' said my mother; 'eat ye next ane +then.'—'Oh, ye greedy Grizzy!' said Sandy, shaking his little nieve in +my face, 'I'll mind you for this.'—'I'm sure Sandy will ne'er forget +me,' said I, and slipped away out to hide the sheep's-head in my own +room; and as soon as I thought naebody was astir, I creeped out quietly +by the window, and got down here behint the hedges; and I'll come every +nicht, faither. But last nicht the troopers were still about the house."</p> + +<p>In spite of his misery, Sir Patrick laughed at the ingenuity of his +beloved and heroic daughter; then wept and laughed again, and pressed +her to his bosom.</p> + +<p>He had passed many weeks in this cheerless dungeon, with no companion +during the day save a volume of Buchanan's Psalms; but every night he +was visited by his intrepid daughter, who at once supplied him with +food, and beguiled the hours of his solitude. He was sitting in the +gloomy cell, conning over his favourite volume—the stone at the +aperture had been pushed aside a few inches to admit the light more +freely, and the weeds at the entrance were now bowed down and withered +by the frost—a few boys were playing in the churchyard, and tossing a +ball against the kirk. Being driven from the hand of an unskilful +player, it suddenly bounded into the aisle. Sir Patrick started, and the +book dropped from his hand. Immediately the aperture was surrounded by +the boys, and the stone removed. They stood debating who should enter, +but none had sufficient courage. At length one more hardy than the rest +volunteered to enter, if another would follow him. The laird gave +himself up as lost, for he knew that even the tale of a schoolboy would +effect his ruin. He was aware he could disperse them with a single +groan; but even that, when told to his enemies, might betray him. At +length three agreed to enter, and the feet of the first already +protruded into the aisle. Sir Patrick crept silently to its farthest +corner, when the gruff voice of the old gravedigger reached his ear, +shouting—</p> + +<p>"The mischief's in the callants, and nae guid. What are ye doing there? +Do ye want the ghaists o' the auld Humes aboot yer lugs?"</p> + +<p>The boys fled amain, and the old man came growling to the mouth of the +aisle.</p> + +<p>"The deevil's in the bairns o' Polwarth," said he; "for they wad disturb +the very dead in their graves. I'll declare, they've the stane frae the +mouth o' the aisle!"</p> + +<p>He stooped down, and Sir Patrick saw his grim visage through the +aperture, and heard him thus continue his soliloquy, as he replaced the +stone—</p> + +<p>"Sorrow tak the hands that moved the stane! Ye're hardly worth the +covering up again, for ye're a profitless hole to me; and I fancy him +that I should lay in ye next, be he whaur he likes, will gang the gate +that his freend Bailie gaed yesterday on a scaffold. A gravedigger's a +puir bisness, I am sorry to say, in our king's reign; and the fient a +ane thrives but the common executioner."</p> + +<p>So saying, he enveloped Sir Patrick in utter darkness. That night Grizel +and her father left the aisle together, and from her he learned the +particulars of what he had heard muttered by the gravedigger, that his +friend, Mr Bailie of Jerviswoode, had been executed the previous day.</p> + +<p>Disguised, and in the character of a surgeon, he by byways reached +London, and from thence fled to France. On the death of Charles, and +when the bigot James ascended the throne, Sir Patrick was one of the +leaders of the band of patriots who drew their swords in behalf of a +Protestant succession.</p> + +<p>That enterprise was unsuccessful; and, after contending, almost +singlehanded, against the enemies of his religion and his country, he +and his family sought refuge in a foreign land. He assumed the name of +Dr Peter Wallace, and they took up their abode in Utrecht. There poverty +and privations sought and found the exiles. They had parted with every +domestic, and the lovely Grizel was the sole servant and helper of her +mother, and, when their work was done, the assistant of her father in +the education of the younger children; for he had no longer the means of +providing them a tutor. Yet theirs was a family of love—a family of +happiness; and poverty purified their affections. But their remittances +from Scotland were not only scanty but uncertain. Till now Sir Patrick +had borne his misfortunes with resignation, and even cheerfulness; he +cared not that he was stripped of attendants, and of every luxury of +life; yet at times the secret and unbidden tears would start into his +eyes, as he beheld his wife and his fair daughter performing, without a +murmur, the most menial offices. But the measure of his trials was not +yet full—luxuries were not only denied him, but he was without food to +set before his children. The father wept, and his spirit heaved with +anguish. Grizel beheld his tears, and she knew the cause. She spoke not; +but, hastening to her little cabinet, she took from it a pair of +jewelled bracelets, and, wrapping herself up in a cloak, she took a +basket under her arm, and hurried to the street. The gentle being glided +along the streets of Utrecht, with her eyes fixed upon the ground, and +shunning the glance of the passengers, as if each knew her errand. She +stood before a shop in which all manner of merchandise was exposed, and +three golden balls were suspended over the door. She cast a timid gaze +into the shop—thrice she passed and repassed it, and repeated the timid +glance. She entered—she placed the bracelets upon the counter.</p> + +<p>"How much?" was the laconic question of the shopman.</p> + +<p>Grizel burst into tears. He handed her a sum of money across the +counter, and deposited the bracelets in his desk. She bounded from the +shop with a heart and a step light as a young bird in its first pride of +plumage. She hastened home with her basket filled. She placed it upon +the table. Lady Polwarth wept, and fell upon her daughter's neck.</p> + +<p>"Where have you been, Grizel?" faltered her father.</p> + +<p>"Purchasing provisions for a bauble," said she; and the smile and the +tear were seen on her cheek together.</p> + +<p>But many were the visits which the gentle Grizel had to pay to the +Golden Balls, while one piece of plate was pledged after another, that +her father, and her mother, and her brethren, might eat, and not die; +and even then the table of Sir Patrick, humble as it was, and +uncertainly provided for, was open to the needy of his countrymen. Thus +three years passed—the memorable 1688 arrived. Sir Patrick was the +friend, the counsellor, and supporter of King William—he arrived with +him in England—he shared in his triumph. He was created Lord Polwarth, +and appointed Sheriff of Berwickshire; and in 1696, though not a lawyer, +but an upright man, he was made Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and created +Earl of Marchmont, and Lord of Polwarth, Redbraes, and Greenlaw. He was +one of the most ardent promoters of the Union; and with it ceased his +political career. In 1710, when the Tories came into power, the earl +being the staunchest Whig in Scotland, he was deprived of the office of +Sheriff of Berwickshire, but was reinstated in 1715. His lady being +dead, he came to take up his residence in Berwick-upon-Tweed; and there, +when the heroic Grizel, who was now a wife and a mother (being married +to the son of his unfortunate friend, Mr Bailie of Jerviswoode), came +with her children and friends to visit him for the last time, as they +danced in the hall, though unable to walk, he desired to be carried into +the midst of them, and, beating time with his foot—</p> + +<p>"See, Grizel," exclaimed the old patriot, "though your father is unable +to dance, he can still beat time with his foot."</p> + +<p>Shortly after this, he died in Berwick, on the 1st of August, 1724, in +the eighty-third year of his age—leaving behind him an example of +piety, courage, and patriotism, worthy the imitation of posterity.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2 class="p3">THE SERJEANT'S TALES.</h2> + +<h3><a name="10">THE PACKMAN'S JOURNEY TO LONDON.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">At the next opportunity, I got Serjeant Square to resume the narrative +of his adventures.</p> + +<p>No feeling that the human mind is called upon to sustain (said he) is +more depressing than the consciousness of being alone in a strange place +without friend or acquaintance—the populous city and the desert are +alike lonely. I have been, in the wildernesses of America and in London, +the victim of this saddening sensation, and felt it perhaps less keenly +when a solitary wanderer in the trackless wilds; for there bodily +exertion, and the hopes of soon being in the haunts of men, deadened its +force; while, in the populous city, I felt as if I had, after severe +suffering and toil, attained an object to me worse than worthless. +Amidst the densest crowds, after all, a man can only feel himself truly +alone when no hand is held out to him, no eye beams the glance of +recognition, and all is strange as a dream. Such were my feelings on the +morning after my arrival in Berwick, on my way to London on foot. +Fortune had been adverse to me in my native city, Edinburgh—in truth, I +had hitherto been her plaything; and, even now, had no definite object +in view. Tired of my walk, I had agreed with the captain of a trader for +my passage by sea, for the remainder of my journey; and lay upon my bed, +awaiting the morning light, a prey to my feelings, and musing upon my +chequered fortunes. The wind began gradually to rise and mourn sadly +through the windows and in the chimney of the room where I lay. As the +morning advanced, the storm increased and raged, so that no vessel could +put to sea. After walking down to the harbour, I returned back to my +inn, half resolved not to proceed to the south, but return to Leith in a +vessel that was also ready to sail, loaded with grain. I felt myself as +if I had been a child, without a will of my own, not caring what became +of me. Had I been seized with a mortal disease, I would, I thought, have +welcomed death as a relief; so completely had my spirits, somehow or +other, become depressed. How I escaped the pressgang, I have often +wondered since; for they were very diligent in impressing seamen at this +time, and I was in seamen's clothes. Perhaps the fearless manner in +which I walked about had led them and the informers to suppose that I +had a protection, or was belonging to some ship, and at large on leave +of absence.</p> + +<p>After breakfast, as I sat conversing with one of the captains about the +weather and other trivial matters, a person entered the room with a pack +upon his back, and inquired if any of the gentlemen would be so kind as +look over his assortment of goods; strongly recommending some silk +handkerchiefs.</p> + +<p>"No," said the person with whom I was conversing, gruffly. "I want none +of your goods. You packmen are all swindling knaves."</p> + +<p>"Not all knaves, my good sir. There are knaves in all trades, I allow; +but there are honest men, too." And, addressing himself to me, he +repeated his request.</p> + +<p>His voice at first had sounded in my ears like some well-known sound, +and roused my attention; but in vain I endeavoured to call to mind where +I had heard it. I had not yet looked towards him; but the instant I did, +a mutual recognition took place. He set his pack upon one of the tables +of the tap-room. Our hands were clasped in each other's. "Square!" and +"Wilson!" were uttered with mutual feelings of joy and surprise. I had +met a companion of my early days and sufferings. Often had we spent the +long and chilling winter nights, huddled together to keep each other +warm, in the snuggest corner we could find; hungry and ill clothed, +often had we shared the precarious morsel of charity with each other, +when either could have devoured it all. We had not met since I had first +left Edinburgh, many years before; and, if a tear was shed for my +mysterious disappearance, it was by Bill Wilson. A glow of pleasure, +such as I had never felt before, thawed the icy feeling that had chilled +my mind. How delightful must some of the stronger affections be, when +the meeting of an early associate can cause so much pleasure! We stood +gazing in silence upon each other for some time, ere we could find words +to express our feelings. At length they were poured forth in +congratulations and kind inquiries. To be alone, we retired to my +bedroom, where I gave him a full account of all that had befallen me +since we last met, and the present unsettled state of my resolves. He +heard me with varying interest, until I had concluded.</p> + +<p>"Square," said he, "you have been sorely knocked about, a passive agent, +without an object, save to enjoy or suffer the present hour. Now, to +succeed, we must have an aim, and hold it in sight, whatever may befall; +even should it often elude our grasp, we must not despair or relinquish +it for another. My wish is an old age of independence. I may die this +night, or I may live until old age has long impaired my energies. To +obtain this, my wish, I have, from circumstances, chosen my present +calling; nor have I allowed the most adverse fortune to shake my +resolve, or change my method of recovering it; for perseverance is the +only road that leads to success. Fortune placed you in America at your +outset in life. You forsook the path others have trod in with success. +You prospered at sea, and threw the golden opportunity away for a whim; +a third time you were placed in fortune's way; a dark cloud passed over +it; you gave way to your feelings, and are once more, with years of lost +time, where you commenced."</p> + +<p>As he spoke, a feeling anything but gratifying passed over my mind. I +felt that what he said was strictly true; that I had been living, until +now, without an aim, either of avarice or ambition—my thoughts never +having extended to the future, nor a care for to-morrow having ever +occupied my mind. His cares, again, were all for to-morrow. This +difference could not have arisen from education; for in this we were +both alike. He, in short, had more prudence. But to proceed. I requested +him to give me an account of the manner in which he had lived since we +had been separated.</p> + +<p>"You know, John," he began, "that we were twins in adversity upon the +streets of Edinburgh, equally friendless and penniless. After your +departure, I felt for a few days very sad and lonely. I sought you +everywhere in vain, and made every inquiry; but who cared aught about a +homeless beggar-boy? Had a dog as strangely disappeared, the public +crier would have proclaimed him through the streets. I began, young as I +was, seriously to reflect upon my desolate situation, and plan in my +mind ways to mend it. The childish wishes we had often formed of being +rich, and the happy dreams of what we would do if we were so, rose with +tenfold force into my memory, and I resolved to be rich; but how to +attain my aim was the rub. Wishing, I knew well, brought no gain. It +must be toiled for, and steadily pursued. A tradesman I could not hope +to be. No one would receive me for my labour during my apprenticeship, +and clothe and feed me; and I was too young and weak for labouring work +in town or country. There was one way alone open to me—to commence +merchant. You may smile at the word; but you shall see. It was not my +choice; but what have the poor to do with choice? My object now was to +obtain a capital to commence business upon. I was far from fortunate. It +was nearly a month before I had accumulated a groat; yet my labour and +anxiety were intense. No gentleman appeared on horseback in the city, +whom I did not follow, in anxious hopes to get, by holding his horse, a +penny, to increase my capital. In messages I was more indefatigable than +usual. No length of space or weight of load daunted me, if a penny was +to be earned; but it appeared to my eager mind that the gentlemen, at +this time, required less service than usual, and those that employed me +were more liberal of their food than halfpence. Still I steadily held on +unflinching, adding halfpenny to halfpenny, my mind a prey to a new +fear, that of losing my treasure. But I had joys mixed with my fears; +for, when I retired to a quiet corner, and counted again and again my +increasing store, what a pleasure I felt in adding a halfpenny to it, +and carefully wrapping up the paper! When I had reached my eightpence, I +could delay my undertaking no longer. I felt I had attained my first +step; and, with a feeling of importance to be envied, proceeded to a +bookseller's shop, and purchased ballads, of which I got, for my groat, +one dozen and three, with a piece of paper to wrap them in, and left the +shop, exulting that I was now a merchant, and had goods to dispose of.</p> + +<p>"As it was not my intention to sing them on the streets—for from this +my pride revolted—I set off in the direction of Lasswade, calling at +every door to offer my wares. In two days I had sold off my whole stock, +and returned to town for more ballads. After a time, I added other small +books, and my trade prospered amazingly. My living cost me nothing; my +voice was good, and a supper and bed to the pedlar-boy, were the +purchase of my songs, at the cottar's or the farmer's ingle. During the +first year my two groats had grown to nearly a pound, and my ambition +had grown with it. Pins, tapes, and thread were added to my store; my +excursions were extended, and Bill Wilson was a known and a welcome +guest over the whole county of Mid-Lothian. My toil was great, but my +strength seemed to increase with my load. I had now in view my second +step in advance, a horse and cart to carry my load. Years had passed on; +my pack, worth twenty pounds, was all my own, and I had two pounds in my +pocket; it was far on in the year, and the day was short and louring. I +had some goods bespoke for a bridal, which required to be delivered on +the following day. My route lay over the Soutra Hill; and had the +weather kept up, my task was easy of accomplishment—so I cheerily +plodded on, counting my gains; but scarce had I reached the ascent, when +the wind began to moan along the dreary waste, and thin flakes of snow +to fall, while the blast, from the east, blew right in my face. I +quickened my pace; but the storm increased before I reached the top, the +drifting snow blinding me, and the fitful gusts almost lifting me off my +feet. Cold and biting as was the air, I was wet with perspiration, from +my load and my struggles against the blast. I could not see two yards +before me; I was truly alone in the howling waste, yet I yielded not to +despondency, but struggled on for life. I had, it seemed, deviated from +the road, for all was now a trackless waste, when suddenly I stumbled +and fell on the edge of a declivity, and my pack, the whole of my +wealth, bounded from me, in what direction I knew not. It was vain to +look for it in such a situation, in such a storm; but what is wealth +under such circumstances, when life is scarcely to be hoped for?</p> + +<p>"When I recovered my feet, I was bruised, and began to chill. Hope of +escape had nearly fled; despondency was stealing fast upon me; but life +is sweet, and so I urged on, as much to overcome the intense cold I +felt, as with any hope of finding a shelter from the pitiless storm. The +magnitude of my loss never once entered my mind in this struggle for +existence. I would have given all the remainder of my hard earnings for +the sight of a cottage, in which to preserve my life. In this, my hour +of need, I was snatched from death. As I stood, unable to move a step +farther, and on the point of sinking upon the snow, to rise no more, the +sound of a dog, barking loudly, fell upon my ear. There was life in the +welcome sound; and, with an energy I had felt myself incapable of a +minute before, I started off towards the spot from whence the sounds +proceeded, calling at intervals with all my strength, and listening as +the barking of the dog became more and more distinct. At length I could +perceive the light shine dimly through the drifting snow, from a cottage +window, which, having reached, I entered, almost exhausted. I was kindly +received by the humane inmates, to whom I told my piteous tale. The +storm still howled without. The good woman made for me a shake-down upon +the floor, close by the fire, whereon to pass the night. After my +benumbed limbs were restored to animation, the good man of the house +took the book, and, after the worship, in which I joined with a fervour +I had never felt before, we all retired to rest, the family speaking all +the comfort to me their feeling hearts could dictate, and promising to +rise before dawn, to assist in searching for my pack. All was still +within; but the storm raged with unabated violence without, and for +hours sleep forsook my pillow. I was tormented with heat; pains shot +through my frame, and before the dawn I was in a raging fever, and +unable to rise. The good people of the house were sore distressed. I +gave them the best information I could where to search for my pack; but +it was very vague, for I knew not myself the spot where it had bounded +from me, and I was at this time two long Scotch miles from the Soutra +Hill, and one mile off the highway. The storm of the preceding evening +had been followed by a partial thaw after daybreak; but all, save where +the wind had blown the snow from the heights, lay a trackless waste. Far +on in the day the searchers returned from their fruitless labours, +fatigued and hungry. I was myself much worse; no doctor was to be had +nearer than Haddington, neither was there accommodation for me in the +house. Ill as I was, I had no choice. A horse and cart were, at my +request, procured, and, carefully wrapped up, I was conveyed to +Haddington. What followed for some days I know not. I will hurry on. I +would not have been so minute, were it not to show you that there are +shipwrecks and disasters on land as well as at sea.</p> + +<p>"When I recovered my consciousness, I found myself in an obscure garret, +the dwelling of a lone and pious widow, who had taken into her house the +sick stranger, when all else had refused. I had occupied her only bed, +while she passed her nights, seated by her scanty fire, and nursed me in +my delirium and fever. The good doctor had attended me as assiduously as +if I had been his own son, and aided the widow in supporting me. The +snow had been all off the ground for many days; and whoever had found my +store had kept it concealed, for I never heard of it. I was once again +penniless, and worse than I was at the commencement; for I was indebted +to my kind landlady and the doctor. My two guineas and seven shillings +were still in my pocket untouched; for the pious widow had, even in her +straits, on my account held them sacred, and they knew from the people +who brought me of my ruinous misfortune. When I became able to move +about, I besought them to accept of even one of the guineas as a +remuneration; but their answer was, they would give me credit until I +was enabled to pay them in full—and, thank God, I have done this long +ago.</p> + +<p>"It was well up in February before I could resume my toils. +Disheartening as my misfortune had been, my ultimate object, and the +means of attaining it, I had never for one moment allowed to pass from +my mind. It was now that the reward of honesty and fair dealing was felt +by me, and proved of immense advantage in enabling me to recover my +loss. There was not a merchant with whom I had ever dealed, who did not +offer me his goods in trust, to what amount I chose; but to avoid debt +has ever been my maxim, and I took no more than my finances would allow. +I had only a smaller assortment, and returned the sooner. I was +astonished at the rapidity of my own sales—for all had heard of my +misfortunes, and pitied me; and, if I was expected, no other packman had +any chance. What was required, if not in my pack, I got orders for, and +brought at the appointed time. From that day to this, everything has +prospered with me. I have attained my second step, and am now on my way +to London, and other towns, to purchase goods, and a horse and cart. To +cover my expenses, I am doing a little business by the way. An extensive +shop, and at length a competency, are, I trust, not far distant."</p> + +<p>By mid-day, the gale of wind had considerably abated; the tide being in +the evening, the vessels could not depart. We sat chatting together. The +perseverance and success of my companion had made a deep impression on +me. I began to think that I might do worse than follow his example; for +I had never left my country through choice.</p> + +<p>"Wilson," said I, "do you think I could be converted into a packman? I +care not what I do for an honest livelihood. I have often heard that an +old packman makes a good merchant—I am willing to try if an old +merchant can make a good packman. I have a few guineas to purchase goods +with. If you will tell me what are the proper kinds, we will go +together, by sea, to London, where you are going, and make our +purchases: are you agreed?"</p> + +<p>"No! Square, no! I will never agree to trust myself upon the fickle +element, when there is no occasion for it, besides manifest loss. With +what goods are in my pack, I will travel free to London, and put a pound +in my pocket, at least. If you have any thought of turning to my +profession, you must study economy and a placid temper—'take the bit +and the buffet with it.' I have not a doubt you may succeed, if you +stick to it in earnest; and I have no objection to give you all the +information I can, before we part."</p> + +<p>I myself had, indeed, no other motive for going by sea to London, than +to avoid the fatigue and get quickly there; so it was agreed that I +should proceed with him, and learn from his experience. My sailor's +dress was sold, and one similar to his own purchased; and, while this +was being done, he told me that he had upon his person, carefully +concealed, an order from the Royal Bank of Scotland, upon the Bank of +England, for one hundred and sixty guineas, which he had doubly secured. +It was, he said, not indorsed, nor would he indorse it, until he was +obtaining the cash. "There are such things as robberies," he said, "and +much worse. I have left a letter and instructions at the bank, and with +Widow Craig, who nursed me in my sickness (we have been as mother and +son since then), that, if my order is not called for within twelve +months, she is to give my letter to the worthy doctor, who will receive +the amount, and administer to the widow's comforts. What remains at her +death, I cheerfully bequeath to him. You may smile at this; but our +trade is one not without danger even in Scotland; and in England, where +highwaymen and footpads are plenty, we travel with our lives in our +hands."</p> + +<p>Before the evening closed, I was all ready to start upon my new line of +life. As Berwick, he said, was not a proper place to lay in a store of +goods to sell again with a sufficient profit, I purchased only a few +pounds' worth of hardware, Wilson being so kind as sell me, at cost, one +dozen of Barcelona silk handkerchiefs, of which he had a great supply, +and which he esteemed as valuable and light of carriage. The remainder +of my cash he made me take out of my purse, saying that none but those +who knew not the value of money carried it in purses. It was as if the +owner had collected it for the first who chose to put his hand in his +pocket, or for a vain display.</p> + +<p>"Square," said he, "if you had a thousand guineas in your pocket, among +strangers never show or say you have a coin in gold. Tempt no man to +evil. The poor travel safe, when the rich are in peril. Allow me to +place your guineas in the bank."</p> + +<p>He then opened the lining of the waistband of my small-clothes, and +stitched them in so dexterously, that no one could have thought there +was coin there.</p> + +<p>"Now," says he, "we are all ready to start for London on the morning. +The way is long, and our burdens heavy; but they will get lighter as we +move along. Our lodging for to-morrow night is Belford. I shall manage +so that we shall reach it before dark. The direct distance is only +fifteen miles; but we may travel thirty in quest of customers. You are +not now, as you were a few months since, to expect that customers will +come to you—the pack is a travelling counter, and must move about."</p> + +<p>Next morning, after an early breakfast, we crossed the Tweed, and walked +on, with our packs slung over our shoulders—the weather cool and +pleasing. I felt a buoyancy of spirits I had not experienced for some +time; I dreamed waking dreams, and built castles in the air. Wilson sung +snatches of songs. I had once more entered on a new walk in life, and +begun at the right end, as Wilson said in one of his sage remarks.</p> + +<p>"Square, your last misfortune arose from this—you began business at the +wrong end; you commenced too soon and too full. No man can manage money +well who knows not, by earning, the value of it. Be prudent—be cunning, +too, if you please; but use not your cunning to wrong any one—a +shilling won by fraud is a pound of loss. I have known many since I +began who have hastened to be rich in that way; but they have all failed +in their attempts. Those who once dealt would never deal with them +again; their means of success became every journey more circumscribed. +Here is a farm-steading—we must try how we are to succeed on the south +of the Tweed."</p> + +<p>I will not weary you with our hawking adventures. We progressed on our +journey with various success, but constantly with gain, our packs +lightening apace; I liking the profession very ill. I loved not money +sufficiently to bend my mind to the slights and insults we were often +forced to endure. Upon Wilson they had no effect in ruffling his temper. +He would smile, and, with a slyness of humour, turn their bitterest +taunts against the taunters, or banter them into good-humour, and effect +a sale. He would, indeed, be as good-humoured under insult as if he had +been civilly treated; while I was on the eve of bursting into a rage, +and either looking sulky or returning taunt for taunt. Indeed, before we +reached Northallerton, I had made up my mind to relinquish my new +calling as soon as we got to London; and told Wilson so. He shook his +head.</p> + +<p>"John Square, you are one of those who, for want of firmness, never get +on in the world. When there is an object to gain, we must not be scared +from it by trifles, or neglect an honest mean that leads to success. You +have commenced at the hardest part of a packman's life—his journey in +England. But, ho! here is Northallerton. To-morrow we will strike off +the eastern road, and go to York. I expect to see some acquaintances +there."</p> + +<p>Thus we journeyed on, I more through a dogged stubbornness not to yield, +than any love I had for the mode of life I had chosen, until we were a +few miles from York, where we overtook a brother of the trade. As soon +as he came in sight, Wilson said—</p> + +<p>"There is Simon Hepburn, the Praying Packman, as the profane call him, +or Pious Simon, his more befitting name; for he really is a good, +well-meaning man. I have known him for some years, neither richer nor +poorer; his pack or cash seldom exceeds twenty pounds, yet he could +easily increase his store, if he had ambition; but that he wants; and +his gains are always spent upon objects of charity or piety. He is never +without Bibles or pious books, which he bestows, in free gift, where he +thinks they may be of use; he has only particular houses where he stops, +and he is always a welcome guest, superseding the goodman of the house, +for the time, in the Christian office of a teacher. The most pleasing +and edifying evenings I have ever spent were with him. When he is in +Haddington, Widow Craig's is his home; and, although we are two of a +trade, happy am I when we meet. You shall judge for yourself. His +history is a most singular one, and nothing gives him more pleasure than +to relate it. Let him speak for himself."</p> + +<p>We quickened our pace, and soon overtook him. He was a man, to all +appearance, above sixty years of age; his hair was white as snow, with a +shade of care at times upon his regular features, that flitted off, and +was succeeded by a gleam of internal satisfaction. The smoothness of his +brow, and the fulness of his features, bore an unusual contrast to the +whiteness of his locks, the appearance of age and youth being strangely +combined, while his whole appearance was winning in the extreme. When we +came up to him, Bill said—</p> + +<p>"Simon, I am happy to have met you; how come you on?"</p> + +<p>"Far beyond my deserts," said he. "How are you? and how did you leave my +worthy friend the widow?"</p> + +<p>"In good health," said Bill; "I thank you. I have been just talking of +you to my friend Square here, who would feel obliged were you to give +him an outline of your strange history, as we walk on to York."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, Bill, certainly; it may be of use to him. He is a new +beginner in his present craft, as I was when the events happened that I +am going to relate.</p> + +<p>"The changes that occur both in nations and families," said Simon, "are +soon felt by the individuals. Lawsuits and bad management had reduced +the once extensive patrimony of our family to a small farm. At my +grandfather's death, my father, who had married, as his father thought, +far beneath him, had three sons. My oldest brother, before he succeeded, +went to Holland, having got a commission in the Scottish brigade; the +second attended the farm, at which I assisted until I was about +eighteen. I grew weary of farming, and resolved to become a merchant. I +was induced to this by the success of several who had left our +neighbourhood, done well after a few years' travel as packmen, and were +then settled in various towns, and prosperous. It was in the beginning +of May, as soon as the weather became settled, that I left the +neighbourhood of Annan, with a few pounds, on my way to Dumfries, and +thence to Edinburgh; my object being to furnish my pack. I had a +relation of my mother's, a wholesale merchant, in the first town, who +had promised to do all in his power for me, as far as advice and a few +articles would go. Cheerful and full of hope, I strode along, till, +within about two miles from Dumfries, I overtook a young and interesting +female, accompanied by a young man. We entered into conversation as we +walked along. She appeared sad, and often sighed; while he was taciturn, +and appeared to avoid conversation. When within a few hundred yards of +the town, they stopped behind for a minute or so, and then, the man +leaving her, she overtook me, and we entered the town together. I +learned from her that she was on her way to Edinburgh, and, having a +brother married in Dumfries, she was going to his house for some +articles belonging to her, and her fellow-traveller was to meet her +there.</p> + +<p>"Anxious to commence my new mode of life, I had soon completed my +business with my friend. He was standing at the door when I came up with +the young woman, and, laughing, inquired if she was my sweetheart or +wife. In the course of two or three hours, I was again upon the road +towards Moffat, on my way to Edinburgh, with my light pack upon my back, +as happy as a king. As I passed the side of a young plantation that +skirted the road, a few miles from Dumfries, I saw, lying on the side of +the way, a small bundle, tied in a silk handkerchief. I immediately +picked it up; and, after standing a few minutes, and looking around to +see if any one was in sight who might have dropped it, I called aloud, +but there was no answer. I continued my pace, rejoicing in my good +fortune. At about a quarter-of-a-mile from the spot, there was a +public-house, into which I entered, for a little refreshment, and to +inquire if they would purchase anything I could supply them. I placed +the bundle I had picked up and my pack upon the table, got what I asked +for, and then inquired if they would purchase. During my stay, two +farm-servants came in; and, when I was about to depart, they, seeing me +lift the bundle from the table, inquired if it was my own. I hesitated +for a moment, and, unfortunately, said that it was. They looked at each +other; no more passed, and I resumed my journey towards Moffat, which I +was anxious to reach before nightfall. I accomplished it; and, stopping +at a cheap lodging-house, had an early supper, and went soon to bed, +weary with my day's walk.</p> + +<p>"Scarce had I fallen asleep, when I was aroused by a loud knocking at +the door, and the sound of many voices. Before I was fully awake, I was +seized in my bed, and my hands bound tightly together. My terror became +extreme—I shook in every limb. In vain I strove to speak, and inquire +what all this meant. I could only see that every eye was bent on me with +an expression of horror and rage. My clothes were searched, and then +forced upon me. I was not allowed to assist myself—my hands were +unbound to get on my coat; but a man held each arm while another pulled. +They seemed afraid I would do something desperate, and were as coarse +and cautious as if I had been a ferocious animal; yet I was passive from +excess of fear; and, although numbers were speaking, I was in such a +state that I could not collect the purport of their conversation. +Execrations sounded in my ears above the confusion of voices, and the +first sentence I made out was spoken by my landlady:—'Oh, the +bloody-minded young wretch!' she cried. 'Who would have thought it, to +look at him? But I hope they will hang him as high as Haman. And, after +all, to come into a lone widow's house to bring disgrace on it. Take him +away, sirs, as quick as you can, or I shall be an undone woman, and my +character entirely lost.'</p> + +<p>"Astonished at what the woman said, I inquired what offence I had +committed—or where. O God! what was my horror to learn that I was +charged with murder!—that the bundle in my possession had been the +property of the victim of some ruthless villain—and that I was taken +for him! In vain I protested my innocence. The two men were present to +whom I had said, when they inquired, that the bundle was my own. I was +thus, by my own confession—if not a murderer—a convicted liar. No one, +for a moment, thought me innocent. So strong was their conviction of my +guilt, that had the laws not deterred them, they would have rejoiced to +have put me to death on the spot. Even this would have been kindness, in +a worldly sense, to what I was doomed to suffer.</p> + +<p>"It was nearly eleven o'clock at night, but clear and bright; the moon +was nearly full; the air a little sharp, but not cold, when I was +placed, bound hand and foot, in a cart, and accompanied by the two men +and two officers. I thought my heart would have burst. I opened not my +mouth to speak in answer to their questions, cruel taunts, and +upbraidings. I saw I was an object of horror and loathing to them—and +deservedly so, had I been the guilty creature they had cause to think +me. I passed the melancholy time we were upon the road in tears, and +prayers that my innocence might be made manifest; but I knew not yet the +extent of my misery. At length the cart stopped at the door of the +public-house; my feet were loosened, and I was desired to come down, and +enter the same room where I had been in the afternoon. A crowd of +horrorstricken people were huddled round the fireplace. In the wooden +bed lay an object, covered with a white sheet, resembling a human body. +I had never seen a corpse laid out in my life; yet the idea rushed upon +my mind that this was one; and my blood curdled in my veins, as the +conviction came over me that it was one that had met its fate by +violence. I trembled, while the large drops of sweat stood upon my brow. +All eyes were turned to me; a grim smile of malicious satisfaction was +on the faces of some, while horror and pity were equally strongly marked +upon the countenances of others. My natural feelings were, to all +present, a sure indication of my guilt. I would have sunk to the ground +had not the two men supported me. My head fell upon my breast. I +requested a little water, in a voice scarcely audible. It was given me, +and the sickness went off. One of the officers then, taking a lamp, went +to the bed, and removed the sheet from the body. My eyes involuntarily +followed him; a cry of horror escaped my lips; and I felt my muscles +become rigid. Before me lay the body of the female I had parted with in +health early in the forenoon, at the shop-door of my relation, +shockingly mangled, her long fair hair clotted with blood, and her mild +blue eyes, that had smiled upon me, dulled by the shade of death. I +could only groan. My sufferings at this sight were beyond utterance. All +in the room moved to the bed, and placed their hands upon the bosom of +the dead, and protested their innocence. I was ordered to do the same; +but I could not summon resolution to touch the body. My whole nature +revolted from the contact.</p> + +<p>"'I am innocent!' I cried; 'God knows I am innocent! I know nothing of +this foul murder. Ask me to cut off my hand, or place it in the burning +fire, among the live coals; but ask me not to touch that bloody body, +for pity's sake!'</p> + +<p>"My appeals were vain; they only served to confirm the prepossessions of +my hearers that I was guilty. As I stood, shrinking from the fearful +object as far as those who held me would permit, a cry arose that I was +the murderer beyond a doubt, and that I should be compelled to touch the +body. One of the officers seized my hand; those who held me pushed me +towards the bed; I struggled in vain; my hand was held fast as I was +forced along; and the consequence was, that it came with force upon the +chest of the murdered victim, when a gurgling sound issued from the +gaping wound. I became insensible.</p> + +<p>"When my faculties returned, it was the grey of the morning. We were +entering the town of Dumfries; I in the cart, and the murdered body by +my side. I was lodged in the jail—a criminal already condemned in the +eyes of my fellow-men. Even the felons and debtors in prison avoided my +society. At my examination before the sheriff, I trembled at the array +of circumstantial evidence that was brought against me. My own relation +admitted that he had seen us together at his shop-door. The young woman +had gone from thence to her brother's, and staid only a short +time—telling them she was on her way to Edinburgh, and was to meet a +young man, who was to accompany her there. She had been seen by the two +men lingering upon the Moffat road, near the planting, a short time +before, with the same bundle in her hand that I had said was mine when +they saw me in the public-house with it in my possession. They had +thought it strange, but paid no attention until the body of the young +woman was discovered in the wood a few hours after, and still warm. I +had been pursued, and the property proved to belong to the victim of my +cruelty. My terror at being apprehended, and my refusal to touch the +dead body, all militated against me. I was fully committed as the +murderer, without hope of escape, innocent as I was of the crime. To +this damning evidence, all I had to advance was my unheeded assertion of +my innocence.</p> + +<p>"From the beginning of May until the month of September I lay in jail—a +stranger to comfort of any kind. Every anguish was mine, except remorse. +I was looked upon by all, except my parents, as the most hardened +villain on earth. No one doubted my guilt, except my parents; and it was +only their parental feelings that made them doubt and pray that, if +innocent, the really guilty might be discovered. I will not attempt to +describe the scenes between me and my parents. They both wished that the +grave might hide their shame before the fatal day of the execution of +their son; for all chance of proving my innocence seemed out of the +question. The worthy minister that visited the jail firmly believed in +my guilt; to all my solemn asseverations of innocence, he only replied +by holding forth on the dangers of hardened crime, with earnest +exhortations for me to confess and make atonement as far as was in my +power. He would for hours lay before me the horrors of appearing before +my Maker with a lie in my mouth. My pride was wounded by the good man's +well-meant efforts. I began to avoid him as much as possible; and, when +I could not, I was silent and sullen. This, also, was held to be a sure +token of my guilt. Alas! I was not hardened; but I was heart-broken. My +Bible was my only companion—my soother and support; for I found no +threat there but against the wicked. Its Author was the searcher of +hearts. In it I found I was really guilty of many crimes which my +fellow-men thought nothing of; but there I also found a Saviour and +Mediator. My mind became humbled and composed; and, while I still +solemnly asserted my innocence of the murder, I did it with temper and +meekness.</p> + +<p>"'Worthy sir,' I said to the clergyman, 'appearances have deceived you. +If it is the will of God that the innocent should suffer, for some wise +purpose, his will be done. If it is not so, my guiltlessness of blood +will be made evident in this world—at least I shall be declared +innocent on that great day when all shall render their account—in this +matter, innocent, save of the guilty falsehood I stated, that the +unfortunate female's bundle was my own. Alas! I wished not to keep the +property from the rightful owner. My thought at the time was, that, if I +owned that I had found it, they would take it from me, or make a +disturbance about it. Had they only said a few words more, I had told +the truth; and thus, probably, have contributed to the proof of my +innocence.'</p> + +<p>"At length, the Lords of Justiciary entered the town. None but those who +are within the walls of a jail, awaiting their arrival, can conceive the +dread sensation of fear and hope awakened in the breasts of criminals by +the clang of the trumpets and shouting of the mob, as the pageant +proceeds through the streets. How bitter are the feelings produced by +the joyous shouts of the thoughtless people! forgetful, or heedless, of +the fates of their fellow-mortals. Next day I was led into the court, +more dead than alive. My head became giddy. Everything before me—the +crowded court, the judges, jury, and officers—became a confused mass; a +murmur as if of horror sounded in my ears from the assembled multitude; +the fatal bundle lay upon the table before me. At length all was ready; +and, the indictment having been read aloud by the clerk, the judge, in a +solemn voice, asked if I was guilty or not. After a gasp or two for +breath—</p> + +<p>"'O my lord!' I said, 'I am as guiltless of this crime as the unborn +babe. Have mercy on me!' And I sank upon the table before me, +overpowered.</p> + +<p>"The public prosecutor then opened the case, and harrowed up my soul +with the fearful account of the diabolical deed. He almost persuaded me +I was the murderer; so clearly did he reason from appearances. The +witnesses were called; a chain of circumstantial evidence was made out; +all that was awanting in it was, that I had not been seen to do the +deed. Witnesses I had not one. Those whom I could have called could have +said nothing but what they had already said, and it was wrested to my +disadvantage by my own story; for I was a self-convicted liar, and +little better than a thief, in my attempt to appropriate what was not my +own—even in the most favourable construction my able counsel could put +upon my case. The jury, without leaving their box, pronounced me guilty, +without a dissentient voice. The judge put on the fearful black hat upon +his head; and, after a heart-harrowing speech upon my guilt, pronounced +sentence of death upon me. I was to be taken back to the jail, and from +thence to the spot where the murder had been committed, and hung in +chains on the second market-day in October. How I was removed from the +court I cannot tell; neither can I tell what intervened for some hours. +The last thing strongly impressed upon my memory is a burst of +satisfaction in the court, when the sentence was passed upon me, and the +hooting of the crowd without; yet, strange to say, I slept soundly after +the irons were riveted upon my ankles, and awoke to find my doom fixed, +and my days on earth numbered. I became, in a manner, resigned to my +fate. Indeed, save for my parents, I had no other regret in leaving the +world; yet, at times, an anxious wish would steal upon my mind that I +might be saved from my unmerited death. It was the shuddering of nature +at entering upon eternity. The hope never left me that my innocence +would, at one time or another, sooner or later, be made manifest to my +fellow-men—for murder will not hide, nor innocent blood cry from the +earth in vain. The hours flew past with fearful rapidity; the +neighbouring clock seemed never to cease to strike the hour. Night +followed day, and day night, as if there was no interval between; yet +there was a heaviness upon me that bowed me down. My last Sabbath on +earth arrived; the day was spent in devotion—my heart-broken parents, +who now were convinced of my innocence, pouring out their souls with +mine to the Throne of Grace. If ever there was on earth a foretaste of +the joys of heaven, I felt it that day in the condemned cell, loaded +with irons. We had taken farewell of each other, in the full assurance +of soon meeting where there is no sorrow or shame. The bitterness of +death was past. My thoughts were no longer of this world.</p> + +<p>"The Monday passed on. There was but one whole day more for me on the +earth. Wednesday was to be my last. On the morning of Tuesday, as soon +as the jail was opened, my brother, who had always thought hardly of me, +and visited me only twice, rushed into my cell, and, weeping, fell upon +my bosom. After a few minutes, he sobbed—</p> + +<p>"'My brother! Simon, my brother! can you forgive me for thinking so +hardly of you?'</p> + +<p>"'My brother,' I replied, 'I have ever thought of you in grief and pity, +never in anger. My heart blesses you for this kindness.'</p> + +<p>"'You are innocent, my own Simon! You are cleared of this crime. All is +made manifest. The worthy minister is at present with the provost, who +will write to the sheriff to delay the fatal day, until your pardon +come.'</p> + +<p>"I heard no more: a faintness came over me; my heart ceased to beat, and +all consciousness left me for some time. When I recovered, we fell upon +our knees, and poured out our souls in thanksgivings. At that time I +dedicated the whole remainder of my days to the service of that merciful +God who had made clear my innocence, and spared my parents and friends +from shame.</p> + +<p>"When we had become composed, I learned from him the wonderful manner in +which my innocence had been discovered, and the guilty punished by the +hand of the sufferer's own brother. She had resided in the parish of +Caerlaverock, with a brother, a widower, as his housekeeper, for some +years; and it had been understood that she was soon to marry a young +man, a stranger, who had come some years before into the parish. He was +on intimate terms with her brother; but her other friends did not +approve of the connection, as his character was none of the best. Her +brother was of a thoughtless, jovial disposition, and saw no harm in +him, for he was an excellent boon-companion, and they were thus +inseparable on all occasions of festivity. On the Saturday afternoon +before the day appointed for my execution, they had gone out with their +guns to shoot for amusement. Both had been drinking pretty hard; and it +was observed that the stranger had for some time almost entirely given +himself up to intoxication, especially since the death of Grace, his +sweetheart. This was attributed to his grief, and begat pity for him, +and no one was more assiduous in endeavouring to cheer his gloom than +her brother. After their search for game, they were returning to the +village, when, by some accident, the gun which Grace's brother carried +went off, and lodged its contents in the body of his companion, who +fell, dreadfully wounded. A surgeon was sent for, who gave little hopes +of his recovery. No blame could be attached to his companion, as the +accident was seen by several, and the grief of Grace's brother was +excessive. On the Sabbath, the stranger was much worse. His mind seemed +to suffer more than his body; and words of fearful import escaped from +him at intervals, which harrowed up the souls of those who attended him. +Cries of despair, mixed with horrid imprecations, burst from his lips. +Yet death evidently was approaching fast to seize his victim. When they +spoke of sending for the minister to pray with and console him, he +blasphemed, and thus spent he his last Sabbath on earth. Through the +night he fell into a troubled sleep, and began to mutter. Gradually his +words became more distinct. He talked of Grace, and recounted her murder +as he had perpetrated it; writhed in remorse, and called for mercy from +my injured spirit, as if I had already suffered. As soon as the morning +dawned, the minister was sent for, and what the guilty man had said in +his sleep recounted to him. He was now very low; the hand of death was +on him; and, for some time, he was deaf to the remonstrances of the +divine. But at length he confessed all; told that they would find the +knife with which he had done the fearful crime buried at the back of the +cottage where he lay. All was written down by the minister. The knife +was found, stained with the blood of his victim. I was now as much the +object of pity as I had been of hatred and horror. That day my irons +were struck off; I had the freedom of the jail until my pardon arrived, +and was visited by numbers of the inhabitants, who loaded me with +presents. But my feelings of gratitude were principally awakened on my +parents' account, for the joy it imparted to them. Many, many years have +passed since that event, but it is ever present with me, and spurs me on +in my labours of love, in comforting and winning souls to God."</p> + +<p>So deeply had I been interested in the narrative of the Pious Pedlar, +that we had reached York, and stood at the door of the Duke of +Marlborough public-house, before I was aware of the distance we had +walked after he commenced. As this was the house where Bill and a number +of others in his line were in the habit of staying during the time they +were in the town, we entered, and found two or three, who, like +ourselves, had come to purchase goods. I was astonished at the haughty +manner in which they returned our salutation. The landlord, who seemed +to know all his guests well, received William and Simon with a hearty +welcome; and, shaking me by the hand, wished me success in my new +calling, expressing his hope that I would find everything in the +Marlborough to my liking. We were then ushered into a small room, where +dinner was to be served to us. When we were comfortably seated, I +remarked to Bill the impression the lofty bearing of the others had made +upon me, and inquired if he knew the cause. He laughed—</p> + +<p>"Quite well," said he; "there is an aristocracy among pedlars as well as +other callings. They belong to the waggoners, and would think it a +degradation to associate with us bearers. We are a grade beneath them; +besides, the waggoners are, for the most part, gentlemen by birth—the +younger cadets of decayed houses of long standing. With a little capital +to commence with, they never dealt in small quantities, their line lying +in supplying the retailers in distant towns, and many of them are very +wealthy. Upon my return from London, when I have purchased my horse and +waggon, I will be entitled to rank with them, but will never be treated +as the equal of those who have both birth and waggons; nevertheless, I +will be a waggoner until I commence business in my own shop, when I will +be a grade higher than even waggoner; and, with economy and my usual +perseverance, I may be a bailie, or even provost, of the town I settle +in. Only think of that, John Square! Stick to your present occupation, +and, without trusting the stormy ocean, you may, by following my +counsel, succeed as well as I or any one."</p> + +<p>"My young friend," said the pious Simon, "all these are good in +subjection; but a higher aim ought to be your guide through life; for +all these give not peace to the soul."</p> + +<p>While he spoke, we were joined by other two of our own rank, to whom my +two companions were barely civil, and very distant. Both were well +advanced in years, with a forward cast of countenance and a look of low +cunning strangely blended, which they endeavoured to make pass for +frankness. Having settled our small bill, and left our packs in charge +of the landlord, I walked out to see the minster, they to transact some +business of their own.</p> + +<p>I returned when the shades of evening fell, and found that Wilson and +Simon had arrived some time before me, and were seated by themselves. +There were several others in the room in general conversation, in which +we took no part. The two whom I had left before I went out were still in +the same position, evidently under the influence of liquor. They were +clearly unwelcome; their conversation was only calculated to beget +disgust in well-regulated minds, consisting of anecdotes of fraud and +imposition, of which they seemed proud of being the heroes.</p> + +<p>"These two," said Simon to me, "are a specimen of those who bring +disrepute upon any callings, and much more so on ours. They are not +without talents, but they cultivate them to unprofitable ends. I have +known them for many years; and, with all their boasted cunning, they +are, I believe, poorer at this moment than they were when I first knew +them, and must still become poorer, for their character is gone. The +public fear to deal with them, and will not do it, even when they would +act honestly. They are forced to range far, to places where they are +unknown; and even there they are every year circumscribing and planting +thorns for others to walk over. They, besides, are ever under the fear +of injury from some one or other whom they have defrauded. Such are the +fruits of dishonest dealing."</p> + +<p>All our business being transacted, it was agreed that we should continue +our route for London, to purchase silks and light goods, and return by +the same route to Scotland. William having purchased a small waggon and +horse, together with a small assortment of woollens, my stock remained +much the same, and was slung over my shoulder, save when, for ease, and +there were no houses on the road, I placed it in the waggon; for I was +weary of my pedlar's life, and only endured it until I should reach +London. We arrived at Hatfield, about twenty-five miles from London, +early in the afternoon, and resolved to stay for the night, as Wilson +had hopes of doing some good in the neighbourhood. As for me, I had +ceased, much to his chagrin, to attempt any sales, as my pack was now +much reduced. While he was gone, I sat at the inn-door, amusing myself +in the best manner I could—sometimes musing on my strange fate, at +others gazing listlessly upon the passers-by—when a post-chaise drove +up to the door at a furious rate. The horses were extremely blown, and +covered with perspiration. A gentleman and lady descended from the +chaise; she evidently was under restraint, and looked anxiously and +fearfully around. Our eyes met; I thought she gave her hand that was +disengaged a movement, as if she wished me to come to her. She was in +tears. I rose, and moved to approach, but she was hurried into the house +before I could advance; for I was in doubt—yet her look expressed what +her hand signalled. I thought it strange, for a moment; but this feeling +died away, for I might have been deceived. The gentleman came to the +door, to hurry the people, as they were rather slow, as he thought, in +procuring fresh horses. I good-naturedly went to assist the postilion. +As I stood before the chaise, I looked up to one of the windows, and saw +the female weeping at it. Our eyes again met; she clasped her hands +imploringly, and, taking a small packet, placed it behind the +window-shutter, and, raising her clasped hands to heaven, looked +earnestly at me. I gave a nod of assent. She retired from the window. +All this had passed quickly as a shadow. In a few minutes they were +again in the chaise. As it passed off, I again gave a nod, and a languid +smile passed over her face. I entered the house, and inquired of the +landlord who they were; but got no information, as he said they were +unknown to him. I requested to have a glass of brandy-and-water in the +room where the lady had been. As soon as it was brought, and he had +retired, I looked behind the window-shutter, and, taking out the parcel, +found it to contain a sum of money and a sealed letter, upon the inside +of the wrapper of which was written in pencil—"Benevolent stranger, +whoever you are, for mercy's sake and all that is dear to you, deliver +this as directed, with your utmost despatch, and snatch a +fellow-creature from misery. Let this supply your immediate wants, and +an ample reward shall follow. Use all despatch, I again implore you."</p> + +<p>I was for a few minutes lost in amazement. The letter was addressed to +Captain James H——, Strand, London. Could this be my old patron and +captain? There was not one moment to lose. I descended to the bar, and +told the landlord I must set off for London immediately, and requested +his advice how I was to proceed. He told me I must make the journey on +horseback, as he had not another pair of horses. I told him that was +impossible, as I had never been on horseback in my life, and I could +walk it faster and with more ease than I could ride. I would walk on to +Barnet before dark, and get a chaise there if I could find none sooner. +As I was on the eve of setting off, he found means to procure an old +phęton; and, while it was getting ready, I wrote to Wilson that +circumstances forced me to London, but that I would perhaps see him in +the morning. At all events, I made him heartily welcome to my pack, as I +meant to carry it no more, wishing him health and prosperity if we +should not meet.</p> + +<p>I mounted the high-hung, crazy vehicle, with a lad to drive and bring it +back, having satisfied mine host to his utmost wish. By half-past ten +o'clock, I reached the jeweller's in the Strand, whose first floor +Captain H——occupied, and found him at home. His lady was also present. +His surprise was great at my entering. Our joy was mutual, and only +damped by my relating the strange manner in which I had again had the +pleasure of seeing him. He broke the letter open, and having hastily +perused it, turned to his wife, who sat pale and anxiously looking at +him—"My love, I must be off this instant, and endeavour to rescue +Catherine from her unpleasant thraldom. Do not be alarmed—there is no +danger. During the time I am getting all ready, you may peruse the +letter." Saying this, he rung the bell, and ordered his servant to +procure a post-chaise as quickly as he could, and send in refreshments +for me. Mrs H—— was dissolved in tears, as she had read the letter to +an end. When we were again alone, "James," said she, "this proceeding of +Master Wilton is very cruel to my cousin; although he is her guardian, +he has, I should think, no right to wound her feelings, and hurry her +about the country in this mysterious manner. I am fearful he has some +reason he is ashamed to confess. My dear James, be careful of yourself +for my sake; I shall be miserable until your return."</p> + +<p>"There is not the smallest occasion, my love; I shall write you as soon +as I arrive at Mr Wilton's. In the morning, you must write a note to Mr +Stenton, to call upon you. Show him your cousin's letter, and order him +to take what steps he may judge necessary in this affair."</p> + +<p>"Can it be possible," said she, "that my aunt approves of this +proceeding? He could not have removed Catherine without her consent."</p> + +<p>"I shall soon know, my love. The dear girl must not be allowed to suffer +from their designs or caprice."</p> + +<p>At this moment the chaise was announced to be at the door, and in a +short time we were in it, and rattling along towards Barnet, where we +changed horses, and were in Hatfield a little after daybreak. During our +dark and comfortless ride, I told him all that had befallen me since we +parted in Lisbon. He had only been in London a few months, where he had +come upon business—an uncle of his wife's having died some time before, +leaving the bulk of his fortune to his two <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'neices'">nieces</ins>—Catherine, the young +lady whose letter I had brought to London, and his wife. To Catherine, +his favourite sister's daughter, he had left, besides an equal sum in +cash, all his landed and other property. Mr Wilton's sister, the aunt of +both, was a rich widow, but of a morose and finical temper. Catherine +had been brought up by her some fifty miles from London, and Mr H—— +had no idea until my arrival that she had not been still with her. "I +hope there is no foolish love affair in this strange business," said he; +"for Catherine is a warmhearted, susceptible girl. Her father was our +countryman, and my intimate friend."</p> + +<p>As Mr Wilton's property lay near Baldock, about eighteen miles distant, +and no post-horses were to be got, the captain, on horseback, set off +alone; I was to follow on foot, which I preferred, to Stevenage, where I +was to wait until I heard from him. After a hasty parting from my +fellow-traveller Wilson, which was not without regret on both sides, I +set off for Stevenage; he saying, as he shook my hand—</p> + +<p>"John Square, I hope you will never want, but you will never be rich. +You are as unstable as water."</p> + +<p>I had only been in the inn at Stevenage a short time, when a servant +arrived with a note, informing me that Captain H—— had got all +arranged to his satisfaction, and would return to London on the +following day, requesting me to hasten thither with a letter for Mrs +H——; which I did, and took lodgings for myself in Lower Thames Street. +When the captain and I again met, I found present the young lady and +another gentleman. I was most graciously received by all. The uncle of +Catherine was likewise present, and, turning to his niece, said—</p> + +<p>"So this is the messenger you contrived to engage, strictly as I watched +you in this foolish affair. I see that a woman's invention, like her +love, has no bounds"—saying which, he good-humouredly patted the happy +and blushing Catherine under the chin.</p> + +<p>The captain retired with me to a separate room, where he told me that +the whole had arisen out of the anger of his wife's aunt, who had set +her heart upon marrying her niece to a young clergyman of her +neighbourhood, for whom she had not the smallest regard, and whose +assiduities were hateful to her, as her heart was already engaged to Mr +Stenton, a distant relation of her own; but, as his circumstances were +not sufficiently prosperous to enable them to marry, she had concealed +their love from all but Mrs H——.</p> + +<p>"The death of her uncle, and my arrival in London, altered her views. +She rebelled against her aunt's authority, and refused to see the +clergyman as a lover. This threw the old lady into a paroxysm of rage. +Poor Catherine was locked up, and, all her repositories being searched, +Mr Stenton's letters were found. They were immediately sealed up, and a +letter written to Mr Wilton, her brother, of the most alarming kind for +the safety of his now wealthy niece, representing that she meant to +throw herself and fortune away upon some peasant in the neighbourhood. +He had posted, on receipt of the packet, to his sister, when his fears +were further excited by the old lady's conjectures. Catherine was +unconscious of what had passed, until she was summoned to the presence +of her uncle, whom she had seldom before seen. He is a good-hearted, but +a positive, irascible man. No explanation was asked. When all appeared +so plain against the trembling girl, she was, by her uncle and aunt, +hurried into a post-chaise, and was on her way to Mr Wilton's. She had +contrived to write to me during the short time she was allowed to +prepare for the journey, but had no opportunity until, struck by your +manners, she resolved to shorten her confinement by trusting you, as her +uncle's anger was so great that he had scarce spoken to her since they +entered the chaise, but to threaten and abuse her. When I arrived, an +explanation and reconciliation had taken place, and the marriage will +follow in a few weeks. It only remains for you to consider in what +manner we can serve you."</p> + +<p>I returned him my thanks for their kind intentions; and said the young +lady's purse, which I would not affront them by offering to return, was +much more than sufficient reward for all I had done; and, begging I +might not detain him longer from his friends, I bade him adieu, +promising to call in a day or two.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="11">CHARLES LAWSON.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">"Tak a faither's advice, Betty, my woman," said Andrew Weir to his only +daughter—"tak a faither's advice, and avoid gaun blindfolded to your +ruin. Ye are sune aneugh to marry these seven years yet. Marry! preserve +us! for I dinna ken what the generation is turning to, but I'll declare +bits o' lasses now-a-days haena the dolls weel oot o' their arms, till +they tak a guidman by the hand. But aboon everything earthly, I wad +impress it upon ye, bairn, that ye canna be owre carefu o' your company; +mind that a character is a' a woman has to carry her through the warld, +and ye should guard it like the apple o' your e'e; and remember, that +folk are aye judged o' frae the company they keep. Now, how often maun I +warn ye no to be seen wi' Charles Lawson? He's a clever lad, nae +doubt—naebody denies that; but, oh, Betty, Betty, woman! wad ye only +reflect that a' gifts are no graces; and I am far mistaen if he hasna a +serpent's heart as weel as his tongue. He has naething o' the fear o' +God before his een—ye canna deny that. In ae word, he is a wild, +thoughtless ne'er-do-weel; and I charge ye—I command ye—Betty, that ye +ne'er speak to him again in your born days; or, if ye do, ye surely will +hae but little satisfaction to break your faither's heart, and bring him +to the grave wi' sorrow and wi' shame—for that, Betty, that wad be the +end o't."</p> + +<p>Elizabeth heard him, and bent her head upon her bosom to conceal her +confusion. The parental homily was too late—she was already the wife of +Charles Lawson.</p> + +<p>Having thus begun our story in the middle, it is necessary that we go +back, and inform the reader, in a few words, that Andrew Weir was a +respectable farmer on the north side of the Tweed, and withal a decent +and devout Presbyterian, and an elder in the kirk. Charles Lawson's +parents were originally from Northumberland. They had known better days, +and, at the period we have alluded to, were struggling with a hard farm +in the neighbourhood of Andrew Weir's. Charles was not exactly what his +father-in-law had described him; and, were we to express his portrait in +a line, we should say, he had blue eyes and a broad brow, a goodly form +and open heart. The ringlets which parted on Elizabeth's forehead were +like the raven's wing, and loveliness, if not beauty, nestled around the +dimples on her cheeks. Their affection for each other began in +childhood, and grew with their years, till it became strong as their +existence.</p> + +<p>A few weeks after Andrew Weir had delivered the advice we have quoted to +his daughter, Charles Lawson bade farewell to his parents, his wife, and +his country, and proceeded to India, where a relative of his mother's +had amassed a fortune, and who, while he refused to assist them in their +distress, had promised to make provision for their son. As we are not +writing a novel in three volumes, we shall not describe the scene of +their parting, and tell with what agony, with what tears, and with what +bitter words, Charles tore himself from his father, his mother, and his +yet unacknowledged wife. The imagination of the reader may supply the +blank. Hope urged him to go—necessity compelled him.</p> + +<p>After his departure, Elizabeth drooped like an early lily beneath the +influence of a returning frost. There were whisperings among the matrons +and maidens of the neigbouring village. They who had formerly courted +her society began to shun it; and even the rude clown, who lately stood +abashed in her presence, approached her with indecent familiarity. The +fatal whisper first reached Andrew's ear at a meeting of the +kirk-session, of which he was a member. He returned home troubled in +spirit, a miserable and a humbled man, for his daughter had been his +pride. Poor Elizabeth confessed that she was married, and attempted to +prove what she affirmed. But this afforded no palliation of her offence +in the eyes of her rigid and offended father.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what hae I been born to suffer ?" cried he, stamping his feet upon +the ground. "O, you Witch o' Endor!—you Jezebel!—you disgrace o' kith +and kin! Could naething—naething serve ye but breaking your puir auld +faither's heart? Get out o' my sicht!—get out o' my sicht!"</p> + +<p>He remained silent for a few moments—the parent arose in his +heart—tears gathered in his eyes.</p> + +<p>"But ye are still my bairn," he continued. "Oh, Betty, Betty, woman! +what hae ye brocht us to?"</p> + +<p>Again he was silent, and again proceeded—</p> + +<p>"But I forgie ye, Betty! Yes, if naebody else will, your faither will +forgie ye for your mother's sake, for ye are a' that I hae left o' her. +But we canna haud up our heads again in this pairt o' the +country—that's impossible. I've lang thocht o' gaun to America; and now +I'm driven till't."</p> + +<p>He parted with his farm, and in the ensuing spring proceeded with his +daughter to Canada. We shall not enter upon his fortunes in the New +World—he was still broken in spirit; and, after twelve years' +residence, he was neither richer nor happier than when he left Scotland. +Elizabeth was now a mother, and the smiles of her young son seemed to +shorten the years of her exile; yet, ever as she returned his smile, the +thought of the husband of her youth flashed back on her remembrance, and +anguish and misery shot through her bosom as the eagle darteth on its +prey. Her heart was not broken; but it fell like a proud citadel, +burying the determined garrison.</p> + +<p>Charles Lawson had not been in India many months, when a party of native +troops attacking the property of his relative, Charles, who had fallen +wounded amongst them, was carried by them in their retreat into the +interior of the country, where, for several years, he was cut off from +all intercourse or communication with his countrymen. On obtaining his +liberty, he found that his kinsman had been for some time dead, and had +left him his heir. His wife—his parents—doubt—anxiety—impatient +affection—trembling hope—all hastened his return. At length the white +cliffs of Albion appeared before him, like a fair cloud spread on the +unruffled bosom of the ocean; and in a few days more the green hills of +his childhood met his anxious eye.</p> + +<p>It was the grey hour of a summer night as he again approached the roof +that sheltered his childhood. His horse as if conscious of supporting an +almost unconscious rider, stopped involuntarily at the threshold. He +trembled upon the saddle as a leaf that rustles in the wind. He raised +his hand to knock at the door, but again withdrew it. The inmates of the +house, aroused by the sound of a horse stopping at the door, came out to +inquire the cause. Charles gazed upon them for a moment—it was a look +of agony and disappointment—his heart gave one convulsive throb, and +the icy sweat burst from his temples.</p> + +<p>"Does not—does not Mr Lawson live here?" he inquired, almost gasping +for words to convey the question.</p> + +<p>"Mr Lawson! Na, na, sir," replied the senior of the group, "it's lang +since he gaed awa. Ye ken he gaed a' wrang, puir man, and he's no lived +here since the hard winter, for they didna come upon this parish."</p> + +<p>"Did not come upon this parish!" exclaimed Charles; "heaven and earth! +what do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Mean! what wad I mean," answered the other, "but just that they were +removed to their ain parish! Is there ony disgrace in that?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, my father!—my poor mother!" cried Charles, wildly.</p> + +<p>"Mercy, sir!" rejoined the astonished farmer, "are ye Maister Charles? +Bairns! haste ye, tak the horse to the stable. Losh, Charles, man, and +how hae ye been? But ye dinna ken me, man; I'm your auld schulefellow, +Bob Graham, and this is my wife, Mysie Allan—ye mind o' Mysie! Haste +ye, Mysie lass, kill twa ducks, and the bairns and me will hool the +peas. Really, Charles, man, I'm sae glad to see ye!"</p> + +<p>During this harangue, Charles, led by his warmhearted friend, had +entered the dwelling of his nativity; where Mr Graham again continued—</p> + +<p>"Ye aiblins dinna ken that auld Andrew Weir was sae sair in the dorts +when ye gaed awa, that he set aff wi' Betty for America. But I hear they +are comin hame again this back end. The bairn will be a stout callant +noo, and faith ye maun marry Betty, for she was a mensefu lass."</p> + +<p>Charles could only reply by exclaiming—</p> + +<p>"America!—my wife!—my child!"</p> + +<p>Having ascertained where he would find his parents, early on the +following morning he departed, and about five in the afternoon +approached the village where he had been told they resided. When near +the little burying-ground, he stopped to look upon the most melancholy +funeral procession he had ever witnessed. The humble coffin was scarce +coloured, and they who bore it seemed tired of their burden. Three or +four aged and poor-looking people walked behind it. Scarce was it +lowered into the grave, ere all departed save one, meanly clothed in +widow's weeds, and bent rather with the load of grief than of years. She +alone lingered, weeping over the hastily-covered grave.</p> + +<p>"She seems poor," said Charles, "and if I cannot comfort her, I may at +least relieve her necessities;" and, fastening his horse to the gate, he +entered the churchyard.</p> + +<p>She held an old handkerchief before her face, only removing it at +intervals to steal a hurried glance at the new-made grave.</p> + +<p>"Good woman," said Charles, as he approached her, "your sorrows demand +my sympathy—could I assist you?"</p> + +<p>"No! no!" replied the poor widow, without raising her face; "but I thank +you for your kindness. Can the grave give up its dead?"</p> + +<p>"But why should you remain here?" said he, with emotion; "tell me, could +not I assist you?" And he placed a piece of money in her hand.</p> + +<p>"No! no!" cried the widow, bitterly, and raising her head; "oh, that +Mary Lawson should have lived to be offered charity on her husband's +grave!"</p> + +<p>"My mother! Gracious heaven, my mother!" exclaimed Charles, casting his +arms around her neck.</p> + +<p>Shall we describe the scene that followed? We will not—we cannot. He +had seen his father laid in the dust, he had met his mother on his +father's grave——But we will not go on.</p> + +<p>It was some weeks after this that he proceeded with his widowed mother +to his native village, to wait the return of Elizabeth. Nor had he to +wait; for, on the day previous to his return, Elizabeth, her son, and +her father, had arrived. Charles and his parent had reached Mr +Graham's—the honest farmer rushed to the door, and, hurrying both +towards the house, exclaimed—</p> + +<p>"Now, see if you can find onybody that ye ken here!"</p> + +<p>His Elizabeth—his wife—his son—were there to meet him; the next +moment she was upon his bosom, and her child clinging by her side, and +gazing on his face. He alternately held both to his heart—the mother +and her son. Andrew Weir took his hand—his mother wept with joy, and +blessed her children. Bob Graham and his Mysie were as happy as their +guests. Charles Lawson bought the farm which Andrew Weir had formerly +tenanted; and, our informant adds, they live on it still.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2 class="p3">BON GAULTIER'S TALES.</h2> + +<h3><a name="12">MRS HUMPHREY GREENWOOD'S TEA-PARTY.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">Mrs Humphrey Greenwood was a stirring, lively, good-natured sort of +person; had touched the meridian of her years; was mistress of a +comfortable income; and possessed, withal, the privileged vivacity of a +widow. Nobody gave nicer tea-parties than she; nobody managed to keep +such a number of eligible bachelors on her visiting-list, and +possessing, as she did, the nicest discrimination in drafting these in +among the young ladies under her patronage, what wonder if no +inconsiderable proportion of the matrimonial arrangements of her friends +deduced their origin from these dangerously-seductive sofas in her snug +little drawing-room?</p> + +<p>It was in that snug little drawing-room that Mr Simon Silky first saw +the future Mrs Simon; it was on one of those dangerously-seductive sofas +that he found courage to put that question which procured him a better +half, and a comfortable settlement for life for Miss Jemima Linton.</p> + +<p>Miss Jemima Linton was still in that fluctuating period, between girl +and womanhood, at which young ladies giggle a great deal, and seem to be +always in a flutter, when Mr Simon Silky first met her. She was fair in +complexion, with light hair and blue eyes; her face, in short, had all +the delicacy of a wax doll, and nearly as much expression. She could say +"yes, sir!" and "no, sir!" at the proper intervals in the course of a +<i>tźte-ą-tźte</i> conversation, and, when warmed a little into familiarity +and ease, could even hazard an observation with reference to the +weather, without changing colour above twice in the course of it. In a +word, she was one of those excessively bashful and retiring young +ladies, who always look as if they thought a man was going to make +violent love to them, and who, if your conversation happen to diverge +from the beaten track of the smallest of small talk, take fright, and +are off as fast as possible to whisper to some of their companions, "La! +what a strange man that is!"</p> + +<p>This was the very kind of person for Mr Simon Silky, who was a bit of a +sentimentalist in his way. When he met Miss Jemima Linton, the fair +ideal on whom his fancy had often dwelt seemed to be realised. He came, +he saw, and was conquered.</p> + +<p>On entering Mrs Greenwood's drawing-room, one evening that he had been +invited there to meet "a few friends in an easy way," having arrived +rather late, he found the party already assembled. The fire blazed +cheerfully out upon a bevy of tittering misses, who were seated on +either side of it, whispering to each other in a timid and confidential +tone, with here and there a young man amongst them making convulsive +efforts to render himself amusing, while two or three putty-faced +juniors, with very white shirt-collars, and very brightly-polished +pumps—who had been called in to stop gaps in quadrilles, and render +themselves otherwise useful—sat in the background, for the most part +two on a chair, and speculating how many of the cakes that glistened on +the table they might appropriate to themselves with any degree of +decency. Mrs Humphrey Greenwood, the presiding divinity of this motley +gathering, vulgarly yclept a "cookie-shine," was planted behind a +brightly-burnished brass urn of liberal dimension, that hissed loudly on +the table.</p> + +<p>"Mr Simon," she exclaimed, advancing from her post of honour—" Mr Simon +Silky, I'm so glad to see you; I really thought you had been going to +desert us."</p> + +<p>Our hero blustered out some inarticulate apology, to which his hostess +of course paid no attention, but hurried on into the work of +introduction.</p> + +<p>"Mr Silky, Miss Silliman, Miss Gingerly, Miss Barbara Silliman, Miss +Eggemon, Miss Jemima Linton; I think you know all the rest. Mr +Scratcherd, you know Mr Silky." Mr Scratcherd grinned an assent. "Mr +Silky, Mr Slap'emup. You'll find a seat for yourself somewhere. Try if +some of the ladies will have pity, and take you in among them."</p> + +<p>All this time, Mr Silky was engaged in distributing a comprehensive bow +to everybody about him—an ordeal which, in any circumstances, to a +nervous man like him, was no joke. But his agitation had the finishing +touch given it by Mrs Greenwood's facetious observation as to the ladies +<i>taking him</i> <span class="smcap">IN</span> <i>among them</i>. The blood rushed to his temples, and he +subsided into a vacant chair, with a remark, directed to nobody in +particular, as to how very warm the room was. Attention having been once +drawn to this interesting fact, it became the topic of conversation for +some five minutes, which gave Mr Simon Silky time to cool down, and to +look about him a little. In the course of his survey, his eyes alighted +on Miss Jemima Linton, who just at that moment happened to be +scrutinising his outward man. Their eyes met; a glance of quick +intelligence passed between them. The lady lowered hers, blushing up to +them as she did so; and the enraptured Simon muttered to himself, "What +charming confusion!" He felt a novel sensation gathering about his +heart. Could it be love? At first sight, too. Many deny it, but we say +that all genuine love is at first sight.</p> + +<p class="center">"He never loved, who loved not at first sight."</p> + +<p>Mr Simon Silky was a reader of the Beauties of <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Shakpere'">Shakspere</ins>. This line took +possession of his head, and he mused and looked, looked and mused, till +he was roused from his reverie by Mrs Greenwood calling upon him to +assist in handing round the "cups which cheer but not inebriate." He +started up, with a very vague notion of what he was to be about, and +grasping a tea-cup, which his hostess informed him was Miss Jemima +Linton's, in one hand, and a plate of cheesecakes in the other, he +stumbled up to the lady, and consigning the cakes to her outstretched +hand, held out the tea-cup to Miss Eggemon, who sat next, inquiring if +she would please to be helped to a little cake. Miss Eggemon tittered, +and exclaimed,</p> + +<p>"Well, I never!"</p> + +<p>"Gracious! the like of that, you know!" simpered Miss Silliman, burying +her face in Miss Eggemon's neck.</p> + +<p>"How very absurd!" sneered Miss Gingerly, who was verging to +old-maidishness, and had a temper in which vinegar was the principal +ingredient.</p> + +<p>"Bless me, Mr Silky! what <i>are</i> you about?" cried Mrs Greenwood.</p> + +<p>"Oh—why—yes—no—I see—beg pardon—dear me!" stammered poor Silky, +reddening like an enraged turkey-cock, as he handed Miss Linton the cup, +out of which the greater part of its contents had by this time been +shaken and seizing the dish of cakes with a sudden jerk, deposited +one-half of them in the lady's lap, and the other half on the carpet.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, where is fancy bre<i>a</i>d?" said Mr Horatio Slap'emup, who was a +wit in his own small way, pointing to the cakes, which our hero was +endeavouring to bring together again from the different corners into +which they had wandered. A general laugh greeted him on every side as he +rose from his knees covered with confusion. He looked at the fair Jemima +as he did so. There was not the vestige of a smile on her face. "Good +kind soul! <i>she</i> does not join in the vulgar mirth of these unfeeling +creatures!" thought the unhappy Silky. "She pities me, and pity is akin +to love." It did not strike him that there might be another reason for +her gravity. The spilled tea and greasy cheesecake had spoiled her white +muslin dress irremediably, for that night at least—a circumstance +calculated certainly to make any young lady melancholy enough; but this +never entered the brain of Mr Simon Silky. Happy man!</p> + +<p class="center">"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."</p> + +<p>With some difficulty he regained his chair, after stumbling over a +footstool, and crushing the tail of a King Charles cocker, that was +snorting on the hearthrug in all the offensiveness of canine obesity. +His distress was at its climax.</p> + +<p class="center">"When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions,"</p> + +<p>thought he, recurring once more to the Beauties of Shakspere. His ears +felt as if they had been newly scalded, and objects floated in hazy +confusion before his eyes. He commenced sipping his tea with desperate +energy, wishing for a moment that it had been so much prussic acid. The +patter of many voices sounded in his ears. They must be talking of him, +"for they laughed consumedly;" and that confounded Slap'emup was +obviously getting up a reputation for wit by cutting minute jokes at his +expense.</p> + +<p>"You've been at the Exhibition, Mr Silky," said Mrs Greenwood, recalling +him from the state of mental imbecility into which he was fast sinking.</p> + +<p>"The Exhibition, you said, ma'am! Yes, yes, certainly, the Exhibition. +Oh yes!" rejoined Mr Silky, struggling to concentrate his scattered +faculties.</p> + +<p>"Well, what is your opinion about the portrait?" continued his hostess.</p> + +<p>"Portrait, really—which of them—there's so many?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Mr Silky, what <i>has</i> come over you to-night? The ladies have been +like to pull each other to pieces, for the last five minutes, about the +portrait of an officer a little to the left of the door of the first +room; and, I declare, you have not heard a word that has been going. +Pretty doings, Mr Simon; and who, may I ask, is the happy lady that so +engrosses your thoughts?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mrs. Greenwood!"</p> + +<p>"Well, well, then, if it's a secret, I won't press it! But what is your +opinion of the portrait? Miss Barbara Silliman here maintains it is +beauty in the abstract."</p> + +<p>"Oh he's quite a love of a man!" broke in Miss Barbara, in a rapture of +affectation; whereat Miss Gingerly appeared mightily shocked, and pursed +up her mouth till it looked like a parched apple.</p> + +<p>"But Miss Linton, on the contrary, says she thinks it rather plain for a +military man. Now, we want your decision on this knotty point."</p> + +<p>"Oh, why, really—a portrait of an officer, I think you said. Fair +complexion, flaxen ringlets, and light blue eyes—beautiful, indeed! +That is to say—I don't know; but"—and here poor Silky looked +hopelessly about for an idea—"upon the whole, I think I declare for +Miss Linton."</p> + +<p>"Well, really, Mr Simon, that <i>is</i> coming to the point. Jemima, my dear, +do you hear what Mr Silky says? Declares for you already! Upon my word, +a fair proposal!" said Mrs Greenwood, catching up the allusion, and +looking excessively matronly and significant.</p> + +<p>"Fair complexion, flaxen ringlets, light blue eyes!" broke in Miss +Barbara Silliman, with that delicate spitefulness to which young ladies +are subject, when they suspect any of their rivals of having produced an +impression on one of the male creatures. "A pretty officer, indeed! It's +you, Miss Linton, that Mr Silky means. Quite a conquest, I declare." +Having said this for the benefit of the company, she murmured to +herself, "I wonder at the man's taste. A gawky minx!"</p> + +<p>If Mr Silky felt uncomfortable before, he was now reduced to the lowest +pitch of personal misery. He tried to smile, as if he took the thing as +a good joke; but the contortions of his visage were galvanic. Everybody, +he was sure, was looking at him, and he stammered out some inarticulate +words, by way of extricating himself from his awkward position. What +they were he knew not; but they only seemed to have made matters worse; +for another titter ran round the circle, and showers of badinage +assailed him on every side. Mr Simon Silky began to speculate whether +sitting on the points of a score of red-hot toasting-forks could be +worse than his present torment.</p> + +<p>He was pursuing this agreeable train of reflection, when the removal of +the table to a corner of the room, and a general commotion, occasioned +by the pushing back of sofas, and the laying away of chairs, made him +aware that dancing was about to commence. The men, as they always do on +these occasions, clustered together near the door, pulling on +gloves—such of them as had them—and talking very thick and fast about +nothing at all.</p> + +<p>"Miss Gingerly, may I ask you to give the young folks a set of +quadrilles?" inquired Mrs Greenwood.</p> + +<p>"Certainly—with a great deal of pleasure," coldly responded Miss +Gingerly, blowing her nose with the end of her pocket-handkerchief, +which she extracted partially from her black satin bag for the purpose, +and feeling particularly venomous at being cut out of the dance, and her +very, very faint chance of captivating a partner therein.</p> + +<p>"Oh, thank you," said Miss Eggemon, laying her hands affectionately on +Miss Gingerly's wrists. "You play quadrilles so nicely." And then +turning to Miss Jemima Linton, Miss Eggemon whispered, confidentially, +"Such a player you never heard. Not three bars in time. How provoking +Mrs Greenwood should ask her to play. Just listen; did you ever hear the +like of that?"</p> + +<p>Miss Gingerly had laid her black satin bag on the piano, drawn herself +up with all the frosty-faced dignity of waning maidenhood, and was +performing a prelude before commencing operations, which was chiefly +remarkable for its ingenious flights from key to key, and bewildering +accumulation of false concords.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, find partners for yourselves," said the lively Mrs +Greenwood; and the gentlemen, after looking at one another, disentangled +themselves from the knot into which they were gathered, and, shuffling +up each to the lady that pleased his fancy, solicited the honour of her +hand. The couples had taken their places, and Miss Gingerly was dashing +away into the heart of the "Highland Laddie," when it was discovered +that there was still a couple awanting.</p> + +<p>"Mr Silky, you dance?" said all the men at once to that gentleman, who +was sitting pensively in a corner.</p> + +<p>"Oh, really!" replied Silky, smiling a sickly smile, and making vague +protestations of inability.</p> + +<p>"Not dance!" said the vivacious Mr Slap'emup. "Fie on you!—oh, fie! And +Miss Linton looking at you there, like Eve on the eve of Paradise, as if</p> + +<p class="center">'She would be woo'd, and not unsought be won.'"</p> + +<p>There was nothing for it but that Silky should make up to Miss Jemima, +and lead her out to dance. This he did among the nods, and winks, and +whispers of all present; and by the time he got into his place in the +quadrille, he did not very well know which end of him was uppermost. +Away rattled Miss Gingerly at the "Highland Laddie," and away bounced +the dancers through the mazes of the figure. Dancing a quadrille is with +some people no trifling matter, and Mr Simon Silky was one of these. He +bent to it all the energies of his not over-powerful mind; and, while it +lasted, beyond a passing word or two, he had no conversation to bestow +upon his partner. It was amusing to see with what earnestness he watched +the movements of those who preceded him, and, when his own turn came, +the exhibition he made would have made a Timor grin. First, he threw out +his arms to steady himself, and then jerking forward his right foot, +brought himself suddenly into the centre of the floor, where he began +throwing his legs confusedly about, till they seemed to be involved in +hopeless entanglement. All the time he kept his eyes fixed anxiously +upon his shoe-ties. It was obviously a critical affair with him to +preserve his equipoise, and each time that he got back safely to his +place, a sigh broke from him, as if a great burden had been taken off +his mind, and he wiped the sweat away that glistered in heavy beads upon +his brow. At length the quadrille ended. Mr Silky thanked heaven; and, +leading the fair Jemima to a seat, planted himself at her side, and +manfully endeavoured to open up a conversation with her.</p> + +<p>Dance succeeded dance, and by degrees the elements of the party got +tolerably well interfused. Poor Miss Gingerly wrought away at her +everlasting set of Scotch quadrilles, and nobody ever volunteered to +relieve her of her task, "she played so well." At intervals some of the +young ladies quivered through a fashionable ballad, and occasionally an +attempt was made to get up one of those melancholy chants, which, by +some strange misnomer, pass current in society for glees. In these, Mr +Scratcherd, who sang bass, distinguished himself so signally, that loud +calls were made upon him for a song, and Mr Scratcherd, after a little +preliminary modesty, yielded to the call. He then began raving about an +"Old Oak Tree," and groaned up and down the scale, till his voice became +lost in the bottom of his neckcloth. Serious fears were entertained +whether he would be able to get it up again, but these happily turned +out to be unfounded. Again his voice mounted to its natural level, and +after rolling about for some time, "grating harsh discord," wore itself +out in a cadence of confused gutturals. "Bravo, bravo," cried the men. +"A very fine quality of bass," exclaimed his friend, Slap'emup, who +affected to be a judge; and Mr Scratcherd blew his nose, and fell back +in his chair in a state of great personal satisfaction.</p> + +<p>With a thoughtful regard for the comforts of her guests, Mrs Greenwood +had, early in the evening, thrown open her little back drawing-room, in +which were placed abundance of refreshments, to sustain them through the +fatigues of dancing and conversation. By a succession of visits to this +room, Mr Simon Silky had succeeded in giving firmness to his nerves. He +was gradually becoming less and less bashful. There must have been +something bracing about the atmosphere of the apartments, for to this, +and not to the bottle of port, to which he was observed to have frequent +recourse, must be attributed that jauntiness of step and slipshod +volubility of tongue which he now displayed. He danced every dance, and +for the most part with Miss Jemima for his partner. What though his +uncouth gestures provoked a smile, and his assiduities to the young lady +were commented on at every hand. He cared not. His spirit was in the +third heaven of exaltation, and the whole world might go hang for him.</p> + +<p>"Miss Linton," he exclaimed, seizing her hand fervently—they were +seated on a sofa in the back drawing-room, while the others were +labouring through a country-dance in the front—"Miss Linton, hear me +for a moment. Let me use this opportunity of stating what I have long +felt—what I now feel—what I shall always feel." And again Mr Silky +pressed her hand tenderly in both of his.</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir!" timidly responded the lady.</p> + +<p>"Yes, adorable Jemima! I can no longer repress my emotion. You see +before you a victim to your charms. The moment I beheld you, I don't +know how it was, but my heart thrilled with a transport delightful as it +was new. I felt—I felt—in short, I felt as I never felt before. My +senses forsook me, and I said and did I know not what. These soulless +creatures treated my confusion with ridicule; but, in your eyes, +methought I could read pity, compassion, commiseration, sympathy. Say, +was I right, or was I misled by the fond delusions of my own passion?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir!" again exclaimed the bewildered Jemima.</p> + +<p>"That look! I was not then deceived. Oh extend that pity into love! I +lay myself and my fortune at your feet." And here Mr Simon Silky slipped +off the sofa and down upon his knees, overcome partly with love and +partly with intoxication. "Dearest Jemima! say only that you will be +mine?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir!" once more sighed the blushing maiden, dropping her head upon +the shoulder of her suitor, who acknowledged the movement by snatching a +kiss from her pouting lips.</p> + +<p>"Ods! that came twangingly off. I'm afraid we're like to spoil sport +here," exclaimed Mr Slap'emup, who at this moment entered the room, with +Miss Gingerly on his arm.</p> + +<p>"Gracious! how very improper!" cried Miss Gingerly, wishing from the +depth of her soul that it had only been her own case.</p> + +<p>"What's improper, ma'am?" retorted Silky, turning to her a look of +drunken gravity, and endeavouring, with no little difficulty, to get on +his legs again. "If I choose to kiss this young lady, or this young lady +chooses to kiss me, that's no business of yours, I suppose? 'Have not +saints lips, and holy palmers, too?' as the divine Shakspere says; and +what are lips for, I should like to know, if not to kiss? Don't frown at +me, Miss Graveairs. I'm a man—a man, ma'am, and I shall do just as I +please. Shan't I, Jemima, dear?"</p> + +<p>He turned for an answer to his appeal; but the young lady had left the +room.</p> + +<p>"Jemima, I say," continued Silky, getting more and more overcome. He +looked around the room; and, finding no trace of the lady, began +chanting in a lackadaisical tone—</p> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">'And has she then fail'd in her truth,</span><br /> + <span class="i0">The beautiful maid I adore?'</span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p>But I don't care that for her!" And he tried to snap his fingers; but +failed in the attempt. "It's an ungrateful world—a vile world."</p> + +<p>"Oh, gracious me! let me away," exclaimed Miss Gingerly, in alarm. "He's +certainly tipsy."</p> + +<p>"Tipsy—tipsy! Who's tipsy? Let me see her. Woman, woman, to get +yourself into such a state! I'm ashamed of you; I am indeed. But it's +the weakness of the sex.</p> + +<p class="center">'Frailty, thy name is woman!'"</p> + +<p>This apostrophe was addressed to some visionary female that flitted +before Mr Silky's mental optics, and whom he followed, with his hands +groping before him, with the voice and gesture of Mr Charles Kean +pursuing the airdrawn dagger in the character of Macbeth. "Laugh away; +it's very amusing, isn't it! Nero fiddled while Rome was burning; but I +know better."</p> + +<p>"Mr Silky, you'll better go home," said Mrs Greenwood, who, with the +remainder of the party, had by this time entered the room.</p> + +<p>"Home! exactly so. I <i>am</i> at home, my charmer—perfectly at home; and +you're at home; we're all at home. But no more wine, Mrs Greenwood; +temperance and teetotalism for ever. We are beset with temptations in +this wicked world—temptations, I say—Jemima, you're an angel! It is as +much as a man can do to preserve his uprightness." And, in proof that it +was more than he could, down rolled our hero on the floor, in a profound +stupor.</p> + +<p>"Carry Master Silence to bed," remarked the ingenious Slap'emup, highly +tickled with the catastrophe that had befallen the too—too bashful +Silky.</p> + +<p>A coach was procured, and he was conveyed to his lodgings, where the sun +found him in bed at noon next day. His dreams had been of the most +ghastly kind. He had fancied himself compelled, by a fiend, to swallow +huge goblets of port wine, strongly adulterated with brimstone, and +dragged about by a fury, who held his neck within a halter. The fiend +was Slap'emup—the fury, Miss Jemima Linton. He started from his dream, +and with his hand pressed against his aching head, fell to adjusting the +confused reminiscences of the previous evening's proceedings. He +remembered nothing but that he had proposed for the hand of some young +lady or other, and had been accepted. Well for him it was that memory +went no farther, or he would never have found courage to visit Mrs +Greenwood again. That he did visit her again, however, may be inferred +from an announcement which the newspapers, not many weeks after, gave to +the public:—</p> + +<p>"Married at Edinburgh, on the 6th instant, Mr Simon Silky to Miss Jemima +Linton."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="13">THE RECLUSE OF THE HEBRIDES.</a></h3> + +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <span class="i0">"Still caring, despairing,</span><br /> + <span class="i2">Must be my bitter doom;</span><br /> + <span class="i0">My woes here shall close ne'er</span><br /> + <span class="i2">But with the closing tomb."—<span class="smcap">Burns.</span></span><br /> + </div> +</div> + +<p class="p2">I resided some years ago in the Island of Tyree, which is one of the +most western of the Hebrides; and, in the course of my business, had +often occasion to cross by the base of Ben Chinevarah, whose rugged and +sterile appearance impresses the mind with a sickening sadness. The +narrow footpath sometimes dives into the deep and sullen gloom of the +mountain glen, whose silence is unbroken, save by the torrent's red +rush, and again winds along the edge of the steep precipice, among the +loose rocks that have been hurled from their beds aloft by the giant +efforts of time, where the least false step would precipitate the unwary +traveller into the abyss below. There no cheering sound of mirth was +ever heard, the blithe whistle of the ploughman never swelled upon its +echoes, nor often did the reaper's song disturb its gloomy silence. The +ear is assailed, on the one hand, by the discordant and dismal notes of +the screech-owl; and, on the other, by the angry roar of the waves that +beat, with ceaseless lash, the broken shore. A small hut now and then +bursts upon the view, raising its lowly roof beneath the shelter of the +mountain rock, and adds to the cheerlessness of the scene. One of those +small cottages often attracted my notice, by its external neatness, and +the laborious industry by which a small garden had been formed around +the dwelling; and by degrees I ingratiated myself into the good graces +of its owner, who, I found, by his knowledge and conversation, was of a +different cast from the dwellers around him. I knew by his accent that +he was a foreigner; and, feeling an interest in him, I often endeavoured +to gain some account from him of the early part of his life; but when +the subject was hinted at, he at once changed the conversation.</p> + +<p>Having occasion last summer to spend some days at the house of a friend +in Argyleshire, I availed myself of this opportunity to visit my old +acquaintance at Tyree. I found him stretched on the bed of sickness, and +fast verging towards his end. When last I had seen him, his appearance, +though infirm, evinced but few signs of physical decay; and, though the +storms of scores of winters had blown over him, still his eye sparkled +with animation, and his raven locks retained the fresh and jetty colour +of the native of "Italia's sunny clime." But now, how changed the +appearance! His eyeballs were dim, deep sunken in their sockets; a few +scattered grey hairs waved carelessly over his finely-arched eyebrows; +and his forehead and cheeks were deeply furrowed with the traces of +sickness and secret wo. When I entered the lowly dwelling, he raised his +lacklustre eyes, and stretched forth his hand to meet my grasp.</p> + +<p>"And is Heaven yet so kind," said he, raising his wasted hand in thanks +to the Disposer of all good, "as to send one pitying friend to soothe my +dreary and departing moments? Ah, sir, the hand of the grim tyrant is +laid heavily upon me, and I must soon appear in the presence of an +offended Deity. If you knew how awful are the feelings of a mind loaded +with iniquity, of a soul immersed in guilt, when the last moment is +approaching that separates us from mortality, and the misdeeds of a +wicked life stand in ghastly array, adding stings to an already seared +conscience, you would shrink at what you now deem the gay dreams of +youthful frailty, and shun the delusive and seducing snares of a +wretched world."</p> + +<p>Pointing to a block of wood alongside his pallet bed, he desired me to +be seated, and, after drying the tear of sorrow from his swollen eye, he +thus proceeded:—</p> + +<p>"Often, in those moments when the sweet beams of health were mine, have +you desired a recital of the events of my past life; but a feeling of +shame withheld me from the task. Now, when I have nothing to fear but +death and the dread hereafter, if you will have the patience to hear me, +I will briefly unfold to you the causes which reduced me from a state of +affluence, to become a fugitive amid the rugged rocks and the inclement +skies of a foreign land."</p> + +<p>I assented, and he went on with his story.</p> + +<p>"My name," said he, "in the more fortunate years of my life, was +Alphonso; and the city of Venice gave me birth. I was the only child of +an opulent citizen, and need scarcely inform you that no restraint was +laid upon my inclinations when a child; and the dawn of manhood beheld +me plunged amid every intemperance which that luxurious city then +afforded. Money was plentifully supplied me by my parents to support my +extravagances; and I sought after happiness among the rounds of pleasure +and the gay circles of society; but I only met with desires ungratified, +hopes often frustrated, and wishes never satisfied. I had a friend. He +was called Theodore. I loved him as dearly as a selfish being like +myself <i>could</i> love any one. He shared in all my pleasures.</p> + +<p>"An amorous, jealous, and revengeful disposition is commonly laid to the +share of the Italians; and, with sorrow I confess, that formed the +principal ingredient of my character. I had reached my twentieth year of +thoughtlessness and folly, when, one night at the opera, a young lady in +an opposite box attracted my attention; and my eyes were insensibly +riveted upon the beauteous figure. I need not tell you that she was +beautiful—she was loveliness itself. I will not trespass on your time +in describing the new and pleasing sensations that arose in my bosom; +you have trod the magic paths of pleasure, and bowed to the charms of +beauty: they are not unknown to you.</p> + +<p>"I felt that all my libertine pursuits had only been the shadows of +pleasure; and from that moment I determined to abandon them, and fix my +love on her alone. We became acquainted, and I found that she was as +worthy of the purest love as my fond wishes desired. She was the only +child of Count Rudolpho; and, for the space of three months, I was a +constant visiter at her father's palazzo. In due time I pleaded the +force of my love. But what were the sensations of my soul, when the tear +started from her eye of beauty, and the dreadful sentence burst upon my +ear—'I am the bride of Theodore!'</p> + +<p>"I burst from her presence with a palpitating heart, and returned +homewards, agitated by the conflicting passions of despair and revenge. +I drew my sword from its sheath, and promised the blood of Theodore, of +the friend of my bosom, to its point. The steel trembled in my grasp as +the vow fell from my lips, and my heart recoiled at the idea of shedding +blood; but the still small voice was an unequal match with the baneful +principles of a corrupted soul."</p> + +<p>The recluse stopped, and the loud sobs of sorrow and repentance alone +burst upon the gloomy silence of the scene. The hectic flush of fever +played and wantoned across his pallid features, as if it seemed to exult +in the weakness of mortality, and delight in the loveliness of its own +soul-loathed ravages. The tears dropped large and plentiful from his +eyes, and his spirit seemed bended and broken with the racking +remembrance. I bent over the wasted form of the wretched penitent, and +while I poured the voice of comfort in his ear, and wiped the tears from +his eyes, his soul resumed its wonted firmness, and even a smile beamed +upon his blanched lips, as he grasped my hand, and pressed it to his +bosom in silence, and with thankfulness.</p> + +<p>"Behold!" said he, drawing an old sword from beneath the side of his +miserable straw pallet—"behold this steel, red-rusted with the blood of +Theodore, from which the bitter tears of sixty long winters have been +unable to efface the stain. Pardon the feelings of an infirm old man. My +soul weeps blood at the remembrance.</p> + +<p>"I pitched upon the bridal eve of Theodore for that of his death, and +the seizure of his bride; and hired the leader of a band of ruffians to +assist me in the scheme. The fatal night, so big with horror, at last +arrived. The sun sank sullenly into the shades of the west, and his +departing gleams glanced redly and angrily upon me. The raven wings of +early night fell upon Venice; and I stepped into my gondola, with my +hired followers. We set forward upon our errand. The palazzo of Count +Albert was soon gained. Busy nature waxed calm and hushed; the artisan +had retired to the sweets of his lowly but happy cottage; the +convent-bell had tolled, solemn and slow, the vesper knell; and then</p> + +<p class="center">'Uprose the yellow moon,'</p> + +<p>silvering the rippling waters of the canals, and glancing its beams upon +the glittering palaces of Venice. It was a lovely night; but my soul ill +brooked the calm grandeur of the scene.</p> + +<p>"By the treachery of a servant, my comrades were admitted into Count +Rudolpho's grounds, whilst I attended the nuptial rites with the +well-dissembled face of friendship. Joy was dancing in every eye but +mine. My hand trembled at times on the hilt of my poniard, and I awaited +the favourable moment with a degree of impatience bordering on frenzy. +Many a fair maid was there, tripping amid the joyous throng, whose +beauty might have warmed the frigid heart of an anchorite; but my eyes +and mind were upon the dear, dear Violetta: she was lovelier than ever, +but—she was the spouse of Theodore.</p> + +<p>"The garden of the count was remarkably beautiful, and the trees in it +had been grandly festooned with variegated lamps on the present +occasion. The night was pleasant and calm, and the youthful couple +retired from the crowded saloon to the garden for a few minutes, to +enjoy the freshness of nature. I silently followed, unperceived, till +they seated themselves in an arbour, whose beauty was unworthy of a +villain's tread. Then suddenly I presented myself at the entrance; and +the unsuspicious Theodore rose to embrace me. How shall I give utterance +to the rest? My friend rose to embrace me; and I drew my poniard, and +was about to plunge it into his bosom, when Violetta, whose attention +this action had not escaped, rushed between us, to stay my hand. Horror! +her heart received the blow I had intended for her husband. She uttered +a piercing cry, and fell, a bleeding corpse, at my feet.</p> + +<p>"The sound attracted the attention of my ruffianly associates, who were +ready at hand, to carry off the bride, and they hurried to the spot. +Theodore, at first surprised and terror-stricken, now roused himself to +energy. With the fury of a maniac, he rushed upon me, and felled me +senseless to the earth. How long I lay in this situation I know not; but +when my senses returned, the palazzo was in flames, and the clashing of +swords and the groans of the wounded sounded horribly in my ears. And +this was my doing. I had been the means of introducing into Count +Rudolpho's grounds a band of desperadoes, to whom bloodshed was +familiar; and I doubted not that they were at their work of blood and +rapine. I repented of the deed, but it was too late.</p> + +<p>"The murdered Violetta lay on the ground at a short distance from me; +the moonbeams played full upon her ghastly and distorted features; and +her robes, her bridal robes, were deeply stained with blood. Her pulse +had long since ceased to beat, and she felt cold to the touch. Resolved +that no profane hand should consign to the earth her blessed remains, I +threw the body across my shoulder, and fled with it from the garden. I +felt not the weight of the burden, for excitement made me 'hardy as the +Némean lion's nerve.' I soon reached the canal, leaped into my gondola +with my precious burden, and, shortly afterwards, gained my father's +palace. Ere the moon set, I had dug a deep grave in his garden, in which +I buried her on whom I had doated, bedewing the earth with my tears as I +proceeded in my work.</p> + +<p>"It was at length completed; and, with the morning's dawn, I fled from +Venice. Despair added wings to my flight, and the land of France +received me in her fostering arms. I have, since that time, wandered in +many a clime, to wear away my grief, but in vain. I have fought under +the banner of your king; and, though my arm was never palsied in the day +of battle, death has been denied me. I now lie here, aged and forlorn. +The hand of death is heavy on me, and chilly tremors are creeping over +my exhausted frame. The just decrees of God have denied me even a friend +to close my weary eyes; and my dust must mingle with the dust of +strangers, far, far from the sepulchre of my fathers, and the home of my +childhood."</p> + +<p>After a short pause, the Recluse continued—</p> + +<p>"Here, sir," said he, "take this sword—it has been the constant +companion of my travels—its blade is unsullied by ignoble blood; and +when you look upon it, after the grave receives the wretched Alphonso, +it may convey a lesson that volumes could not inculcate."</p> + +<p>I received the sword from his hand, which was trembling and cold. He +turned his face from me; and before I had time to speak, a deep groan +announced his departure to the mansions of another world. I called the +inmates of the adjoining cottage, who took charge of the body; and I +left the spot with a feeling which words cannot express, but which will +be understood by those who look with the eye of pity upon the errors of +a fellow-mortal.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p4"><a name="14">ELLEN ARUNDEL.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">Ellen Arundel was the only daughter of an officer in the British +service, who, with his sword for his patrimony, had entered early into +the profession of arms as the means of maintenance; and he had, +accordingly, pursued it with that enthusiastic spirit of honour which is +dictated by the considerations of family pride, the hope of fame, the +dread of disgrace, and the most ardent love of glory.</p> + +<p>The utmost height, however, to which he had risen, when he committed the +folly of matrimony, by uniting his destiny to that of the portionless +daughter of a venerable, respectable, unbeneficed clergyman, was that of +a lieutenant in a foot regiment. By dint of careful management on the +part of his wife, they contrived to live happily together, nor did the +increase of their family—for Ellen made her appearance within the first +year after their marriage—add to their difficulties.</p> + +<p>In the care and superintendence of their darling daughter, did their +years roll on in humble content. If they heaved a sigh, it was for their +Ellen's future welfare; if they breathed a wish, it was to see her +placed in a situation which might guard her against the attacks of +poverty, and the designs of iniquity. From the former, they were aware, +beauty and accomplishments would prove no shield; and they trembled when +they reflected that they might prove the most powerful incitement to the +latter. The sweets of life are not to be enjoyed without its +accompanying embitterments. The regiment in which Mr Arundel served +received orders to embark for America, in transports already prepared +for the reception of the British forces. On the communication of this +intelligence, so subversive of their little plans of economy and +felicity, Mrs Arundel earnestly entreated that she and Ellen might be +the companions of his voyage. For awhile Mr Arundel would not consent to +this, from a fear of incurring expense which they were unable to +support; but all the difficulties which the narrowness of their finances +suggested were obviated by a thousand little arrangements, the ingenious +devices of love; and the command of a company, which was conferred upon +him before the embarkation, relieved them from their anxiety.</p> + +<p>Few events happened, either during their voyage, or on their arrival at +Boston, except that the assiduities of a young officer of another +regiment, who accompanied them in the transport, seemed to have made +some impression on the heart of Ellen Arundel. She listened to his tales +of love, with the full sanction of her parents, and sighed out the +confession that his passion was returned. Mr Meredith was formed on the +model which Captain Arundel had, in idea, fixed on for the husband of +his Ellen. To the qualifications of a soldier, he added those which most +highly adorn private life; nor was his income limited, for he was the +only son of a gentleman of fortune. But both Captain Arundel and Mr +Meredith were too regardful of decency and propriety to hasten an event +of so much importance, till the father of the young gentleman had been +made acquainted with the attachment; and letters from Captain Arundel +and the lover were, accordingly, prepared, for the purpose of being +despatched to Europe by the first ship that should sail.</p> + +<p>But alas! these precautions were soon rendered unnecessary, by events +which dissolved the bonds of affection. On that day when the attack of +Bunker's Hill occasioned a carnage which thinned the British ranks, +Captain Arundel and Mr Meredith stood foremost in the bloody contest. +Accident had placed them in the same brigade: they fought and fell +together. The body of the young officer was carried off by the +Americans; and the mortally-wounded captain conveyed to the habitation +of his wretched wife and daughter, where, shortly afterwards, he +expired.</p> + +<p>The keen and piercing anguish felt by Ellen and her mother, in +consequence of this sorrowful event, had changed to silent and corroding +melancholy, when they embarked for their native land, after having +received every attention which the governor and garrison could offer as +a tribute to the memory of the deceased. On their arrival in Britain, a +pension was granted to Mrs Arundel, which, in the event of her death, +was to be continued to her daughter; and with this they retired to a +small village northward of the Scottish metropolis, where a maiden +sister of Captain Arundel, who was remarkably fond of Ellen, resided.</p> + +<p>But, as no retirement will conceal the charms of beauty, nor any circle, +however confined, prevent the fame of accomplishments from spreading +beyond its limit. Mr Newton, a widower of independent fortune, not much +past the prime of life, having been told of Ellen, resolved to visit the +Arundels. An opportunity soon presented itself. The house which the +ladies inhabited was advertised for sale; and, under pretence of an +intention to purchase, he wrote Mrs Arundel, desiring to know when it +would be convenient for him to call; to which Mrs Arundel returned a +polite answer, naming an early day.</p> + +<p>Mr Newton went; and, after he had viewed the house and gardens with the +air of an intending purchaser, Mrs Arundel, desirous of cultivating the +acquaintance of so distinguished a neighbour, asked him to stay tea; +which being unhesitatingly accepted, he was introduced to the fair, the +amiable, the still mourning Ellen. Prepared by the universal voice to +admire, love was the immediate consequence of a visit, which he +requested leave to repeat, in terms with which civility could not refuse +to comply; and a few weeks confirmed Mr Newton the ardent and the +professed lover of Ellen. But her heart was still engaged; nor could she +abandon even a hopeless passion. The character, the fortune, the +unobjectionable person of Mr Newton, were urged to her, by her only +friends, with such energy, but mildness, of persuasion, that, enforced +by the declarations of her admirer, she was prevailed upon to promise +him her hand, though not her heart; and a day was named for the +celebration of their nuptials.</p> + +<p>The necessary preparations now engaged the attention of Mr Newton and +the two matron ladies; whilst Ellen passively yielded to the assiduities +of her friends, and suffered the adornments of her person, and the +intended provisions of settlement to be adjusted, without once +interfering.</p> + +<p>A few mornings before the appointed day, as Ellen was seated at +breakfast with her mother and aunt, a note was put into her hands. She +saw at a glance that it was from Mr Newton; and she immediately handed +it across the table to Mrs Arundel, who read:—</p> + +<p>"<span class="smcap">Madam</span>,—That your heart is not at all interested in the intended event, +you have, with candour, frequently acknowledged to me. You will not, +therefore, even wish to receive an apology for my releasing you from an +unsuitable engagement.</p> + +<p>"My long-lost son—my son whom I had for years resigned to Heaven—is +restored to me; and Providence, which has bestowed on me this consummate +happiness, will not permit me to add to it a wish which concerns myself. +He is young; he is amiable; and more worthy of your regard than I am. It +is my sincere wish that he should become your husband. I shall, +therefore, take an early opportunity of introducing him to you.</p> + +<p>"My real name is <i>not</i> what you have hitherto considered it to be. I +changed it when, on the supposed death of my son, I retired from my +usual place of residence to a distant part of the kingdom, to avoid the +importunities of some worthless relations; but, until I have the honour +of disclosing to you in person my real name, I beg to subscribe myself, +Madam, yours very truly,</p> + +<p class="quotsig">"<span class="smcap">J. B. Newton.</span></p> + +<p>"<i>To Miss Ellen Arundel.</i>"</p> + +<p>When this most extraordinary epistle was read, Ellen turned deadly pale, +and would certainly have fallen to the ground, had not a young man +entered through the window which opened out on the lawn, and caught her +in his arms. He was followed by Mr Newton.</p> + +<p>"Ellen," exclaimed the latter, "behold my son!"</p> + +<p>The sorrowing girl cast her eyes upon the form of him who held her.</p> + +<p>"Meredith!" she cried, and threw herself, weeping, upon his shoulder. +Her tears were tears of joy. Little more remains to tell. Ellen Arundel +gave her hand to the son on the very day which had been appointed for +her nuptials with the father.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p4"><a name="15">CHATELARD.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">Some time after the unfortunate Queen Mary had established her court at +Holyrood, on her return from France, to ascend the throne of her +ancestors, a stranger arrived at a certain tavern or hostelry, kept by +one Goodal, at the foot of the Canongate of Edinburgh. The former had +last come from Leith, where he had been landed from a French vessel some +two or three hours previously. He was a young man, probably about three +or four and twenty, tall and handsome in person, of a singularly +pleasing countenance, and of mild and exceedingly gentleman-like +demeanour. His lofty forehead and expressive eye bespoke the presence of +genius, or, at least, of an intellect of a very high order; while his +general manners indicated a refined and cultivated mind. There was +marked, however, on the brow of the interesting stranger very palpable +traces of saddening thoughts—his whole countenance, indeed, exhibiting +the characteristics of a deep and rooted melancholy; but it was of a +gentle kind, and bore no likeness to the stern gloominess of +disappointed ambition. His sadness was evidently a sadness of the +heart—the result of some grievous pressure on its best and tenderest +feelings and affections.</p> + +<p>After having partaken of some refreshment, the stranger desired a small +measure of wine to be brought him. This order was executed by mine host +in person; and, indeed, from what afterwards followed, it seemed to have +been given with an express view to that result; for, on the landlord's +placing the wine before his guest, the latter requested him, with great +politeness of manner, to sit down and share it with him; saying that he +wanted a little information on two or three particular points. Mine +host, seating himself as desired, expressed his readiness to afford him +any information of which he himself was possessed. Having thanked the +former for his civility, and pressed him, not in vain, to taste of his +own wine, the stranger said—</p> + +<p>"Is the queen, my friend, just now at Holyrood?"</p> + +<p>He was answered in the affirmative. The querist paused, sighed, and next +inquired if she walked much abroad—what were the hours she devoted to +that recreation—whether she was accompanied by many attendants on these +occasions—and whether her ordinary promenade was a place easy of +access. Having been informed on all these points, he again relapsed into +thought, and again sighed profoundly. After a short time, however, he +once more recovered himself, and suddenly exclaimed, but more by way of +soliloquy than inquiry—</p> + +<p>"Is she not beautiful—transcendently beautiful?"</p> + +<p>Mine host, who was not a little surprised by the abruptness of the +question, and the enthusiasm of manner in which it was expressed, +replied, that she surely was "Just as bonny a creature as he had ever +clapt ee on—a plump, sonsy, nice-lookin lass."</p> + +<p>A slight expression of disgust, or rather of horror, at the homely terms +employed by mine host in speaking of the beauty of the queen, passed +over the countenance of his guest. It was, however, but momentary, and +was not observed, or at any rate not understood, by him whose language +had called it forth.</p> + +<p>"Ay, beautiful is she," went on the enthusiastic stranger, leaning back +in his chair, and gazing on the roof, in a fit of ecstasy, and in +seeming unconsciousness of the presence of a third party—"beautiful is +she to look upon, as is the rising sun emerging from the purpled east; +beautiful as his setting amidst the burnished clouds of the west; lovely +as the full moon hanging midway in her field of azure; grateful to the +sight as the green fields of spring, or the flowers of the garden; and +pleasant to the ear are the tones of her voice, as the song of the +nightingale in the grove, or the sound of the distant waterfall."</p> + +<p>Here the speaker paused in his rhapsody, continued silent for some +moments, then suddenly returning, as it were, to a sense of the +circumstances in which he was placed, he brought his hands over his +forehead and eyes, as one recovering from an agony of painful and +melancholy thoughts. Surprised by this extraordinary conduct of his +guest, the landlord of the house began to conceive that he had got into +the company of a madman; yet he marvelled much what description of +madness it could be, since it was made evident only when the queen was +spoken of—the stranger speaking on all other subjects rationally and +composedly.</p> + +<p>"She walks not much abroad, you say, my friend?" said the latter, +resuming the conversation which he had broken off to give utterance to +the rhapsody which has just been quoted.</p> + +<p>"Very seldom, sir," replied mine host; "for ye see she doesna fin hersel +quite at hame yet amang us; but she'll come to by and by, I've nae +doot."</p> + +<p>"And she is not easy of access, you say—no chance of one being able to +throw himself in her way?"</p> + +<p>"Unco little, I should think," replied mine host, "unless she could be +fa'n in wi' gaun to the chapel to mass; for she still abides by thae +abominations, for a' John Knox can say till her."</p> + +<p>A flush of resentment and indignation crossed the pale countenance of +the stranger at the last expressions of the innkeeper, and he threw a +glance at him strongly expressive of these feelings, but suddenly +checked himself, paused for a moment, and then resumed his queries in +the calm and gentle tones which seemed natural to him—</p> + +<p>"How likes she the country, know ye?</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I canna weel say," replied mine host; "but I rather doot, frae +what I hear, she's no athegither reconciled till't yet. She thinks, I +daursay, we're rather a roughspun set o' folk—a wee thing coorse i' the +grain or sae."</p> + +<p>"Ay, that ye are, that ye are," said the stranger, with more candour +than courtesy, again throwing himself back in his chair, and again +beginning to rhapsodise as before. "She is among ye—the beautiful, the +gentle, the accomplished, the refined—as a fawn amongst a herd of +bears. She is in your wild and savage land, like a lovely and tender +flower growing in the cleft of a rock—a sweet and gentle thing, +blooming alone in the midst of rudeness and barrenness. Oh, uncongenial +soil! Oh, discordant association! Dearest, cruellest, loveliest of thy +sex!"</p> + +<p>If mine host was amazed at the first outpouring of his guest's excited +mind, it will readily be believed that it was not lessened by this +second ebullition of fervour and passion. He, in truth, now became +convinced that he was distracted; and, under this impression, felt a +strong desire to be quit of him as soon as possible. With this view, he +took an early opportunity of stealing unobserved out of the apartment—a +feat which he found no difficulty in performing, as his guest seemed +ultimately so wholly wrapped up in his own thoughts, as to be quite +unconscious of what was either said or done in his presence. Soon after +mine host had retired, the stranger ordered paper, pen, and ink to be +brought him. They were placed upon his table, he himself the while +walking up and down the apartment with measured stride and downcast +look, as if again lost in profound and perplexing thought; and at +intervals the sound of his footsteps, thus traversing his chamber, was +heard throughout the whole of the night. The stranger had slept none; he +had not even retired to seek repose; but those periods during the +night—and they were of considerable length—in which all was silent in +his apartment, were employed in writing; and when morning came, the +result of his labours was exhibited in a letter, curiously, or rather +fancifully, folded, tied with a green silk thread, and highly perfumed. +This letter was addressed on the back, "To the Most Illustrious +Princess, Mary, Queen of Scotland."</p> + +<p>Having brought the proceedings of the stranger to this point, we will +shift the scene to the sitting apartment of the queen in Holyrood. Here, +surrounded with her maids, the young and lovely princess was, at the +moment of which we speak, engaged in working embroidery, and laughing +and chatting with her attendants, amongst whom were two or three young +French ladies, who had accompanied her from France. The queen and her +maids were thus employed, then, when the gentleman-usher, who stood at +the door of the apartment, entered, and, with a low obeisance, presented +a letter to the queen. It was the same as that addressed to her by the +stranger, and above referred to. The queen took the letter, with a +gracious smile, from the person presenting it, and, contemplating it for +a moment, before she opened it, with a look of pleased surprise—</p> + +<p>"This, sure," she said, "is from none of our Scottish subjects: the fold +is French." And she sighed. "It has the cut and fashion of the <i>billet +doux</i> of St Germains; and," she added, laughing, "the precise flavour, +too, I declare. But I should know this handwriting," she went on; "I +have seen it before. This, however, will solve the mystery." And she +tore the letter open, and was instantly employed in reading it, blushing +and smiling by turns, as she proceeded with the perusal. When she had +done, "Maria," she said, raising her eyes from the paper, and addressing +one of her French ladies, "who, think you, is this letter from?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot guess, madam," replied the young lady appealed to.</p> + +<p>"Do try," rejoined Mary.</p> + +<p>"Nay, indeed, I cannot," said the former, now pausing in her work, and +looking laughingly at her mistress. "Perhaps from the Count Desmartine, +or from Dufour, or Dubois."</p> + +<p>"No, no, no," replied the queen, laughing; "neither of these, Maria; but +I will have compassion on your curiosity, and tell you. Would you +believe it?—it is from Chatelard, the poet."</p> + +<p>"Chatelard!" repeated the maiden, in amazement. "What in all the earth +can have brought him here?"</p> + +<p>"Nay, I know not," said the queen, blushing, for she guessed, or rather +feared, the cause. "But read, and judge for yourself," she added, +handing her attendant the letter, which contained a very beautiful +laudatory poem, full of passion and feeling, addressed to herself, and +which the writer concluded by requesting that he might be permitted to +form part of her court; declaring that it would be joy inexpressible to +him to be near her person—he cared not in how mean a capacity. The +having opportunities of seeing and serving her, he said, would reconcile +him to any degradation of rank—to any loss, save that of honour.</p> + +<p>"In truth, very pretty verses," said the lady-in-waiting, returning the +poem to the queen; "but, methinks, somewhat over-bold."</p> + +<p>"Why, I do think so too, Maria," replied Mary. "Chatelard rather forgets +himself; but poets, you know, have a license, and I cannot be harsh to +the poor young man. It would be cruel, ungenerous, and unworthy of me."</p> + +<p>"But what say you, madam, to his request to be attached to your court?"</p> + +<p>"Really, as to that, I know not well what to say, indeed," rejoined the +queen. "Chatelard, you know, Maria, is a gentleman, both by birth and +education. He is accomplished in a very high degree, and of a graceful +person and pleasing manners, and would thus do no discredit to our +court; but, I fear me, he might be guilty of some indiscretions—for he +is a child of passion as well as song—that might lead himself into +danger, and bring some blame on me. Still, I cannot think of rejecting +altogether his humble suit, so prettily preferred; and, if he would +promise to conduct himself with becoming gravity and reserve in all +matters, and at all times, I should have no objection that he was +attached to our court. I will, at all events, make trial of him for a +short space."</p> + +<p>Having said this, the queen, now addressing the ladies present +generally, went on—</p> + +<p>"Ladies, I will shortly introduce to you a new gallant; but I pray ye +take care of your hearts; for he is, I warrant ye, one especially given +to purloining these little commodities. He is handsome, accomplished, +and a poet; so mind ye, ladies, I have warned you—be on your guard. +Kerr," she now called out to a page in waiting, "go to the hostelry +whence this letter came, and say to the gentleman by whom it has been +sent, that we desire to see him forthwith. Let him accompany you, Kerr."</p> + +<p>The page instantly departed; and we will avail ourselves of his short +absence on this mission, to say briefly who Chatelard was—what was his +object in coming to the Scottish court—and of what nature were the +fears which the queen expressed regarding him.</p> + +<p>Chatelard, then, was a young French gentleman of rank, of rare +accomplishments, and a poet of very considerable excellence. His seeking +to attach himself to Mary's court, was the result of a violent and +unhappy attachment to her person; and her fears for him, proceeding from +a suspicion of this attachment, were, that he would commit himself by +some rash expression of his feelings. She was displeased with his +presumptuous love, yet found she could not, as a woman, but look on it +with pity and compassion and hence her disposition to treat with +kindness and affability its unhappy victim. Prudence, indeed, would +certainly have dictated another course than what Mary pursued with +Chatelard, in thus admitting him to her presence; but Mary's error here +was an error of the heart, and more to be regretted than blamed.</p> + +<p>In a short while after the messenger had been despatched with the +invitation to Chatelard, the door of the queen's apartment was thrown +wide open, and that person entered. His bow to the queen was exceedingly +graceful; and not less so, though measured with scrupulous exactness in +their expression of deference, were those he directed to her ladies. +Chatelard's countenance was at this instant suffused with a blush, and +it was evident he was under the excitement of highly-agitated feelings; +but he lost not, for a moment, nor in the slightest degree, his presence +of mind; neither did these feelings prevent him conducting himself at +this interview with the most perfect propriety.</p> + +<p>"Chatelard," said the queen, after the ceremonies of a first salutation +were over, "I perceive you have lost none of your cunning in the gentle +craft. These were really pretty lines you sent me—choice in expression, +and melodiously arranged. I assure thee it is a very happy piece."</p> + +<p>"How could it be otherwise, madam," replied Chatelard, bowing low, "with +such a subject?"</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay," said Mary, laughing and blushing at the same time, "I am no +subject, Chatelard, but an anointed queen. Thou canst not make a subject +of me."</p> + +<p>Chatelard now in turn blushed, and said, smiling, "Your wit, madam, has +thrown me out; but, avoiding this play on words, my position is good, +undeniable. All men acknowledge it."</p> + +<p>"Go to—go to, Chatelard—thou wert ever a flatterer. But 'tis a poet's +trade. Thou art a dangerous flatterer, however; for thou dost praise so +prettily that one cannot suspect thy sincerity, nor be angry with thee, +even when thou deservest that they should. But enough of this in the +meantime. Thou mayst now retire; and I think the sooner the better, for +the safety of these fair maidens' hearts, and your own peace of mind, +which a longer stay might endanger. Our chamberlain will provide thee +with suitable apartments, and see to thy wants. Mark," she added, +laughingly, "we retain thee in our service in the capacity of our +poet—of court poet—a high and honourable appointment; and thy reward +shall be the smiles and approbation of these fair ladies—the beauty of +all and each of whom I expect thou wilt forthwith embalm in immortal +verse."</p> + +<p>Chatelard, bowing, was now about to retire, when the queen, again +addressing him, said, "We will send for thee again in the afternoon, to +bear us company for awhile, when thou wilt please bring with thee some +of thy newest and choicest madrigals."</p> + +<p>Expressing a deep sense of the honour proposed to be conferred on him, +of the queen's kind condescension, and avowing his devotedness to her +service, Chatelard withdrew, and was provided with the promised +apartments by the express orders of Mary herself. To these apartments we +shall follow the enthusiastic but audacious lover. On being left alone, +Chatelard again fell into one of those reveries which we have already +described, and again launched into that strain of extravagant adulation +which, on another occasion, we represented him as indulging in. Again he +compared Mary, in his incoherent ravings, to everything that is +beautiful in earth, sea, and sky; but comparing her to these only that +he might assert how far she surpassed them. There were mingled, too, +with his eulogiums, on this occasion, expressions of that imprudent +passion which subsequently at once urged him to commit the most daring +offences, and blinded him to their consequences. Poor Chatelard's +ravings, in the instance of which we are just speaking, were +unconsciously uttered; but they were unfortunately loud enough to arrest +the attention of the domestics, who were passing to and fro in the lobby +into which the door of his apartment opened. These, attracted by his +rapturous exclamations, listened, from time to time, at his door, and +were highly amused with the rhapsodies of the imprudent poet. The +latter, becoming more and more vehement, and, in proportion, more +entertaining, the domestics finally gathered in a cluster around the +door, to the number of six or eight, and, with suppressed laughter, +overheard all that the excited and unguarded inmate chose to utter. +That, however, was so incoherent, or at least of so high-flown a +character, that the listeners could make nothing of it; and, as they +could not, they immediately concluded it to be nonsense, and the speaker +a madman. But there came one to the spot, at this unfortunate moment, +who, with sharper intellect and more apt comprehension, at once +discovered the meaning that lurked under the florid language of the +poet's ill-timed soliloquies.</p> + +<p>While the servants were crowded around the door of Chatelard's +apartment, too intent on their amusement to notice the approach of any +one, another party, we say, had advanced to within a few paces of where +they stood. Here, with his arms folded across his breast, he had +remained observed for several seconds, gazing with a look of surprise +and displeasure on the merry group assembled around the poet's door. He +was, however, at length discovered, when the knot of listeners instantly +broke up in the greatest hurry and alarm.</p> + +<p>"How now," exclaimed the unexpected intruder—a person of about thirty +years of age, of rather slender form, of cold and haughty demeanour, and +austere countenance—"How now?" he exclaimed, in a voice whose tones +were naturally severe—"what means this idling?—what do ye all here, +knaves, in place of attending to your duties?"</p> + +<p>Instead of answering this question, the terrified domestics were now +endeavouring to make off in all directions; but the querist's curiosity, +or perhaps suspicion, having been excited by what he had seen, he +instantly arrested their progress, by calling on them, in a voice of +increased severity and vehemence, to stop.</p> + +<p>"Come hither, Johnstone," he exclaimed, addressing one of the +fugitives—"I must know what you have been all about." And, without +waiting for an answer, "Who occupies this apartment?" he inquired, +pointing to that in which was Chatelard.</p> + +<p>"And please ye, my lord," replied Johnstone, bowing with the most +profound respect—"ane that we think's no very wise. He's been bletherin +awa there to himsel, saving yer honour's presence, like a bubbly-jock, +for this half-hour back, and we can neither mak tap, tail, nor mane o' +what he's sayin."</p> + +<p>"What! a madman, Johnstone?" said the Earl of Murray, the queen's +half-brother, for it was no less a personage; then hurriedly added, "Who +is he?—what is he?—where is he from?—when came he hither?"</p> + +<p>The man answered categorically—</p> + +<p>"I dinna ken, my lord, wha he is; but, frae the thinness o' his chafts, +I tak him to be ane o' your French laun-loupers. He cam to the palace +about twa hours syne."</p> + +<p>The earl's curiosity was now still further excited, and, without saying +a word more, he drew near to the door of Chatelard's apartment, and +became also an auditor of the poor poet's unguarded language; but not +such as it was in the case of the listeners who had preceded him; to him +that language was perfectly intelligible—at least to the extent of +informing him of Chatelard's ambitious love. To Murray this was a secret +worth knowing; and, in the hope that he might discover this attachment +to be reciprocal, and thus acquire an additional influence over the +queen, his sister, at the expense of her reputation, he considered it a +singularly fortunate incident. Perhaps he expected that it would do even +more for him than this: that it would eventually help him to the +accomplishment of certain daring views towards the crown itself, of +which he was not unsuspected. Whether, however, he was able to trace, in +distinct and definite lines, any consequences favourable to himself from +the fact which had just come to his knowledge, it is certain he was +pleased with the discovery, and considered it as an important +acquisition. That he viewed it in this light, indeed, was evident even +by his countenance, cautiously guarded as its expressions ever were.</p> + +<p>On being satisfied of the fact of Chatelard's attachment to the queen, +he withdrew from the door with a look and brief expression of +satisfaction, and went directly in quest of the chamberlain. On finding +whom—</p> + +<p>"So, Mr Chamberlain," he said, "we have got, I find, another animal +added to our herd of fawning, drivelling courtiers. Pray, who or what is +he, this person who has taken up his quarters in the northern gallery, +and by whose authority has he been installed there?"</p> + +<p>"By the queen's, my lord," replied the chamberlain. "I have had express +and direct orders from the queen herself, to provide the gentleman with +apartments in the palace, and to see to his suitable entertainment."</p> + +<p>"Ah, indeed," said the earl, biting his lip, and musing for a moment. +"By her own express orders!" he repeated. "It is very well." Then, after +a pause—"Know ye this favoured person's name, Mr Chamberlain?"</p> + +<p>"Chatelard," replied the latter.</p> + +<p>"Chatelard! Chatelard!" repeated the earl, mechanically, and again +musing; "why, I think I have heard of that gallant before. He is one of +those triflers called poets, me-thinks—a versifier, a scribbler of +jingling rhymes. Is it not so?"</p> + +<p>"I have heard the queen say so, my lord," replied the chamberlain. "She +has spoken of him in my hearing as a poet."</p> + +<p>"Ah! the same, the same," said the earl; "but how obtained he access to +the queen, know ye?"</p> + +<p>"Through his own direct application, my lord. He addressed a poetical +epistle to her majesty, I understand, from Goodal's hostelry, where he +had taken up his quarters in the first place, requesting permission to +wait upon her."</p> + +<p>"And it was granted?" interrupted the earl.</p> + +<p>"It was, my lord; and he has already had an audience."</p> + +<p>"Ah! so!" said the earl, without yet betraying, or having, during any +part of this conversation, betrayed, the slightest emotion or symptom of +the deep interest he took in the communications which were being made to +him. "Know ye," he went on, "if that favour is to be soon again +conferred on him? When will he again be admitted to the presence?"</p> + +<p>"That, my lord, rests on the queen's pleasure; but I hear say that he is +to attend her again this evening in her sitting apartment."</p> + +<p>"So, so," said the earl, nodding his head, as he uttered the words. And, +turning on his heel, he walked away without further remark.</p> + +<p>From the officer with whom he had just been speaking, the Earl of Murray +carefully concealed the motives which had prompted his inquiries, but +determined, henceforth, to watch with the utmost vigilance the +proceedings of the queen and Chatelard, until some circumstance should +occur that might put them both fairly within his power. Unaware of the +dangerous surveillance under which he was already placed, it was with a +delight which only he himself perhaps could feel, that Chatelard +received, in the evening, the promised invitation from the queen to +attend her and her ladies in their sitting chamber. The invitation was +conveyed in some playful verses—an art in which Mary excelled—written +on embossed paper. The enthusiastic poet read the delightful lines a +thousand times over, dwelt with rapture on each word and phrase, and +finally kissed the precious document with all the eagerness and fervour +of a highly-excited and uncontrollable passion. Having indulged in these +tender sensibilities for some time, Chatelard at length folded up the +unconscious object of his adoration, thrust it into his bosom, took up a +small <i>portfeuille</i>, covered with red morocco leather, gilt, and +embossed, the depository of his poetical effusions, and hurried to the +apartment of the queen, where he was speedily set to the task of reading +his compositions, for the entertainment of the assembled fair ones; and +it is certain that on more than one of them the tender and impassioned +manner of the bard, as he recited his really beautiful verses, added to +his highly prepossessing appearance and graceful delivery, made an +impression by no means favourable to their night's repose. It would, +however, perhaps be more tedious than interesting to the reader, were we +to detail all that passed on the night in question in the queen's +apartment; to record all the witty and pleasant things that were said +and done by the queen, her ladies, and her poet. Be it enough to say, +that the latter retired at a pretty late hour; his imprudent passion, we +cannot say increased—for of increase it would not admit—but +strengthened in its wild and ambitious hopes.</p> + +<p>From that fatal night, poor Chatelard firmly believed that his love was +returned—that he had inspired in the bosom of Mary a passion as ardent +as his own. Into this unhappy error the poet's own heated and disturbed +imagination had betrayed him, by representing in the light of special +marks of favour, occurrences that were merely the emanations of a kind +and gentle nature—thus fatally misled by a passion which, if notorious +for occasioning groundless fears, is no less so for inspiring unfounded +hopes. Such, at any rate, was its effect in the case of Chatelard on the +night in question. On gaining his own chamber, he flung himself into a +chair, and spent nearly the whole of the remainder of the night in the +indulgence of the wildest and most extravagant dreams of future bliss; +for, in the blindness of his passion and tumult of his hopes, he saw no +dangers, and feared no difficulties.</p> + +<p>From this time forward, Chatelard's conduct to the queen became so +marked and unguarded in various particulars, as to excite her alarm, and +even to draw down upon the offender some occasional rebukes, although +these were at first sufficiently gentle and remote. Nor did the +imprudences of the infatuated poet escape the cold, keen eye of Murray. +He saw them, and noted them; but took care to wear the semblance of +unconsciousness. It was not his business to interrupt, by hinting +suspicions, the progress of an affair which he hoped would, on some +occasion or other, lead to consequences that he might turn to account. +Feeling this, it was not for him to help Chatelard and the queen to +elude his vigilance, and defeat his views, by discovering what he +observed, and thus putting them on their guard. This was not his +business; but it was his business to lie concealed, and to spring out on +his quarry the instant that its position invited to the effort. Coldly +and sternly, therefore, he watched the motions of Chatelard and his +sister; but was little satisfied to perceive nothing in the conduct of +the latter regarding the former which at all spoke of the feelings he +secretly desired to find. As it was impossible, however, for the earl +personally to watch all the movements of Chatelard, he looked around him +for some individual of the queen's household whom he might bribe to +perform the duties of a spy; and such a one he found amongst the +attendants whom Mary had brought with her from France, of which country +he was also a native. The name of this ungrateful and despicable wretch, +who undertook to betray a kind and generous mistress, whenever he should +discover anything in her conduct to betray, was Choisseul—a man of +pleasing manners and address, but of low and vicious habits. Without any +certain knowledge of his character, or any previous information +regarding him, the Earl of Murray's singular tact and penetration at +once singled him out as a likely person for his purposes. On this +presumption, he sent for him, and, cautiously and gradually opening him +up, found that he had judged correctly of his man.</p> + +<p>"Choisseul," he said, on that person being ushered into his presence, "I +have good reason to think that you are one in whom I may put trust; and, +in this assurance, I have selected you for an especial mark of my +confidence. Do you know anything of this Chatelard, who has lately come +to court?"</p> + +<p>"I do, my lor'. He is countryman of my own."</p> + +<p>"So I understand. Well, then, I'll tell you what it is, Choisseul: I +believe the fellow has come here for no good—I believe, in short, that +he has designs upon the queen. Now, my good fellow, will you undertake +to ascertain this for me? Will you watch their proceedings, watch them +narrowly, and give me instant information of anything suspicious that +may come to your knowledge—and ye shall not miss of your reward?" added +the earl, now opening a little desk which stood before him, and taking +from it a well-filled purse.</p> + +<p>Choisseul, with many bows and grimaces, readily undertook to play the +knave, and, with still more, took the price of his knavery, the purse +already alluded to, which the earl now handed him.</p> + +<p>"Now, Choisseul," said Murray, just before dismissing the miscreant, "I +may depend on you?"</p> + +<p>"Mine honneur," replied the Frenchman, placing his hand on his breast, +with a theatrical air, and bowing to the ground as he pronounced the +words—"Je suis votre serviteur till die."</p> + +<p>"Enough," said the earl, waving his hand as a signal to him to retire; +"be vigilant and prompt in communicating with me when you have anything +of consequence to say."</p> + +<p>Choisseul again bowed low, and left the apartment. In the meantime, the +gallant, accomplished, but imprudent Chatelard, hurried blindly along by +the impetuosity of his passion, and altogether unsettled by the +intoxicating belief that his love was returned—a belief which had now +taken so fast a hold of his understanding that nothing could loosen +it—proceeded from one impropriety to another, till he at length +committed one which all but brought matters to a crisis; and this was +avoided only by its having escaped the vigilance of Choisseul, and +having been compassionately concealed by the queen herself.</p> + +<p>On retiring one night, early in February, 1563, to her sleeping +apartment, Mary and her attendants were suddenly alarmed by an +extraordinary movement in a small closet or wardrobe, in which was kept +the clothes the queen was in the habit of daily using. The maids would +have screamed out and fled from the apartment, but were checked in both +these feminine resorts by observing the calm and collected manner of +their mistress, in which there was not the slightest appearance of +perturbation.</p> + +<p>"Ladies, ladies," she exclaimed, laughingly, as her attendants were +about to rush out of the room, "what a pretty pair of heroines ye are! +Shame, shame! ye surely would not leave your mistress alone, in the +midst of such a perilous adventure as this. Come hither," she added, at +the same time stepping towards her toilet, and taking up a small silver +lamp that burned on it, "and let us see who this intruder is—whether +ghost or gallant."</p> + +<p>Saying this—her maids having returned, reassured by her +intrepidity—she proceeded, with steady step, towards the suspected +closet, seized the door by the handle, flung it boldly open, and +discovered, to the astonished eyes of her attendants, and to her own +inexpressible amazement, the poet Chatelard, armed with sword and +dagger. For some seconds the queen uttered not a syllable; but a flush +of indignation and of insulted pride suffused her exquisitely lovely +countenance.</p> + +<p>"Chatelard," she at length said, in a tone of calm severity, and with a +dignity of manner becoming her high state and lineage, "come forth and +answer for this daring and atrocious conduct, this unheard-of insolence +and presumption." Chatelard obeyed, and was about to throw himself at +her feet, when she sternly forbade him.</p> + +<p>"I want no apologies, presumptuous man," she said—"no craving of +forgiveness. I want explanation of this infamous proceeding, and that I +demand of you in the presence of my attendants here. Know ye not, sir," +she went on, "that your head is forfeited by this offence, and that I +have but to give the word, and the forfeit will be exacted?"</p> + +<p>"I know it, I know it," exclaimed Chatelard, persisting in throwing +himself on his knees; "but the threat has no terrors for me. It is your +displeasure alone—fairest, brightest of God's creatures—that I fear. +It is——"</p> + +<p>"Peace, Chatelard," interrupted Mary, peremptorily. "What mean ye by +this language, sir? Would ye cut yourself off from all hope of pardon, +by adding offence upon offence? Rise, sir, and leave this apartment +instantly, I command you; I will now hear neither explanation nor +apology."</p> + +<p>"Then, will you forgive me?" said Chatelard; "will you forgive a +presumption of which——"</p> + +<p>"I will hear no more, sir," again interrupted the queen, indignantly. +"Begone, sir! Remain another instant, and I give the alarm. Your life +depends on your obedience." And Mary placed her hand on a small silver +bell, from which had she drawn the slightest sound, the poet's doom was +sealed, and she would have rung his funeral knell.</p> + +<p>Chatelard now slowly rose from his knees, folded his arms across his +breast, and with downcast look, but without uttering another word, +strode out of the apartment. When he had gone, the queen, no longer +supported by the excitement occasioned by the presence of the intruder, +flung herself into a chair, greatly agitated and deadly pale. Here she +sat in silence for several minutes, evidently employed in endeavouring +to obtain a view of the late singular occurrence in all its bearings, +and in determining on the course which she herself ought to pursue +regarding it.</p> + +<p>Having seemingly satisfied herself on these points—</p> + +<p>"Ladies," she at length said—these ladies were two of her Maries, Mary +Livingstone and Mary Fleeming—"this is a most extraordinary +circumstance. Rash, thoughtless, presumptuous man, how could he have +been so utterly lost to every sense of propriety and of his own peril, +as to think of an act of such daring insolence?"</p> + +<p>"Poor man, I pity him," here simply, but naturally enough, perhaps, +interrupted Mary Fleeming. "Doubtless, madam, you will report the matter +instantly to the earl?"</p> + +<p>"Nay, Mary, I know not if I will, after all," replied the queen. "I +perhaps ought to do so; but methinks it would be hardly creditable to +me, as a woman, to bring this poor thoughtless young man to the +scaffold, whither, you know, my stern brother would have him instantly +dragged, if he knew of his offence; and besides, ladies," went on the +queen, in whose gentle bosom the kindly feelings of her nature had now +completely triumphed over those of insulted dignity and pride, "I know +not how far I am myself to blame in this matter. I fear me, I ought to +have been more guarded in my conduct towards this infatuated young man. +I should have kept him at a greater distance, and been more cautious of +admitting him to familiar converse, since he has evidently misconstrued +our affability and condescension. There may have been error there, you +see, ladies."</p> + +<p>"Yet," said Mary Livingstone, "methinks the daring insolence of the man +ought not to go altogether unpunished, madam. If he has chosen to +misconstrue, it can be no fault of yours."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not," replied Mary. "As a queen, I certainly ought to give him +up to the laws; but as a woman I cannot. Yet shall he not go unpunished. +He shall be forthwith banished from our court and kingdom. To-morrow I +shall cause it to be intimated to him that he leave our court instantly, +and Scotland within four-and-twenty hours thereafter, on pain of our +highest displeasure, and peril of disclosure of his crime."</p> + +<p>Having thus spoken, and having obtained a promise of secresy regarding +Chatelard's offence from her two attendants, Mary retired for the night, +not however, quite assured that she was pursuing the right course for +her own reputation, in thus screening the guilt of the poet; but +nevertheless determined, at all risks, to save him, in this instance at +least, from the consequence of his indiscretion. On the following +morning, the queen despatched a note to Chatelard, to the purpose which +we have represented her as expressing on the preceding night, and, in +obedience to the command it contained, he instantly left the palace, but +in a state of indescribable mental agitation and distraction; for in the +determination expressed by the queen he saw at once an end to all his +wild hopes, and more unendurable still, an assurance that he had wholly +mistaken the feelings with which Mary regarded him. We have said that +Chatelard obeyed one of the injunctions of the queen—that was, to leave +the palace instantly. He did so; but whether he conformed to the other +the sequel will show.</p> + +<p>Two days after the occurrences just related, Mary set out for St. +Andrew's; taking the route of the Queensferry, and sleeping the first +night at Dunfermline, and the second at Burntisland. On the evening of +her arrival at the latter place, the queen, fatigued by her journey, +which had been prolonged by hunting and hawking, retired early to her +apartment. Here she had not been many minutes, when the door was thrown +suddenly open, and Chatelard entered.</p> + +<p>"What! again, Chatelard!" exclaimed Mary, with the utmost indignation +and astonishment. "What means this, sir? How have you dared to intrude +yourself again into my apartment?"</p> + +<p>Without making any reply to this salutation, Chatelard threw himself on +his knees before the queen, and, seizing the skirt of her robe, implored +her pardon for his presumption; adding, that he had been impelled to +this second intrusion solely by a desire to explain to her the motives +of his former conduct, which, he said, had been wrongly interpreted, and +to bid her farewell before he went into the banishment to which she had +doomed him.</p> + +<p>"Rise, sir, rise," said Mary; "I will listen to no explanations forced +on me in this extraordinary manner. I desire that you instantly quit +this apartment. This repetition of your offence, sir, I will neither +bear with nor overlook. Rise, I command you, and begone!"</p> + +<p>Instead of obeying, the infatuated poet not only persisted in remaining +in the position he was in, but, still keeping hold of the queen's robe, +began to speak the language of passion and love. The queen endeavoured +to release herself from his hold, and was in the act of attempting to do +so, when the door of the apartment, which Chatelard had closed behind +him, was violently thrown open, and the Earl of Murray entered. Having +advanced two or three steps, he stood still, and, folding his arms +across his breast, looked sternly, but in silence, first at the queen, +and then at Chatelard; keeping, at the same time, sufficiently near the +door to prevent the escape of the latter, in case he should make such an +attempt. Having gazed on them for some time without opening his lips, +but with an ominous expression of countenance—</p> + +<p>"Well, Sir Poet," he at length said, addressing Chatelard, with cold +deliberation, "pray do me the favour to enlighten me as to the meaning +of your having thus intruded yourself into the queen's apartment. Why do +I find you here, sir, and wherefore have I found you in the position +from which you have just now risen? Pray, sir, explain."</p> + +<p>"I came here, my lord," replied Chatelard, with firmness and dignity, +"to take leave of Her Majesty before returning to France, for which I +set out to-morrow."</p> + +<p>An ironical and incredulous smile played on the stern countenance of +Murray. "A strange place this, methinks, and a strange season, for +leave-taking; and yet stranger than all the language in which I just now +heard you speak. You are aware, I presume, sir," he added, "that you are +just now in the queen's sleeping apartment, where none dare intrude but +on the peril of their lives. But probably, madam," he said, now turning +to the queen, without waiting any reply to his last remark, "you can +explain the meaning of this extraordinary scene."</p> + +<p>"You had better, my lord," replied Mary, evasively—for she was still +reluctant to commit the unfortunate poet—"obtain what explanations you +desire from Chatelard himself. He surely is the fittest person to +explain his own conduct."</p> + +<p>"True, madam," said Murray, sneeringly, "but I thought it not by any +means improbable that you might be as well informed on the point in +question as the gentleman himself."</p> + +<p>"Your insinuation is rude, my lord," replied the queen, haughtily; and, +without vouchsafing any other remark, walked away to the further end of +the apartment, leaving the earl and Chatelard together.</p> + +<p>Murray now saw, from the perfectly composed and independent manner of +the queen, that he could make out nothing to her prejudice from the case +before him, nor elicit the slightest evidence of anything like +connivance, on the part of Mary, at Chatelard's intrusion. Seeing this, +he determined on proceeding against the unfortunate poet with the utmost +rigour to which his imprudence had exposed him, in the hope that +severity would wring from him such confessions as would implicate the +queen.</p> + +<p>Having come to this resolution—"Sir," he said, addressing Chatelard, +"prepare to abide the consequences of your presumption." And he +proceeded to the door, called an attendant, and desired him to send the +captain of the guard and a party to him instantly.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes, they appeared, when the earl, addressing the officer +just named, and pointing to Chatelard, desired him to put that gentleman +in ward; and the latter was immediately hurried out of the apartment. +When the guard, with their prisoner, had left the queen's chamber, the +earl walked up to Mary, who, with her head leaning pensively on her +hand, had been silently contemplating the proceedings that were going +forward in her apartment.</p> + +<p>"Madam," said Murray, on approaching her, "I think you may consider +yourself in safety for this night, at any rate, from any further +intrusion from this itinerant versifier; and it shall be my fault if he +ever again annoys you or any one else."</p> + +<p>"What, brother!" exclaimed Mary, in evident alarm at this ambiguous, but +ominous hint—"you will not surely proceed to extremities against the +unfortunate young man?"</p> + +<p>"By St Bride, but I will though," replied Murray, angrily. "Why, madam, +has not your reputation as a woman, and your dignity as a queen, both +been assailed by this insolent foreigner, in the daring act he has +done?"</p> + +<p>"Nay, my lord," replied the queen, haughtily, "methinks it will take +much more than this to affect my reputation. I indeed marvel much to +hear you speak thus, my lord. My dignity, again, can be debased only by +mine own acts, and cannot be affected by the act of another."</p> + +<p>"Nevertheless, madam," rejoined her brother, "ye cannot stop slanderous +tongues, and I know not how the world may construe this circumstance. +Both your honour and station require that this presumtuous knave suffer +the penalty of his crime in its utmost rigour. What would the world say +else? Why, it would have suspicions that ought not for an instant to be +associated with the name of Mary Stuart."</p> + +<p>"But you will not have his life taken, brother?" said Mary, in a gentle +tone—subdued by the thoughts of the severe doom that threatened the +unfortunate gentleman, and placing her hand affectionately on the earl's +arm as she spoke. "Can ye not banish him forth of the realm, or imprison +him—anything short of death, which, methinks, would be, after all, hard +measure for the offence?"</p> + +<p>"You have reasons, doubtless, madam," said the earl, coldly and bluntly, +"for this tenderness."</p> + +<p>"I have," said Mary, indignantly; "but not, my lord, such as you would +seem to insinuate. My reasons are, humanity and a feeling of compassion +for the misguided and unhappy youth."</p> + +<p>"Chatelard shall have such mercy, madam, as your Majesty's Privy Council +may deem him deserving of," replied the earl, turning round on his heel, +and quitting the apartment.</p> + +<p>On leaving the presence of the queen, the Earl of Murray retired to his +own chamber where he was shortly after, waited upon by Choisseul, who +had been for some time watching his return.</p> + +<p>"Ha, Choisseul art there?" said the earl, with an unusual expression of +satisfaction on his countenance, on the former's entrance. "Thou hast +done well, friend: I found matters exactly as you stated, and am obliged +by the promptness and accuracy of your information."</p> + +<p>"Vere happy, my lor', I am serve to your satisfaction," replied +Choisseul, bowing low. "I vas vatch Monsieur Chatelard as vone cat shall +vatch vone leetle mice, and did caught him at las."</p> + +<p>"You did well, Choisseul, and shall be suitably recompensed. Dost know +how the fellow came here, and when?"</p> + +<p>"He did come in vone leetle barque, my lor' from over de riviere, on de +todder side opposite."</p> + +<p>"Ah, so!" said the earl. "Well, you may now retire, Choisseul. To-morrow +I shall see to your reward."</p> + +<p>Choisseul bowed, and withdrew.</p> + +<p>When he had retired, the earl sat down to a small writing table, and, +late as the hour was, began writing with great assiduity—an employment +at which he continued until he had written eight or ten different +letters, each of considerable length. These were addressed to various +members of the Queen's Privy Council in Edinburgh, and to some of the +law officers of the crown. They were all nearly copies of each other, +and contained an account of Chatelard's conduct, with a charge to the +several parties addressed to repair to St. Andrews on the second day +following, for the purpose of holding a court on the offender, and +awarding him such punishment as the case might seem to demand.</p> + +<p>On the day succeeding that on which the occurrence just related took +place, the queen and her retinue proceeded to St. Andrews, whither the +prisoner Chatelard was also carried; and, on the next again, the +unfortunate gentleman was brought to trial, the scene of which was an +apartment in the Castle of St Andrews, which had been hastily prepared +for the occasion. In the centre of this apartment was placed a large +oblong oaken table, covered with crimson velvet, and surrounded by a +circle of high-backed chairs, with cushions covered with the same +material. These were subsequently occupied by eight or ten persons of +the Privy Council, including Mary's secretary of state, Maitland of +Lethington, who sat at one end of the table. At the opposite end sat the +Earl of Murray; the prisoner occupying a place in the centre at one of +the sides. During the investigation which followed into the offence of +Chatelard, the Earl of Murray made repeated indirect attempts to lead +him to make statements prejudicial to the queen; urging him, with a show +of candour and pretended regard for justice, to inform the court of +anything and everything which he thought might be available in his +defence, without regard to the rank or condition of those whom such +statements might implicate. This language was too plain to be +misunderstood. Every one present perceived that it conveyed a pointed +allusion to the queen. Chatelard, amongst the rest, felt that it did so, +and indignantly repelled the insinuation.</p> + +<p>"I have none," he said, "to accuse but myself; nothing to blame but my +own folly. Folly, did I say?" went on the fearless enthusiast; "it was +no folly—it was love, love, love—all-powerful love—love for her, the +noblest, the loveliest of created beings, for whom I could die ten +thousand deaths. It was love for her who has been to me the breath of +life, the light of mine eyes, the idol of my heart; around which were +entwined all the feelings and susceptibilities of my nature, even as the +ivy entwines the tree—the constant theme of my dreams by night; the +sole subject of my thoughts by day. It has been hinted to me that I may +blame freely, where to blame may serve me. But whom shall I blame? Not +her, surely, who is the object of my idolatry—my sun, moon, and +stars—my heaven, my soul, my existence. Not her, surely; for she is +faultless as the unborn babe, pure and spotless as the snow-wreath in +the hollow of the mountain. Who shall maintain the contrary fies in his +throat, and is a foul-mouthed, villanous slanderer."</p> + +<p>Here the enthusiastic and somewhat incoherent speaker was abruptly +interrupted by Maitland of Lethington, who, rising to his feet, and +resting his hands on the low table around which Chatelard's judges were +seated, said, looking at the prisoner—</p> + +<p>"Friend, ye must speak to your defence, if ye would speak at all. This +that you have said is nothing to the purpose; and you cannot be +permitted to take up the time of this court with such rhapsodies as +these, that make not for any point of your accusation. Think ye not so, +my lords?" he added, glancing around the table.</p> + +<p>Several nods of assent spoke acquiescence. When Maitland had concluded—</p> + +<p>"I have done, then, my lords," said Chatelard, bowing, and seating +himself. "I have no more to say."</p> + +<p>A short conversation now took place amongst the prisoner's judges, when +sentence of death was unanimously agreed to, and he was ordered to be +beheaded on the following day, the 22d of February, 1563.</p> + +<p>On the rising of the court, the Earl of Murray repaired to the queen, +and informed her of the doom awarded against Chatelard. Mary was greatly +affected by the intelligence. She burst into tears, exclaiming—</p> + +<p>"Oh, unhappy, thrice unhappy, countenance! thou hast been given me for a +curse, instead of a blessing—the ruin of these who love me best—that, +by inspiring a silly passion, at once dangerous and worthless, will not +permit one to remain near me in the character of friend! My lord, my +lord," she continued, in great agitation, "can you not, will you not +save the unhappy young man? I beseech thee, I implore thee, by the ties +of consanguinity that connect us, by the duty ye owe to me as thy +sovereign, to spare his life!"</p> + +<p>"You know not what you ask, madam," replied Murray, stalking up and down +the apartment. "How can his life be spared consistently with your +honour? Save him, and you will set a thousand slanderous tongues +a-wagging. It may not, must not, be."</p> + +<p>Mary herself could not deny the force of this remark, and, finding she +had nothing to oppose to it, she flung herself into a chair, and again +burst into tears. In this condition the earl left her, to give orders +respecting the execution of Chatelard on the following day, and to put +another proceeding in train for obtaining that result which he had aimed +at on the trial of the unfortunate young man. Sending again for +Choisseul—</p> + +<p>"Friend," he said, on that person's entering the apartment, "I wish +another small piece of service at your hands."</p> + +<p>Choisseul bowed, and expressed his readiness to do anything he might be +required to do.</p> + +<p>"I vas proud to discharge all de drops of my blood in your service, my +lor'," said the knave, with a profound obeisance.</p> + +<p>The earl carelessly nodded approbation.</p> + +<p>"To-night, then, Choisseul," he went on, "you will repair to the dungeon +in which Chatelard is confined. You will see him as a friend. You +understand me?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, well, my lor', vere well."</p> + +<p>"Just so. Well, then, you will hint to him that you have reason to +believe he might yet save his life by confessing a participation in his +guilt on the part of the queen. You may add, though not as from me, of +course, that I have no doubt of his having been encouraged to those +liberties for which his life is forfeited; and you may say that you know +I feel for him, and would readily procure his pardon, if he would only +give me a reasonable ground or pretext for doing so, by showing that +there were <i>others</i> equally in fault with him. Do you entirely +understand me, Choisseul?"</p> + +<p>"Entirely, my lor'," replied the latter; "bright, clear, as noonday at +the sun."</p> + +<p>"So, then, return to me when you have seen Chatelard, and let me know +the result," said the earl.</p> + +<p>Choisseul once more withdrew, to perform the treacherous and knavish +part assigned him. About midnight he sought the dungeon of the unhappy +gentleman, and, having been admitted by the guards, found him busily +employed in writing; the indulgence of a lamp, with pen, ink, and paper, +having, at his most earnest request, been afforded him. Indeed, these +were more readily and willingly given than he was aware of. They were +given in the hope that he would commit something to writing which, +without his intending it, might compromise the character of the queen. +But in this her enemies were disappointed.</p> + +<p>On Choisseul's entering Chatelard's dungeon, the latter, as we have +already said, was busily engaged in writing. He was inditing a last +farewell to the queen in verse. On this employment he was so intent, +that he did not observe, or at least pay any attention to, the entrance +of Choisseul, but continued writing on till he had completed his task, +which now, however, occupied only a very few minutes. On finishing—</p> + +<p>"'Tis done," he said, and threw down his pen with violence on the table. +"These are the last notes of the harp of Chatelard. Ha, Choisseul!" he +immediately added, and only now for the first time seeming conscious of +that person's presence; "I am glad to see you, my countryman. This is +kind. I thought there were none in this strange land to care for me. But +they shall see, Choisseul," he added, proudly, "how a Frenchman and a +poet can die. That is, boldly and bravely. He were no true poet whose +soul was not elevated above the fear of death. I said, my friend," he +went on, after a momentary pause, and sighing deeply as he spoke, "that +I thought there were none in this land to care for me, or to sorrow for +me—and perhaps it is so; but there is one, Choisseul, whom I would not +willingly believe indifferent to my fate. She surely, much as I have +offended her, will say, 'Poor Chatelard!' Nay, methinks I see a tear +standing in that peerless eye, when she recalls the memory of her +departed poet. That—that, Choisseul," said the unhappy captive, with an +enthusiasm which even the near approach of death had not been able to +abate—"that would be something worth dying for!"</p> + +<p>Choisseul smiled.</p> + +<p>"You hold your life lightly, indeed, Chatelard," he said, speaking in +his native language, "if you think its loss compensated by a woman's +tear."</p> + +<p>"Ah, Choisseul, but such a woman!" exclaimed Chatelard.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," replied the former, again smiling; "but you can have no +doubt that <i>she</i> at least will regret your death. <i>She</i> loved you too +well not to deplore your fate."</p> + +<p>"Did she?" exclaimed Chatelard, eagerly, and with such a look of inquiry +and doubt as greatly disappointed the asserter. "You know who I mean, +then; but how know ye that which you have just now said? Assure me that +ye speak true, Choisseul, and I shall die happy."</p> + +<p>"Ah, bah! you know it yourself, my friend, better than I," replied the +latter. "No use in concealing it now," he added, with an intelligent +look.</p> + +<p>"Concealing what, sir?" said Chatelard, in a tone of mingled surprise +and displeasure.</p> + +<p>"Why, the affection the queen entertained for you," replied Choisseul. +"We all know, my friend, you would not have done what you did, had she +not encouraged your addresses. And I'll tell you what, Chatelard," he +went on, "I have reason to believe that your life would yet be spared, +if you would only show that this was so."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I understand you," said Chatelard, with suppressed passion. "If I +will accuse the queen—if I will put her in the power of her +enemies—her enemies will be obliged to me. In other words, I may save +my life by sacrificing her reputation; and it would be little matter +whether what I said should be true or not. Is it not so, Choisseul?" +Then, without waiting for an answer—"Villain, devil that thou art," he +exclaimed, now suddenly giving full swing to the passion that had been +raised within him, "how hast thou dared to come to me with such an +infamous proposal as this? Didst think, most dastardly knave, that my +soul was as mean as thine own? Begone, begone, ruffian! Thy presence, +thy breath, pollutes my dungeon more than the fetid damps that exhale +from its walls—more than the noxious reptiles that crawl on its floor. +Begone! begone, I say!" And he seized the now trembling caitiff by the +throat, and dashed him against the door of the cell, with a violence +that instantly brought in the guards who were stationed on the outside. +These, seeing how matters stood, hurried Choisseul out of the dungeon, +and again secured the door on its unfortunate inmate.</p> + +<p>On leaving Chatelard, Choisseul repaired to the Earl of Murray, but with +infinitely less confidence in his looks and manner than on the former +occasion when his villany had been successful. To the earl he detailed +the particulars of his interview with Chatelard; not forgetting to +mention the rough treatment he had received from the infuriated poet.</p> + +<p>"Then he'll confess nothing, Choisseul?" said Murray, when the former +had done speaking.</p> + +<p>"Not anything at all, my lor'. Dere is no hope; for he make no more of +dying than I do of taking vone leetle pinch of snuff."</p> + +<p>"Obstinate fool," exclaimed the earl, evidently chagrined and +disappointed. "Let him die, then! You may retire, Choisseul," he +abruptly added.</p> + +<p>Choisseul obeyed.</p> + +<p>"His execution, at any rate, shall be public," said the earl to himself, +when the latter had left him. "Perhaps he may make some confession on +the scaffold, and it will be well to have it amply testified."</p> + +<p>On the following day, Chatelard was led out to execution, when his +gentleman-like appearance and noble bearing excited the utmost sympathy +of the crowd. On ascending the scaffold, he pulled a small volume from +his pocket, opened it, and read aloud, with great dignity and composure, +Ronsard's Hymn on Death. When he had done, he turned towards that part +of the Castle of St Andrew's where he supposed the queen to be, and, +kissing his hand, waved a graceful adieu, exclaiming—"Farewell, +loveliest and most cruel princess whom the world contains!"</p> + +<p>Having uttered these words, he laid his head, with the utmost composure, +on the block. The axe of the executioner fell, and the high-souled, +accomplished, but enthusiastic Chatelard was no more.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3 class="p3"><a name="16">CHRISTIE OF THE CLEEK.</a></h3> + +<p class="p2">Though the records of history and everyday experience teach us that +human nature, when pressed beyond certain limits by the force of stern +necessity, loses all trace of the lineaments of the lord of the +creation, and degenerates as far below the grade of brute existence as +it is, when not subjected to any such power, above it; yet it is +remarkable how determinedly mankind cling to a sceptical incredulity in +regard to those facts which derogate, in a very great degree, from the +dignity of the character of their species. The story of Christiecleek +has been considered by many as only fit for being, what it has been for +five hundred years, a nursery bugbear, and yet it is narrated by Winton, +one of the least credulous of historians, was attended by circumstances +rendering it highly probable at the time, and has been corroborated by +instances of <i>civilised</i> cannabalism, produced by necessity, in cases of +shipwreck, of almost yearly occurrence.</p> + +<p>The united powers of war and famine, which have so often poured forth +their fury on the devoted head of poor Scotland, at no time exhibited +greater malignity than in the beginning of the reign of David II. For +about fifty years, the country had scarcely ever enjoyed a year of +quiet—with, perhaps, the exception of a short period of the reign of +Bruce. Repeatedly swept from one end to the other by the invading armies +of the Edwards, carrying the sword and the faggot in every direction, +she was, on the very instant of the departure of the foreign foes (in +all cases starved out of a burned and devastated land), laid hold of by +the harpies of intestine wars. The strong resilient energies of the +country could have thrown off the effects of one attack, however severe +and however protracted; but a series of incursions of the same disease, +at intervals allowing of no time for recruiting her powers, produced a +political marasmus—a confirmed famine—one of the most dreadful evils, +including in itself all others, that ever was visited on mankind.</p> + +<p>It would be difficult to draw a picture—because imagination falls short +of the powers of a proper portraiture—of the misery and desolation of +Scotland at the time we have mentioned. The land had got gradually out +of cultivation, and the herds of black cattle and sheep, on which the +people relied, in default of the productive powers of agriculture, had +been either driven into England, or consumed by the myriads of soldiers +of the English invading armies. Great numbers of the people, having +nothing wherewith to allay the pangs of hunger, though they had plenty +of money, quitted their country in despair, and took refuge in Flanders. +Those who had no money to pay their passage, left their homes, and +betook themselves to the woods, where, to appease their agonies, they +lay on the ground, and devoured, like the inhabitants of their sties, +the acorns and the nuts that had fallen from the trees. In the want of +these, the very branches were laid hold of and gnawed; and many poor +creatures were found lying dead, with the half-masticated boughs in +their clenched hands. The only remedial influence that was experienced, +was the growth of dysenteries and other intestine diseases, which, +produced by hunger and becoming epidemic, kindly swept off thousands who +would otherwise have died of protracted famine.</p> + +<p>At a wild spot near the Grampian Hills, a number of destitute beings had +collected, for the purpose of catching deer (a few of which still +remained), to keep in the spark of life. They agreed to associate +together, and divide their prey, which was dressed in a mountain cave, +where they had assembled. Every morning they sallied forth, women and +all, on the dreadful errand of taking advantage of chance, in supplying +them with any species of wild animals that came in their way, to satisfy +the imperative demands of hunger. They got a few creatures at first, +consisting chiefly of hares and foxes, and occasionally wolves, as +ferocious and hungry as their captors; and such was the extremity to +which they were often reduced, that they sat down on the spot where the +animals were caught, divided the smoking limbs among their number, and +devoured them without any culinary preparation.</p> + +<p>This supply very soon ceased—the animals in the neighbourhood having +either been consumed or frightened away to more inaccessible places. The +wretched beings, like others in their situation, had recourse to the +woods for acorns; but the time of the year had passed, and no nuts were +to be found. Weakness preyed on their limbs; and several of their +number, unable longer to go in search of food, which was nowhere to be +found, lay on the floor of the cavern in the agonies of a hunger which +their stronger companions, concerned for their own fate, would not +alleviate. All ties between the members of the association began to give +way before the despair of absolute famine. They ceased all personal +communication; silence, feeding on the morbid forms of misery called up +by diseased imaginations, reigned throughout the society of skeletons, +and hollow eyes, which spoke unutterable things, glanced through the +gloom of the cavern, where a glimmering fire, on which they had, for a +time, prepared the little meat they had procured, was still kept up, by +adding a few pieces of wood from the neighbouring forest. No notice was +taken of each other's agonies, nor could the groans which mixed and +sounded with a hollow noise through the dark recess, have been +distinguished by the ear of sympathy; an occasional scream from a female +sufferer who experienced a paroxysm of more than her ordinary agony, was +only capable of fixing the attention for an instant, till individual +pain laid hold again of the tortured feelings.</p> + +<p>A person of the name of Andrew Christie, a butcher, originally from +Perth, had endeavoured, at first, to organise the society, with a view +to save himself and his fellow-sufferers. He was a strong, hardy man; +and, if any of the number could be said to retain a small portion of +self-command, in the midst of the horrible scene of suffering which +surrounded them, it was this man. He was still able to walk, though with +difficulty, and continued to feed the fire, going out occasionally and +seizing on grubs that were to be found about the mouth of the cavern. +The others were unable to follow his example, and even he latterly was +unfitted for his loathsome search. All were now nearly in the same +predicament: agony and despair reigned throughout, to the exclusion of a +single beam of hope of any one ever again visiting the haunts of man. At +Christie's side a woman ceased to groan; an intermission of agony was a +circumstance, and the only circumstance to be remarked. The thought +struck him she was dead; he laid his hand upon her mouth to be assured +of the fact; she was no more! The dead body was a talisman in the temple +of misery—in a short time, that body was gone!</p> + +<p>The Rubicon of the strongest of natural prejudices was passed, with the +goading furies of hunger and despair behind. A prejudice overcome is an +acquisition of liberty, though it may be for evil. The death of the +woman had saved them all from death; but the efficacy of the salvation +would postpone a similar course of relief. Christie saw the predicament +of his friends, and proposed in the hollow, husky voice of starvation, +that one of their number should die by lot, and that then, having +recovered strength, they should proceed to the mountain pass and procure +victims.</p> + +<p>This oration was received with <i>groans</i>, meant to be of applause. The +lot of death fell on another woman, who was sacrificed to the prevailing +demon. A consequent recovery of strength now fitted the survivors for +their dreadful task. They proceeded to the mountain pass, headed by +Christie, and killed a traveller, by knocking him on the head with a +hammer,and then removed him to the cavern, where his body was treated in +the same manner as that of the woman on whom the lot of death had +fallen. They repeated this operation whenever their hunger returned; +making no selection of their victims, unless when there was a choice +between a foot-passenger and a horseman—the latter of whom, always +preferred for the sake of his horse, was dragged from his seat with a +large iron hook, fixed to the end of a pole—an invention of Christie's, +serving afterwards to give him the dreadful name by which he became so +well known. That which hunger at first suggested became afterwards a +matter of choice, if not of fiendish delight. The silent process of +assuaging the pain arising from want subsequently changed into a banquet +of cannibals; the song of rivalry was sounded in dithyrambic measure +over the dead body of the victim, and the corrybantic dance of the +wretches who required to still conscience by noise, or die, was footed +to the wild music which, escaping from the cavern, rung among the hills. +Such were the obsequies which Scotchmen, resigning the nature of man, +amidst unheard-of agonies, celebrated over the corpses of their +countrymen.</p> + +<p>These things reached the ears of government; and an armed force was +despatched to the hills to seize the cannibals. Several of them were +caught; but Christie and some others escaped, and were never captured. +The bones of their victims were collected, and conveyed to Perth; where, +upon being counted, it appeared that they had killed no fewer than +thirty travellers. From these transactions sprung that name, +Christiecleek, which is so familiar to the ears of Scotchmen. +"Christiecleek! Christiecleek!" became instantly the national nursery +bugbear. No child would cry after the charmed name escaped from the lips +of the nurse; and even old people shuddered at the mention of a term +which produced ideas so revolting to human nature, and so derogatory of +Scottish character.</p> + +<p>Now it is said that, some time after the performance of the dreadful +tragedy we have narrated, an old man in the town of Dumfries, who had +three children by his wife, quarrelled her often for the use of a term +intended simply to pacify her children when they cried, but which he +declared was too much even for his ears. He was a respectable merchant, +had earned a considerable sum of money by his trade, and was reputed a +most godly man, attending divine service regularly, and performing all +the domestic duties with order and great suavity of manner. His +neighbours looked up to him with love and respect, and solicited his +counsel in their difficulties. His name—David Maxwell—was applauded in +the neighbourhood, and he received great sympathy from all who knew him, +in consequence of having, as was reported, lost an only brother among +Christiecleek's victims—a fact he had concealed from his wife, till her +use of the name compelled him to mention it to her, but which afterwards +came to be well known.</p> + +<p>The silence of the mother had, however, no effect upon the urchins, who, +the more they were requested to cease terrifying each other by their +national <i>terriculamentum</i>, "Christiecleek," the more terrible it +appeared to them, and the more they used it. If they abstained from the +use of the word in the presence of their parents, they were the more +ready to have recourse to it in the passages of the house, and in the +dark rooms, and wherever the dreaded being might be supposed to be. The +pastime was general throughout Scotland; and David Maxwell's children +only followed an example which has been repeated for five hundred years. +"Christiecleek!—Christiecleek!" What Scotchman has not heard the +dreaded words? Time rolled on, and the Misses Maxwell resigned their +childish pastime for the duties of women. Their father had become a very +old man; and the attentions which their mother could not bestow, were +willingly yielded by the young women, who were remarked as being very +beautiful, as well as very good. They loved their father dearly, and +looked upon their filial duties as willing tributes of affection. After +they became intrusted with the secret, they substituted for the cry of +their youth, which had given their father so much pain, pity for the +brother of the victim of the execrated fiend.</p> + +<p>At last David Maxwell came to die; and, as he lay on his bed, surrounded +by his wife and daughters, he seemed to be wrestling with some dreadful +thought which allowed him no rest, but wrung from him, incessantly, +heavy groans and muttered prayers. His wife pressed him to open his +heart to her, or, if he was disinclined to repose that confidence in her +when dying, which he had awarded to her so liberally during a long +union, he should, she recommended, send for Father John of the Monastery +of St Agnes, and be shrived. The daughters wept as they heard these +melancholy statements, and the old man sympathised in their sorrow, +which seemed to give him additional pain. At last he seemed inclined to +be communicative, and, after a struggle, said to his wife—</p> + +<p>"Wha is to tak care o' my dochters when I am consigned to that cauld +habitation whar a faither's love and an enemy's anger are alike unfelt +and unknown? My effects will be sufficient for the support o' my +household; but money, without a guardian, is only a temptation to +destroyers and deceivers. If I could get this point settled to my +satisfaction, I micht die in peace."</p> + +<p>"You never tauld me o' yer freens, David," said his wife—"a +circumstance that has often grieved me. The hundreds o' Maxwells in the +Stewartry and in Dumfries-shire surely contain among them some relation, +however distant; but my uncle will act as guardian to our dochters, and +ye hae tried his honesty."</p> + +<p>"Yet I dinna want relations," groaned the dying man. "I hae a +<i>brither</i>."</p> + +<p>"A brither," ejaculated the mother and daughter in astonishment; "was he +no killed by the monster, Christiecleek, in the Highland cavern?"</p> + +<p>"No," answered David, with great pain.</p> + +<p>"Whar lives he, and what's his Christian name?" cried the wife, in +amazement.</p> + +<p>"Is it his <i>Christian</i> name ye ask?" said the old man. "Surely David," +replied the wife—"his surname maun be Maxwell."</p> + +<p>"But it is not Maxwell," said he, still groaning.</p> + +<p>"Not Maxwell!" said the wife. "What is it then?"</p> + +<p>"<i>Christie!</i>" ejaculated David, with a groan.</p> + +<p>The mention of this name produced a strange effect on the minds of the +wife and daughters, who, in the brother, saw (as they thought) at once +the hated Christiecleek, and found an explanation of the horror which +David Maxwell had uniformly exhibited when the name was mentioned in his +presence. They had at last discovered the true solution of what had +appeared so wonderful; and, having retired for a few minutes, to allow +their excitement to subside, they, by comparing notes, came to the +conclusion that their father, having been ashamed of his connection with +the unnatural being, had changed his name, and dropped all intercourse +with him; but that now, when he was about to die, his feelings had +overpowered him, and forced him to make the awful confession he had +uttered. Pained and shamed by this newly-discovered connection, they +were not regardless of what was due to him whose shame and grief had +been even greater than theirs, and, accordingly, resolved to yield all +the consolation in their power to the good man who could not help having +a bad brother. On their return to the bedside, they found him in great +agony both of mind and body.</p> + +<p>"This brither, David," said the wife, "I fear, is little worthy o' your +friendship, and the change o' your name is, doubtless, the consequence +o' a virtuous shame o' the connection. But can it be possible that he is +that man o' the mountain cavern, whose name terrifies the bairns o' +Scotland, and maks even the witches o' the glens raise their bony hands +in wonder and execration? Tell us, David, freely, if this be the burden +which presses sae heavily on yer mind. Yer wife and dochters will think +nae less o' you for having been unfortunate; and consolation is never +sae usefu as when it is applied to a grief that is nae langer secret. +The surgeon's skill is o' little avail when the disease is unknown."</p> + +<p>This speech, containing apparently the fatal secret, produced a great +effect upon the bedridden patient, who rolled from side to side, and +sawed the air with his sinewy hands, like one in a state of madness.</p> + +<p>"We were speakin o' guardians for my dochters," said he, at last, "and I +said I had a brither whase surname is Christie. You promised me +consolation. Is this your comfort to a deein man? For twenty years I +have hated the mention o' that dreadfu name; and now, when I am on my +death-bed, speakin o' curators for my bairns, ye rack my ears by tellin +me I am the brither o' <i>Christiecleek</i>! Would Christiecleek be a +suitable guardian for my dochters? Speak, Agnes—say if ye think +Christiecleek would tak care o' their bodies and their gowd as weel as +he tended the victims o' the Highland cave?"</p> + +<p>The wife saw she had gone too far, and begged his pardon for having made +the suggestion.</p> + +<p>"Ye will forgive me, David," said she, "for the remark I hae dune ye +great injustice; for how is it possible to conceive that sae guid a man +could be sae nearly related to a monster? But ye hae to explain to me +the change o' name. How hae you and your brither different surnames?"</p> + +<p>"<i>Because</i>," said the dying man, turning round, and staring with +lacklustre eyes broadly in the face of his wife—"<i>because I am +Christiecleek!</i>"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3> +<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</p> +<p>The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will appear.</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of +Scotland, Vol. 9, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDER, VOL 9 *** + +***** This file should be named 32956-h.htm or 32956-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/9/5/32956/ + +Produced by David Clarke, Sunflower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/32956.txt b/32956.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69308b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/32956.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9458 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of +Scotland, Vol. 9, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. 9 + +Author: Various + +Editor: Alexander Leighton + +Release Date: June 23, 2010 [EBook #32956] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDER, VOL 9 *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Sunflower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +Wilson's + +Tales of the Borders + +AND OF SCOTLAND. + +HISTORICAL, TRADITIONARY, & IMAGINATIVE. + +WITH A GLOSSARY. + +REVISED BY +ALEXANDER LEIGHTON, +ONE OF THE ORIGINAL EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS. + +VOL. IX. + +LONDON: +WALTER SCOTT, 14 PATERNOSTER SQUARE. +AND NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE. +1885. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + Page. + + THE CRIPPLE; OR, EBENEZER THE DISOWNED + (_John Mackay Wilson_) 1 + + THE LEGEND OF FAIR HELEN OF KIRCONNEL + (_Alexander Leighton_) 23 + + TOM DUNCAN'S YARN (_Oliver Richardson_) 55 + + THE PROFESSOR'S TALES (_Professor Thomas Gillespie_) + + THE THREE BRETHREN 87 + + THE MISTAKE RECTIFIED 97 + + DURA DEN; OR, SECOND THOUGHTS ARE BEST 106 + + THE LAIRD OF LUCKY'S HOW (_Alexander Campbell_) 119 + + THE ABDUCTION (_Alexander Leighton_) 151 + + SIR PATRICK HUME: A TALE OF THE HOUSE OF MARCHMONT + (_John Mackay Wilson_) 167 + + THE SERJEANT'S TALES (_John Howell_) + + THE PACKMAN'S JOURNEY TO LONDON 178 + + CHARLES LAWSON (_John Mackay Wilson_) 210 + + BON GAULTIER'S TALES (_Theodore Martin_) + + MRS. HUMPHREY GREENWOOD'S TEA-PARTY 217 + + THE RECLUSE OF THE HEBRIDES (_Walter Logan_) 230 + + ELLEN ARUNDEL (_Walter Logan_) 238 + + CHATELARD (_Alexander Campbell_) 243 + + CHRISTIE OF THE CLEEK (_Alexander Leighton_) 275 + + + + +WILSON'S + +TALES OF THE BORDERS, + +AND OF SCOTLAND. + + + + +THE CRIPPLE; OR, EBENEZER THE DISOWNED. + + +It is proverbial to say, with reference to particular constitutions or +habits of body, that May is a _trying_ month, and we have known what it +is to experience its trials in the sense signified. With our +grandmothers too, yea, and with our grandfathers also, May was held to +be an unlucky month. Nevertheless, it is a lovely, it is a beautiful +month, and the forerunner of the most healthy of the twelve. It is like +a timid maiden blushing into womanhood, wooing and yet shrinking from +the admiration which her beauty compels. The buds, the blossoms, the +young leaves, the tender flowers, the glittering dew-drops, and the song +of birds, burst from the grasp of winter as if the God of nature +whispered in the sunbeams--"Let there be life!" But it is in the morning +only, and before the business of the world summons us to its mechanical +and artificial realities, that the beauties of May can be felt in all +their freshness. We read of the glories of Eden, and that the earth was +cursed because of man's transgression; yet, when we look abroad upon the +glowing landscape, above us, and around us, and behold the pure heavens +like a sea of music floating over us, and hear the earth answer it back +in varied melody, while mountain, wood, and dale, seem dreaming in the +sound, and stealing into loveliness, we almost wonder that a bad man +should exist in the midst of a world that is still so beautiful, and +where every object around him is a representative of the wisdom, the +goodness, the mercy, the purity, and the omnipotence of his Creator. +There is a language in the very wild-flowers among our feet that +breathes a lesson of virtue. We can appreciate the feeling with which +the poet beheld + + "The _last_ rose of summer left blooming alone;" + +but in the firstlings of the spring, the primrose, the lily, and their +early train, there is an appeal that passes beyond our senses. They are +like the lispings and the smiles of infancy--lowly preachers, emblems of +our own immortality, and we love them like living things. They speak to +us of childhood and the scenes of youth, and _memory_ dwells in their +very fragrance. Yes, May is a beautiful month--it is a month of fair +sights and of sweet sounds. To it belongs the lowly primrose blushing by +the brae-side in congregated beauty, with here and there a cowslip +bending over them like a lover among the flowers; the lily hanging its +head by the brook that reflects its image, like a bride at the altar, as +if conscious of its own loveliness; the hardy daisy on the green sward, +like a proud man struggling in penury with the storms of fate. Now, too, +the blossoms on a thousand trees unfold their rainbow hues; the tender +leaves seem instinct with life, and expand to the sunbeams; and the +bright fields, like an emerald sea, wave their first undulations to the +breeze. The lark pours down a flood of melody on the nest of its mate, +and the linnet trills a lay of love to its partner from the yellow +furze. The chaffinch chants in the hedge its sweet but unvaried _line of +music_; the thrush hymns his bold roundelay; and the blackbird swells +the chorus; while the bird of spring sends its voice from the glens, +like a wandering echo lost between love and sadness; and the swallow, +newly returned from warmer climes or its winter sleep, + + "Twitters from the straw-built shed." + +The insect tribe leap into being, countless in numbers and matchless in +livery, and their low hum swims like the embodiment of a dream in the +air. The May-fly invites the angler to the river, while the minnow +gambols in the brook; the young salmon sports and sparkles in the +stream, and the grey trout glides slowly beneath the shadow of a rock in +the deep pool. To enjoy for a single hour in a May morning the luxuries +which nature spreads around--to wander in its fields and in its +woods--to feel ourselves a part of God's glad creation--to _feel_ the +gowan under our feet, and health circulating through our veins with the +refreshing breeze, is a recipe worth all in the Materia Medica. + +Now, it was before sunrise on such a morning in May as I have described, +that a traveller left the Black Bull in Wooler, and proceeded to the +Cheviots. He took his route by way of Earle and Langleeford; and, at the +latter place, leaving the long and beautiful glen, began to ascend the +mountain. On the cairn, which is perhaps about five hundred yards from +what is called the extreme summit of the mountain, he met an old and +intelligent shepherd, from whom he heard many tales, the legends of the +mountains--and amongst others, the following story:-- + +Near the banks of one of the romantic streams which take their rise +among the Cheviots, stood a small and pleasant, and what might be termed +respectable or genteel-looking building. It stood like the home of +solitude, excluded by mountains from the world. Beneath it, the rivulet +wandered over its rugged bed; to the east rose Cheviot, the giant of the +hills; to the west, lesser mountains reared their fantastic forms, +thinly studded here and there with dwarf alders, which the birds of +heaven had planted, and their progeny had nestled in their branches; to +the north and the south stretched a long and secluded glen, where beauty +blushed in the arms of wildness--and thick woods, where the young fir +and the oak of the ancient forest grew together, flourished beneath the +shelter of the hills. Fertility also smiled by the sides of the rivulet, +though the rising and setting sun threw the shadows of barrenness over +it. Around the cottage stood a clump of solitary firs, and behind it an +enclosure of alders, twisted together, sheltered a garden from the +storms that swept down the hills. + +Now, many years ago, a stranger woman, who brought with her a female +domestic and a male infant, became the occupant of this house among the +hills. She lived more luxuriously than the sheep-farmers in the +neighbourhood, and her accent was not that of the Borders. She was +between forty and fifty years of age, and her stature and strength were +beyond the ordinary stature and strength of women. Her manners were +repulsive, and her bearing haughty; but it seemed the haughtiness of a +weak and uneducated mind. Her few neighbours, simple though they were, +and little as they saw or knew of the world, its inhabitants and its +manners, perceived that the stranger who had come amongst them had not +been habituated to the affluence or easy circumstances with which she +was then surrounded. The child also was hard-favoured, and of a +disagreeable countenance; his back was strangely deformed; his feet were +distorted, and his limbs of unequal length. No one could look upon the +child without a feeling of compassion, save the woman who was his +mother, his nurse, or his keeper (for none knew in what relation she +stood to him), and she treated him as a persecutor, who hated his sight, +and was weary of his existence. + +She gave her name as Mrs Baird; and, as the child grew up, she generally +in derision called him "_AEsop_," or, in hatred, "the little monster!" +but the woman-servant called him Ebenezer, though she treated him with a +degree of harshness only less brutal than she whom he began to call +mother. We shall, therefore, in his history mention him by the name of +Ebenezer Baird. As he grew in years, the disagreeable expression of his +countenance became stronger, his deformity and lameness increased, and +the treatment he had experienced added to both. + +When nine years of age, he was sent to a boarding-school about twelve +miles distant. Here a new series of persecutions awaited him. Until the +day of his entering the school, he was almost ignorant that there was an +alphabet. He knew not a letter. He had seen one or two books, but he +knew not their use: he had never seen any one look upon them; he +regarded them merely as he did a picture--a piece of useless furniture, +or a plaything. Lame as he was, he had climbed the steep and the +dripping precipice for the eggs of the water-ouzel, sought among the +crags for the young of the gorgeous kingfisher, or climbed the tallest +trees in quest of the crested wrens, which chirped and fluttered in +invisible swarms among the branches.[A] The birds were to him +companions; he wished to rear their young, that they might love him, for +there was a lack of something in his heart--he knew not what it was--but +it was the void of being beloved, of being regarded. It is said that +nature abhors a vacuum, and so did the heart of Ebenezer. He knew not +what name to give it, but he longed for something that would show a +liking for him, and to which he could show a liking in return. The heart +is wicked, but it is not unsocial--its affections wither in +solitariness. When he strolled forth on these rambles about the glen, +having asked the permission of his mother or keeper (call her what you +will) before he went, "Go, imp! AEsop!" she was wont to exclaim, "and I +shall pray that you may break your neck before you return." There were +no farmers' or shepherds' children within several miles: he had seen +some of them, and when they had seen him, they had laughed at his +deformity--they had imitated his lameness, and contorted their +countenances into a caricatured resemblance of his. Such were poor +Ebenezer's acquirements, and such his acquaintance with human nature, +when he entered the boarding-school. A primer was put into his hands. +"What must I do with it?" thought Ebenezer. He beheld the rod of +correction in the hands of the teacher, and he trembled--for his +misshapen shoulders were familiar with such an instrument. He heard +others read, he saw them write; and he feared, wondered, and trembled +the more. He thought that he would be called upon to do the same, and he +knew he could not. He had no idea of _learning_--he had never heard of +such a thing. He thought that he must do as he saw others doing at once, +and he cast many troubled looks at the lord of a hundred boys. When the +name of "Ebenezer Baird" was called out, he burst into tears, he sobbed, +terror overwhelmed him. But when the teacher approached him kindly, took +him from his seat, placed him between his knees, patted his head, and +desired him to speak after him, the heart of the little cripple was +assured, and more than assured; it was the first time he had experienced +kindness, and he could have fallen on the ground and hugged the knees of +his master. The teacher, indeed, found Ebenezer the most ignorant +scholar he had ever met with, but he was no tyrant of the birch, though +to his pupils + + "A man severe he was, and stern to view;" + +and though he had all the manners and austerity of the old school about +him, he did not lay his head upon the pillow with his arm tired by the +incessant use of the ferule. He was touched with the simplicity and the +extreme ignorance of his new boarder, and he felt also for his lameness +and deformity. Thrice he went over the alphabet with his pupil, +commencing, "_Big Aw_--_Little Aw_," and having got over _b_, he told +him to remember that _c_ was like a half-moon. "Ye'll aye mind _c_ +again," added he; "think ye _see_ the moon." Thus they went on to _g_, +and he asked him what the carters said to their horses when they wished +them to go faster; but this Ebenezer could not tell--carts and horses +were sights that he had seen as objects of wonder. They are but seldom +seen amongst the hills now, and in those days they were almost unknown. +Getting over _h_, he strove to impress _i_ upon the memory of his pupil, +by touching the solitary grey orbit in his countenance (for Ebenezer had +but one), and asking him what he called it. "My _e'e_," answered +Ebenezer. + +"No, sir, you must not say your _e'e_, but your _eye_--mind that; and +that letter is _I_." + +The teacher went on, showing him that he could not forget round O, and +crooked S; and in truth, after his first lesson, Ebenezer was master of +these two letters. And, afterwards, when the teacher, in trying him +promiscuously through the alphabet, would inquire, "What letter is +this?"--"I no ken," the cripple would reply; "but I'm sure it's no O, +and it's no S." Within a week he was master of the six-and-twenty +mystical symbols, with the exception of four--and those four were _b_ +and _d_, _p_ and _q_. Ebenezer could not for three months be brought to +distinguish the _b_ from the _d_, nor the _p_ from the _q_; but he had +never even heard that he had a right hand and a left until he came to +the school--and how could it be expected? + +Scarce, however, had he mastered the alphabet, until the faculties of +the deformed began to expand. He now both understood and felt what it +was to learn. He passed from class to class with a rapidity that +astonished his teacher. He could not join in the boisterous sports of +his schoolfellows, and while they were engaged in their pastime, he +sought solitude, and his task accompanied him. He possessed strong +natural talents, and his infirmities gave them the assistance of +industry. His teacher noted these things in the cripple, and he was +gratified with them; but he hesitated to express his feelings openly, +lest the charge of partiality should be brought against him. Ebenezer, +however, had entered the academy as the butt of his schoolfellows--they +mocked, they mimicked, they tormented, they despised, or affected to +despise him; and his talents and progress, instead of abating their +persecutions, augmented them. His teacher was afraid to show him more +kindness than he showed to others; and his schoolfellows gloried in +annoying the cripple--they persecuted, they shunned, they hated him more +than even his mother did. He began to hate the world, for he had found +none that would love him. His teacher was the only human being that had +ever whispered to him words of praise or of kindness, and that had +always been in cold, guarded, and measured terms. + +Before he was eighteen, he had acquired all the knowledge that his +teacher could impart, and he returned to the cottage among the +mountains. There, however, he was again subjected to a persecution more +barbarous than that which he had met with from his schoolfellows. Mrs +Baird mocked, insulted, and drove him from her presence; and her +domestic showed him neither kindness nor respect. In stature, he +scarcely exceeded five feet; and his body was feeble as well as +deformed. The cruelty with which he had been treated had given an +asperity to his temper, and made him almost a hater of the human race; +and these feelings had lent their character to his countenance, marking +its naturally harsh expression with suspicion and melancholy. + +He was about five-and-twenty when the pangs and the terrors of death +fell upon her whom he regarded as his parent. She died--as a sinner +dies--with insulted eternity frowning to receive her. A few minutes +before her death, she desired the cripple to approach her bedside. She +fixed her closing eyes, which affection had never lighted, upon his. She +informed him that he was not her son. + +"Oh, tell me, then, whose son I am! Who are my parents?" he exclaimed, +eagerly. "Speak! speak!" + +"Your parents!" she muttered; and remorse and ignorance held her +departing soul in their grasp. She struggled; she again continued: "Your +parents! no, Ebenezer, no! I dare not name them! I have sworn--I have +sworn! and a death-bed is no time to break an oath!" + +"Speak! speak! Tell me, as you hope for heaven!" cried the cripple, with +his thin, bony fingers grasping the wrists of the dying woman. + +"Monster! monster!" she screamed, wildly, and in terror, "leave +me--leave me! You are provided for--open that chest--the chest--the +chest!" + +Ebenezer loosed his grasp; he sprang towards a strong chest which stood +in the room. "The keys! the keys!" he exclaimed, wildly; and again +hurrying to the bed, he violently pulled a bunch of keys from beneath +her pillow. But while he applied them to the chest, the herald of death +rattled in the throat of its victim; and, with one agonising throe and a +deep groan, her spirit escaped, and her body lay a corpse upon the bed. + +He opened the chest, and in it he found securities, which settled upon +him, under the name of Ebenezer Baird, five thousand pounds. But there +was nothing which threw light on his parentage--nothing to inform who he +was, or why he was there. + +The body of her who had never shed a tear over him he accompanied to the +grave. But now a deeper gloom fell upon him. He met but few men, and the +few he met shunned him, for there was a wildness and a bitterness in his +words--a railing against the world--which they wished not to hear. He +fancied, too, that they despised him--that their eyes were ever +examining the form of his deformities; and he returned their glance with +a scowl, and their words with the accents of hatred. Even as he passed +the solitary farmhouse, the younger children fled in terror, and the +elder laughed, or pointed towards him the finger of curiosity. All these +things fell upon the heart of the cripple, and turned the human kindness +of his bosom into gall. His companions became the solitude of the +mountains, and the silence of the woods. They heard his bitter +soliloquies without reviling him, or echo answered him in tones of +sympathy more mournful than his own. He sought a thing that he might +love, that might unlock his prisoned heart, or give life to its blighted +feelings. He loved the very primrose, because it was a thing of beauty, +and shrank not from his deformity as man did. To him it gave forth its +sweetness, and its leaves withered not at his touch; and he bent and +kissed the flower that smiled upon him whom his kind avoided. He courted +the very storms of winter, for they shunned him not, but spent their +fury on his person, unconscious of its form. The only living thing that +regarded him, or that had ever evinced affection towards him, was a dog, +of the mastiff kind, which ever followed at his side, licked his hand, +and received its food from it. And on this living thing all the +affections that his heart ever felt were expended. He loved it as a +companion, a friend, and protector; and he knew it was not +ungrateful--it never avoided him; but, when mockery or insult was +offered to its master, it growled, and looked in his face, as if asking +permission to punish the offender. + +Such was the life that he had passed until he was between thirty and +forty years of age. Still he continued his solitary rambles, having a +feeling for everything around him but man. Man only was his +persecutor--man only despised him. His own kind and his own kindred had +shut him out from them and disowned him--his sight had been hateful to +them, and his form loathsome. He avoided the very sun, for it revealed +his shadow; but he wandered in rapture, gazing on the midnight heavens, +calling the stars by name, while his soul was lifted up with their +glory, and his deformity lost and overshadowed in the depth of their +magnificence. He loved the flowers of day, the song of morning birds, +and the wildness or beauty of the landscape; but these dwindled, and +drew not forth his soul as did the awful gorgeousness of night, with its +ten thousand worlds lighted up, burning, sparkling, glimmering in +immensity--the gems that studded the throne of the Eternal. While others +slept, the deformed wandered on the mountains, holding communion with +the heavens. + +About the period we refer to, a gay party came upon a visit to a +gentleman whose mansion was situated about three miles from the cottage +of the cripple. As they rode out, they frequently passed him in his +wanderings. And when they did so, some turned to gaze on him with a look +of prying curiosity, others laughed and called to their companions--and +the indignation of Ebenezer was excited, and the frown grew black upon +his face. + +He was wandering in a wood in the glen, visiting his favourite +wild-flowers (for he had many that he visited daily, and each was +familiar to him as the face of man to man--he rejoiced when they budded, +blossomed, and laughed in their summer joy, and he grieved when they +withered and died away), when a scream of distress burst upon his ear. +His faithful mastiff started, and answered to the sound. He hurried from +the wood to whence the sound proceeded as rapidly as his lameness would +admit. The mastiff followed by his side, and, by its signs of +impatience, seemed eager to increase its speed, though it would not +forsake him. The cries of distress continued, and became louder. On +emerging from the wood, he perceived a young lady rushing wildly towards +it, and behind her, within ten yards, followed an infuriated bull. A few +moments more, and she must have fallen its victim. With an eager howl, +the dog sprang from the side of its master, and stood between the lady +and her pursuer. Ebenezer forgot his lameness and the feebleness of his +frame, and he hastened at his utmost speed to the rescue of a human +being. Even at that moment a glow of delight passed through his heart, +that the despised cripple would save the life of a fellow-mortal--of one +of the race that shunned him. Ere he approached, the lady had fallen, +exhausted and in terror, on the ground. The mastiff kept the enraged +animal at bay, and, with a strength such as he had never before +exhibited, Ebenezer raised the lady in his arms, and bore her to the +wood. He placed her against a tree: the stream passed by within a few +yards, and he brought water in the palms of his hands, and knelt over +her, to bathe her temples and her fair brow. Her brow was indeed fair, +and her face beautiful beyond all that he had looked upon. Her golden +hair in wavy ringlets fell upon her shoulders--but her deep blue eyes +were closed. Her years did not appear to be more than twenty. + +"Beautiful!--beautiful!" exclaimed the cripple, as he dropped the water +on her face, and gazed on it as he spoke--"it is wondrous beautiful! But +she will open her eyes--she will turn from me as doth her race!--as from +the animal that pursued her!--yet, sure she is beautiful!" and again, as +he spoke, Ebenezer sighed. + +The fair being recovered--she raised her eyes--she gazed on his face, +and turned not away from it. She expressed no false horror on beholding +his countenance--no affected revulsion at the sight of his deformity; +but she looked upon him with gratitude--she thanked him with tears. The +cripple started--his heart burned. To be gazed on with kindness, to be +thanked, and with tears, and by one so fair, so young, so beautiful, was +to him so strange, so new, he half doubted the reality of the scene +before him. Before the kindness and gratitude that beamed from her eyes, +the misanthropy that had frozen up his bosom began to dissolve, and the +gloom on his features died away, as a vapour before the face of the +morning sun. New thoughts fired his imagination--new feelings transfixed +his heart. Her smile fell like a sunbeam on his soul, where light had +never before dawned; her accents of gratitude, from the moment they were +delivered, became the music of his memory. He found an object on the +earth that he could love--or shall we say that he _did_ love; for he +felt as though already her existence were mysteriously linked to his. We +are no believers in what is termed _love at first sight_. Some +romance-writers hold it up as an established doctrine, and love-sick +boys and moping girls will make oath to the creed. But there never was +love at first sight that a week's perseverance could not wear away. It +holds no intercourse with the heart, but is a mere _fancy_ of the eye; +as a man would fancy a horse, a house, or a picture, which he desires to +purchase. Love is not the offspring of an hour or a day, nor is it the +_ignis fatuus_ which plays about the brain, and disturbs the sleep of +the youth and the maiden in their teens. It slowly steals and dawns upon +the heart, as day imperceptibly creeps over the earth, first with the +tinged cloud--the grey and the clearer dawn--the approaching, the +rising, and the risen sun--blending into each other a brighter and a +brighter shade; but each indistinguishable in their progress and +blending, as the motion of the pointers on a watch, which move +unobserved as time flies, and we mark not the silent progress of light +till it envelop us in its majesty. Such is the progress of pure, holy, +and enduring love. It springs not from mere sight, but its radiance +grows with esteem; it is the whisper of sympathy, unity of feeling, and +mutual reverence, which increases with a knowledge of each other, until +but one pulse seems to throb in two bosoms. The feelings which now +swelled in the bosom of Ebenezer Baird were not the true and only love +which springs from esteem, but they were akin to it. For though the +beauty of the fair being he had rescued had struck his eye, it was not +her beauty that melted the misanthropy of his heart, but the tear of +gratitude, the voice of thanks, the glance that turned not away from +him, the smile--the first that woman had bestowed on him--that entered +his soul. They came from the heart, and they spoke to the heart. + +She informed him that her name was Maria Bradbury, and that she was one +of the party then on a visit to the gentleman in his neighbourhood. He +offered to accompany her to the house, and she accepted his offer. But +it was necessary to pass near the spot where he had rescued her from the +fury of the enraged bull. As they drew towards the side of the wood, +they perceived that the bull was gone, but the noble mastiff, the +friend, companion, and defender of the cripple, lay dead before them. +Ebenezer wrung his hands, he mourned over his faithful guardian. + +"Friend! poor Friend!" he cried (the name of the mastiff was Friend), +"hast thou, too, left me? Thou, of all the things that lived, alone +didst love thy master! Pardon me, lady, pardon an outcast; but until +this hour I have never experienced friendship from man nor kindness from +woman. The human race have treated me as a thing that belonged not to +the same family with themselves; they have persecuted or mocked me, and +I have hated them. Start not--hatred is an alien to my soul--it was not +born there, it was forced upon it--but I hate not you--no! no! You have +spoken kindly to me, you have smiled on me!--the despised, the disowned +Ebenezer will remember you. That poor dog alone, of all living things, +showed affection for me. But he died in a good cause! Poor Friend! poor +Friend!--where shall I find a companion now?" and the tears of the +cripple ran down his cheeks as he spoke. + +Maria wept also, partly for the fate of the noble animal that had died +in her deliverance, and partly from the sorrow of her companion; for +there is a sympathy in tears. + +"Ha! you weep!" cried the cripple; "you weep for poor Friend and for me. +Bless thee--bless thee, fair one! they are the first that were ever shed +for my sake! I thought there was not a tear on earth for me." + +He accompanied her to the lodge of the mansion where she was then +residing, and there he left her, though she invited him to accompany +her, that he might also receive the congratulations of her friends. + +She related to them her deliverance. "Ha! little Ebenezer turned a +hero!" cried one; "Ebenezer the cripple become a knight-errant!" said +another. But they resolved to visit him in a body, and return him their +thanks. + +But the soul of the deformed was now changed, and his countenance, +though still melancholy, had lost its asperity. His days became a dream, +his existence a wish. For the first time he entertained the hope of +happiness; it was vain, romantic, perhaps we might say absurd, but he +cherished it. + +Maria spoke much of the courage, the humanity, the seeming loneliness, +and the knowledge of the deformed, to her friends; and their +entertainer, with his entire party of visiters, with but one exception, +a few days afterwards, proceeded to the cottage of Ebenezer, to thank +him for his intrepidity. The exception we have alluded to was a Lady +Helen Dorrington, a woman of a proud and haughty temper, and whose +personal attractions, if she ever possessed any, were now disfigured by +the attacks of a violent temper, and the _crow-feet_ and the _wrinkles_ +which threescore years imprint on the fairest countenance. She excused +herself by saying, that the sight of deformed people affected her. +Amongst the party who visited the cripple was her son, Francis +Dorrington, a youth of two-and-twenty, who was haughty, fiery, and +impetuous as his mother. He sought the hand of Maria Bradbury, and he +now walked by her side. + +Ebenezer received them coldly; amongst them were some who were wont to +mock him as they passed, and he now believed that they had come to +gratify curiosity, by gazing on his person as on a wild animal. But, +when he saw the smile upon Maria's lips, the benign expression of her +glance, and her hand held forth to greet him, his coldness vanished, and +joy, like a flash of sunshine, lighted up his features. Yet he liked not +the impatient scowl with which Francis Dorrington regarded her attention +towards him, nor the contempt which moved visibly on his lip, when she +listened delighted to the words of the despised cripple. He seemed to +act as though her eyes should be fixed on him alone--her words addressed +only to him. Jealousy entered the soul of the deformed; and shall we say +that the same feeling was entertained by the gay and the haughty +Dorrington? It was. He felt that, insignificant as the outward +appearance of the cripple was, his soul was that of an intellectual +giant, before the exuberance of whose power the party were awed, and +Maria lost in admiration. His tones were musical as his figure was +unsightly, and his knowledge universal as his person was diminutive. He +discoursed with a poet's tongue on the beauty of the surrounding +scenery; he defined the botany and geology of the mountains. He traced +effect to cause, and both to their Creator. The party marvelled while +the deformed spoke; and he repelled the scowl and contempt of his rival +with sarcasm that scathed like passing lightning. These things produced +feelings of jealousy also in the breast of Francis Dorrington; though +from Maria Bradbury he had never received one smile of encouragement. On +their taking leave, the entertainer of the party invited Ebenezer to his +house, but the latter refused; he feared to mingle with society, for oft +as he had associated with man, he had been rendered their sport--the +thing they persecuted--the butt of their irony. + +For many days the cripple met, or rather sought, Maria in his solitary +rambles; for she, too, loved the solitude of the mountains or the +silence of the woods, which is broken only by the plaintive note of the +wood-pigeon, the _chirm_ of the linnet, the song of the thrush, the +twitter of the chaffinch, or the distant stroke of the woodman, lending +silence a charm. She had become familiar with his deformity, and as it +grew less singular to her eyes, his voice became sweeter to her ears. +Their conversation turned on many things--there was wisdom in his words, +and she listened to him as a pupil to a preceptor. His feelings deepened +with their interviews, his hopes brightened, and felicity seemed dawning +before him. As hope kindled, he acquired confidence. They were walking +together, he had pointed out the beauties and explained the properties +of the wild-flowers on their path, he had dwelt on the virtues of the +humblest weed, when he stopped short, and gazing in her face--"Maria!" +he added, "I have loved these flowers--I have cherished those simple +weeds, because they shunned me not--they shrank not from me, as did the +creatures of the human race--they spread their beauties before me--they +denied me not their sweetness. You only have I met with among the +children of Adam, who persecuted me not with ridicule, or who insulted +not my deformity with the vulgar gaze of curiosity. Who I am I know +not--from whence I was brought amongst these hills I cannot tell; I am a +thing which the world has laughed at, and of which my parents were +ashamed. But my wants have been few. I have gold to purchase flattery, +if I desired it--to buy tongues to tell me I am not deformed; but I +despise them. My soul partakes not of my body's infirmities--it has +sought a spirit to love, that would love it in return. Maria, has it +found one?" + +Maria was startled--she endeavoured to speak, but her tongue +faltered--tears gathered in her eyes, and her looks bespoke pity and +astonishment. + +"Fool! fool!" exclaimed the cripple, "I have been deceived! Maria +_pities_ me!--_only pities me_! Hate me, Maria--despise me as does the +world. I can bear hatred--I can endure scorn--I can repel them!--but +_pity_ consumes me!--and _pity_ from you! Fool! fool!" he added, +"wherefore dreamed I there was one that would look with love on deformed +Ebenezer? Farewell, Maria! farewell!--remember, but do not pity me!" and +he hurried from her side. + +She would have detained him--she would have told him that she reverenced +him--that she esteemed him; but he hastened away, and she felt also that +she _pitied_ him--and _love_ and _pity_ can never dwell in the same +breast for the same object. Maria stood and wept. + +Ebenezer returned to his cottage; but the hope which he had cherished, +the dream which he had fed, died reluctantly. He accused himself for +acting precipitately--he believed he had taken the tear of affection for +pity. His heart was at war with itself. Day after day he revisited the +mountainside, and the path in the wood where they had met; but Maria +wandered there no longer. His feelings, his impatience, his incertitude, +rose superior to the ridicule of man; he resolved to visit the mansion +of his neighbour, where Maria and her friends were residing. The +dinner-bell was ringing as he approached the house; but he knew little +of the etiquette of the world, and respected not its forms. The owner of +the mansion welcomed him with the right hand of cordiality, for his +discourse in the cottage had charmed him; others expressed welcome, for +some who before had mocked now respected him; and Maria took his hand +with a look of joy and her wonted sweetness. The heart of Ebenezer felt +assured. Francis Dorrington alone frowned, and rose not to welcome him. + +The dinner-bell again rang; the Lady Helen had not arrived, and dinner +was delayed for her, but she came not. They proceeded to the +dining-room. Ebenezer offered his arm to Maria, and she accepted it. +Francis Dorrington muttered angry words between his teeth. The dinner +passed--the dessert was placed upon the table--Lady Helen entered the +room--she prayed to be excused for her delay--her host rose to introduce +her to Ebenezer. + +"Ebenezer!--the deformed!" she exclaimed, in a tone of terror, and, +dashing her hands before her eyes, as he rose before her, she fell back +in hysterics. + +"Turn the monster from the house!" cried Francis Dorrington, springing +forward; "my mother cannot endure the sight of such." + +"Whom call ye monster, young man?" said Ebenezer, angrily. + +"You, wretch!" replied Dorrington, raising his hand, and striking the +cripple to the floor. + +"Shame! shame!" exclaimed the company. + +"Coward!" cried Maria, starting from her seat. + +The cripple, with a rapidity that seemed impossible, sprang to his +feet--he gasped, he trembled, every joint shook, rage boiled in his +veins--he glanced at his insulter, who attempted to repeat the blow--he +uttered a yell of vengeance, he clutched a dessert-knife from the table, +and within a moment it was plunged in the body of the man who had +injured him. + +A scream of horror burst from the company. Ebenezer, with the reeking +knife in his grasp, stood trembling from rage, not from remorse. But he +offered not to repeat the blow. A half-consciousness of what he had done +seemed to stay his hand. The sudden scream of the party aroused the Lady +Helen from her real or affected fit. She beheld her son bleeding on the +floor--she saw the vengeful knife in the hands of the cripple. She +screamed more wildly than before--she wrung her hands! + +"Monster!--murderer!" she exclaimed, "he has slain--_he has slain his +brother_!" + +"_My brother!_" shouted Ebenezer, still grasping the knife in his hand. +"Woman--woman! mother--mother!--who am I? Answer me--who are you?" and +he sprang forward, and held her by the arm. "Tell me," he continued, +"what mean ye--what mean ye? My _brother_--do ye say my _brother_? Art +thou my _mother_? Have I a _mother_? Speak--speak!" and he grasped her +arm more fiercely. + +"Monster!" she repeated, "offspring of my shame!--away--away! _He is thy +brother!_ I have shunned thee, wretch, I have disowned thee; but thou +hast carried murder to my bosom!" and, tearing her arm from his grasp, +she threw it round the neck of her wounded son. + +The company gazed upon each other. Ebenezer stood for a moment, his eyes +rolling, his teeth rattling together, the knife shaking in his hand. He +uttered a wild cry of agony--he tore the garments from his breast, as +though it were ready to burst, and, with the look and the howl of a +maniac, he sprang to the door, and disappeared. Some from an interest in +his fate, others from a desire to secure him, followed after him. But he +fled to the woods, and they traced him not. + +It was found that the wound of Francis Dorrington was not mortal; and +the fears of the company were directed from him to Ebenezer, who they +feared had laid violent hands upon his own life. + +On the following day, without again meeting the company, Lady Helen left +the house, having acknowledged the deformed Ebenezer to be her son--a +child of shame--whose birth had been concealed from the world. + +On the third day, the poor cripple was found by a shepherd wandering on +the hills. His head was uncovered; his garments and his body were torn +by the brambles through which he had rushed; his eyes rolled wildly, +and, when accosted, he fled, exclaiming, "I am Cain! I am Cain! I have +slain my brother! Touch me not--the mark is on my forehead!" He was +secured, and taken to a place of safety. + +The circumstances twined round Maria's heart; she heard no more of +Ebenezer the cripple, but she forgot him not. Several years passed, and +she, together with a friend, visited a lunatic asylum in a distant part +of the country, in which a female acquaintance, once the admired of +society, had become an inmate. They were shown round the different +wards; some of the inmates seemed happy, others melancholy, but all were +mild--all shrank from the eye of their keeper. The sound of the clanking +chains around their ankles filled Maria's soul with horror, and she +longed to depart; but the keeper invited them to visit the garden of his +asylum. They entered, and beheld several quiet-looking people engaged in +digging; others were pruning trees; and some sat upon benches on the +paths, playing with their fingers, striking their heels upon the ground, +or reading stray leaves of an old book or a newspaper. Each seemed +engaged with himself, none conversed with his neighbour. Upon a bench +near the entrance to a small arbour or summer-house sat a female, +conning an old ballad; and, as she perused it, she laughed, wept, and +sang by turns. Maria stopped to converse with her, and her friend +entered the arbour. In it sat a grey-headed and deformed man; he held a +volume of Savage in his hand, which had then been but a short time +published. + +"I am reading the 'Bastard,' by Savage," said he, as the stranger +entered; "he is my favourite author. His fate was mine--he describes my +feelings. He had an unnatural mother--so had I. He was disowned--so was +I. He slew a man, and so did I; but I my brother." + +The voice, the words, fell upon Maria's ear. She became pale, she +glanced towards the arbour, she cast an inquiring look upon the keeper. + +"Fear not, ma'am," he replied; "he is an innocent creature. He does not +rave now; and but that there is an occasional wildness in his language, +he is as well as you are. Enter and converse with him, ma'am; he is a +great speaker, and to much purpose, too, as visiters tell me." + +She entered the arbour. The cripple's eyes met hers--he threw down the +book. + +"Maria--Maria!" he exclaimed, "this is kind! this is kind, indeed! But +do not _pity_ me--do not _pity me again_! Hate me, Maria! you saw me +slay my brother!" + +She informed him that his brother was not dead--that he had recovered +within a few weeks. + +"Not dead!" replied the cripple. "Thank Heaven! Ebenezer is not a +murderer! But I am well now--the fever of my brain is passed. Go, Maria, +do this for me--it is all I now ask--inquire why I am here immured, and +by whose authority. Suffer not my reason to be buried in reason's tomb, +and crushed among its wrecks. Your smile, your words of kindness, your +tears of gratitude, caused me to dream once, and its remembrance is +still as a speck of light amidst the darkness of my bosom; but these +grey hairs have broken the dream." And Ebenezer bent his head upon his +breast, and sighed. + +Maria and her friend left the asylum, but in a few weeks they returned, +and when they again departed, Ebenezer Baird went with them. He now +sought not Maria's love, but he was gratified with her esteem, and that +of her friends. He outlived the persecution of his kindred and the +derision of the world; and in the forty-sixth year of his age he died in +peace, and bequeathed his property to Maria Bradbury--the first of the +human race that had looked on him with kindness, or cheered him with a +smile. + + +[Footnote A: The water-ouzel, the kingfisher, and the crested wren, +abound in the vicinity of the Cheviots, though the latter beautiful +little creature is generally considered as quite a _rara avis_; and last +year one being shot about Cumberland, the circumstance went the round of +the newspapers! But the bird is not rare, it is only difficult to be +seen, and generally flutters among the leaves and near the top +branches.] + + + + +THE LEGEND OF FAIR HELEN OF KIRCONNEL. + + +The seat of a branch of the Dumfries-shire Maxwells--Kirconnel--a +property lying not far distant from Dumfries, and surrounded by the +little pastoral stream, Kirtle--is one of the most beautiful that ever +gratified the taste or inspired the pride of a high family. It was not +until about the beginning of the seventeenth century that it came into +the possession of the Maxwells; for, during a long period, it belonged +to the old, though never illustrious, family of the Bells, who, amidst +all the turmoil and strife of the March territories, had the good sense +to prefer the quiet pleasures of the retreats of their own pure Kirtle, +to the tumultuous and cruel scenes which boasted no streamlet but the +heart's blood of contending foes. The power of Lord Maxwell, or the +threat of Douglas, were equally unavailing to force the old proprietor +of Kirconnel--though he ranked as a lesser baron, and might command +retainers to fight for his plea--to sacrifice the pleasures of domestic +peace on the altars of Laverna or Bellona: these conjunct goddesses who, +hand in hand, swayed the destinies of Border men, and regulated the +Border rights of mine and thine. He held his fine property directly of +the crown; and, so long as he fulfilled the conditions of his right, he +conceived himself entitled to the enjoyment of what had been fairly got +and honourably retained. One strong element in Kirconnel's determination +to live at home, in the enjoyment of what home may produce to a mind +capable of appreciating its sweets, was the fear of interrupting the +happiness of his lady--one of the family of Irvings in that quarter, who +latterly came to possess his property--and of one child, a daughter, the +Maid of Kirconnel, concerning whom, as all our readers know, more has +been said and sung by antiquarian minstrel than ever fell to the hapless +fame or treasured memory of fair woman. Ah, we need scarcely say, that +this young heiress of Kirconnel's name was Helen; for who that has read +the touching lines of Pinkerton can ever forget the appellation of one +whose fate has drawn more tears than ever did that of the heroine Lady +Margaret, in the old ballad of "Douglas' Tragedy?" The disasters of +ordinary women, though hallowed by the sanctifying power of love, have +seldom in this country inspired the harp of the minstrel; so far we are +forced to admit the power of beauty, abstracted from the qualities of +the mind and heart, that it has been a talisman to bardic genius in +every age; yet it is honourable to the character of our nation, that the +soul which illumines the "face divine" has called forth strains as +melting and triumphant as ever resulted from the effects of physical +beauty. It is, however, when the two qualities have been found combined +in a favoured daughter of Scotland, that an unhappy fate has called +forth a sympathy which has left no harp to sound fitfully in the +willow-tree, no heart in our true land untouched, no eye destitute of +sympathetic tears. Such has truly been the effect produced by the +fortune of Helen of Kirconnel--a fortune which came up on the revolving +wheel of the mutable goddess, notwithstanding all the efforts of her +father to make the course of her life happy, and its termination +blessed. Abstracted as the thoughts were of the three inhabitants of +Kirconnel--the lady, the laird, and the daughter--from the scenes that +were ever changing in the warlike world around them, so much greater was +the necessity for cultivating the opportunities of enjoyment that nature +and fortune had awarded to them; and so much greater also was the relish +for that enjoyment which has ever been found in minds and hearts +properly constituted and tuned to the harp of goodness, to increase with +possession as much as the false taste for stimulating avocations cloys +with the easy surfeit. It is not often, even in our virtuous land, and +even in these days when the blessings of a high civilisation have +inclined mankind to the cultivation of the social affections, that a +family is found with its different members so predisposed for the +harmony of exclusively domestic joys, that some chord does not +occasionally give forth a discordant sound when touched by an external +impulse; but, in the times of which we speak, and in the district where +the individuals resided, "the happy family" was a group that was more +often found in the lyrics of the poet or the creations of hope deferred +than in the real existences of the troubled and vexed world. + +The house of Kirconnel stood on "fair Kirconnel Lee;" a term implying +that the wood, which in those days encompassed every baronial residence, +had been, to a certain extent, cleared away, to allow the daisy-covered +lawn to rejoice in the beams of the generally excluded sun. But, at a +little distance, the empire of the forest was again resumed, on the +condition exacted by nature, of allowing the winding Kirtle to enjoy her +grassy bank, covered with the wild rose and the eglantine; and to roll +playfully along her pebbly bed, unimpeded by the neighbouring trees, +which, as if in amatory dalliance, sent down their straggling lips to +kiss her as she went. The wood bower--in early times a species of rural +retreat in much greater fashion than now-a-days--was, in repetition of +itself, seen rearing its ornamented walls, round which the native +parasite plants were entwined in close embrace in various parts of the +shady retreat. Some of these had been carefully looked to by the lady of +Kirconnel herself, who, anxious to confirm her husband's resolution +against engaging in the wars of the times, left no energy unemployed to +render their residence, not only within the walls of the house, but in +the bowers and gardens, as pleasant to the eye as the fruits of her +heart and mind were delightful to the rational and loving soul of her +appreciating and grateful lord. As Sir Owain says:-- + + "Fair were her erbers with flowers-- + Rose and lili divers colours, + Primrol and parvink; + Mint, feverfoy, and eglantine, + Colimbin, and mo there were, + Than ani man mocht think." + +True; the Graces had, as yet, but small influence in Scotland; but the +Genius of Chivalry, a cognate spirit, was busy in effecting a great +revolution in the minds of the inhabitants; and though there was little +to humanise, there was much to elevate and beautify. Traces of this +power might already be seen about the bowers and shades of Kirconnel, +where some rude figures of knights in various positions--one rescuing a +damsel from her enemies--one in the combat at outrance--one striking the +palisades of an armed city--placed, as they were, in the retreats of +peace and domestic happiness by a former warlike possessor of the +property, served the purpose of ornamenting the sequestered walks, and +supplying to the peaceful and happy inhabitants a contrast between the +pursuits of war and the pleasures of home, and home's blessed +enjoyments. + +At a little distance from the mansion or castle--for every house, in +those days, had a castellated character--was, and still is, the +burying-ground of Kirconnel; a spot which, from the peculiarity of its +situation, as well as from its own mournful associations, impressed the +mind of the visiter with feelings which startled him, as much from their +novelty as from their intensity. There is a small stone there, that +would, if deciphered and communicated to our readers, anticipate our +story, and claim the ready tear before our own sympathies are relieved +by our recital. We pass it by at present, to give some idea of the +extraordinary spot where it lies. This ground of the dead, or "Death's +Mailing," as it has sometimes been called, is invested with all the +_charms_ of a sublimed melancholy, which contemplates nature as a whole, +and looks to those high purposes of her great author in visiting poor +mortals with their heart-chastening woes. At the time of which we speak, +this place of the dead was entirely surrounded with high oaks and +spreading elms, except where the silvery Kirtle embraced the hallowed +spot, as she rolled slowly along--more slowly, it might almost appear, +at this spot than elsewhere--and murmured a soft threnody in the ears of +the guardian spirits, that there tended the clay forms which they once +animated. A few very rude stones, whose rudeness was their greatest +recommendation to the sentimental mind, told, in the quaint "old Inglis" +of that day, their simple tale. "Here lyethe the race of ye sons of +Kirconnelle," might have been seen on a rude freestone that has long +since disappeared. "Terraughtie did choose to lie her," appeared upon +another old relic; and some exhibited more simple tokens--still pointing +out nothing more than name and surname, yet more eloquent in that +brevity than the most "storied urn." "Jon Kirkpatrycke," "Andrew +Welles," "Heln Johnston," "Mary of the Le'," without one word more to +say what they were, where they lived, when they visited this scene of +sorrow, and when they departed from it, possessed an eloquence in their +simple brevity that moved the heart of the visiter with a power now +little felt and less appreciated. The swelling green tumuli, with these +simple-speaking, grey-headed stones, standing, yet leaning to a side, as +if themselves bent by the hands of time, how humbly might they appear, +encircled as they were, with the proud monarch of the wood, the primeval +oak, that had seen the sires and grandsires of the lowly inhabitants of +"Death's Mailing" rise and fall, and become dust, as man contemplates +the day-fly wing forth in the morning, live out its day, and die. Such +was the romantic burying-place of Kirconnel at the time of which we +speak; and even now, when the oak has fallen before the axe of +civilisation, and Fame's trump has sounded even over the tomb, the place +has a hallowed and romantic character (the Kirtle is still there) not +exhibited by other burying-grounds in Scotland. + +In those retreats, the members of the family of Kirconnel passed the +greater part of their time. Helen, though a lover of home, was fond of +gratifying a fancy pregnant of beautiful images, and a taste for what is +lovely in nature, by sitting by the banks of the Kirtle, and supplying +her mind with the pabulum of the old Scottish romances. "Raf Coilyear +and his Cross-bow," and "Gilbert with the White Hand," though soon +superseded by the continental romances, were then the legitimate +fountains of amusement to the fair maids of Scotland; and those who +aimed at sublimer flights, might have had recourse to "Fyn Maccowl," or +"Gret Gow Macmorne;" but there was in none of the works as yet +circulated in Scotland, what might gratify the intense yearnings of the +female heart for those poetical images which subsequently sprang up with +the more mature growth of chivalry. The loves of warriors are not the +loves of everyday life, far less the loves of the inspired poet; and +Helen, as she read these old legendary romances, might find in them the +amusement that afforded a relaxing alternative to her own poetical +communings with the oldest bard of all--Nature; but for the inspiration +of love itself she required the talisman--man--in that high aspect she +had prefigured of the noblest of God's creatures, to rouse her heart +from nature to the lover's dream. + +As yet the Maid of Kirconnel had not seen any one that realised the idea +she had formed, by the banks of the Kirtle, of the individual who could +call up in her young bosom those extraordinary emotions which constitute +"love's young dream." The secluded mode of life adopted by her parents +was unfavourable to a choice of the talismanic objects; and it even +appeared to be her father and mother's wish that such choice should be +excluded, that her heart might, in the absence of many forms, learn to +be pleased with the man whom their love or policy might point out to her +adoption. A second cousin of her own, Walter Bell of Blacket House, had +a free passport to the hall of Kirconnel, as well as to the bowers that +were enshrined in Kirconnel woods. The laird saw in the young man his +nearest heir, in the event of his Helen being taken from him by fate; +and the lady could detect, as she thought, in Bell's quiet and sombre +manner, some assimilation to her own love of retirement and ease, and a +consequent disrelish of the warlike and sanguinary customs of the times. +Yet it was known that the young laird of Blacket House had been engaged +in secret frays between the Johnstones and Crightons; while, for some +purpose not generally known, though, from what we have said, not +difficult to be surmised, he had fought in disguise, and disclaimed the +glory of having hewn off the heads of many Johnstones, whose deaths +might have brought him renown, if not wealth. He had fought from a +spirit of animosity and a thirst of blood that lay deep buried in his +heart, but which, along with its noisome fruits, he had striven to +conceal, from the knowledge he possessed of the pacific disposition of +his friends the Kirconnels, whose good-will he had a motive to cultivate +more powerful than that of wealth or glory. He wished to recommend +himself to the fair Helen, by acquiring the love and esteem of her +father and mother; and he doubted not that, by his own personal +accomplishments--neither few nor unimportant--aided by the advice or +power of parental love and authority, he would succeed in changing in +her the old habitual feelings of ordinary friendship into the higher and +purer sentiments of affection. + +And sure it was that no one who ever aimed to acquire a "ladye's love," +made his attempt with more advantages on his side than Walter Bell of +Blacket House. The gay lover in the old romance, who cried that, with +the advantage of making love in a wood, and by the side of a silver +stream, he would gain the heart of the fairest woman of Christendom, +though his face were as black as the coal slave's, and his lineage no +better than the knave-child's, spoke more of human nature than he +himself perhaps knew. But he spoke of women in the aggregate; and it is +not unlikely that such a woman as fair Helen of Kirconnel had never come +under the trial of his skill. The truth of the statement fell to be +tested by one who, besides the advantages stated by the gay knight, +could boast the consent of a father, old friendship, and a face and a +lineage against which no exception could be taken by the admirers of +graces and genealogy. Bell was aware of the advantages he possessed; but +he could calculate the strength of these better than he could fathom the +mysteries of woman's heart. Although the greater part of his time was +passed at Kirconnel, where he took every opportunity of threading the +mazes of the oak woods, or sitting by the side of the Kirtle, with the +object of his affections, it is doubtful if he ever ascertained, by the +passing indications she exhibited, that her thoughts and feelings were +pitched much beyond the grade of those which nature had awarded to +himself. She saw and felt beauties in the scenery of Kirconnel, which to +her lover were but as the "sear leaf." Every object in nature--from the +planet to the plant, from the shining levin of heaven to the phosphoric +beam on the margin of the Kirtle--had some intelligence for her +inquiring eye. Every power in operation around her--from the general +sympathy of nature's highest elements, to the loves of the little forest +birds that sung their love-song in her bower--had some charm to elevate +her thoughts and sublime her sentiments. She, therefore, who could +search for intelligence where others saw nothing but inert matter, or, +at least, the uninteresting indications of everyday nature, might +probably have been an unfortunate object on whom our said romantic +knight might try the effect of his extraneous charms of wood and water. +Nor was she at all fitted for being acted upon by the love intrigues of +her cousin of Blacket House, who, coming far short of a knowledge of the +elevated sentiments by which she was inspired, could neither yield her +that sympathy which she required as a _sine qua non_ of affection, nor +stand the investigation of the shrewd wisdom or the high philosophy of +the heart of an elevated woman. While he simply sued and used the +ordinary words of love, she analysed, and found that, where she never +could be understood, she never could dispose of her affections. + +The mind of Helen had long been made up on the question of her cousin's +suit. It had begun early; and the innumerable walks he had enjoyed with +her along the banks of the Kirtle had afforded him a thousand +opportunities of declaring his feelings. By the natural tact of women, +she had always contrived to evade the question, and contented herself, +even in the midst of extravagant declarations, with negative indications +of her inability to return his passion. These he understood not; and, +unfortunately, he acted upon the principle that has driven many a fond +lover to despair--that the mistress who appears to listen without +displeasure is presumed to give a tacit consent. They know little of the +heart of woman who trust their happiness or their lives to the frail +bark of such a fond and dangerous delusion. A woman will seldom put an +end to the adulation that supports her pride; but the Maid of Kirconnel, +who had no pride to gratify, acted as many a single-hearted female has +done and will do, who receives without a frown that her nature detests, +but without a satisfaction that her honesty will not allow her to +assume, the fond speeches of an old friend, couched in terms of an +admiration which is only her due. The native sensibility of her soul +shrank at the thought of first construing harshly her relative's +professions of affection, and then telling him that he was not the +individual who was qualified to win her heart. Yet, in justice to her, +it requires to be stated, that she often communed with herself, in her +solitary walks, on the necessity of checking her cousin's fond and +unfortunate delusion, lest evil might come out of gentleness so nearly +allied to good. + +This unfortunate connection between Blacket House and his fair cousin, +fated as it was to continue, assumed daily a more critical aspect. The +young man, overwhelmed by a passion that was daily and hourly fed by the +contemplation of a beauty and qualities seldom before witnessed in a +Scottish maiden, was not only intoxicated by the violence of his love, +but satisfied that his cousin, in return loved him with an affection +only more chastely expressed, though, of course, not less powerful than +his own. Her parents, too, who had lent a fond and willing ear to his +statements of their daughter's love for him, had made up their minds +upon a point which presented all the appearances of being sealed and +settled by her who had the greatest interest in its truth. She was +always to be found by him in her solitary walks among Kirconnel woods. +Their meetings were favoured by their parents; their walks were +uninterrupted; the current of his passion flowed without check, and his +expressions only varied in becoming more animated. The absence of a +_harsh denial_ filled the measure of a deluding, blending hope; and +while the courses of their two minds were in directions entirely +opposite--his along the rose-strewed valley of a requited affection; +hers in a channel that led to objects too brilliant for his dull eye to +scan, and too sublime for his unfledged fancy to reach--he conceived +that a mutual sympathy of congenial feeling animated both their hearts. + +It was at this extraordinary state of the domestic affairs of Kirconnel +that an extraneous cause gave a new current to the feelings of the young +maiden, without having the effect of changing that of her lover, or of +opening the eyes of her father and mother to the true fact, that she +could not love the man they intended as her husband. A gallant, +high-spirited youth, one of the Flemings of Kirkpatrick, had followed a +doe up to within a very short space of Kirconnel House. The timid +creature had taken to the water, and, springing on the opposite bank, +fled past a bower in which Helen was at the time sitting reading "Sir +Tristam," then in the hands of every young lady in Scotland and England. +She started as the creature shot past her, and, putting her head timidly +forward, to get a better view of the fleet inhabitant of the forest, saw +before her, with cap in hand, bowing, in knightly guise, Adam Fleming of +Kirkpatrick. Neither of the two had before seen the other; but the fame +of the one's noble mien, high mind, and martial virtues, and of the +other's incomparable beauty and elevation of sentiment, had reached +reciprocally their willing ears. + +"That a Fleming of Kirkpatrick," said the youth, still bowing humbly, +and smiling, "should have had the boldness to interpose the image of his +worthless person between the fancy and the heaven of the meditations of +fair Helen of Kirconnel, doth, by my sword, require an apology. Shall I +be still bolder in asking a pardon?" + +The effect produced on Helen's mind by the noble figure of the youth, +and the romantic and playful turn he had given to his intrusion, was +quick and heartfelt. It was, besides, simultaneous with the memory of +his spread fame; and in an instant her face was in a glow of mixed shame +and confusion, the causes of which, perhaps, lay deeper than the +influence of a mere feeling of surprise or interruption. + +"You have my full forgiveness, sir," she replied, while her face glowed +deeper, in spite of her efforts to appear unaffected. + +Her soft musical voice fell on the ear of the youth; but his keen, dark +eye was busy with the examination of charms with which his ear had been +long familiar. The blush of a woman is a man's triumph; whatever may be +its secret cause, the man will construe it favourably to himself, in the +face of a denial of his power; and so far at least he has the right, +that nature herself evidences in his favour, by an acknowledgment that +he has touched the fountains of the heart. Fleming was not different +from other men; and, though he might have been wrong in his construction +of the secret moving impulse which called up the mantling adornment of +beauty that was almost beyond the power of increase, he felt the full +influence of the effect he thought he had produced, and, conceiving +himself favourably received, laid in his heart the germs of an affection +that was to govern his destiny. The forms of breeding, more punctilious +in those days of chivalry than even now, forbade farther communication +at that time, and, bowing gracefully as he drank up the rays of her +blushing beauty, he bounded away after his dogs, that had kept their +course in pursuit of the flying doe. + +This was the first time that ever Helen had seen a stranger huntsman +cross Kirconnel Lee in pursuit of his game; but it was soon to appear +that roes and does, when pursued by the gallant Fleming, seemed to think +that in the recesses of Kirconnel they might find that safety which was +denied them in other coverts; at least it became certain that more of +that kind of game fled before the hunter over Kirconnel Lee, after the +meeting we have described, than ever were seen before by man or maiden. +Meanwhile the image of the noble youth, with his clear, intelligent eye, +his rising and expanded forehead, from which his black hair was shaded +to a side, and mixed with the long flowing locks that reached down to +his shoulders; his intellectual expression of countenance, where beauty +sat enshrined among the virtues, his breeding, his modesty, his voice +and general bearing--were all busy with the fancy of the Maid of +Kirconnel. Nature's talisman had been applied, and the charm had wrought +in its highest and most mysterious power. Nor less had been the effect +of that first meeting on the mind of the youthful heir of Kirkpatrick. +They loved; and the does which afterwards brushed over Kirconnel Lee +were only the scouts of the hunting lover, who, while he could not help +the choice of the flying wilding in taking that direction, could not, of +a consequence, avoid a repeated _intrusion_ on the wood-bower privacy of +her who longed to see him with a heart that palpitated at his coming as +strongly as did that of the flying deer. The rules of breeding direct +all their force against a first interview; against a second, though +brought about in the same way as the first, they have no efficacy; and +love, which defies the whole code, soon reconciled differences which he +despised. A few meetings revealed to each other the fact--which, somehow +or other, is discovered by nobody but lovers--that one person has been +intended from the beginning of the world to be formed for another. The +heir of Kirkpatrick and the Maid of Kirconnel exhibited to each other +such a similarity of thought, feeling, and sentiment, that love seemed +to have nothing more to do than to tie those threads which nature had +not only spun, but hung forth with a predisposed reciprocity of +communication. The discovery that their thoughts had taken the same +range, and reached an equal altitude of elevation, carried with it that +pleasant surprise that is always favourable to the progress of the +tender passion; and the delight of a new-born sympathy in sentiments +that had long gratified only the heart in which they were conceived, but +which now were seen glowing in the eyes of another, was only another +form of that passion itself. + +Though Helen had seen many indications that might have satisfied her (if +her mind had been directed to the subject) that her father and mother +were bent upon a match between her cousin of Blacket House and her, she +had never, either from a want of courage or steady serious thought on +the subject, put it to herself what was her precise predicament or +condition, on the supposition of such circumstance being in itself true +and irremediable. She had hitherto had no great need for secresy, +because she did not love another; and her father, mother, and lover, +having taken it for granted that she was favourable to her cousin's +suit, nothing of a definite nature had ever transpired to call for a +demonstration on her part, as an alternative of dishonesty and +double-dealing. Her situation was now changed. She now loved, and loved +ardently, another; and the necessity she felt of meeting the heir of +Kirkpatrick in secret, brought out in full relief her inmost sense of +what were the views and purposes of her father and mother, and all the +responsibility of her negative conduct, as regarded the suit of him she +could never love. But, strange as it may seem, if she felt a difficulty +in correcting her cousin and disobeying her parents before the accession +of her love, she felt that difficulty rise to an impossibility after +that important event of her life. She trembled at the thought of her +love being crossed: one word of her rejection of the suit of her cousin +would reach the ears of her parents; dissension would be thrown into the +temple of peace; her love would be discovered; her lover, a man famous +in arms, and an aider of the Johnstones, the opponents of Blacket House, +traced, rejected, and banished: and her heart finally torn and broken by +the antagonist powers of love and duty. She felt her own weakness, and +trembled at it, without coming to a resolution to make a disclosure; +while her overwhelming love carried her, on the moonlight nights, over +Kirconnel Lee, to meet her faithful Heir of Kirkpatrick in the romantic +burying-ground already described. This extraordinary place was that +fixed upon by the lovers for their night meetings; for in any other part +of the domains of Kirconnel they could not have escaped the eye of +Blacket House; who, though he had no suspicion of a rival, was so often +in search of the object of his engrossing passion, that she seldom went +out without being observed by the ever-waking and vigilant surveillance +of love. + +Many times already had Helen waited till her unconscious parents retired +to the rest of the aged, and the moon threw her sheet of silver over +Kirconnel Lee, and, wrapped up in a night-cloak, slipped out at the +wicker-gate of the west enclosure, to seek, under the shades of the +oaks, Death's Mailing, the appointed trysting-place of the ardent +lovers. Again she was to see her beloved Heir of Kirkpatrick, and at +last she had resolved to break to him the painful position in which she +was placed by the still existing belief of her parents and Blacket +House, that she was to be his wedded wife. On this occasion, she sat +wistfully looking out at her chamber window. Her father and mother had +retired to their couch. Everything was quiet, the wind stilled, and the +mighty oaks whispered not the faintest sigh to disturb the sensitive ear +of night. The moon was already up, and she was on the eve of wrapping +her cloak round her, and creeping forth into the forest shade, when she +observed the long shadow of a man extending many yards upon the shining +grass of the green lee. The figure of the individual she could not see; +for a projection of the building, sufficient to conceal him, but not to +prevent his shadow from being revealed, interrupted her vision. She +hesitated and trembled. If the shadow had moved and disappeared, she +could have accounted for it, by supposing that some of the domestics had +not yet retired to bed; but why should a man stand alone and stationary +at that hour, in that place, in that position? Her fears ran all upon +Blacket House, who was never happy but when in her presence or near her +person; and who had been, on a former occasion, reported by the servants +to have lain and slept under her window for an entire night, and never +left his position till the morning sun exposed the doting lover to the +wondering eyes of the domestics, who had never yet felt a love that kept +them awake for more than a dreamy hour at cockcrow. As she gazed and +hesitated, her hour was passing, and her lover would be among the +grave-stones, waiting for her. Her anxiety grew intense; she feared to +go, but shook at the thoughts of disappointing _him_; never dreaming (so +whispered love) of herself. The figure still stood as stationary as a +grave-stone, while her soul was agitated like the restless spirit that +hovers over it, sighing for the hour of departure to the regions of +ether. She could bear no longer; the projection which concealed him +would conceal her; she plied the furtive steps of love; and crossing, +like a fairy on the moonlit green knowe, the rising lawn, was forth +among the towering oaks in as little time as the shadow of a passing +cloud would have taken to trail its dingy traces over the shining lee. + +In a short time she arrived at the churchyard, and saw, through the +interstices of the surrounding trees, the Heir of Kirkpatrick sitting on +a green tumulus, the grave of one who had perhaps loved as they now +loved, waiting for her who was beyond the trysting-hour. In a moment +longer she was in his arms, and the stillness of the dead was invaded by +the stifled sighs, the burning whispers, the rustling pressure of +ardent, impatient lovers. The rising graves, and the mossy tomb-stones, +and the white scattered bones that had escaped the sexton's eye, and +glittered in the moonbeams, were equally neglected and overlooked; and +no fear of fairy, ghost, or gnome, or gowl, entered where Love left no +room but for his own engrossing sacrifices. The simple monument of love +of "Mary of the Le'," that rose by their side, had often brought the +tears to Helen's eyes; but Mary of the Lee was now forgotten. "There is +a time and a place for all things" but love, whose rule is general over +the flowery lee and the green grave, the mid-day hour and the dreary +key-stone of night's black arch. + +"What kept ye, sweet Helen, love?" whispered Kirkpatrick in her ear, as +she lay entranced in love's dream on his bosom. + +"By that question, good Adam," answered she, according to the mode of +familiar address of her day, "there hangs a secret that oppresses your +Helen, and drinks up all the joys of our affection." + +"Speak it forth, my gentle Helen," said Fleming. "What is it? The +secresy of our meeting? I have been meditating a resolution to address +your father, and this will confirm me. He can have no objections to my +suit, save that I am a friend of the Johnstones, and an open warrior; +while your cousin, whom you rejected before you saw me, is a concealed +mosstrooper, and a secret manslayer." + +"There, there," muttered Helen, with trembling emotion--"there, Adam, +you have hit the bleeding part of my heart. I did not say to you that I +had rejected Blacket House before I saw you; but you were entitled to +make that supposition, because I told you that I never received his +love; but, alas! Adam, there is a distinction there; and, small as it +may seem, its effects may be great upon the fortunes and happiness of +your Helen. It is true I have never received his love; but it is equally +true that his love, having overgrown the thought of a possibility of +rejection, has overlooked my negative indications, and put down my +silence for consent. Yes, Adam, yes--even now Blacket House thinks I +love him; and, oh! the full responsibility of my apathy rises before me +like a threatening giant; my father and my mother have, I fear, taken +for granted that I am to become the wedded wife of my cousin." + +"Helen, this does indeed surprise me," replied Kirkpatrick, thoughtfully +and sorrowfully. "I thought I had a sufficient objection to overcome on +the part of your father, when I had to conquer the prejudices of +clanship, and soothe his fears of my ardent spirit for the foray. But +this changes all, and my difficulties are increased from the height of +Kirconnel Lee to the towering Criffel." And he sat silent for a time, +and mused thoughtfully. "But why, my love," he continued, "have you +allowed this dangerous delusion to rest so long undisturbed, till it has +become a conviction that may only be removed with danger to us all?" + +"Ask me not, Adam," replied she, with a full heart, "what I cannot +explain. While the tongue of Blacket House's friendship was changing to +love, I, whose thoughts were otherwise directed, perceived not the +change; and when the truth appeared to me, my love for my father and +mother, against the placid stream of whose life I have ever trembled to +throw the smallest pebble of a daughter's disobedience, prevented me, +day by day, from making the avowal that I could not love their choice. +The difficulty increased with the hour; and, ah! my love for you crowned +it at last with impossibility." + +"That should rather have removed the difficulty," answered he. "Explain, +sweet Helen. You are dealing in shadowy parables." + +"Think you so, Adam?" said she, sighing. "Ah, then, is man's love +different from woman's? The one can look an obstacle in the face; the +other turns from it with terror, and flees. See you not that, by telling +my parents I could not love my cousin, I would have been conjuring up a +bad angel to cross, with his black wing, the secret but sweet path of +our affection. The very possibility of being separated from you--too +dear, Adam, as you are to this beating heart--made me tremble at the +articulation of that charmed word which contains all my happiness on +earth. You have stolen my heart from my father and mother, my sweet +woods and bowers, my bright moon and Kirtle; and think you what it would +be for me to lose him in whom all is centred!" + +"Ah! Helen, Helen, this is unlike the majesty of that mind that roved +the blue fields of the heavens, and searched the hidden springs of the +love that reigns through all created things. That such thoughts should +be allied to that weakness which increases inevitable danger by flying +from it, I could not have supposed to be exemplified by my Maid of +Kirconnel. Yet is that trembling fear not a greater proof of my Helen's +love than an outspoken rejection of twenty rival suitors? It is--I feel +it is; and who will chide a fault of earth that hangs by a virtue of +heaven? Dear, devoted, cherished object of my first passion, what has +the simple heir of Kirkpatrick to give in exchange for the devotion of +such a being?" + +And the impassioned youth pressed her closer and closer to his breast, +while he spread over her shoulders the falling cloak, to shield her from +the autumn dews. + +They sat for some time silent--the difficulty of their situation being +for a brief period forgotten and lost in the tumult of the rising +feelings of a strong mutual passion. + +"But this must not be allowed to continue," again said Kirkpatrick. "It +is _necessary_, Helen, that you do this duty to yourself, to your +cousin, your parents, and to me. Call up the necessary fortitude, my +love. Tell your mother that you cannot love Blacket House. I know the +pain it will produce to you and to them; but, alas! there are many +positions in this world where we can only get to the object of our +desires through painful means. Pain is, indeed, the price of most of our +pleasures; and, when we do not pay that price, we become bankrupt in our +best feelings, and die wretched. When the path is free, I shall come +forward and claim my Helen in the face of the world. Will you, will you, +love?" + +And he bent his head, and repeated the question in soft tones beneath +the cloak that covered her head; while she, in muffled accents, +replied-- + +"I will, I will, Adam, though I should die with the last word of the +declaration." + +A heavy groan at this moment fell upon their ear. Adam started hastily +up; and Helen, roused from her love's dream, stood petrified with fear. +They looked around them in every direction; but the proximity of the +place where they had been sitting to the edge of the wood, rendered it +easy for an intruder to overhear their discourse, and to escape among +the trees in an instant. Helen's fears again fell on Blacket House, and +she whimpered to Adam what she had observed previous to her leaving the +house. He conceived them to be well founded; and, as the thought of the +man who could kill his enemies in disguise, and deny the deed, flashed +upon his mind, he felt for his sword, and then smiled at the precipitude +of his defensive precaution. It was necessary, however, that Helen +should now hurry home; and, surmounting the turf-dyke of the +burying-ground, they, with rapid steps, made for Kirconnel House, at a +little distance from which they parted, with a close embrace. Helen +stood for a moment, and looked after her lover; then, wrapping her cloak +about her head, she moved quickly round the edge of the enclosed lawn, +and was on the eve of running forward to the wicket, when Blacket House +stood before her. He looked for a moment sternly at her, spoke not a +word, and then dashed away into the wood. Terrified still more, Helen +hurried away, and got into the house and her own chamber before the full +extent of her danger opened, with all its probable consequences, upon +her mind. Having undressed herself, she retired to her couch, and +meditated on the extraordinary position in which she was now placed. She +had now been discovered by her cousin, who, no doubt, knew well that she +had that night had a secret meeting with Kirkpatrick--a partisan of his +antagonists, the Johnstones. The discovery of a rival had come on him +with the discovery of a delusion under which he had sighed, and dreamed, +and hoped for years. It was probable, nay, certain, then, that the +communication she intended to make to her father and mother, that she +could not love Blacket House, would be received along with the +elucidating commentary, that the lover now despised had discovered her +love intercourse with the heir of Kirkpatrick. She would, therefore, get +no credit for her statement that she never loved her cousin; but would +be set down as a breaker of pledges, and one who traitorously amused +herself with the broken hopes of her unfortunate lovers. Whether she +made the communication or not, it would be made by Blacket House, whose +fear of losing the object of his affections, or his revenge--whichever +of the two moved him--would force him to the immediate disclosure. The +serenity of the domestic peace and happiness of Kirconnel House would be +clouded for the first time, and that by the disobedience of one who had +heretofore been held to contribute, in no small degree, to that which +she was to be the means of destroying, perhaps for ever. The contrast +between the confidence, the hope, and the affection with which she had +been, by her parents, contemplated, and fondly cherished, during all the +bygone part of her life, and the new-discovered treachery into which her +secret love for a stranger would be construed, was a thought she could +scarcely bear. These and a thousand other things passed through her +thoughts with a rapidity which did not lessen the burning pain of their +impress upon her mind; and the repetition of a thousand reflections, +fears, and hopes, produced in the end a confusion that terrified sleep +from her pillow, and consigned her to the powers of anguish for the +remainder of the night and morning. + +She rose with a burning cheek and a high-fluttering pulse, produced by +the fever of mind under which she still laboured. She opened the +casement to let in the cool breeze of morning to brace her nerves, and +enable her to stand an interview with her father and mother, who might +already (for Blacket House was at Kirconnel at all hours) be in +possession of the secret of what they conceived to be their once-loved +Helen's disobedience and treachery. Her own communication, which she had +pledged herself to Kirkpatrick to make, was now invested with treble +terrors; and though she knew that her safety and happiness depended upon +an open declaration, she felt herself totally unable to make it. +Trembling and irresolute, she approached the parlour where her father +and mother, along with herself, were in the habit of taking their +morning meal. They were there; and there was another there--it was her +cousin. He looked at her as she entered, with a calm, but mysterious +eye, which fluttered her nerves again, and forced her to stand for a +moment in the middle of the apartment, irresolute whether to go forward +or retreat. She fearfully threw her eye over the faces of her parents. +There was no change there; the ordinary placidity of their wonted +manner, and the kindly love-greeting borne in their mellow voices, +startled her--so strong had been her conviction that all was disclosed. +Her parents were destitute of guile; and an instant's thought satisfied +her that they were still in their ignorance of the secret. But Blacket +House continued his dark gaze in silence; and even this--a decided +alteration in his manner--was unnoticed by the unsuspecting couple, who +threw their fond eyes on their loving daughter as their only remaining +pride and solace. What meant this? The new turn taken by the stream of +her difficulty and danger surprised and confused her; but, calming by +the influence of her parents' kindness, she sat down and went through +the forms of the morning meal, without exhibiting a discomposure that +might attract the notice of these loving beings, who searched her face +only for the indications of health and the beams of her pleasure. Her +comparative composure enabled her to collect her ideas; and she thought +she now discovered a reason for this seeming forbearance or discretion +of Blacket House--a man little formed for these, or any other virtues: +he intended to _sell_ his knowledge at the price of a hand that never +could be his, but by this or some other means of compulsion. The moment +this thought--and, under all the circumstances, it was a reasonable +one--entered her mind, she trembled at the power of the dark-eyed, +silent being who sat there, and gazed upon her in revengeful triumph. +For relief, she turned her eyes to her parents; yet she saw there the +smile that approved his suit, and the confidence that would believe his +declaration. Her own Kirkpatrick was absent; and she dared not meet him +to receive the assistance of his advice, to enable her to support +herself under her trial, or devise a plan suited to the changed +circumstances for her relief. She hurried over her meal, and hastened +again to her apartment, to confirm herself in the opinion she had formed +of Blacket House's intentions. Every thought tended to add to her +conviction that she was correct, and told her that he never would +succeed in his scheme. He would now, for certain, endeavour to see her +alone, and lay before her the danger into which she had plunged herself, +and the bargain by which she would be relieved from it. But she would +defeat him; she would renounce her walks in the woods, desert, for a +time, her bowers, and bid adieu to her silver Kirtle. She would keep her +apartment under a pretence of slight indisposition--far from an +untruth--and, in the meantime, try to devise some mode of relief from +her painful situation. + +But the solicitude of her parents interfered, in some degree, with these +plans. They discovered that she was not so ill as to be unable to seek +what might do her service--her former walks and amusements around +Kirconnel Lee; and thus was she obliged to yield to kindness; yet she +contrived to have her parents near her, so as to deprive Blacket House +of an opportunity of communicating to her his imputed plan of enforcing +his suit. As yet, his silence had been continued: her parents were still +in ignorance; and it was only (so she argued) because he had not +hitherto found her alone, that his dreaded communication had not as yet +been made. On the occasion of her first walk, however, she, by some +untoward chance, was left in one of the arbours alone, and the +opportunity (the first that had occurred) was seized by him--Blacket +House was again before her, and all her fears were in a moment roused. +Their eyes met with an intelligence they had never before possessed. +Every passing thought seemed to be mutually read, while a few words of +ordinary import seemed to be only as a preparation to his expected +statement. Helen did not dare to leave him; she feared to rouse his +anger, and yet she wanted courage to reply with ordinary pertinence to +his remarks. His eye was constantly fixed on her, and the few words he +uttered came with difficulty and pain; yet was there not the slightest +allusion to the secret he undoubtedly held locked up in his breast. Was +he not to bring forward his threat of exposing her, as a wrenching +instrument, to force from her a consent that he was satisfied would +never be given voluntarily? There was no indication of any such issue. +What could be the true meaning of this dark-minded man's conduct? Again +he had disappointed her fearful anticipations. He had not told her +parents; he was not to tell herself. What then was he to do? She could +not answer her self-put question; and her surprise when he parted from +her, after a short conversation, conducted with difficulty, with his +secret unapproached, and the mysterious stare of his illegible eye, was +not less than her terror of the anticipated issue when she first +encountered him. + +This new extraordinary element in the subject of her meditations and +fears disarranged all her ideas, and sent her thoughts in new channels +for a discovery of what might be the secret plans of her cousin. She +sighed for an interview with her lover; but that, she was satisfied, +would be attended with great danger; and thus reduced to her own +resources, she passed the night following her meeting with Blacket House +in still increasing pain and difficulty. In the morning she was visited +in her own chamber by her mother, who appeared, from the serious aspect +of her countenance, to have something of great importance to +communicate. + +"Helen," began the good matron, "though your father and I have seldom +broached the subject of love and marriage in your presence, we have, +with heartfelt satisfaction, observed and understood that the man who +alone has our consent to win your virgin heart is your own choice. Your +wooing has lasted so long, that the very birds in the woods are familiar +with your persons and converse; and surely this is not to last always. +You are twenty years old, my dear Helen, at the next Beltane, the first +of May; and I know that it is Blacket House's wish that your happiness +may be crowned by a union within as short a period as we will agree to +fix. I have broken the matter to you, my love; and as I am well +acquainted with the fluttering of Love's wings when Hymen enters the +bower, I will not urge you to fix a day at present, but leave you to the +pleasant meditations my communication cannot but call forth. I shall +send your breakfast to your bedroom this morning, my love; but I hope we +may walk in the afternoon. Say nothing, Helen. Adieu! adieu!" + +And the mother left the room rapidly, as if to avoid noticing the +blushes of the supposed happy damsel. Helen heard the words uttered, as +one may be supposed to feel the syllables of a condemnation falling upon +the heart. It was well that her mother departed so rapidly, for the +agitation the kind parent attributed to joy, was but the prelude to a +faint, which retained her cold and struggling in its relentless arms for +a considerable period. The first indications of consciousness were, if +possible, more terrible than the last thoughts that frightened it away. +For a long period she sat upon the couch where she had heard the +dreadful intelligence, and, passing her hand over her brow, tried to +collect her energies, so as to be able to contemplate the full extent of +her evil. She thought she could now see some connection between the +announcement made by her mother and the extraordinary and mysterious +conduct of Blacket House, though she was satisfied that neither of her +parents possessed any knowledge of her intercourse with Kirkpatrick. The +scheme of the early marriage might originate in the fears of her cousin, +while his secresy was only still maintained till he found that she would +not yield to her parents' authority; when would be the time for using +his threat of disclosure to Helen, to compel her consent. All this +reasoning seemed founded in existing circumstances and appearances; but +so confused were her thoughts, and so painful every effort of her mind +to acquire clearer views, that she felt inclined to renounce reasoning +on a subject that seemed at every turn to defeat all her efforts to come +to the real truth. Her misery was at least certain; for now, while the +absolute necessity of a disclosure of her secret love became more +peremptory and inevitable, the circumstances under which it would be +made were such as would add to the unhappiness of her parents, and to +the apparent deceit and treachery of her own nature, which was, +notwithstanding, incapable of guile. + +Meanwhile, the effects of so much mental anguish, acting upon a tender +frame, became soon apparent in her pale countenance and swollen eyes. +She would not leave her apartment; and when her mother again visited +her, she saw a change on her daughter very different from that which +accompanies the character of a bride in prospective. The circumstance +surprised the old lady; but still so satisfied was she that there could +exist no objection to a lover whom she had (as was thought) cherished +for years, that it never occurred to her that the change in her daughter +was attributable to the announcement she had made to her; while Helen +herself, oppressed with the secret which she struggled (as yet in vain) +to divulge, shunned a subject which she found herself unable to treat in +such a way as would insure to her relief from her sorrow. Every effort +was made to get her out into the woods, where her former scenes might +enliven her mind, and bring back her wonted spirits, which, chiming the +musical bells of youth's happy glee, used to charm the age-stricken +hearts of her parents. But these scenes had lost their power over her. +The secrets Blacket House had to divulge still lay like an unholy spirit +upon her heart, killed its energies, and rendered her miserable. She +expected the additional sorrow of his society in these forced walks, and +her grief was mixed with surprise at his absence. He was often at the +house, but he avoided her. She even saw him turn into a by-path, to get +out of the way in which she walked--a circumstance as inexplicable as +any of the prior difficulties with which the whole affair was beset on +every side. She continued her meditations, called up repeated energies +to nerve her for her disclosure, and, with many a sigh, felt them die +away, and the tongue cleave to her mouth, as the unavailing effort shook +her frame. + +She had been in the habit of meeting Kirkpatrick at regular intervals; +but two of the stated periods had passed without an interview. The third +was approaching; and she trembled as the necessity of throwing herself +on his bosom, and seeking counsel in her difficulty, appeared to her in +such a form as to shake her resolution not to encounter another +night-meeting with her cousin. On the morning of that evening when she +must repair to the burying-ground, or lose the chance of meeting +Kirkpatrick for a considerable time, it was announced to her parents, in +her presence, at the table of the morning meal, that Blacket House had, +on the previous day, gone on a visit to a relation in a very distant +part of the country, and that he would not return for eight days. She +heard it, and her eyes were involuntarily turned up to heaven, in +thanksgiving for the opportunity she now enjoyed of sobbing out her +sorrows on the bosom of her Kirkpatrick, and getting good counsel in her +distress. She said nothing when the announcement was made, and heard, +without heeding, the remarks of her parents. Her thoughts were in +Death's Mailing, and the pallid hue of her cheek gave place for a moment +to the flush that followed the fancied touch of his lips, and the +pressure that brought her nearer to the bosom where lay all the relief +she now had in this world. She sought more freely than she had done for +some time her old retreats, and again the song of the merle had some +music for her ear--so ready is the oppressed soul to seek its accustomed +pleasures, that it will clutch them in the interval of a suspended +grief, though sure to return. Her cousin was gone for a time; he could +not cross in these paths of the wood; and, oh happy thought! she would +lie on the bosom of her Kirkpatrick, and breathe forth, uninterrupted, +love's sweet tale, rendered sweeter and dearer by the grief with which +it was shaded. + +The evening fell that night beautiful and serene. No vapour clouded the +"silver sheen," and no breath of wind rustled a leaf on the trees. + +"Hail to ye, bright queen!" ejaculated Helen, as she folded her mantle +round her, and was on the eve of seeking the wood; "once more light me +to my lover, if, after this meeting, you should for ever hide your face +among the curtains of heaven." + +And, breathing quick with the rising expectation of being enclosed in +his arms, she issued from the house, and sought the well-known loaning +that led to the burying-ground. Her grief had sunk for a time amidst the +swelling impulses of her passion; and it was not till she had been +pressed to his bosom, her brow kissed by his burning lips, and +deep-drawn sighs exhausted the ardour of a first embrace after so long a +separation, that one single thought of the cruelty of her situation +arose in her mind. They sat on the tumulus where they had sat often +before. The gravestones around them lay serene in a flood of moonlight; +the soft "buller" of the wimpling Kirtle was all that disturbed the +silence of the night; calmly there reposed the dead of many generations; +if their lives were ended, their griefs, too, were past; and Mary of the +Le', whose grey monument reflected clearly the moon's light, was free +from the anguish which, in struggling sighs, came from the bosom of her +who was _yet_ above the green mound. Helen told her lover all the +extraordinary circumstances of her situation. She wept at every turn of +a new difficulty, and Adam's eyes were also suffused with tears; he +pressed her again to his breast, and bade her be of better heart, for +that better days were coming on the wings of time. + +"I confess," he said, "my dear love, that I am unable to understand the +conduct of that dark-minded man; but what can he do, if my Helen should +yet redeem her error, and make this necessary disclosure? That is alone +the cure of our pain. Oh, Helen! what a load of evil might have been +averted from our heads by the exercise of a little self-command!" + +"I see it, I feel it," replied she; "but there are powers higher than +the resolves of mortals. I have struggled with myself till the blood was +sent back in my veins, and frightened nature saved the powerless victim +of grief by the mantle of unconsciousness. What, Adam, shall I do? I +feel I am unequal to the task of speaking a daughter's rebellion and a +traitor's resolution." + +"When everything is explained, Helen," replied the other, "the treachery +disappears, and a father and mother's love will not die under the +passing cloud of a little anger. Think of our bliss, love! Did hope +never bring courage to your tongue, Helen? Ah, what would that bright +goddess make Adam Fleming dare!" + +"And what," said she, "would Helen Bell not dare for the love she bears +to her Adam, if that sacred feeling of a daughter's duty were overcome? +But it must be. I shall fall upon my mother's neck, and weep out with +burning tears of repentance a daughter's contrition. I will appeal to +the heart of a mother and a woman. I will conjure up her own first love, +move again the spring of her earliest affection, and feign to her my +father lost, and her heart wrecked. Ay, Adam, hope--the hope of the +possession of you--will accomplish all this. Helen has said it, and the +issue will prove." + +This burst of generous resolution produced a flood of tears. She crept +closer to him, and the throbs of her heart were heard in the silence +which reigned among the graves. A rustling sound among the trees roused +her; she lifted her head, and fixed her eyes on a part of the wood on +the other side of the Kirtle. For a moment she watched some movements +not noticed by her lover. They rose, and Adam stood aside to get a +better view of the interruption. In an instant she clung to his bosom; a +loud shot reverberated through the wood; Helen fell dead--the ball +destined for Kirkpatrick having been received by the devoted maiden, who +saw the hand uplifted that was to do the deed of blood. Neither scream +nor audible sigh came from her; one spring when the ball entered the +heart--and death! + +Kirkpatrick saw at once death and the cause of it, and in an instant he +gave pursuit. Springing with a bound over the Kirtle, he seized Blacket +House in the act of flight. The murderer turned, sword in hand, and a +battle was fought in the wood, such as never was witnessed in the heat +of the contest of armies. Had his opponent had twenty lives, the fury of +Kirkpatrick would have been unsatiated by them all. His spirit was +roused to that of a demon; a supernatural strength nerved his arm; he +despised life and all its blessings; the world had in an instant lost +for him any charms, but as the place where lived that one man whose +blood was to glut his vengeance. His sword found the heart of Blacket +House, and twenty wounds verified the ballad:-- + + "I lighted down my sword to draw-- + I hacked him in pieces sma'-- + I hacked him in pieces sma', + For her sake that died for me." + +He returned to the burying-ground. His Helen's body was as cold as that +of those who lay beneath. + + "O Helen fair beyond compare, + I'll mak a garland of thy hair, + Shall bind my heart for evermair + Until the day I dee." + +Such is the story of Helen Bell, a subject that has employed the pen of +many a poet, and brought tears to the eyes of millions. We sometimes, +according to our privilege, amuse our readers with pure unadulterated +fiction. Would that our task had been such on this occasion!--for we +prefer the sorrow which fancy, imitating truth, rouses in the heart, to +the depressing power of "owre true a tale." We may add, that the Maid of +Kirconnel is more frequently called Helen Irving than Helen Bell, in +consequence of some doubt as to whether her mother was not really one of +the Bells, and her father an Irving. After giving the matter all due +consideration, and searching several authorities, we are satisfied that +the truth is as we have related it. Our very ingenious friend, Professor +Gillespie, in a section of the "Gleanings of the Covenant," says that +the beautiful ballad, some of the lines of which we have quoted, was +written on "Helen Palmer." We must have his authority. + + + + +TOM DUNCAN'S YARN. + + +William Duncan had lived nearly thirty years in the service of a landed +proprietor in Dumfries-shire; where his honest, upright, trustworthy +character had gained him the esteem and respect of his employer; and he +was looked upon more in the light of a humble friend, than of a hired +menial. Nearly five-and-twenty years had elapsed since his marriage to +Janet, who had long before been his "neebor" servant. Their family +consisted of two children, a son and daughter; the latter of whom had +been, at the time our story commences, for some time married to a +farm-servant, and was living in a cottage closely adjoining her +father's. The son had been sent, when about seventeen years of age, with +cattle to Annan, and had there made acquaintance with some seafaring +men, whose stories of the wonders of other lands had excited his +curiosity, and awakened an irrepressible longing to witness the strange +sights he had heard of. It was in vain that his father and mother strove +to divert his thoughts into another channel--"he _would_ be a sailor;" +and they at last wisely consented to what they could not prevent. About +two years after his departure, Willie's good old master died; having +left his faithful servant a small annuity, sufficient to make his old +age comfortable--for he was now almost superannuated. The old gentleman +had died childless, leaving his estate to a distant relative; and his +successor, knowing the estimation in which Willie had been held by his +late master, allowed him to live rent-free in one of the cottages on the +estate, and treated him, on all occasions, with great consideration and +kindness. There was but one thing wanting to make the old couple happy: +their simple appetites were easily satisfied; they had enough and to +spare, without the toil of labour; but their son, their only son, was a +wanderer, and years had passed since they had received any intelligence +of him, and then they had only been informed that he had gone to some +foreign station. "Oh, could we but see him ance mair afore we dee!" was +often their exclamation. + +One stormy night in October, the old couple were startled by a loud rap +at the door. + +"Preserve us!" said Janet, in great alarm, "what's that? Wha can that be +chappin at the door on sic a nicht as this? Maybe it's some puir seekin +body, wantin shelter frae the blast. Up, Willie, man, an' ask wha it +is." + +"It's me, faither--it's Betty," replied the voice of the daughter, in +answer to her father's queries; "let me in." + +"What's brocht ye oot, woman," said Willie, "in sic a clash o' rain as +this?" + +"There's a puir sailor lad come to oor hoose," replied she, "an' he +wants something to eat an' drink, an' we haena a bite o' cake left: hae +ye ony to spare? An', what think ye, faither? he kens oor Tam weel, an' +says he saw him no tha' lang syne." + +"Kens oor Tam!" said the old man; "what for did ye no bring him wi' ye? +Gie's doon my plaid; I'll gang an' speak to him mysel." + +"Na, na, faither; ye maunna cross the door while it's pourin this gate. +I'll fetch him when he's had his supper. I'd hae brocht him afore, but I +thocht maybe he micht be makin ye believe oor Tam was comin hame, or +some sic clavers, an' ye wad be wearyin to see him, an' maybe no see him +after a'." + +"An' what for micht he no be comin hame?" said Willie. "It's time he +war, I think, if he wishes to find the auld folk to the fore." + +"Well, but, faither, suppose he war to tell ye that he had seen oor Tam +twa or three days syne, an' that ye micht expeck to see him hame sune?" + +"Mercy, lass! what's the matter wi' ye, wi' yer maybes an' yer supposes? +What gars ye gang swaggerin up an' doon that gait, lookin as ye were +demented? There's something pleasin ye by common. If 'twar Tam himsel, +ye couldna be mair uplifted." + +"An' guid richt hae I to be uplifted, mither, if ye kent a'." + +"Eh, it's Tam himsel!" almost screamed the old woman; "where is he? Let +me see my bairn." + +"Here's all that's left of him, mother," said a fine, stout-looking +sailor; who, unable any longer to restrain his impatience, stumped in on +a wooden leg just as Janet was speaking. + +"My bairn! my bairn!" sobbed the old woman, throwing her arms round him; +"mony a lang day hae I prayed to see ye ance mair; an' noo that I hae +ye, oh, do I see ye a puir cripple!" + +"Oh, that's nothing, mother; nothing but the fortune of war. If I'd lost +my head instead of my leg, mother, I wouldn't have been here to tell my +own story." + +"That's Gude's truth; an' great reason hae we to be thankfu it's nae +waur. But, oh! it's a sair dispensation." + +"Ah, old boy! how are you?" said Tom, shaking his father heartily by the +hand; "all alive and hearty--eh?" + +"Weel aneugh, weel aneugh, Tam; just choppin on; but richt glad am I to +see ye again, my son. But, Tam, that wasna the gate ye wad hae spoken to +yer auld faither afore ye gaed frae hame." + +"My manner of speaking may be changed, father," replied the young man, +respectfully; "but there's no change in my heart--that's true-blue +still; and it'll be long before I can clear off my reckoning with you +for all your kindness to me. No, no, father, my _heart's_ in the right +place still." + +"Weel, my man, I hope sae. Sit doon an' tell us a' that's happened ye +sin' we last heard frae ye. But wait a wee. Janet, seek oot the best +that's in the hoose for the puir fallow; an', whan he's had a guid +supper, he'll be in better fettle for giein us his cracks." + +"Tak aff yer jacket, my bonny man," said his mother; "an' hing it up +afore the fire, an' draw in till't yersel. Willie, I'm thinkin there's +something in the bottle. I'll put on the kettle, an' we'll gie the lad +something he'll be nane the waur o'." + +After the sailor had done his devoirs at the supper-table, the whole +party drew round the fire, and the old man, lighting his "cutty," said-- + +"Noo, Tam, tell us a' aboot what ye've been doin, an' hoo ye cam to lose +yer leg." + +"It's a terrible long yarn, father, and I'm afeared ye'll be glad to +sing out Avast! before I've spun it out; besides, you'll not understand +my sea lingo." + +"Nae fear o' that," replied he; "ye ken I was ance a bit o' a sailor +mysel. We could see the Solway frae the hoose I hired at when I was a +callan." + +"But, eh, Tam, my man," said old Janet, "ye talk English as weel's the +grand folk doon by." + +"Ay, ay, mother; leave me alone for that. My messmates used to say as +how I ought to have been a Methodist preacher, seein I knowed so well +how to tip them the dictionary." + +"Hear till him!" said the delighted mother, holding up her hands in +admiration. + +"But, howsomdever, they haven't made me proud on't, you see, with all +their blarney. But I must carry on, or my yarn'll reach from this to the +end of next week. It's now six years since I got a berth on board one o' +them Newcastle colliers, and a jolly time we had on't; for, though we'd +lashing to do, and no want of wet jackets, there was always a full +bread-bag, and swipes and grub at no allowance. They're the craft to +teach a man his duty! Well, I'd been in that trade about a year, when I +goes ashore one day with the mate at Wapping; and, while we were sitting +comfortably swigging our grog, the landlord comes rushing in, and, says +he, 'My lads, you must brush; there's the pressgang a-coming.' Hearing +that, the mate and I bolted out of the door, and ran for it; but they +twigged us, and gave chase. They nabbed the mate in less nor no time; +but I cracked on a press o' sail, and was dropping them astern fast, +when, as I was looking back at them over my shoulder, I ran stem on to +an old fishwife. My eyes, what a crash! I sends her and her sprats +a-swimming in the gutter, and I falls as flat as a flounder on the +pavement, spouting out blood from my nose, like a whale. Well, to cut a +long yarn short, we were taken on board the tender, and afterwards +drafted into the Fire-eater frigate, which was stationed on the north +coast of Ireland. I was very well off on board the frigate. 'Sharp' was +the word, to be sure, and the cat often wagged her tail; but then, as +long as a man was smart and willing, he'd never no 'casion to be +afeared: there was never no favour nor affection there. Well, as I said +afore, we were cruising off the coast of Ireland, when, one day, it came +on to blow great guns from the westward. For three blessed days, there +was the little Fire-eater tossing and tumbling, and kicking up her +starn, and going through as many manoeuvres as a dancing-master, till +at last we were driven so far west that we made the coast of Argyle; +then 'bout ship we went, and stood away again to the eastward. Well, we +carried on for a matter of four-and-twenty hours, with a little more +northing in the wind, when we made land again, and hauled up two or +three points to clear it. The weather was so thick ye might a'most have +cut it with a knife, and there wasn't such a thing as a dirty face on +board, the sea made a clean wash of everything, and it blowed--my eyes, +how it did blow! Mayhap, you call this a gale, but you wouldn't have +heard it beside that. It was bad enough to be on deck, but ten times +worse below; a devil of a sea smashed in some of the ports, and the +leeside of the main-deck was three feet deep in water. And then, while +we were hard at work, stuffing up the holes where the water was pouring +in, and pumping, there was an awful stramash on deck; for there was the +land again, close aboard of us ahead. 'Wear ship!' was now the cry, and +away went the little hooker again on the other tack, and bravely did she +behave--a better sea-boat never swam; for, battered and knocked about as +she was, she showed true pluck; no sooner was she knocked over by a sea, +than she rose again like a duck, though she was forced to shake her +feathers now and then. Well, at eight-bells in the first watch +(midnight), we thought it was all up with us again, for there was the +surf breaking on the rocks little more than half-a-mile on the +lee-bow--and touch-and-go it was; but our tight little barky--though she +was anything but tight by that time--though she lay over till she was +half buried alive, looked boldly up in the wind, and shot past like a +sea-bird. If there hadn't been such a devil of a noise, you might have +heard a pin drop just then. There was not a man on deck who did not hold +his breath, and gasp, when the danger was past, like one that's just +escaped drowning. + +"'By the powers!' says I to Bill Jones, 'that was a close shave.' + +"'You may say that,' says he. + +"Just as he was a-speaking, the moon shone out, and there, not six +hundred yards to leeward, were breakers again. The sea was running as +high as our tops at the time; but beyond and above it we saw the +breakers curling their white tops, foaming, and dashing, and roaring, as +if they were raging to get at us, as you may have seen wild beasts +tearing and leaping, and striving to break their chain to get out of the +menagerie at their prey. Now, indeed, it seemed there was no chance of +escape--there was no room to wear, and the ship was already half-buried +under her canvas; our only hoped seemed to be in our ground tackle, and +orders were given to clear away the anchors, and to have all ready for +cutting away the masts. That was an awful moment; we thought it was all +up with us, and there was many a pale cheek, and many a muttered prayer +for mercy and deliverance; for the worst amongst us are glad to look +aloft when death is staring us in the face below. Our captain was as +brave a fellow, and as good a seaman, as ever stepped a plank. What his +feelings may have been, it's impossible for the likes o' me to say; but +I never seed him more cool in a calm than at that moment, when the +bravest might have flinched, and no man could have cast it in his teeth. +His voice never shook when he gave his orders, loud, clear, and +distinct; and his gallant bearing cheered the down-hearted, and gave +fresh pluck to the daring. He was a trump, that fellow! He ordered the +foretopsail and foresail to be set. It seemed to be a rash and dangerous +experiment, but it succeeded. Nothing venture, nothing win; we might +have lost our masts, but we saved the ship. The little frigate lay over +for a minute, as if she was never going to rise no more; all hands +thought the masts must go, for everything aloft grinned again, and the +rigging was as taut as bars of iron; but it held on, and the frigate +righted again, and sprung ahead, as you have seen a hare make a fresh +stretch from the hounds--and we were all saved. We shaved the reef so +close, that I'm blessed if I couldn't a'most have chucked a biscuit on +shore." + +"Mercy!" said the old woman; "what an escape!" + +"Ay, mother, we sailors have many a narrow squeak for it, that you +long-shore folks never dream of; but you know, as the song says, +'There's a sweet little cherub sits perched up aloft, to take care of +the life of poor Jack;' and we're as safe, for the matter o' that, on +the stormy sea, as you are on the terry firmy, as our doctor used to +call the land." + +"Weel, but what was the upshot o' the business?" said Willie. + +"Why, ye see, though we had escaped so mirac'lously like, we were still +too near a lee-shore to be quite comfortable; for we'd another headland +to weather afore we could say we was clear o' danger. There was never an +eye closed on board that night, and a long and weary night it was. +Blessed if ever I seed a craft stand up under her canvas as our little +barky did, carrying on at the rate of seven knots an hour, while the sea +made a fair breach over her every now and then, and made her stagger +from stem to starn. At last, 'old roarer,' as I've heard our doctor call +the daybreak, made its appearance, and we saw the land we was afeared +o', some distance astarn. After that, the gale began to moderate, and a +fair wind soon took us under our anchorage." + +Here old Janet interrupted her son, with, "Weel, but Tam, ye haena tauld +us yet hoo ye cam to lose yer leg." + +"Never hurry no man's cattle, mother," replied the sailor; "leave me to +spin my own yarn my own way, and I'll come to the end on't at last; I +told you you'd cry out Avast! afore I'd done." + +"Hoot, Janet," said Willie, "let the lad tak his ain gate. It just +astonishes me to hear him rinnin the words oot sae glib, an' him sic a +solid callant as he used to be." + +"Weel, weel, gang on, my man; I'll no meddle wi' ye ony mair." + +"Then here goes! Carry on again, says I," replied Tom. "The frigate I +belonged to afterwards went on the Jamaica station, and cruised about, +to protect the merchantmen from the pirates as infested them seas. Well, +we were dodging about one night, under topgallantsails, off Cape St +Antonio, with just wind enough to make the barky crawl through the +water. It was my look-out on deck, and I sees something like a large +bird, as it seemed to me, hovering about in a patch of clear sky; so I +stared at it, and stared at it, but I couldn't make out what it could +be, for it kept moving backwards and forwards, but always in the same +part of the sky. So I calls the midshipman of the watch, and says to +him-- + +"'D'ye see that large bird a-flying about there, sir? It's the biggest I +ever seed, and it keeps always about the same place; I can't make out +what it can be after.' Well, he looks and wonders like myself, and then +he goes to fetch the night-glass; and, after he'd squinted through it +for a minute or two, he just mutters to himself, 'The devil!' and away +he runs aft to the luftenant of the watch, and brings him a-running back +with him. + +"'Whereabouts?' said the luftenant. + +"'There, sir; just under that cloud that's hiding the moon.' + +"'Ay, so it is!' said he; 'I see her spars plain enough; nothing but a +royal loose--and there's her hull!' he continued, as the moon broke out, +and showed us a long, low, rakish-looking square brig, lying as snug as +a duck in the water, about two miles on our lee-bow. 'I don't like the +look of her at all,' says the luff, and away he goes to make his report. +She seemed to have twigged us at the same time, and didn't like the look +of us neither; for, almost before the smoke had cleared away from our +bows, after we had spoken to her with one of the forecastle guns, we +could hear the pipe on board of her, the night was so still; and, in a +crack, she was one cloud of canvas, from the truck to the lower boom. +Blowed if ever I seed a man-of-war do the thing smarter. 'All hands make +sail in chase!' was the cry on board of us, and, in a very short time, +the water was talking Spanish under our bows. Every stitch of sail was +packed on the ship: but the stranger stood right away before the light +breeze, and crawled away from us fast, for that was our worst sailing +point. We kept a-blazing away with our bow guns, to bring her to; but +the more we fired, the more she wouldn't stop; and we might just as well +have fired at the moon, for all the mischief we could do her. At +daylight, she was hull down ahead; but the breeze freshened with the +rising sun, and we began to fetch up our starnway, and, before noon, we +began to drop our shot into her. She wasn't slow in answering at first +from her stern guns, which were uncommon well sarved, and every now and +then walked a ball through our sails, but luckily did not strike our +masts. We were overhauling her in great style, peppering away as fast as +we could, when all at once she began to yaw about, and, giving a broad +sheer away to port, she shortened sail, and then came to the wind again +on the starboard tack, with her maintopsail to the mast, and doused a +red rag she had a-flying at the main. We gave over firing, and soon +bowled up alongside of her, rolled up the small sail, hauled up the +foresail, and backed the main-yard. Our captain hailed her in a devil of +a rage, and was answered in some lingo I couldn't understand; but the +fellow pointed to his boat, as had a plank knocked out of her side; and +orders were given to man our boats, and send them on board, to take +possession of her. Well, just as we were a-lowering the boats, and all +hands pleased at the thoughts of a good prize, blowed if she didn't +quietly steal her fore-yard forward a little, to gather way, and before +you could say Jack Robinson, she was braced sharp up, with all her small +kites set, and, as she stood across our bows, she pitched it into us in +style. It was a blind look-out, sartinly, to let the sneaking scoundrel +slip through our fingers that way; but there was no help for it now. The +boats were secured again; and in a few minutes we were after her. As +long as the breeze held strong and steady, we had rather the best on't; +but it soon began to die away, and then we thought we would lose her for +sartin, when a lucky shot crippled her gaff, which soon snapped like a +carrot. Now that so much after-sail was off her, she couldn't keep her +wind, and we neared her fast. 'Don't spare her, my lads!' shouted the +captain; and we _did_ pour the grape and canister into her in fine +style, till she was a regular wreck; but she showed pluck to the last, +and kept blazing away at us as long as she was able. At last she got +tired, and gave over firing, and struck her colours. The boats were well +manned and armed, and were again sent to take possession of her; the +frigate running almost alongside, and threatening to blow her out of the +water, if she attempted any further resistance. When we were coming up +under her quarter in the boats, we heard the sound of loud quarrelling +on board, and when we got fairly on the quarterdeck, we found the +captain of the pirate swearing like a trooper, and saying as how his +crew had betrayed him, like cowardly dogs, as they were. He kept +stamping up and down the deck like mad, looking as if he could eat the +luftenant, when he took his sword from him. Ten or twelve +desperate-looking rough'uns as ever I seed gathered round him, muttering +that it was better to die on the quarterdeck like men, than hang like +dogs at the yardarm, and all at once they snatched up some tommyhawks as +was lying on the deck, and made a desperate rush upon us. We had an +awful tussle for it; and, just as we were in the thick on't, hand to +hand, up runs a young man from below, and sings out to us, 'Save +me--save me!' As soon as the pirate captain seed him, he ran at him like +a tiger, and, seizing him by the throat, shouted out, 'Dead men tell no +tales!' and raised his tommyhawk to cleave him to the skull. Poor lad! +he thought his signal for sailing was made, that it was all up with him. +He muttered, 'Mercy! mercy!' But poor mercy would he have met with, if I +hadn't run up just in time, and fetched the fellow a slash with my +cutlass, which made him drop the tommyhawk like a hot potato. He left +the lad, and turned round upon me, gnashing his teeth like nothing at +all with very rage, and, before I had time to wink my eye, he snatches a +loaded pistol out of my belt, and smashes my leg to shivers. Down I +dropped; but before he could finish what he had begun so cleverly, a +pistol flashed close to his head, and he staggered, and fell, never to +rise no more. When I came to my senses again, I found myself in the +sick-bay, on board my own ship. The surgeon was forced to cut off my leg +to save my life; and when we arrived at Port Royal, I was sent ashore to +the hospital, and afterwards got my discharge." + +"An' what o' the--what d'ye ca' them--rats?" said old Janet. + +"Oh, they were taken into Port Royal, and tried for piracy; there was +lots of evidence against them, the bloodthirsty rascals, and they were +all hanged, except three or four. And so there's an end of my yarn, +father; and a precious long one, I daresay, you think it is; and here am +I come home a poor useless cripple, to moor myself for life, if so be +you'll let me come to an anchor under your lee." + +"Ay, my boy," replied the old man, clapping him kindly on the shoulder, +"as long's there's a plack to the fore in the purse, or a gowpenfu' o' +meal in the kist, ye'se aye be welcome to a share." + +"True-blue for ever!" shouted Tom; "but, father, it's not come to that +yet; I'm not going to anchor without paying the harbour dues. Here," +continued he, tossing a well-filled purse to the old man; "I haven't +been so long afloat for nothing; there's a good whack of prize-money +there, and I'll come in for a pension by and by, if I've luck." + +"Keep it yersel, Tam," replied Willie; "I'm no gaun to touch a bawbee +o't. Gude be thankit! I hae aneugh an' to spare." + +Finding his father firm in his refusal, Tom at last said-- + +"Well, well, keep it for me, if you won't keep it for yourself. It won't +keep company with me long; for, somehow, whenever I cast off the +standing part of a guinea, it devilish soon unreeves itself in quarter +less no time. Stow it away in your own lockers, and serve it out to me +now and then, when I wants baccy." + +As this seemed a very rational kind of arrangement, the old man +consented to become his son's banker. + +"And now that I've run all my line off the reel, father, you must give +me a spell, and let's hear all that's been put down in your log since I +left you." + +"Oh, it's no muckle I hae to tell, Tam," replied he; "ae day has been as +like the ane that gaed afore't, as ae pear to anither; I was born here, +and here I'll maist likely dee." + +"But what's become o' bonny Jean Cameron, father? I remember well how +fond I was of her, when I was a boy at school; I've oft thought on her, +when we've been keeping up Saturday night, at sea. Many's the _tot_ I've +emptied to her health." + +"She's still to the fore, Tam, and 'maist as bonny as ever; she was +married four years syne, but she's a widow noo." He then went on to tell +his son the other changes that had taken place since his departure, the +principal of which was the death of his late master and kind friend, +Murray of Greenha'. "He was a guid freend to me," said Willie, drawing +the back of his hand over his eyes; "but he's gane noo. I've nae cause +to compleen o' my present maister, for a kinder couldna be; but he'll +never be to me like him that's gane." + +James Hamilton, old Willie Duncan's present master, had made a large +fortune in the West India trade, and was proprietor of a valuable estate +in Jamaica. For a series of years, so rapidly had he amassed wealth, +that he seemed to be a peculiar favourite of Fortune; but Fortune has +ever been a capricious dame, and those who are apparently highest in her +good graces, are often made to feel how uncertain is the tenure by which +they hold them. She seems, like some of the savages of the western +world, to pamper her victims with the good things of this life, only to +make them feel more keenly the reverses she is preparing for them. James +Hamilton was one of those men, unfortunately too rare, who do not allow +themselves to be dazzled by the flattering appearances of present +prosperity, but who, aware of the changeable and fleeting nature of all +earthly possessions, hold on the even tenor of their course, with minds +prepared for every vicissitude. He always acted upon high and pure +principle, and never, in the height of prosperity, forgot that the same +Supreme Benefactor, who in his bounty had blessed him with abundance, +might, in his wisdom, think fit to try him with adversity. He was a +kind-hearted and liberal man, but withal cool, quiet, and methodical in +his manners and actions. Heedless of the opinion of the world, he acted +up to the dictates of his own conscientious feelings of right and wrong; +and his strict notions of evenhanded justice often led him to enter into +engagements, and to perform actions, which, though perfectly just and +rigidly honest, bore, in the eyes of a misjudging world, the impress of +calculating selfishness and niggardly illiberality. But, +notwithstanding, there was such straightforward honesty, such +child-like, confiding simplicity, and such pure and unpretending +Christianity, evident in his character, that it was impossible for those +who knew him well not to esteem and love him. His principal failing was +one which "leaned to virtue's side." Upright, and honourable, and +candid, he thought all others like himself, and was often the dupe of +designing and crafty men; who, with more worldly wisdom, were far his +inferiors in judgment, and sound, practical sense; but who practised +upon his confiding nature by the semblance of qualities which they did +not possess. He had long been blessed with the companionship of an +amiable and excellent wife; and, when she was snatched from him by a +sudden and virulent disorder, he could ill have borne his bereavement, +had he not been supported by the conviction that she was only removed to +a purer and happier state of existence; and he bowed with submission to +the decrees of that Being who "doeth all things wisely." His only son, +John, who had been an object of most tender solicitude to both his +parents, had been educated with the greatest care; and, though +apparently born the heir to great wealth, had undergone a regular +probation in a mercantile house in the city, of which he hoped soon to +become a partner. Many of the elder Hamilton's friends had expressed +their surprise at his choice of a profession for his son, and wondered +that, rolling in wealth, as he was supposed to be, he should condemn his +heir to the drudgery of a counting-house: but events proved that he had +acted wisely and well. The sudden and totally unexpected failure of a +large West India house with which he was connected, and to support which +he had advanced considerable sums, gave the first shock to his credit; +and, as is often the case, reverse followed reverse afterwards, until +utter ruin seemed to be inevitable. Undazzled by prosperity, Hamilton +proved himself to be equally unshaken by adversity. His character as a +mercantile man stood so high for unimpeachable integrity and +indefatigable industry, that he might have made head for some years +longer against the stream of adverse circumstances, and might, perhaps, +eventually have overcome them; but the plain path of duty was the one he +had followed through life, and he did not desert it now. He immediately +wound up his affairs, and, having settled with his creditors to the +uttermost farthing, he found himself almost destitute, with the +exception of his personal property, and the West India estate; which, +however, had for some years barely paid its own expenses. It was now +that Hamilton had reason to rejoice that his beloved son had, by his +wise foresight, been rendered independent of circumstances, and had been +bred up in habits which would enable him soon to acquire a comfortable +establishment for himself. He immediately sold his house and furniture, +and retired to a humble lodging in the city, where, with patient and +laudable energy, he exerted himself to recover the ground he had lost. +Sudden and unexpected as his reverses had been, he never murmured at the +hardship of his lot, convinced that all the dispensations of Providence +are wisely and mercifully ordered, and happy in the consciousness that +he had nothing to reproach himself with, as far as concerned his dealing +with his fellow-men. About this time, his son John was sent out to +Jamaica, on some mercantile speculation, by the house with which he was +connected, and obtained permission to remain some time on the island, to +inquire into the management of his father's plantation; and, if +necessary and possible, to effect its sale. He was about twenty-four +years of age; tall, and handsome in his appearance, and a youth of +excellent dispositions and steady principles. By his persevering and +conscientious attention to his duties, he had gained the confidence and +esteem of his employers, and had acquired the character of an active and +clever man of business. He had long been a secret admirer of Ellen +Winterton, the orphan child of an officer in the army, and who was +living under the guardianship of the head of his firm. Accustomed, +however, always to keep his feelings under control, and to regulate his +desires by the rules of honour and of prudence, young Hamilton did not +think himself justified in making his proposals in form, until fortune +should have enabled him to do so as an independent man. The change in +his father's circumstances, while it called for fresh exertions on his +part, seemed to separate him still more widely from the object of his +wishes; but he bore his prolonged probation with cheerfulness, and his +grief at parting with Ellen was almost neutralised by the animating +prospect of serving his beloved father. After an absence of some months, +during which he had written home several times, a letter was received +from him, announcing his having left Kingston harbour, in the +fast-sailing, well-armed merchant-ship, the Delight, and expressing his +hope soon to join his father again. Fortune, in the meanwhile, had +smiled again upon the elder Hamilton, in a way he little expected. He +was surprised one evening by the receipt of a note from a gentleman, +whose signature was unknown to him, and who requested a personal +interview with him next morning, at a neighbouring coffee-house. Thither +he repaired accordingly, wondering what could be the nature of the +communication the stranger wished to make to him. + +"Mr Hamilton, I believe?" said a gentleman, dressed in deep mourning, to +whom the waiter pointed him out, as he entered the room. "I know you +well by name and character, Mr Hamilton, though I have not the happiness +of your personal acquaintance, and I am happy to be the bearer of +pleasing intelligence to you. I am one of the executors of Mr Murray of +Greenha', who died childless, and, in consequence of the demise of his +near relations, has made you his heir; and I have to congratulate you +upon your accession to a valuable landed property and a handsome +fortune." + +Mr Hamilton was not a little surprised at this announcement. Murray of +Greenha' was a distant relation of his late father; but the families had +had no communication for several years, and he had almost forgotten that +such a person was in existence. This unexpected revolution, by which he +was again restored from poverty to wealth and comfort, excited his +warmest feelings of gratitude and thankfulness towards that Being in +whom he had always trusted with unwavering confidence. He immediately +set off to the north, to visit his newly-acquired property, and to carry +into effect the provisions of his benefactor's will. Among other duties +devolved upon him, was that of providing for our friend Willie Duncan, +whose upright, manly character, and grateful attachment to his late +master, gave him strong claims upon the good-will and respect of his +successor. He had been some time in the north when he heard of his son's +having left Jamaica; but months instead of weeks had elapsed, and still +no further accounts had been received of him, and he began to be +seriously alarmed on his account. His agent in town, in reply to his +anxious inquiries, informed him that the Delight was known to have left +Kingston harbour at the time specified, but that she had not since been +heard of; and, as she was so very much beyond her expected time, and +several ships had arrived in England, which had only just reached the +harbour when she left it, there was now little doubt of her loss. This +was sad news to the elder Hamilton, and it required the exercise of all +his Christian fortitude to enable him to bear up under the heavy +dispensation. He had gained unexpected wealth; but he for whom he prized +it had been snatched from him. One afternoon, shortly after the return +of the sailor, Tom Duncan, Mr Hamilton was sauntering, in a melancholy +mood, along the high road near Greenha', and was scarcely aroused from +his abstraction by the rattling of a post-chariot, which was almost upon +him before he was aware of its approach.--"Stop!--stop!" said a voice +from the inside. The door was dashed open, and in a moment the +bewildered father was in the arms of his long-lost son. It was some time +before either of them could speak. At last, the father sobbed out-- + +"My dear, dear son! I thought you were torn from me for ever! Heaven be +praised for all its mercies! I shall now die happy. But how have I been +so cruelly deceived? They told me you were lost, and my heart was almost +broken. But come, come away to the house, and, after you have refreshed +yourself, you can gratify my curiosity." On entering the house, John +congratulated his father most affectionately on the change that had +taken place in his affairs. "I am glad of it on your account, John; for +myself, I care not. I was as happy with my crust and cheese, and with my +consciousness that I was doing my duty, as I am now--rich beyond my +fondest hopes. Yes, John, I thank Heaven, for myself, that I am blessed +with a contented spirit; and, for _you_, that, when I die, you will be +amply provided for." As soon as John had done ample justice to the +substantial lunch placed before him, his father said to him, "If you are +not much fatigued, we will take a stroll, and, while I am showing you +the lions, you can be telling me your adventures." + +"With all my heart," replied he. + +"When we left Kingston harbour in the Delight, we were all in high glee, +in the anticipation of a speedy and pleasant voyage. Our ship was one of +the fastest of her class, well armed, and manned with an active and +spirited crew; so that, to all human appearance, we had little to dread, +either from man or the elements. We had scarcely lost sight of the land, +when the wind died away to a dead calm, and the sea became as smooth and +clear as a mirror, glancing back the reflection of a bright and +cloudless moon. The sails flapped heavily against the masts, as the ship +rolled helpless and unmanageable in the long swell, and the water +dripped from her channels, as she rose again, after dipping them deep +into the sea. All at once a small, dark cloud appeared on the larboard +beam. + +"'Oh, it's nothing,' said the mate. + +"Not so thought the captain, who fortunately came upon deck at the time. + +"'All hands shorten sail!' shouted he. 'Bear a hand! Up foresail!--in +royals and topgallantsails! Brace the yards round to port! Stand by +topsail--haulyards and sheets!' + +"These orders were barely carried into effect, when a sudden and +tremendous squall struck the ship. The small sails were clued up, and +the topsailyards on the caps; but the gallant little bark staggered +under the shock, lay over till her gunwale almost touched the water, +struggled for a moment, and then rose again. The squall had overtaken +them with lightning-like rapidity, and was gone again almost as quickly. +A few moments before, and a neater and snugger ship never swam the +water--now, she was almost a wreck aloft. The foretopmast was hanging +over the side, the jib-boom gone, the maintop-gallant-mast snapped short +above the step, and the maintopsail in tatters. All this desolation had +been the work of a moment; the demon of the storm had passed, and all +was again calm. + +"'Thank Heaven it's no worse!' said the captain. 'Two minutes sooner, +and we should all have been lost! Better lose a few sticks than the ship +herself. But this will be a warning to you, Mr Rogers,' said he to the +mate, 'not to be foolhardy for the future.' + +"All hands were immediately set to work to clear away the wreck of the +spars, and were busily employed all night. It was late in the forenoon +before the wreck of the foretopmast was launched clear of the ship, and +a new maintopsail bent. During this interval, a light breeze had sprung +up, and a strange sail hove in sight to windward. The captain mounted +the rigging, and got his glass to bear upon her, and, after a long and +anxious look, paced the quarterdeck with hurried and irregular steps, +glancing uneasily aloft, and hailing the men to bear a hand with their +mast-ropes. + +"'Rogers,' said he to the mate, at the same time handing him the glass, +'take a look at that craft, and tell me what you think of her.' + +"The mate looked long and carefully at her, and, returning the glass to +his superior, looked doubtingly and inquiringly in his face, and shook +his head-- + +"'I don't like the look of her at all, sir.' + +"'Nor I, Rogers; however, we'll say nothing about her just now. If the +air continues so light, it will take her some time to reach us, and we +must make good use of the opportunity. Hurry the men with the topmast. +Heaven send us a cloudy night! As soon as it is dark, we'll alter our +course.' + +"By dint of hard work, and a suspicion among the crew that the stranger +was an unpleasant neighbour, we were all ataunto, as the sailors call +it, before midnight, and were standing away before the light breeze. At +daylight, the captain's glass swept the horizon, and soon rested upon +the object of his search. A long and steady gaze seemed to confirm both +him and the mate in their first suspicion. The vessel, now considerably +nearer us, had been evidently watching our motions, and was as evidently +in pursuit of us. She was a long, low, rakish-looking brig, creeping +along before the faint breeze, and aiding its efforts with her sweeps. + +"'It's the Dare-Devil, sir!' said the mate, his cheek paling as he +spoke; 'I know her now by the black fiddlehead, and her mast-heads +black. A bloodier pirate never swam. The Lord have mercy upon us, for +_he_ won't!' + +"'Call the hands aft!' said the captain. + +"The men assembled on the quarterdeck in stern silence. They seemed to +anticipate what was to follow; but it was evident theirs was not the +quietness of fear, but of determination. + +"'My lads,' said the captain, 'that stranger, we have every reason to +believe, is a pirate. If there had been anything of a breeze, we might +have escaped; but now, our only chance is to show her what mettle we're +made of. You will have to fight for your lives; for so soon as they set +foot on this deck, they will murder every soul on board. What say you, +my lads? Will you die like dogs, or fighting like brave men?' + +"A simultaneous cheer from the crew was the only reply, and they were +immediately dismissed to prepare for the impending conflict. + +"'Ah, there she shows her teeth at last,' said the captain, as a puff of +smoke burst from the brig, followed by the flash and report of a gun, +the ball from which struck the water some distance from us. + +"'It is of no use our attempting to escape, Rogers!' said the captain; +'he is gaining upon us fast. We will not fire a gun till he is close +aboard of us, and till every shot will tell.' + +"The guns were all loaded with grape, the fire-arms placed in readiness +on deck, and the men ordered to lie down at their quarters, and not to +fire a shot till the order was given. Meantime, the pirate rapidly +approached, and her shot began to tell upon our rigging and sails. The +Delight kept steadily on her course; but her yards, which had been +nearly square, were drawn quietly forward, one by one, to port. The +pirate was sweeping up at some little distance on our quarter, and had +hailed us to heave to directly, or she would sink us. 'Now, my lads,' +said our captain, 'be cool and steady. I'm going to cross his hawse: as +soon as the guns bear upon him, blaze away.' + +"The helm was put a-starboard, and, as we crossed the bows, we poured +our grape into him. The fire was not such a _raking_ one as we expected; +for he was too quick for us, and sheered to port almost as soon as +ourselves; but it was evident that we had almost sickened him, for he +widened his distance, and before night was almost hull-down to windward +of us. + +"'I hope we have got rid of our troublesome customer, sir,' said Rogers +to the captain. + +"'Don't halloo till you're through the wood,' replied he; 'we haven't +done with him yet, I'm afraid. I'm much mistaken if he is not trying to +play a game at humbug with us; as soon as it is dark, he will edge down +upon us, and endeavour to take us by surprise. We will keep the men at +quarters all night, and haul close to the wind, on the starboard tack, +when darkness comes on.' + +"At nightfall strict orders were given that all the lights should be put +out, except that in the binnacle; and the ship's course was altered. We +were in great hopes that by these means we should elude the pursuit of +the pirate; for, though the breeze was still light, the night was dark +and cloudy, and the mate, after sweeping the horizon with his +night-glass, said, in a joyous tone, to the captain-- + +"'I think we have outwitted him, sir; I see no signs of him now.' + +"'Let _me_ look,' said the captain. 'Holloa! What is that dark body to +the northward? That infernal brig, I'll be bound. How could he have seen +us?' + +"As he spoke, his eye glanced aloft, and there, to his great surprise, +was a light shining at the mizentop-gallantmasthead! + +"'What light is that?' shouted he; 'who has dared to disobey the orders? +Jump up there, one of you boys, and douse it. Rogers, there's a traitor +on board.' + +"'Then Jose is the man, sir!' + +"The Delight had lost a few hands in harbour, by fever; and, a few days +before she sailed, a Portuguese seaman had been shipped to supply the +place of one of them. He was an active, able-bodied fellow, and produced +excellent certificates from former ships; but there was something +extremely forbidding and repulsive in his countenance, and the mate was +very unwilling to obey Captain Forbes's order to receive him on board. +He was a man of few words; but his eyes were constantly wandering, with +a furtive glance, round the ship; and, when he did speak, it was +generally to express his fear of pirates, and to inquire into the means +of defence of the Delight. On the evening before the ship sailed, he +went on shore as one of the boat's crew, but did not make his appearance +again till next morning. For this breach of duty he made some plausible +excuse, which was unfortunately accepted. It was afterwards proved that +he was one of the crew of the pirate, and had been employed to gain all +the information in his power, as to our guns, time of sailing, &c., and +to make private signals, if necessary. + +"The brig kept hovering about till daylight, and then bore down upon us, +and, when within range, fired a shot across our bows, to make us heave +to. To this salutation no answer was returned, but we stood steadily on, +as before, reserving our fire for closer quarters. Shot after shot was +dropped into us, but still not a hand was moved on board. At last the +pirate came within hail, and swore with the most horrid oaths that he +would sink us, if we did not immediately heave to. + +"'Now, my lads, stand by!' The men were on their feet in a moment. +'Starboard a little! Fire!' Again our grape rattled into her, and we +could judge, by the bustle on her decks, and by the loud cries and +execrations that reached our ears, that our fire had been a destructive +one. Two of our men were killed by his discharge, and our boat amidships +smashed to pieces; but he again sheered off, and, shaking his sails in +the wind, dropped slowly astern. Again our hopes revived, but only to be +miserably disappointed. When he was beyond the range of our short +carronades, he kept dropping shot after shot into us, with deadly +precision from his long gun. + +"'Rogers,' said the captain, 'if this game lasts long, it is all up with +us; unless the breeze freshens, we shall all be murdered like so many +sheep.' + +"In vain did we endeavour to come to closer quarters with him; as we +shortened sail, so did he. Our guns were useless, +while--crash--crash--crash--followed each remorseless shot from his long +twelve. The breeze, instead of freshening, gradually died away to a +calm, and we lay entirely at his mercy, for he kept sweeping round us, +and, unhurt himself, inflicted deadly injuries upon us. At last, we lay +a complete wreck upon the water; our gallant captain was killed, and +fifteen of the men either dead or desperately wounded, and the gallant, +but exhausted remnant of the crew were persuaded by the mate to consent +to surrender. Our colours were accordingly hauled down; yet the pirate +for some time paid no attention to this mark of submission on our part, +but seemed determined to gratify his thirst for slaughter, by putting +his threat of sinking us into execution. At last he ceased firing, and, +sweeping up on our quarter, hailed to order the captain of the Delight +on board. + +"'Our captain is killed, and we have not a boat left that can swim.' + +"'Oh, then, if you can't come to me, I must go and fetch you!' A boat, +well manned, soon pushed off from the pirates, and in a few minutes +dashed alongside of us. The first man who boarded us was the captain, as +ferocious-looking a monster as I ever beheld; and his followers, who +swarmed up the side after him, were, in appearance, worthy of their +leader. They rushed on board with cries of exultation and rage, +brandishing their cutlasses, and shouting, 'Down with them!' 'Cut them +down, and make an end of them at once!' And they were proceeding to put +their threats into execution, when they were checked in a moment by the +loud and commanding tones of the captain. 'Stand back, all of you! I'll +shoot the first man that lays a hand upon them! No, no, my lads; it +would be letting the rascals off too cheap to kill them at once; we'll +despatch them in pairs at a time; there are twelve of them, so we shall +have six days' sport instead of one.' This proposal was received with +shouts of savage joy by the crew. 'We'll keep these two till the last,' +continued he, pointing to the mate and myself, 'that they may have the +pleasure of seeing all their comrades walk the plank before them. But, +come my lads, be smart; we have no time to lose; put all these fellows +on board our little hooker; and then we'll see what's to be done below.' +We were all immediately forced into the boat, and rowed on board the +brig, where some of us were put in irons, and others lashed to ringbolts +on the deck. The boat then returned, and the work of plunder commenced; +and for some hours the pirate crew were busily employed in transferring +to the brig all the valuables they could lay their hands upon on board +the Delight. When they had taken everything available, they scuttled the +ship, and left her, and obliged us, with many taunts and blows, to watch +for the catastrophe. It was a heartrending sight to us all to see our +gallant little ship gradually settling in the water, rolling deep and +uneasily, till at last, after a heavy lurch, she dipped her bulwarks low +into the water, and, struggling in vain to recover herself, sank to rise +no more. A groan of horror burst from us all; we felt as if our last +connecting link with humanity was broken; we were left powerless in the +hands of monsters in human form, but with the spirit of demons. Alas! +our fears were but too well verified: that very evening two of our poor +shipmates, after having been tormented in the most savage manner, were +blindfolded, and compelled to walk out upon a plank launched from the +gangway, from the end of which they fell into the sea, shrieking with +horror as they fell. As their bodies plunged heavily into the smooth +water, the captain turned to us with a savage sneer, and said-- + +"'They were too well fed by half; when it comes to your turn, you won't +make such a disturbance amongst the fishes.' + +"But why need I dwell longer upon these horrors? For five succeeding +days, the same murderous scene was enacted; we were fed on bread and +water, and tormented in every way that cruelty could suggest, and then +had the horror of witnessing the death of our companions, and of +anticipating the same cruel fate for ourselves. At last the mate and I +were the only survivors, and we were brought to the gangway, to mount +the same fatal plank which had been the instrument of death to our +unfortunate shipmates. Our eyes were blindfolded, and, weak and +exhausted as we were, we looked forward to death as an easy and happy +release from our miseries. We bade each other farewell. + +"'Our murderers allow us one blessing, Rogers,' said I--'to die +together.' + +"That remark saved my life. + +"'A blessing is it?' exclaimed the captain; 'then it's one that I'll be +hanged if you enjoy. You shall go to the devil by yourself. Take the +handkerchief off that sentimental gentleman's eyes, and let him see his +dear friend take a leap in the dark. He can moralise about it till +to-morrow evening.' + +"Poor Rogers! I did indeed feel deserted, when the sullen plunge +announced that the sea had closed over its prey! To this refinement in +cruelty on the part of the pirate, however, I eventually owed my +deliverance. Slowly and painfully did the first hours of that night pass +over my head. My thoughts constantly recurred to the horrors I had +witnessed, and to the dreadful doom that awaited me on the morrow. The +tears filled my eyes as I prayed for forgiveness of my past sins, and +for strength to support me through the coming trial. The brig was +tumbling about on the almost calm sea, with all sails furled, except the +topgallantsail, which by some chance had broken adrift, and the crew, +not excepting the look-out man, were all asleep, when all at once the +report of a gun came booming over the water. The sound acted like magic +upon the slumbering crew--they were on the alert in a moment--the sails +were set with wonderful quickness--the sweeps were manned, and the +little schooner rippling through the water. Next morning we had +distanced the stranger considerably, and the pirate was in great hopes +of escaping; but the breeze freshened, and before noon the frigate, for +such she proved to be, had gained so much upon us, that her shot began +to tell upon us. I was now hurried below, and a sentry was placed over +me; the captain ordering him to blow my brains out if I attempted to +escape, and adding, 'I'll settle his account by and by.' It was with +impatience almost amounting to agony that I listened to the strange +medley of sounds which reached my ear--the creaking of the sweeps, the +curses and shouts of our crew cheering each other at their work, the +loud report of our guns, and the more faint and distant sound of those +of the frigate; and I prayed for deliverance--prayed that some lucky +ball might find its way into the cabin, and put an end to my suspense +and to my miseries at once. At last the sound of the sweeps ceased. I +heard the rattling of blocks and the sound of running feet. I felt, by +the motion of the vessel, that some alteration was made in her course, +and then--I burst into tears--I heard a voice hailing the brig! I felt +that the hour of my deliverance was at hand, and I breathed a prayer of +silent thankfulness to Heaven. Again there was a movement on deck, the +brig laid over to the breeze, and a loud shout burst from her crew, as +they discharged the guns. Merciful powers! she had escaped; and my +spirit sank within me. But the avenger of blood was behind us, and his +voice spoke in the thunder of his guns. I heard a crash upon deck, then +the noise of something coming down from aloft, followed by the muttered +curses of my sentry, as he exclaimed, 'The gaff is gone!' The report of +the frigate's guns now became louder and louder, and the little brig +absolutely staggered, when the grape-shot rattled against her sides. Her +crew, however, seemed to be fighting with the desperation of madmen, for +they maintained a warm fire. At last all was silent on board; the firing +ceased, and not even a voice could be heard. Presently I heard the dash +of oars; then the grating of a boat against the vessel's side; then loud +and angry voices, and afterwards all the sounds of a desperate conflict. +I looked up the companion--my sentinel had deserted his post, to join in +the fray. I saw the boat's crew of the frigate engaged in a deadly +struggle with the pirates. I rushed over to them, and had just joined +them, calling for help, when the pirate captain seized me by the +shoulder, and raised his tomahawk to cleave me to the deck. Weak as I +was, I must have fallen a victim to his fury, had not a gallant sailor +rushed between us, and inflicted a severe wound upon his upraised arm. I +saw my brave deliverer fall immediately afterwards by a pistol-shot; but +he was well avenged; for the next moment the pirate fell lifeless on his +body. I saw no more. I was carried, in a state of insensibility, on +board the frigate, and it was long before I recovered from the effects +of my severe discipline on board the pirate. As soon as I was +sufficiently recovered, I wished to hasten homewards immediately; but I +was obliged to remain, to give evidence against the crew of the +piratical brig, all of whom, with the exception of three or four, +suffered the extreme penalties of the law. And now, my dear father, my +tale is at an end, and grateful am I to the merciful Providence which +has restored me to your arms." + +"My dear, dear son!--doubly endeared to me by the dangers you have +undergone on my account--I am thankful that my altered fortunes now +enable me to gratify what I know to be the dearest wish of your heart. +Go to her, John--go to Miss Winterton--she is worthy of you: no longer +restrained by the clog of poverty, you may freely indulge the feelings +of your heart." + +As the father and son were walking along the road, they saw two men +approaching them at some distance. + +"Whom have we here?" said John Hamilton. + +"One of them is old Willie Duncan, a cottar of mine; and who the lame +man is that is with him I know not. By the by, I heard that his son was +returned from sea; perhaps that's the man." + +Willie Duncan respectfully saluted his master, when he approached, and +said-- + +"I was just bringing my son to----" + +"Good heavens!" exclaimed John Hamilton, gazing earnestly at the +disabled man; "it cannot be--yes, it is--my brave deliverer! My gallant +fellow," continued he, shaking him heartily by the hand, "how rejoiced I +am to see you, and to have an opportunity to prove my gratitude to you! +I heard you were dead--how did you escape?" + +"Why, blow me, your honour, if you didn't take me quite aback. I +couldn't make you out at first--you're twice the man you were when I +see'd you on the pirate's deck; and I'd never no thoughts of falling in +with you so near home. I'm right glad, however, to see your honour once +more." + +"Duncan," said Hamilton, senior, with a trembling voice, "I owe you a +debt I can never repay. You lost your limb in saving the life of my +son--it shall be my endeavour to make the loss to you as light as +possible." + +"And is the gentleman the son of my father's good master? Then a fig for +the leg!--it couldn't have been lost in a better cause. And, as for +gratitude, sir, you owe me none; his honour, here, would have done the +same for me, if the case had been reversed, like--if he'd been the +sailor, and I'd been the gemman." + +"Well, well, my good fellow--no doubt--we won't argue on that point; +only tell me how I can serve you, and I will do so, to the best of my +ability." + +"Why, your honour, I wants for nothing just now. I've got a lot of +prize-money, and my father's snug roadstead to anchor in; but, if your +honour likes to give me a few ounces of baccy, I won't say but what I'll +be obligated to you." + +"A modest request, certainly," said Mr Hamilton, laughing; "but we must +give you something better than tobacco, and as much of that as you like +into the bargain. Come, William, as your son won't speak, you must do so +for him. Tell me how I can best serve him." + +A whispering consultation here took place between father and son, which +was put a stop to by the latter addressing Mr Hamilton in a sheepish, +confused manner, twirling his hat in his hands at the same time, and +feeling the rim all around, as if to ascertain that it was all there. + +"Why, your honour, as your honour's so kind----Blow'd if I can speak +about it, father! You see, your honour, I'm a first-rate hand at a yarn +on a Saturday night; but, somehow, my jawing-tacks gets all bedevilled +when I begins to speak about _she_." + +"And who's she?" said Mr Hamilton, laughing--"some old sweetheart that +has been waiting for you?" + +"Why, it's bonny Jean Cameron that was when I went away. She's a widow +now, your honour, and, as I wants to be spliced, and she's no objection, +why, if it's not making too bold, if your honour would let us have one +of your empty cottages, we'd join company at once, and sail together for +the rest of our cruise." + +We need hardly say that the sailor's request was cheerfully granted; and +in a few weeks he and his wife were happily settled in a neat cottage, +comfortably and substantially furnished by Mr Hamilton, who likewise +settled upon him an annuity, sufficient to keep him from want, but not +so large as to encourage habits of idleness or dissapation. John +Hamilton was equally successful in his suit; and his union with Ellen +Winterton proved that those who have been tried by adversity are best +qualified to enjoy prosperity. + + + + +THE PROFESSOR'S TALES. + +THE THREE BRETHREN. + + "Together such as brethren are, + In unity to dwell." + + +The unity of the three brethren about whom I am going to speak is +complete: some are united in heart and soul, but these are united in +body and frame: closer than the Siamese twins did their union abide, +till, in an evil hour, the winds smote them, and they were no +more--"_Sed stat nominis umbra._" They have left behind them a name and +a record which will not soon perish. They might have said--had speaking +been at all their forte--with Horace, "_Non omnis moriar."_ They shall +live in the recollection of the present, and in the records of future +times--at least it will not be from want of will, if the pages of the +"Tales of the Borders" do not transmit their memorial to late posterity. +The three brethren! you exclaim, quite naturally enough. What! were they +brothers by blood or by marriage--brothers in profession--or, like +Simeon and Levi, in iniquity? We should like to see the mist cleared +away, and the subject made tangible. Well, listen! + +The three brethren were three trees, or rather divisions of one tree--as +like each other as one pea is to another--which once stood in the middle +of the high road from Glasgow to Dumfries, upon the banks of the Nith. +People had it that their similarity was so great that it reached the +details of their branches, and even leaves, and that they were in +every--even in the minutest--respect copies or fac-similes of each +other. Nobody living--and far less any one dead--can tell their age. +They saw Oliver Cromwell and his saintly crew march into Scotland; and +beheld, in later times, the Highland host, in the year '45, pass along. +They might have given an old chronicle of ancient times and manners, had +it not been that they probably did not outlive the age of Methuselah. +But + + "Improvisa vis lethi rapuit + Rapietque gentes." + +Destruction came in the shape of a nor'wester, and they are now in the +act of being converted into snuff-boxes, writing-desks, and +dressing-cases, for their old and attached acquaintances and friends; +every one seems more anxious than another to obtain a relic of the +immortal triumvirate--and they are more likely to be remembered with +pleasurable feelings than even were the Triumvirates of ancient Rome. +But now that they have bowed their heads, and given up their roots, it +is proper that some effort should be made to perpetuate their memory; +and who so fit as an old Closeburn man to execute this bold but +praiseworthy task? + +The explanation, however, requires a glance at the race of gipsies, one +of whom thus characterises the race:-- + + "My bonny lass, I work in brass-- + A tinkler is my station-- + I've travell'd round all Christian ground + In this my occupation. + + I've ta'en the gold--I've been enroll'd + In many a noble squadron-- + In vain they search'd, when off I march'd, + To go and clout the caldron." + +The gipsies have now disappeared entirely from the north of Scotland; +even in Fife, the former residence of the gipsy clan Jamphrey, no such +variety of the species is to be found. Their chief residence, as we have +had occasion to say before, is now on the Borders, where, in the village +of Yetholm, and in Langtown, they still maintain a separate clanship. +They still are, and have always been, extremely jealous of the marriage +of any of their daughters, in particular, out of the tribe. Hence the +fact, that almost every third person amongst them labours under some +mental peculiarity or defect. Their male youths enjoy greater latitude; +yet, on their alliance with the Philistine fair, they are usually looked +down upon, and regarded as a kind of amphibious race, who, like the +"Proselytes of the Gate" amongst the Jews, were not admitted into equal +communion. Their children are brought up (at least were so, till of +late) in the most religious contempt of the alphabet. Nor are any moral +principles inculcated, beyond successful thieving--that is, downright +knavery--and dexterity of execution as workmen, whether it be in forming +a ram's horn into a cutty spoon, or in appropriating the fattest hens +from the farmer's bauks. Their women, too, are expert fortunetellers, +and have husbands ready-made for sixpence. They are a fearful, fearless +race, wandering about, in former times, almost during the whole year, +and pitching their tents--in other words, setting their asses to graze, +and themselves to forage--wherever solitude or the tolerance of the +laird or farmer will permit their presence. When Scotland, in general, +and Dumfries-shire in particular, from Criffell to Corsincon, were +densely covered with natural wood, these people divided the woodland +with the fox, the boar, and the wolf, and were extremely expert in +noosing hares, rabbits, and polecats. Theirs was the bow, and ultimately +the long-barrelled gun, for securing the fowls of heaven; and the set +line, liester, and fishing-rod for the tenants of the water. + +As was the case with the Roman of old--"_Patres ad insignem deformitatem +puerum cito necaverunt;_" in other words, and in a different tongue, +they put their diseased and deformed offspring to death; and more than +one-half of those which were permitted to survive were killed in a year +or two by harsh usage, cold, and imperfect clothing. Thus their youth +which did survive these manifold trials and risks rose up into man and +womanhood, proud, hardy, strong, well-seasoned plants, exhibiting much +muscular power and symmetry in the male, and occasionally uncommon +beauty and figure in the female form. + +The "wild gazelle exulting" and bounding on the hills of Judah was not +more elastic in its motion, nor penetrating and fascinating in its +glance, than were many of the fairer wives and daughters of these hordes +of part mendicant, part predatory, and part artist wanderers. Their +chief resorts, in ancient times, were to the banks of the Hermitage and +Slitterick, near Hawick; to the banks of the Dee, near Kirkcudbright; +and, above and beyond all, to the woods of Colliston, and the linns of +Balachun, on the Nith, in Dumfries-shire; and it is to this last +locality that the following narrative particularly refers. + +It was about the middle of the month of October that a packman, or +pedlar, with an enormous chest laid transverse on his shoulders, was +seen wending his way up the banks of the Nith, from Manchester to +Glasgow. He had hoped to have reached Thornhill, then an exceedingly +small village, before dusk; but this being his first migration in this +direction, he found himself so surrounded and obstructed by the river +Nith on the one hand, the linns of Balachun on the other, and an almost +impenetrable wood in front, that night came upon him, dark and moonless, +whilst still pushing his way through brambles, thorns, and every species +of tangling and perplexing underwood. At last, despairing of extricating +himself, and terrified, at the same time, by the roaring of waters, +howling of wild beasts, and hooting of owls, he extricated his shoulders +from the pack-bands, and, selecting as dry and soft an apartment as +circumstances permitted, he set himself down on the grassy turf, with a +birch branch for his canopy, and the old stump of a tree for his lean. +In a little time he was alarmed by the cries of what appeared to be a +child in the act of being cruelly murdered. Mungo Clark (for such was +the packman's name) rose, and, advancing a few steps in the direction of +the now faintly-emitted sounds, found a hare in the act of expiring of +strangulation by means of a noose, or girn, formed of strong wire, and +placed so as to intercept a little footpath made by the feet of the wild +animals of the forest. Mungo was in the act of disengaging the dead +creature from its executioner, the noose, when he heard the rustling as +if of a lion on the spring, very near him, and all at once he found +himself in the iron grip of a customer with whom he had no wish, on +this occasion at least, to deal. + +"And wha are ye," were the sounds which, in a hollow and harsh tone, +first greeted his ears--"and wha are ye, man, wha hae made yer bed this +dark night wi' the howlets and the wull-cats--ye wha meddle wi' what +naething concerns ye, and burn yer fingers in ither folk's kail-pats? +Speak, man, and dinna keep me blethering here, for I hae got ither fish +to fry, I trow, than standing here palavering wi' sic as you--come, +speak, body, or I'll send ye, pack an' a', sixty yards lower into the +bumbling pool o' Balachun Linn." + +Mungo Clark was neither soldier nor belted knight, nor was he armed for +any deadly conflict; but he was not accustomed to submit without +resentment to such rough usage. + +"Unhand me, rascal!" was the packman's reply; and making, at the same +time, a lateral jerk, he twisted himself fairly out of the assailant's +grasp. + +A whistle was immediately set up, and in an instant our traveller was +surrounded by four strong, ablebodied men, who immediately flashed the +light side of a dark lantern full in his face. + +"Oh ho!" said one of the newly-assembled assailants; "this is neither +the deil, nor the factor, nor the wood-keeper, nor the old boy, +Colliston himsel, but just plain Mungo Clark, Widow Clark o' Penpont's +son, who has been at Manchester feathering his pack, for the first time, +wi' all manner o' varieties; such as Bibles, psalm-books, ribands, +shawls, and waistcoat-pieces. Why, by the flesh-pots o' Yetholm--and +that's a terrible oath--we'll adopt Brother Clark into our number, and +teach him how to snare game, and spear salmon, instead of drivelling +away his time and strength under the pressure of a load" (trying to +raise the pack) "which would break the back-bone of an elephant." + +The matter appeared to Mungo to be settled without any consent of his, +asked or obtained; so, knowing somewhat of the character and habits of +this wandering and peculiar race, he was compelled to make a virtue of +necessity, and, raising his pack again on his shoulders, to descend with +them into the very lowest depths of the linns of Balachun. Even at +noonday, on the 23d of June, the Pass, as it is called, is dreary, dark, +and dreadful; but now, under the cover of night, and with no other +guidance than a small lantern, which scarcely made darkness visible, +Mungo hesitated ere he would commit himself to the crossing of a fearful +gully, and the walking along the face of a rock, or scaur, scarcely +eight inches wide, and overhanging a fearful pool, well known by the +terrible appellation of "Hell's Caldron." The party at last arrived at a +small grassy plot, encircled on the one side by the roaring stream +called Clauchry Burn, and on the other by an amphitheatre of steep, +high, and overhanging rocks, fringed and darkened in with brushwood and +furze, and guarded, at the upper and lower extremities, by the rocks, +which, after receding a little to make room for this grassy retreat, +closed in again upon the current, and prevented all _easy_ entrance or +escape. Soon after Mungo's arrival, he discovered a large kettle, +boiling and bubbling, in a crevice of the cliff, suspended from a +transverse beam; and beheld around it, now that a parcel of sticks and +dry leaves were kindled, a most picturesque and motley group--women, +children, men, boys, and lasses, of all hues, aspects, and sizes, were +scattered about in profusion; and, as the flame flashed back from the +red sandstone of the linn, their faces glared on Mungo with a demoniac +expression. It seemed the very picture of Pandemonium; and yet the +hearty laugh, the bold oath, and the occasional inquiry, bespoke the +inhabitants to be at least one remove from devils. Mungo was desired to +rest him and his load on the apron of the rock, and compelled, without a +nay-say, to unstrap his pack, and expose his goods, not (seemingly) for +sale, but for plunder. This was not the way, assuredly, to turn the +penny to advantage, but what can one say, "_durum telum +necessitas?_"--there was no avoiding the spoliation. To be sure, the +king, or leader of the gipsy tribe--amounting probably to not less than +forty or fifty persons--hinted in his ear that he should not be a loser +at last; but, in the meantime, to his no small mortification, he saw his +shawls, napkins, stockings, and waistcoat-pieces, making the round of +the company without ceremony, and forgetting, like the dove from the +ark, to return whence they had fled. The pack having been thus +ransacked, and the pot having given audible intimation for some time of +its preparatory doings, the king--for such he was--the notorious Donald +Faa, with his three sons, Duncan, Cuthbert, and _Donnert_ Davie, +together with the king's fair daughter, Helen Yetholm Faa, squatted down +on the grass, and without the help of forks, made a hearty meal on +hares, chickens, turkeys, geese, and half-a-dozen brace of partridges, +which might have rejoiced the heart even of a Dominie Sampson. The other +members of the community seemed to acknowledge the deputed authority of +a young man of good features, and an athletic and genteel appearance, +who went by the name of the Squire. After _eating_ had had its fair +share of devoted and unremitted attention, a barrel, of considerable +dimensions, began to make its way downward from amidst the recesses of +this water-worn and excavated rock; and a tub being hurled sideways into +the service, boiling water was procured, and sugar in no ordinary +quantity commingled; and, by the help of a ladle and several chopin +decanters, the whole mass of Egyptian humanity was stirred up into song, +laugh, scream, inebriety, quarrel, battle, stupor, and insensibility. +Our friend Mungo had no objections whatever to the feast, or to the +means by which it was prolonged. He was afterwards notorious for his +drinking habits, insomuch that his observation on this occasion is still +repeated in the neighbourhood of the place of his nativity. When +questioned by the king respecting the size of his native village, +Penpont, his reply was--"It is an exceeding great city." This being +questioned, his proof was equally ingenious, and descriptive of his +habits--"Why, Nineveh took Jonah three days to travel through it, +whereas Penpont generally takes me _seven_." He referred manifestly to +his habit of stopping and drinking at every petty inn and public-house +in the village! The jest told exceedingly in his favour. Mungo, however, +in spite of his losses and crosses, had a noble night of it, as he +afterwards said, with the gipsies, and awakened next morning from his +grassy couch to cool his aching temples in the stream, and restore his +stomach by a hair of the dog that had bit him. He then observed that the +two sons, Duncan and Cuthbert, but not Davie (yclept Donnert, from his +peculiarity of mental constitution), were absent, and that their father +not only exhibited no surprise respecting his sons' absence, but refused +to give any account to his guest of the cause of it. Meanwhile, Mungo +had an opportunity of marking the appearances of the various objects +around him somewhat more distinctly than he had been able to do on the +preceding evening. Blankets, supported by forked poles, old clothes and +rags of every description, formed a kind of nightly shelter for the +common herd; whilst the royal head reposed in the midst of his male +progeny, on the lap of a projecting rock, with a few hare-skins for his +pillow, and a corn-sack for his coverlet. His fair daughter's bedchamber +was somewhat more removed beyond a projecting corner of the winding +linn, and she was protected from observation by the branches of the +overhanging trees being drawn closely down over her, and by what had +once, in all probability, been a soldier's tent, but which was now +miserably rent, and unweather-worthy. It was manifest that this child +was the darling and care of a fond father; for she was not only provided +in a superior manner, but, by the position of his own sleeping +apartment, she was protected from all intercourse with the other members +of the tribe. Honest nature! thou art too many, even for a gipsy life; +and even here parental affection hallowed and refined what was unseemly +and revolting. I say revolting; for, in an obscure corner, and under the +shelter of a hazel-bush, lay a figure, emaciated with disease, and +probably with dissipation and crime, groaning in agony, and regarded +with no more sympathy by the great mass of the tribe than if he had been +a strangled hare or a mangled horse. There was something indeed terrible +in this sight. True, Helen Faa did all that she was permitted, but that +was but little, to alleviate his sufferings; but death was in his eye +and in his throat--he made one great effort to rise, grasped a branch +convulsively, and ceased to live. Mungo would willingly have retired, +even with the losses he had sustained, but he was not +permitted--probably because old Donald conjectured that information +would be immediately lodged against him, and he would be compelled to +relinquish one of his strongest holds in the south of Scotland. +Meantime, Mungo had an opportunity of beholding more closely the female +portion of this society; and was exceedingly struck--for he was yet a +young man and unmarried--with the really handsome faces and well-formed +persons which characterised the whole; but far and away above all the +rest shone Miss Helen Yetholm Faa--for thus was she designated by the +clan--in the pride of health, youth, and black, or rather brown, +eyes--those weapons of female onset which are sharper than a two-edged +sword, as Mungo used to sing or say afterwards, in a song which he +composed on the occasion:-- + + "They were jet, jet black, and like a hawk, + And wadna let a body be." + +All this seemed to be fully appreciated by the Squire, who evidently +paid the young princess particular attention, and seemed, at the same +time, sufficiently jealous of any foreign interference with the object +of his attention. Donnert Davie was a stout, ill-made, squint-eyed +being, who stammered in his speech, and seemed particularly useful in +carrying on the culinary operations, under the direction of Helen, in +the retreat. He felled wood for the fire, carried water to the kettle, +heated cow and sheep horns in the flame; brought round about and close +to the operator old pots, pans, and trenchers, which had been obtained +to be clouted, clasped, and mended. He was, in short, a kind of gipsy +factotum; and when "the house affairs did not call him thence," he would +associate with the stranger, stammering out such incoherent inquiries +as--"Whare been?--What do?--What do?--Mother dead?--Mother dead?-- +Yes--yes--yes--true--true--true"--muttering to himself, and repeating +the same monosyllable half-a-dozen times. His sister Helen was +manifestly kind to him, and would not permit any of the company to +insult or ill-use him. + +Night arrived, but with it not Duncan or Cuthbert; and it was not till +late on the following evening that they made their appearance, and with +them came silver and gold in abundance: consequently Mungo Clark's +claims were satisfied; and he was informed that, next morning, as they +were all about to decamp, he might pursue his journey homewards; but +about the following dawn, an authoritative voice from the top of the +precipice summoned the whole party to a surrender. One figure stood +prominently forward, looking over the rock; and Donnert Davie, whose +blunderbuss always lay charged beside him, immediately fired, and the +figure came tumbling down headlong, and sunk in the yawning abyss of +boiling water. In a word, the whole party, after a most determined +resistance, were taken prisoners by a military party obtained from +Dumfries; and it being proved against Duncan and Donald Faa that they +had stolen some cattle from Dalswinton Mains, and sold them on the sands +of Dumfries--as also against Donnert Davie, that he had shot the +serjeant who commanded on the occasion--the whole three brothers were +tried, condemned, and sentenced to be executed, _in terrorem_, near the +spot where their depredations had been committed. As there were three +persons to execute, and the famous tree already referred to had three +branches, they appeared to the sheriff to be destined for each other; +and accordingly all the three were hung at the same time on the same +tree, which has ever since retained the appellation of "The Three +Brethren." + +Old Donald, his fair daughter, Mungo Clark, Squire Cockburn, and the +rest, were set at liberty; but the gipsies were conveyed by a military +escort across the Borders; and I have been given to understand that the +Squire, who was the young laird of Glenae, after considerable opposition +from the old father, was married to fair Helen Yetholm Faa; and that he +was the happy husband of the fair dame who used afterwards to go about +the country in disguise, attending in gipsy garb at weddings, kirns, and +merry-meetings, and giving origin to the well-known reel--"Auld Glenae." + + +THE MISTAKE RECTIFIED. + +"Now," said the traveller, as he wandered up one of those retired +Highland glens, which characterise and beautify the Grampian range, "I +shall once more visit my dear father and mother; and my sister, now +woman grown; and, what is more, my sweet Helen M'Donald, who used to +gather the mountain berries along with me, and pursue the little kids +and lambs. Ah, Helen was only about thirteen years old when I left; she +will now be eighteen; a full-grown beautiful woman, I have no doubt. I +wonder if old Andrew, her grandfather, be still living; he used to tell +me such tales of Prince Charlie, and Prestonpans, and Culloden, that my +hair yet almost stands erect at the recollection of them. And then there +was Euphemia M'Gregor, his son's wife, the mother of my dear Helen; and +Oscar and Fingal, my father's faithful attendants and servants: and we +had such fun during the long winter nights, when the sheep were in a +place of safety, and the door was barred, and the peat-fire was burning +clear, and the very cat and kitten enjoyed the cheery fireside--such +questions and commands, such guessing and forfeiting, and riding round +the fire on a besom, and holding one's mouth full of water to discharge +on the person's face who should first laugh at our grotesque gestures +and looks: but night is approaching whilst I linger by the way--my whole +heart heaves to behold once more the sweet home of my youth and +innocence." + +Thus said, or thought aloud, a young man, seemingly about twenty-two +years of age, as he ascended Glen----and approached the thatched +shieling which stood on the margin of a small mountain stream, which +wended its mazes along the tortuous glen. He had been five years, come +the time, absent from his mountain home, and had, during that period, +endured and encountered a variety of fortune. He sung as he went along-- + + "A light heart and thin pair of breeches, + Goes through the world, brave boys!" + +switching the bent and heather-bells with his cane, and treading with a +step as elastic as was his bosom. At last, just as the sun was tinging +with his departing ray the top of the highest mountain in the +neighbourhood, he turned the corner of a projecting rock, and came at +once into full and distinct view of his home. It was then grey twilight, +and objects began to assume an indistinct appearance. Walking by the +side of the stream, as if meditating, there appeared a figure wrapped up +in a Highland plaid. It immediately struck the young sailor that this +was his sister; and in order to give her what is called an agreeable +surprise, he stepped aside unperceived by her, and stood concealed +behind a projecting cliff, which the stream had stripped bare of soil in +its passing current. The figure came nearer and nearer, and then, +sighing deeply, uttered some sound, which his ear could not catch. At +last, tears and sobs followed, and he heard the words most distinctly +pronounced--"Alas, I can never truly love him! I shall be the most +wretched of women! But he whom I loved as angels love--oh, he, my own +dear William M'Pherson, is dead and gone, and I can never see him more." + +"But you can though, my own dear Helen;" and in an instant he held her +lifeless and motionless in his arms. She had uttered just one awful +scream, which was re-echoed by the surrounding cliffs, and had ceased to +feel or know anything connected with the living world. Alas! she was +dead, and he was distracted. He ran to the house, calling aloud for +help; but every one of its inmates, even the mother who bore him, fled +from his presence, uttering ejaculations, intimating the greatest terror +at his presence. In vain did he protest with tears--I am your son and no +other--I am Willie M'Pherson, your lost boy! His words bore no +conviction along with him. Avaunt, foul fiend! Avaunt, in the name of +God and the Holy Trinity--trouble me not--trouble me not; my dear child +is in heaven; and thou, foul spirit, art permitted for a time to assume +his shape. His sister, too, was equally incredulous, and his father had +not yet returned from the hill. What was to be done? Helen M'Donald was +in all probability dead, or dying, helpless and alone, and yet no one +would come to her assistance. At last, Oscar and Fingal made their +appearance in advance of his father; and though they barked at first +upon his naming them, they immediately ran up to him, and jumped upon +his back, his neck, his head, his whole person. They seemed in as much +danger of expressing joy as poor Helen had been of dying of fearful +surprise. + +"Stand back," said the delighted and believing father to his wife, who +absolutely clung to his knees to prevent his advance--"stand back, +woman; d'ye think Fingal and Oscar would caress the foul fiend in that +manner? Na--na--na. Ha! ha! ha!" And he fell upon his son's shoulders, +weeping and crying convulsively. + +"My father--my dear, dear father." + +"My son--my lost, my only, my restored son," was the response. + +But Helen, in an instant, brought the whole party, consisting of father, +mother, sister, and son, to her aid: a light was procured and held over +her face; her bosom was bared, and rubbed; her forehead had water +plentifully poured upon it from the stream; and, at last, symptoms of +returning life appeared. Oscar and Fingal, in the meantime, had licked +Helen's face, and neck, and shoulders, all over; and whether from any +virtue in the peculiar touch of their tongues, or from the natural +expiry of the trance, Helen breathed heavily--her bosom heaved; William +looked on her cheeks, and they were flushed with red. In a moment he had +her in his arms. Helen, for some time, suffered exquisite bodily +torture; but was at last capable of having the truth made gradually +known to her. She said surely she had been dreaming, as she had often +done, and that she was still surely asleep, and that she would waken at +last, as she had done before, to a dreadful perception of the reality. +William M'Pherson still continued to clasp and assure Helen of his +personal identity. But, even when convinced of the reality of William's +presence, Helen did not evince that degree of happiness which might have +been expected; she sat stupified and passive, and seemingly insensible +to everything around her; her mind was evidently wandering to a +disagreeable subject. However, she was prevailed upon to return with the +family into the house, and, worn out and fatigued, she was soon after +put to rest in an adjoining apartment. + +In the meantime, the young sailor was questioned minutely respecting the +reason of his reappearance, after he had been so long reported, and +believed by everybody, to be dead. + +Without repeating his answer in his own words, which were interlarded +with sea phrases, we may state, in general, that it was to the following +purpose:--He had gone to Dundee, with the view of making some small +purchases for the household, when he accidentally fell in with a +recruiting party, who were beating up for marines for the fleet, then +just returned from the capture of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen. +Inexperienced as he was, he was enticed into a public-house on the +shore, and awakened, after a stupor of some hours, on board a British +man-of-war. In a few hours, he was conveyed out to sea, along with +several others, and was conveyed immediately to Spithead. Having it +ultimately put to his choice whether he would stand by a gun, or handle +a musket and a sabre, he chose the former, and was regularly entered as +an ablebodied seaman on board His Majesty's ship the Victory. In her, +along with Admiral Nelson, he sailed for the West Indies, and then +crossed the Atlantic, back to the shores of France. The enemy still +eluding the eagle-eye of Lord Nelson, he sailed for the Mediterranean, +and, after various landings and inquiries, came upon the French fleet, +moored closely inland on the coast of Egypt, at the mouth of the Nile. +He was in the dreadful battle of the Nile, and assisted in rescuing +several who were blown up, but not killed, in the L'Orient. After the +battle, he had promotion, and ultimately prize-money, on account of his +brave and humane conduct, and sailed again for Naples, and latterly in +quest of the Spanish fleet on the coast of Spain. He was close by Nelson +when he was shot by a rifleman from the mast of the ship with which he +had grappled, and saw the fellow who did the deed drop on the deck, +being shot through the heart by a marine on board of Lord Nelson's ship. +After the battle, he was returned to Plymouth, having been wounded in +the leg--a musket-ball had passed through the flesh, and somewhat, but +not greatly, injured the bone. He spent some months in the hospital, and +was then despatched to the coast of France on board the Spitfire. There +he had distinguished himself in cutting out and burning several of the +enemy's craft at Havre; and being again wounded, though slightly, in the +arm, he was put upon the pension list, and allowed to dispose of himself +till his country should again require his services. In these +circumstances, he began to think of his home; and, with some hundreds of +pounds in the bank, and a pension order of about two shillings and +sixpence a-day in his pocket, he arrived at Dundee in a sailing vessel, +and was on his way to his _native glen_ when the reader first became +acquainted with him. When this narrative was finished, his father +retired for an instant, and then appeared with some papers, which he had +extracted from his private depositories. He first read a letter which +purported to come from a king's officer, who signed himself William +Wilson, and who informed his afflicted father that his son had been +induced to go on board a king's ship, to see the arrangements which it +exhibited; but that, in passing from the small boat to the deck, he had +missed a foot, and been drowned. The letter was dated on board the +Spitfire; and mentioned, likewise, that the ship was under sailing +orders for the general rendezvous at Spithead. The poor distracted +parent had come to Dundee, but could obtain no information of his +son--only, about three months after, he heard that a dead body, severely +mutilated, had been thrown out upon the sands of St Andrews; and, on +account of the state of its decomposition, had immediately been interred +in Christian burial-ground. A second pilgrimage to St Andrews was +undertaken by the father and daughter; but nothing satisfactory was +discovered, except that the corpse exhibited marks of having been +dressed in a blue-and-white striped waistcoat, which answered to that in +which he had left Denhead, his home in the Highlands. After this last +discovery, all further inquiry ceased, and the afflicted family +fulfilled the period of their sincere mourning, and things returned +nearly to their usual bearing. But, when father, and mother, and sister +had seemingly got over the worst of their grief, Helen M'Donald still +pined in silence over the recollections of her early companion; and as +she expanded into womanhood, her grief seemed to grow "with her growth;" +and her father became extremely anxious to have Helen properly and +creditably disposed of in marriage. + +The son of a small proprietor in the neighbourhood had lately become +laird himself; and, though far exceeding Helen in years, having had +frequent opportunities of seeing her, particularly at church on Sabbath, +he had become enamoured of so much beauty and innocence. Proposals had +been made to the father, which were immediately accepted; and the young +lady had been dealt with, as young ladies in such situations generally +are, by arguments of interest, and worldly comfort, and even grandeur. +First impressions are deep (oh, how deep!); and Helen could not yet +entirely exclude the image of her beloved William from her recollection. +Laird M'Wharry was urgent in his suit--her father, whom she +affectionately loved, was troubled and anxious--her mother, too, pressed +home upon her attention prudential considerations--so, after long delays +and many internal struggles, Helen at last consented to become, but not +till some months afterwards, Mrs or Lady M'Wharry, as the peasantry +styled the laird's wife. It was during her visit (previous to her +marriage) to M'Wharry that the incident took place which thus connects +our narrative, and brings us up to the point of time when William +M'Pherson arrived at Denhead. + +William, learning from Helen, as well as from his father and mother, how +matters were situated, suddenly disappeared, and left no means of +tracing the place of his retreat. Days, and even weeks, passed, but no +letter arrived, and no message came. In the meantime, the day appointed +for the marriage approached, and Helen seemed to have made up her mind +to submit to necessity; at least she tried to look cheerful, and put as +good a face upon it as many tears, shed in private, would permit. + +Laird M'Wharry was a true Highlander--he had much of that clannish +feeling which is peculiar to the Celt. He was, besides, exceedingly +passionate, and had more than once got into trouble from having used +hasty and unguarded expressions. Nay, he had once been prosecuted in the +Court of Session, and damages had been obtained to a considerable +amount, by one of his servants, or rather slaves, whom he had beat most +unmercifully. In attending a Perth market, he had occasion to ride +homewards, after dark, with a brother proprietor, who had lately bought +an estate in his neighbourhood. This proprietor could not boast a Celtic +name or origin. He was plain Mr Monnipenny, from the town of Kirkcaldy, +in Fife. They had both been drinking during the course of the day, and +were, therefore, more liable to get into some dispute or quarrel. +M'Wharry began by deprecating Mr Monnipenny's horse, whose character the +master supported with some warmth; so, to settle the matter, they both +set off at the gallop, and the fire flashed from the horses' heels as +they passed through Dunkeld. Unfortunately for Laird M'Wharry, however, +about a mile beyond the above town, the saddle-girth gave way, and he +came to the ground head foremost. He was dead when Mr Monnipenny came up +with him. He had suffered a concussion of the brain; and, +notwithstanding that medical aid was immediately obtained from Dunkeld, +nothing could be done. + +Poor Helen M'Pherson really mourned his fate; for, though she had no +love for him, she had brought herself to think that it was her duty to +fulfil her promise. But where was he whom her young heart held in its +core? No one knew--no one could tell. Helen had inwardly resolved to +live single on his account, even if no further accounts were received of +William M'Pherson. But her father in the meantime died of a fever; and +her mother was compelled to remove from the farm to the village of +Dunkeld, where, in order to support herself and her lovely daughter, she +set up a little shop with a small sum which her husband and she had +saved, and was highly respected by all who knew her. In the meantime, +the parish schoolmaster, an excise officer, and a wealthy sheep-farmer, +all solicited Helen's hand; but she lent a deaf ear to all these offers, +still thinking, and speaking, and dreaming about her William. + +One day, when she was standing at the shop-door, she observed a crowd +gathered about a horse and gig, out of which a person had just been +thrown, and was taken up as was feared lifeless. Helen, from motives of +humanity, rushed into the crowd to make inquiries, and saw the person +carried into an adjoining apothecary's shop; there he was immediately +bled, and, to the infinite satisfaction of all, had begun to recover. +The fact turned out to be, that he had been stunned by the fall on his +head, but no concussion or fracture had taken place. The gentleman, she +learned, had been put to bed, but was mighty unruly, as he insisted upon +pursuing his journey that very evening into the Highlands; and a +post-chaise, with two horses and a steady driver, had been brought to +the apothecary's door, and the traveller was passing into it, with his +head and arm tied up, when all at once Helen uttered a scream, and stood +trembling betwixt him and the conveyance. It was her own William, +returned from sea--to which he had again fled--and making all despatch +to reach Denhead, as he had learned, on his way towards the Highlands, +the fate that had overtaken the bridegroom, Laird M'Wharry. Now, reader, +you and I part--I can do no more for you; for, if you cannot far better +conceive than I can describe what followed, you can be no reader of +mine--you will never have perused the story at all. William was now +comfortably circumstanced, pensioned, and dismissed the service; and the +last time I had a week's fishing at Amalrie, I spent my evenings and +nights under his roof. He is now, like myself, a grandfather; and Helen, +though not quite so young as she was some thirty or forty years ago, is +still in my mind a perfect beauty, and has blessed her husband, during a +pretty long life, with all that kind husbands can expect or obtain by +marriage. She has made him a happy father, and a fond, foolish, +indulgent grandpapa. + + +DURA DEN; OR, SECOND THOUGHTS ARE BEST. + +I took my way, a few days ago, fishing-rod in hand, from Cupar in Fife, +by Dura Den, up towards the healthy and sequestered village of Ceres. +Dura Den was once romantic and secluded. Its brawling stream, which +empties the waters of the upper basin into the Eden, leaped and tumbled +over igneous, and penetrated its way through aqueous, formations, till +it mingled into rejoicing union with the lovely Eden immediately under +the old towers of Spottiswood, and the fine Gothic church of Dairsie. +This deep and beautifully-winding ravine was covered from rock to rock, +on each successively sunny side, by trees of various name and leaf, from +the scented sloe and hawthorn, up to the hazel, the birch, and the oak. +It was a perfect aviary during the spring months. A few wild deer +browsed amidst recesses, and various love-smitten maids and men repaired +to this retreat, to talk of many things which were only interesting to +themselves. The soft projecting sandstone rocks had been water-run into +caves and recesses; and in some of these report had fixed the residence, +for a night at least, of the famous Balfour of Burley, after the affair +of Magus Muir.[A] It is not, however, to this, but to a more recent +occurrence, that I am now about to solicit your attention, after, +however, premising the change which has now been wrought upon this once +rural, secluded, romantic, lovely spot. At the very entrance, there +stands a bone-mill, grinding, with grating activity and horrible crunch, +into powder the mingled bones of man and beast. You have scarcely +escaped from the horrible jarring sound of the modern ogre, than you +come full plump upon a spinning-mill, with as many windows as there are +days in the year. There it stands bestriding the valley like a colossus, +and commanding all the collected energies of the once pure and solitary +stream. Bless me! how it thunders: the very rocks seem to shake under +the whirl of the tremendous machinery; whilst at every open window out +flies in clouds the imprisoned dust and stour. A single door opens, and +the sound maddens on your ear into a screwing torture. It shuts again. +You are greatly relieved by the compressed and imprisoned horror. A +little further up this once delightful den, a pillar of smoke shoots out +on the eye, like an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This is an evidence that +(as in the formation of this globe) fire has been called upon to assist +water. Again and again, another and another hulking dirty erection fixes +its hideous trail in the lovely localities, till the landscape still +onwards opens upon green fields, all covered and whitened over, _not_ +with daisies, but with _yarn_, which has just been removed from the +vitriolic vat. I had essayed here and there to fish, but had not even a +nibble. A little factory urchin, who saw my mistake, immediately +accosted me with-- + +"Ye needna fish here about, sir, for the fish are a' dead." + +"What has _deaded_ them?" said I. + +"Oh! I dinna ken, except maybe it's the vitriol--they dinna tak wi' the +vitriol ava." + +"No wonder," thought I. "I suspect neither you nor I would tak weel with +such a beverage." So I at once rolled in my line, put up my rod, and was +on the eve of returning, somewhat disappointed, from my forenoon's +ramble, when my attention was attracted by an old, though fresh-looking +man _in his "cruda viridisque senectus_," who was sitting on a bench in +the sunshine, betwixt the door and the window of one of those very neat +and cleanly cottages, which have been erected for the convenience and +accommodation of the mill-spinners, and which, from the name of the +spirited proprietor, has been called "Yoolfield." + +"James," said the old man--"come here, James, and tell me what's that ye +waur saying to the gentleman." + +"Ou, I was only telling him there waur nae trouts, except _stane +anes_,[B] here." + +In the meantime, I had approached the old man's seat, and thinking that +he motioned me to be seated, I at once took my place, as if I had been +an old acquaintance, by his side. It turned out that he was the +grandfather of this urchin, who in a few minutes reappeared with a face +of great comfort and vigorous health; "_causa erat in aperto_"--he had +dined. + +"Ye'll be a stranger hereaboots, I mak nae doubt?" said the old man. + +I replied that I had been so for some time past; that I had stopped, on +my way north, a day in Cupar, in order to revisit this romantic retreat; +but that it was now sadly changed, and I had not the heart to pursue my +walk any further. I miss, added I, everything which I expected to see: +the solitude, the green banks, the trees, the pure waters, the yellow +trouts, the all of innocence and nature by which this den was marked, +ere these vile spinning-jennies had entered, with noise, confusion, and +defilement in their train. + +"And so," said the aged Nestor, "ye are up in arms against the late +erections, because ye canna get an hour or twa's fishing, nor pursue +your own fancies about solitude, and innocence, and that! I will tell +ye, my good sir--for ye're but a bairn in comparison wi' me--that had ye +experienced what I hae experienced, ye wad hae blessed the day which +converted this solitary and useless den into a source of comfortable +living to hundreds of families, who might otherwise be starving at home, +or banished from all that they hold dear into a foreign land." + +"Grandfather," hereupon said a fine rosy girl about fourteen, "dinner's +ready: will ye come in, or will I bring it out to you?" + +"I think," said the ancient patriarch, "I'll just rest whar I am; it's a +bonny sunny day, and the den is a' loun and sheltered. Just bring out +the broth and the wee bit Irish stew here, and maybe this gentleman, now +tired wi' nae fishing, will no scorn to tak a spoonfu' and a bit +alangside o' a puir auld body." + +I immediately assured my kind host that I had provisions in my basket, +which I soon disengaged, together with a flask containing a sufficiency +of old Nantz. To it, therefore, we set, exchanging viands: I partaking +of the excellent and savoury stew, and he of a wee drap, only a very wee +drap, of the brandy. Like Sir Walter Scott's minstrel, the soul of the +old yet vigorous Trojan waxed strong within him; and, after having duly +returned thanks to the Giver of all good, he drew me close to his elbow, +and proceeded thus:-- + +"Indeed, sir, I'm now considerably upwards of eighty years--the period +at which the psalmist says the strength of man is but grief and labour; +but I haena found it sae, for a' my griefs and labours were confined to +the earlier pairt o' my life, and no to the latter day--His name be +praised for the same." + +I instinctively answered "Amen;" and, partly encouraged by this, and +partly by an additional pull at the brandy-flask, the old man pursued +his egotism. + +"Well, ye see, ye are against spinning-jennies and large manufactures, +ye say; but they are the freends o' the puir, sir--the blessed +supporters o' thousands and millions in these lands.[C] You shall hear; +for, as you seem to have time on your hands, I will, for your father's +sake" (I had made him acquainted with my descent from a worthy clergyman +in the north), "unfold to you my whole history, and that of my children, +up to this hour:-- + +"My name, sir, is Donald Sutherland. I belong originally to the county +of that name; and I was bred a farmer on the estates of the Duchess of +Sutherland. But there was neither duke nor duchess then, oh dear!" +(Hereupon the old man absolutely cried; having, however, checked himself +by observing that he was an old fool, he again proceeded):--"I had, as I +said, a small sheep-farm, of about one thousand acres, in the western +district of that county. I see, sir, you are surprised at my saying +_small_; but, sir, when land is let at a shilling an acre, as it was in +my day, such a farm is but small--a thousand shillings, ye ken, is just +fifty pounds o' yearly rent: and that was my rent at _Edderachills_, +near by Loch Assynt. I am now, as ye see, an auld man, and a grey; but I +was ance young, and stout, and foolish too, nae doobt. I thought +naething wad war me, sae I just married whan I was a young, +inexperienced callan, about nineteen; and, having got a brother of my +puir father's to be security (ye see my puir father was only a hind on +the estate o' Sutherland, and had neither money nor credit), I took my +dear Helen M'Roy home to no that ill a bigging--wi' a hantle o' +blankets, a peat-fire, a herd callan, and twa as canny and sensible dogs +as ever followed a herd, or turned a hirsel. Aweel, ye ken, Helen and me +war very happy, for we loved each other dearly; we had been acquainted +frae the time we could climb a brae or eat a cranberry; and things went +on no that ill ava. We had twa bairns in the course o' twal years, a +lassie, and a fine lad, wha was drowned, as ye shall hear; but oh my +heart is sair whan I think o't. It was one awful night in the month of +January. A vessel had stranded in Loch Assynt. The men were seen, +through a stormy moonshine, hanging to the topmast, which, however, went +from side to side, with a fearful swing. At every turn or jerk, another +and another human being was plunged into the roaring foam. My son +Archibald, my shepherd, and I, pushed from the shore in a fishing-boat, +which was lying high and dry--we heard the fearful screams of perishing +men--we rowed off at all hazards, but had not neared the vessel, when +our boat fairly swamped. We were still, however, within wading depth, +and with difficulty regained our feet and the boat. We again pushed hard +from land, and at last came under the lee of the wreck. My son was +young, active, and daring; and, in order to ascertain how matters were, +or what remained of the deck, he caught a rope, and leaped on board. In +an instant, a young man, a passenger, with his wife and child, were +slung, as it were, miraculously on board our little boat. The waves went +up in spouting foam betwixt the wreck and the boat, and then subsiding, +heaved us with a tremendous crash against the side of the vessel; and I +remember no more till I awoke to misery, in a kelp hut by the sea-shore. +I found that my son, with the woman and child, had perished; but that +the husband, my shepherd, and myself, had been cast ashore, and with +difficulty resuscitated. My grief and his mother's grief were loud and +severe. But 'what cannot be cured must be endured.' The stranger was a +native of Fife, who had been to America on a mercantile speculation, and +having married at New York, and become a father, was on his way towards +Kirkcaldy, his native place, when this dreadful accident occurred. He +had lost all his effects, and some money in the wreck, and was content +to take part of my humble dwelling for a season. In the meantime, my +lease expired, and another proprietor had arisen, who knew not Donald +Sutherland. The rent offered by my next and more wealthy neighbour was +far above what I would think of promising, so I behoved to leave sweet +Edderachills, with all its heath, and moss, and muir, for a sea-shore +appointment in the manufacturing of kelp from sea-weed--at that time a +very flourishing employment in the West Highlands in particular. The +stranger about this time took his departure, but not without many +promises of returning again to visit the grave of his wife and child, +and to renew his acquaintance with my wife, my daughter, and myself. For +a time the kelp concern did pretty well; we had good and regular payment +for the article, and an increasing demand; and we contrived to live at +least as comfortably as we had done as sheep-farmers. But man is always +finding out inventions; a method was devised of dispensing, by means of +a chemical discovery, with our kelp entirely; and we were suddenly and +entirely ruined. It was at this period that I, in a manner, _cursed_, +like you, the spirit of discovery and invention. I was disgusted by the +change which the progress of science had made, and I did not know how to +turn myself for a bare subsistence. In this situation of affairs, my +daughter Nelly within there (pointing to the door) was courted by a +neighbouring sheep-farmer's son, of a somewhat disreputable character, +but of considerable reputed wealth. This was a sad trial to us all; for, +though the marriage might have benefited us somewhat, in a worldly point +of view, we did not like to see our blooming and virtuous child +sacrificed, it might be, to the momentary feelings of a known deceiver. +Nelly could not bear the thoughts of such a union; and one night she +told her lover as much. In consequence of this unfortunate affair, we +were very soon after turned out of house and hold--the old farmer having +contracted with the proprietor for the huts and steadings which had once +been peopled with busy and prosperous hands, but which now were nearly +empty. Baser proposals than before were made by the degraded and +vindictive young man; and we set off, one moonlight night, across the +hills, for the town of Dornoch. We were three wanderers in the +wilderness--my wife Helen, my daughter Nelly, and myself. I was still +comparatively strong, and was determined to work, but could find no +employment. For days we slept (for the weather was fine) on the heath, +and lived on what little of our means yet remained. I was resolved, come +what might, that I would not beg. My wife and daughter bore up +amazingly; for we trusted that our God--the God of the hills, as well as +of the valleys; of the poor and the outcast, as well as of the rich and +provided--would not forget us. I found temporary work, at last, in a +stone quarry, and occupied a hut close upon the sea-shore. This, to us +all, was luxury; for it was independence. Contentment _kitchened_ +labour, and we slept soundly in our poverty and innocence. But this, I +saw, could not long continue; my strength was not equal to this severe +labour, to which I was unaccustomed; so I persuaded, not without +difficulty, my wife and daughter to accompany me to Canada, to which the +Countess of Sutherland was then offering a free passage from Cromarty +Frith, in the good ship Aurora. I should, however, have mentioned that, +whilst residing at Dornoch, I had observed the son of a neighbouring +proprietor--a somewhat smart-looking gentleman--frequently passing our +door, and sometimes conversing with my wife and daughter; but I took no +notice of the affair, as I felt secure in the virtue and prudence of +both parties. No proposals, honourable or otherwise, were made to my +daughter, and I conceived the matter to be at an end. On the day of the +ship's sailing, we were all on the quay, and ready to embark. My wife +and I had entered the boat, and were waiting for my daughter, who had +been sent by us on a message to a shop. She did not return in time for +the boat in which we were conveyed to the Aurora; but we were told by +the sailors that she would probably arrive in the next. One boat, +however, arrived, but our dear Nelly was not in it; another came, but +with it no daughter. Meantime the ship was under sail, and the captain +said he would not lose the favourable breeze for all the girls in +Scotland. My dear wife was inconsolable, and I petitioned hard to be let +out, even on one of the Western Isles; but the weather was exceeding +stormy, and we kept as far as possible from land. 'God,' said I to my +grieving partner, 'will protect Nelly; for she is good and virtuous. God +can be father and mother, and more than all that, to those who fear and +obey him.' We landed at Quebec, and maintained ourselves for some +time--I acting as a kind of shore-porter, and my wife assisting in +assorting furs in a great warehouse. But our means were but small; so we +bethought us of removing more inland. So we arrived ultimately at +Montreal, where I had the good fortune to meet with a distant relative +in pretty good circumstances. He had long been engaged in a mercantile +house, and had now obtained a considerable and a profitable share in it. +He immediately found employment for me as a warehouse servant, whilst my +wife washed and dressed for himself and a few friends. Year after year +passed by, and many a letter did we write to Edderachills and Dornoch; +but we received no answer. At last it pleased God to remove my dear +Helen by death; and my friend having resolved to remove to Kirkcaldy, +his native place, I took shipping with him in the ship St John, and we +arrived off the Land's End in safety. But it came on to blow dreadfully +from the north and the east, as we rounded the island; and one dark +night in the month of November we struck upon a rock in the +neighbourhood of Ely. The ship fired signals of distress, and a boat +came out, which saved the passengers and crew; but the ship and cargo +were lost. What was my surprise, upon arriving at the inn, to find, in +the person of one of the boatmen, the shipwrecked stranger, Sam Rogers, +who had lodged so long with us at Edderachills. He insisted upon my +immediately repairing to his cabin, as he termed it, on the shore, with +the view of introducing me to his wife and a large family of children. + +"'Have you ever heard,' continued he, after we were seated, 'anything of +your daughter Nelly?' + +"'Not a word,' said I, eagerly. 'Have you?' + +"'Would you know her,' continued he, 'if you were again to see her?' + +"'Know her,' said I; 'to be sure I would--her image is ever before me. I +see her, at this moment, as plainly as if she were still alive. Oh! +what--horrible!--stand off!--stand off! Do these old eyes deceive me, or +art thou indeed my own darling, lost child?' said I; whilst Nelly--the +real flesh-and-blood Nelly--clasped me to her arms, and burst into a +flood of tears. + +"'My father!--my father!' she exclaimed, whilst the young ones gathered +around us in stupid amazement; and my son-in-law, Sam Rogers, rubbed his +hands and flapped his arms in perfect delight. It was indeed my dear +Nelly, in the person of Helen Rogers, the still handsome mother of seven +children. + +"But, Helen, I say--Helen, set down the bairn a wee bit, and tell this +honest gentleman the Dornoch story, ye ken." + +"Hout," said Helen, "I hae nae time, father, to enter into a' the outs +and ins o' thae langsyne tales; besides, I see Sam waving me up to the +mill--I'm wanted, father, an' ye maun look after the bairn till I come +back again." + +Being foiled in his wish to set his daughter's tongue agoing to the tune +of her own adventures, the old man placed the child on the greensward in +front of the cottage, and, after once more paying his respects to my +brandy-flask, proceeded as follows:-- + +"Weel, the lassie disna like to hear me tell the story; I ken she aye +blushes at bits o't; but now that she's awa, I may just as weel finish, +by letting ye know that the scamp wha had seen, and fallen in love, as +he called it, with her at Dornoch, had watched her down to the beach, +and having hired some accomplice in the person of one of the sailors, +had her misdirected in the first place, and lifted off her feet in the +second, and placed beside the well-known gentleman in a post-chaise, +which drove off immediately in an inland direction. In vain were all her +struggles and entreaties. The young blackguard immediately proceeded to +inform her that her struggles and her shouts were of no avail; that he +could not promise her marriage, as he was already engaged, to please his +mother; but he would give her love in abundance, and a cottage +residence, which he had provided for her on his father's property, at no +great distance. It was in vain for her to resist; but she had resolved +rather to die than to yield to his wishes; so, when they had arrived at +the centre of an extensive plantation, he caused her to alight, and +dismissing, as it was now nearly dark, the chaise and driver, proceeded +to conduct her, as he said, on foot to the cottage which he had +provided. He half dragged her a few paces from the road, or rather track +through the wood, and, unveiling all at once the fiend within him, +proceeded to open and undisguised violence. But, sir," said the old man, +with emphasis, "he thought himself alone, but he was not alone--God saw +him, and had marked his proceedings; and God sent a deliverer, in the +person of him owre by yonder" (pointing to the mills). "God sent Sam +Rogers, with a guid oak plank, to free the captive, and make the captor +flee for his life: in short, sir--for I fear I have tired ye wi' my +lang-winded story--Sam, by the mercy of God, had just landed at Dornoch +as we sailed from it; and being on his way to Edderachills, for the very +purpose of asking my Nelly in marriage, he had pushed on, meaning to +travel all night across the country, when the providential occurrence +took place. Weel, we went now to Ely, where we remained for a time--old +grandy, that is, myself, my son, and his family; but times became tight +there, and the family kept still increasing; so at last we got +acquainted with the worthy gentleman, Mr Yool, to whom all these great +works and these neat cottages belong, and he brought us up here, and set +us down comfortably, where not only my son-in-law, but every wean, male +and female, above seven years of age, can earn its own clothes and +subsistence. We are now, sir, in comparative affluence; and all this, +sir, is owing to these improvements in machinery and in chemistry, which +at one time drove me from my native land. 'SECOND THOUGHTS, THEY SAY, +ARE BEST;' at least so it has been with me, as I sit here in my old age, +in comparative ease and comfort, and see my grandchildren growing up in +domestic affection and public usefulness around me. Here is no +scattering of the young family--one going east, and one west, never to +meet again; but here, every night, all congregate around _one hearth_, +whilst a psalm is sung, a chapter is read, and a prayer said by grandy +himself!" + +I shall never regret the loss of my old and favourite amusement, whilst +I can recollect this old man's narrative, and the many happy and +comfortable homes which now occupy the once solitary holms of _Dura +Den_. + + +[Footnote A: A sword has lately been discovered in one of the caves, +rusted and broken--probably once the sword of Burley!--19th Oct., 1839.] + +[Footnote B: _Vide_ recent discoveries of extinct species of fish found +in this den. "Fife Illustrated." Glasgow: James Swan.] + +[Footnote C: Very different this deliverance from that of Mrs Trollope +in her "Factory Boy."] + + + + +THE LAIRD OF LUCKY'S HOW + + +Have any of our readers ever been at the Hague? It doesn't much signify +whether they have or not. They know that it is one of the most beautiful +towns in the Netherlands, and that it is not a little famous in ancient +story; and their knowing this is quite enough for our present purpose. +If, however, they knew the town a little more intimately, they would +know that one of its principal and most ancient streets is called the +Hoogstraat; and that here, once on a time, stood the principal inn or +hostelry of the town. It was an oldfashioned house, with a great variety +of projecting and excrescent structures, of all sorts and sizes, stuck +to it, to increase its internal accommodation, and to puzzle the curious +inquirer--at least this seemed a part of the design--who, while taking +an outside view, wondered what they could all be intended for. + +Notwithstanding, however, the somewhat uncouth and perplexing appearance +of the exterior of the Drouthsloken--which was the name of the ancient +hostel in question--it was a sufficiently handsome and comfortable house +within. Its kitchen, in particular, was a sight; it was so clean, so +bright, and so cheerful: shining all round with pewter trenchers and +brass utensils of various descriptions, all as lustrous as whiting and +hard rubbing could make them. The place was a treat to look at; and no +less a treat to look at was its jolly landlord, Thonder Vander Tromp. +From stem to stern, Thonder was of the regular Dutch build; which, +without descending to particulars, we may say consists, as our readers +know, in exhibiting an amplitude of material at all points of the +person. In this respect, our good friend Thonder might be considered a +_chef d'oeuvre_; for he was of the most magnificent dimensions, +especially latitudinally. In longitude, indeed, he might be considered +as a little deficient. He was of no great height; but his girth was +superb, and told a tale of good living, with an unction which no +language could approach. In this tale the ruddy, jovial countenance of +mine host of the Drouthsloken cordially joined; and supported by its +hilarious testimony the facts therein set forth. + +Having thus shortly described both mine host and his hostel, we proceed +to say that, on a certain evening in the middle of the winter of 1651, a +stranger, carrying a small bundle under his arm, walked, or rather +stalked--for there was something uncouth in his gait--into the passage +of the Drouthsloken. He was wrapped up in a Scottish plaid, and wore on +his head the well-known flat blue bonnet of the Scottish Lowlands. In +person, he was tall and spare, with the grave and serious cast of +countenance so characteristic of that people whose national dress he +wore. Unpolished, however, as the exterior of this person bespoke him to +be, there was yet, in his light grey eye, a mingled expression of +determination and intelligence, that never failed to secure the respect +which his manner and first appearance might well have forfeited. His age +seemed about forty or forty-five. + +Finding no one to whom he might address himself in the passage of the +inn, the stranger held on his way to its further extremity--no trifling +distance; towards which he was attracted by sounds of laughter and +merriment, issuing from the kitchen of the Drouthsloken, which was +situated at the farther end of the passage by which the house was +intersected, and the same with that which he was now traversing. + +The sounds of merriment by which the stranger had been attracted +proceeded from a group of young men, who, standing in the form of a +semicircle in front of the jolly landlord of the house--who, again, +stood with his back to the fire, wielding a huge black bottle in his +hand--were indulging in uproarious laughter at the witty sayings which +he, the latter, seemed throwing amongst them like so many squibs and +crackers. + +At the moment that our friend of the plaid and bonnet entered the +kitchen of the Drouthsloken, our jovial host was standing, as we have +said, with his back to the fire--a roaring one, by the way--and looking +the very personification of all that's joyous, and comfortable, and +care-dispelling. A bright and broad red waistcoat covered his portly +front; but buttoned so short a way up as to expose a dazzling display of +snow-white linen beneath. Across this brilliant garment there lay also +the folds of a pure white apron, tucked up with business-like smartness. +Dark velveteen small-clothes, with well-polished shoes, on which shone a +pair of massive silver buckles, completed the outer man of Thonder +Vander Tromp. + +Amongst the merry group of which Tromp was one, something like a +sensation was created by the entrance of the stranger. The career of +badinage was instantly arrested, and the eyes of the whole party turned +towards him. Undismayed by the general attention he had excited, the +stranger coolly deposited his bundle on a side-table, and, approaching +at once the fire, and the group by which it was surrounded, delivered +himself, as he did so, of the very simple and homely remark-- + +"There's a wat nicht, gentlemen." + +Now, the stranger, although he had thus expressed himself, had not +ventured to hope that his language would be understood. He had spoken +mechanically as it were, and delivered himself in his usual way, simply +because he could do no otherwise, and because he thought it necessary to +say something. Great, therefore, was his surprise, and, we may add, his +joy also, when one of the young men of the party, of singularly graceful +manners and bearing, acknowledged his greeting in excellent English, and +with great politeness and civility of speech. + +Delighted at having met with a native of Great Britain, which he could +not doubt the young man who had addressed him was-- + +"Feth, but I am richt glad, sir," said the stranger--"excuse my +freedom--at having met wi' a countryman, as I tak ye to be, sir--in this +outlandish place. It's mair than I expeckit, I'm sure. I had nae thochts +o' meetin wi' ony but ane." + +"And pray who was that one, my good friend?" said the young man, +throwing, at the same time, a rapid look of intelligence around on his +companions, who seemed at once to comprehend its meaning. "Who was that +one, my good friend," he said, "if I may ask, without subjecting myself +to a charge of impertinence?" + +"Ou, nae impertinence at a', sir; only ye'll excuse me keepin my thoom +on the mater ye inquire aboot till I ken better wha's speerin. Excuse +me, sir, excuse me, for this plainness," continued the stranger, +smiling; "but I hae come frae a country whar a slip o' the tongue, in +thae times, micht cost a man his head; and that maks folks wary, ye +ken." + +"Faith, and good reason it should, friend," replied the young man, +laughingly. "Thou hast well accounted for thy caution. But recollect +thou art now in a different country, mine honest friend, and hast no +need to be so guarded in thy speech." + +"Feth, sir, I dinna ken. That may be; but, if ye had fan the ticklin o' +a tow aboot yer craig, as I hae dune, ye wadna forget it in a hurry, nor +the lesson it taught ye to keep yer tongue atween yer teeth." + +"Well, no doubt; that certainly is rough schooling," said the young +cavalier; "but I repeat again, that thou art now in a different country, +friend; and one where thou hast nothing to fear from a reasonable use of +thy tongue." + +"Aweel, it may be sae, sir," replied the imperturbable stranger; "but I +ken o' nae country whar a calm sough's no guid counsel." + +"Ha! ha! ha! right, friend, right," roared mine jolly host of the +Drouthsloken, with open mouth and noisy laugh. "It is not goot to say +too moosh anywhere; no more in the Hague as any oder place. But here is +all honourable gentlemen," he added, casting a furtive glance of +good-humoured meaning at the young man who had first addressed the +Scotch visiter, "who will not make bad use of what you shall say." + +"Ou, I hae nae doot o' that at a', sir," replied the latter; "but, to be +plain wi' ye, it's no my intention to say onything that onybody can mak +ony use o', either guid, bad, or indifferent." And, having said this, +the speaker showed a very palpable desire to put an end to the +conference, which he evidently began to think was studiously directed by +the other party towards an elucidation of his purposes in visiting the +Hague. In this disposition, however, he was by no means joined by the +party in whose presence he was, particularly by the young man by whom he +had been first addressed, who evinced a gratification in the peculiar +humour of the stranger, and an interest in him altogether that would not +permit of his being shaken off. So far indeed, was he from permitting +this, that he insisted on the latter's joining him in a bottle of wine, +which he instantly ordered mine jolly host of the Drouthsloken to +produce. + +On the return of the latter, bearing a bottle of wine in one hand and a +screw in the other-- + +"Will your--your----" he said, but was here interrupted by a wink from +the person he addressed, which had the evident effect of making him +substitute a different word for that which he had intended to use, and +he added "your honour." "Will your honour not go up-stairs to your own +favourite apartment, de leetle blue parlour?" + +"No, no, Mynheer Tromp," replied the young cavalier, "we'll just stay +where we are. The night is cold, and I have always thought your kitchen +the most comfortable and cheerful apartment in your house. So place us a +table here, close by the fire, if you please." + +Mynheer Vander Tromp bowed a humble assent; and, in an instant after, a +small round table of walnut-tree, shining like a mirror, was placed in +the desired situation. Bottles and glasses covered it in a twinkling, +and in a twinkling also was the party seated around it, including our +friend of the bonnet and plaid. This worthy person at first shied the +good fellowship thus thrust upon him; but, gradually warming with the +wine he drank--for bottle succeeded bottle with marvellous celerity--he +became by degrees less and less reserved in his manner, until at length +his natural caution giving way altogether before the increasing pressure +of the vinous influence, he became as communicative as he had before +been the reverse. + +Availing himself of the altered disposition of the stranger, the young +cavalier, whom we have represented as having more especially attached +himself to the former, again endeavoured to extract from him the purpose +of his visit to the Hague; and his attempt was now successful. + +"Aweel, I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, gentlemen," he said, in answer +to a question, or rather hint, on the subject of explanation which had +just been addressed to him by his young friend; and for the reply to +which all waited--"I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, as I think ye're a' +honourable men, and wadna willingly bring a man into trouble, wha has +gien ye nae cause o' offence. Ye see, then freends, I hae just arrived +frae Scotland, and hae come here to see our unfortunate young king, +Charles the Second that should be, whase unhappy story ye dootless a' +ken. I hae been ruined oot o' hoose and ha' for the part I took in his +puir faither's behalf, and hae been obliged to flee my ain country, +besides, for the same reason; and hae noo come here, to see if His +Majesty, God bless him, could afford me ony sort o' protection till the +storm that's noo tearin a' up by the roots in Scotland blaws by; and +that's just the hail affair, gentlemen." + +Long ere the stranger had concluded this account of the purpose of his +visit to the Hague, a look of intelligence, which originated with his +young friend, had passed amongst his auditors, and, in the case of the +former, was associated with a peculiar expression of sympathy. Both, +however, the look alluded to, and the latter symptom of a yet deeper +feeling, was unobserved by the person whose communication had given rise +to them. Becoming now querist in turn, he asked, "if ony o' the +gentlemen could tell him whar the king leeved, and if they could put him +on a way o' gettin introduced to him?" + +"Thou couldst not have lighted more luckily for that, my friend," said +the young man to whom we have already so often alluded, "than thou hast +done in coming amongst us; for it happens that I hold a confidential +place near the person of Charles, and will have much pleasure in +exerting my influence in procuring you the introduction you desire." + +"Mony thanks to ye, freend," replied the martyr to royalty--"mony thanks +to ye, if ye mean, by Charles, His Majesty the King o' England--God +bless him!" + +"I certainly do, my friend. I mean him and no other." + +"Weel, sir--excuse my freedom--if ye do, I think ye micht ca' him sae. +Wha can dispute his title, although his back be at the wa'?" + +"Oh! no one--no one, my good friend, I believe--that is, lawfully," +replied the young cavalier, laughingly; "but, seeing his present +circumstances--a wandering exile in a foreign land, crownless and +coinless--we, somehow or other, cannot get our tongues about those +sounding titles that are his birthright. We prefer calling him simply +Charles, or English Charles; and I rather think he prefers it himself. +His titles he thinks best left in abeyance in the meantime." + +"Aweel, if it be his ain pleasure, I hae nae mair to say. Perhaps it's +as prudent and becomin; for, as ye say, sir, a king that has neither a +croon on his head nor in his pouch is in but a sair condition for his +dignity. That maun be allowed." + +There was not much in this remark itself to excite merriment; but there +was certainly something in the naive manner in which it was delivered +that was calculated to produce this effect; and it did. A shout of +laughter, in which the speaker's young friend was the loudest and +heartiest performer, acknowledged the peculiarity to which we have +alluded. On the laugh subsiding, the latter again addressed the former, +saying-- + +"But, friend, you have not yet told us by what name we should address +you." + +"As to that," replied the stranger, smilingly, "I believe the maist +appropriate name or title ye could gie me at the present moment wad be +that o' the Launless Laird. But it wasna aye sae. I had a bit guid +property in the Loudans, ca'ed Lucky's How, every clod o't my ain, wi' a +yearly rental o' forty merks, guid siller, forby the thirlage o' the +Mill o' Meldrum, that was worth a guid twa or three merks mair. But a's +gane awa like a handfu o' ingan peelins on a windy day; that cursed +battle o' Worcester settled a', and left me withoot a groat, and withoot +as much grund as wad mak the hillock o' a moudiwart. But it's a' gane in +a guid cause; I dinna begrudge't; and, besides, things 'll maybe come +roond again; and, if they dinna, there's nae help for't." + +"So you were at the battle of Worcester, laird?" said the speaker's +young friend. + +"Feth! that I was, sir; and there," he added, holding out his right +hand, which was minus the forefinger and thumb--"there's a certificate +o' the truth o' my statement, gien under the hand o' ane o' Crum'll's +praying dragoons. It was an ugly lick; but there were a hantle o' uglier +anes than it gaun whar it was gotten. It was a coorse business +athegither." + +"It was no less, my good friend," said the young cavalier. "I was there, +too." + +"Was ye, feth?" replied the laird. "Then, if ye was, sir, ye saw a bonny +stramash--mair than ye'll forget in a hurry, I daursay. It was an awfu +scene yon, when the dragoons cam in upon us in the streets o' Worcester. +'Od! they sliced and slapped aboot them as if they had gotten into a +plantation o' lang kale, and no amang Christian men like themsels." + +"It was indeed a sad business," replied the young man, with a melancholy +smile. "Saw ye the king on that day?" + +"I did," replied the laird. + +"Wouldst know him again?" + +"No; I canna think I wad. I just got a glisk o' him, for the first and +last time, in the middle o' the dirdum at Worcester. When I saw him, the +puir lad was fechtin like a Turk; but it was a' to nae purpose. He was +obleeged to rin for't at last, and to perk himsel up in a tree, like a +hoolet, to keep oot o' the way o' Crum'll's sodgers. If they had gotten +the puir lad--as it was a God's mercy they didna--they wad hae taen aff +his head, nae doot, as they did his unfortunate faither's; and then, as, +indeed, it's said they proposed to do, made a buttonmaker o' his sister, +and maybe a Spitalfields weaver o' his brither, the Duke o' Gloucester." + +"I _have_ heard," replied the young cavalier, with a contemptuous smile, +while a blush of deep feeling, it might be indignation, overspread his +intelligent countenance--"I have heard that some such idea was actually +entertained by the Parliament as that thou hast alluded to." + +"There's nae doot that such a report was current, sir; but whether true +or no, I winna tak upon me to say. They may hae been belied in't." + +"I hope they may," replied the young cavalier, musingly. Then, suddenly +recovering himself, and assuming his usual cheerfulness of manner--"And +what are the king's friends about in Scotland?" he said, slapping the +laird good-humouredly on the knee. + +"Dooms little, sir," replied the laird. "They daurna cheep. Monk has +gotten his heel fairly on their necks; so that deil a ane o' them can +wag either tongue or finger. There's a wheen o' them taen to the hills +wi' Glencairn and Balcarras; but what can they do? Naething. It's a puir +thing to be in that way, sir. I had a trial o' that mysel. Tak my word +for't, that sleepin in a moss hag, or in the lee o' a whin-bush, and +leevin upon lavrocks, or raw turnips and bog-water, is nae better than +it's ca'ed." + +"Well, well, laird, I hope times will mend with our poor friends in +Scotland," replied the young cavalier, to whom this picture of the +sufferings of the royalists, notwithstanding the strong tincture it +exhibited of the speaker's natural humour, seemed to give much pain. "I +hope times will mend with them yet, and that feasting and feather-beds +will make them forget the raw turnips and whin-bushes ye speak of. In +the meantime, my good friend, push round the bottle, and let us talk of +other matters; for these make me sad." + +Nothing loth, the Laird of Lucky's How filled up a brimming bumper, and, +drinking "better times," sent it down after some two or three dozen that +had preceded it. + +The party were now getting into high glee. The laugh, the joke, and the +bottle went merrily round, and the merriest, and apparently the most +jovial of the company, was the young gentleman whom we have hitherto +represented as expressly attaching himself to the laird, and whose name, +as the latter learned from himself, was Jones. This roysterer was the +life and soul of the company, when roystering became the order of the +evening; but his mirth was tempered with a gentleness of demeanour, and +an air of polished hilarity, if such a phrase may be permitted, as +inspired the idea of the presence of a perfect gentleman. His whole +manner, in short, was exceedingly captivating. His fancy was ready and +playful; his wit brilliant and appropriate; and the affability and +winning character of his smile irresistible. Altogether, he was a most +delightful companion, and admirably calculated to figure in such +circumstances as those in which he was now placed. How he might acquit +himself in a scene of a more grave and serious character, it would not +perhaps have been easy to guess. + +The mirth of the party in the kitchen of the Drouthsloken had just +attained its height, when a circumstance occurred which did not affect +its humour, but somewhat changed its character. This was the entrance of +two of the landlord's daughters. Dressed in the neat and simple, +although somewhat peculiar, costume of their country, with their hair +tightly braided up, and bound with a broad silver frontlet, so as to +exhibit in bold relief the contour of their full and fair countenances, +two prettier girls than Juliana and Joan Vander Tromp were not within +the walls of the Hague. + +As they entered the kitchen, to which they had come merely, or, perhaps, +we should have said ostensibly, to look after some household affairs, +the girls curtsied slightly but gracefully to the company by which it +was occupied, and, smiling pleasantly and good-naturedly the while, +passed on to the upper end of the apartment, and began to occupy +themselves in some little domestic duties. They had not, however, been +permitted to enter unnoticed. On their appearance, the whole party got +up from their seats, and acknowledged their presence by a gallant +greeting; and in this courtesy, Mr Jones again shone pre-eminent by the +greater grace and deeper devotion he displayed in his chivalrous welcome +to the fair visitors. + +It might have been observed, too, that to him, in turn, were the +curtsies and the looks also of the young ladies most especially +directed; but in this case these were associated with a degree of +respect for which it would not have been easy to account. + +"What think ye of our fair Netherlanders, laird?" said Mr Jones to the +latter, in a half whisper, when the ladies' attention was, or seemed to +be, engrossed by their occupation. "Will they not match your Scotch +lasses, think you?" + +"That's a pair o' braw queans, I maun allow," replied the laird. "Just +twa as bonny bits o' lassocks as ane wad wish to see; but I think they +want the complexion--they haena the blume o' our kilted heather +trampers. They want the caller red that the norland breeze puts on the +cheeks o' our Scottish gilpies. That's my humble opinion, sir. But +they're twa bonny lassocks, for a' that. Nae doot o't." + +"On the score of complexion I grant ye, laird, they are, perhaps, +deficient a little, but I think this amply compensated by the +intellectual expression, the fine contour, and the softer and more +intense lustre of the eye. I have seen your Scottish maidens, laird, and +admired them in my time." + +"Feth, sir, I maun say your taste wad hae been very questionable if ye +hadna," interposed the laird. "When and whar saw ye them, if ye please, +sir? What pairt o' Scotland was ye in?" he added. + +The question appeared to place Jones in a difficulty for a moment; but +he at length answered-- + +"Why, laird, I have been in many parts of Scotland in my day. I was with +the king at Scone." + +"Was that at the time o' his coronation?" inquired the laird. + +"It was," said Jones. + +"And it wad be there, like, and aboot the quarter o' Perth, that ye saw +our bonny Scotch lasses, I warrant," said the laird, laughingly. "Ay, if +a' tales be true, the king admired them when he saw them, as muckle as +ye could do, sir," continued the laird. + +"Why, they do report something of that kind," replied Jones, with some +confusion of manner, and slightly colouring as he spoke--indications of +a feeling, whatever it was, which seemed highly edifying to his +companions, who marked it with repeated bursts of laughter; "they do +report something of the kind," said Jones; "but we mustn't credit all we +hear, laird." + +"The tae half's aboot the usual thing I believe," replied the latter; +"and, if we tak that in the present case--that is, regarding the king's +gallantries----" + +"Ay, ay, go on, laird, go on--that's it--give us all you know about the +king's gallantries in Scotland," shouted, almost simultaneously, the +other members of the party. "Go on, go on, like a good fellow." + +"Nay, nay, now," exclaimed Jones, earnestly, but good-humouredly, "as +one of the king's confidential servants, I must protest, laird, against +your divulging anything of that kind in my presence." + +"Never mind the protest--never mind the protest, laird. Go on, and we'll +stand between you and the consequences," again shouted several members +of the party. "What know ye about the king's gallantries at Scone?" + +"Ou, it was nae great things after a', to mak a wark aboot; but, ye see, +there war a wheen unco godly ministers there at the time, an' they made +an awfu ado aboot it. The hale affair was just this. The king happenin +to go into the room that he usually occupied in the Palace o' Scone ae +mornin earlier than ordinar, wha does he fin sortin't oot but a bit +bonny lassie o' a chaumermaid. Aweel, whan she saw the king enter, wham +she hadna expeckit for at least an hour after, what does she do but mak +a rin oot, as it war, and what does the king do but kep her, throw his +arms aboot her neck, and gie her a hearty kiss--a reglar royal salute? +And awa gaed the lassie, skirlin like a curlew, half-mad wi' the fricht +an' the honour. But what wad ye hae o't but that ane o' the Covenantin +ministers, wha war then as thick as craws aboot Scone--it bein just like +a rookery wi' the black coats for the time--suld be just at the moment +stanin at a window, in anither apartment that lookit richt into the ane +whar the king had kissed the bit lassie, and saw the hale affair; and +what does he do but report the scandal to his brethren, wha, shocked at +the indecency, appointed a committee o' ministers to reprove the royal +offender! This committee accordingly waited on the king, whan their +spokesman, ane Douglas--an awfu stern man--after rebookin His Majesty, +added, that it wad be prudent o' him, whan he desired to amuse himsel in +future, to be mair carefu in shuttin the windows." + +"Capital, laird; capital!" shouted several of the party, in convulsions +of laughter. "Any more--any more?" + +"Nay, nay, now, laird," said Jones, laughing, and clapping his hand on +the mouth of the tell-tale; "on your allegiance to your lawful +sovereign, I command ye to silence. He must not, in my presence, be made +a subject of mirth to these idle jesters." + +"Tuts, it's but a joke, man; but if ye think it wad offend His Majesty, +I'll say nae mair. I wad suner lose something considerable than do that. +But what the waur can the king be o' it's bein kent that he likes the +lasses? I trow it's rather a feather in his kep than a discredit till +him." + +"Well done, laird!" exclaimed Jones, clapping the former jocosely on the +shoulder. "Thou'rt a good old soul; and I shall take care that Charles +knows of thy lenity towards his failings. It will do thee no harm with +him." + +Having said this, Jones rose from the table, and went towards the +landlord's daughters, who were still busily occupied, or apparently so, +at any rate, at the further end of the apartment. His approach to these +fair damsels was made in the most gallant fashion imaginable, and with +all the air and manner of a thoroughbred courtier and cavalier. What +conversation passed between him and the girls was not overheard by the +other members of the party; but the frequent bursts of laughter which +were from time to time elicited, sufficiently showed that it was of a +mirthful character, and that the badinage of Jones fully supported, in +point and brilliancy, the credit of his other kindred qualifications. +After some time, he returned to his party, and again took his seat +beside the laird; who, on his doing so, remarked-- + +"Feth, sir, ye seem as guid a hand at botherin the lasses as your +master. It's in the family, I think." + +A roar of laughter succeeded this sally, to which Jones himself was one +of the largest contributors, although it was certainly mingled with some +embarrassment of manner. From this embarrassment, however, he was +unexpectedly relieved by the strains of a wandering minstrel, which +suddenly rose from the street, just underneath the window of the kitchen +of the Drouthsloken. As these strains were of no ordinary excellence, +they instantly attracted the attention of all in the apartment, +inclusive of the landlord's two fair daughters, one of whom in especial +(Juliana) evinced, by her flurried and agitated manner, a greater +interest in the presence of the minstrel than would have been warranted +on the supposition that it was merely accidental. Her confusion, +however, and the consciousness which it implied of a knowledge exceeding +that of those around her, passed undiscovered by all except Jones, whose +more vigilant eye detected these symptoms of secret and mysterious +understanding. He made no remark, however, on the subject; and carefully +concealed his discovery, not only from the rest of the party, but from +her who was the object of his mental speculations. Having concluded his +serenade, or at least its first department, which consisted, first, of a +preliminary flourish on a violin, executed with great spirit and +felicity, and then of a song, accompanied by the instrument, sung in a +peculiarly deep-toned, but exceedingly melodious, voice, the minstrel +ceased for a few seconds, when Jones proposed that he should be invited +in; and that, if he proved merely a gallant, he should be asked to a +glass of wine; and if he turned out a professional performer, who came +in the exercise of his vocation, he should be requested to entertain +them with his music within-doors. To this proposal a general assent was +at once given; and this assent was immediately followed by the +proceeding proper to its fulfilment. Three or four of the party, headed +by Jones, instantly rushed out, and surrounded the astonished minstrel +before he was aware. At first he discovered symptoms of a desire to +escape from the party; but, seeing this impossible, he stood his ground +manfully, and awaited the pleasure of the gentlemen, whose notice, he +said, he had the honour, it seemed, of so specially attracting. A +momentary glance at the speaker satisfied Jones and his party of his +quality. It was that of a professed street performer; or at least of a +person of the humblest class, as was indicated by his apparel, which +consisted of a short cloak, with a sort of coarse jerkin underneath, a +pair of wide and ill-made knee-breeches, coarse blue woollen stockings, +and a pair of enormous wooden shoes. On his head was a brown felt hat, +of a conical shape, adorned with a cock's feather, and altogether +resembling those seen in paintings of Dutch boors. These outward +indications, then, settled the question of the minstrel's rank, and +rendered no ceremony necessary in inviting him in. + +"You play well, friend," said Jones. "We have been listening to you, and +will be glad if you will come and amuse us for half-an-hour or so. I +will see to your being suitably recompensed." + +"Thank you, honourable sirs," replied the minstrel. "I doubt not of my +recompense, were it once earned; but the hour is late, and I may not +tarry abroad longer. Moreover, I make it a rule never to enter any +house, or to perform to any private party within-doors. I bid you a +good-night, gentlemen." + +"Nay, by my troth, and you do no such thing, friend," said Jones, +seizing the minstrel, who was at this moment about making off, by the +skirt of his jerkin. "We don't part with good company in this way. +Friends," he said, addressing his companions, "lend a hand here, to +secure the fiddler. We must compel him to his own interest, which he +would thus wilfully neglect." + +No sooner said than done. In a twinkling the reluctant minstrel was +grasped on all sides, and in an instant after found himself in the +centre of the kitchen of the Drouthsloken, to which he had been carried +almost bodily, in despite of a certain quantum of vain resistance and +remonstrance, by which he had at first endeavoured to thwart the purpose +of his captors. On being brought into the light of the kitchen, it was +discovered that the captured fiddler and songster was deficient of an +eye, at least of the use of it, as it was covered by a large green +shade, apparently unnecessarily large, as it concealed the half of his +face. Another peculiarity was now also observable, and this was, that +the neck of his cloak was clasped at a most extraordinary height up on +his face, and that he would by no means listen to any entreaties, either +to lay aside the said cloak, or even to unloosen the clasp by which it +was secured in so strange a position. We need scarcely add, that the +effect of these various dispositions of his externals was to conceal +almost entirely his countenance, of which only a small portion of the +left side was visible; and even this it was attempted to circumscribe as +much as possible, by the disposition of the hair of the head, which was +carefully combed down over the exposed space. + +"Come now, friend," said Jones, addressing the musician, and handing +him, at the same time, a huge brimmer of wine, "gulp this with a +celerity that shall be creditable to thy craft, man, and let us have +thereafter a taste of thy calling--some of thy merriest strains; for I +mean to see if we cannot make a dance of it, by the help of these fair +dames there"--inclining his head towards the landlord's daughters, who +still kept their ground in the kitchen; although, if the matter had been +inquired into, we rather fear they would have found some difficulty in +naming the particular duty that detained them. + +Finding it of no use to resist the spirit which he saw prevailed amongst +the party, the minstrel quietly despatched the contents of the goblet +that had been presented to him, and commenced the duty that had been +imposed upon him. On the first sound of the preliminary flourish of his +bow becoming audible, Jones went up to the buxom daughters of Mynheer +Tromp, and in his most gallant manner asked them if they would have any +objection to take the floor with him and his friends, seeing that they +had unexpectedly made the acquisition of an admirable musician, +although, he must confess, rather an odd-looking man; and Jones, as he +made the latter remark, looked slyly at Juliana, to mark its effect, and +found it acknowledged by a deep but transient blush, which she +endeavoured to conceal. + +The proposal, however, of a dance was accepted on the part of the +younger sister, Joan, with eager alacrity; and on the part of Juliana +with an appearance of the same willingness, but with a confusion and +hesitation of manner that gave token of a counteracting feeling. Having +obtained the consent of the fair sisters to "tread a measure," the gay +courtier took a hand of each, and gallantly led them to the middle of +the floor; intimating, at the same time, by signal, to his friends to +clear the space for the impending performances--a signal which they lost +no time in obeying; two or three seizing chairs apiece; and other two or +three--one of whom was the laird, who seemed to enter with great +goodwill into the spirit of the thing--lifting the table, with all it +carried, to a distant corner of the apartment. + +Just as these preparations were completed, and while Jones stood in the +middle of the floor, doing the polite to his two ladies--but directing +his attentions most especially to the elder--their father, the jolly +Vander Tromp, who had been absent for a considerable time, entered the +apartment, when, perceiving what was going on-- + +"Ah, very goot, very goot!" he said, in his most hilarious manner--his +jolly, broad red face beaming with delight. "A daunce, a daunce--ah, +very goot thing a daunce"--and he cracked his finger and thumb, and +threw up one of his huge legs in the air, with an expression of +highly-excited feeling. Then, calming down a moment--"You vill have no +objection, Mynheer Jones, to my frow have share in the daunce?" + +"Objection, Tromp!" ejaculated Jones, with well-feigned horror at the +supposition. "By no means. I shall be but too proud of the honour." + +"An tank you, Mynheer Jones--you are too goot." And saying this, Vander +Tromp disappeared, with another joyous flourish of finger and thumb and +left leg, in search of Mrs Tromp, to conduct her into the presence of +the dancers, and to a share of their amusement. + +In the meantime, the parties were set, and the dance commenced with +great vigour; Jones displaying in this exercise a degree of skill and +grace in entire keeping with the refinement of his general manner. His +spirits, too, were exuberant, and infused a life into all around him, +that all the other circumstances combined could not have inspired. + +Although by no means wanting in attention to the younger lady, it might +be observed, however, that Jones was much more assiduous in his +civilities to Juliana; and, what was a yet more remarkable circumstance, +it might also have been observed, that the musician evinced a strange +sensation of uneasiness whenever he saw Jones paying any particular +attention to this lady. He fidgeted in his seat, bungled the tune he was +playing, and shot fiercer glances from his solitary optic on the +revellers on the floor, but most especially on Jones and his fair +favourite. What was odd, too, Jones seemed to be aware of the feeling he +was exciting in the sensitive fiddler, and to delight in the uneasiness +he was occasioning; for the more markedly it was evinced, the more +assiduous and persevering was he in his gallantries. Although, however, +all this might have been sufficiently evident to a close and vigilant +observer, it escaped the notice of those present; for Jones managed his +secret tactics, whatever these were, with great caution, and exhibited +no other symptoms of consciousness than a slight, scarcely perceptible, +smile of sly intelligence. + +We have said that none present were cognisant of this mysterious +understanding, or rather misunderstanding, between Jones and the +musician; but we are not sure that this is quite correct. There was an +air of embarrassment about the manner of the fair Juliana, that seemed +to indicate that she was also in possession of some share of the secret +knowledge that was working so much underhand mischief; and of this Jones +appeared likewise to be aware. + +Thus stood matters, then, with this trio, when Vander Tromp and his +wife--the former leading the latter on his arm--came tripping into the +kitchen, with the grace and agility of a couple of elephants; for the +worthy spouse of the worthy landlord of the Drouthsloken was, like +himself, of the regular Dutch build, and had very much the shape and +appearance of a featherbed upon legs, if such an object can be +conceived. Her breadth, which was naturally of the most formidable +dimensions, was greatly increased by a stiff silk gown, which projected +in rigid amplitude on all sides, and gave to her whole person an +appearance of illimitable expanse. Notwithstanding these vast +dimensions, there was yet a comeliness about her bulk, and an expression +of benevolence and good-nature in her rosy countenance, that rendered +her altogether by no means an unpleasing object. + +On the entrance of mine host and his larger as well as better half, +Jones, with that gallant devotion which seemed natural to him, instantly +advanced towards the latter, and, with a preliminary flourish of some of +his most graceful obeisances, in which, perhaps, a very shrewd observer +might have discovered a slight tincture of mock gallantry, invited her +to join him in the next dance. The large lady, with a good-humoured +smile, curtsied a ready acquiescence to the polite invitation; and, in +the next instant, might be seen sailing majestically through the mazes +of the dance, closely attended by her respectful and devoted partner. + +In the meantime, the unwilling musician seemed heartily tired of his +employment, and looked as if he would have given a trifle not only to +have got quit of that employment, but to have got out of the house +altogether. Jones, however, was inexorable; and the more marked the +fiddler's impatience became, the more unmercifully did he deal out his +orders to "play up;" and much did he seem to delight, although he kept +the satisfaction to himself, in the grin of irritation which his +commands never failed to produce on the countenance of the hapless +musician. Leaving, then, the general position of matters in the kitchen +of the Drouthsloken in this state, we shall resume the particular +history of the laird's proceedings, which we fear the reader may think +we have already too long neglected. + +Of the ongoings of the evening the laird, who was now pretty well in the +wind, was an attentive, but by no means a silent, spectator. In the +enthusiasm which the proceedings passing before him had excited, he had +mounted a chair, and from that elevated position was whooping, and +yelling, and shouting, and clapping his hands--at once to express his +own delight in the performances, and to encourage the performers. + +"That's it, my bonny lassie!" he screamed out, addressing the younger +Tromp, whose agility particularly pleased him. "'Od ye're just doin +amazinly! That's it! Kilt yer coats, ye cutty, and skelp at it withouten +fear or dread! That's the true way to mak a figure on a flure!" + +"Feth, no amiss, guidwife, no amiss ava," he said, and now addressing +himself to the better half of mine host of the Drouthsloken, who was +heaving like a seventy-four in a ground-swell--"no amiss ava, considerin +the wecht ye carry. Ye're just doin wonderfu, too, to be sae broad in +the beam. My word, but ye are a sonsy lass," he continued, his attention +gradually directing itself to a contemplation of her personal +dimensions. "If ye're an unce, ye're twenty stane, quarry wecht; and +everybody kens that's no scrimpit." + +"Weel dune, Jones! weel dune, lad! Hoo, hurrah! up wi't! Ye've a pair o' +guid souple shanks o' your ain. That's it, lad--that's it! Up wi't! Hoo, +hurrah, hurrah!" + +And the laird clapped his hands with a vigour and energy that emitted a +sound more like the contact of a pair of boards than human palms; and +accompanying this expression of heartiness of feeling with whoops and +shouts, that drowned the noise of both feet and fiddle. + +Impartial in the distribution of his praises, the laird now directed his +compliments to the various other members of the dancing party, +severally, and finished with mine host himself. + +"Unco weel, laird, unco weel," he exclaimed, addressing that worthy +performer. "Really, unco weel! ye've a wonderfu licht foot to hae sic a +heavy stern. That's it, laird! Up wi' the left leg!--capital, capital!" +And again the laird clapped his hands, and again raised his tremendous +war-whoop. + +Hitherto the dancers had paid no particular attention to the laird's +noisy expressions of interest in their proceedings; but they so highly +tickled Mr Jones, that, on the conclusion of the dance, he came laughing +up to the laird, and asked him if he would not take a turn on the floor +on the next occasion. + +"No, thank ye, Mr Jones," replied the latter; "my dancin days are weel +aboot owre now; but, though the flesh is weak, the spirit's willin, and, +to mak mysel as guid company as possible, I'll tak a screed o' the +fiddle an ye like; for I'm mair souple aboot the elbows than the ankles +now-a-days, and, besides, I dinna think that fallow puts the richt +smeddum in his tunes. They're awfu draicky, and no like our Scotch +measures, that mak ye fling your legs aboot like flails, till ye dinna +ken whether your heels or your head's uppermost." + +"Ah ha, very fair, laird," replied Jones, laughing; "and although I have +reasons for keeping all relief from the fiddler as long as possible, I +am so curious to hear your performance, that I, for my part, consent to +your taking a turn of his instrument, provided he will allow you." + +"We'll try him," replied the laird, briefly, and at the same time +stepping down from his high place, and thereafter proceeding with Jones +towards the musician of the evening, in order to offer his services in +the way of assisting him. + +"Friend," said Jones to the one-eyed minstrel, while the laird stood +behind, or rather beside him, waiting the result of his +application--"friend, have you any objection to be relieved a little in +your labours? Here is a brother musician, who would gladly take a turn +with you, provided you would favour him with the loan of your +instrument." + +The only reply of the fiddler was a sullen, dissentient growl; for he +was as averse to speaking as to exposing his countenance. + +"What! won't you lend our friend here your fiddle?" said Jones, now +bursting out into a fit of suppressed laughter, which seemed, from its +heartiness, and the relief which it evidently afforded him, to have been +long pent up. "Do, man, do--you had better do. _I'll_ be much obliged to +you"--with marked emphasis on the pronoun, which he further increased by +a gentle but significant tread on the toe of the perplexed minstrel, +who, after returning the secret intimation of Jones by a smile and an +intelligent leer of his open eye, handed the fiddle to the laird without +saying a word. + +The incident which we have just described was unobserved by any other +party but those concerned in it; or, at least, if it was observed, it +was not understood; and in this predicament also stood he who had the +best opportunity of seeing it--namely, the laird. He saw all that passed +between Jones and the fiddler; but he could not make out what it meant; +nor did he seem to concern himself about discovering it. Having got the +fiddle into his possession, the laird commenced tuning it with great +assiduity, and with a bow stroke that showed he was well practised in +the use of the instrument. The tuning effected to his mind, he struck +up, with great vigour, a ranting Scotch reel, which he played with +uncommon spirit and skill. At first, the novelty of the measure took the +greater part of the audience by surprise. For a time they could make +nothing of it; but music being a universal language, both the spirit and +rhythm of the tune soon began to be perceived and appreciated; and, with +a little schooling from Jones, who seemed not only to understand the +music, but to be delighted with it, the dancers were placed in the order +of a reel; and, by a vigilant superintendence of their motions on the +part of the latter, they contrived to get through the figure with +tolerable correctness. All were delighted with the new dance. It was +repeated again and again, and every time with increased success, and a +diminishing necessity for the interference of Jones, who, having entered +fully into the spirit of the mirthful train, whooped and yelled as +vociferously as ever the laird had done. His enthusiasm was infectious; +all caught it--even the broad-beamed wife of Vander Tromp, who moved +under the inspiring influence of the laird's bow with an agility that no +one could have believed her ponderous person capable of; while the +others, including mine portly host himself, flung, and flew, and +shuffled, as madly as the witches in the midnight dance in Alloway Kirk. +The spell, in short, of the laird's music was complete, and each owned +the hilarious spirit which it was so well calculated to diffuse over all +who were within reach of its influence--in other words, over all who +were within hearing of the laird's admirably-played fiddle. Inspired +with additional glee by these indications of the powerful effect of his +music, the laird still further heightened its influence by breaking out, +as he played, into short, abrupt shouts, which were responded to, from +time to time, by the male dancers, but with most especial emphasis by +Jones, who seemed to be, altogether, at the very acme of human +enjoyment. + +It was while the revellers were thus dinning the drowsy ear of night +with their obstreperous mirth, and while they were yet in the full +career of enjoyment, that four persons suddenly entered the kitchen of +the Drouthsloken. They were in the garb of seamen, wearing large, shaggy +pea-jackets, and low, round-crowned, glazed hats, with circular flaps +projecting behind. Although, however, all were dressed nearly alike, +there was one who evidently took the lead amongst them. He was a young +man, and had an air of authority in his manner to which the rest seemed +to pay deference. Some differences, too, in his outer habiliments, +notwithstanding of the general resemblance that prevailed in this +particular, pointed him out as of a superior grade to the others. This +person was not unknown to the inmates of the house. He was recognised as +Captain Hagedorn of the Jungfrau of Rotterdam--a man of fierce, +irascible temper, and an ardent, although not very acceptable, admirer +of Juliana. On his entrance, therefore, he was immediately greeted as an +acquaintance by Tromp, his wife, and their two daughters--by Juliana, +however, with an evident confusion and embarrassment of manner. To these +greetings, Hagedorn vouchsafed the return only of a surly and +unintelligible muttering, while he proceeded to provide himself with a +chair, on which he placed himself directly opposite the one-eyed +minstrel, at whom he threw, from time to time, looks of the most +malignant ferocity. + +All, especially Juliana, who had reasons for fearing the worst, seemed +impressed with the belief that the fellow was bent on mischief, and that +he had come there for the especial purpose. Of this they were more +convinced, on observing the brass-tipped sheaths of cutlasses projecting +from beneath the pea-jackets of the intruders. Their fears were not long +of being realised. + +"Tromp," said Hagedorn (we take the liberty of translating, in this, and +all other similar cases), "I thought you kept a regular, decent house. +Such is the character you pretend to, at any rate." + +"And such," replied Tromp, with a blush of honest indignation, "is the +character I maintain. Who shall gainsay it?" + +"Why, there are some things going on here to-night that don't look much +like it," replied Hagedorn. "Know ye, Tromp, or does Juliana know, who +this one-eyed gallant is?" pointing to the late serenader. + +"Whether they do or not, they shall soon know, and so shall you to your +cost, Hagedorn!" replied the minstrel, starting to his feet, and hastily +stripping off the disguise, eye-patch and all, in which he was +enveloped; a proceeding which discovered to the astonished +onlookers--not, however, including either Jones or Juliana, who had a +previous knowledge of his identity--a tall, handsome, +gentlemanly-looking young man, well known as Sir Lionel Musgrave, one of +the gayest and most respected of those English gentlemen who shared the +misfortunes and exile of Charles II. during the existence of the +Commonwealth. + +"Ha!" said Hagedorn, starting to his feet, on Musgrave discovering +himself. "So, I have unearthed the fox, eh!" And, as he spoke, he made a +grasp at Musgrave's throat; which the latter evaded by adroitly stepping +back a pace, when he instantly drew his sword and made a pass at +Hagedorn, who, however, skilfully warded it off with his cutlass, to +which he had had recourse the moment he missed his hold of his +antagonist. These proceedings were, of course, a signal to all the other +men in the apartment to muster on their respective sides; and this they +instantly did. Hagedorn's men immediately drew; Jones and his party did +the same; and the women ran screaming from the scene of the impending +contest. In one instant after, a general melee commenced. There were +deep oaths, overturning of tables, and clashing of swords in every +direction, and all the other characteristics of a tremendous and very +serious hubbub. Blows, too, were not wanting. They fell thick and fast +on all sides. + +Hitherto our friend the laird had remained an idle, but +sufficiently-astonished spectator of the strange and sudden scene that +had been thus brought before his visual organs. Though an idle, he was +not altogether, however, a mute witness of the proceedings that were +going forward. + +"'Od! this _is_ a queer business!" he muttered to himself. "Wha on earth +wad hae thocht that yon blin-ee'd, broken-doon-lookin soul o' a fiddler +wad hae turned oot a braw young swanky like that? Na, na, that'll no +do," suddenly added the laird, and now referring to the circumstance of +Jones being hard pressed by two of the intruders. "Twa on ane--that'll +never do." And the laird looked around him for some weapon wherewith he +might compensate the odds against his friend. Nothing of this kind more +efficient than the tongs presenting itself, the laird leaped down from +the table on which he had been perched in the quality of musician, and, +seizing the afore-mentioned instrument by the feet, advanced upon the +foe, shouting, "Stan to them, Jones! stan to them, lad! till I gie them +a taste o' the tangs!" And, in the same instant, he discharged a blow at +the head of one of Jones' assailants that laid him senseless on the +floor. Finding his first effort so successful, the laird repeated the +experiment on the prostrate man's companion with precisely the same +result. Down he went also with a fractured skull. "That's the way!" +shouted the laird, now greatly excited by his own destructive exertions; +"ca' them down like nine-pins! Soop them aff the face o' the yearth!" + +At this moment, the laird's Io Paeans were interrupted by the entrance of +a party of the town-guard, whom Tromp had summoned to his aid. These +immediately seized on the intruders, as they were pointed out by the +latter--the fallen men having so far recovered as to be now sitting up, +although evidently sick and giddy from the effects of the laird's blows, +and looking, as he said himself, "unco white aboot the gills"--and +marched them off to the guard-house, to answer in due time to the +judicial authorities of the city for the breach of the peace of which +they had been guilty. + +On the kitchen of the Drouthsloken being cleared of the enemy, an +investigation into the extent of personal injury sustained took place, +when it was found that this was, after all, very trivial, consisting +only of two or three slight flesh wounds, of which Musgrave bore two, +and one or two others one apiece. + +"And now, laird," said Jones, addressing the latter, "what share of the +honours have you got?" + +"Deil a scratch," replied the laird. "Feth, I didna gie them time for +that. I didna stan whilly-whain wi' them, wi' a bit shabble in my haun, +as ye a' did, but gied them richt knock-me-doon thuds at ance--sent them +owre like stots, ane after the ither. Feth! commen me to a pair o' tangs +in a kitchen row. It maks clean wark. I'll think mair o' them as a +weapon, baith o' offence and defence, than ever I did." + +"In such hands as yours, laird, they certainly are a +sufficiently-formidable weapon. Had it not been for them and you +together, I would scarce have got off so scatheless as I have done. I +owe you a good turn, and it shall not be forgotten. I promised you an +introduction to the king; and I shall not only fulfil that promise, but, +as my word goes a long way with him, I shall give such an account of you +as, I answer for it, will insure you a favourable reception, and +probably procure you some still more substantial tokens of his regard." + +"Ou, thank ye, sir, thank ye," said the laird; "but I dinna see that I +hae dune onything the nicht that should entitle me to ony special favour +frae his most gracious Majesty. What interest can he possibly hae in a +kitchen collyshangy like this?" + +"More than you're aware of, perhaps, laird; but never mind that in the +meantime. Here comes Tromp, to read us a lecture, I daresay, on the +evening's occurrences, although it was none of our fault either. Ha, +Musgrave, my spark!" continued Jones, and now turning to that +gallant--"didst think I couldn't have known thee? 'Od's fish, man, I +would have known the cut of thy jib, although thou hadst been sewn in a +sack." + +"Faith, your ----" A wink from Jones prevented the word that was about +to follow. The wink was understood. "Faith, my friend," said Musgrave, +laughing, "to tell a truth, I had no idea you were here. It was intended +for a stolen march--to see whether I could not win my wager, by cutting +ye out in the good graces of our landlord's fair daughter July." The +conversation between Jones and Musgrave was here interrupted by the +approach of Tromp, who came not, as the latter had suspected, to +complain of what had occurred, but merely to request that the gentlemen +would now retire, as it was getting late, and as his household was in a +state of great alarm and confusion, in consequence of what had taken +place. + +The request was too respectfully made, and in itself too reasonable, to +admit of the smallest objection. The party immediately donned their hats +and cloaks, when Jones, taking the laird by the hand, told him to remain +where he was for the night, and that he would wait upon him on the +following morning to conduct him to the king. + +Agreeably to his promise, early in the forenoon of the following day, +Jones, attended by a gay band of cavaliers, entered the apartment in +which the laird was at breakfast. + +"Oh, Mr Jones, hoo are ye?" said the latter, rising from his seat on the +entrance of the former. "I'm sure this is very guid o' ye. Nane the waur +o' the bit stramash we had last nicht, I hope?" + +"Oh! not a bit, not a bit, kind thanks to you for that, laird," replied +Jones. "Now, my friend," continued the latter, "I am better than my +word: I promised to bring you to the king; instead of this, I have +brought the king to you. Any objection, laird, to take me for your +lawful, but unfortunate king? I am Charles," he said, in a tone of more +earnest emphasis. + +Need we describe the laird's amazement at this astounding disclosure? We +need not. The reader will conceive it. Although he looked unutterable +things, all that he said was-- + +"Gude preserve me! is that a fact?" pronounced in the slow, deliberate +tone of overwhelming and perplexed amazement. + +The sequel of our tale is soon told. Charles settled a small pension on +the laird--all that his circumstances at the time would afford--on which +he lived for several years at the Hague. He subsequently found his way +back to Scotland, the distracted state of the king's affairs preventing +the regular payment of his pension. In the meantime, years rolled on, +and changes took place, and amongst these came the Restoration. Charles +was restored to the throne of his ancestors. On this throne the monarch +had not been many days seated, when he was informed by one of the pages +in waiting that they had been much annoyed by an old grey-headed +Scotchman, with a large flat blue bonnet on his head, insisting on +admission to His Majesty's presence. + +"Did he give his name?" replied the monarch. + +"He did, please your majesty," replied the page; "he said he was sure +that, if we would inform your majesty that it was the Laird of Lucky's +How who sought admission, your majesty would instantly grant him an +audience." + +"He was right," said Charles, smiling. "I recollect the honest man well. +Admit him next time he presents himself." + +The laird came, was admitted, and was received with a most cordial +welcome by the good-natured monarch. They talked over the occurrences of +the evening they had spent in the kitchen of the Drouthsloken; and the +laird was finally dismissed, with a promise, shortly afterwards +redeemed, of his being reinstated in his patrimonial lands. To this +other gratuities were added, to an amount that amply compensated him, as +he often himself said, for all that he had suffered in the royal cause. +Some will say, perhaps, and with too much truth, that Charles was not so +grateful to all his friends; but, in the present instance, we have only +to do with the case of the Laird of Lucky's How. + + + + +THE ABDUCTION. + + +The farm of Kelpiehaugh, at a short distance from Lessudden, was, at an +early period of the St Boswell's meetings, occupied by Giles Ramsay--a +man who, as often happens in Scotland, was not loth to admit that "his +grey mare was the better horse." He liked the philosophy of the old +ballad quoted by Shakspere, and received it as a general maxim, that +"nought's to be had at a woman's hand" unless, in every case, "ye gie +her a' the plea." And, verily, Matty did not love him the worse for his +correct notions of woman-kind, though, as for anything like gratitude +for his easy submission to her entire authority, she knew nothing of the +sentiment, if she did not heartily despise it. The reason was indeed +plain enough; for she had the capacity to know that, whatever +superiority nature intended her husband should possess over her, in his +character of one of the lords of the creation, he had none whatever in +the capacity of her husband. In this there was a secret which she +communicated to no one; and that was simply, that Giles was, in all +respects, a stupid, simple, honest "cudden," and she was one of the +cleverest dames that ever made a good-natured husband cry "barlafummil" +in a matrimonial skirmish. Yet, with all the guidwife's cleverness, she +had not been able either to prevent Giles from getting behind with his +rent--the more by token as, we fancy, that Kelpiehaugh was too dear--or +to get "the glaikit hizzy," Mary, her daughter, well buckled to a canny +laird, who might help them to pay up their arrears. The first was +clearly no marvel; but the second might have been termed some what +extraordinary, seeing the young woman was as fair as Dowsabell. + +Something as regarded the rent depended upon the next sale of cattle at +St Boswell's, for which honest Giles had ready six as good stirks as +ever grazed on a green lea; and it was arranged between him and the +better partner of the matrimonial firm, that he must get six pounds for +every head of them, otherwise he might have small chance for "love's +roundelay" on his return. + +"It will mak thirty-six pounds, Giles," said Matty; "and that will +enable us to pay up ten pounds o' oor arrears." + +"And what will I get for a superplus o' a pound a-head on them?" said +Giles. + +"The liberty to buy a new gown for Mary," replied she, "that we may try +to get her aff at the next fair. But, if ye sell them for a pound less, +I rede ye to seek a quieter bield for your hame than Kelpiehaugh will be +on your return." + +And so primed, old Giles set off with his six stirks to St Boswell's. He +arrived at the green, and exposed his bestial in the most favourable +manner he could; but he found that Matty's price did not accord with the +humour of the buyers, who probably thought proper to judge for +themselves in the question of value. The time passed, and Giles saw +before him nothing but the necessity of driving the stirks back again to +Kelpiehaugh--an operation he by no means relished. As he stood musing on +the apparently forlorn hope of a customer, an old man, much bent, with a +grey beard, and a patch over his left eye as big as the blind of him of +forging celebrity, "Blackpatch" himself, came up to him, and at once +offered him eight pounds a-head for his stock. The old farmer wondered, +smiled, and accepted. The bargain was struck, and forty-eight good +pounds were instanter placed in the hands of the seller. + +"Now I have a favour to ask of you, good Mr Ramsay," said the buyer. + +"It will be an unreasonable request I winna grant to ane wha has gien me +my ain price," replied the farmer. "What is't?" + +"That you will drive the cattle home to Kelpiehaugh, and keep them there +at my risk and cost till I send for them," said the other. + +"Granted, and wi' thanks," said the farmer. + +"I have another favour to ask," said the other. + +"As mony's ye like, sir, if they're a' o' a kind," answered the farmer, +smiling. "Out wi't." + +"That you'll give me a bed at Kelpiehaugh to-night," said the old man. +"I have a distance to ride, and would fain halve the stage, by making +your house a half-way resting-place. + +"Of a surety, sir," replied the farmer; "ye'll hae the best bed and the +best victuals Kelpiehaugh can boast o', and nae boast after a', though +Matty, I am proud to say, kens hussyskep as weel as ony woman in a' the +shirradom. Will ye gang wi' me, or come yersel?" + +"I will come by myself," said the buyer. "I have some other affairs to +settle before the fair breaks up, and it may be later than your time +before I have finished." + +The matter being thus arranged, the two parted. Giles was anxious to +know who his customer was; but no one could tell anything of him, and +the hour getting forward to the gloaming, he set off again for his farm, +with his forty-eight pounds in his pocket, and the cattle before him. On +his approaching Kelpiehaugh, Matty, along with her fair daughter, was at +the door, waiting for him. It was now dark; but she could hear his voice +in articulations which pleased her not. "Hey! hey! yaud! yaud!" and then +came the sound of a thwack on the backs of the lazy troop he was driving +before him. + +"And ye've brought them back again, ye sorry simpleton?" cried the wife. + +The husband answered nothing, but continued thumping at the nolt with +his "hey," and "yaud," and "phew"--every ejaculation having the effect +of an objurgatory attack on the dame herself. + +"Ay, ay," she cried, "thump them and drive them into the shed, Giles, +that they may be ready for the roup o' our plenishing and stocking. The +auctioneer's hammer will knock them down wi' mair pith than that rung ye +are using, wi' a' the spite o' an angry disappointed man, wha couldna +mak a sale o' his ain kye." + +Her cutting words had still no effect upon the good-natured farmer, who +continued his operations till he got the six steers safely lodged in +their shed. He then came into the house quietly, and, with a "heigh-ho, +that job's weel owre," sat him down by the side of the fire, opposite to +his wife and daughter. For some minutes there was silence in the house +of Kelpiehaugh; the reason whereof was that Matty's authority was for +once apparently disregarded, or set at naught, by the apparent absence +of all tokens of fear and contrition on the part of her mate. She had +already indicated sufficiently her sense of his stupidity, and given him +a peremptory notice of what he might expect for the next half-year to +come; yet there was he, against all custom, and all the laws of marital +subordination, sitting as easy and comfortable as if he merited her +praise and deserved her blessing. She could only look daggers at him, +with occasionally an expression of staring wonder at a nonchalance that +disproved twenty years of authority. + +"Is there naething in Kelpiehaugh for its master to eat or drink?" said +he, at last, in a calm, soft voice. "A hard day's wark deserves +something at e'en." + +"Is he adding impertinence to his folly?" thought the dame, as she sat +doggedly silent and immoveable. + +"Come, Mary," added he; "since Matty will gie us naething, rise, lassie, +and gie your father the best that's in the house, and, by way o' bribe, +here's a new gown to ye--the bonniest and brawest I could find at St +Boswell's." + +The girl started up and laid hold of the dress. The bright hues glared +on her eyes. The dame cast a side-eye on the gaudy article. + +"Waur and waur, Giles," she ejaculated. "Are ye mad, man? What, in the +name o' a' that's guid or ill, possessed ye? Will that gown pay our +rent?" + +"Maybe it may," rejoined Giles. "Mary's the bonniest lass on this side +o' the Tweed, and beauty's nae waur o' being weel buskit. It may bring +her a husband wha'll pay our rent; and, if it doesna, there's nae +skaith, seeing we may yet be able to do it oursels." + +"The man's as mad as a March hare, or a gled-stung quey," cried Matty. + +"But am I to get nae supper, Matty?" rejoined he, with the same +calmness. + +"The deil a bit," ejaculated the dame. + +"Maybe this may bribe ye," said he, as he pulled out of another pocket a +gown-piece, as bright as the other, for his beloved spouse. + +The charm had no power, save that of increasing the wonder of the dame; +and the statement which immediately followed, that there was a stranger +to be entertained at Kelpiehaugh that night, roused her still farther. +It was not till she began to look more narrowly into the face of her +husband, that she observed a dry humour about him, that might be +anything but the result of an unsuccessful attempt to dispose of his +bestial, and, going up to him, she shook him heartily by the shoulders. + +"Come, come, Giles," she said, "there's a secret at the bottom o' a' +this, and maybe this may explain it." + +And, seizing his pocket-book, she opened it, and pulled forth the bunch +of notes. They were counted on the instant, and the eyes of the dame +brightened up at every addition to the calculation. The farmer explained +all, and, in the course of his narration, Matty's wonder waxed great +again. She was not altogether satisfied. She looked at the notes, to see +that they were not forged; glanced at Giles; fell into a brown study; +looked at Mary; hemmed and heyed; and began to make preparations for the +stranger. In about an hour afterwards, the old customer arrived, was +ushered in to the fire, and took his seat, while Giles went to look to +the putting-up of his horse, which, he observed, was as clever and +clean-limbed a creature as that which carried the "fair ladye" and "true +Thomas" over the Eildon Hills. The supper was, in the meantime, in the +act of being served up. The old man coughed and told stories, Mary +listened, and Matty eyed her guest with a peculiar expression, which +made him rub his beard, cough more and more, and retire farther into the +recess which he had taken possession of. Nor would the supper draw him +forth; for he said he had supped before he came, yet had he no objection +to drink the ale which Matty handed him, and was as merry as an old man +might be, who had seen so many summers as his beard betokened. Many a +thing they talked of, but they all concerned the farmer, and his wife +and daughter; for the never a word would he say of himself, either as to +what he was, or where he lived--the dry skeleton of a name, Mr +Farquharson, being all he gratified them with, while, in return, he +asked so much of the condition and doings of his host and family, that +one might have thought he intended either to pay their arrears of rent, +or marry the daughter, at the very least. The supper, of which he +partook not, being done, he said he wished not to put them about in +their arrangements, and would be very well pleased to lie in the small +bed behind him, unless that were set apart for some other of the family. + +"That ye may weel hae, sir," said Matty on the instant, "if ye hae a +fancy to it. A sma' reward for the guid price ye gae for the cattle. +Mary can sleep for a nicht in the kitchen--for Jenny is at St Boswell's, +and winna be hame before the morn." + +"You will have only one night's trouble of me," replied the old man; +"but you may have more of the cattle--eight at least--and I think I will +better pay you beforehand, Mr Ramsay, that there may be no mistake when +the men come to take them away." + +And he put into the farmer's hand three times the sum he would have +demanded for the keeping of the steers. The farmer would have refused +the money, but Matty, whose by-play all along had been unnoticed by her +husband, pinched him on the arm, and the words of rejection died away in +his mouth. The parties afterwards retired to bed, leaving the strange +visiter in the apartment allotted to him. + +"I never did a better day's wark, guidwife," said the farmer to his +partner, when they went up-stairs. + +"Hush! hush! man, ye dinna ken what ye have done," replied she; and the +next moment she was busy whispering something in the ear of the farmer. +He started instantly, cried, "Impossible, impossible!" and stood for a +moment in dismay and consternation. But Matty gave him no time for +thought. She was again busy with his ear; and the next exhibition he +made was of an opposite character--a strange expression was upon his +face, and he slapped her upon the back in the extravagance of a feeling +that, whether betokening good-humour or not, seemed to have no bounds. +In a short time, the house was as quiet as Grimalkin himself could have +wished it, when bent on a hunting foray. All had apparently gone to bed, +and the stillness continued till considerably after midnight. A slow tap +at the kitchen-door showed that one individual at least was astir. + +"Mary, Mary, are you awake?" said a voice, that at least was +uninterrupted by a cough. + +The answer was a whisper from within. After some parley, the door was +opened, and a series of secret doings, among which the opening of the +outer door of the house, a recourse to the stable, the saddling of the +fleet horse, and other furtive preparations for a departure, were the +most important. During all this time, the figure of a female wrapped in +a cloak stood in the recess of the door. The horse was quietly walked to +the loan, and the mantled figure glided as secretly as a ghost, who +knows that the pimp Gallus will shortly awaken, to the starting-post. +One swing brought her to the pad, and another placed before her one whom +the light of the faint moon exhibited without a bend in his body or +beard on his chin. Away they set-- + + "On, on they rade, and farther on-- + The steed gaed swifter than the wind-- + Until they reach'd a desert wide, + And living land was left behind." + +Not a word passed between the couple. The one was occupied spurring on +the steed, and the other clung to him, as if love had nerved her arms, +and made them as tenacious of the grasp of his waist as Lenora, of +German celebrity, was of the soulless body of her Wilhelm. Sometimes he +slackened his pace, to ascertain whether the guidman of Kelpiehaugh was +up and away in quest of runaway bride, like the Graemes after the heiress +of Netherby, over Cannobie-lee; and then, when he thought he heard the +clatter of a horse's hoof, he applied the spur again, and away they +went, over moss and muir, with such speed as love and fear in the rider +may alone impart to the obedient steed. At other times, the space of a +few minutes was devoted to soft whispers, and the gallant pressed the +encircling arms of his fair one, and sighed as he felt her embrace as +tight as a lover's heart could wish. He was as happy as one who is on +the verge of the enjoyment of stolen pleasures can be in a world where +lawful indulgences had no zest for him; and he turned his head for the +muffled kiss, which was granted as freely as any rieving lover, even +Lochinvar himself or Jock o' Hazeldean, could have desired. Nor less was +he pleased with the pressure of her fair arms, which accompanied or +followed the other demonstrations of her affection, and the speed of his +steed, now safe, as he thought himself, from all pursuit, was quickened, +that he might reach the goal, where all the joys of a long-sighed-for +possession awaited him. At length he gave his horse breathing-time, and, +taking himself a long inspiration-- + +"When, think ye, Mary," said he, "I will send for the six steers I +purchased from your father yesterday?" + +"Maybe never, Robert," was the whispered reply. + +"You say right, love. It was never my intention," said he. "I thought it +but fair to leave old Giles some consideration for his daughter." + +A squeeze was the expression of the gratitude felt by the female for the +boon so generously bestowed on the farmer of Kelpiehaugh. + +"Was I known, think ye?" he continued. "I liked not the sharp eye of +your mother. By my faith! I quailed under it. The devil an ancient +carlin duenna in an old romance ever observed so sharp a look-out for +the safety of her ward. But, ha! ha! Mary, we have outwitted the old +dame, and let her catch us now, if she can. We want only two miles of +Langholm, and then, hey! hey! and be merry, as the song says-- + + 'Now all this time let us be merry, + And set nocht by this world a cherry.' + +Safe in my house at Langholm, Mary, let Giles and his old dame enjoy the +bargain they have got. They may sell the steers at the next fair of St +Boswell's; but I will not so soon part with my Mary." + +"Na, I hope not," replied the whispering female. "But hearna ye the +sounds of a horse's feet?" + +The lover turned his head. + +"Your father, by the rood!" cried he; and, clapping spurs again to his +horse, they set off at a quick gallop, with a view to distance their +pursuer, who was no other than Giles Ramsay himself, mounted on one of +his quickest plough-horses, and brandishing a huge cudgel, in the double +act of beating his nag and threatening vengeance on the fugitives. + +The pursued were now in danger of being overtaken; for the greater speed +of the hunter was counterbalanced by the greater burden, and it was +clearly a cast-up whether they would be able to escape the vengeance +that awaited them. But, whatever might be the issue, there was no want +of energy in either hand or heel of the abductor; and he lashed and +spurred his steed more furiously as his fears increased-- + + "Still looking the sidelong woods among, + Before, around him, and behind; + And aye, whene'er the echo rung, + The steed flew swifter than the wind." + +And no less energetic was the fearful pursuer, whose hearty thwacks upon +the curpan of his shaggy cart-tracer, mixed with loud halloos, might be +heard in the distance, awakening the echoes of the silent night. The +lover relished not the appearance, and still less the cries, of the +lusty farmer; and as little apparently did his companion--who, as the +horse increased his speed, grasped her abductor round the waist--wish to +fall into the hands of the enraged pursuer. Away they scoured, and, +"Fear not, Mary--love will distance the old churl," fell from the lips +of the panting lover, in reply to the inspiring pressure of her arms; +while, "Na, na, Robert, flee for the love o' heaven," added more energy +to the spur, and more passion to his breast. They reached the skirts of +the woody Langholm; but it was not the abductor's intention to stop at +his residence, while he was in danger of being overtaken; so, striking +to the left, and dashing into a _corrie_, or deep lirk of a hill, he +stretched on with the flight of desperation. His wish was to clear the +fern brae, as the height was called, and, getting into the thick wood at +the back, make a sudden turn, and elude the quick eye of the farmer; but +the latter kept dashing and bounding on, hallooing in the distance, and +still brandishing his oaken ryss, in the most fearful demonstrations of +a vengeance that would be contented with nothing less, apparently, than +the body of the one, and the life of the other. Still the fond female +turned her eyes behind, and, giving her companion reports of the +progress of the pursuer, kept up his energies and alive his spirit. + +"All the work of that accursed old duenna, your mother," muttered he. + +"Ay, ay, nae doot, nae doot," rejoined she, and hugged him again more +closely than ever. The turn of the fern hill did not seem, however, to +bring the relief which it promised, for the couple were still within +hail of the redoubted Giles; and his shouting reverberated among the +rocks like the tally-ho of the hunter, or rather like the deep-mouthed +bay of the pack. + +But here a more extraordinary phenomenon presented itself, and that was +an accession of strength to the sturdy Giles of no fewer than three +horsemen, who, probably attracted by his war-whoop, had tendered their +services in endeavouring to overtake and seize the fugitives. This +circumstance was proclaimed by a united cry of the whole pursuers, which +rung in the ears of the lover like the howl which met the Florentine on +his visit to the region of the wicked in Hades. There was, however, more +in the appearance of the strangers, as seen in the light of the now +bright moon, than in their war-shout that carried dismay to the breast +of the abductor. What this was, he told not; but his muttering of "Who +can have brought him and his servants to this part of the country at +this time?" satisfied his companion that he knew the individuals who had +thus opportunely joined the cause of the farmer; and now, if indeed that +were possible, he urged his panting steed forward at a still quicker +pace. His chance of escape was diminishing every moment. The horses of +the assistants were fleeter than those of the farmer; and, if he did not +succeed in overtaking the fugitives, it was too evident that they would +accomplish for him the object he had in view. The lover seemed doubtful +what he should do--whether still to press on, lay down his charge, or +make a sweep round the hill, and take refuge in Langholm. A clump of +trees now intervening between him and the party, he appeared to resolve +suddenly on the last manoeuvre; and his reason probably was, that he +might have time to secrete his fair one among some of the outhouses of +the mansion before the pursuers came up. Acting upon this resolution, he +turned the head of his horse, swept in by the tail of the height, struck +into a loan, and, after a rapid run of a few minutes, was opposite to +the house of Langholm. + +"Quick! quick, Mary! jump and follow me," he cried, as he took her in +his arms. "This way," and he flew first to one door and then another. +They were shut, and he had no alternative left but to take his fair +charge into the mansion itself. Rushing up-stairs, and dragging after +him his abducted love, he reached a small bedroom, thrust her into it, +shut the door, locked it, and returned to face boldly his pursuers. By +the time he arrived at the landing-place, his horse had sought the +stable; and there was no apparent sign, save his appearance there at +that hour, of his having been engaged in the unlawful undertaking for +which he had been so hotly pursued. + +"I have paid well for my love-errantry," said he, as he took a +handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from his face. "There is not another +beauty in Scotland for whom I would have toiled as I have now done. Have +I given them the slip? Mayhap I may, unless I am right in that fearful +conjecture, suggested by the appearance of my strange pursuers." + +"Ho, there!" cried the voice of a man, rushing up on horseback. "What is +this, Robert?" + +"My father!" ejaculated the youth; "what has brought you from Craigton +at this hour?" + +"Robert! Robert!" ejaculated a voice from a bedroom window, at that +moment drawn up--"why have you placed a woman in my bedroom, and locked +her in?" + +"Is that you, my love?" rejoined the father, in answer to the cry of his +wife. "Why, here is some infernal mystery. Your mother and I arrived +here to-day. We heard you were at St Boswell's, and I left her here that +I might go and join you at the market. Now I have returned to witness a +scene that baffles all my wits. Here is a man who has a claim upon you +which your mother corroborates by her extraordinary inquiry." + +The cavalcade at that moment came up--Giles in the rear, still +brandishing his rung, and muttering incoherent threats against the +abductor. The youth was surrounded: his father cried for information, +his mother screamed from the window. Giles demanded restitution, and the +voice of the abducted female was heard in shrill tones over all. + +"Ha! Matty, lass, this is sad wark," cried the farmer, on recognising +the voice of his wife. + +"Is it possible, Robert Melville," said the father, "that you could +disgrace your family and your pedigree, by carrying off the wife of this +honest farmer--a woman stricken in years--and place her in the bedroom +occupied by your mother?" + +"It's owre true," cried Giles, with something like a suppressed laugh. +"I see her face at the window. He came to Kelpiehaugh habited as an auld +man, wi' a grey beard stuck on his chin, and a scratch wig on his head; +and, in return for a supper and a bed, carried aff my helpmate, wi' whom +I hae lived, in love and honour, for thirty years." + +The scene was getting more extraordinary. The young man was sceptical of +the truth of Giles' statement; but he could not disprove it by stating +what he conceived to be the veritable fact--that he had run away with +Mary, the young daughter of the farmer of Kelpiehaugh. He looked at the +latter, then turned up his eyes to the window, where he then saw only +the face of his mother. Her cries still rung in his ears; the father +called for the key; Giles insisted on the truth of his statement; and +the inquiries of the servants mingled with the general confusion. By an +impulse he could not resist, he gave his father the key; the door was +opened, and the mother, who was now dressed, came down-stairs, along +with her husband, followed by the female, on whom they turned eyes in +which wonder and indignation alternated their suitable expressions. The +female threw back her hood. + +"We hae had a lang and a hard ride, Mr Melville," said she. "My feth, ye +did weel, but your horse did better; and, Giles, man, ye did as I never +saw ye do before." + +"I couldna want ye, Matty," replied Giles; "and, if I havena testified +my love for ye by this nicht's wark, never a man in Scotland ever proved +his affection for his wife." + +The absence of all ill-humour, the winks which Matty directed to the +wonderstruck youth, and his apparent amazement, added to the puzzle +which perplexed the minds of the father and the mother. + +"What does all this mean, Robert?" cried the mother. + +"For God's sake, explain this extraordinary affair!" rejoined the +father. + +The youth was still mute. At length Matty whispered something in his +ear. He spoke for the first time since the scene commenced. + +"It may be as you say, Mrs Ramsay," said he. + +"Aweel, it's a' richt," replied she; "but it may please Giles and mysel +if ye will acknowledge it in the presence o' your father and mother." + +"I have no objections," replied he; and, turning to his parents, who +understood not one word of all this dialogue, and far less of the +strange scene still acting around them, he added, "I hereby declare, in +presence of you, as witnesses, that I hereby renounce all claim----" + +"To whom?" cried the mother; "to another man's wife--an aged matron? +Fie, Robert! Say no more. Close the lips that would dishonour a son in +presence of his parents." + +"I hereby renounce all claim to six stirks at present lying at the farm +of Kelpiehaugh, and promise never to trouble Giles Ramsay for the same." + +"It's a' settled and adjusted," cried Matty. "I am satisfied; and Giles, +I fancy, you are no ill-pleased wi' my nicht's wark?" + +"I dinna ken which o' us hae dune best," replied the farmer. "Between +us, our arrears o' rent will be paid up. My bargain was guid; but I +freely admit yours is better." + +"Then this affair is at last arranged?" said the youth. + +The farmer assented. The worthy couple bade adieu to their friends, and +proceeded on their way to Kelpiehaugh. We cannot tell what explanations +took place at Langholm between the young man and his parents; neither +can we tell precisely the import of the conversation that took place +between the farmer and his wife on their journey homewards; but we +strongly suspect they enjoyed a hearty laugh at the clever manoeuvre +of the dame. It is probable that Giles himself was in the secret; at +least the good-humour he exhibited in getting again possession of his +spouse would lead us to believe that he had been a willing party in the +plot that had been so cleverly laid and executed. How far the daughter +was to blame has not been recorded; and, to do justice to the farmer and +his wife, they never taxed her with indiscretion. She was some time +afterwards married, and so put beyond the power of the wild youth who +had been so completely foiled by the genius of a clever dame. + + + + +SIR PATRICK HUME. + +A TALE OF THE HOUSE OF MARCHMONT. + + +Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth was elected representative of the County of +Berwick in the year 1665, being then in the twenty-fifth year of his +age. He was a lover of freedom, a lover of his country, and a staunch +Presbyterian. In those days, however, a love of freedom was a dangerous +principle either to avow or to carry into Parliament. The tyrant +Charles, whom some falsely call the Merry Monarch, was then attempting +to rule the empire with a rod of iron. You have all heard of his Long +Parliament, and of his afterwards governing the country, like an +absolute tyrant, without a Parliament at all. Fettered and servile as +parliaments then were, young Hume had boldly stood forward as the +advocate of civil and religious liberty; and, when the arbitrary monarch +sent down a mandate to Scotland for a levy of men and of money, that he +might carry his plans of despotism the more effectually into execution, +Sir Patrick resisted the slavishness with which it was about to be +obeyed. + +"What!" exclaimed he, "are we mere instruments in the hands of the +king--creatures appointed to minister to his pleasure? Are we not +representatives of the people of Scotland--the representatives of their +wants and their wishes, and the defenders of their rights? And shall we, +as such, at the mere nod of a monarch, drag them from following their +plough in the valley, or attending their hirsels on the hill--shall we +do these things, and lay contributions on their cattle, on their corn, +and on their coffers, merely because His Majesty wills it? Pause, my +countrymen. The king has no authority to compel such a measure, and it +can only be rendered legal by the concurrence of the assembled +representatives of the people." + +"Treason!" vociferated the Duke of Lauderdale, who was the arch-minion +of Charles; "before the Parliament of Scotland, I denounce Sir Patrick +Hume as a dangerous man--as a plotter against the life and dignity of +our sovereign lord the king!" + +"What!" exclaimed Sir Patrick, indignantly fixing his eyes upon +Lauderdale. "Though there may be amongst us a slave who would sell his +country for a royal smile, I still hope that this is a FREE Parliament, +and it concerns all the members to be FREE in what concerns the nation." + +From that day, Sir Patrick Hume became a suspected man, and the eyes of +the king's creatures were upon him; and when, two years afterwards, +Charles endeavoured to put down the people by the sword, and establish +garrisons throughout the country, again the Laird of Polwarth stood +foremost in the ranks of opposition, and resisted his power. The king +accordingly ordered his privy council to crush so dangerous a spirit; +and Sir Patrick was confined in Stirling Castle, where, with the +exception of a short interval, he was imprisoned for two years. + +Britain had long been distracted with the pretended discovery of +fabulous or ridiculous plots against the royal family; and the perjury +of paid miscreants, like the infamous Titus Oates, was causing the +scaffolds to run with gore. But tyranny being glutted with Catholic +blood, and the extinguishing of what were called Popish plots, the +myrmidons of Charles (who lived a libertine, and died a Papist) +professed that they had discovered a Protestant plot against his royal +person. In this plot the incorruptible Algernon Sydney, Lord Russell, Mr +Bailie of Jerviswoode, and Sir Patrick Hume, were included. They beheld +their common country withering and wasting beneath the grasp of a +tyrant; and true it is they had united together to restore it to +freedom, but they were innocent of designs against his life, or even of +a wish to dethrone him. They did not, however, act sufficiently in +concert, and were unable to bring their plans into operation. A price +was set upon their heads--some fled into exile, and others sought refuge +on the mountain and in the wilderness; while the amiable Russell died +upon the scaffold. + +It was near nightfall, in the month of September, 1684, when Jamie +Winter, who was joiner on the estate of Polwarth, ran breathless up to +Redbraes Castle, and knocked loudly at the door. It was opened by John +Allan, the land-steward, who, perceiving his agitation, inquired-- + +"In the name o' guidness, Jamie, what's happened, or what do ye want?" + +"Dinna ask, Maister Allan," replied Jamie; "but, for Heaven's sake, tell +me, is Sir Patrick at hame? and let me speak to him presently, as ye +value his life." + +"Follow me, then, Jamie," said the other, "and come in quietly, that the +servants mayna observe onything extraordinar; for we live in times when +a man canna trust his ain brither." + +The honest joiner was ushered into a room where Sir Patrick sat in the +midst of his family, acting at once as their schoolmaster and their +playmate. + +"Weel, James," said the laird, "I understand ye hae been at Berwick the +day. Ye've got early back. What uncos heard ye there?" + +"I watna, Sir Patrick," replied the other; "now-a-days, I think, there's +naething unco that can happen. Satan seems to have been let loose on our +poor misgoverned country. But I wish to speak to your honour very +particularly, and in private, if you please." + +"You may speak on, James," said the laird; "I am private in the midst o' +my ain family." + +"Wi' your guid leave sir," returned the cautious servant, "I wad rather +the bairns were oot o' the way, for what I hae to say is no proper for +them to hear, and the sooner ye are acquainted wi' it the better." + +Sir Patrick led his younger children out of the room, but requested Lady +Polwarth and their eldest daughter, Grizel, a lovely dark-haired girl, +about twelve years of age, to remain. + +"You are the bearer of evil tidings, James," said he, as he returned, +"but you may tell them now--it is meet that my wife should hear them, if +they concern me; and," added he, taking Grizel's hand in his, "I keep no +secrets from my little secretary." + +"God bless her!" said James, "she's an auld-farrant bairn, as wise as +she's bonny, I ken that. But, your honour, I am, indeed, the bearer of +evil tidings. A party o' troopers arrived at Berwick this morning, and +it was nae secret there that they would be baith at Jerviswoode and +Redbraes before midnicht. I heard them talk o' the premium that was set +upon your life, and slipped out o' the town immediately, without +performing a single transaction, or speaking a word to a living +creature. How I've got alang the road is mair than I can tell; for I was +literally sick, blind, and desperate wi' grief. I've this minute +arrived, and whatever can be done to save you maun be done instantly." + +Lady Polwarth burst into tears. Sir Patrick grasped the hand of his +faithful servant. Little Grizel gazed in her father's face with a look +of silent despair, but neither spoke nor wept. + +"Oh, fly! fly instantly, my dear husband!" cried Lady Polwarth, "and +Heaven direct you." + +"Be composed, my love," said Sir Patrick; "I fear that flight is +impossible; but some means of evading them may perhaps be devised." + +"Oh, my leddy," said Jamie Winter, "to flee is out o' the question +athegither. Government has its spies at every turn o' the road--in every +house in the country--even in this house. Our only hope is to conceal +Sir Patrick; but how or where is beyond my comprehension." + +Many were the schemes devised by the anxious wife--many the suggestions +of her husband, and honest Jamie proposed numerous plans--but each was, +in its turn, rejected as being unsafe. More than an hour had passed in +these anxious deliberations; within three hours more, and the king's +troops would be at his gate. Grizel had, till now, remained silent, and +dashing away the first tear that rolled down her cheek, she flung her +arms around her father's neck, and exclaimed, in an eager and breathless +whisper-- + +"I ken a place, faither--I ken a place that the king's troopers and his +spies will never find out; and I'll stop beside ye, to bear ye company." + +"Bless the bairn!" said Sir Patrick, pressing her to his breast; "and +where's the place, dearest?" + +"The aisle below Polwarth Kirk, faither," returned Grizel. "Nae trooper +will find out such a hiding-place; for the mouth's a bit wee hole, and +the long grass, and the docks, and the nettles grow owre it, and I could +slip out and in without trampling them down; and naebody would think o' +seeking ye there, faither." + +Lady Polwarth shuddered, and Sir Patrick pressed the cheek of his lovely +daughter to his lips. + +"Save us a', bairn!" said Jamie, "there's surely something no earthly +about yer young laddyship, for ye hae mair sense than us a' put +thegither. The aisle is the very place. I'll steal awa, and hae a kind +o' bed put up in it, and tak ither twa or three bits o' necessary +things; and, Sir Patrick, ye'll slip out o' the house and meet me there +as soon as possible." + +Within an hour, Sir Patrick had joined Jamie Winter in the dark and +dismal aisle. The humble bed was soon and silently fitted up, and the +faithful servant, wishing his master "farewell," left him alone in his +dreary prison-house. Slow and heavily the hours of darkness moved on. He +heard the trampling of the troopers' horses galloping in quest of him. +The oaths and the imprecations of the riders fell distinctly on his +ears. Amidst such sounds he heard them mention his name. But his heart +failed not. He knelt down upon the cold damp floor of his +hiding-place--upon the bones of his fathers--and there, in soundless, +but earnest prayer, supplicated his father's God to protect his +family--to save his country--to forgive his persecutors, and to do with +him as seemed good in his sight. He arose; and, laying himself upon his +cold and comfortless bed, slept calmly. He awoke shivering and benumbed. +Faint streaks of light stole into the place of death through its narrow +aperture, dimly revealing the ghastly sights of the charnel-house, and +the slow reptiles that crawled along the floor. Again night came on, and +the shadows of light, if I may use the expression, which revealed his +cell, died away. A second morning had come, and a second time the feeble +rays had been lost in utter darkness. It was near midnight, and the +slender stock of provisions which he had brought with him were nigh +exhausted. He started from his lowly couch--he heard a rustling among +the weeds at the mouth of the aisle--he heard some one endeavouring to +remove the fragment of an old gravestone that covered it. + +"Faither!" whispered an eager voice--"faither--it is me--yer ain +Grizel!" + +"My own, devoted, my matchless child!" said Sir Patrick, stretching his +hands towards the aperture, and receiving her in his arms. + +She sat down beside him on the bed--she detailed the search of the +troopers--she stated that they were watched in their own house--that a +spy was set over the very victuals that came from their table, lest he +should be concealed near, and fed by his family. + +"But what of that?" continued the light-hearted and heroic girl; "while +my plate is supplied, my faither's shall not be empty; and here," added +she, laughing--"here is a flask of wine, cakes, and a sheep's-head. But +I will tell you a story about the sheep's-head. It was placed on a plate +before me at dinner-time. The servant was out o' the room, naebody was +looking, and I whupped it into my apron. Little Sandy wanted a piece, +and, turning round for it, and missing the head, 'Ah, mother!' he cried, +'our Grizzy has swallowed a sheep's-head, bones and a', in a +moment!'--'Wheesht, laddie!' said my mother; 'eat ye next ane +then.'--'Oh, ye greedy Grizzy!' said Sandy, shaking his little nieve in +my face, 'I'll mind you for this.'--'I'm sure Sandy will ne'er forget +me,' said I, and slipped away out to hide the sheep's-head in my own +room; and as soon as I thought naebody was astir, I creeped out quietly +by the window, and got down here behint the hedges; and I'll come every +nicht, faither. But last nicht the troopers were still about the house." + +In spite of his misery, Sir Patrick laughed at the ingenuity of his +beloved and heroic daughter; then wept and laughed again, and pressed +her to his bosom. + +He had passed many weeks in this cheerless dungeon, with no companion +during the day save a volume of Buchanan's Psalms; but every night he +was visited by his intrepid daughter, who at once supplied him with +food, and beguiled the hours of his solitude. He was sitting in the +gloomy cell, conning over his favourite volume--the stone at the +aperture had been pushed aside a few inches to admit the light more +freely, and the weeds at the entrance were now bowed down and withered +by the frost--a few boys were playing in the churchyard, and tossing a +ball against the kirk. Being driven from the hand of an unskilful +player, it suddenly bounded into the aisle. Sir Patrick started, and the +book dropped from his hand. Immediately the aperture was surrounded by +the boys, and the stone removed. They stood debating who should enter, +but none had sufficient courage. At length one more hardy than the rest +volunteered to enter, if another would follow him. The laird gave +himself up as lost, for he knew that even the tale of a schoolboy would +effect his ruin. He was aware he could disperse them with a single +groan; but even that, when told to his enemies, might betray him. At +length three agreed to enter, and the feet of the first already +protruded into the aisle. Sir Patrick crept silently to its farthest +corner, when the gruff voice of the old gravedigger reached his ear, +shouting-- + +"The mischief's in the callants, and nae guid. What are ye doing there? +Do ye want the ghaists o' the auld Humes aboot yer lugs?" + +The boys fled amain, and the old man came growling to the mouth of the +aisle. + +"The deevil's in the bairns o' Polwarth," said he; "for they wad disturb +the very dead in their graves. I'll declare, they've the stane frae the +mouth o' the aisle!" + +He stooped down, and Sir Patrick saw his grim visage through the +aperture, and heard him thus continue his soliloquy, as he replaced the +stone-- + +"Sorrow tak the hands that moved the stane! Ye're hardly worth the +covering up again, for ye're a profitless hole to me; and I fancy him +that I should lay in ye next, be he whaur he likes, will gang the gate +that his freend Bailie gaed yesterday on a scaffold. A gravedigger's a +puir bisness, I am sorry to say, in our king's reign; and the fient a +ane thrives but the common executioner." + +So saying, he enveloped Sir Patrick in utter darkness. That night Grizel +and her father left the aisle together, and from her he learned the +particulars of what he had heard muttered by the gravedigger, that his +friend, Mr Bailie of Jerviswoode, had been executed the previous day. + +Disguised, and in the character of a surgeon, he by byways reached +London, and from thence fled to France. On the death of Charles, and +when the bigot James ascended the throne, Sir Patrick was one of the +leaders of the band of patriots who drew their swords in behalf of a +Protestant succession. + +That enterprise was unsuccessful; and, after contending, almost +singlehanded, against the enemies of his religion and his country, he +and his family sought refuge in a foreign land. He assumed the name of +Dr Peter Wallace, and they took up their abode in Utrecht. There poverty +and privations sought and found the exiles. They had parted with every +domestic, and the lovely Grizel was the sole servant and helper of her +mother, and, when their work was done, the assistant of her father in +the education of the younger children; for he had no longer the means of +providing them a tutor. Yet theirs was a family of love--a family of +happiness; and poverty purified their affections. But their remittances +from Scotland were not only scanty but uncertain. Till now Sir Patrick +had borne his misfortunes with resignation, and even cheerfulness; he +cared not that he was stripped of attendants, and of every luxury of +life; yet at times the secret and unbidden tears would start into his +eyes, as he beheld his wife and his fair daughter performing, without a +murmur, the most menial offices. But the measure of his trials was not +yet full--luxuries were not only denied him, but he was without food to +set before his children. The father wept, and his spirit heaved with +anguish. Grizel beheld his tears, and she knew the cause. She spoke not; +but, hastening to her little cabinet, she took from it a pair of +jewelled bracelets, and, wrapping herself up in a cloak, she took a +basket under her arm, and hurried to the street. The gentle being glided +along the streets of Utrecht, with her eyes fixed upon the ground, and +shunning the glance of the passengers, as if each knew her errand. She +stood before a shop in which all manner of merchandise was exposed, and +three golden balls were suspended over the door. She cast a timid gaze +into the shop--thrice she passed and repassed it, and repeated the timid +glance. She entered--she placed the bracelets upon the counter. + +"How much?" was the laconic question of the shopman. + +Grizel burst into tears. He handed her a sum of money across the +counter, and deposited the bracelets in his desk. She bounded from the +shop with a heart and a step light as a young bird in its first pride of +plumage. She hastened home with her basket filled. She placed it upon +the table. Lady Polwarth wept, and fell upon her daughter's neck. + +"Where have you been, Grizel?" faltered her father. + +"Purchasing provisions for a bauble," said she; and the smile and the +tear were seen on her cheek together. + +But many were the visits which the gentle Grizel had to pay to the +Golden Balls, while one piece of plate was pledged after another, that +her father, and her mother, and her brethren, might eat, and not die; +and even then the table of Sir Patrick, humble as it was, and +uncertainly provided for, was open to the needy of his countrymen. Thus +three years passed--the memorable 1688 arrived. Sir Patrick was the +friend, the counsellor, and supporter of King William--he arrived with +him in England--he shared in his triumph. He was created Lord Polwarth, +and appointed Sheriff of Berwickshire; and in 1696, though not a lawyer, +but an upright man, he was made Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and created +Earl of Marchmont, and Lord of Polwarth, Redbraes, and Greenlaw. He was +one of the most ardent promoters of the Union; and with it ceased his +political career. In 1710, when the Tories came into power, the earl +being the staunchest Whig in Scotland, he was deprived of the office of +Sheriff of Berwickshire, but was reinstated in 1715. His lady being +dead, he came to take up his residence in Berwick-upon-Tweed; and there, +when the heroic Grizel, who was now a wife and a mother (being married +to the son of his unfortunate friend, Mr Bailie of Jerviswoode), came +with her children and friends to visit him for the last time, as they +danced in the hall, though unable to walk, he desired to be carried into +the midst of them, and, beating time with his foot-- + +"See, Grizel," exclaimed the old patriot, "though your father is unable +to dance, he can still beat time with his foot." + +Shortly after this, he died in Berwick, on the 1st of August, 1724, in +the eighty-third year of his age--leaving behind him an example of +piety, courage, and patriotism, worthy the imitation of posterity. + + + + +THE SERJEANT'S TALES. + +THE PACKMAN'S JOURNEY TO LONDON. + + +At the next opportunity, I got Serjeant Square to resume the narrative +of his adventures. + +No feeling that the human mind is called upon to sustain (said he) is +more depressing than the consciousness of being alone in a strange place +without friend or acquaintance--the populous city and the desert are +alike lonely. I have been, in the wildernesses of America and in London, +the victim of this saddening sensation, and felt it perhaps less keenly +when a solitary wanderer in the trackless wilds; for there bodily +exertion, and the hopes of soon being in the haunts of men, deadened its +force; while, in the populous city, I felt as if I had, after severe +suffering and toil, attained an object to me worse than worthless. +Amidst the densest crowds, after all, a man can only feel himself truly +alone when no hand is held out to him, no eye beams the glance of +recognition, and all is strange as a dream. Such were my feelings on the +morning after my arrival in Berwick, on my way to London on foot. +Fortune had been adverse to me in my native city, Edinburgh--in truth, I +had hitherto been her plaything; and, even now, had no definite object +in view. Tired of my walk, I had agreed with the captain of a trader for +my passage by sea, for the remainder of my journey; and lay upon my bed, +awaiting the morning light, a prey to my feelings, and musing upon my +chequered fortunes. The wind began gradually to rise and mourn sadly +through the windows and in the chimney of the room where I lay. As the +morning advanced, the storm increased and raged, so that no vessel could +put to sea. After walking down to the harbour, I returned back to my +inn, half resolved not to proceed to the south, but return to Leith in a +vessel that was also ready to sail, loaded with grain. I felt myself as +if I had been a child, without a will of my own, not caring what became +of me. Had I been seized with a mortal disease, I would, I thought, have +welcomed death as a relief; so completely had my spirits, somehow or +other, become depressed. How I escaped the pressgang, I have often +wondered since; for they were very diligent in impressing seamen at this +time, and I was in seamen's clothes. Perhaps the fearless manner in +which I walked about had led them and the informers to suppose that I +had a protection, or was belonging to some ship, and at large on leave +of absence. + +After breakfast, as I sat conversing with one of the captains about the +weather and other trivial matters, a person entered the room with a pack +upon his back, and inquired if any of the gentlemen would be so kind as +look over his assortment of goods; strongly recommending some silk +handkerchiefs. + +"No," said the person with whom I was conversing, gruffly. "I want none +of your goods. You packmen are all swindling knaves." + +"Not all knaves, my good sir. There are knaves in all trades, I allow; +but there are honest men, too." And, addressing himself to me, he +repeated his request. + +His voice at first had sounded in my ears like some well-known sound, +and roused my attention; but in vain I endeavoured to call to mind where +I had heard it. I had not yet looked towards him; but the instant I did, +a mutual recognition took place. He set his pack upon one of the tables +of the tap-room. Our hands were clasped in each other's. "Square!" and +"Wilson!" were uttered with mutual feelings of joy and surprise. I had +met a companion of my early days and sufferings. Often had we spent the +long and chilling winter nights, huddled together to keep each other +warm, in the snuggest corner we could find; hungry and ill clothed, +often had we shared the precarious morsel of charity with each other, +when either could have devoured it all. We had not met since I had first +left Edinburgh, many years before; and, if a tear was shed for my +mysterious disappearance, it was by Bill Wilson. A glow of pleasure, +such as I had never felt before, thawed the icy feeling that had chilled +my mind. How delightful must some of the stronger affections be, when +the meeting of an early associate can cause so much pleasure! We stood +gazing in silence upon each other for some time, ere we could find words +to express our feelings. At length they were poured forth in +congratulations and kind inquiries. To be alone, we retired to my +bedroom, where I gave him a full account of all that had befallen me +since we last met, and the present unsettled state of my resolves. He +heard me with varying interest, until I had concluded. + +"Square," said he, "you have been sorely knocked about, a passive agent, +without an object, save to enjoy or suffer the present hour. Now, to +succeed, we must have an aim, and hold it in sight, whatever may befall; +even should it often elude our grasp, we must not despair or relinquish +it for another. My wish is an old age of independence. I may die this +night, or I may live until old age has long impaired my energies. To +obtain this, my wish, I have, from circumstances, chosen my present +calling; nor have I allowed the most adverse fortune to shake my +resolve, or change my method of recovering it; for perseverance is the +only road that leads to success. Fortune placed you in America at your +outset in life. You forsook the path others have trod in with success. +You prospered at sea, and threw the golden opportunity away for a whim; +a third time you were placed in fortune's way; a dark cloud passed over +it; you gave way to your feelings, and are once more, with years of lost +time, where you commenced." + +As he spoke, a feeling anything but gratifying passed over my mind. I +felt that what he said was strictly true; that I had been living, until +now, without an aim, either of avarice or ambition--my thoughts never +having extended to the future, nor a care for to-morrow having ever +occupied my mind. His cares, again, were all for to-morrow. This +difference could not have arisen from education; for in this we were +both alike. He, in short, had more prudence. But to proceed. I requested +him to give me an account of the manner in which he had lived since we +had been separated. + +"You know, John," he began, "that we were twins in adversity upon the +streets of Edinburgh, equally friendless and penniless. After your +departure, I felt for a few days very sad and lonely. I sought you +everywhere in vain, and made every inquiry; but who cared aught about a +homeless beggar-boy? Had a dog as strangely disappeared, the public +crier would have proclaimed him through the streets. I began, young as I +was, seriously to reflect upon my desolate situation, and plan in my +mind ways to mend it. The childish wishes we had often formed of being +rich, and the happy dreams of what we would do if we were so, rose with +tenfold force into my memory, and I resolved to be rich; but how to +attain my aim was the rub. Wishing, I knew well, brought no gain. It +must be toiled for, and steadily pursued. A tradesman I could not hope +to be. No one would receive me for my labour during my apprenticeship, +and clothe and feed me; and I was too young and weak for labouring work +in town or country. There was one way alone open to me--to commence +merchant. You may smile at the word; but you shall see. It was not my +choice; but what have the poor to do with choice? My object now was to +obtain a capital to commence business upon. I was far from fortunate. It +was nearly a month before I had accumulated a groat; yet my labour and +anxiety were intense. No gentleman appeared on horseback in the city, +whom I did not follow, in anxious hopes to get, by holding his horse, a +penny, to increase my capital. In messages I was more indefatigable than +usual. No length of space or weight of load daunted me, if a penny was +to be earned; but it appeared to my eager mind that the gentlemen, at +this time, required less service than usual, and those that employed me +were more liberal of their food than halfpence. Still I steadily held on +unflinching, adding halfpenny to halfpenny, my mind a prey to a new +fear, that of losing my treasure. But I had joys mixed with my fears; +for, when I retired to a quiet corner, and counted again and again my +increasing store, what a pleasure I felt in adding a halfpenny to it, +and carefully wrapping up the paper! When I had reached my eightpence, I +could delay my undertaking no longer. I felt I had attained my first +step; and, with a feeling of importance to be envied, proceeded to a +bookseller's shop, and purchased ballads, of which I got, for my groat, +one dozen and three, with a piece of paper to wrap them in, and left the +shop, exulting that I was now a merchant, and had goods to dispose of. + +"As it was not my intention to sing them on the streets--for from this +my pride revolted--I set off in the direction of Lasswade, calling at +every door to offer my wares. In two days I had sold off my whole stock, +and returned to town for more ballads. After a time, I added other small +books, and my trade prospered amazingly. My living cost me nothing; my +voice was good, and a supper and bed to the pedlar-boy, were the +purchase of my songs, at the cottar's or the farmer's ingle. During the +first year my two groats had grown to nearly a pound, and my ambition +had grown with it. Pins, tapes, and thread were added to my store; my +excursions were extended, and Bill Wilson was a known and a welcome +guest over the whole county of Mid-Lothian. My toil was great, but my +strength seemed to increase with my load. I had now in view my second +step in advance, a horse and cart to carry my load. Years had passed on; +my pack, worth twenty pounds, was all my own, and I had two pounds in my +pocket; it was far on in the year, and the day was short and louring. I +had some goods bespoke for a bridal, which required to be delivered on +the following day. My route lay over the Soutra Hill; and had the +weather kept up, my task was easy of accomplishment--so I cheerily +plodded on, counting my gains; but scarce had I reached the ascent, when +the wind began to moan along the dreary waste, and thin flakes of snow +to fall, while the blast, from the east, blew right in my face. I +quickened my pace; but the storm increased before I reached the top, the +drifting snow blinding me, and the fitful gusts almost lifting me off my +feet. Cold and biting as was the air, I was wet with perspiration, from +my load and my struggles against the blast. I could not see two yards +before me; I was truly alone in the howling waste, yet I yielded not to +despondency, but struggled on for life. I had, it seemed, deviated from +the road, for all was now a trackless waste, when suddenly I stumbled +and fell on the edge of a declivity, and my pack, the whole of my +wealth, bounded from me, in what direction I knew not. It was vain to +look for it in such a situation, in such a storm; but what is wealth +under such circumstances, when life is scarcely to be hoped for? + +"When I recovered my feet, I was bruised, and began to chill. Hope of +escape had nearly fled; despondency was stealing fast upon me; but life +is sweet, and so I urged on, as much to overcome the intense cold I +felt, as with any hope of finding a shelter from the pitiless storm. The +magnitude of my loss never once entered my mind in this struggle for +existence. I would have given all the remainder of my hard earnings for +the sight of a cottage, in which to preserve my life. In this, my hour +of need, I was snatched from death. As I stood, unable to move a step +farther, and on the point of sinking upon the snow, to rise no more, the +sound of a dog, barking loudly, fell upon my ear. There was life in the +welcome sound; and, with an energy I had felt myself incapable of a +minute before, I started off towards the spot from whence the sounds +proceeded, calling at intervals with all my strength, and listening as +the barking of the dog became more and more distinct. At length I could +perceive the light shine dimly through the drifting snow, from a cottage +window, which, having reached, I entered, almost exhausted. I was kindly +received by the humane inmates, to whom I told my piteous tale. The +storm still howled without. The good woman made for me a shake-down upon +the floor, close by the fire, whereon to pass the night. After my +benumbed limbs were restored to animation, the good man of the house +took the book, and, after the worship, in which I joined with a fervour +I had never felt before, we all retired to rest, the family speaking all +the comfort to me their feeling hearts could dictate, and promising to +rise before dawn, to assist in searching for my pack. All was still +within; but the storm raged with unabated violence without, and for +hours sleep forsook my pillow. I was tormented with heat; pains shot +through my frame, and before the dawn I was in a raging fever, and +unable to rise. The good people of the house were sore distressed. I +gave them the best information I could where to search for my pack; but +it was very vague, for I knew not myself the spot where it had bounded +from me, and I was at this time two long Scotch miles from the Soutra +Hill, and one mile off the highway. The storm of the preceding evening +had been followed by a partial thaw after daybreak; but all, save where +the wind had blown the snow from the heights, lay a trackless waste. Far +on in the day the searchers returned from their fruitless labours, +fatigued and hungry. I was myself much worse; no doctor was to be had +nearer than Haddington, neither was there accommodation for me in the +house. Ill as I was, I had no choice. A horse and cart were, at my +request, procured, and, carefully wrapped up, I was conveyed to +Haddington. What followed for some days I know not. I will hurry on. I +would not have been so minute, were it not to show you that there are +shipwrecks and disasters on land as well as at sea. + +"When I recovered my consciousness, I found myself in an obscure garret, +the dwelling of a lone and pious widow, who had taken into her house the +sick stranger, when all else had refused. I had occupied her only bed, +while she passed her nights, seated by her scanty fire, and nursed me in +my delirium and fever. The good doctor had attended me as assiduously as +if I had been his own son, and aided the widow in supporting me. The +snow had been all off the ground for many days; and whoever had found my +store had kept it concealed, for I never heard of it. I was once again +penniless, and worse than I was at the commencement; for I was indebted +to my kind landlady and the doctor. My two guineas and seven shillings +were still in my pocket untouched; for the pious widow had, even in her +straits, on my account held them sacred, and they knew from the people +who brought me of my ruinous misfortune. When I became able to move +about, I besought them to accept of even one of the guineas as a +remuneration; but their answer was, they would give me credit until I +was enabled to pay them in full--and, thank God, I have done this long +ago. + +"It was well up in February before I could resume my toils. +Disheartening as my misfortune had been, my ultimate object, and the +means of attaining it, I had never for one moment allowed to pass from +my mind. It was now that the reward of honesty and fair dealing was felt +by me, and proved of immense advantage in enabling me to recover my +loss. There was not a merchant with whom I had ever dealed, who did not +offer me his goods in trust, to what amount I chose; but to avoid debt +has ever been my maxim, and I took no more than my finances would allow. +I had only a smaller assortment, and returned the sooner. I was +astonished at the rapidity of my own sales--for all had heard of my +misfortunes, and pitied me; and, if I was expected, no other packman had +any chance. What was required, if not in my pack, I got orders for, and +brought at the appointed time. From that day to this, everything has +prospered with me. I have attained my second step, and am now on my way +to London, and other towns, to purchase goods, and a horse and cart. To +cover my expenses, I am doing a little business by the way. An extensive +shop, and at length a competency, are, I trust, not far distant." + +By mid-day, the gale of wind had considerably abated; the tide being in +the evening, the vessels could not depart. We sat chatting together. The +perseverance and success of my companion had made a deep impression on +me. I began to think that I might do worse than follow his example; for +I had never left my country through choice. + +"Wilson," said I, "do you think I could be converted into a packman? I +care not what I do for an honest livelihood. I have often heard that an +old packman makes a good merchant--I am willing to try if an old +merchant can make a good packman. I have a few guineas to purchase goods +with. If you will tell me what are the proper kinds, we will go +together, by sea, to London, where you are going, and make our +purchases: are you agreed?" + +"No! Square, no! I will never agree to trust myself upon the fickle +element, when there is no occasion for it, besides manifest loss. With +what goods are in my pack, I will travel free to London, and put a pound +in my pocket, at least. If you have any thought of turning to my +profession, you must study economy and a placid temper--'take the bit +and the buffet with it.' I have not a doubt you may succeed, if you +stick to it in earnest; and I have no objection to give you all the +information I can, before we part." + +I myself had, indeed, no other motive for going by sea to London, than +to avoid the fatigue and get quickly there; so it was agreed that I +should proceed with him, and learn from his experience. My sailor's +dress was sold, and one similar to his own purchased; and, while this +was being done, he told me that he had upon his person, carefully +concealed, an order from the Royal Bank of Scotland, upon the Bank of +England, for one hundred and sixty guineas, which he had doubly secured. +It was, he said, not indorsed, nor would he indorse it, until he was +obtaining the cash. "There are such things as robberies," he said, "and +much worse. I have left a letter and instructions at the bank, and with +Widow Craig, who nursed me in my sickness (we have been as mother and +son since then), that, if my order is not called for within twelve +months, she is to give my letter to the worthy doctor, who will receive +the amount, and administer to the widow's comforts. What remains at her +death, I cheerfully bequeath to him. You may smile at this; but our +trade is one not without danger even in Scotland; and in England, where +highwaymen and footpads are plenty, we travel with our lives in our +hands." + +Before the evening closed, I was all ready to start upon my new line of +life. As Berwick, he said, was not a proper place to lay in a store of +goods to sell again with a sufficient profit, I purchased only a few +pounds' worth of hardware, Wilson being so kind as sell me, at cost, one +dozen of Barcelona silk handkerchiefs, of which he had a great supply, +and which he esteemed as valuable and light of carriage. The remainder +of my cash he made me take out of my purse, saying that none but those +who knew not the value of money carried it in purses. It was as if the +owner had collected it for the first who chose to put his hand in his +pocket, or for a vain display. + +"Square," said he, "if you had a thousand guineas in your pocket, among +strangers never show or say you have a coin in gold. Tempt no man to +evil. The poor travel safe, when the rich are in peril. Allow me to +place your guineas in the bank." + +He then opened the lining of the waistband of my small-clothes, and +stitched them in so dexterously, that no one could have thought there +was coin there. + +"Now," says he, "we are all ready to start for London on the morning. +The way is long, and our burdens heavy; but they will get lighter as we +move along. Our lodging for to-morrow night is Belford. I shall manage +so that we shall reach it before dark. The direct distance is only +fifteen miles; but we may travel thirty in quest of customers. You are +not now, as you were a few months since, to expect that customers will +come to you--the pack is a travelling counter, and must move about." + +Next morning, after an early breakfast, we crossed the Tweed, and walked +on, with our packs slung over our shoulders--the weather cool and +pleasing. I felt a buoyancy of spirits I had not experienced for some +time; I dreamed waking dreams, and built castles in the air. Wilson sung +snatches of songs. I had once more entered on a new walk in life, and +begun at the right end, as Wilson said in one of his sage remarks. + +"Square, your last misfortune arose from this--you began business at the +wrong end; you commenced too soon and too full. No man can manage money +well who knows not, by earning, the value of it. Be prudent--be cunning, +too, if you please; but use not your cunning to wrong any one--a +shilling won by fraud is a pound of loss. I have known many since I +began who have hastened to be rich in that way; but they have all failed +in their attempts. Those who once dealt would never deal with them +again; their means of success became every journey more circumscribed. +Here is a farm-steading--we must try how we are to succeed on the south +of the Tweed." + +I will not weary you with our hawking adventures. We progressed on our +journey with various success, but constantly with gain, our packs +lightening apace; I liking the profession very ill. I loved not money +sufficiently to bend my mind to the slights and insults we were often +forced to endure. Upon Wilson they had no effect in ruffling his temper. +He would smile, and, with a slyness of humour, turn their bitterest +taunts against the taunters, or banter them into good-humour, and effect +a sale. He would, indeed, be as good-humoured under insult as if he had +been civilly treated; while I was on the eve of bursting into a rage, +and either looking sulky or returning taunt for taunt. Indeed, before we +reached Northallerton, I had made up my mind to relinquish my new +calling as soon as we got to London; and told Wilson so. He shook his +head. + +"John Square, you are one of those who, for want of firmness, never get +on in the world. When there is an object to gain, we must not be scared +from it by trifles, or neglect an honest mean that leads to success. You +have commenced at the hardest part of a packman's life--his journey in +England. But, ho! here is Northallerton. To-morrow we will strike off +the eastern road, and go to York. I expect to see some acquaintances +there." + +Thus we journeyed on, I more through a dogged stubbornness not to yield, +than any love I had for the mode of life I had chosen, until we were a +few miles from York, where we overtook a brother of the trade. As soon +as he came in sight, Wilson said-- + +"There is Simon Hepburn, the Praying Packman, as the profane call him, +or Pious Simon, his more befitting name; for he really is a good, +well-meaning man. I have known him for some years, neither richer nor +poorer; his pack or cash seldom exceeds twenty pounds, yet he could +easily increase his store, if he had ambition; but that he wants; and +his gains are always spent upon objects of charity or piety. He is never +without Bibles or pious books, which he bestows, in free gift, where he +thinks they may be of use; he has only particular houses where he stops, +and he is always a welcome guest, superseding the goodman of the house, +for the time, in the Christian office of a teacher. The most pleasing +and edifying evenings I have ever spent were with him. When he is in +Haddington, Widow Craig's is his home; and, although we are two of a +trade, happy am I when we meet. You shall judge for yourself. His +history is a most singular one, and nothing gives him more pleasure than +to relate it. Let him speak for himself." + +We quickened our pace, and soon overtook him. He was a man, to all +appearance, above sixty years of age; his hair was white as snow, with a +shade of care at times upon his regular features, that flitted off, and +was succeeded by a gleam of internal satisfaction. The smoothness of his +brow, and the fulness of his features, bore an unusual contrast to the +whiteness of his locks, the appearance of age and youth being strangely +combined, while his whole appearance was winning in the extreme. When we +came up to him, Bill said-- + +"Simon, I am happy to have met you; how come you on?" + +"Far beyond my deserts," said he. "How are you? and how did you leave my +worthy friend the widow?" + +"In good health," said Bill; "I thank you. I have been just talking of +you to my friend Square here, who would feel obliged were you to give +him an outline of your strange history, as we walk on to York." + +"Certainly, Bill, certainly; it may be of use to him. He is a new +beginner in his present craft, as I was when the events happened that I +am going to relate. + +"The changes that occur both in nations and families," said Simon, "are +soon felt by the individuals. Lawsuits and bad management had reduced +the once extensive patrimony of our family to a small farm. At my +grandfather's death, my father, who had married, as his father thought, +far beneath him, had three sons. My oldest brother, before he succeeded, +went to Holland, having got a commission in the Scottish brigade; the +second attended the farm, at which I assisted until I was about +eighteen. I grew weary of farming, and resolved to become a merchant. I +was induced to this by the success of several who had left our +neighbourhood, done well after a few years' travel as packmen, and were +then settled in various towns, and prosperous. It was in the beginning +of May, as soon as the weather became settled, that I left the +neighbourhood of Annan, with a few pounds, on my way to Dumfries, and +thence to Edinburgh; my object being to furnish my pack. I had a +relation of my mother's, a wholesale merchant, in the first town, who +had promised to do all in his power for me, as far as advice and a few +articles would go. Cheerful and full of hope, I strode along, till, +within about two miles from Dumfries, I overtook a young and interesting +female, accompanied by a young man. We entered into conversation as we +walked along. She appeared sad, and often sighed; while he was taciturn, +and appeared to avoid conversation. When within a few hundred yards of +the town, they stopped behind for a minute or so, and then, the man +leaving her, she overtook me, and we entered the town together. I +learned from her that she was on her way to Edinburgh, and, having a +brother married in Dumfries, she was going to his house for some +articles belonging to her, and her fellow-traveller was to meet her +there. + +"Anxious to commence my new mode of life, I had soon completed my +business with my friend. He was standing at the door when I came up with +the young woman, and, laughing, inquired if she was my sweetheart or +wife. In the course of two or three hours, I was again upon the road +towards Moffat, on my way to Edinburgh, with my light pack upon my back, +as happy as a king. As I passed the side of a young plantation that +skirted the road, a few miles from Dumfries, I saw, lying on the side of +the way, a small bundle, tied in a silk handkerchief. I immediately +picked it up; and, after standing a few minutes, and looking around to +see if any one was in sight who might have dropped it, I called aloud, +but there was no answer. I continued my pace, rejoicing in my good +fortune. At about a quarter-of-a-mile from the spot, there was a +public-house, into which I entered, for a little refreshment, and to +inquire if they would purchase anything I could supply them. I placed +the bundle I had picked up and my pack upon the table, got what I asked +for, and then inquired if they would purchase. During my stay, two +farm-servants came in; and, when I was about to depart, they, seeing me +lift the bundle from the table, inquired if it was my own. I hesitated +for a moment, and, unfortunately, said that it was. They looked at each +other; no more passed, and I resumed my journey towards Moffat, which I +was anxious to reach before nightfall. I accomplished it; and, stopping +at a cheap lodging-house, had an early supper, and went soon to bed, +weary with my day's walk. + +"Scarce had I fallen asleep, when I was aroused by a loud knocking at +the door, and the sound of many voices. Before I was fully awake, I was +seized in my bed, and my hands bound tightly together. My terror became +extreme--I shook in every limb. In vain I strove to speak, and inquire +what all this meant. I could only see that every eye was bent on me with +an expression of horror and rage. My clothes were searched, and then +forced upon me. I was not allowed to assist myself--my hands were +unbound to get on my coat; but a man held each arm while another pulled. +They seemed afraid I would do something desperate, and were as coarse +and cautious as if I had been a ferocious animal; yet I was passive from +excess of fear; and, although numbers were speaking, I was in such a +state that I could not collect the purport of their conversation. +Execrations sounded in my ears above the confusion of voices, and the +first sentence I made out was spoken by my landlady:--'Oh, the +bloody-minded young wretch!' she cried. 'Who would have thought it, to +look at him? But I hope they will hang him as high as Haman. And, after +all, to come into a lone widow's house to bring disgrace on it. Take him +away, sirs, as quick as you can, or I shall be an undone woman, and my +character entirely lost.' + +"Astonished at what the woman said, I inquired what offence I had +committed--or where. O God! what was my horror to learn that I was +charged with murder!--that the bundle in my possession had been the +property of the victim of some ruthless villain--and that I was taken +for him! In vain I protested my innocence. The two men were present to +whom I had said, when they inquired, that the bundle was my own. I was +thus, by my own confession--if not a murderer--a convicted liar. No one, +for a moment, thought me innocent. So strong was their conviction of my +guilt, that had the laws not deterred them, they would have rejoiced to +have put me to death on the spot. Even this would have been kindness, in +a worldly sense, to what I was doomed to suffer. + +"It was nearly eleven o'clock at night, but clear and bright; the moon +was nearly full; the air a little sharp, but not cold, when I was +placed, bound hand and foot, in a cart, and accompanied by the two men +and two officers. I thought my heart would have burst. I opened not my +mouth to speak in answer to their questions, cruel taunts, and +upbraidings. I saw I was an object of horror and loathing to them--and +deservedly so, had I been the guilty creature they had cause to think +me. I passed the melancholy time we were upon the road in tears, and +prayers that my innocence might be made manifest; but I knew not yet the +extent of my misery. At length the cart stopped at the door of the +public-house; my feet were loosened, and I was desired to come down, and +enter the same room where I had been in the afternoon. A crowd of +horrorstricken people were huddled round the fireplace. In the wooden +bed lay an object, covered with a white sheet, resembling a human body. +I had never seen a corpse laid out in my life; yet the idea rushed upon +my mind that this was one; and my blood curdled in my veins, as the +conviction came over me that it was one that had met its fate by +violence. I trembled, while the large drops of sweat stood upon my brow. +All eyes were turned to me; a grim smile of malicious satisfaction was +on the faces of some, while horror and pity were equally strongly marked +upon the countenances of others. My natural feelings were, to all +present, a sure indication of my guilt. I would have sunk to the ground +had not the two men supported me. My head fell upon my breast. I +requested a little water, in a voice scarcely audible. It was given me, +and the sickness went off. One of the officers then, taking a lamp, went +to the bed, and removed the sheet from the body. My eyes involuntarily +followed him; a cry of horror escaped my lips; and I felt my muscles +become rigid. Before me lay the body of the female I had parted with in +health early in the forenoon, at the shop-door of my relation, +shockingly mangled, her long fair hair clotted with blood, and her mild +blue eyes, that had smiled upon me, dulled by the shade of death. I +could only groan. My sufferings at this sight were beyond utterance. All +in the room moved to the bed, and placed their hands upon the bosom of +the dead, and protested their innocence. I was ordered to do the same; +but I could not summon resolution to touch the body. My whole nature +revolted from the contact. + +"'I am innocent!' I cried; 'God knows I am innocent! I know nothing of +this foul murder. Ask me to cut off my hand, or place it in the burning +fire, among the live coals; but ask me not to touch that bloody body, +for pity's sake!' + +"My appeals were vain; they only served to confirm the prepossessions of +my hearers that I was guilty. As I stood, shrinking from the fearful +object as far as those who held me would permit, a cry arose that I was +the murderer beyond a doubt, and that I should be compelled to touch the +body. One of the officers seized my hand; those who held me pushed me +towards the bed; I struggled in vain; my hand was held fast as I was +forced along; and the consequence was, that it came with force upon the +chest of the murdered victim, when a gurgling sound issued from the +gaping wound. I became insensible. + +"When my faculties returned, it was the grey of the morning. We were +entering the town of Dumfries; I in the cart, and the murdered body by +my side. I was lodged in the jail--a criminal already condemned in the +eyes of my fellow-men. Even the felons and debtors in prison avoided my +society. At my examination before the sheriff, I trembled at the array +of circumstantial evidence that was brought against me. My own relation +admitted that he had seen us together at his shop-door. The young woman +had gone from thence to her brother's, and staid only a short +time--telling them she was on her way to Edinburgh, and was to meet a +young man, who was to accompany her there. She had been seen by the two +men lingering upon the Moffat road, near the planting, a short time +before, with the same bundle in her hand that I had said was mine when +they saw me in the public-house with it in my possession. They had +thought it strange, but paid no attention until the body of the young +woman was discovered in the wood a few hours after, and still warm. I +had been pursued, and the property proved to belong to the victim of my +cruelty. My terror at being apprehended, and my refusal to touch the +dead body, all militated against me. I was fully committed as the +murderer, without hope of escape, innocent as I was of the crime. To +this damning evidence, all I had to advance was my unheeded assertion of +my innocence. + +"From the beginning of May until the month of September I lay in jail--a +stranger to comfort of any kind. Every anguish was mine, except remorse. +I was looked upon by all, except my parents, as the most hardened +villain on earth. No one doubted my guilt, except my parents; and it was +only their parental feelings that made them doubt and pray that, if +innocent, the really guilty might be discovered. I will not attempt to +describe the scenes between me and my parents. They both wished that the +grave might hide their shame before the fatal day of the execution of +their son; for all chance of proving my innocence seemed out of the +question. The worthy minister that visited the jail firmly believed in +my guilt; to all my solemn asseverations of innocence, he only replied +by holding forth on the dangers of hardened crime, with earnest +exhortations for me to confess and make atonement as far as was in my +power. He would for hours lay before me the horrors of appearing before +my Maker with a lie in my mouth. My pride was wounded by the good man's +well-meant efforts. I began to avoid him as much as possible; and, when +I could not, I was silent and sullen. This, also, was held to be a sure +token of my guilt. Alas! I was not hardened; but I was heart-broken. My +Bible was my only companion--my soother and support; for I found no +threat there but against the wicked. Its Author was the searcher of +hearts. In it I found I was really guilty of many crimes which my +fellow-men thought nothing of; but there I also found a Saviour and +Mediator. My mind became humbled and composed; and, while I still +solemnly asserted my innocence of the murder, I did it with temper and +meekness. + +"'Worthy sir,' I said to the clergyman, 'appearances have deceived you. +If it is the will of God that the innocent should suffer, for some wise +purpose, his will be done. If it is not so, my guiltlessness of blood +will be made evident in this world--at least I shall be declared +innocent on that great day when all shall render their account--in this +matter, innocent, save of the guilty falsehood I stated, that the +unfortunate female's bundle was my own. Alas! I wished not to keep the +property from the rightful owner. My thought at the time was, that, if I +owned that I had found it, they would take it from me, or make a +disturbance about it. Had they only said a few words more, I had told +the truth; and thus, probably, have contributed to the proof of my +innocence.' + +"At length, the Lords of Justiciary entered the town. None but those who +are within the walls of a jail, awaiting their arrival, can conceive the +dread sensation of fear and hope awakened in the breasts of criminals by +the clang of the trumpets and shouting of the mob, as the pageant +proceeds through the streets. How bitter are the feelings produced by +the joyous shouts of the thoughtless people! forgetful, or heedless, of +the fates of their fellow-mortals. Next day I was led into the court, +more dead than alive. My head became giddy. Everything before me--the +crowded court, the judges, jury, and officers--became a confused mass; a +murmur as if of horror sounded in my ears from the assembled multitude; +the fatal bundle lay upon the table before me. At length all was ready; +and, the indictment having been read aloud by the clerk, the judge, in a +solemn voice, asked if I was guilty or not. After a gasp or two for +breath-- + +"'O my lord!' I said, 'I am as guiltless of this crime as the unborn +babe. Have mercy on me!' And I sank upon the table before me, +overpowered. + +"The public prosecutor then opened the case, and harrowed up my soul +with the fearful account of the diabolical deed. He almost persuaded me +I was the murderer; so clearly did he reason from appearances. The +witnesses were called; a chain of circumstantial evidence was made out; +all that was awanting in it was, that I had not been seen to do the +deed. Witnesses I had not one. Those whom I could have called could have +said nothing but what they had already said, and it was wrested to my +disadvantage by my own story; for I was a self-convicted liar, and +little better than a thief, in my attempt to appropriate what was not my +own--even in the most favourable construction my able counsel could put +upon my case. The jury, without leaving their box, pronounced me guilty, +without a dissentient voice. The judge put on the fearful black hat upon +his head; and, after a heart-harrowing speech upon my guilt, pronounced +sentence of death upon me. I was to be taken back to the jail, and from +thence to the spot where the murder had been committed, and hung in +chains on the second market-day in October. How I was removed from the +court I cannot tell; neither can I tell what intervened for some hours. +The last thing strongly impressed upon my memory is a burst of +satisfaction in the court, when the sentence was passed upon me, and the +hooting of the crowd without; yet, strange to say, I slept soundly after +the irons were riveted upon my ankles, and awoke to find my doom fixed, +and my days on earth numbered. I became, in a manner, resigned to my +fate. Indeed, save for my parents, I had no other regret in leaving the +world; yet, at times, an anxious wish would steal upon my mind that I +might be saved from my unmerited death. It was the shuddering of nature +at entering upon eternity. The hope never left me that my innocence +would, at one time or another, sooner or later, be made manifest to my +fellow-men--for murder will not hide, nor innocent blood cry from the +earth in vain. The hours flew past with fearful rapidity; the +neighbouring clock seemed never to cease to strike the hour. Night +followed day, and day night, as if there was no interval between; yet +there was a heaviness upon me that bowed me down. My last Sabbath on +earth arrived; the day was spent in devotion--my heart-broken parents, +who now were convinced of my innocence, pouring out their souls with +mine to the Throne of Grace. If ever there was on earth a foretaste of +the joys of heaven, I felt it that day in the condemned cell, loaded +with irons. We had taken farewell of each other, in the full assurance +of soon meeting where there is no sorrow or shame. The bitterness of +death was past. My thoughts were no longer of this world. + +"The Monday passed on. There was but one whole day more for me on the +earth. Wednesday was to be my last. On the morning of Tuesday, as soon +as the jail was opened, my brother, who had always thought hardly of me, +and visited me only twice, rushed into my cell, and, weeping, fell upon +my bosom. After a few minutes, he sobbed-- + +"'My brother! Simon, my brother! can you forgive me for thinking so +hardly of you?' + +"'My brother,' I replied, 'I have ever thought of you in grief and pity, +never in anger. My heart blesses you for this kindness.' + +"'You are innocent, my own Simon! You are cleared of this crime. All is +made manifest. The worthy minister is at present with the provost, who +will write to the sheriff to delay the fatal day, until your pardon +come.' + +"I heard no more: a faintness came over me; my heart ceased to beat, and +all consciousness left me for some time. When I recovered, we fell upon +our knees, and poured out our souls in thanksgivings. At that time I +dedicated the whole remainder of my days to the service of that merciful +God who had made clear my innocence, and spared my parents and friends +from shame. + +"When we had become composed, I learned from him the wonderful manner in +which my innocence had been discovered, and the guilty punished by the +hand of the sufferer's own brother. She had resided in the parish of +Caerlaverock, with a brother, a widower, as his housekeeper, for some +years; and it had been understood that she was soon to marry a young +man, a stranger, who had come some years before into the parish. He was +on intimate terms with her brother; but her other friends did not +approve of the connection, as his character was none of the best. Her +brother was of a thoughtless, jovial disposition, and saw no harm in +him, for he was an excellent boon-companion, and they were thus +inseparable on all occasions of festivity. On the Saturday afternoon +before the day appointed for my execution, they had gone out with their +guns to shoot for amusement. Both had been drinking pretty hard; and it +was observed that the stranger had for some time almost entirely given +himself up to intoxication, especially since the death of Grace, his +sweetheart. This was attributed to his grief, and begat pity for him, +and no one was more assiduous in endeavouring to cheer his gloom than +her brother. After their search for game, they were returning to the +village, when, by some accident, the gun which Grace's brother carried +went off, and lodged its contents in the body of his companion, who +fell, dreadfully wounded. A surgeon was sent for, who gave little hopes +of his recovery. No blame could be attached to his companion, as the +accident was seen by several, and the grief of Grace's brother was +excessive. On the Sabbath, the stranger was much worse. His mind seemed +to suffer more than his body; and words of fearful import escaped from +him at intervals, which harrowed up the souls of those who attended him. +Cries of despair, mixed with horrid imprecations, burst from his lips. +Yet death evidently was approaching fast to seize his victim. When they +spoke of sending for the minister to pray with and console him, he +blasphemed, and thus spent he his last Sabbath on earth. Through the +night he fell into a troubled sleep, and began to mutter. Gradually his +words became more distinct. He talked of Grace, and recounted her murder +as he had perpetrated it; writhed in remorse, and called for mercy from +my injured spirit, as if I had already suffered. As soon as the morning +dawned, the minister was sent for, and what the guilty man had said in +his sleep recounted to him. He was now very low; the hand of death was +on him; and, for some time, he was deaf to the remonstrances of the +divine. But at length he confessed all; told that they would find the +knife with which he had done the fearful crime buried at the back of the +cottage where he lay. All was written down by the minister. The knife +was found, stained with the blood of his victim. I was now as much the +object of pity as I had been of hatred and horror. That day my irons +were struck off; I had the freedom of the jail until my pardon arrived, +and was visited by numbers of the inhabitants, who loaded me with +presents. But my feelings of gratitude were principally awakened on my +parents' account, for the joy it imparted to them. Many, many years have +passed since that event, but it is ever present with me, and spurs me on +in my labours of love, in comforting and winning souls to God." + +So deeply had I been interested in the narrative of the Pious Pedlar, +that we had reached York, and stood at the door of the Duke of +Marlborough public-house, before I was aware of the distance we had +walked after he commenced. As this was the house where Bill and a number +of others in his line were in the habit of staying during the time they +were in the town, we entered, and found two or three, who, like +ourselves, had come to purchase goods. I was astonished at the haughty +manner in which they returned our salutation. The landlord, who seemed +to know all his guests well, received William and Simon with a hearty +welcome; and, shaking me by the hand, wished me success in my new +calling, expressing his hope that I would find everything in the +Marlborough to my liking. We were then ushered into a small room, where +dinner was to be served to us. When we were comfortably seated, I +remarked to Bill the impression the lofty bearing of the others had made +upon me, and inquired if he knew the cause. He laughed-- + +"Quite well," said he; "there is an aristocracy among pedlars as well as +other callings. They belong to the waggoners, and would think it a +degradation to associate with us bearers. We are a grade beneath them; +besides, the waggoners are, for the most part, gentlemen by birth--the +younger cadets of decayed houses of long standing. With a little capital +to commence with, they never dealt in small quantities, their line lying +in supplying the retailers in distant towns, and many of them are very +wealthy. Upon my return from London, when I have purchased my horse and +waggon, I will be entitled to rank with them, but will never be treated +as the equal of those who have both birth and waggons; nevertheless, I +will be a waggoner until I commence business in my own shop, when I will +be a grade higher than even waggoner; and, with economy and my usual +perseverance, I may be a bailie, or even provost, of the town I settle +in. Only think of that, John Square! Stick to your present occupation, +and, without trusting the stormy ocean, you may, by following my +counsel, succeed as well as I or any one." + +"My young friend," said the pious Simon, "all these are good in +subjection; but a higher aim ought to be your guide through life; for +all these give not peace to the soul." + +While he spoke, we were joined by other two of our own rank, to whom my +two companions were barely civil, and very distant. Both were well +advanced in years, with a forward cast of countenance and a look of low +cunning strangely blended, which they endeavoured to make pass for +frankness. Having settled our small bill, and left our packs in charge +of the landlord, I walked out to see the minster, they to transact some +business of their own. + +I returned when the shades of evening fell, and found that Wilson and +Simon had arrived some time before me, and were seated by themselves. +There were several others in the room in general conversation, in which +we took no part. The two whom I had left before I went out were still in +the same position, evidently under the influence of liquor. They were +clearly unwelcome; their conversation was only calculated to beget +disgust in well-regulated minds, consisting of anecdotes of fraud and +imposition, of which they seemed proud of being the heroes. + +"These two," said Simon to me, "are a specimen of those who bring +disrepute upon any callings, and much more so on ours. They are not +without talents, but they cultivate them to unprofitable ends. I have +known them for many years; and, with all their boasted cunning, they +are, I believe, poorer at this moment than they were when I first knew +them, and must still become poorer, for their character is gone. The +public fear to deal with them, and will not do it, even when they would +act honestly. They are forced to range far, to places where they are +unknown; and even there they are every year circumscribing and planting +thorns for others to walk over. They, besides, are ever under the fear +of injury from some one or other whom they have defrauded. Such are the +fruits of dishonest dealing." + +All our business being transacted, it was agreed that we should continue +our route for London, to purchase silks and light goods, and return by +the same route to Scotland. William having purchased a small waggon and +horse, together with a small assortment of woollens, my stock remained +much the same, and was slung over my shoulder, save when, for ease, and +there were no houses on the road, I placed it in the waggon; for I was +weary of my pedlar's life, and only endured it until I should reach +London. We arrived at Hatfield, about twenty-five miles from London, +early in the afternoon, and resolved to stay for the night, as Wilson +had hopes of doing some good in the neighbourhood. As for me, I had +ceased, much to his chagrin, to attempt any sales, as my pack was now +much reduced. While he was gone, I sat at the inn-door, amusing myself +in the best manner I could--sometimes musing on my strange fate, at +others gazing listlessly upon the passers-by--when a post-chaise drove +up to the door at a furious rate. The horses were extremely blown, and +covered with perspiration. A gentleman and lady descended from the +chaise; she evidently was under restraint, and looked anxiously and +fearfully around. Our eyes met; I thought she gave her hand that was +disengaged a movement, as if she wished me to come to her. She was in +tears. I rose, and moved to approach, but she was hurried into the house +before I could advance; for I was in doubt--yet her look expressed what +her hand signalled. I thought it strange, for a moment; but this feeling +died away, for I might have been deceived. The gentleman came to the +door, to hurry the people, as they were rather slow, as he thought, in +procuring fresh horses. I good-naturedly went to assist the postilion. +As I stood before the chaise, I looked up to one of the windows, and saw +the female weeping at it. Our eyes again met; she clasped her hands +imploringly, and, taking a small packet, placed it behind the +window-shutter, and, raising her clasped hands to heaven, looked +earnestly at me. I gave a nod of assent. She retired from the window. +All this had passed quickly as a shadow. In a few minutes they were +again in the chaise. As it passed off, I again gave a nod, and a languid +smile passed over her face. I entered the house, and inquired of the +landlord who they were; but got no information, as he said they were +unknown to him. I requested to have a glass of brandy-and-water in the +room where the lady had been. As soon as it was brought, and he had +retired, I looked behind the window-shutter, and, taking out the parcel, +found it to contain a sum of money and a sealed letter, upon the inside +of the wrapper of which was written in pencil--"Benevolent stranger, +whoever you are, for mercy's sake and all that is dear to you, deliver +this as directed, with your utmost despatch, and snatch a +fellow-creature from misery. Let this supply your immediate wants, and +an ample reward shall follow. Use all despatch, I again implore you." + +I was for a few minutes lost in amazement. The letter was addressed to +Captain James H----, Strand, London. Could this be my old patron and +captain? There was not one moment to lose. I descended to the bar, and +told the landlord I must set off for London immediately, and requested +his advice how I was to proceed. He told me I must make the journey on +horseback, as he had not another pair of horses. I told him that was +impossible, as I had never been on horseback in my life, and I could +walk it faster and with more ease than I could ride. I would walk on to +Barnet before dark, and get a chaise there if I could find none sooner. +As I was on the eve of setting off, he found means to procure an old +phaeton; and, while it was getting ready, I wrote to Wilson that +circumstances forced me to London, but that I would perhaps see him in +the morning. At all events, I made him heartily welcome to my pack, as I +meant to carry it no more, wishing him health and prosperity if we +should not meet. + +I mounted the high-hung, crazy vehicle, with a lad to drive and bring it +back, having satisfied mine host to his utmost wish. By half-past ten +o'clock, I reached the jeweller's in the Strand, whose first floor +Captain H----occupied, and found him at home. His lady was also present. +His surprise was great at my entering. Our joy was mutual, and only +damped by my relating the strange manner in which I had again had the +pleasure of seeing him. He broke the letter open, and having hastily +perused it, turned to his wife, who sat pale and anxiously looking at +him--"My love, I must be off this instant, and endeavour to rescue +Catherine from her unpleasant thraldom. Do not be alarmed--there is no +danger. During the time I am getting all ready, you may peruse the +letter." Saying this, he rung the bell, and ordered his servant to +procure a post-chaise as quickly as he could, and send in refreshments +for me. Mrs H---- was dissolved in tears, as she had read the letter to +an end. When we were again alone, "James," said she, "this proceeding of +Master Wilton is very cruel to my cousin; although he is her guardian, +he has, I should think, no right to wound her feelings, and hurry her +about the country in this mysterious manner. I am fearful he has some +reason he is ashamed to confess. My dear James, be careful of yourself +for my sake; I shall be miserable until your return." + +"There is not the smallest occasion, my love; I shall write you as soon +as I arrive at Mr Wilton's. In the morning, you must write a note to Mr +Stenton, to call upon you. Show him your cousin's letter, and order him +to take what steps he may judge necessary in this affair." + +"Can it be possible," said she, "that my aunt approves of this +proceeding? He could not have removed Catherine without her consent." + +"I shall soon know, my love. The dear girl must not be allowed to suffer +from their designs or caprice." + +At this moment the chaise was announced to be at the door, and in a +short time we were in it, and rattling along towards Barnet, where we +changed horses, and were in Hatfield a little after daybreak. During our +dark and comfortless ride, I told him all that had befallen me since we +parted in Lisbon. He had only been in London a few months, where he had +come upon business--an uncle of his wife's having died some time before, +leaving the bulk of his fortune to his two nieces--Catherine, the young +lady whose letter I had brought to London, and his wife. To Catherine, +his favourite sister's daughter, he had left, besides an equal sum in +cash, all his landed and other property. Mr Wilton's sister, the aunt of +both, was a rich widow, but of a morose and finical temper. Catherine +had been brought up by her some fifty miles from London, and Mr H---- +had no idea until my arrival that she had not been still with her. "I +hope there is no foolish love affair in this strange business," said he; +"for Catherine is a warmhearted, susceptible girl. Her father was our +countryman, and my intimate friend." + +As Mr Wilton's property lay near Baldock, about eighteen miles distant, +and no post-horses were to be got, the captain, on horseback, set off +alone; I was to follow on foot, which I preferred, to Stevenage, where I +was to wait until I heard from him. After a hasty parting from my +fellow-traveller Wilson, which was not without regret on both sides, I +set off for Stevenage; he saying, as he shook my hand-- + +"John Square, I hope you will never want, but you will never be rich. +You are as unstable as water." + +I had only been in the inn at Stevenage a short time, when a servant +arrived with a note, informing me that Captain H---- had got all +arranged to his satisfaction, and would return to London on the +following day, requesting me to hasten thither with a letter for Mrs +H----; which I did, and took lodgings for myself in Lower Thames Street. +When the captain and I again met, I found present the young lady and +another gentleman. I was most graciously received by all. The uncle of +Catherine was likewise present, and, turning to his niece, said-- + +"So this is the messenger you contrived to engage, strictly as I watched +you in this foolish affair. I see that a woman's invention, like her +love, has no bounds"--saying which, he good-humouredly patted the happy +and blushing Catherine under the chin. + +The captain retired with me to a separate room, where he told me that +the whole had arisen out of the anger of his wife's aunt, who had set +her heart upon marrying her niece to a young clergyman of her +neighbourhood, for whom she had not the smallest regard, and whose +assiduities were hateful to her, as her heart was already engaged to Mr +Stenton, a distant relation of her own; but, as his circumstances were +not sufficiently prosperous to enable them to marry, she had concealed +their love from all but Mrs H----. + +"The death of her uncle, and my arrival in London, altered her views. +She rebelled against her aunt's authority, and refused to see the +clergyman as a lover. This threw the old lady into a paroxysm of rage. +Poor Catherine was locked up, and, all her repositories being searched, +Mr Stenton's letters were found. They were immediately sealed up, and a +letter written to Mr Wilton, her brother, of the most alarming kind for +the safety of his now wealthy niece, representing that she meant to +throw herself and fortune away upon some peasant in the neighbourhood. +He had posted, on receipt of the packet, to his sister, when his fears +were further excited by the old lady's conjectures. Catherine was +unconscious of what had passed, until she was summoned to the presence +of her uncle, whom she had seldom before seen. He is a good-hearted, but +a positive, irascible man. No explanation was asked. When all appeared +so plain against the trembling girl, she was, by her uncle and aunt, +hurried into a post-chaise, and was on her way to Mr Wilton's. She had +contrived to write to me during the short time she was allowed to +prepare for the journey, but had no opportunity until, struck by your +manners, she resolved to shorten her confinement by trusting you, as her +uncle's anger was so great that he had scarce spoken to her since they +entered the chaise, but to threaten and abuse her. When I arrived, an +explanation and reconciliation had taken place, and the marriage will +follow in a few weeks. It only remains for you to consider in what +manner we can serve you." + +I returned him my thanks for their kind intentions; and said the young +lady's purse, which I would not affront them by offering to return, was +much more than sufficient reward for all I had done; and, begging I +might not detain him longer from his friends, I bade him adieu, +promising to call in a day or two. + + + + +CHARLES LAWSON. + + +"Tak a faither's advice, Betty, my woman," said Andrew Weir to his only +daughter--"tak a faither's advice, and avoid gaun blindfolded to your +ruin. Ye are sune aneugh to marry these seven years yet. Marry! preserve +us! for I dinna ken what the generation is turning to, but I'll declare +bits o' lasses now-a-days haena the dolls weel oot o' their arms, till +they tak a guidman by the hand. But aboon everything earthly, I wad +impress it upon ye, bairn, that ye canna be owre carefu o' your company; +mind that a character is a' a woman has to carry her through the warld, +and ye should guard it like the apple o' your e'e; and remember, that +folk are aye judged o' frae the company they keep. Now, how often maun I +warn ye no to be seen wi' Charles Lawson? He's a clever lad, nae +doubt--naebody denies that; but, oh, Betty, Betty, woman! wad ye only +reflect that a' gifts are no graces; and I am far mistaen if he hasna a +serpent's heart as weel as his tongue. He has naething o' the fear o' +God before his een--ye canna deny that. In ae word, he is a wild, +thoughtless ne'er-do-weel; and I charge ye--I command ye--Betty, that ye +ne'er speak to him again in your born days; or, if ye do, ye surely will +hae but little satisfaction to break your faither's heart, and bring him +to the grave wi' sorrow and wi' shame--for that, Betty, that wad be the +end o't." + +Elizabeth heard him, and bent her head upon her bosom to conceal her +confusion. The parental homily was too late--she was already the wife of +Charles Lawson. + +Having thus begun our story in the middle, it is necessary that we go +back, and inform the reader, in a few words, that Andrew Weir was a +respectable farmer on the north side of the Tweed, and withal a decent +and devout Presbyterian, and an elder in the kirk. Charles Lawson's +parents were originally from Northumberland. They had known better days, +and, at the period we have alluded to, were struggling with a hard farm +in the neighbourhood of Andrew Weir's. Charles was not exactly what his +father-in-law had described him; and, were we to express his portrait in +a line, we should say, he had blue eyes and a broad brow, a goodly form +and open heart. The ringlets which parted on Elizabeth's forehead were +like the raven's wing, and loveliness, if not beauty, nestled around the +dimples on her cheeks. Their affection for each other began in +childhood, and grew with their years, till it became strong as their +existence. + +A few weeks after Andrew Weir had delivered the advice we have quoted to +his daughter, Charles Lawson bade farewell to his parents, his wife, and +his country, and proceeded to India, where a relative of his mother's +had amassed a fortune, and who, while he refused to assist them in their +distress, had promised to make provision for their son. As we are not +writing a novel in three volumes, we shall not describe the scene of +their parting, and tell with what agony, with what tears, and with what +bitter words, Charles tore himself from his father, his mother, and his +yet unacknowledged wife. The imagination of the reader may supply the +blank. Hope urged him to go--necessity compelled him. + +After his departure, Elizabeth drooped like an early lily beneath the +influence of a returning frost. There were whisperings among the matrons +and maidens of the neigbouring village. They who had formerly courted +her society began to shun it; and even the rude clown, who lately stood +abashed in her presence, approached her with indecent familiarity. The +fatal whisper first reached Andrew's ear at a meeting of the +kirk-session, of which he was a member. He returned home troubled in +spirit, a miserable and a humbled man, for his daughter had been his +pride. Poor Elizabeth confessed that she was married, and attempted to +prove what she affirmed. But this afforded no palliation of her offence +in the eyes of her rigid and offended father. + +"Oh, what hae I been born to suffer ?" cried he, stamping his feet upon +the ground. "O, you Witch o' Endor!--you Jezebel!--you disgrace o' kith +and kin! Could naething--naething serve ye but breaking your puir auld +faither's heart? Get out o' my sicht!--get out o' my sicht!" + +He remained silent for a few moments--the parent arose in his +heart--tears gathered in his eyes. + +"But ye are still my bairn," he continued. "Oh, Betty, Betty, woman! +what hae ye brocht us to?" + +Again he was silent, and again proceeded-- + +"But I forgie ye, Betty! Yes, if naebody else will, your faither will +forgie ye for your mother's sake, for ye are a' that I hae left o' her. +But we canna haud up our heads again in this pairt o' the +country--that's impossible. I've lang thocht o' gaun to America; and now +I'm driven till't." + +He parted with his farm, and in the ensuing spring proceeded with his +daughter to Canada. We shall not enter upon his fortunes in the New +World--he was still broken in spirit; and, after twelve years' +residence, he was neither richer nor happier than when he left Scotland. +Elizabeth was now a mother, and the smiles of her young son seemed to +shorten the years of her exile; yet, ever as she returned his smile, the +thought of the husband of her youth flashed back on her remembrance, and +anguish and misery shot through her bosom as the eagle darteth on its +prey. Her heart was not broken; but it fell like a proud citadel, +burying the determined garrison. + +Charles Lawson had not been in India many months, when a party of native +troops attacking the property of his relative, Charles, who had fallen +wounded amongst them, was carried by them in their retreat into the +interior of the country, where, for several years, he was cut off from +all intercourse or communication with his countrymen. On obtaining his +liberty, he found that his kinsman had been for some time dead, and had +left him his heir. His wife--his parents--doubt--anxiety--impatient +affection--trembling hope--all hastened his return. At length the white +cliffs of Albion appeared before him, like a fair cloud spread on the +unruffled bosom of the ocean; and in a few days more the green hills of +his childhood met his anxious eye. + +It was the grey hour of a summer night as he again approached the roof +that sheltered his childhood. His horse as if conscious of supporting an +almost unconscious rider, stopped involuntarily at the threshold. He +trembled upon the saddle as a leaf that rustles in the wind. He raised +his hand to knock at the door, but again withdrew it. The inmates of the +house, aroused by the sound of a horse stopping at the door, came out to +inquire the cause. Charles gazed upon them for a moment--it was a look +of agony and disappointment--his heart gave one convulsive throb, and +the icy sweat burst from his temples. + +"Does not--does not Mr Lawson live here?" he inquired, almost gasping +for words to convey the question. + +"Mr Lawson! Na, na, sir," replied the senior of the group, "it's lang +since he gaed awa. Ye ken he gaed a' wrang, puir man, and he's no lived +here since the hard winter, for they didna come upon this parish." + +"Did not come upon this parish!" exclaimed Charles; "heaven and earth! +what do you mean?" + +"Mean! what wad I mean," answered the other, "but just that they were +removed to their ain parish! Is there ony disgrace in that?" + +"Oh, my father!--my poor mother!" cried Charles, wildly. + +"Mercy, sir!" rejoined the astonished farmer, "are ye Maister Charles? +Bairns! haste ye, tak the horse to the stable. Losh, Charles, man, and +how hae ye been? But ye dinna ken me, man; I'm your auld schulefellow, +Bob Graham, and this is my wife, Mysie Allan--ye mind o' Mysie! Haste +ye, Mysie lass, kill twa ducks, and the bairns and me will hool the +peas. Really, Charles, man, I'm sae glad to see ye!" + +During this harangue, Charles, led by his warmhearted friend, had +entered the dwelling of his nativity; where Mr Graham again continued-- + +"Ye aiblins dinna ken that auld Andrew Weir was sae sair in the dorts +when ye gaed awa, that he set aff wi' Betty for America. But I hear they +are comin hame again this back end. The bairn will be a stout callant +noo, and faith ye maun marry Betty, for she was a mensefu lass." + +Charles could only reply by exclaiming-- + +"America!--my wife!--my child!" + +Having ascertained where he would find his parents, early on the +following morning he departed, and about five in the afternoon +approached the village where he had been told they resided. When near +the little burying-ground, he stopped to look upon the most melancholy +funeral procession he had ever witnessed. The humble coffin was scarce +coloured, and they who bore it seemed tired of their burden. Three or +four aged and poor-looking people walked behind it. Scarce was it +lowered into the grave, ere all departed save one, meanly clothed in +widow's weeds, and bent rather with the load of grief than of years. She +alone lingered, weeping over the hastily-covered grave. + +"She seems poor," said Charles, "and if I cannot comfort her, I may at +least relieve her necessities;" and, fastening his horse to the gate, he +entered the churchyard. + +She held an old handkerchief before her face, only removing it at +intervals to steal a hurried glance at the new-made grave. + +"Good woman," said Charles, as he approached her, "your sorrows demand +my sympathy--could I assist you?" + +"No! no!" replied the poor widow, without raising her face; "but I thank +you for your kindness. Can the grave give up its dead?" + +"But why should you remain here?" said he, with emotion; "tell me, could +not I assist you?" And he placed a piece of money in her hand. + +"No! no!" cried the widow, bitterly, and raising her head; "oh, that +Mary Lawson should have lived to be offered charity on her husband's +grave!" + +"My mother! Gracious heaven, my mother!" exclaimed Charles, casting his +arms around her neck. + +Shall we describe the scene that followed? We will not--we cannot. He +had seen his father laid in the dust, he had met his mother on his +father's grave----But we will not go on. + +It was some weeks after this that he proceeded with his widowed mother +to his native village, to wait the return of Elizabeth. Nor had he to +wait; for, on the day previous to his return, Elizabeth, her son, and +her father, had arrived. Charles and his parent had reached Mr +Graham's--the honest farmer rushed to the door, and, hurrying both +towards the house, exclaimed-- + +"Now, see if you can find onybody that ye ken here!" + +His Elizabeth--his wife--his son--were there to meet him; the next +moment she was upon his bosom, and her child clinging by her side, and +gazing on his face. He alternately held both to his heart--the mother +and her son. Andrew Weir took his hand--his mother wept with joy, and +blessed her children. Bob Graham and his Mysie were as happy as their +guests. Charles Lawson bought the farm which Andrew Weir had formerly +tenanted; and, our informant adds, they live on it still. + + + + +BON GAULTIER'S TALES. + +MRS HUMPHREY GREENWOOD'S TEA-PARTY. + + +Mrs Humphrey Greenwood was a stirring, lively, good-natured sort of +person; had touched the meridian of her years; was mistress of a +comfortable income; and possessed, withal, the privileged vivacity of a +widow. Nobody gave nicer tea-parties than she; nobody managed to keep +such a number of eligible bachelors on her visiting-list, and +possessing, as she did, the nicest discrimination in drafting these in +among the young ladies under her patronage, what wonder if no +inconsiderable proportion of the matrimonial arrangements of her friends +deduced their origin from these dangerously-seductive sofas in her snug +little drawing-room? + +It was in that snug little drawing-room that Mr Simon Silky first saw +the future Mrs Simon; it was on one of those dangerously-seductive sofas +that he found courage to put that question which procured him a better +half, and a comfortable settlement for life for Miss Jemima Linton. + +Miss Jemima Linton was still in that fluctuating period, between girl +and womanhood, at which young ladies giggle a great deal, and seem to be +always in a flutter, when Mr Simon Silky first met her. She was fair in +complexion, with light hair and blue eyes; her face, in short, had all +the delicacy of a wax doll, and nearly as much expression. She could say +"yes, sir!" and "no, sir!" at the proper intervals in the course of a +_tete-a-tete_ conversation, and, when warmed a little into familiarity +and ease, could even hazard an observation with reference to the +weather, without changing colour above twice in the course of it. In a +word, she was one of those excessively bashful and retiring young +ladies, who always look as if they thought a man was going to make +violent love to them, and who, if your conversation happen to diverge +from the beaten track of the smallest of small talk, take fright, and +are off as fast as possible to whisper to some of their companions, "La! +what a strange man that is!" + +This was the very kind of person for Mr Simon Silky, who was a bit of a +sentimentalist in his way. When he met Miss Jemima Linton, the fair +ideal on whom his fancy had often dwelt seemed to be realised. He came, +he saw, and was conquered. + +On entering Mrs Greenwood's drawing-room, one evening that he had been +invited there to meet "a few friends in an easy way," having arrived +rather late, he found the party already assembled. The fire blazed +cheerfully out upon a bevy of tittering misses, who were seated on +either side of it, whispering to each other in a timid and confidential +tone, with here and there a young man amongst them making convulsive +efforts to render himself amusing, while two or three putty-faced +juniors, with very white shirt-collars, and very brightly-polished +pumps--who had been called in to stop gaps in quadrilles, and render +themselves otherwise useful--sat in the background, for the most part +two on a chair, and speculating how many of the cakes that glistened on +the table they might appropriate to themselves with any degree of +decency. Mrs Humphrey Greenwood, the presiding divinity of this motley +gathering, vulgarly yclept a "cookie-shine," was planted behind a +brightly-burnished brass urn of liberal dimension, that hissed loudly on +the table. + +"Mr Simon," she exclaimed, advancing from her post of honour--" Mr Simon +Silky, I'm so glad to see you; I really thought you had been going to +desert us." + +Our hero blustered out some inarticulate apology, to which his hostess +of course paid no attention, but hurried on into the work of +introduction. + +"Mr Silky, Miss Silliman, Miss Gingerly, Miss Barbara Silliman, Miss +Eggemon, Miss Jemima Linton; I think you know all the rest. Mr +Scratcherd, you know Mr Silky." Mr Scratcherd grinned an assent. "Mr +Silky, Mr Slap'emup. You'll find a seat for yourself somewhere. Try if +some of the ladies will have pity, and take you in among them." + +All this time, Mr Silky was engaged in distributing a comprehensive bow +to everybody about him--an ordeal which, in any circumstances, to a +nervous man like him, was no joke. But his agitation had the finishing +touch given it by Mrs Greenwood's facetious observation as to the ladies +_taking him_ IN _among them_. The blood rushed to his temples, and he +subsided into a vacant chair, with a remark, directed to nobody in +particular, as to how very warm the room was. Attention having been once +drawn to this interesting fact, it became the topic of conversation for +some five minutes, which gave Mr Simon Silky time to cool down, and to +look about him a little. In the course of his survey, his eyes alighted +on Miss Jemima Linton, who just at that moment happened to be +scrutinising his outward man. Their eyes met; a glance of quick +intelligence passed between them. The lady lowered hers, blushing up to +them as she did so; and the enraptured Simon muttered to himself, "What +charming confusion!" He felt a novel sensation gathering about his +heart. Could it be love? At first sight, too. Many deny it, but we say +that all genuine love is at first sight. + + "He never loved, who loved not at first sight." + +Mr Simon Silky was a reader of the Beauties of Shakspere. This line took +possession of his head, and he mused and looked, looked and mused, till +he was roused from his reverie by Mrs Greenwood calling upon him to +assist in handing round the "cups which cheer but not inebriate." He +started up, with a very vague notion of what he was to be about, and +grasping a tea-cup, which his hostess informed him was Miss Jemima +Linton's, in one hand, and a plate of cheesecakes in the other, he +stumbled up to the lady, and consigning the cakes to her outstretched +hand, held out the tea-cup to Miss Eggemon, who sat next, inquiring if +she would please to be helped to a little cake. Miss Eggemon tittered, +and exclaimed, + +"Well, I never!" + +"Gracious! the like of that, you know!" simpered Miss Silliman, burying +her face in Miss Eggemon's neck. + +"How very absurd!" sneered Miss Gingerly, who was verging to +old-maidishness, and had a temper in which vinegar was the principal +ingredient. + +"Bless me, Mr Silky! what _are_ you about?" cried Mrs Greenwood. + +"Oh--why--yes--no--I see--beg pardon--dear me!" stammered poor Silky, +reddening like an enraged turkey-cock, as he handed Miss Linton the cup, +out of which the greater part of its contents had by this time been +shaken and seizing the dish of cakes with a sudden jerk, deposited +one-half of them in the lady's lap, and the other half on the carpet. + +"Tell me, where is fancy bre_a_d?" said Mr Horatio Slap'emup, who was a +wit in his own small way, pointing to the cakes, which our hero was +endeavouring to bring together again from the different corners into +which they had wandered. A general laugh greeted him on every side as he +rose from his knees covered with confusion. He looked at the fair Jemima +as he did so. There was not the vestige of a smile on her face. "Good +kind soul! _she_ does not join in the vulgar mirth of these unfeeling +creatures!" thought the unhappy Silky. "She pities me, and pity is akin +to love." It did not strike him that there might be another reason for +her gravity. The spilled tea and greasy cheesecake had spoiled her white +muslin dress irremediably, for that night at least--a circumstance +calculated certainly to make any young lady melancholy enough; but this +never entered the brain of Mr Simon Silky. Happy man! + + "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." + +With some difficulty he regained his chair, after stumbling over a +footstool, and crushing the tail of a King Charles cocker, that was +snorting on the hearthrug in all the offensiveness of canine obesity. +His distress was at its climax. + + "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions," + +thought he, recurring once more to the Beauties of Shakspere. His ears +felt as if they had been newly scalded, and objects floated in hazy +confusion before his eyes. He commenced sipping his tea with desperate +energy, wishing for a moment that it had been so much prussic acid. The +patter of many voices sounded in his ears. They must be talking of him, +"for they laughed consumedly;" and that confounded Slap'emup was +obviously getting up a reputation for wit by cutting minute jokes at his +expense. + +"You've been at the Exhibition, Mr Silky," said Mrs Greenwood, recalling +him from the state of mental imbecility into which he was fast sinking. + +"The Exhibition, you said, ma'am! Yes, yes, certainly, the Exhibition. +Oh yes!" rejoined Mr Silky, struggling to concentrate his scattered +faculties. + +"Well, what is your opinion about the portrait?" continued his hostess. + +"Portrait, really--which of them--there's so many?" + +"Why, Mr Silky, what _has_ come over you to-night? The ladies have been +like to pull each other to pieces, for the last five minutes, about the +portrait of an officer a little to the left of the door of the first +room; and, I declare, you have not heard a word that has been going. +Pretty doings, Mr Simon; and who, may I ask, is the happy lady that so +engrosses your thoughts?" + +"Oh, Mrs. Greenwood!" + +"Well, well, then, if it's a secret, I won't press it! But what is your +opinion of the portrait? Miss Barbara Silliman here maintains it is +beauty in the abstract." + +"Oh he's quite a love of a man!" broke in Miss Barbara, in a rapture of +affectation; whereat Miss Gingerly appeared mightily shocked, and pursed +up her mouth till it looked like a parched apple. + +"But Miss Linton, on the contrary, says she thinks it rather plain for a +military man. Now, we want your decision on this knotty point." + +"Oh, why, really--a portrait of an officer, I think you said. Fair +complexion, flaxen ringlets, and light blue eyes--beautiful, indeed! +That is to say--I don't know; but"--and here poor Silky looked +hopelessly about for an idea--"upon the whole, I think I declare for +Miss Linton." + +"Well, really, Mr Simon, that _is_ coming to the point. Jemima, my dear, +do you hear what Mr Silky says? Declares for you already! Upon my word, +a fair proposal!" said Mrs Greenwood, catching up the allusion, and +looking excessively matronly and significant. + +"Fair complexion, flaxen ringlets, light blue eyes!" broke in Miss +Barbara Silliman, with that delicate spitefulness to which young ladies +are subject, when they suspect any of their rivals of having produced an +impression on one of the male creatures. "A pretty officer, indeed! It's +you, Miss Linton, that Mr Silky means. Quite a conquest, I declare." +Having said this for the benefit of the company, she murmured to +herself, "I wonder at the man's taste. A gawky minx!" + +If Mr Silky felt uncomfortable before, he was now reduced to the lowest +pitch of personal misery. He tried to smile, as if he took the thing as +a good joke; but the contortions of his visage were galvanic. Everybody, +he was sure, was looking at him, and he stammered out some inarticulate +words, by way of extricating himself from his awkward position. What +they were he knew not; but they only seemed to have made matters worse; +for another titter ran round the circle, and showers of badinage +assailed him on every side. Mr Simon Silky began to speculate whether +sitting on the points of a score of red-hot toasting-forks could be +worse than his present torment. + +He was pursuing this agreeable train of reflection, when the removal of +the table to a corner of the room, and a general commotion, occasioned +by the pushing back of sofas, and the laying away of chairs, made him +aware that dancing was about to commence. The men, as they always do on +these occasions, clustered together near the door, pulling on +gloves--such of them as had them--and talking very thick and fast about +nothing at all. + +"Miss Gingerly, may I ask you to give the young folks a set of +quadrilles?" inquired Mrs Greenwood. + +"Certainly--with a great deal of pleasure," coldly responded Miss +Gingerly, blowing her nose with the end of her pocket-handkerchief, +which she extracted partially from her black satin bag for the purpose, +and feeling particularly venomous at being cut out of the dance, and her +very, very faint chance of captivating a partner therein. + +"Oh, thank you," said Miss Eggemon, laying her hands affectionately on +Miss Gingerly's wrists. "You play quadrilles so nicely." And then +turning to Miss Jemima Linton, Miss Eggemon whispered, confidentially, +"Such a player you never heard. Not three bars in time. How provoking +Mrs Greenwood should ask her to play. Just listen; did you ever hear the +like of that?" + +Miss Gingerly had laid her black satin bag on the piano, drawn herself +up with all the frosty-faced dignity of waning maidenhood, and was +performing a prelude before commencing operations, which was chiefly +remarkable for its ingenious flights from key to key, and bewildering +accumulation of false concords. + +"Gentlemen, find partners for yourselves," said the lively Mrs +Greenwood; and the gentlemen, after looking at one another, disentangled +themselves from the knot into which they were gathered, and, shuffling +up each to the lady that pleased his fancy, solicited the honour of her +hand. The couples had taken their places, and Miss Gingerly was dashing +away into the heart of the "Highland Laddie," when it was discovered +that there was still a couple awanting. + +"Mr Silky, you dance?" said all the men at once to that gentleman, who +was sitting pensively in a corner. + +"Oh, really!" replied Silky, smiling a sickly smile, and making vague +protestations of inability. + +"Not dance!" said the vivacious Mr Slap'emup. "Fie on you!--oh, fie! And +Miss Linton looking at you there, like Eve on the eve of Paradise, as if + + 'She would be woo'd, and not unsought be won.'" + +There was nothing for it but that Silky should make up to Miss Jemima, +and lead her out to dance. This he did among the nods, and winks, and +whispers of all present; and by the time he got into his place in the +quadrille, he did not very well know which end of him was uppermost. +Away rattled Miss Gingerly at the "Highland Laddie," and away bounced +the dancers through the mazes of the figure. Dancing a quadrille is with +some people no trifling matter, and Mr Simon Silky was one of these. He +bent to it all the energies of his not over-powerful mind; and, while it +lasted, beyond a passing word or two, he had no conversation to bestow +upon his partner. It was amusing to see with what earnestness he watched +the movements of those who preceded him, and, when his own turn came, +the exhibition he made would have made a Timor grin. First, he threw out +his arms to steady himself, and then jerking forward his right foot, +brought himself suddenly into the centre of the floor, where he began +throwing his legs confusedly about, till they seemed to be involved in +hopeless entanglement. All the time he kept his eyes fixed anxiously +upon his shoe-ties. It was obviously a critical affair with him to +preserve his equipoise, and each time that he got back safely to his +place, a sigh broke from him, as if a great burden had been taken off +his mind, and he wiped the sweat away that glistered in heavy beads upon +his brow. At length the quadrille ended. Mr Silky thanked heaven; and, +leading the fair Jemima to a seat, planted himself at her side, and +manfully endeavoured to open up a conversation with her. + +Dance succeeded dance, and by degrees the elements of the party got +tolerably well interfused. Poor Miss Gingerly wrought away at her +everlasting set of Scotch quadrilles, and nobody ever volunteered to +relieve her of her task, "she played so well." At intervals some of the +young ladies quivered through a fashionable ballad, and occasionally an +attempt was made to get up one of those melancholy chants, which, by +some strange misnomer, pass current in society for glees. In these, Mr +Scratcherd, who sang bass, distinguished himself so signally, that loud +calls were made upon him for a song, and Mr Scratcherd, after a little +preliminary modesty, yielded to the call. He then began raving about an +"Old Oak Tree," and groaned up and down the scale, till his voice became +lost in the bottom of his neckcloth. Serious fears were entertained +whether he would be able to get it up again, but these happily turned +out to be unfounded. Again his voice mounted to its natural level, and +after rolling about for some time, "grating harsh discord," wore itself +out in a cadence of confused gutturals. "Bravo, bravo," cried the men. +"A very fine quality of bass," exclaimed his friend, Slap'emup, who +affected to be a judge; and Mr Scratcherd blew his nose, and fell back +in his chair in a state of great personal satisfaction. + +With a thoughtful regard for the comforts of her guests, Mrs Greenwood +had, early in the evening, thrown open her little back drawing-room, in +which were placed abundance of refreshments, to sustain them through the +fatigues of dancing and conversation. By a succession of visits to this +room, Mr Simon Silky had succeeded in giving firmness to his nerves. He +was gradually becoming less and less bashful. There must have been +something bracing about the atmosphere of the apartments, for to this, +and not to the bottle of port, to which he was observed to have frequent +recourse, must be attributed that jauntiness of step and slipshod +volubility of tongue which he now displayed. He danced every dance, and +for the most part with Miss Jemima for his partner. What though his +uncouth gestures provoked a smile, and his assiduities to the young lady +were commented on at every hand. He cared not. His spirit was in the +third heaven of exaltation, and the whole world might go hang for him. + +"Miss Linton," he exclaimed, seizing her hand fervently--they were +seated on a sofa in the back drawing-room, while the others were +labouring through a country-dance in the front--"Miss Linton, hear me +for a moment. Let me use this opportunity of stating what I have long +felt--what I now feel--what I shall always feel." And again Mr Silky +pressed her hand tenderly in both of his. + +"Oh, sir!" timidly responded the lady. + +"Yes, adorable Jemima! I can no longer repress my emotion. You see +before you a victim to your charms. The moment I beheld you, I don't +know how it was, but my heart thrilled with a transport delightful as it +was new. I felt--I felt--in short, I felt as I never felt before. My +senses forsook me, and I said and did I know not what. These soulless +creatures treated my confusion with ridicule; but, in your eyes, +methought I could read pity, compassion, commiseration, sympathy. Say, +was I right, or was I misled by the fond delusions of my own passion?" + +"Oh, sir!" again exclaimed the bewildered Jemima. + +"That look! I was not then deceived. Oh extend that pity into love! I +lay myself and my fortune at your feet." And here Mr Simon Silky slipped +off the sofa and down upon his knees, overcome partly with love and +partly with intoxication. "Dearest Jemima! say only that you will be +mine?" + +"Oh, sir!" once more sighed the blushing maiden, dropping her head upon +the shoulder of her suitor, who acknowledged the movement by snatching a +kiss from her pouting lips. + +"Ods! that came twangingly off. I'm afraid we're like to spoil sport +here," exclaimed Mr Slap'emup, who at this moment entered the room, with +Miss Gingerly on his arm. + +"Gracious! how very improper!" cried Miss Gingerly, wishing from the +depth of her soul that it had only been her own case. + +"What's improper, ma'am?" retorted Silky, turning to her a look of +drunken gravity, and endeavouring, with no little difficulty, to get on +his legs again. "If I choose to kiss this young lady, or this young lady +chooses to kiss me, that's no business of yours, I suppose? 'Have not +saints lips, and holy palmers, too?' as the divine Shakspere says; and +what are lips for, I should like to know, if not to kiss? Don't frown at +me, Miss Graveairs. I'm a man--a man, ma'am, and I shall do just as I +please. Shan't I, Jemima, dear?" + +He turned for an answer to his appeal; but the young lady had left the +room. + +"Jemima, I say," continued Silky, getting more and more overcome. He +looked around the room; and, finding no trace of the lady, began +chanting in a lackadaisical tone-- + + 'And has she then fail'd in her truth, + The beautiful maid I adore?' + +But I don't care that for her!" And he tried to snap his fingers; but +failed in the attempt. "It's an ungrateful world--a vile world." + +"Oh, gracious me! let me away," exclaimed Miss Gingerly, in alarm. "He's +certainly tipsy." + +"Tipsy--tipsy! Who's tipsy? Let me see her. Woman, woman, to get +yourself into such a state! I'm ashamed of you; I am indeed. But it's +the weakness of the sex. + + 'Frailty, thy name is woman!'" + +This apostrophe was addressed to some visionary female that flitted +before Mr Silky's mental optics, and whom he followed, with his hands +groping before him, with the voice and gesture of Mr Charles Kean +pursuing the airdrawn dagger in the character of Macbeth. "Laugh away; +it's very amusing, isn't it! Nero fiddled while Rome was burning; but I +know better." + +"Mr Silky, you'll better go home," said Mrs Greenwood, who, with the +remainder of the party, had by this time entered the room. + +"Home! exactly so. I _am_ at home, my charmer--perfectly at home; and +you're at home; we're all at home. But no more wine, Mrs Greenwood; +temperance and teetotalism for ever. We are beset with temptations in +this wicked world--temptations, I say--Jemima, you're an angel! It is as +much as a man can do to preserve his uprightness." And, in proof that it +was more than he could, down rolled our hero on the floor, in a profound +stupor. + +"Carry Master Silence to bed," remarked the ingenious Slap'emup, highly +tickled with the catastrophe that had befallen the too--too bashful +Silky. + +A coach was procured, and he was conveyed to his lodgings, where the sun +found him in bed at noon next day. His dreams had been of the most +ghastly kind. He had fancied himself compelled, by a fiend, to swallow +huge goblets of port wine, strongly adulterated with brimstone, and +dragged about by a fury, who held his neck within a halter. The fiend +was Slap'emup--the fury, Miss Jemima Linton. He started from his dream, +and with his hand pressed against his aching head, fell to adjusting the +confused reminiscences of the previous evening's proceedings. He +remembered nothing but that he had proposed for the hand of some young +lady or other, and had been accepted. Well for him it was that memory +went no farther, or he would never have found courage to visit Mrs +Greenwood again. That he did visit her again, however, may be inferred +from an announcement which the newspapers, not many weeks after, gave to +the public:-- + +"Married at Edinburgh, on the 6th instant, Mr Simon Silky to Miss Jemima +Linton." + + + + +THE RECLUSE OF THE HEBRIDES. + + "Still caring, despairing, + Must be my bitter doom; + My woes here shall close ne'er + But with the closing tomb."--BURNS. + + +I resided some years ago in the Island of Tyree, which is one of the +most western of the Hebrides; and, in the course of my business, had +often occasion to cross by the base of Ben Chinevarah, whose rugged and +sterile appearance impresses the mind with a sickening sadness. The +narrow footpath sometimes dives into the deep and sullen gloom of the +mountain glen, whose silence is unbroken, save by the torrent's red +rush, and again winds along the edge of the steep precipice, among the +loose rocks that have been hurled from their beds aloft by the giant +efforts of time, where the least false step would precipitate the unwary +traveller into the abyss below. There no cheering sound of mirth was +ever heard, the blithe whistle of the ploughman never swelled upon its +echoes, nor often did the reaper's song disturb its gloomy silence. The +ear is assailed, on the one hand, by the discordant and dismal notes of +the screech-owl; and, on the other, by the angry roar of the waves that +beat, with ceaseless lash, the broken shore. A small hut now and then +bursts upon the view, raising its lowly roof beneath the shelter of the +mountain rock, and adds to the cheerlessness of the scene. One of those +small cottages often attracted my notice, by its external neatness, and +the laborious industry by which a small garden had been formed around +the dwelling; and by degrees I ingratiated myself into the good graces +of its owner, who, I found, by his knowledge and conversation, was of a +different cast from the dwellers around him. I knew by his accent that +he was a foreigner; and, feeling an interest in him, I often endeavoured +to gain some account from him of the early part of his life; but when +the subject was hinted at, he at once changed the conversation. + +Having occasion last summer to spend some days at the house of a friend +in Argyleshire, I availed myself of this opportunity to visit my old +acquaintance at Tyree. I found him stretched on the bed of sickness, and +fast verging towards his end. When last I had seen him, his appearance, +though infirm, evinced but few signs of physical decay; and, though the +storms of scores of winters had blown over him, still his eye sparkled +with animation, and his raven locks retained the fresh and jetty colour +of the native of "Italia's sunny clime." But now, how changed the +appearance! His eyeballs were dim, deep sunken in their sockets; a few +scattered grey hairs waved carelessly over his finely-arched eyebrows; +and his forehead and cheeks were deeply furrowed with the traces of +sickness and secret wo. When I entered the lowly dwelling, he raised his +lacklustre eyes, and stretched forth his hand to meet my grasp. + +"And is Heaven yet so kind," said he, raising his wasted hand in thanks +to the Disposer of all good, "as to send one pitying friend to soothe my +dreary and departing moments? Ah, sir, the hand of the grim tyrant is +laid heavily upon me, and I must soon appear in the presence of an +offended Deity. If you knew how awful are the feelings of a mind loaded +with iniquity, of a soul immersed in guilt, when the last moment is +approaching that separates us from mortality, and the misdeeds of a +wicked life stand in ghastly array, adding stings to an already seared +conscience, you would shrink at what you now deem the gay dreams of +youthful frailty, and shun the delusive and seducing snares of a +wretched world." + +Pointing to a block of wood alongside his pallet bed, he desired me to +be seated, and, after drying the tear of sorrow from his swollen eye, he +thus proceeded:-- + +"Often, in those moments when the sweet beams of health were mine, have +you desired a recital of the events of my past life; but a feeling of +shame withheld me from the task. Now, when I have nothing to fear but +death and the dread hereafter, if you will have the patience to hear me, +I will briefly unfold to you the causes which reduced me from a state of +affluence, to become a fugitive amid the rugged rocks and the inclement +skies of a foreign land." + +I assented, and he went on with his story. + +"My name," said he, "in the more fortunate years of my life, was +Alphonso; and the city of Venice gave me birth. I was the only child of +an opulent citizen, and need scarcely inform you that no restraint was +laid upon my inclinations when a child; and the dawn of manhood beheld +me plunged amid every intemperance which that luxurious city then +afforded. Money was plentifully supplied me by my parents to support my +extravagances; and I sought after happiness among the rounds of pleasure +and the gay circles of society; but I only met with desires ungratified, +hopes often frustrated, and wishes never satisfied. I had a friend. He +was called Theodore. I loved him as dearly as a selfish being like +myself _could_ love any one. He shared in all my pleasures. + +"An amorous, jealous, and revengeful disposition is commonly laid to the +share of the Italians; and, with sorrow I confess, that formed the +principal ingredient of my character. I had reached my twentieth year of +thoughtlessness and folly, when, one night at the opera, a young lady in +an opposite box attracted my attention; and my eyes were insensibly +riveted upon the beauteous figure. I need not tell you that she was +beautiful--she was loveliness itself. I will not trespass on your time +in describing the new and pleasing sensations that arose in my bosom; +you have trod the magic paths of pleasure, and bowed to the charms of +beauty: they are not unknown to you. + +"I felt that all my libertine pursuits had only been the shadows of +pleasure; and from that moment I determined to abandon them, and fix my +love on her alone. We became acquainted, and I found that she was as +worthy of the purest love as my fond wishes desired. She was the only +child of Count Rudolpho; and, for the space of three months, I was a +constant visiter at her father's palazzo. In due time I pleaded the +force of my love. But what were the sensations of my soul, when the tear +started from her eye of beauty, and the dreadful sentence burst upon my +ear--'I am the bride of Theodore!' + +"I burst from her presence with a palpitating heart, and returned +homewards, agitated by the conflicting passions of despair and revenge. +I drew my sword from its sheath, and promised the blood of Theodore, of +the friend of my bosom, to its point. The steel trembled in my grasp as +the vow fell from my lips, and my heart recoiled at the idea of shedding +blood; but the still small voice was an unequal match with the baneful +principles of a corrupted soul." + +The recluse stopped, and the loud sobs of sorrow and repentance alone +burst upon the gloomy silence of the scene. The hectic flush of fever +played and wantoned across his pallid features, as if it seemed to exult +in the weakness of mortality, and delight in the loveliness of its own +soul-loathed ravages. The tears dropped large and plentiful from his +eyes, and his spirit seemed bended and broken with the racking +remembrance. I bent over the wasted form of the wretched penitent, and +while I poured the voice of comfort in his ear, and wiped the tears from +his eyes, his soul resumed its wonted firmness, and even a smile beamed +upon his blanched lips, as he grasped my hand, and pressed it to his +bosom in silence, and with thankfulness. + +"Behold!" said he, drawing an old sword from beneath the side of his +miserable straw pallet--"behold this steel, red-rusted with the blood of +Theodore, from which the bitter tears of sixty long winters have been +unable to efface the stain. Pardon the feelings of an infirm old man. My +soul weeps blood at the remembrance. + +"I pitched upon the bridal eve of Theodore for that of his death, and +the seizure of his bride; and hired the leader of a band of ruffians to +assist me in the scheme. The fatal night, so big with horror, at last +arrived. The sun sank sullenly into the shades of the west, and his +departing gleams glanced redly and angrily upon me. The raven wings of +early night fell upon Venice; and I stepped into my gondola, with my +hired followers. We set forward upon our errand. The palazzo of Count +Albert was soon gained. Busy nature waxed calm and hushed; the artisan +had retired to the sweets of his lowly but happy cottage; the +convent-bell had tolled, solemn and slow, the vesper knell; and then + + 'Uprose the yellow moon,' + +silvering the rippling waters of the canals, and glancing its beams upon +the glittering palaces of Venice. It was a lovely night; but my soul ill +brooked the calm grandeur of the scene. + +"By the treachery of a servant, my comrades were admitted into Count +Rudolpho's grounds, whilst I attended the nuptial rites with the +well-dissembled face of friendship. Joy was dancing in every eye but +mine. My hand trembled at times on the hilt of my poniard, and I awaited +the favourable moment with a degree of impatience bordering on frenzy. +Many a fair maid was there, tripping amid the joyous throng, whose +beauty might have warmed the frigid heart of an anchorite; but my eyes +and mind were upon the dear, dear Violetta: she was lovelier than ever, +but--she was the spouse of Theodore. + +"The garden of the count was remarkably beautiful, and the trees in it +had been grandly festooned with variegated lamps on the present +occasion. The night was pleasant and calm, and the youthful couple +retired from the crowded saloon to the garden for a few minutes, to +enjoy the freshness of nature. I silently followed, unperceived, till +they seated themselves in an arbour, whose beauty was unworthy of a +villain's tread. Then suddenly I presented myself at the entrance; and +the unsuspicious Theodore rose to embrace me. How shall I give utterance +to the rest? My friend rose to embrace me; and I drew my poniard, and +was about to plunge it into his bosom, when Violetta, whose attention +this action had not escaped, rushed between us, to stay my hand. Horror! +her heart received the blow I had intended for her husband. She uttered +a piercing cry, and fell, a bleeding corpse, at my feet. + +"The sound attracted the attention of my ruffianly associates, who were +ready at hand, to carry off the bride, and they hurried to the spot. +Theodore, at first surprised and terror-stricken, now roused himself to +energy. With the fury of a maniac, he rushed upon me, and felled me +senseless to the earth. How long I lay in this situation I know not; but +when my senses returned, the palazzo was in flames, and the clashing of +swords and the groans of the wounded sounded horribly in my ears. And +this was my doing. I had been the means of introducing into Count +Rudolpho's grounds a band of desperadoes, to whom bloodshed was +familiar; and I doubted not that they were at their work of blood and +rapine. I repented of the deed, but it was too late. + +"The murdered Violetta lay on the ground at a short distance from me; +the moonbeams played full upon her ghastly and distorted features; and +her robes, her bridal robes, were deeply stained with blood. Her pulse +had long since ceased to beat, and she felt cold to the touch. Resolved +that no profane hand should consign to the earth her blessed remains, I +threw the body across my shoulder, and fled with it from the garden. I +felt not the weight of the burden, for excitement made me 'hardy as the +Nemean lion's nerve.' I soon reached the canal, leaped into my gondola +with my precious burden, and, shortly afterwards, gained my father's +palace. Ere the moon set, I had dug a deep grave in his garden, in which +I buried her on whom I had doated, bedewing the earth with my tears as I +proceeded in my work. + +"It was at length completed; and, with the morning's dawn, I fled from +Venice. Despair added wings to my flight, and the land of France +received me in her fostering arms. I have, since that time, wandered in +many a clime, to wear away my grief, but in vain. I have fought under +the banner of your king; and, though my arm was never palsied in the day +of battle, death has been denied me. I now lie here, aged and forlorn. +The hand of death is heavy on me, and chilly tremors are creeping over +my exhausted frame. The just decrees of God have denied me even a friend +to close my weary eyes; and my dust must mingle with the dust of +strangers, far, far from the sepulchre of my fathers, and the home of my +childhood." + +After a short pause, the Recluse continued-- + +"Here, sir," said he, "take this sword--it has been the constant +companion of my travels--its blade is unsullied by ignoble blood; and +when you look upon it, after the grave receives the wretched Alphonso, +it may convey a lesson that volumes could not inculcate." + +I received the sword from his hand, which was trembling and cold. He +turned his face from me; and before I had time to speak, a deep groan +announced his departure to the mansions of another world. I called the +inmates of the adjoining cottage, who took charge of the body; and I +left the spot with a feeling which words cannot express, but which will +be understood by those who look with the eye of pity upon the errors of +a fellow-mortal. + + + + +ELLEN ARUNDEL. + + +Ellen Arundel was the only daughter of an officer in the British +service, who, with his sword for his patrimony, had entered early into +the profession of arms as the means of maintenance; and he had, +accordingly, pursued it with that enthusiastic spirit of honour which is +dictated by the considerations of family pride, the hope of fame, the +dread of disgrace, and the most ardent love of glory. + +The utmost height, however, to which he had risen, when he committed the +folly of matrimony, by uniting his destiny to that of the portionless +daughter of a venerable, respectable, unbeneficed clergyman, was that of +a lieutenant in a foot regiment. By dint of careful management on the +part of his wife, they contrived to live happily together, nor did the +increase of their family--for Ellen made her appearance within the first +year after their marriage--add to their difficulties. + +In the care and superintendence of their darling daughter, did their +years roll on in humble content. If they heaved a sigh, it was for their +Ellen's future welfare; if they breathed a wish, it was to see her +placed in a situation which might guard her against the attacks of +poverty, and the designs of iniquity. From the former, they were aware, +beauty and accomplishments would prove no shield; and they trembled when +they reflected that they might prove the most powerful incitement to the +latter. The sweets of life are not to be enjoyed without its +accompanying embitterments. The regiment in which Mr Arundel served +received orders to embark for America, in transports already prepared +for the reception of the British forces. On the communication of this +intelligence, so subversive of their little plans of economy and +felicity, Mrs Arundel earnestly entreated that she and Ellen might be +the companions of his voyage. For awhile Mr Arundel would not consent to +this, from a fear of incurring expense which they were unable to +support; but all the difficulties which the narrowness of their finances +suggested were obviated by a thousand little arrangements, the ingenious +devices of love; and the command of a company, which was conferred upon +him before the embarkation, relieved them from their anxiety. + +Few events happened, either during their voyage, or on their arrival at +Boston, except that the assiduities of a young officer of another +regiment, who accompanied them in the transport, seemed to have made +some impression on the heart of Ellen Arundel. She listened to his tales +of love, with the full sanction of her parents, and sighed out the +confession that his passion was returned. Mr Meredith was formed on the +model which Captain Arundel had, in idea, fixed on for the husband of +his Ellen. To the qualifications of a soldier, he added those which most +highly adorn private life; nor was his income limited, for he was the +only son of a gentleman of fortune. But both Captain Arundel and Mr +Meredith were too regardful of decency and propriety to hasten an event +of so much importance, till the father of the young gentleman had been +made acquainted with the attachment; and letters from Captain Arundel +and the lover were, accordingly, prepared, for the purpose of being +despatched to Europe by the first ship that should sail. + +But alas! these precautions were soon rendered unnecessary, by events +which dissolved the bonds of affection. On that day when the attack of +Bunker's Hill occasioned a carnage which thinned the British ranks, +Captain Arundel and Mr Meredith stood foremost in the bloody contest. +Accident had placed them in the same brigade: they fought and fell +together. The body of the young officer was carried off by the +Americans; and the mortally-wounded captain conveyed to the habitation +of his wretched wife and daughter, where, shortly afterwards, he +expired. + +The keen and piercing anguish felt by Ellen and her mother, in +consequence of this sorrowful event, had changed to silent and corroding +melancholy, when they embarked for their native land, after having +received every attention which the governor and garrison could offer as +a tribute to the memory of the deceased. On their arrival in Britain, a +pension was granted to Mrs Arundel, which, in the event of her death, +was to be continued to her daughter; and with this they retired to a +small village northward of the Scottish metropolis, where a maiden +sister of Captain Arundel, who was remarkably fond of Ellen, resided. + +But, as no retirement will conceal the charms of beauty, nor any circle, +however confined, prevent the fame of accomplishments from spreading +beyond its limit, Mr Newton, a widower of independent fortune, not much +past the prime of life, having been told of Ellen, resolved to visit the +Arundels. An opportunity soon presented itself. The house which the +ladies inhabited was advertised for sale; and, under pretence of an +intention to purchase, he wrote Mrs Arundel, desiring to know when it +would be convenient for him to call; to which Mrs Arundel returned a +polite answer, naming an early day. + +Mr Newton went; and, after he had viewed the house and gardens with the +air of an intending purchaser, Mrs Arundel, desirous of cultivating the +acquaintance of so distinguished a neighbour, asked him to stay tea; +which being unhesitatingly accepted, he was introduced to the fair, the +amiable, the still mourning Ellen. Prepared by the universal voice to +admire, love was the immediate consequence of a visit, which he +requested leave to repeat, in terms with which civility could not refuse +to comply; and a few weeks confirmed Mr Newton the ardent and the +professed lover of Ellen. But her heart was still engaged; nor could she +abandon even a hopeless passion. The character, the fortune, the +unobjectionable person of Mr Newton, were urged to her, by her only +friends, with such energy, but mildness, of persuasion, that, enforced +by the declarations of her admirer, she was prevailed upon to promise +him her hand, though not her heart; and a day was named for the +celebration of their nuptials. + +The necessary preparations now engaged the attention of Mr Newton and +the two matron ladies; whilst Ellen passively yielded to the assiduities +of her friends, and suffered the adornments of her person, and the +intended provisions of settlement to be adjusted, without once +interfering. + +A few mornings before the appointed day, as Ellen was seated at +breakfast with her mother and aunt, a note was put into her hands. She +saw at a glance that it was from Mr Newton; and she immediately handed +it across the table to Mrs Arundel, who read:-- + +"MADAM,--That your heart is not at all interested in the intended event, +you have, with candour, frequently acknowledged to me. You will not, +therefore, even wish to receive an apology for my releasing you from an +unsuitable engagement. + +"My long-lost son--my son whom I had for years resigned to Heaven--is +restored to me; and Providence, which has bestowed on me this consummate +happiness, will not permit me to add to it a wish which concerns myself. +He is young; he is amiable; and more worthy of your regard than I am. It +is my sincere wish that he should become your husband. I shall, +therefore, take an early opportunity of introducing him to you. + +"My real name is _not_ what you have hitherto considered it to be. I +changed it when, on the supposed death of my son, I retired from my +usual place of residence to a distant part of the kingdom, to avoid the +importunities of some worthless relations; but, until I have the honour +of disclosing to you in person my real name, I beg to subscribe myself, +Madam, yours very truly, + +"J. B. NEWTON. + +"_To Miss Ellen Arundel._" + +When this most extraordinary epistle was read, Ellen turned deadly pale, +and would certainly have fallen to the ground, had not a young man +entered through the window which opened out on the lawn, and caught her +in his arms. He was followed by Mr Newton. + +"Ellen," exclaimed the latter, "behold my son!" + +The sorrowing girl cast her eyes upon the form of him who held her. + +"Meredith!" she cried, and threw herself, weeping, upon his shoulder. +Her tears were tears of joy. Little more remains to tell. Ellen Arundel +gave her hand to the son on the very day which had been appointed for +her nuptials with the father. + + + + +CHATELARD. + + +Some time after the unfortunate Queen Mary had established her court at +Holyrood, on her return from France, to ascend the throne of her +ancestors, a stranger arrived at a certain tavern or hostelry, kept by +one Goodal, at the foot of the Canongate of Edinburgh. The former had +last come from Leith, where he had been landed from a French vessel some +two or three hours previously. He was a young man, probably about three +or four and twenty, tall and handsome in person, of a singularly +pleasing countenance, and of mild and exceedingly gentleman-like +demeanour. His lofty forehead and expressive eye bespoke the presence of +genius, or, at least, of an intellect of a very high order; while his +general manners indicated a refined and cultivated mind. There was +marked, however, on the brow of the interesting stranger very palpable +traces of saddening thoughts--his whole countenance, indeed, exhibiting +the characteristics of a deep and rooted melancholy; but it was of a +gentle kind, and bore no likeness to the stern gloominess of +disappointed ambition. His sadness was evidently a sadness of the +heart--the result of some grievous pressure on its best and tenderest +feelings and affections. + +After having partaken of some refreshment, the stranger desired a small +measure of wine to be brought him. This order was executed by mine host +in person; and, indeed, from what afterwards followed, it seemed to have +been given with an express view to that result; for, on the landlord's +placing the wine before his guest, the latter requested him, with great +politeness of manner, to sit down and share it with him; saying that he +wanted a little information on two or three particular points. Mine +host, seating himself as desired, expressed his readiness to afford him +any information of which he himself was possessed. Having thanked the +former for his civility, and pressed him, not in vain, to taste of his +own wine, the stranger said-- + +"Is the queen, my friend, just now at Holyrood?" + +He was answered in the affirmative. The querist paused, sighed, and next +inquired if she walked much abroad--what were the hours she devoted to +that recreation--whether she was accompanied by many attendants on these +occasions--and whether her ordinary promenade was a place easy of +access. Having been informed on all these points, he again relapsed into +thought, and again sighed profoundly. After a short time, however, he +once more recovered himself, and suddenly exclaimed, but more by way of +soliloquy than inquiry-- + +"Is she not beautiful--transcendently beautiful?" + +Mine host, who was not a little surprised by the abruptness of the +question, and the enthusiasm of manner in which it was expressed, +replied, that she surely was "Just as bonny a creature as he had ever +clapt ee on--a plump, sonsy, nice-lookin lass." + +A slight expression of disgust, or rather of horror, at the homely terms +employed by mine host in speaking of the beauty of the queen, passed +over the countenance of his guest. It was, however, but momentary, and +was not observed, or at any rate not understood, by him whose language +had called it forth. + +"Ay, beautiful is she," went on the enthusiastic stranger, leaning back +in his chair, and gazing on the roof, in a fit of ecstasy, and in +seeming unconsciousness of the presence of a third party--"beautiful is +she to look upon, as is the rising sun emerging from the purpled east; +beautiful as his setting amidst the burnished clouds of the west; lovely +as the full moon hanging midway in her field of azure; grateful to the +sight as the green fields of spring, or the flowers of the garden; and +pleasant to the ear are the tones of her voice, as the song of the +nightingale in the grove, or the sound of the distant waterfall." + +Here the speaker paused in his rhapsody, continued silent for some +moments, then suddenly returning, as it were, to a sense of the +circumstances in which he was placed, he brought his hands over his +forehead and eyes, as one recovering from an agony of painful and +melancholy thoughts. Surprised by this extraordinary conduct of his +guest, the landlord of the house began to conceive that he had got into +the company of a madman; yet he marvelled much what description of +madness it could be, since it was made evident only when the queen was +spoken of--the stranger speaking on all other subjects rationally and +composedly. + +"She walks not much abroad, you say, my friend?" said the latter, +resuming the conversation which he had broken off to give utterance to +the rhapsody which has just been quoted. + +"Very seldom, sir," replied mine host; "for ye see she doesna fin hersel +quite at hame yet amang us; but she'll come to by and by, I've nae +doot." + +"And she is not easy of access, you say--no chance of one being able to +throw himself in her way?" + +"Unco little, I should think," replied mine host, "unless she could be +fa'n in wi' gaun to the chapel to mass; for she still abides by thae +abominations, for a' John Knox can say till her." + +A flush of resentment and indignation crossed the pale countenance of +the stranger at the last expressions of the innkeeper, and he threw a +glance at him strongly expressive of these feelings, but suddenly +checked himself, paused for a moment, and then resumed his queries in +the calm and gentle tones which seemed natural to him-- + +"How likes she the country, know ye? + +"Indeed, I canna weel say," replied mine host; "but I rather doot, frae +what I hear, she's no athegither reconciled till't yet. She thinks, I +daursay, we're rather a roughspun set o' folk--a wee thing coorse i' the +grain or sae." + +"Ay, that ye are, that ye are," said the stranger, with more candour +than courtesy, again throwing himself back in his chair, and again +beginning to rhapsodise as before. "She is among ye--the beautiful, the +gentle, the accomplished, the refined--as a fawn amongst a herd of +bears. She is in your wild and savage land, like a lovely and tender +flower growing in the cleft of a rock--a sweet and gentle thing, +blooming alone in the midst of rudeness and barrenness. Oh, uncongenial +soil! Oh, discordant association! Dearest, cruellest, loveliest of thy +sex!" + +If mine host was amazed at the first outpouring of his guest's excited +mind, it will readily be believed that it was not lessened by this +second ebullition of fervour and passion. He, in truth, now became +convinced that he was distracted; and, under this impression, felt a +strong desire to be quit of him as soon as possible. With this view, he +took an early opportunity of stealing unobserved out of the apartment--a +feat which he found no difficulty in performing, as his guest seemed +ultimately so wholly wrapped up in his own thoughts, as to be quite +unconscious of what was either said or done in his presence. Soon after +mine host had retired, the stranger ordered paper, pen, and ink to be +brought him. They were placed upon his table, he himself the while +walking up and down the apartment with measured stride and downcast +look, as if again lost in profound and perplexing thought; and at +intervals the sound of his footsteps, thus traversing his chamber, was +heard throughout the whole of the night. The stranger had slept none; he +had not even retired to seek repose; but those periods during the +night--and they were of considerable length--in which all was silent in +his apartment, were employed in writing; and when morning came, the +result of his labours was exhibited in a letter, curiously, or rather +fancifully, folded, tied with a green silk thread, and highly perfumed. +This letter was addressed on the back, "To the Most Illustrious +Princess, Mary, Queen of Scotland." + +Having brought the proceedings of the stranger to this point, we will +shift the scene to the sitting apartment of the queen in Holyrood. Here, +surrounded with her maids, the young and lovely princess was, at the +moment of which we speak, engaged in working embroidery, and laughing +and chatting with her attendants, amongst whom were two or three young +French ladies, who had accompanied her from France. The queen and her +maids were thus employed, then, when the gentleman-usher, who stood at +the door of the apartment, entered, and, with a low obeisance, presented +a letter to the queen. It was the same as that addressed to her by the +stranger, and above referred to. The queen took the letter, with a +gracious smile, from the person presenting it, and, contemplating it for +a moment, before she opened it, with a look of pleased surprise-- + +"This, sure," she said, "is from none of our Scottish subjects: the fold +is French." And she sighed. "It has the cut and fashion of the _billet +doux_ of St Germains; and," she added, laughing, "the precise flavour, +too, I declare. But I should know this handwriting," she went on; "I +have seen it before. This, however, will solve the mystery." And she +tore the letter open, and was instantly employed in reading it, blushing +and smiling by turns, as she proceeded with the perusal. When she had +done, "Maria," she said, raising her eyes from the paper, and addressing +one of her French ladies, "who, think you, is this letter from?" + +"I cannot guess, madam," replied the young lady appealed to. + +"Do try," rejoined Mary. + +"Nay, indeed, I cannot," said the former, now pausing in her work, and +looking laughingly at her mistress. "Perhaps from the Count Desmartine, +or from Dufour, or Dubois." + +"No, no, no," replied the queen, laughing; "neither of these, Maria; but +I will have compassion on your curiosity, and tell you. Would you +believe it?--it is from Chatelard, the poet." + +"Chatelard!" repeated the maiden, in amazement. "What in all the earth +can have brought him here?" + +"Nay, I know not," said the queen, blushing, for she guessed, or rather +feared, the cause. "But read, and judge for yourself," she added, +handing her attendant the letter, which contained a very beautiful +laudatory poem, full of passion and feeling, addressed to herself, and +which the writer concluded by requesting that he might be permitted to +form part of her court; declaring that it would be joy inexpressible to +him to be near her person--he cared not in how mean a capacity. The +having opportunities of seeing and serving her, he said, would reconcile +him to any degradation of rank--to any loss, save that of honour. + +"In truth, very pretty verses," said the lady-in-waiting, returning the +poem to the queen; "but, methinks, somewhat over-bold." + +"Why, I do think so too, Maria," replied Mary. "Chatelard rather forgets +himself; but poets, you know, have a license, and I cannot be harsh to +the poor young man. It would be cruel, ungenerous, and unworthy of me." + +"But what say you, madam, to his request to be attached to your court?" + +"Really, as to that, I know not well what to say, indeed," rejoined the +queen. "Chatelard, you know, Maria, is a gentleman, both by birth and +education. He is accomplished in a very high degree, and of a graceful +person and pleasing manners, and would thus do no discredit to our +court; but, I fear me, he might be guilty of some indiscretions--for he +is a child of passion as well as song--that might lead himself into +danger, and bring some blame on me. Still, I cannot think of rejecting +altogether his humble suit, so prettily preferred; and, if he would +promise to conduct himself with becoming gravity and reserve in all +matters, and at all times, I should have no objection that he was +attached to our court. I will, at all events, make trial of him for a +short space." + +Having said this, the queen, now addressing the ladies present +generally, went on-- + +"Ladies, I will shortly introduce to you a new gallant; but I pray ye +take care of your hearts; for he is, I warrant ye, one especially given +to purloining these little commodities. He is handsome, accomplished, +and a poet; so mind ye, ladies, I have warned you--be on your guard. +Kerr," she now called out to a page in waiting, "go to the hostelry +whence this letter came, and say to the gentleman by whom it has been +sent, that we desire to see him forthwith. Let him accompany you, Kerr." + +The page instantly departed; and we will avail ourselves of his short +absence on this mission, to say briefly who Chatelard was--what was his +object in coming to the Scottish court--and of what nature were the +fears which the queen expressed regarding him. + +Chatelard, then, was a young French gentleman of rank, of rare +accomplishments, and a poet of very considerable excellence. His seeking +to attach himself to Mary's court, was the result of a violent and +unhappy attachment to her person; and her fears for him, proceeding from +a suspicion of this attachment, were, that he would commit himself by +some rash expression of his feelings. She was displeased with his +presumptuous love, yet found she could not, as a woman, but look on it +with pity and compassion and hence her disposition to treat with +kindness and affability its unhappy victim. Prudence, indeed, would +certainly have dictated another course than what Mary pursued with +Chatelard, in thus admitting him to her presence; but Mary's error here +was an error of the heart, and more to be regretted than blamed. + +In a short while after the messenger had been despatched with the +invitation to Chatelard, the door of the queen's apartment was thrown +wide open, and that person entered. His bow to the queen was exceedingly +graceful; and not less so, though measured with scrupulous exactness in +their expression of deference, were those he directed to her ladies. +Chatelard's countenance was at this instant suffused with a blush, and +it was evident he was under the excitement of highly-agitated feelings; +but he lost not, for a moment, nor in the slightest degree, his presence +of mind; neither did these feelings prevent him conducting himself at +this interview with the most perfect propriety. + +"Chatelard," said the queen, after the ceremonies of a first salutation +were over, "I perceive you have lost none of your cunning in the gentle +craft. These were really pretty lines you sent me--choice in expression, +and melodiously arranged. I assure thee it is a very happy piece." + +"How could it be otherwise, madam," replied Chatelard, bowing low, "with +such a subject?" + +"Nay, nay," said Mary, laughing and blushing at the same time, "I am no +subject, Chatelard, but an anointed queen. Thou canst not make a subject +of me." + +Chatelard now in turn blushed, and said, smiling, "Your wit, madam, has +thrown me out; but, avoiding this play on words, my position is good, +undeniable. All men acknowledge it." + +"Go to--go to, Chatelard--thou wert ever a flatterer. But 'tis a poet's +trade. Thou art a dangerous flatterer, however; for thou dost praise so +prettily that one cannot suspect thy sincerity, nor be angry with thee, +even when thou deservest that they should. But enough of this in the +meantime. Thou mayst now retire; and I think the sooner the better, for +the safety of these fair maidens' hearts, and your own peace of mind, +which a longer stay might endanger. Our chamberlain will provide thee +with suitable apartments, and see to thy wants. Mark," she added, +laughingly, "we retain thee in our service in the capacity of our +poet--of court poet--a high and honourable appointment; and thy reward +shall be the smiles and approbation of these fair ladies--the beauty of +all and each of whom I expect thou wilt forthwith embalm in immortal +verse." + +Chatelard, bowing, was now about to retire, when the queen, again +addressing him, said, "We will send for thee again in the afternoon, to +bear us company for awhile, when thou wilt please bring with thee some +of thy newest and choicest madrigals." + +Expressing a deep sense of the honour proposed to be conferred on him, +of the queen's kind condescension, and avowing his devotedness to her +service, Chatelard withdrew, and was provided with the promised +apartments by the express orders of Mary herself. To these apartments we +shall follow the enthusiastic but audacious lover. On being left alone, +Chatelard again fell into one of those reveries which we have already +described, and again launched into that strain of extravagant adulation +which, on another occasion, we represented him as indulging in. Again he +compared Mary, in his incoherent ravings, to everything that is +beautiful in earth, sea, and sky; but comparing her to these only that +he might assert how far she surpassed them. There were mingled, too, +with his eulogiums, on this occasion, expressions of that imprudent +passion which subsequently at once urged him to commit the most daring +offences, and blinded him to their consequences. Poor Chatelard's +ravings, in the instance of which we are just speaking, were +unconsciously uttered; but they were unfortunately loud enough to arrest +the attention of the domestics, who were passing to and fro in the lobby +into which the door of his apartment opened. These, attracted by his +rapturous exclamations, listened, from time to time, at his door, and +were highly amused with the rhapsodies of the imprudent poet. The +latter, becoming more and more vehement, and, in proportion, more +entertaining, the domestics finally gathered in a cluster around the +door, to the number of six or eight, and, with suppressed laughter, +overheard all that the excited and unguarded inmate chose to utter. +That, however, was so incoherent, or at least of so high-flown a +character, that the listeners could make nothing of it; and, as they +could not, they immediately concluded it to be nonsense, and the speaker +a madman. But there came one to the spot, at this unfortunate moment, +who, with sharper intellect and more apt comprehension, at once +discovered the meaning that lurked under the florid language of the +poet's ill-timed soliloquies. + +While the servants were crowded around the door of Chatelard's +apartment, too intent on their amusement to notice the approach of any +one, another party, we say, had advanced to within a few paces of where +they stood. Here, with his arms folded across his breast, he had +remained observed for several seconds, gazing with a look of surprise +and displeasure on the merry group assembled around the poet's door. He +was, however, at length discovered, when the knot of listeners instantly +broke up in the greatest hurry and alarm. + +"How now," exclaimed the unexpected intruder--a person of about thirty +years of age, of rather slender form, of cold and haughty demeanour, and +austere countenance--"How now?" he exclaimed, in a voice whose tones +were naturally severe--"what means this idling?--what do ye all here, +knaves, in place of attending to your duties?" + +Instead of answering this question, the terrified domestics were now +endeavouring to make off in all directions; but the querist's curiosity, +or perhaps suspicion, having been excited by what he had seen, he +instantly arrested their progress, by calling on them, in a voice of +increased severity and vehemence, to stop. + +"Come hither, Johnstone," he exclaimed, addressing one of the +fugitives--"I must know what you have been all about." And, without +waiting for an answer, "Who occupies this apartment?" he inquired, +pointing to that in which was Chatelard. + +"And please ye, my lord," replied Johnstone, bowing with the most +profound respect--"ane that we think's no very wise. He's been bletherin +awa there to himsel, saving yer honour's presence, like a bubbly-jock, +for this half-hour back, and we can neither mak tap, tail, nor mane o' +what he's sayin." + +"What! a madman, Johnstone?" said the Earl of Murray, the queen's +half-brother, for it was no less a personage; then hurriedly added, "Who +is he?--what is he?--where is he from?--when came he hither?" + +The man answered categorically-- + +"I dinna ken, my lord, wha he is; but, frae the thinness o' his chafts, +I tak him to be ane o' your French laun-loupers. He cam to the palace +about twa hours syne." + +The earl's curiosity was now still further excited, and, without saying +a word more, he drew near to the door of Chatelard's apartment, and +became also an auditor of the poor poet's unguarded language; but not +such as it was in the case of the listeners who had preceded him; to him +that language was perfectly intelligible--at least to the extent of +informing him of Chatelard's ambitious love. To Murray this was a secret +worth knowing; and, in the hope that he might discover this attachment +to be reciprocal, and thus acquire an additional influence over the +queen, his sister, at the expense of her reputation, he considered it a +singularly fortunate incident. Perhaps he expected that it would do even +more for him than this: that it would eventually help him to the +accomplishment of certain daring views towards the crown itself, of +which he was not unsuspected. Whether, however, he was able to trace, in +distinct and definite lines, any consequences favourable to himself from +the fact which had just come to his knowledge, it is certain he was +pleased with the discovery, and considered it as an important +acquisition. That he viewed it in this light, indeed, was evident even +by his countenance, cautiously guarded as its expressions ever were. + +On being satisfied of the fact of Chatelard's attachment to the queen, +he withdrew from the door with a look and brief expression of +satisfaction, and went directly in quest of the chamberlain. On finding +whom-- + +"So, Mr Chamberlain," he said, "we have got, I find, another animal +added to our herd of fawning, drivelling courtiers. Pray, who or what is +he, this person who has taken up his quarters in the northern gallery, +and by whose authority has he been installed there?" + +"By the queen's, my lord," replied the chamberlain. "I have had express +and direct orders from the queen herself, to provide the gentleman with +apartments in the palace, and to see to his suitable entertainment." + +"Ah, indeed," said the earl, biting his lip, and musing for a moment. +"By her own express orders!" he repeated. "It is very well." Then, after +a pause--"Know ye this favoured person's name, Mr Chamberlain?" + +"Chatelard," replied the latter. + +"Chatelard! Chatelard!" repeated the earl, mechanically, and again +musing; "why, I think I have heard of that gallant before. He is one of +those triflers called poets, me-thinks--a versifier, a scribbler of +jingling rhymes. Is it not so?" + +"I have heard the queen say so, my lord," replied the chamberlain. "She +has spoken of him in my hearing as a poet." + +"Ah! the same, the same," said the earl; "but how obtained he access to +the queen, know ye?" + +"Through his own direct application, my lord. He addressed a poetical +epistle to her majesty, I understand, from Goodal's hostelry, where he +had taken up his quarters in the first place, requesting permission to +wait upon her." + +"And it was granted?" interrupted the earl. + +"It was, my lord; and he has already had an audience." + +"Ah! so!" said the earl, without yet betraying, or having, during any +part of this conversation, betrayed, the slightest emotion or symptom of +the deep interest he took in the communications which were being made to +him. "Know ye," he went on, "if that favour is to be soon again +conferred on him? When will he again be admitted to the presence?" + +"That, my lord, rests on the queen's pleasure; but I hear say that he is +to attend her again this evening in her sitting apartment." + +"So, so," said the earl, nodding his head, as he uttered the words. And, +turning on his heel, he walked away without further remark. + +From the officer with whom he had just been speaking, the Earl of Murray +carefully concealed the motives which had prompted his inquiries, but +determined, henceforth, to watch with the utmost vigilance the +proceedings of the queen and Chatelard, until some circumstance should +occur that might put them both fairly within his power. Unaware of the +dangerous surveillance under which he was already placed, it was with a +delight which only he himself perhaps could feel, that Chatelard +received, in the evening, the promised invitation from the queen to +attend her and her ladies in their sitting chamber. The invitation was +conveyed in some playful verses--an art in which Mary excelled--written +on embossed paper. The enthusiastic poet read the delightful lines a +thousand times over, dwelt with rapture on each word and phrase, and +finally kissed the precious document with all the eagerness and fervour +of a highly-excited and uncontrollable passion. Having indulged in these +tender sensibilities for some time, Chatelard at length folded up the +unconscious object of his adoration, thrust it into his bosom, took up a +small _portfeuille_, covered with red morocco leather, gilt, and +embossed, the depository of his poetical effusions, and hurried to the +apartment of the queen, where he was speedily set to the task of reading +his compositions, for the entertainment of the assembled fair ones; and +it is certain that on more than one of them the tender and impassioned +manner of the bard, as he recited his really beautiful verses, added to +his highly prepossessing appearance and graceful delivery, made an +impression by no means favourable to their night's repose. It would, +however, perhaps be more tedious than interesting to the reader, were we +to detail all that passed on the night in question in the queen's +apartment; to record all the witty and pleasant things that were said +and done by the queen, her ladies, and her poet. Be it enough to say, +that the latter retired at a pretty late hour; his imprudent passion, we +cannot say increased--for of increase it would not admit--but +strengthened in its wild and ambitious hopes. + +From that fatal night, poor Chatelard firmly believed that his love was +returned--that he had inspired in the bosom of Mary a passion as ardent +as his own. Into this unhappy error the poet's own heated and disturbed +imagination had betrayed him, by representing in the light of special +marks of favour, occurrences that were merely the emanations of a kind +and gentle nature--thus fatally misled by a passion which, if notorious +for occasioning groundless fears, is no less so for inspiring unfounded +hopes. Such, at any rate, was its effect in the case of Chatelard on the +night in question. On gaining his own chamber, he flung himself into a +chair, and spent nearly the whole of the remainder of the night in the +indulgence of the wildest and most extravagant dreams of future bliss; +for, in the blindness of his passion and tumult of his hopes, he saw no +dangers, and feared no difficulties. + +From this time forward, Chatelard's conduct to the queen became so +marked and unguarded in various particulars, as to excite her alarm, and +even to draw down upon the offender some occasional rebukes, although +these were at first sufficiently gentle and remote. Nor did the +imprudences of the infatuated poet escape the cold, keen eye of Murray. +He saw them, and noted them; but took care to wear the semblance of +unconsciousness. It was not his business to interrupt, by hinting +suspicions, the progress of an affair which he hoped would, on some +occasion or other, lead to consequences that he might turn to account. +Feeling this, it was not for him to help Chatelard and the queen to +elude his vigilance, and defeat his views, by discovering what he +observed, and thus putting them on their guard. This was not his +business; but it was his business to lie concealed, and to spring out on +his quarry the instant that its position invited to the effort. Coldly +and sternly, therefore, he watched the motions of Chatelard and his +sister; but was little satisfied to perceive nothing in the conduct of +the latter regarding the former which at all spoke of the feelings he +secretly desired to find. As it was impossible, however, for the earl +personally to watch all the movements of Chatelard, he looked around him +for some individual of the queen's household whom he might bribe to +perform the duties of a spy; and such a one he found amongst the +attendants whom Mary had brought with her from France, of which country +he was also a native. The name of this ungrateful and despicable wretch, +who undertook to betray a kind and generous mistress, whenever he should +discover anything in her conduct to betray, was Choisseul--a man of +pleasing manners and address, but of low and vicious habits. Without any +certain knowledge of his character, or any previous information +regarding him, the Earl of Murray's singular tact and penetration at +once singled him out as a likely person for his purposes. On this +presumption, he sent for him, and, cautiously and gradually opening him +up, found that he had judged correctly of his man. + +"Choisseul," he said, on that person being ushered into his presence, "I +have good reason to think that you are one in whom I may put trust; and, +in this assurance, I have selected you for an especial mark of my +confidence. Do you know anything of this Chatelard, who has lately come +to court?" + +"I do, my lor'. He is countryman of my own." + +"So I understand. Well, then, I'll tell you what it is, Choisseul: I +believe the fellow has come here for no good--I believe, in short, that +he has designs upon the queen. Now, my good fellow, will you undertake +to ascertain this for me? Will you watch their proceedings, watch them +narrowly, and give me instant information of anything suspicious that +may come to your knowledge--and ye shall not miss of your reward?" added +the earl, now opening a little desk which stood before him, and taking +from it a well-filled purse. + +Choisseul, with many bows and grimaces, readily undertook to play the +knave, and, with still more, took the price of his knavery, the purse +already alluded to, which the earl now handed him. + +"Now, Choisseul," said Murray, just before dismissing the miscreant, "I +may depend on you?" + +"Mine honneur," replied the Frenchman, placing his hand on his breast, +with a theatrical air, and bowing to the ground as he pronounced the +words--"Je suis votre serviteur till die." + +"Enough," said the earl, waving his hand as a signal to him to retire; +"be vigilant and prompt in communicating with me when you have anything +of consequence to say." + +Choisseul again bowed low, and left the apartment. In the meantime, the +gallant, accomplished, but imprudent Chatelard, hurried blindly along by +the impetuosity of his passion, and altogether unsettled by the +intoxicating belief that his love was returned--a belief which had now +taken so fast a hold of his understanding that nothing could loosen +it--proceeded from one impropriety to another, till he at length +committed one which all but brought matters to a crisis; and this was +avoided only by its having escaped the vigilance of Choisseul, and +having been compassionately concealed by the queen herself. + +On retiring one night, early in February, 1563, to her sleeping +apartment, Mary and her attendants were suddenly alarmed by an +extraordinary movement in a small closet or wardrobe, in which was kept +the clothes the queen was in the habit of daily using. The maids would +have screamed out and fled from the apartment, but were checked in both +these feminine resorts by observing the calm and collected manner of +their mistress, in which there was not the slightest appearance of +perturbation. + +"Ladies, ladies," she exclaimed, laughingly, as her attendants were +about to rush out of the room, "what a pretty pair of heroines ye are! +Shame, shame! ye surely would not leave your mistress alone, in the +midst of such a perilous adventure as this. Come hither," she added, at +the same time stepping towards her toilet, and taking up a small silver +lamp that burned on it, "and let us see who this intruder is--whether +ghost or gallant." + +Saying this--her maids having returned, reassured by her +intrepidity--she proceeded, with steady step, towards the suspected +closet, seized the door by the handle, flung it boldly open, and +discovered, to the astonished eyes of her attendants, and to her own +inexpressible amazement, the poet Chatelard, armed with sword and +dagger. For some seconds the queen uttered not a syllable; but a flush +of indignation and of insulted pride suffused her exquisitely lovely +countenance. + +"Chatelard," she at length said, in a tone of calm severity, and with a +dignity of manner becoming her high state and lineage, "come forth and +answer for this daring and atrocious conduct, this unheard-of insolence +and presumption." Chatelard obeyed, and was about to throw himself at +her feet, when she sternly forbade him. + +"I want no apologies, presumptuous man," she said--"no craving of +forgiveness. I want explanation of this infamous proceeding, and that I +demand of you in the presence of my attendants here. Know ye not, sir," +she went on, "that your head is forfeited by this offence, and that I +have but to give the word, and the forfeit will be exacted?" + +"I know it, I know it," exclaimed Chatelard, persisting in throwing +himself on his knees; "but the threat has no terrors for me. It is your +displeasure alone--fairest, brightest of God's creatures--that I fear. +It is----" + +"Peace, Chatelard," interrupted Mary, peremptorily. "What mean ye by +this language, sir? Would ye cut yourself off from all hope of pardon, +by adding offence upon offence? Rise, sir, and leave this apartment +instantly, I command you; I will now hear neither explanation nor +apology." + +"Then, will you forgive me?" said Chatelard; "will you forgive a +presumption of which----" + +"I will hear no more, sir," again interrupted the queen, indignantly. +"Begone, sir! Remain another instant, and I give the alarm. Your life +depends on your obedience." And Mary placed her hand on a small silver +bell, from which had she drawn the slightest sound, the poet's doom was +sealed, and she would have rung his funeral knell. + +Chatelard now slowly rose from his knees, folded his arms across his +breast, and with downcast look, but without uttering another word, +strode out of the apartment. When he had gone, the queen, no longer +supported by the excitement occasioned by the presence of the intruder, +flung herself into a chair, greatly agitated and deadly pale. Here she +sat in silence for several minutes, evidently employed in endeavouring +to obtain a view of the late singular occurrence in all its bearings, +and in determining on the course which she herself ought to pursue +regarding it. + +Having seemingly satisfied herself on these points-- + +"Ladies," she at length said--these ladies were two of her Maries, Mary +Livingstone and Mary Fleeming--"this is a most extraordinary +circumstance. Rash, thoughtless, presumptuous man, how could he have +been so utterly lost to every sense of propriety and of his own peril, +as to think of an act of such daring insolence?" + +"Poor man, I pity him," here simply, but naturally enough, perhaps, +interrupted Mary Fleeming. "Doubtless, madam, you will report the matter +instantly to the earl?" + +"Nay, Mary, I know not if I will, after all," replied the queen. "I +perhaps ought to do so; but methinks it would be hardly creditable to +me, as a woman, to bring this poor thoughtless young man to the +scaffold, whither, you know, my stern brother would have him instantly +dragged, if he knew of his offence; and besides, ladies," went on the +queen, in whose gentle bosom the kindly feelings of her nature had now +completely triumphed over those of insulted dignity and pride, "I know +not how far I am myself to blame in this matter. I fear me, I ought to +have been more guarded in my conduct towards this infatuated young man. +I should have kept him at a greater distance, and been more cautious of +admitting him to familiar converse, since he has evidently misconstrued +our affability and condescension. There may have been error there, you +see, ladies." + +"Yet," said Mary Livingstone, "methinks the daring insolence of the man +ought not to go altogether unpunished, madam. If he has chosen to +misconstrue, it can be no fault of yours." + +"Perhaps not," replied Mary. "As a queen, I certainly ought to give him +up to the laws; but as a woman I cannot. Yet shall he not go unpunished. +He shall be forthwith banished from our court and kingdom. To-morrow I +shall cause it to be intimated to him that he leave our court instantly, +and Scotland within four-and-twenty hours thereafter, on pain of our +highest displeasure, and peril of disclosure of his crime." + +Having thus spoken, and having obtained a promise of secresy regarding +Chatelard's offence from her two attendants, Mary retired for the night, +not however, quite assured that she was pursuing the right course for +her own reputation, in thus screening the guilt of the poet; but +nevertheless determined, at all risks, to save him, in this instance at +least, from the consequence of his indiscretion. On the following +morning, the queen despatched a note to Chatelard, to the purpose which +we have represented her as expressing on the preceding night, and, in +obedience to the command it contained, he instantly left the palace, but +in a state of indescribable mental agitation and distraction; for in the +determination expressed by the queen he saw at once an end to all his +wild hopes, and more unendurable still, an assurance that he had wholly +mistaken the feelings with which Mary regarded him. We have said that +Chatelard obeyed one of the injunctions of the queen--that was, to leave +the palace instantly. He did so; but whether he conformed to the other +the sequel will show. + +Two days after the occurrences just related, Mary set out for St. +Andrew's; taking the route of the Queensferry, and sleeping the first +night at Dunfermline, and the second at Burntisland. On the evening of +her arrival at the latter place, the queen, fatigued by her journey, +which had been prolonged by hunting and hawking, retired early to her +apartment. Here she had not been many minutes, when the door was thrown +suddenly open, and Chatelard entered. + +"What! again, Chatelard!" exclaimed Mary, with the utmost indignation +and astonishment. "What means this, sir? How have you dared to intrude +yourself again into my apartment?" + +Without making any reply to this salutation, Chatelard threw himself on +his knees before the queen, and, seizing the skirt of her robe, implored +her pardon for his presumption; adding, that he had been impelled to +this second intrusion solely by a desire to explain to her the motives +of his former conduct, which, he said, had been wrongly interpreted, and +to bid her farewell before he went into the banishment to which she had +doomed him. + +"Rise, sir, rise," said Mary; "I will listen to no explanations forced +on me in this extraordinary manner. I desire that you instantly quit +this apartment. This repetition of your offence, sir, I will neither +bear with nor overlook. Rise, I command you, and begone!" + +Instead of obeying, the infatuated poet not only persisted in remaining +in the position he was in, but, still keeping hold of the queen's robe, +began to speak the language of passion and love. The queen endeavoured +to release herself from his hold, and was in the act of attempting to do +so, when the door of the apartment, which Chatelard had closed behind +him, was violently thrown open, and the Earl of Murray entered. Having +advanced two or three steps, he stood still, and, folding his arms +across his breast, looked sternly, but in silence, first at the queen, +and then at Chatelard; keeping, at the same time, sufficiently near the +door to prevent the escape of the latter, in case he should make such an +attempt. Having gazed on them for some time without opening his lips, +but with an ominous expression of countenance-- + +"Well, Sir Poet," he at length said, addressing Chatelard, with cold +deliberation, "pray do me the favour to enlighten me as to the meaning +of your having thus intruded yourself into the queen's apartment. Why do +I find you here, sir, and wherefore have I found you in the position +from which you have just now risen? Pray, sir, explain." + +"I came here, my lord," replied Chatelard, with firmness and dignity, +"to take leave of Her Majesty before returning to France, for which I +set out to-morrow." + +An ironical and incredulous smile played on the stern countenance of +Murray. "A strange place this, methinks, and a strange season, for +leave-taking; and yet stranger than all the language in which I just now +heard you speak. You are aware, I presume, sir," he added, "that you are +just now in the queen's sleeping apartment, where none dare intrude but +on the peril of their lives. But probably, madam," he said, now turning +to the queen, without waiting any reply to his last remark, "you can +explain the meaning of this extraordinary scene." + +"You had better, my lord," replied Mary, evasively--for she was still +reluctant to commit the unfortunate poet--"obtain what explanations you +desire from Chatelard himself. He surely is the fittest person to +explain his own conduct." + +"True, madam," said Murray, sneeringly, "but I thought it not by any +means improbable that you might be as well informed on the point in +question as the gentleman himself." + +"Your insinuation is rude, my lord," replied the queen, haughtily; and, +without vouchsafing any other remark, walked away to the further end of +the apartment, leaving the earl and Chatelard together. + +Murray now saw, from the perfectly composed and independent manner of +the queen, that he could make out nothing to her prejudice from the case +before him, nor elicit the slightest evidence of anything like +connivance, on the part of Mary, at Chatelard's intrusion. Seeing this, +he determined on proceeding against the unfortunate poet with the utmost +rigour to which his imprudence had exposed him, in the hope that +severity would wring from him such confessions as would implicate the +queen. + +Having come to this resolution--"Sir," he said, addressing Chatelard, +"prepare to abide the consequences of your presumption." And he +proceeded to the door, called an attendant, and desired him to send the +captain of the guard and a party to him instantly. + +In a few minutes, they appeared, when the earl, addressing the officer +just named, and pointing to Chatelard, desired him to put that gentleman +in ward; and the latter was immediately hurried out of the apartment. +When the guard, with their prisoner, had left the queen's chamber, the +earl walked up to Mary, who, with her head leaning pensively on her +hand, had been silently contemplating the proceedings that were going +forward in her apartment. + +"Madam," said Murray, on approaching her, "I think you may consider +yourself in safety for this night, at any rate, from any further +intrusion from this itinerant versifier; and it shall be my fault if he +ever again annoys you or any one else." + +"What, brother!" exclaimed Mary, in evident alarm at this ambiguous, but +ominous hint--"you will not surely proceed to extremities against the +unfortunate young man?" + +"By St Bride, but I will though," replied Murray, angrily. "Why, madam, +has not your reputation as a woman, and your dignity as a queen, both +been assailed by this insolent foreigner, in the daring act he has +done?" + +"Nay, my lord," replied the queen, haughtily, "methinks it will take +much more than this to affect my reputation. I indeed marvel much to +hear you speak thus, my lord. My dignity, again, can be debased only by +mine own acts, and cannot be affected by the act of another." + +"Nevertheless, madam," rejoined her brother, "ye cannot stop slanderous +tongues, and I know not how the world may construe this circumstance. +Both your honour and station require that this presumtuous knave suffer +the penalty of his crime in its utmost rigour. What would the world say +else? Why, it would have suspicions that ought not for an instant to be +associated with the name of Mary Stuart." + +"But you will not have his life taken, brother?" said Mary, in a gentle +tone--subdued by the thoughts of the severe doom that threatened the +unfortunate gentleman, and placing her hand affectionately on the earl's +arm as she spoke. "Can ye not banish him forth of the realm, or imprison +him--anything short of death, which, methinks, would be, after all, hard +measure for the offence?" + +"You have reasons, doubtless, madam," said the earl, coldly and bluntly, +"for this tenderness." + +"I have," said Mary, indignantly; "but not, my lord, such as you would +seem to insinuate. My reasons are, humanity and a feeling of compassion +for the misguided and unhappy youth." + +"Chatelard shall have such mercy, madam, as your Majesty's Privy Council +may deem him deserving of," replied the earl, turning round on his heel, +and quitting the apartment. + +On leaving the presence of the queen, the Earl of Murray retired to his +own chamber where he was shortly after, waited upon by Choisseul, who +had been for some time watching his return. + +"Ha, Choisseul art there?" said the earl, with an unusual expression of +satisfaction on his countenance, on the former's entrance. "Thou hast +done well, friend: I found matters exactly as you stated, and am obliged +by the promptness and accuracy of your information." + +"Vere happy, my lor', I am serve to your satisfaction," replied +Choisseul, bowing low. "I vas vatch Monsieur Chatelard as vone cat shall +vatch vone leetle mice, and did caught him at las." + +"You did well, Choisseul, and shall be suitably recompensed. Dost know +how the fellow came here, and when?" + +"He did come in vone leetle barque, my lor' from over de riviere, on de +todder side opposite." + +"Ah, so!" said the earl. "Well, you may now retire, Choisseul. To-morrow +I shall see to your reward." + +Choisseul bowed, and withdrew. + +When he had retired, the earl sat down to a small writing table, and, +late as the hour was, began writing with great assiduity--an employment +at which he continued until he had written eight or ten different +letters, each of considerable length. These were addressed to various +members of the Queen's Privy Council in Edinburgh, and to some of the +law officers of the crown. They were all nearly copies of each other, +and contained an account of Chatelard's conduct, with a charge to the +several parties addressed to repair to St. Andrews on the second day +following, for the purpose of holding a court on the offender, and +awarding him such punishment as the case might seem to demand. + +On the day succeeding that on which the occurrence just related took +place, the queen and her retinue proceeded to St. Andrews, whither the +prisoner Chatelard was also carried; and, on the next again, the +unfortunate gentleman was brought to trial, the scene of which was an +apartment in the Castle of St Andrews, which had been hastily prepared +for the occasion. In the centre of this apartment was placed a large +oblong oaken table, covered with crimson velvet, and surrounded by a +circle of high-backed chairs, with cushions covered with the same +material. These were subsequently occupied by eight or ten persons of +the Privy Council, including Mary's secretary of state, Maitland of +Lethington, who sat at one end of the table. At the opposite end sat the +Earl of Murray; the prisoner occupying a place in the centre at one of +the sides. During the investigation which followed into the offence of +Chatelard, the Earl of Murray made repeated indirect attempts to lead +him to make statements prejudicial to the queen; urging him, with a show +of candour and pretended regard for justice, to inform the court of +anything and everything which he thought might be available in his +defence, without regard to the rank or condition of those whom such +statements might implicate. This language was too plain to be +misunderstood. Every one present perceived that it conveyed a pointed +allusion to the queen. Chatelard, amongst the rest, felt that it did so, +and indignantly repelled the insinuation. + +"I have none," he said, "to accuse but myself; nothing to blame but my +own folly. Folly, did I say?" went on the fearless enthusiast; "it was +no folly--it was love, love, love--all-powerful love--love for her, the +noblest, the loveliest of created beings, for whom I could die ten +thousand deaths. It was love for her who has been to me the breath of +life, the light of mine eyes, the idol of my heart; around which were +entwined all the feelings and susceptibilities of my nature, even as the +ivy entwines the tree--the constant theme of my dreams by night; the +sole subject of my thoughts by day. It has been hinted to me that I may +blame freely, where to blame may serve me. But whom shall I blame? Not +her, surely, who is the object of my idolatry--my sun, moon, and +stars--my heaven, my soul, my existence. Not her, surely; for she is +faultless as the unborn babe, pure and spotless as the snow-wreath in +the hollow of the mountain. Who shall maintain the contrary fies in his +throat, and is a foul-mouthed, villanous slanderer." + +Here the enthusiastic and somewhat incoherent speaker was abruptly +interrupted by Maitland of Lethington, who, rising to his feet, and +resting his hands on the low table around which Chatelard's judges were +seated, said, looking at the prisoner-- + +"Friend, ye must speak to your defence, if ye would speak at all. This +that you have said is nothing to the purpose; and you cannot be +permitted to take up the time of this court with such rhapsodies as +these, that make not for any point of your accusation. Think ye not so, +my lords?" he added, glancing around the table. + +Several nods of assent spoke acquiescence. When Maitland had concluded-- + +"I have done, then, my lords," said Chatelard, bowing, and seating +himself. "I have no more to say." + +A short conversation now took place amongst the prisoner's judges, when +sentence of death was unanimously agreed to, and he was ordered to be +beheaded on the following day, the 22d of February, 1563. + +On the rising of the court, the Earl of Murray repaired to the queen, +and informed her of the doom awarded against Chatelard. Mary was greatly +affected by the intelligence. She burst into tears, exclaiming-- + +"Oh, unhappy, thrice unhappy, countenance! thou hast been given me for a +curse, instead of a blessing--the ruin of these who love me best--that, +by inspiring a silly passion, at once dangerous and worthless, will not +permit one to remain near me in the character of friend! My lord, my +lord," she continued, in great agitation, "can you not, will you not +save the unhappy young man? I beseech thee, I implore thee, by the ties +of consanguinity that connect us, by the duty ye owe to me as thy +sovereign, to spare his life!" + +"You know not what you ask, madam," replied Murray, stalking up and down +the apartment. "How can his life be spared consistently with your +honour? Save him, and you will set a thousand slanderous tongues +a-wagging. It may not, must not, be." + +Mary herself could not deny the force of this remark, and, finding she +had nothing to oppose to it, she flung herself into a chair, and again +burst into tears. In this condition the earl left her, to give orders +respecting the execution of Chatelard on the following day, and to put +another proceeding in train for obtaining that result which he had aimed +at on the trial of the unfortunate young man. Sending again for +Choisseul-- + +"Friend," he said, on that person's entering the apartment, "I wish +another small piece of service at your hands." + +Choisseul bowed, and expressed his readiness to do anything he might be +required to do. + +"I vas proud to discharge all de drops of my blood in your service, my +lor'," said the knave, with a profound obeisance. + +The earl carelessly nodded approbation. + +"To-night, then, Choisseul," he went on, "you will repair to the dungeon +in which Chatelard is confined. You will see him as a friend. You +understand me?" + +"Ah, well, my lor', vere well." + +"Just so. Well, then, you will hint to him that you have reason to +believe he might yet save his life by confessing a participation in his +guilt on the part of the queen. You may add, though not as from me, of +course, that I have no doubt of his having been encouraged to those +liberties for which his life is forfeited; and you may say that you know +I feel for him, and would readily procure his pardon, if he would only +give me a reasonable ground or pretext for doing so, by showing that +there were _others_ equally in fault with him. Do you entirely +understand me, Choisseul?" + +"Entirely, my lor'," replied the latter; "bright, clear, as noonday at +the sun." + +"So, then, return to me when you have seen Chatelard, and let me know +the result," said the earl. + +Choisseul once more withdrew, to perform the treacherous and knavish +part assigned him. About midnight he sought the dungeon of the unhappy +gentleman, and, having been admitted by the guards, found him busily +employed in writing; the indulgence of a lamp, with pen, ink, and paper, +having, at his most earnest request, been afforded him. Indeed, these +were more readily and willingly given than he was aware of. They were +given in the hope that he would commit something to writing which, +without his intending it, might compromise the character of the queen. +But in this her enemies were disappointed. + +On Choisseul's entering Chatelard's dungeon, the latter, as we have +already said, was busily engaged in writing. He was inditing a last +farewell to the queen in verse. On this employment he was so intent, +that he did not observe, or at least pay any attention to, the entrance +of Choisseul, but continued writing on till he had completed his task, +which now, however, occupied only a very few minutes. On finishing-- + +"'Tis done," he said, and threw down his pen with violence on the table. +"These are the last notes of the harp of Chatelard. Ha, Choisseul!" he +immediately added, and only now for the first time seeming conscious of +that person's presence; "I am glad to see you, my countryman. This is +kind. I thought there were none in this strange land to care for me. But +they shall see, Choisseul," he added, proudly, "how a Frenchman and a +poet can die. That is, boldly and bravely. He were no true poet whose +soul was not elevated above the fear of death. I said, my friend," he +went on, after a momentary pause, and sighing deeply as he spoke, "that +I thought there were none in this land to care for me, or to sorrow for +me--and perhaps it is so; but there is one, Choisseul, whom I would not +willingly believe indifferent to my fate. She surely, much as I have +offended her, will say, 'Poor Chatelard!' Nay, methinks I see a tear +standing in that peerless eye, when she recalls the memory of her +departed poet. That--that, Choisseul," said the unhappy captive, with an +enthusiasm which even the near approach of death had not been able to +abate--"that would be something worth dying for!" + +Choisseul smiled. + +"You hold your life lightly, indeed, Chatelard," he said, speaking in +his native language, "if you think its loss compensated by a woman's +tear." + +"Ah, Choisseul, but such a woman!" exclaimed Chatelard. + +"Well, well," replied the former, again smiling; "but you can have no +doubt that _she_ at least will regret your death. _She_ loved you too +well not to deplore your fate." + +"Did she?" exclaimed Chatelard, eagerly, and with such a look of inquiry +and doubt as greatly disappointed the asserter. "You know who I mean, +then; but how know ye that which you have just now said? Assure me that +ye speak true, Choisseul, and I shall die happy." + +"Ah, bah! you know it yourself, my friend, better than I," replied the +latter. "No use in concealing it now," he added, with an intelligent +look. + +"Concealing what, sir?" said Chatelard, in a tone of mingled surprise +and displeasure. + +"Why, the affection the queen entertained for you," replied Choisseul. +"We all know, my friend, you would not have done what you did, had she +not encouraged your addresses. And I'll tell you what, Chatelard," he +went on, "I have reason to believe that your life would yet be spared, +if you would only show that this was so." + +"Ah, I understand you," said Chatelard, with suppressed passion. "If I +will accuse the queen--if I will put her in the power of her +enemies--her enemies will be obliged to me. In other words, I may save +my life by sacrificing her reputation; and it would be little matter +whether what I said should be true or not. Is it not so, Choisseul?" +Then, without waiting for an answer--"Villain, devil that thou art," he +exclaimed, now suddenly giving full swing to the passion that had been +raised within him, "how hast thou dared to come to me with such an +infamous proposal as this? Didst think, most dastardly knave, that my +soul was as mean as thine own? Begone, begone, ruffian! Thy presence, +thy breath, pollutes my dungeon more than the fetid damps that exhale +from its walls--more than the noxious reptiles that crawl on its floor. +Begone! begone, I say!" And he seized the now trembling caitiff by the +throat, and dashed him against the door of the cell, with a violence +that instantly brought in the guards who were stationed on the outside. +These, seeing how matters stood, hurried Choisseul out of the dungeon, +and again secured the door on its unfortunate inmate. + +On leaving Chatelard, Choisseul repaired to the Earl of Murray, but with +infinitely less confidence in his looks and manner than on the former +occasion when his villany had been successful. To the earl he detailed +the particulars of his interview with Chatelard; not forgetting to +mention the rough treatment he had received from the infuriated poet. + +"Then he'll confess nothing, Choisseul?" said Murray, when the former +had done speaking. + +"Not anything at all, my lor'. Dere is no hope; for he make no more of +dying than I do of taking vone leetle pinch of snuff." + +"Obstinate fool," exclaimed the earl, evidently chagrined and +disappointed. "Let him die, then! You may retire, Choisseul," he +abruptly added. + +Choisseul obeyed. + +"His execution, at any rate, shall be public," said the earl to himself, +when the latter had left him. "Perhaps he may make some confession on +the scaffold, and it will be well to have it amply testified." + +On the following day, Chatelard was led out to execution, when his +gentleman-like appearance and noble bearing excited the utmost sympathy +of the crowd. On ascending the scaffold, he pulled a small volume from +his pocket, opened it, and read aloud, with great dignity and composure, +Ronsard's Hymn on Death. When he had done, he turned towards that part +of the Castle of St Andrew's where he supposed the queen to be, and, +kissing his hand, waved a graceful adieu, exclaiming--"Farewell, +loveliest and most cruel princess whom the world contains!" + +Having uttered these words, he laid his head, with the utmost composure, +on the block. The axe of the executioner fell, and the high-souled, +accomplished, but enthusiastic Chatelard was no more. + + + + +CHRISTIE OF THE CLEEK. + + +Though the records of history and everyday experience teach us that +human nature, when pressed beyond certain limits by the force of stern +necessity, loses all trace of the lineaments of the lord of the +creation, and degenerates as far below the grade of brute existence as +it is, when not subjected to any such power, above it; yet it is +remarkable how determinedly mankind cling to a sceptical incredulity in +regard to those facts which derogate, in a very great degree, from the +dignity of the character of their species. The story of Christiecleek +has been considered by many as only fit for being, what it has been for +five hundred years, a nursery bugbear, and yet it is narrated by Winton, +one of the least credulous of historians, was attended by circumstances +rendering it highly probable at the time, and has been corroborated by +instances of _civilised_ cannabalism, produced by necessity, in cases of +shipwreck, of almost yearly occurrence. + +The united powers of war and famine, which have so often poured forth +their fury on the devoted head of poor Scotland, at no time exhibited +greater malignity than in the beginning of the reign of David II. For +about fifty years, the country had scarcely ever enjoyed a year of +quiet--with, perhaps, the exception of a short period of the reign of +Bruce. Repeatedly swept from one end to the other by the invading armies +of the Edwards, carrying the sword and the faggot in every direction, +she was, on the very instant of the departure of the foreign foes (in +all cases starved out of a burned and devastated land), laid hold of by +the harpies of intestine wars. The strong resilient energies of the +country could have thrown off the effects of one attack, however severe +and however protracted; but a series of incursions of the same disease, +at intervals allowing of no time for recruiting her powers, produced a +political marasmus--a confirmed famine--one of the most dreadful evils, +including in itself all others, that ever was visited on mankind. + +It would be difficult to draw a picture--because imagination falls short +of the powers of a proper portraiture--of the misery and desolation of +Scotland at the time we have mentioned. The land had got gradually out +of cultivation, and the herds of black cattle and sheep, on which the +people relied, in default of the productive powers of agriculture, had +been either driven into England, or consumed by the myriads of soldiers +of the English invading armies. Great numbers of the people, having +nothing wherewith to allay the pangs of hunger, though they had plenty +of money, quitted their country in despair, and took refuge in Flanders. +Those who had no money to pay their passage, left their homes, and +betook themselves to the woods, where, to appease their agonies, they +lay on the ground, and devoured, like the inhabitants of their sties, +the acorns and the nuts that had fallen from the trees. In the want of +these, the very branches were laid hold of and gnawed; and many poor +creatures were found lying dead, with the half-masticated boughs in +their clenched hands. The only remedial influence that was experienced, +was the growth of dysenteries and other intestine diseases, which, +produced by hunger and becoming epidemic, kindly swept off thousands who +would otherwise have died of protracted famine. + +At a wild spot near the Grampian Hills, a number of destitute beings had +collected, for the purpose of catching deer (a few of which still +remained), to keep in the spark of life. They agreed to associate +together, and divide their prey, which was dressed in a mountain cave, +where they had assembled. Every morning they sallied forth, women and +all, on the dreadful errand of taking advantage of chance, in supplying +them with any species of wild animals that came in their way, to satisfy +the imperative demands of hunger. They got a few creatures at first, +consisting chiefly of hares and foxes, and occasionally wolves, as +ferocious and hungry as their captors; and such was the extremity to +which they were often reduced, that they sat down on the spot where the +animals were caught, divided the smoking limbs among their number, and +devoured them without any culinary preparation. + +This supply very soon ceased--the animals in the neighbourhood having +either been consumed or frightened away to more inaccessible places. The +wretched beings, like others in their situation, had recourse to the +woods for acorns; but the time of the year had passed, and no nuts were +to be found. Weakness preyed on their limbs; and several of their +number, unable longer to go in search of food, which was nowhere to be +found, lay on the floor of the cavern in the agonies of a hunger which +their stronger companions, concerned for their own fate, would not +alleviate. All ties between the members of the association began to give +way before the despair of absolute famine. They ceased all personal +communication; silence, feeding on the morbid forms of misery called up +by diseased imaginations, reigned throughout the society of skeletons, +and hollow eyes, which spoke unutterable things, glanced through the +gloom of the cavern, where a glimmering fire, on which they had, for a +time, prepared the little meat they had procured, was still kept up, by +adding a few pieces of wood from the neighbouring forest. No notice was +taken of each other's agonies, nor could the groans which mixed and +sounded with a hollow noise through the dark recess, have been +distinguished by the ear of sympathy; an occasional scream from a female +sufferer who experienced a paroxysm of more than her ordinary agony, was +only capable of fixing the attention for an instant, till individual +pain laid hold again of the tortured feelings. + +A person of the name of Andrew Christie, a butcher, originally from +Perth, had endeavoured, at first, to organise the society, with a view +to save himself and his fellow-sufferers. He was a strong, hardy man; +and, if any of the number could be said to retain a small portion of +self-command, in the midst of the horrible scene of suffering which +surrounded them, it was this man. He was still able to walk, though with +difficulty, and continued to feed the fire, going out occasionally and +seizing on grubs that were to be found about the mouth of the cavern. +The others were unable to follow his example, and even he latterly was +unfitted for his loathsome search. All were now nearly in the same +predicament: agony and despair reigned throughout, to the exclusion of a +single beam of hope of any one ever again visiting the haunts of man. At +Christie's side a woman ceased to groan; an intermission of agony was a +circumstance, and the only circumstance to be remarked. The thought +struck him she was dead; he laid his hand upon her mouth to be assured +of the fact; she was no more! The dead body was a talisman in the temple +of misery--in a short time, that body was gone! + +The Rubicon of the strongest of natural prejudices was passed, with the +goading furies of hunger and despair behind. A prejudice overcome is an +acquisition of liberty, though it may be for evil. The death of the +woman had saved them all from death; but the efficacy of the salvation +would postpone a similar course of relief. Christie saw the predicament +of his friends, and proposed in the hollow, husky voice of starvation, +that one of their number should die by lot, and that then, having +recovered strength, they should proceed to the mountain pass and procure +victims. + +This oration was received with _groans_, meant to be of applause. The +lot of death fell on another woman, who was sacrificed to the prevailing +demon. A consequent recovery of strength now fitted the survivors for +their dreadful task. They proceeded to the mountain pass, headed by +Christie, and killed a traveller, by knocking him on the head with a +hammer, and then removed him to the cavern, where his body was treated in +the same manner as that of the woman on whom the lot of death had +fallen. They repeated this operation whenever their hunger returned; +making no selection of their victims, unless when there was a choice +between a foot-passenger and a horseman--the latter of whom, always +preferred for the sake of his horse, was dragged from his seat with a +large iron hook, fixed to the end of a pole--an invention of Christie's, +serving afterwards to give him the dreadful name by which he became so +well known. That which hunger at first suggested became afterwards a +matter of choice, if not of fiendish delight. The silent process of +assuaging the pain arising from want subsequently changed into a banquet +of cannibals; the song of rivalry was sounded in dithyrambic measure +over the dead body of the victim, and the corrybantic dance of the +wretches who required to still conscience by noise, or die, was footed +to the wild music which, escaping from the cavern, rung among the hills. +Such were the obsequies which Scotchmen, resigning the nature of man, +amidst unheard-of agonies, celebrated over the corpses of their +countrymen. + +These things reached the ears of government; and an armed force was +despatched to the hills to seize the cannibals. Several of them were +caught; but Christie and some others escaped, and were never captured. +The bones of their victims were collected, and conveyed to Perth; where, +upon being counted, it appeared that they had killed no fewer than +thirty travellers. From these transactions sprung that name, +Christiecleek, which is so familiar to the ears of Scotchmen. +"Christiecleek! Christiecleek!" became instantly the national nursery +bugbear. No child would cry after the charmed name escaped from the lips +of the nurse; and even old people shuddered at the mention of a term +which produced ideas so revolting to human nature, and so derogatory of +Scottish character. + +Now it is said that, some time after the performance of the dreadful +tragedy we have narrated, an old man in the town of Dumfries, who had +three children by his wife, quarrelled her often for the use of a term +intended simply to pacify her children when they cried, but which he +declared was too much even for his ears. He was a respectable merchant, +had earned a considerable sum of money by his trade, and was reputed a +most godly man, attending divine service regularly, and performing all +the domestic duties with order and great suavity of manner. His +neighbours looked up to him with love and respect, and solicited his +counsel in their difficulties. His name--David Maxwell--was applauded in +the neighbourhood, and he received great sympathy from all who knew him, +in consequence of having, as was reported, lost an only brother among +Christiecleek's victims--a fact he had concealed from his wife, till her +use of the name compelled him to mention it to her, but which afterwards +came to be well known. + +The silence of the mother had, however, no effect upon the urchins, who, +the more they were requested to cease terrifying each other by their +national _terriculamentum_, "Christiecleek," the more terrible it +appeared to them, and the more they used it. If they abstained from the +use of the word in the presence of their parents, they were the more +ready to have recourse to it in the passages of the house, and in the +dark rooms, and wherever the dreaded being might be supposed to be. The +pastime was general throughout Scotland; and David Maxwell's children +only followed an example which has been repeated for five hundred years. +"Christiecleek!--Christiecleek!" What Scotchman has not heard the +dreaded words? Time rolled on, and the Misses Maxwell resigned their +childish pastime for the duties of women. Their father had become a very +old man; and the attentions which their mother could not bestow, were +willingly yielded by the young women, who were remarked as being very +beautiful, as well as very good. They loved their father dearly, and +looked upon their filial duties as willing tributes of affection. After +they became intrusted with the secret, they substituted for the cry of +their youth, which had given their father so much pain, pity for the +brother of the victim of the execrated fiend. + +At last David Maxwell came to die; and, as he lay on his bed, surrounded +by his wife and daughters, he seemed to be wrestling with some dreadful +thought which allowed him no rest, but wrung from him, incessantly, +heavy groans and muttered prayers. His wife pressed him to open his +heart to her, or, if he was disinclined to repose that confidence in her +when dying, which he had awarded to her so liberally during a long +union, he should, she recommended, send for Father John of the Monastery +of St Agnes, and be shrived. The daughters wept as they heard these +melancholy statements, and the old man sympathised in their sorrow, +which seemed to give him additional pain. At last he seemed inclined to +be communicative, and, after a struggle, said to his wife-- + +"Wha is to tak care o' my dochters when I am consigned to that cauld +habitation whar a faither's love and an enemy's anger are alike unfelt +and unknown? My effects will be sufficient for the support o' my +household; but money, without a guardian, is only a temptation to +destroyers and deceivers. If I could get this point settled to my +satisfaction, I micht die in peace." + +"You never tauld me o' yer freens, David," said his wife--"a +circumstance that has often grieved me. The hundreds o' Maxwells in the +Stewartry and in Dumfries-shire surely contain among them some relation, +however distant; but my uncle will act as guardian to our dochters, and +ye hae tried his honesty." + +"Yet I dinna want relations," groaned the dying man. "I hae a +_brither_." + +"A brither," ejaculated the mother and daughter in astonishment; "was he +no killed by the monster, Christiecleek, in the Highland cavern?" + +"No," answered David, with great pain. + +"Whar lives he, and what's his Christian name?" cried the wife, in +amazement. + +"Is it his _Christian_ name ye ask?" said the old man. "Surely David," +replied the wife--"his surname maun be Maxwell." + +"But it is not Maxwell," said he, still groaning. + +"Not Maxwell!" said the wife. "What is it then?" + +"_Christie!_" ejaculated David, with a groan. + +The mention of this name produced a strange effect on the minds of the +wife and daughters, who, in the brother, saw (as they thought) at once +the hated Christiecleek, and found an explanation of the horror which +David Maxwell had uniformly exhibited when the name was mentioned in his +presence. They had at last discovered the true solution of what had +appeared so wonderful; and, having retired for a few minutes, to allow +their excitement to subside, they, by comparing notes, came to the +conclusion that their father, having been ashamed of his connection with +the unnatural being, had changed his name, and dropped all intercourse +with him; but that now, when he was about to die, his feelings had +overpowered him, and forced him to make the awful confession he had +uttered. Pained and shamed by this newly-discovered connection, they +were not regardless of what was due to him whose shame and grief had +been even greater than theirs, and, accordingly, resolved to yield all +the consolation in their power to the good man who could not help having +a bad brother. On their return to the bedside, they found him in great +agony both of mind and body. + +"This brither, David," said the wife, "I fear, is little worthy o' your +friendship, and the change o' your name is, doubtless, the consequence +o' a virtuous shame o' the connection. But can it be possible that he is +that man o' the mountain cavern, whose name terrifies the bairns o' +Scotland, and maks even the witches o' the glens raise their bony hands +in wonder and execration? Tell us, David, freely, if this be the burden +which presses sae heavily on yer mind. Yer wife and dochters will think +nae less o' you for having been unfortunate; and consolation is never +sae usefu as when it is applied to a grief that is nae langer secret. +The surgeon's skill is o' little avail when the disease is unknown." + +This speech, containing apparently the fatal secret, produced a great +effect upon the bedridden patient, who rolled from side to side, and +sawed the air with his sinewy hands, like one in a state of madness. + +"We were speakin o' guardians for my dochters," said he, at last, "and I +said I had a brither whase surname is Christie. You promised me +consolation. Is this your comfort to a deein man? For twenty years I +have hated the mention o' that dreadfu name; and now, when I am on my +death-bed, speakin o' curators for my bairns, ye rack my ears by tellin +me I am the brither o' _Christiecleek_! Would Christiecleek be a +suitable guardian for my dochters? Speak, Agnes--say if ye think +Christiecleek would tak care o' their bodies and their gowd as weel as +he tended the victims o' the Highland cave?" + +The wife saw she had gone too far, and begged his pardon for having made +the suggestion. + +"Ye will forgive me, David," said she, "for the remark I hae dune ye +great injustice; for how is it possible to conceive that sae guid a man +could be sae nearly related to a monster? But ye hae to explain to me +the change o' name. How hae you and your brither different surnames?" + +"_Because_," said the dying man, turning round, and staring with +lacklustre eyes broadly in the face of his wife--"_because I am +Christiecleek!_" + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +- Obvious punctuation errors repaired. +- Title page: No glossary included in the original. +- pg 010: 'ferula' corrected to 'ferule' +- pg 081: 'douce' corrected to 'douse' +- pg 095: 'iron gripe' corrected to 'iron grip' +- pg 107; 'spitfire' corrected to 'Spitfire' +- pg 211: 'neices' corrected to 'nieces' +- pg 223: 'Shakpere' corrected to 'Shakspere' (to match GWL) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of +Scotland, Vol. 9, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDER, VOL 9 *** + +***** This file should be named 32956.txt or 32956.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/9/5/32956/ + +Produced by David Clarke, Sunflower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/32956.zip b/32956.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b145529 --- /dev/null +++ b/32956.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4fc5002 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #32956 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32956) |