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diff --git a/41796-0.txt b/41796-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a2d256 --- /dev/null +++ b/41796-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5912 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41796 *** + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://archive.org/details/brownieofbodsbec02hogg + + +Transcriber's note: + + The Brownie of Bodsbeck has no Chapter IV. and two + Chapters III. + + + + + +THE BROWNIE OF BODSBECK; + +And other Tales. + +Edinburgh: +Printed by James Ballantyne & Co. + + +THE BROWNIE OF BODSBECK; + +And other Tales. + +by + +JAMES HOGG, + +Author of "The Queen's Wake," &c. &c. + + "What, has this thing appeared again to-night?" + +In Two Volumes. + +VOL. II. + + + + + + + +Edinburgh; +Printed for William Blackwood, Prince's-Street: +and +John Murray, Albemarle-Street, London. +1818. + + + + +CONTENTS TO VOLUME SECOND. + + + PAGE. + + Continuation of the Brownie of Bodsbeck 1 + + The Wool-Gatherer 87 + + The Hunt of Eildon 229 + + + + +THE BROWNIE OF BODSBECK. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +Next morning Davie Tait was early astir, and not having any thing better +to do, he took his plaid and staff and set out towards Whithope-head, to +see what was become of his five scores of ewes, the poor remains of a +good stock. Davie went slowly up the brae towards Riskinhope-swire, for +the events of last night were fresh in his mind, and he was conning a +new prayer to suit some other great emergency; for Davie began to think +that by fervent prayer very great things might be accomplished--that +perhaps the floods might be restrained from coming down, and the storms +of the air from descending; and that even the Piper Hill, or the Hermon +Law, might be removed out of its place. This last, however, was rather a +doubtful point to be attained, even by prayer through the best grounded +faith, for, saving the places where they already stood, there was no +room for them elsewhere in the country. He had, however, his eye fixed +on a little green gair before him, where he was determined to try his +influence with heaven once more; for his heart was lifted up, as he +afterwards confessed, and he was hasting to that little gair to kneel +down and ask a miracle, nothing doubting. + +Let any one guess, if he can, what Davie Tait was going to ask. It was +not that the rains and storms of heaven might be restrained, nor that +the mountains might be removed out of their places; but Davie was going +to pray, that "when he went over at the Hewn-gate-end, as soon as he +came in sight of Whithope, he might see all his master's ewes again; +all his old friends, every one of which he knew by head-mark, going +spread and bleating on their old walk from the Earl Hill all the way to +the Braid-heads." So intent was Davie on this grand project, that he +walked himself out of breath against the hill, in order to get quickly +at the little gair to put his scheme in execution; but, as he sagely +observed, it had been graciously fore-ordained that he should not commit +this great folly and iniquity. He paused to take his breath; and in +pausing he turned about, as every man does who stops short in climbing a +hill. The scene that met Davie's eye cut his breath shorter than the +steep--his looks were rivetted on the haugh at Chapelhope--he could +scarcely believe his own eyes, though he rubbed them again and again, +and tried their effects on all things around.--"Good Lord!" said Davie, +"what a world do we live in! Gin a hale synat had sworn, I coudna hae +believed this! My sooth but the Brownie o' Bodsbeck has had a busy +night!" + +Walter of Chapelhope had ten acres of as good corn as ever grew in a +moor-land district. Davie knew that when he went to his bed the evening +before, that corn was all growing in the field, dead ripe, and ready for +the sickle; and he had been lamenting that very night that such a crop +should be lost for want of reapers, in a season when there was so much +need for it. But now Davie saw that one half of that crop at least was +shorn during the night, all standing in tight shocks, rowed and hooded, +with their ends turned to the south-west.--Well might Davie exclaim, "My +sooth, but the Brownie of Bodsbeck has had a busy night!" + +Davie thought no more of his five scores of ewes, nor of his prayer, nor +the miracle that was to take place in consequence of that, but turned +and ran back to Riskinhope as fast as his feet would carry him, to +arouse the rest of the people, and apprise them of this wonderful event +that had occurred beneath their noses, as he called it. He did so, and +all of them rose with wonder and astonishment, and agreed to go across +the lake and look at the Brownie's workmanship. Away they went in a body +to the edge of the stubble, but durst not set foot thereon for fear of +being affected by enchantment in some way or another; but they saw that +the corn had been shorn exactly like other corn, except that it was +rather more neat and clean than ordinary. The sheaves were bound in the +same way as other bandsters bind them; and in the shocking, the +corn-knots were all set outermost. "Weel, is not he a most unaccountable +fellow that Brownie of Bodsbeck?" said Davie Tait. + +While they were thus standing in a row at the side of the shorn field, +wondering at the prowess and agility of Brownie, and trying to make some +random calculations of the thousands of cuts that he had made with his +hook that night, Katharine went by at a little distance, driving her +father's cows afield and at the same time directing her father's dog far +up the hill to turn the ewes from the Quave Brae. She was dressed in her +usual neat morning habit, with a white short-gown, green petticoat, and +her dark locks bound up with a scarlet snood; she was scolding and +cajoling the dog in a blithsome and good-humoured way, and scarcely +bestowing a look on the workmanship of her redoubted Brownie, or seeming +to regard it. + +"Ay, ye may speel the brae, Keatie Laidlaw," said Davie Tait, +apostrophising her, but shaking his head all the while, and speaking in +a low voice, that his fellow-servants only might hear--"Ay, ye may speel +the brae, Keatie Laidlaw, an' drive your ewes an' your kye where ye +like; but wae's me for ye! Ye hae a weel-faurd face o' your ain, an' a +mak that's liker to an angel than a thing o' flesh an' blude; but och! +what a foul heart ye boud to hae within!--And how are ye to stand the +aftercome? There will be a black reckoning with you some day. I wadna +that my fit war i' your shoe the night for a' the ewes on the Lang +Bank." + +Old Nanny went over, as usual, and assisted her to milk the cows, and +make the butter and cheese, but spoke no word that day to her young +mistress, good or bad. She regarded her with a kind of awe, and often +took a long stolen look of her, as one does of a dog that he is afraid +may be going mad. + +As the people of Riskinhope went home, Dan chanced to say jocularly, +"He's a clever fellow the Brownie--I wish he would come and shear our +croft too." + +"Foul fa' the tongue that said it," quoth Davie, "an' the heart that +thought the ill! Ye thinkna how easily he's forespoken. It was but last +night I said he hadna wrought to the gudeman for half his meat, an' ye +see what he has done already. I spake o' him again, and he came in +bodily. Ye should take care what ye say here, for ye little ken wha's +hearing. Ye're i' the very same predicament, billy Dan, as the tod was +in the orchard,--'Afore I war at this speed,' quo' he, 'I wad rather hae +my tail cuttit off,'--he hadna the word weel said before he stepped into +a trap, which struck, and snapt off his tail--'It's a queer place this,' +quo' he; 'ane canna speak a word but it is taen in nettle-earnest.' I' +the same way is Brownie likely to guide you; an' therefore, to prevent +him taking you at your word, we'll e'en gang an' begin the shearing +oursels." + +Davie went in to seek out the hooks; he knew there were half-a-dozen +lying above the bed in the room where the spirit had been the night +before. They were gone! not a sickle was there!--Davie returned, +scratching his head, biting his lip, and looking steadily down to the +ground. "It hasna been Kirky's ghost after a'," said he; "it has been +Brownie, or some o' his gang, borrowing our hooks." + +Davie lost all hope of working any great change in the country by dint +of prayer. His faith, which never was great, gave way; but yet he +always said, that when he was hasting up to the rash-bush in the little +green gair that morning, to pray for the return of his master's ewes, it +was at least equal to a grain of mustard-seed. + +About eight days after that, when the moon was in the wane, the rest of +Walter's corn was all cut down in one night, and a part of the first +safely stowed in the barnyard. About the same time, too, the shepherds +began to smear their flocks at a small sheep-house and fold, built for +the purpose up nigh to the forkings of the Chapelhope-burn. It is a +custom with them to mix as much tar with grease before they begin as +they deem sufficient to smear all the sheep on the farm, or at least one +hirsell of them. This the herds of Chapelhope did; but, on the very +second morning after they began, they perceived that a good deal of +their tar was wanting; and judging that it had been stolen, they raised +a terrible affray about it with their neighbours of Riskinhope and +Corse-cleuch. Finding no marks of it, old John Hay said, "We must just +give it up, callants, for lost; there is nae doubt but some of the +fishers about Dryhope has stown it for fish-lights. There are a set of +the terriblest poachers live there that's in all the Forest." + +In the afternoon John went out to the Ox-cleugh-head, to bring in a +houseful of white sheep, and to his utter astonishment saw that upwards +of an hundred ewes had been smeared during the night, by the officious +and unwearied Brownie of Bodsbeck. "The plague be in his fingers," quoth +old John to himself, "gin he haena smeared crocks an' fat sheep, an' a' +that has come in his way. This will never do." + +Though the very hairs of John's head stood, on coming near to the sheep +that had been smeared by Brownie, yet seeing that his sensible dog +Keilder was nothing afraid of them, but managed them in the same way as +he did other sheep, John grew by degrees less suspicious of them. He +confessed, however, as he was shedding them from the white ones, that +there was a ewe of Brownie's smearing came running by very near him, and +he could not help giving a great jump out of her way. + +All shepherds are accused of indolence, and not, perhaps, without some +reason. Though John dreaded as death all connection with Brownie, yet he +rejoiced at the progress they were likely to make in the smearing, for +it is a dirty and laborious business, and he was glad by any means to +get a share of it off his hands, especially as the season was so far +advanced. So John took in to the fold twice as many sheep as they needed +for their own smearing, put the crocks and the fat sheep out from among +them, and left them in the house to their fate, taking good care to be +out of sight of the place before dark. Next morning a certain quantity +of tar was again gone, and the sheep were all neatly smeared and keeled, +and set to the hill. This practice the shepherds continued throughout +smearing-time, and whether they housed many or few at night, they were +still all smeared and set to the hill again next morning. The smearing +of Chapelhope was finished in less than one-third of its wonted time. +Never was the labour of a farm accomplished with such expedition and +exactness, although there were none to work, to superintend, or direct +it, but one simple maiden. It became the wonder and theme of the whole +country, and has continued to be a standing winter evening tale to this +day. Where is the cottager, dwelling between the Lowthers and Cheviot, +who has not heard tell of the feats of the Brownie of Bodsbeck? + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +Walter was hardly used in prison for some time, but at last Drummelzier +found means of rendering his situation more tolerable. Several of his +associates that were conducted with him from Dumfries died in jail; he +said they seemed to have been forgotten both by the council and their +friends, but they kept up so good a heart, and died with such apparent +satisfaction, that he could scarcely be sorry for their release by +death, though he acknowledged, that a happiness beyond the grave was +always the last kind of happiness that he wished to his friends. His own +trial was a fire-side theme for him as long as he lived, but he +confounded names and law terms, and all so much through other, that, +were it given wholly in his own words, it would be unintelligible. It +came on the 12th of November, and Sir George Lockhart and Mr Alexander +Hay were his counsel. His indictment bore, that he had sheltered on his +farm a set of the most notorious and irreclaimable rebels in the whole +realm; that sundry of his majesty's right honest liege subjects had been +cruelly murdered there, very near to the prisoner's house, and a worthy +curate in the immediate vicinity. It stated the immense quantity of +victuals found in his house, and the numbers of fugitive whigs that were +seen skulking in the boundaries of his farm; and also how some false +delinquents were taken and executed there. + +Clavers was present, as he had a right to be when he desired it, and +gave strong and decided evidence against him. The time had been, and not +long agone, when, if the latter had manifested such sentiments against +any one, it had been sufficient for his death-warrant; but the killing +time was now nearly over, and those in power were only instituting +trials in order to impose heavy fines and penalties, that they might +glean as much of the latter vintage of that rich harvest as possible, +before the sickle was finally reft from their grasp. Several witnesses +were examined to prove the above accusations, and among the rest Daniel +Roy Macpherson, whose deposition was fair, manly, and candid. As soon as +his examination was over, he came and placed himself near to Walter, who +rejoiced to see him, and deemed that he saw in him the face of a friend. + +Witnesses were next called to prove his striking Captain Bruce with his +fist, and also tripping the heels from Ingles, and tossing him over a +steep, while in the discharge of his duty, whereby he was rendered +unable to proceed in the king's business. Walter, being himself examined +on these points, confessed both, but tried to exculpate himself as well +as he could. + +"As to Bruce, my masters," said he, "I didna ken that he was a captain, +or what he was; he pu'd up his bit shabble of a sword an' dang aff my +bonnet, when I was a free man i' my ain ben-end. I likit nae sic +freedoms, as I had never been used wi' them, sae I took up my neive an' +gae him a yank on the haffat till I gart his bit brass cap rattle +against the wa'. I wonder ye dinna ceete me too for nippin' Jock +Graham's neck there, as he ca'd himsel, that day, an' his freend Tam +Liviston--There's nae word o' that the day!--Nah! but I could tell an' I +likit what I hae been put to a' this plague for." + +Here the advocate stopped him, by observing that he was wandering from +the point in question, and his own counsel were always trembling for him +when he began to speak for himself. Being asked, what defence he had to +offer for kicking and maltreating a king's officer in the discharge of +his duty? + +"If it was that drunken dirt Ingles that ye mean," said Walter, "I dinna +ken what ye ca' a man's duty here, but it surely coudna be a duty, when +my hands war tied ahint my back, to kick me i' the wame; an' that's what +he was doing wi' a' his pith, whan I gart him flee heels-ower-head like +a batch o' skins." + +Sir George MacKenzie and Dalrymple of Stair both laughed outright at +this answer, and it was some time before the business could proceed. Sir +George Lockhart, however, compelled them to relinquish these parts of +the indictment, on account of the treatment offered to the prisoner, and +the trial proceeded on the charges previously mentioned, which were +found relevant. Walter was utterly confounded at the defence made for +him by Sir George Lockhart. He was wont to say, "Aih but he's a terrible +clever body yon Geordie Lockie! od he kend mair about me, and mair that +was in my favour, than I did mysel." + +The conclusion of this trial must be given in Walter's own phrase. "I +pretendit to be very crouse, an' no ae bit fear'd--aha! I was unco +fear'd for a' that--I coudna swally my spittle for the hale day, an' I +fand a kind o' foost, foost, foostin about my briskit that I coudna win +aneath ava. But when the chield MacKenzie began to clink thegither the +evidence against me, gude faith I thought it was a' ower wi' me then; I +saw nae outgate, an' lost a' hope; mair than aince I tried to think o' +auld Maron Linton an' the bairns, but I could think about naething, for +I thought the house was heaving up i' the tae side, and gaun to whommel +a' the judges an' jurymen on the tap o' me. He revertit aye to the +evidence of Clerk the curate, wha had said that I had a private +correspondence wi' the whigs, an' then he brought a' the ither proof to +bear upon that, till he made my guilt perfectly plain; an' faith I +coudna say that the chiel guessed far wrang. Then my Lord Moray, wha was +head judge that day, was just gaun to address the jurymen, an' direct +them to hang me, when up gat Geordie Lockie again for the hindmost time; +(he had as mony links an' wimples in his tail as an eel that body,) an' +he argyed some point o' law that gart them a' glowr; at last he said, +that it was hard, on a point of life an' death, to take the report of a +man that wasna present to make oath to the information he had gi'en, +which might be a slander to gain some selfish end; and he prayed, for +the satisfaction of the jury, that his client might be examined on that +point, (he ca'd me aye _a client_, a name that I abhorred, for I didna +ken the meaning o't, but I trowed it meant nae good,) for, says he, he +has answered very freely, and much to the point, a' that ye hae speered +at him. I was just considering what I should say, but I could get nought +to say ava, when I was startit wi' a loud Hem! just amaist at my elbow. +I naturally liftit up my een, very stupit like, I dare say, to see what +it was; and wha was it but the queer Highland chap Roy Macpherson, +makin' sic faces to me as ye never saw. I thought he was wanting to mak +me recollect something, but what it was I coudna tell. I was +dumfoundered sae, that when the judge put the question to me about Clerk +I never answered a word, for I was forefoughten wi' another thought. At +length I mindit the daft advice that honest Macpherson gae me at parting +with me in Dumfries, which was sic a ridiculous advice I had never +thought o't mair. But now, thinks I to mysel, things canna be muckle +waur wi' me; the scrow's come fairly to the neb o' the miresnipe now; +an' never had I better reason to be angry than at the base curate whom I +had fed an' clad sae aften. Sae I musters a' my wrath up into my face, +and when the judge, or the advocate, put the question again, I never +heedit what it was, but set up my birses an' spak to them as they had +been my herd callants. What the deil are ye a' after? quoth I. G----d +d----n the hale pack o' ye, do ye think that auld Wat Laidlaw's a whig, or +wad do aught against his king, or the laws o' his country? They ken little +about him that say sae! I aince fought twa o' the best o' them armed wi' +swords, an' wi' nought but my staff I laid them baith flat at my feet; +an' had I ony twa o' ye on the Chapelhope-flow thegither, if ye dared to +say that I was a whig, or a traitor to my king, I wad let ye find +strength o' arm for aince. Here the wily chap Geordie Lockie stappit me +in great agitation, and beggit me to keep my temper, and answer his +lordship to the point, what defence I had to make against the +information given by Clerk the curate? He be d----d! said I: he kens the +contrair o' that ower weel; but he kend he wad be master an' mair when +he gat me away frae about the town. He wantit to wheedle my wife out o' +ilk thing she had, an' to kiss my daughter too, if he could. Vile +brock! gin I war hame at him I'll dad his head to the wa'; ay, an' ony +twa o' ye forby, quo' I, raising my voice, an' shaking that neive at +them,--ony twa o' ye that dare set up your faces an' say that I'm a whig +or a rebel.--A wheen d----d rascals, that dinna ken what ye wad be at! + +"The hale court was thunnerstruck, an' glowred at ane anither like +wullcats. I gae a sklent wi' my ee to Daniel Roy Macpherson, an' he was +leaned ower the back o' the seat, and fa'n into a kink o' laughing. The +hale crowd ahint us got up wi' a great hurra! an' clappit their hands, +an' I thought the fock war a' gaen mad thegither. As soon as there was a +wee quiet, my lord the Earl o' Moray he speaks across to Clavers, an' he +says: 'This winna do, my lord; that carl's nae whig, nor naething akin +to them. Gin that be nae a sound worthy man, I never saw ane, nor heard +ane speak.' An' wi' that the croud shoutit an' clappit their hands +again. I sat hinging my head then, an' looking very blate, but I was +unco massy for a' that. They then spak amang themsels for five or sax +minents, and they cried on my master Drumelzier, an' he gaed up an' +crackit wi' them too; an' at last the judge tauld me, that the +prosecution against me was drappit for the present, an' that gin I could +raise security for twa thousand merks, to appear again if cited before +the first of June, 1686, I was at liberty to go about my business. I +thankit his lordship; but thinks I to mysel, ye're a wheen queer chaps! +Ye shoot fock for praying an' reading the Bible, an' whan ane curses an' +damns ye, ye ca' him a true honest man! I wish ye be nae the deil's +bairns, the halewort o' ye! Drumelzier an' Lockie cam security for me at +aince, an' away I sets for hame, as weel satisfied as ever I was a' my +life, that I mind o'. + +"Weel, when I came out to the closs at the back o' the prison, a' the +fock croudit about me; an' _he_ shook hands wi' me; an' _he_ shook +hands wi' me; an' the young chaps they hurra'd an' waved their caps, an' +cried out, Ettrick Forest for ever!--Auld Braid-Bonnet for ever,--hurra! +An' I cam up the Lawn-Market, an' down the Bow, wi' sic an army at my +tail, as I had been gaun away to fight Boddell-Brigg owre again. + +"I now begoud to think it wad be as weel to gie the lads the slip, for +my army was gathering like a snaw-ba', an' I little wist how sic a +hobbleshue might end; sae I jinkit into Geordie Allan's, at the +West-Port, where I had often been afore, when selling my eild ewes and +chasers; an' I whispered to them to keep out my sodgers, for there were +too many of them for the house to haud; but they not perfectly +understanding my jest, I was not well entered ere I heard a loud +altercation at the head o' the stair, an' the very first aith that I +heard I knew it to be Macpherson." + +"Py Cot's preath, put she shall pe coing in; were not she her friend and +couhnsel?" + +"You his counsel? A serjeant of dragoons his counsel? That winna do. He +charged that nae sodgers should get in. Get aff wi' your Hieland +impudence--brazen-faced thief!" + +"Fat? Tief? Cot t--n y' mack-en dhu na bhaish! +M'Leadle!--Trocho!--Hollo! Cresorst!" + +"I ran to the door to take the enraged veteran in my arms, and welcome +him as my best friend and adviser, but they had bolted the inner door in +his face, through which he had run his sword amaist to the hilt, an' he +was tugging an' pu'ing at it to get it out again, swearing a' the time +like a true dragoon. I led him into my room, an' steekit the door o't, +but there he stood wi' his feet asperr, and his drawn sword at arm's +length ahint his back, in act to make a lounge at the door, till he had +exhausted a' his aiths, baith in Gaelic an' English, at the fock o' the +house, and then he sheathed his sword, and there was nae mair about it. + +"I speered what I could do to oblige him?" + +"Hu, not creat moach at hall, man; only pe kiffing me your hand. Py +Cot's poy, put if you tit not stonish tem! Vas not I peen telling you +tat him's hearty curse pe te cood?" + +"My certy," quo' I, "but ye did do that, or I wad never hae thought o't; +ye're an auld-farrant honest chiel! I am sorry that I canna just now +make ye sic a present as ye deserve; but ye maun come out an' see me." + +"Present! Poo, poo, poo! Teol more, take te present tat pe coing petween +friends, and she may have sharper works tan pe coing visits; put not te +more, she pe haifing small favour to seek." + +"Od, man," says I, "ye hae been the mean o' preserving my life, an' ye +sanna ax a thing that I'll refuse, e'en to my ain doughter. An' by the +by, serjeant, gin ye want a good wife, an' a bonny ane, I'll gie ye sic +a tocher wi' my Keatie, as never was gi'en wi' a farmer's lassie i' the +Forest." + +"Hu! Cot pe plessing you! She haif cot wife, and fery hexcellent +boddach, with two childs after him." + +"What is it then, serjeant? Gin the thing be in my power, ye hae +naething ado but to say the word." + +"Do you know tat her nainsell pe coosin to yourself?" + +"Od, man," quo' I, "that's hardly possible, or else the taen o' us has +come o' the wrang side o' the blanket." + +"Now do you just pe holding your paice for a fery less time, for you +must halways pe spaik spaiking, without knowing fat to say, unless I +were putting it into your haid. I haif tould ould Simon Glas Macrhimmon, +who knows all the pedigrees from the creation of the world, and he says +that te Lheadles are all Macphersons; for, in the days of Rory More of +Ballindalloch and Invereshie, tere was te Gordons, who would pe making +grheat prhogress on te Sassenach, and tere went down wit Strabogie of +te clan Ahnderson, and te clan Grhaham, and one Letulloch Macpherson of +Strathneshalloch, vit as bould a clan after her as any and mhore; and +they would pe toing creat might upon the Sassenach, and they would pe +killing her in tousands, and ten she cot crheat lhands out of King +Robert on te Bhorder, and Letulloch he had a whoule country to himself. +But te people could not pe putting her nhame into worts, and instead of +Letulloch tey called her _Leadlea_ and te Sassenach she called her +_Little_, so that all tese are of Macpherson, and you may pe te chief, +and te forward son of te crheat Strathneshalloch himself. Now tat I +would pe te tog, and te shame, and te tisgrhace, not to help my owhn +poor clansman and prhother out of te evil, tat would pe worse eneuch; +and te ting tat I would pe asking of you is tis, tat you will always +look upon a Macpherson as a prhother until te end of te world, and pe +standing py her as long as tere is peing one trop of plood in your whole +poty." + +"Gude faith, serjeant," says I, "I never was sae happy as to find, that +the man to whom I hae been sae muckle obliged is sic a noble +disinterested chiel; an' there's my hand, I'll never gie up the cause of +a Macpherson, if he's in the right." + +"Hu! Cot t--n your _right_! a clansman speak of the right! Any man will +stand py me when I am in te right, put wit a phrother I must always pe +in te right. No right or wrong tere, py Cot!--Poo, poo!" + +"Od, man," quo' I, "that's a stretch o' billyhood that I was never up to +afore but sin' ye say't, may I never see the Hermon Law again gif I +winna stand by it. Come, then, we'll hae a stoup o' brandy, or a bottle +o' wine thegither, for a parting cup." + +"Hu!--no, no! None of your prandies or your wines for me!--I must pe on +duty in less than an hour, and I would not pe tasting any of your tamn +prandies or wines. No, no!--Cot pless you!--And should she never pe +seeing your face again, you will pe----" + +"He could say nae mair, for the muckle round tears were coming hopping +down owre his weather-beaten cheek, but he gae my hand a hard squeeze +an' a shake, an' brak out at the door; an' that was my last sight of +honest Daniel Roy Macpherson, a man that I hae met few like! I was tauld +lang after, that he fell fighting like a lion against the Campbells, at +the battle o' Killiekranky, and that, to the last day o' his life, he +spake o' his kinsman, ould MacLeadle." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +It was on the inauspicious night of All-Hallow-eve, that Walter arrived +again at his own house, after so long an absence; but some of the +farmers of Manor-Water, his acquaintances, were so overjoyed at seeing +him again, that they persuaded him to go in, taste of their cheer, and +relate his adventures and his trial to them; and so long was he detained +in this way, that it was dark before he left Dollar-Burn; yet so anxious +was he to get home to his family, and all unconscious that it was +Hallow-E'en, the great jubilee of the fairies and all the spirits of +these mountain regions, he set out on his journey homeward, across the +dreary moors of Meggat-dale. Walter found his way full well, for he knew +every brae, height, and declivity by the way, and many delightful +little dreams was he cherishing in his heart, how he would surprise +Maron an' the bairns by his arrival, and how extravagantly delighted his +excellent and generous dog Reaver would be; for he often said, "he had +mair sense about him than what was a beast's good right;" but, above +all, his mind dwelt most on his dear lassie Kate, as he called her. He +had been informed by Drummelzier of all that she had done for him, who +gave her a character so high before some friends of his who were +present, that Walter never was so proud in his life, and he longed, with +all a father's fondness, to clasp "his bit dear kind-heartit lassie" +again in his arms. + +With all these delightful and exhilarating thoughts glowing in his +breast, how could that wild and darksome road, or indeed any road, be +tedious to our honest goodman? For, as to the evil spirits with whom his +beloved Keatie was in conjunction, the idea had died away like a thing +of the imagination, and he barely spent a thought upon it. He crossed +the Meggat about eleven o'clock in the night, just as the waning moon +began to peep over the hills to the south-east of the lake,--but such +scenes, and such adventures, are not worth a farthing, unless described +and related in the language of the country to which they are peculiar. + +"I fand I was come again into the country o' the fairies an' the +spirits," said Walter; "an' there was nae denying o't; for when I saw +the bit crookit moon come stealing o'er the kipps o' Bowerhope-Law, an' +thraw her dead yellow light on the hills o' Meggat, I fand the very +nature an' the heart within me changed. A' the hills on the tae side o' +the loch war as dark as pitch, an' the tither side had that ill-hued +colour on't, as if they had been a' rowed in their windling sheets; an' +then the shadow o' the moon it gaed bobbing an' quivering up the loch +fornent me, like a streek o' cauld fire. In spite o' my teeth I turned +eiry, an' the mair I feucht against it I grew the eiryer, for whenever +the spirits come near ane, that kind o' feeling comes on. + +"Weel, just as I was gaun round the end o' the Wedder-Law, a wee bit +aboon the head o' the Braken Wood, I sees a white thing on the road +afore me. At the first it appeared to be gaun away, but at length I saw +it coming nearer an' nearer me, keeping aye a little aboon the road till +I came amaist close to it, an' then it stood stane-still an' glowred at +me. What in the wide world can it be that is here at sic an untimely +time o' night as this? thinks I to mysel. However, I steps aye on, an' +wasna gaun to mak nor meddle wi't ava, till at last, just as I was gaun +by, it says in a soft low voice,--"Wow, friend, but ye gang late the +night!" + +"Faith, no muckle later than yoursel," quo' I, "gin it be your will." + +"O'er late on sic a night!" quoth the creature again; "o'er late on +Hallow E'en, an' that ye will find." + +"It elyed away o'er the brow, an' I saw nae mair o't. "Lord sauf us! +quo' I to mysel, is this Hallow-E'en? I wish I war safe at hame, or in +amang Christian creatures o' ony kind!--Or had I but my fine dog Reaver +wi' me, to let me ken when the fairies are coming near me--Goodness to +the day! I may be amang the mids o' them ere ever I ken what I'm doing." +A' the stories that ever I heard about fairies in my life came linkin +into my mind ane after anither, and I almaist thought I was already on +my road to the Fairy-land, an' to be paid away to hell, like a +kane-cock, at the end o' seven years. I likit the boding o' the +apparition I had met wi' unco ill, but yet I had some hopes that I was +o'er muckle, an' o'er heavy metal for the fairies. Hout, thinks I, what +need I be sae feared? They'll never take away ane o' my size to be a +fairy--Od, I wad be the daftest-like fairy ever was seen. + +"I had naething for't but to stride on as fast as I could, an' on I +comes till I comes to the bit brae at the side o' the Ox-Cleuch-Lea, +an' there I heard something fistling amang the brakens, an' making a +kind o' wheenge, wheenge, wheenging, that gart a' my heart loup to my +mouth; an' what was this but my poor dog Reaver, coming creeping on his +wame, an' sae fain to meet me again that he hardly kend what he was +doing. I took him up in my arms an' clappit him, an' said a' the kind +things to him that I could, an' O sic a wark an' fidgetting as he made! +But yet I couldna help thinking there was a kind o' doufness and +mellancholly in his looks. What ails ye, Reaver man? quo' I. I wish a' +may be weel about Chapelhope the night; but ye canna tell me that, poor +fallaw, or else ye wad. He sometimes lickit my stocking wi' his tongue, +an' sometimes my hand, but he wadna gang away afore me as he used to do, +cocking his tail sae massy like; an' I feared sair that a' wasna right +about hame, an' can hardly tell ony body how I felt,--fock's ain are aye +their ain! + +"At length I came amaist close to the bit brow o' the Lang Bank that +brought me in sight o' my ain house, but when I lookit ower my shoulder +Reaver was fled. I grew fearder than ever, an' wistna what to think; an' +wi' that I sees a queer-like shapen thing standing straight on the road +afore me. Now, thinks I, this is the Brownie o' Bodsbeck; I wadna face +him for a' the warld; I maun try to gie him the slip. Sae I slides aff +the road, an' down a bit howe into the side o' the loch, thinking I wad +get up within the brae out o' sight o' him--But aha! there was he +standing straight afore me on the shore. I clamb the brae again, and sae +did he. Now, thinks I, his plan is first to pit me out o' my reason, an' +then wear me into the loch and drown me; I'll keep an open side wi' him. +Sae up the hill I scrambles wi' a' my speed, an' doun again, and up +again, five or six times; but still he keepit straight afore me. By this +time I was come by degrees very near him, an' waxed quite desperate, an +desperation made me crouse. 'In the name o' God,' cries I, 'what are ye +that winna let me by to my ain house?" + +"Did you see a woman on your way?" said the creature in a deep solemn +voice. + +"Yes, I did," answered I. + +"Did she tell you any thing?" said the apparition again. + +"No," said I. + +"Then I must," said the creature. "You go no nearer to your own house +to-night." + +"Say you sae?" said I; "but I'll gang to my ain house the night, though +sax like you stood atween me an' it." + +"I charge you," said the thing again, "that you go not nearer to it. For +your own sake, and the sakes of those that are dearest to you, go back +the gate you came, and _go not_ to that house." + +"An' pray wha may you be that's sae peremptory?" said I. + +"A stranger here, but a friend to you, Laidlaw. Here you do not pass +to-night." + +I never could bide to be braved a' my life. "Say you sae, friend?" quo' +I; "then let me tell ye, stand out o' my way; or be ye brownie or +fairy--be ye ghaist, or be ye deil--in the might o' Heaven, I sall gie +ye strength o' arm for aince; an' here's a cudgel that never fell in +vain." + +"So saying, I took my stick by the sma' end wi' baith my hands, an' +heaving it ower my shoulder I came straight on to the apparition, for I +hardly kend what I was doing; an' my faith it had gotten a paik! but it +had mair sense than to risk it; for when it saw that I was dementit, it +e'en steppit quietly aff the road, and said, wi' a deep grane, "Ye're a +wilfu' man, Laidlaw, an' your wilfu'ness may be your undoing. Pass on +your ways, and Heaven protect your senses." + +"I dredd sair I was doing wrang, but there was something in my nature +that wadna be contrair'd; sae by I went, an' lookit full at the thing as +I past. It had nouther face nor hands, nor head nor feet; but there was +it standing like a lang corn sack. L----d tak me, (as Serjeant Macpherson +said,) if I kend whether I was gaun on my feet or the crown o' my head. + +"The first window that I came to was my ain, the ane o' that room where +Maron and I slept. I rappit at it wi' a rap that wont to be weel kend, +but it was barred, an' a' was darkness and vacancy within. I tried every +door and window alang the foreside o' the house, but a' wi' the same +effect. I rappit an' ca'd at them a', an' named every name that was in +the house when I left it, but there was nouther voice, nor light, nor +sound. 'Lord have a care o' me!' said I to mysel, 'what's come o' a' my +fock? Can Clavers hae been here in my absence an' taen them a' away? or +has the Brownie o' Bodsbeck eaten them up, stoop an' roop? For a' that I +hae wearied to see them, here I find my house left unto me desolate. +This is a waesome welcome hame to a father, an' a husband, an' a +master!--O Lord! O Lord! what will come o' puir auld Wat now?' + +"The Auld Room was a place I never thought o' gangin to; but no kenning +what to mak o' mysel, round the west end o' the house I gaes towards the +door o' the Auld Room. I soon saw through the seam atween the shutters +that there was a light in it, an' kenning weel that there was a broken +lozen, I edged back the shutter naturally to see what was gaun on +within--May never a father's e'e again see sic a sight as mine +saw!--There was my dear, my only daughter Katharine, sitting on the bed +wi' a dead corpse on her knee, and her hands round its throat; and there +was the Brownie o' Bodsbeck, the ill-faurd, runkled, withered thing, wi' +its eildron form and grey beard, standin at the bed side hauding the +pale corpse by the hand. It had its tither hand liftit up, and was +mutter, muttering some horrid spell, while a crew o' the same kind o' +grizly beardit phantoms were standin round them. I had nae doubt but +there had been a murder committit, and that a dissection was neist to +take place; and I was sae shock'd that I was just gaun to roar out. I +tried it twice, but I had tint my voice, and could do naething but gape. + +"I now fand there was a kind o' swarf coming o'er me, for it came up, +up, about my heart, an' up, up, o'er my temples, till it darkened my +een; an' I fand that if it met on the crown o' my head I was gane. Sae I +thought it good, as lang as that wee master bit was sound, to make my +escape, an' aff I ran, an' fell, an' fell, an' rase an' ran again. As +Riskinhope was the nearest house, I fled for that, where I wakened Davie +Tait out o' his bed in an unco plight. When he saw that I was a' +bedaubit wi' mire o'er head an' ears, (for I had faun a hunder times,) +it was impossible to tell wha o' us was maist frightit. + +"Lord sauf us, goodman," quo' he, "are ye hangit?" + +"Am I hangit, ye blockhead!" says I; "what do ye mean?" + +"I m-m-mean," says Davie, "w-w-war ye ek-ek-execute?" + +"Dinna be feared for an auld acquaintance, Davie," quo I, "though he +comes to you in this guise." + +"Guise!" said Davie, staring and gasping for breath--"Gui-gui-guise! +Then it se-e-e-eems ye _are_ dead?" + +"Gin I were dead, ye fool," quoth I, "how could I be here? Give me your +hand." + +"Uh-uh-uh-uuuh!" cried Davie, as I wore him up to the nook, and took +haud o' his hand by force. "Uh, goodman, ye are flesh and blude yet! But +O ye're cauld an' ugsome!" + +"Davie," quoth I, "bring me a drink, for I hae seen something o'er-bye +an' I'm hardly just mysel." + +Davie ran and brought me a hale bowie-fu' milk. "Tak a gude waught, +goodman," quo' he, "an' dinna be discouraged. Ye maun lay your account +to see and hear baith, sic things as ye never saw or heard afore, gin ye +be gaun to bide here. Ye needna wonder that I thought ye war dead,--the +dead are as rife here now as the living--they gang amang us, work amang +us, an' speak to us; an' them that we ken to be half-rotten i' their +graves, come an' visit our fire-sides at the howe o' the night. There +hae been sad doings here sin ye gaed away, goodman!" + +"Sad doings I fear, indeed, Davie!" says I. "Can ye tell me what's +become o' a' my family?" + +"Troth can I, goodman. Your family are a' weel. Keatie's at hame her +lievahlane, an' carrying on a' the wark o' the farm as weel as there war +a hunder wi' her. Your twa sons an' auld Nanny bide here; an' the honest +gudewife hersel she's away to Gilmanscleuch. But oh, gudeman, there are +sad things gaun on o'er-bye yonder; an' mony a ane thinks it will hae a +black an' a dreadfu' end. Sit down an' thraw aff your dirty claes, an' +tell us what ye hae seen the night." + +"Na, na, Davie! unless I get some explanation, the thing that I hae seen +the night maun be lockit up in this breast, an' be carried to the grave +wi' it. But, Davie, I'm unco ill; the cauld sweat is brekking on me frae +head to foot. I'm feared I gang away athegither." + +"Wow, gudeman, what can be done?" quo' Davie. "Think ye we sudna tak the +beuk?" + +"I was sae faintish I coudna arguy wi' the fool, an' ere ever I wist he +has my bonnet whuppit aff, and is booling at a sawm; and when that was +done, to the prayin' he fa's, an' sic nonsense I never heard prayed a' +my life. I'll be a rogue gin he wasna speakin' to his Maker as he had +been his neighbour herd; an' then he was baith fleetching an' fighting +wi' him. However, I came something to mysel again, an' Davie he thought +proper to ascribe it a' to his bit ragabash prayer." + +Walter spent a restless and a troubled morning till day-light, and Davie +said, that wearied as he was, he believed he never closed his een, for +he heard him frequently turning in the bed, and moaning to himself; and +he heard him once saying, with deep sighs as if weeping,--"O my poor +Keatie Laidlaw! what is to become o' her! My poor lost, misled lassie! +Wae's my heart for her! I fear she is ruined for this world--an' for the +aftercome, I dare hardly venture to think about it!--O wae's me for my +poor luckless bairn!" + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +Next morning Walter and his two sons, and old Nanny, went all over to +Chapelhope together, just as the cows came to the loan; and the farmer +was sundry times remarking by the way that "day-light had mony een!" The +truth was, that the phantoms of superstition had in a measure fled with +the shadows of the night, which they seldom fail to do. They, indeed, +remain in the bosom, hid, as it were, in embryo, ready to be embodied +again at the fall of the long shadow in the moon-light, or the evening +tale round the fading embers; but Walter at this time, perhaps, regarded +the visions of last night as dreams scarcely remembered, and less +believed, and things which in the open day he would have been ashamed +to have acknowledged. + +Katharine had begun a-milking, but when she beheld her father coming +across the meadow, she left her leglen and ran home. Perhaps it was to +put his little parlour in order, for no one of the family had set foot +within that house but herself for three weeks--or perhaps she did not +choose that their meeting should be witnessed by other eyes. In short, +she had something of importance to put to rights--for home she ran with +great haste; and Walter, putting his sons to some work to detain them, +followed her all alone. He stepped into the parlour, but no one being +there, he sat down on his elbow chair, and began to look about him. In a +few seconds his daughter entered--flung herself on her father's knee and +bosom--clasped her arms about his neck--kissed him, and shed a flood of +tears on his breast. At first he felt somewhat startled at her embrace, +and his arms made a feeble and involuntary effort to press her away +from him; but she grew to him the closer, and welcomed him home with +such a burst of filial affection and tenderness, that nature in a short +time regained her empire over the father's heart; and there was to be +seen old Walter with his large hands pressing her slender waist, keeping +her at a little distance from him on his knee, and looking stedfastly in +her face, with the large tear rolling in his eye. It was such a look as +one sometimes takes of the corpse of one that was dearly beloved in +life. Well did she read this look, for she had the eye of the eagle for +discernment; but she hid her face again on his shoulder, and +endeavoured, by familiar enquiries, to wean him insensibly from his +reserve, and draw him into his wonted freedom of conversation with her. + +"Ye ken o'er well," said he at length, "how deep a haud ye hae o' this +heart, Keatie. Ye're my ain bairn still, and ye hae done muckle for my +life--but"---- + +"Muckle for your life!" said she, interrupting him--"I have been but too +remiss. I have regretted every hour that I was not with you attending +you in prison, administering to all my father's wants, and helping to +make the time of bondage and suspense pass over more lightsomely; but +grievous circumstances have prevented me. I have had sad doings here +since you went away, my dear father--there is not a feeling that can +rack the human heart that has not been my share. But I will confess all +my errors to my father, fall at his knees, and beg his forgiveness--ay, +and I hope to receive it too." + +"The sooner ye do sae the better then, Keatie," said he--"I was here +last night, an' saw a sight that was enough to turn a father's heart to +stane." + +"_You were here last night!_" said she emphatically, while her eyes were +fixed on the ground--"You were here last night! Oh! what shall become of +me!" + +"Ay, weel may ye say sae, poor lost and undone creature! I was here last +night, though worn back by some o' your infernals, an' saw ye in the +mids o' your dreadfu' game, wi' a' your bike o' hell round about ye. I +watna what your confession and explanation may do; but without these I +hae sworn to myself, and I'll keep my aith, that you and I shall never +night thegither again in the same house, nor the same part o' the +country--ay, though it should bring down my grey hairs wi' sorrow to the +grave, I'll keep that aith." + +"I fear it will turn out a rash vow," said she, "and one that we may all +repent to the last day that we have to live. There is danger and +jeopardy in the business, and it is connected with the lives and souls +of men; therefore, before we proceed farther in it, relate to me all the +circumstances of your trial, and by what means you are liberated." + +"I'll do that cheerfully," said Walter, "gin it war but to teach you +compliance." + +He then went over all the circumstances of his extraordinary trial, and +the conditions on which he was discharged; and ended by requiring her +positively to give him the promised explanation. + +"So you are only then out on bail," said she, "and liable to be cited +again on the same charges?" + +"No more," was the reply. + +"It is not then time yet for my disclosure," said she; "and no power on +earth shall wring it from me; therefore, my dear father, let me beg of +you to urge your request no farther, that I may not be under the painful +necessity of refusing you again." + +"I hae tauld ye my determination, Keatie," returned he; "an' ye ken I'm +no very apt to alter. If I should bind ye in a cart wi' my ain hands, ye +shall leave Chapelhope the night, unless ye can avert that by explaining +your connections to me. An' why should ye no?--Things can never appear +waur to my mind than they are just now--If hell itself had been opened +to my e'e, an' I had seen you ane o' the inmates, I coudna hae been +mair astoundit than I was yestreen. I'll send ye to Edinburgh, an' get +ye safely put up there, for I canna brook things ony langer in this +state. I winna hae my family scattered, an' made a bye-word and an +astonishment to the hale country this gate--Outher tell me the meaning +o't, or lay your account to leave your father's house this day for +ever." + +"You do not know what you ask, father--the thing is impossible. Was ever +a poor creature so hard bestead! Will not you allow me a few days to +prepare for such a departure?" + +"No ae day, nor ae hour either, Kate. Ye see this is a situation o' +things that canna' be tholed ony langer." + +She sat down as if in deep meditation, but she neither sobbed nor wept. +"You are only out on bail," said she, "and liable to be tried again on +the same grounds of charge?" + +"Ay, nae mair," said Walter; "but what need ye harp on that? I'm safe +enough. I forgot to tell you that the judges were sae thoroughly +convinced of my loyalty and _soundness_, (as they ca'd it) that they +wadna risk me to the vote of a jury; an' that the bit security they +sought was naething but a mere sham to get honourably quit of me. I was +likewise tauld by ane that kens unco weel, that the king has gotten +ither tow to teaze than persecuting whigs ony langer, an' that there +will soon be an order put out of a very different nature. There is never +to be mair blood shed on account of the covenanted reformation in +Scotland." + +When Walter began this speech, his daughter lifted up her downcast eyes, +and fixed them on his face with a look that manifested a kind of +hopeless apathy; but as he advanced, their orbs enlarged, and beamed +with a radiance as if she had been some superior intelligence. She did +not breathe--or, if she did, it stole imperceptibly from between her +parted ruby lips. "What did you say, my dear father?" said she. + +"What did I say!" repeated Walter, astonished and nettled at the +question--"What the deil was i' your lugs, that ye didna hear what I +said? I'm sure I spake out. Ye are thinking o' something else, Kate." + +"Be so good as repeat every word that you said over again," said she, +"and tell me whence you drew your intelligence." + +Walter did so; repeating it in still stronger and more energetic +language than he had done before, mentioning at the same time how he had +his information, which could not be doubted. + +"It is enough, my dear father," said she. "Say not another word about +it. I will lay open all my errors to my father this instant--come with +me, and I will show you a sight!" + +As she said this, she put her arm in her father's to lead him away; but +Walter looked about him with a suspicious and startled eye, and drew +somewhat back. + +"You must go instantly," continued she, "there is no time so fit; and +whatever you may see or hear, be not alarmed, but follow me, and do as I +bid you." + +"Nane o' your cantrips wi' me, Kate," said Walter--"I see your drift +weel eneugh, but ye'll find yoursel disappointit. I hae lang expectit it +wad come to this; but I'm determined against it." + +"Determined against what, my dear father?" + +"Ye want to mak a warlock o' me, ye imp o' mischief," said Walter; "but +I hae taen up my resolution there, an' a' the temptations o' Satan sanna +shake it. Nah! Gudefaith, auld Wat o' the Chapelhope's no gaun to be led +away by the lug an' the horn to the deil that gate." + +Katharine's mien had a tint of majesty in it, but it was naturally +serious. She scarcely ever laughed, and but seldom smiled; but when she +did so, the whole soul of delight beamed in it. Her face was like a dark +summer day, when the clouds are high and majestic, and the lights on the +valley mellowed into beauty. Her smile was like a fairy blink of the sun +shed through these clouds, than which, there is nothing in nature that I +know of so enlivening and beautiful. It was irresistible;--and such a +smile beamed on her benign countenance, when she heard her father's wild +suspicions expressed in such a blunt and ardent way; but it conquered +them all--he went away with her rather abashed, and without uttering +another word. + +They walked arm in arm up by the side of the burn, and were soon out of +sight of Nanny and the boys. Walter was busy all the way trying to form +some conjecture what the girl meant, and what was to be the issue of +this adventure, and began to suspect that his old friends, the +Covenant-men, were some way or other connected with it; that it was +they, perhaps, who had the power of raising those spirits by which his +dwelling had been so grievously haunted, for he had heard wonderful +things of them. Still there was no coindication of circumstances in any +of the calculations that he was able to make, for his house had been +haunted by Brownie and his tribe long ere he fell in with the fugitive +Covenanters. None of them had ever given him the least hint about the +matter, or the smallest key to it, which he believed they would have +done; nor had he ever mentioned a word of his connection with them to +one of his family, or indeed to any one living. Few were the words that +past between the father and daughter in the course of that walk, but it +was not of long duration. + +They soon came to the precipitate linn on the South Grain, where the +soldiers had been slain. Katharine being a little way before, began to +scramble across the face of the rock by a path that was hardly +perceptible. Walter called after her, "Where are ye gaun, Keatie? It's +impossible to win yont there--there's no outgate for a mouse." + +"We will try," answered she; "it is perhaps not so bad as it +looks--Follow me--you have nothing to fear." + +Walter followed; for however much he was affrighted for brownies, and +fairies, and dead corpses, and all these awful kind of things, he was no +coward among rocks and precipices. They soon reached a little dass in +the middle of the linn, or what an Englishman would call a small +landing-place. Here she paused till her father reached her, and pointed +out to him the singularity of their situation, with the burn roaring far +below their feet, and the rock fairly overhanging them above. + +"Is it not a romantic and tremendous spot?" said she. + +"It is that!" said Walter, "an' I believe you and I are the first that +ever stood on it." + +"Well, this is the end of our journey," said she; and, turning about, +she began to pull at a bush of heath that grew between two rocks. + +"What can she be gaun to do wi' the heather?" thought Walter to himself, +when instantly a door opened, and showed a cavern that led into the +hill. It was a door wattled with green heath, with the tops turned +outward so exactly, that it was impossible for any living to know but +that it was a bush of natural heath growing in the interstice. "Follow +me, my dear father," said she, "you have still nothing to fear;" and so +saying she entered swiftly in a stooping posture. Walter followed, but +his huge size precluded the possibility of his walking otherwise than on +all fours, and in that mode he fairly essayed to follow his mysterious +child; but the path winded--his daughter was quite gone--and the door +closed behind him, for it was so constructed as to fall to of itself, +and as Walter expressed it,--"There was he left gaun boring into the +hill like a moudiwort, in utter darkness." The consequence of all this +was, that Walter's courage fairly gave way, and, by an awkward +retrograde motion, he made all the haste he was able back to the light. +He stood on the shelve of the rock at the door for several minutes in +confused consternation, saying to himself, "What in the wide world is +com'd o' the wench? I believe she is gane away down into the pit bodily, +an' thought to wile me after her; or into the heart o' the hill, to some +enchantit cave, amang her brownies, an' fairies, an' hobgoblins. L----d +have a care o' me, gin ever I saw the like o' this!" Then losing +all patience, he opened the door, set in his head, and bellowed +out,--"Hollo, lassie!--What's com'd o' ye? Keatie Laidlaw--Holloa!" He +soon heard footsteps approaching, and took shelter behind the door, with +his back leaning to the rock, in case of any sudden surprise, but it was +only his daughter, who chided him gently for his timidity and want of +confidence in her, and asked how he could be frightened to go where a +silly girl, his own child, led the way? adding, that if he desired the +mystery that had so long involved her fate and behaviour to be cleared +up, he behoved to enter and follow her, or to remain in the dark for +ever. Thus admonished, Walter again screwed his courage to the +sticking-place, and entered in order to explore this mysterious cave, +following close to his daughter, who led him all the way by the collar +of the coat as he crept. The entrance was long and irregular, and in one +place very narrow, the roof being supported here and there by logs of +birch and alder. They came at length into the body of the cave, but it +was so dimly lighted from above, the vent being purposely made among +rough heath, which in part overhung and hid it from view without, that +Walter was almost in the middle of it ere ever he was aware, and still +creeping on his hands and knees. His daughter at last stopped short, on +which he lifted his eyes, and saw indistinctly the boundaries of the +cave, and a number of figures standing all around ready to receive him. +The light, as I said, entered straight from above, and striking on the +caps and bonnets which they wore on their heads, these shaded their +faces, and they appeared to our amazed goodman so many blackamoors, with +long shaggy beards and locks, and their garments as it were falling from +their bodies piece-meal. On the one side, right over against him, stood +a coffin, raised a little on two stones; and on the other side, on a +couch of rushes, lay two bodies that seemed already dead, or just in the +last stage of existence; and, at the upper end, on a kind of wicker +chair, sat another pale emaciated figure, with his feet and legs wrapt +up in flannel, a napkin about his head, and his body wrapped in an old +duffel cloak that had once belonged to Walter himself. Walter's vitals +were almost frozen up by the sight,--he uttered a hollow exclamation, +something like the beginning of a prayer, and attempted again to make +his escape, but he mistook the entrance, and groped against the dark +corner of the cavern. His daughter pulled him by the arm, intreating him +to stay, and addressing the inmates of that horrid den, she desired them +to speak to her father, and explain the circumstances of their case, for +he was still bewildered, and the scene was too much for him to bear. + +"That we will do joyfully," said one, in a strong intelligent voice. + +Walter turned his eyes on the speaker, and who was it but the redoubted +Brownie of Bodsbeck, so often mentioned before, in all his native +deformity; while the thing in the form of a broad bonnet that he wore on +his head, kept his features, grey locks and beard, wholly in the shade; +and, as he approached Walter, he appeared a being without any definitive +form or feature. The latter was now standing on his feet, with his back +leaned against the rock that formed the one side of the cave, and +breathing so loud, that every whiff sounded in the caverned arches like +the rush of the winter wind whistling through the crevices of the +casement. + +Brownie approached him, followed by others. + +"Be not alarmed, goodman," said the creature, in the same solemn and +powerful voice; "you see none here but fellow-creatures and +Christians--none who will not be happy to bestow on you their blessing, +and welcome you as a father." + +He stretched forth his hand to take hold of our goodman's. It was bent +to his side as by a spasm, and at the same time a volley of breath came +forth from his capacious chest with such a rush, that it was actually +like the snort of a horse that is frightened in the dark. The Brownie, +however, laid hold of it, stiff as it was, and gave it a squeeze and a +hearty shake. "You are welcome, sir!" continued the shapeless mass, "to +our dismal habitation. May the God of Heaven particularly bless you in +your _family_ and in all your other concerns!" + +The naming of this name dispelled Walter's wild apprehensions like a +charm, for though he was no devotee, yet his mind had a strong bias to +the superstitions of the country in which he was bred; therefore this +benediction, pronounced in such a tone of ardour and sublimity of +feeling, had a powerful effect on his mind. But the circumstance that +proved the most effective of all, was perhaps the sensible assurance +gained by the shaking of hands, that Brownie was really and truly a +corporeal being. Walter now held out his hand to all the rest as they +came forward one by one, and shook hands heartily with them all, while +every one of them blessed him in the name of their Maker or Redeemer. +Walter was still involved in mystery, and all this while he had never +uttered a word that any man could make meaning of; and after they had +all shook hands with him, he looked at the coffin; then at the figures +on the couch; then at the pale wretch on the wicker-seat, and then at +the coffin again. + +"Let us fully understand one another," said Katharine. "Pray, Brown, be +so good as detail the circumstances of this party as shortly as you can +to my father, for, as is natural, he is still perplexed and bewildered." + +"You see here before you, sir," said the little hunchbacked figure, "a +wretched remnant of that long persecuted, and now nearly annihilated +sect, the covenanted reformers of the west of Scotland. We were expelled +from our homes, and at last hunted from our native mountains like +wolves, for none of our friends durst shelter any of us on their +grounds, on pain of death. Even the rest of the persecuted disowned us, +and became our adversaries, because our tenets were more stern and +severe than theirs; for we acted on the principle of retaliation as far +as it lay in our power, holding that to be in consistency with the laws +of God and man; therefore were we expelled from their society, which +indeed we disdained. + +"We first came to Bodsbeck, where we got shelter for a few weeks. It was +there that I was first supposed by the menials, who chanced to see me, +to be a Brownie, and that superstitious idea the tenant thought meet to +improve for our safety; but on the approach of Lag's people he dismissed +us. We then fled to Leithenhall, from whence in a few days we were again +compelled to fly; and at last came to this wild, the only place in the +south that soldiers had never searched, nor could search with any degree +of success. After much labour we completed this cave, throwing the stuff +into the torrent below, so that the most minute investigator could not +distinguish the smallest difference in the linn, or face of the +precipice; and here we deemed we might live for years without being +discovered; and here we determined to live, till God should see fit, in +his own good time, to send some relief to his persecuted church in these +lands. + +"But alas, the worst evil of all awaited us! We subsisted for a +considerable time by bringing victuals over night from a great distance, +but even the means of obtaining these failed us; so that famine, and the +dampness of the air here, we being compelled to lie inactive in the +bowels of the earth for days and nights together, brought on us a +malignant and pestilential fever. In three days from its first symptoms +appearing, one half of our number were lying unable to move, or lift an +eye. What could we do? The remnant could not fly, and leave their sick +and wounded brethren to perish here unseen. We were unable to carry them +away with us, and if we had, we had no place to which we could have +conveyed them. We durst not apply to you, for if you had taken pity on +us, we knew it would cost you your life, and be the means of bereaving +your family of all your well-earned wealth. In this great extremity, as +a last resource, I watched an opportunity, and laid our deplorable case +before that dear maid your daughter--Forgive these tears, sir; you see +every eye around fills at mention of her name--She has been our guardian +angel--She has, under Almighty Providence, saved the lives of the whole +party before you--has supplied us with food, cordials, and medicines; +with beds, and with clothing, all from her own circumscribed resources. +For us she has braved every danger, and suffered every privation; the +dereliction of her parents, and the obloquy of the whole country. That +young man, whom you see sitting on the wicker chair there, is my only +surviving son of five--he was past hope when she found him--fast posting +to the last gaol--her unwearied care and attentions have restored him; +he is again in a state of convalescence--O may the Eternal God reward +her for what she has done to him and us! + +"Only one out of all the distressed and hopeless party has perished, he +whose body lies in that coffin. He was a brave, noble, and pious youth, +and the son of a worthy gentleman. When our dear nurse and physician +found your house deserted by all but herself, she took him home to a bed +in that house, where she attended him for the last seven days of his +life with more than filial care. He expired last night at midnight, amid +our prayers and supplications to heaven in his behalf, while that dear +saint supported his head in his dying moments, and shed the tear of +affliction over his lifeless form. She made the grave-clothes from her +own scanty stock of linen--tied her best lawn napkin round the head; +and"---- + +Here Walter could contain himself no longer; he burst out a crying, and +sobbed like a child. + +"An' has my Keatie done a' this?" cried he, in a loud broken voice--"Has +my woman done a' this, an' yet me to suspect her, an' be harsh till her? +I might hae kend her better!" continued he, taking her in his arms, and +kissing her cheek again and again. "But she sall hae ten silk gowns, an' +ten satin anes, for the bit linen she has bestowed on sic an occasion, +an' a' that she has wared on ye I'll make up to her a hunder an' fifty +fauld." + +"O my dear father," said she, "you know not what I have suffered for +fear of having offended you; for I could not forget that their +principles, both civil and religious, were the opposite of yours--that +they were on the adverse side to you and my mother, as well as the +government of the country." + +"Deil care what side they war on, Kate!" cried Walter, in the same +vehement voice; "ye hae taen the side o' human nature; the suffering and +the humble side, an' the side o' feeling, my woman, that bodes best in a +young unexperienced thing to tak. It is better than to do like yon bits +o' gillflirts about Edinburgh; poor shilly-shally milk-an'-water things! +Gin ye but saw how they cock up their noses at a whig, an' thraw their +bits o' gabs; an' downa bide to look at aught, or hear tell o' aught, +that isna i' the top fashion. Ye hae done very right, my good +lassie--od, I wadna gie ye for the hale o' them, an' they war a' hung in +a strap like ingans." + +"Then, father, since you approve I am happy. I have no care now save for +these two poor fellows on that couch, who are yet far from being out of +danger." + +"L----d sauf us!" said Walter, turning about, "I thought they had been twa +dead corpse. But now, when my een are used to the light o' the place, I +see the chaps _are_ living, an' no that unlife-like, as a body may say." + +He went up to them, spoke to them kindly, took their wan bleached sinewy +hands in his, and said, he feared they were still very ill? + +"Better than we have been," was the reply--"Better than we have been, +goodman. Thanks to you and yours." + +"Dear father," said Katharine, "I think if they were removed down to +Chapelhope, to dry comfortable lodgings, and had more regular diet, and +better attendance, their health might soon be re-established. Now that +you deem the danger over, will you suffer me to have them carried down +there?" + +"Will I no, Kate? My faith, they shall hae the twa best beds i' the +house, if Maron an' me should sleep in the barn! An' ye sal hae naething +ado but to attend them, an' nurse them late an' aire; an' I'll gar Maron +Linton attend them too, an' she'll rhame o'er bladds o' scripture to +them, an' they'll soon get aboon this bit dwam. Od, if outher gude fare +or drogs will do it, I'll hae them playin' at the pennystane wi' Davie +Tait, an' prayin' wi' him at night, in less than twa weeks." + +"Goodman," said old Brown, (for this celebrated Brownie was no other +than the noted Mr John Brown, the goodman of Caldwell)--"Goodman, well +may you be proud this day, and well may you be uplifted in heart on +account of your daughter. The more I see and hear of her, the more am I +struck with admiration; and I am persuaded of this, that, let your past +life have been as it may, the Almighty will bless and prosper you on +account of that maid. The sedateness of her counsels, and the qualities +of her heart, have utterly astonished me--She has all the strength of +mind, and energy of the bravest of men, blent with all the softness, +delicacy, and tenderness of femininity--Neither danger nor distress can +overpower her mind for a moment--tenderness does it at once. If ever an +angel appeared on earth in the form of woman, it is in that of your +daughter"-- + +"I wish ye wad haud your tongue," said Walter, who stood hanging his +head, and sobbing aloud. The large tears were not now dropping from his +eyes--they were trickling in torrents. "I wish ye wad haud your tongue, +an' no mak me ower proud o' her. She's weel eneugh, puir woman----It's +a--It's a shame for a great muckle auld fool like me to be booin an' +greetin like a bairn this gate!--but deil tak the doer gin I can help +it!--I watna what's ta'en me the day!--She's weel eneugh, puir lassie. +I daresay I never learned her ony ill, but I little wat where she has +gotten a' the gude qualities ye brag sae muckle o', unless it hae been +frae Heaven in gude earnest; for I wat weel, she has been brought up but +in a ramstamphish hamely kind o' way wi' Maron an' me.--But come, come! +let us hae done wi' this fuffing an' blawing o' noses, an' making o' wry +faces. Row the twa puir sick lads weel up, an' bring them down in the +bed-claes to my house. An' d'ye hear, callants--gudesake get your beards +clippit or shaven a wee, an' be something warld like, an' come a' down +to Chapelhope; I'll kill the best wedder on the Hermon-Law, an' we shall +a' dine heartily thegither for aince; I'll get ower Davie Tait to say +the grace, an' we'll be as merry as the times will allow." + +They accepted the invitation, with many expressions of gratitude and +thankfulness, and the rays of hope once more enlightened the dejected +countenances that had so long been overshadowed with the gloom of +despair. + +"But there's ae thing, callants," said Walter, "that has astonished me, +an' I canna help speering. Where got ye the coffin sae readily for the +man that died last night?" + +"That coffin," said Brown, "was brought here one night by the friends of +one of the men whom Clavers caused to be shot on the other side of the +ridge there, which you saw. The bodies were buried ere they came; it +grew day on them, and they left it; so, for the sake of concealment, we +brought it into our cave. It has been useful to us; for when the +wretched tinker fell down among us from that gap, while we were at +evening worship, we pinioned him in the dark, and carried him in that +chest to your door, thinking he had belonged to your family. That led to +a bloody business, of which you shall hear anon. And in that coffin, +too, we carried off your ungrateful curate so far on his journey, +disgraced for ever, to come no more within twenty miles of Chapelhope, +on pain of a dreadful death in twenty-four hours thereafter; and I +stand warrandice that he shall keep his distance. In it we have now +deposited the body of a beloved and virtuous friend, who always foretold +this, from its first arrival in our cell.--But he rejoiced in the +prospect of his dissolution, and died as he had lived, a faithful and +true witness; and his memory shall long be revered by all the just and +the good." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +I hate long explanations, therefore this chapter shall be very short; +there are, however, some parts of the foregoing tale, which require that +a few words should be subjoined in elucidation of them. + +This John Brown was a strenuous and desperate reformer. He was the son +of a gentleman by a second marriage, and half-brother to the Laird of +Caldwells. He was at the battle of Pentland, with five brave sons at his +back, two of whom were slain in the action, and he himself wounded. He +was again at Bothwell Bridge with the remaining three, where he was a +principal mover of the unhappy commotions in the army that day, owing to +his violent irreclaimable principles of retaliation. A little before +the rout became general, he was wounded by a musket bullet, which grazed +across his back, and deprived him of all power. A dragoon coming up, and +seeing him alive, struck him again across the back with his sword, which +severed the tendons, and cut him to the bone. His sons had seen him +fall, and, knowing the spot precisely, they returned overnight, and +finding him still alive, they conveyed him to a place of safety, and +afterwards to Glasgow, where he remained concealed in a garret in a +friend's house for some months; and, after great sufferings in body and +mind, recovered of his wounds; but, for want of surgical assistance, he +was so crooked and bowed down, that his nearest friends could not know +him; for in his youth, though short in stature, he was strong and +athletic. At length he reached his own home, but found it ransacked and +desolate, and learned that his wife was carried to prison, he knew not +whether. His powerful eloquence, and wild Cameronian principles, made +him much dreaded by the other party; a high reward was offered for +apprehending him, so that he was driven to great straits, yet never +failed to wreak his vengeance on all of the persecuting party that fell +within his power, and he had still a number of adherents. + +At length there was one shot in the fields near Kirkconnel that was +taken for him, and the promised reward actually paid; on which the +particular search after him subsided. His two youngest sons both died +for the same cause with the former, but James, his third son, always +kept by his father, until taken prisoner by Clavers as he was fishing +one day in Coulter Water. Clavers ordered him to be instantly shot, but +the Laird of Coulteralloes being present, interceded for him, and he was +detained a prisoner, carried about from place to place, and at length +confined in the gaol at Selkirk. By the assistance of his father and +friends he effected his escape, but not before being grievously wounded; +and, by reason of the hurts he received, and the fever that attacked +them in the cave, when Katharine was first introduced there, he was +lying past hope; but, by her unwearied care and attention, he, with +others, was so far recovered as to be able to sit up, and walk about a +little. He was poor Nanny's own son; and this John was her husband, whom +she had long deemed in another and a happier state--No wonder that she +was shocked and affrighted when she saw him again in such a form at +midnight, and heard him speak in his own natural and peculiar voice. +Their meeting that day at Chapelhope must be left to the imagination; it +is impossible for any pen to do it justice. + +It is only necessary to add, that Walter seems to have been as much +respected and beloved by his acquaintances and domestics, at least as +any neighbour or master of the present day, as will appear from the few +following remarks. The old session-clerk and precentor at Ettrick said, +"It was the luckiest thing that could have happened that he had come +home again, for the poor's ladle had been found to be a pund Scots short +every Sunday since he and his family had left church." And fat Sandy +Cunningham, the conforming clergyman there, a very honest inoffensive +man, remarked, "that he was very glad to hear the news, for the goodman +always gave the best dinners at the visitations and examinations of any +farmer in his parish; and one always felt so comfortable in his house." +Davie Tait said, that "Divine Providence had just been like a stell dike +to the goodman. It had bieldit him frae the bitter storm o' the +adversary's wrath, an' keepit a' the thunner-bolts o' the wicked frae +brikking on his head; that, for his part, he wad sit down on his knees +an' thank Heaven, Sunday and Saturday, for his return, for he could +easily lend his master as muckle siller as wad stock a' Riskinhope ower +again, an' there was little doubt but he wad do it." Even old John of +the Muchrah remarked, "that it was just as weel that his master was +come back, for he had an unco gude e'e amang the sheep when ought was +gaun wrang on the hill, an' the ewes wadna win nae mair into the hogg +fence o' the Quave Brae, i' the day time at ony rate." + +If there are any incidents in this Tale that may still appear a little +mysterious, they will all be rendered obvious by turning to a pamphlet, +entitled, A CAMERONIAN'S TALE, or _The Life of John Brown, written by +himself_. But any reader of common ingenuity may very easily solve them +all. + +END OF THE BROWNIE OF BODSBECK. + + + + +THE WOOL-GATHERER. + +MODERN. + + + + +Love is a passion so capricious, so violent, and so productive of +whimsical expedients, that there is no end of its varieties. Dramas may +be founded, plots arranged, and novels written on the subject, yet the +simple truth itself generally outlasts them all. The following story, +which relates to an amiable family still existing, is so like a romance, +that perhaps the word of a narrator is insufficient to stamp it with +that veracity to which it is entitled. The principal incidents, however, +are set down precisely as they were related to me; only I have deemed it +meet to change the designations of the individuals, so far that they +cannot be recognised by any one not previously acquainted with the +circumstances. + +The late Laird of Earlhall dying in the fiftieth year of his age, as his +grave-stone intimates, left behind him a widow, and two sons both in +their minority. The eldest was of a dashing impatient character--he had +a kind and affectionate heart, but his actions were not always tempered +with prudence. He entered at an early age into the army, and fell in the +Peninsular War when scarcely twenty-two years of age. The estate thus +devolved wholly on the youngest, whose name for the present shall be +Lindsey, that being his second Christian name, and the one by which his +mother generally called him. He had been intended for the law, but on +his brother's death gave up the study as too laborious for his easy and +careless disposition. He was attached to literature; and after his +return home his principal employment consisted in poring over his books, +and managing a little flower-garden in which he took great delight. He +was studious, absent, and sensible, but paid little attention to his +estate, or the extensive farm which he himself occupied. + +The old lady, who was a stirring, talkative, industrious dame, +entertained him constantly with long lectures on the ill effects of +idleness. She called it the _blight_ of youth, the _grub_ of virtue, and +the _mildew_ of happiness; and sometimes, when roused into energy, she +said it was _the devil's langsettle_ on which he plotted all his devices +against human weal. Lindsey bore all with great patience, but still +continued his easy and indolent way. + +The summer advanced--the weather became peculiarly fine--labourers were +busy in every field, and the shepherd's voice, and the bleating of his +flocks, sounded from the adjacent mountains by break of day. This lively +and rousing scene gave a new edge to the old lady's remonstrances; they +came upon poor Lindsey thicker and faster, like the continued dropping +of a rainy day, until he was obliged in some degree to yield. He tried +to reason the matter with her, in somewhat near to the following words; +but there, lawyer as he was, he had no chance. He was fairly overcome. + +"My dear mother," said he, "what does all this signify?--Or what is it +that I can effect by my superintendance? Our farmers are all doing well, +and pay their rents regularly; and as for our farm-servants, they have +each of them filled the same situation so long and so creditably, that I +feel quite awkward when standing looking over them,--it looks as if I +suspected their integrity, which has been so often proved. Besides, it +is a leading maxim with me, that if a man, and more particularly a +woman, know or believe that trust is reposed in them, they will, in ten +out of eleven instances, deserve it; but if once they see that they are +suspected, the feeling towards you is changed, and they will in a little +time as likely deserve the one as the other. Our wealth is annually +increasing, at least as fast as necessary, and it is my principal wish, +that every one under us may be as easy and comfortable as possible." + +This was true, for the old lady being parsimonious in the extreme, their +riches had increased rapidly since the death of the late laird. As for +Lindsey, he never spent any thing, save some trifle that he laid out +yearly in payment of Reviews, and new books, and in relieving some poor +families in the neighbourhood. The article of dress he left entirely to +his mother: Whatever she bought or made for him he approved of, and +whatever clothes or linen she laid down in his chamber, he put on +without any observations. He acted upon the same principle with regard +to his meals, but he sometimes was obliged to insist on a little +addition being made to the comforts of the family servants, all of whom +loved him as a friend and benefactor. He could at any time have swayed +his mother so far as to make her a little more liberal towards the +men-servants, but with regard to the maids he had no such power. She and +they lived at constant variance,--an irreconcileable jealousy seemed +always to subsist between them, and woe to them if the young laird +interested himself in their favour! Matters being in this state, he was +obliged to witness this mutual animosity; this tyranny on the one hand, +and discontent on the other, without having the power to amend it. + +"But then, my dear Lindsey," returned she to his former remonstrance, +"making allowance for a' that you say--allowing that your weel-spoken +arguments are a' foundit in truth, for laith wad you be to say an +untruth, an' I never heard an argument that wasna sound come out o' your +mouth,--but then I say, what's to hinder you to gang a fishing like +other gentlemen, or shooting moor-cocks, an' paetricks, an' black-cocks, +as a' ither countrymen o' your age an' station do? Some manly exercise +in the field is absolutely necessary to keep your form robust, your +colour fresh, and your mind active; an', indeed, you maunna be +discontentit, nor displeased, if I insist on it, while the weather is so +fine." + +"With regard to fowling, my dear mother, I am perfectly ignorant; I know +nothing about the sport, and I never can delight in it, for often has it +given me pain to see others pursuing it. I think the pleasure arising +from it can scarcely originate in any thing else than a principle of +cruelty. Fishing is little better. I never regret the killing of an ox, +or sheep, by which we have so much necessary food for our life, but I +think it hard to take a precious life for a single mouthful." + +"His presence be about us! Lindsey! what's that ye say? Wha heard ever +tell of a trout's precious life? Or a salmon's precious life? Or a ged's +precious life? Wow, man, but sma' things are precious i' your een! Or +wha can feel for a trout? A cauldrife creature that has nae feeling +itsel; a greedy grampus of a thing, that worries its ain kind, an' eats +them whenever it can get a chance. Na, na, Lindsey, let me hear nae mair +o' sickan lang-nebbit fine-spun arguments; but do take your father's +rod, like a man, and a gentleman, and gang a fishing, if it were but an +hour in the day; there are as many hooks and lines in the house as will +serve you for seven years to come; an' it is weel kend how plenty the +trouts are in your ain water. I hae seen the day when we never wanted +plenty o' them at this time o' the year." + +"Well, well," said Lindsey, taking up a book, "I shall go to please you, +but I would rather be at home." + +She rung the bell, and ordered in old John the barnman, one well skilled +in the art of angling. "John," said she, "put your master's fishing-rod +and tackle in order, he is going a fishing at noon." + +John shrugged up his shoulders when he heard of his master's intent, as +much as to say, "sic a fisher as he'll mak!" however, he went away in +silence, and the order was quickly obeyed. + +Thus equipt, away trudged Lindsay to the fishing for the first time in +his life; slowly and indifferently he went, and began at the first pool +he came to. John offered to accompany him, to which he assented, but +this the old lady resisted, and bid him go to his work; he, however, +watched his master's motions slyly for some time, and on joining his +fellow labourers remarked, that "his master was a real saft hand at the +fishing." + +An experienced angler certainly would have been highly amused at his +procedure. He pulled out the line, and threw it in again so fast, that +he appeared more like one threshing corn than angling; he, moreover, +fixed always upon the smoothest parts of the stream, where no trout in +his right senses could possibly be inveigled. But the far greater part +of his employment consisted in loosening the hook from different objects +with which it chanced to come in contact. At one time he was to be seen +stooping to the arm-pits in the middle of the water, disengaging it from +some officious twig that had intercepted its progress; at another time +on the top of a tree tearing off a branch on which it had laid hold. A +countryman happening to pass by just as he stood stripped to the shirt +cutting it out of his clothes, in which it had fastened behind, +observed, by way of friendly remark, that "they were fashous things them +hooks." Lindsey answered, that "they certainly had a singular knack of +catching hold of things." + +He went through all this without being in the least disconcerted, or +showing any impatience; and towards dinner-time, the trouts being +abundant, and John having put on a fly that answered the weather, he +caught some excellent fish, and might have caught many more had he been +diligent; but every trout that he brought ashore took him a long time to +contemplate. He surveyed his eye, his mouth, and the structure of his +gills with tedious curiosity; then again laid him down, and fixed his +eyes on him in deep and serious meditation. + +The next day he needed somewhat less persuasion from his mother to try +the same amusement; still it was solely to please her that he went, for +about the sport itself he was quite careless. Away he set the second +day, and prudently determined to go farther up the water, as he supposed +that part to be completely emptied of fish where he had been the day +before. He sauntered on in his usual thoughtful and indifferent mood, +sometimes throwing in his line without any manner of success. At length, +on going over an abrupt ridge, he came to a clear pool where the farmers +had lately been washing their flocks, and by the side of it a most +interesting female, apparently not exceeding seventeen years of age, +gathering the small flakes of wool in her apron that had fallen from the +sheep in washing; while, at the same time, a beautiful well-dressed +child, about two years old, was playing on the grass. Lindsey was close +beside her before any of them were aware, and it is hard to say which of +the two were most surprised. She blushed like scarlet, but pretended to +gather on, as if wishing he would pass without taking any notice of +them; but Lindsey was rivetted to the spot; he had never in his life +seen any woman half so beautiful, and at the same time her array +accorded with the business in which she was engaged. Her form was the +finest symmetry; her dark hair was tucked up behind with a comb, and +hung waving in ringlets over her cheeks and brow, "like shadows on the +mountain snow;" and there was an elegance in the model of her features, +arms, and hands, that the youth believed he had never before seen +equalled in any lady, far less a country girl. + +"What are you going to do with that wretched stuff, lassie?" said +Lindsey; "it has been trampled among the clay and sand, and is unfit for +any human use." + +"It will easily clean again, sir," said she, in a frank and cheerful +voice, "and then it will be as good as ever." + +"It looks very ill; I am positive it is for no manner of use." + +"It is certainly, as you say, not of great value, sir; but if it is of +any, I may as well lift it as let it lie and rot here." + +"Certainly, there can be no harm in it; only I am sorry to see such a +girl at such an employment." + +"It is better doing this than nothing," was the reply. + +The child now rolled himself over to get his face turned towards them; +and, fixing his large blue eyes on Lindsey, looked at him with the +utmost seriousness. The latter observing a striking likeness between the +girl and the child, had no doubt that she was his sister; and, unwilling +to drop the conversation, he added, abruptly enough, "Has your mother +sent you to gather that stuff?" + +"I have neither father nor mother, sir." + +"But one who supplies both their places, I hope. You have a husband, +have not you?" + +"Not as yet, sir; but there is no time lost." + +She blushed; but Lindsey coloured ten times deeper when he cast his eyes +upon the child. His heart died within him at the thoughts that now +obtruded themselves; it was likewise wrung for his imprudence and +indelicacy. What was his business whether she was married or not, or how +she was connected with the child? She seemed likewise to be put into +some confusion at the turn the conversation was taking; and, anxious to +bring it to a conclusion as soon as possible, she tucked up the wool in +her apron below one arm, and was lifting up the child with the other to +go away, when Lindsey stepped forward, saying, "Will not you shake hands +with me, my good little fellow, before you go?" + +"Ay," said the child, stretching out his little chubby hand; "how d'ye +doo, sil?" + +Lindsay smiled, shook his hand heartily, and put a crown piece into it. + +"Ah, sir, don't give him that," said she, blushing deeply. + +"It is only a play-thing that he must keep for my sake." + +"Thank you, sil," said the child. "Great muckle shilling, mamma." + +This last appellation, _mamma_, struck Lindsey motionless;--he had not +another word to say;--while the two went away prattling to one another. + +"Vely lalge fine-looking shilling, mamma." + +"Ay, it is a very bonny shilling, dear," said she, kissing him, and +casting a parting look at the petrified fisher. + +"Mamma, mamma!" repeated Lindsey to himself an hundred times, trying it +with every modulation of his voice. "This is the most extraordinary +circumstance I ever witnessed. Now, who in the world can comprehend that +thing called woman?--Who would not have sworn that that rural beauty +there was the most pure, innocent, and untainted of her sex?--And yet, +behold! she has a fine boy running at her side, and calling her +_mamma_!--Poor girl, is she not to be pitied?--When one thinks how some +tender parent might rejoice over her, anticipating so much better things +of her! It is plain she has been very indifferently used by the +world--most cruelly used--and is she the less interesting on that +account? I wish I knew how to make her some amends." + +Thus reasoned our moral fisher with himself, keeping all the while a +sidelong glance towards her, till he saw her enter a little neat +white-washed cottage not far from the side of the stream; there were +sundry other houses inhabited by cottagers in the hamlet, and the +farm-house stood at the head of the cluster. The ground belonged to +Lindsey, and the farmer was a quiet sober man, a widower, with a large +family. Lindsey now went up the water a-fishing every day; and though he +often hovered a considerable while at the washing-pool, and about the +crook opposite to the cot, pretending all the while to be extremely busy +fishing, he could never get another sight of the lovely Wool-gatherer, +though he desired it above all present earthly things; for, some way +or other, he felt that he _pitied_ her exceedingly; and though he +was not greatly _interested_ in her, yet he was very much so in the +_child_--he was _certain it was the child_ that interested him so +much--nevertheless, he was sorry too on account of the mother, for she +seemed _very gentle_, and _very amiable_, and must have been abominably +used; and therefore he could not help feeling _very sorry for her +indeed_, as well as deeply _interested in the child_. On the second and +third day that he went up, little George came out paddling to meet him +at the water side, on which he always sent him in again with a fish in +one hand, and some little present in the other; but after that, he +appeared no more, which Lindsey easily perceived to originate in the +Wool-gatherer's diffidence and modesty, who could not bear the idea of +her little man receiving such gifts. + +The same course was continued for many days, and always with the same +success, as far as regarded the principal motive, for the trouts were +only a secondary one--the beauteous Wool-gatherer was thenceforward +invisible. After three weeks perseverance, it chanced to come on a heavy +rain one day when he was but a little way above the farm-house. Robin +the farmer, expecting that he would fly into his house until the shower +abated, was standing without his own door to receive him; but he kept +aloof, passed by, and took shelter in the Wool-gatherer's cottage; +though not without some scruples of conscience as to the prudence of the +step he was taking. When he went in she was singing a melodious Scotch +air, and plying at her wheel. "What a thoughtless creature she must be," +said he to himself; "and how little conscious of the state to which she +has fallen." He desired her to go on with her song, but she quitted both +that and her wheel instantly, set a chair for him, and sitting down on a +low form herself, lighted sticks on the fire to warm and dry him, at the +same time speaking and looking with the utmost cheerfulness, and +behaving with all that ease and respect as if she had been his equal, +and an old intimate acquaintance. He had a heart of the greatest +integrity, and this was the very manner that delighted him; and indeed +he felt that he was delighted in the highest degree by this fair +mystery. He would gladly have learned her story, but durst not hint at +such a thing for fear of giving her pain, and he had too much delicacy +to enquire after her at any other person, or even to mention her name. +He observed that though there was but little furniture in the house, yet +it was not in the least degree like any other he had ever seen in such a +cottage, and seemed very lately to have occupied a more respectable +situation. Little George was mounching at a lump of dry bread, making +very slow progress. He kept his eyes fixed on his benefactor, but said +nothing for a considerable time, till at length he observed him sitting +silent as in pleasing contemplation; he then came forward with a bounce +upon his knee, and smiled up in his face, as much as to say, "You are +not minding little George?" + +"Ah, my dear little fellow, are you there? Will you have a muckle +shilling of me to-day?" + +"Na, na; be vely solly. Mamma quite angly. She scold me." + +"Well, but since you have never come to help me to catch the fish for so +long a time, I will only give you a very little one to-day." + +"Dear sir, if you would not distress me, don't mind him; he is a little +impudent fellow.--Go off from the gentleman, George." + +George clapped both his hands upon his head, and went back without +hesitation, gloomed at his mamma, and took again up his luncheon of dry +bread. + +"Nay, pardon me," continued Lindsey; "but you must always suffer me to +give my little new acquaintance something." So saying, he put a guinea +into the child's hand. + +"Hank you, sil," said George,--"O no be angy, mamma--only ittle wee +half-penny--ook ye, mamma." + +"Oh sir," said she, "you distress me by these presents. I have no need +of money, and what can he do with it but throw it away?" + +"Nay, nay; pray don't notice it; that is nothing between two friends +like George and me." + +Lindsey dried himself; talked of indifferent matters, and then took the +child on his knee and talked to him. The conversation had as yet been as +free and unrestrained as possible, but Lindsey, by a blunder quite +natural to a studious and absent man, cut it short at once. "Tell me +your name, good lad?" said he to the child. "Let me hear you say your +name?" + +"Geoge," was the reply. + +"But what more than George? Tell me what they call you more than +George?" + +"Just Geoge, sil. Mamma's Geoge." + +"Pray, what is my young friend's surname?" said Lindsey, with the +greatest simplicity. + +The Wool-gatherer stooped to the floor as if lifting something, in order +that she might keep her face out of the light; two or three times an +answer seemed trembling on her tongue, but none came. There was a dead +silence in the cot, which none had the courage to break. How our +unfortunate fisher's heart smote him! He meant only to confer happiness, +in place of which he had given unnecessary pain and confusion. The +shower was past; he arose abruptly, said, "Goodb'ye, I will call and see +my little George to-morrow," and home he went, more perplexed than ever, +and not overmuch pleased with himself. But the thing that astonished +him most of all was, the chearful serenity of her countenance and +manners under such grievous misfortunes. He did not know whether to +blame or approve of her for this; however, he continued to go up the +water for the most part every day, and seldom failed to call at the cot. +He meant no ill--he was certain he meant no harm to any one--it was only +to _see the child_ that he went, and why should any man be ashamed to go +and see a child? Very well reasoned, gentle fisher! but beware that this +is not the reverse of what you feel within. At all events, it is the +world that must judge of your actions and mine, not we ourselves. +Scandal is a busy vixen, and none can make fame fly so fast on an errand +as she. + +Robin, the farmer, was hurt in the tenderest part that day when his +laird went by his door, and took shelter in the Wool-gatherer's cot; +and, on going in, he mentioned it in such a way, that his old maiden +sister, Meg, took note of it, and circulated it among the men-servants, +with strong injunctions of secrecy. The continuation of his visits +confirmed their worst suspicions: It was now no longer a matter of doubt +with them what was going on, but an obvious certainty. The shameful and +sudden attachment was blabbed from tongue to tongue, until every ear in +the parish had drunk the delicious draught, save those of the parties +implicated, and the old lady, the original cause of all. When he was +seen go into the cot, an event that was strictly watched, the lasses +would smile to each other,--the plowmen broke jests upon it,--and Meg +would hold up both her hands and say,--"Hech wow, sirs! I wonder what +our young gentles will turn to by an' by. It winna be lang till marriage +be out o' the fashion a' thegither, an' the fock that pretend to be +Christians a' living through other like the wild Tartarers." + +Little wist the old lady of what was going on! She dreamed not once of a +beautiful stranger among the cottagers at Todburn (the name of Robin's +farm), that was working such deray, else woe would have been to her and +all concerned; for there was nothing short of the sin not to be +forgiven, that she dreaded so much as her son forming any attachment or +connection with the country maidens. She had been congratulating herself +mightily on the success of her expedient, in making him take such +delight in a manly and healthful exercise, and one which led him +insensibly to be acquainted with his people, and every part of his +estate. She had even been boasting aloud of it to every one with whom +she conversed; indeed her conversation with others was mostly about her +son, for he being her only surviving child, she loved him with her whole +heart, and her cares were all for him. + +It happened one day that a little pert girl had come down from one of +the cottages at Todburn to buy some milk, which the lady supplied to +them from her dairy, and while skimming and measuring it, she fell into +conversation with this little sly and provoking imp. + +"Did you see my son fishing in the water as you came down?" + +"Na, na, mim; he was safe landit or I came away. He was fishing wi' +Hoy's net." + +"Safe landit? Fishing wi' Hoy's net?--How do you mean?" + +"He was gane in to tak a rest, mim,--that's a'." + +"Oh, that was a'--was it? I'm glad to hear o' that. I never knew he had +called upon his tenants, or looked after them at all!" + +"I trow he disna look muckle after them, mim. He's keener o' lookin' +after something else." + +"Oh ay, the trouts! To be sure they hae almaist gane between him an' his +wits for some time; but he'll aye be seeing something o' his land, an' +something o' his fock. It was I that perswaded him to it. There are some +lucky hits in life." + +"Ay, an' some lucky misses too, mim, that some think he likes as weel." + +"He's sae tender-hearted, I believe he may be as happy oft to miss the +fish as to hit them; but that will soon wear away, as I tell him. He's +tender-hearted to a fault." + +"An' there's mae tender-heartit nor him. There's some other kind o' +misses forbye trouts up the water." + +"What is it you say?" + +"I'll say nae mair about it--ane may very easily speak muckle nonsense." + +"Didna ye say that my son was gane into Robin's house afore ye came +away?" + +"I never said sic a word, begging your pardon, mim. He wadna gang into +Robin's, though it war raining auld wives and Jeddart staves." + +"What house was he gone into then?" + +"Into Jeany's, mim." + +"Jeany's! What Jeany?" + +"I dinna ken what they ca' her mair than Jeany. Little George's mother, +ye ken, that lives at the head o' the Washing-green." + +"Jeany!--Little George's mother!--That lives at the head o' the +Washing-green!--Wha is she? Where comes she frae? Has she a husband?" + +"Na, na, mim--nae husband." + +The lady breathed as short as if in the heat of a fever--hasted out to +the air, and then returned with equal haste into the house, without +being able to accomplish any thing, for her hands trembled like the +aspin leaf; and, finally, after ordering the girl to send Robin down to +her immediately, she took to her bed, and lay brooding over the great +calamity of her son's shameful attachment. These low-bred women were her +bane; especially if they were beautiful, she loathed, she hated, and, if +she could, would have cleared the country of them. This, therefore, was +a great trial; and before Robin arrived, she had made out to herself a +picture of as many disagreeable objects as ever a distempered +imagination conceived. Instead of a genteel respected wife, the head of +a lovely family, a disgraceful connection, and an illegitimate +offspring! Ills followed on ills, a dreadful train! She could think of +nothing else, and the more she thought of it the worse did the +consequences appear. Before her messenger _reached_ Robin, she had +regularly determined on the young woman's dismissal from the estate, +and, if possible, from the district. + +We shall pass over a long conversation that took place between the old +dame and Robin. It was maintained with great bitterness on the one hand, +and servility on the other; but the final resolution was, that Jane +should be ordered to depart from Todburn that night, or early the next +morning; and if she refused, Robin was to bribe her to a compliance with +any moderate sum of money, rather than that she should be suffered to +remain longer; for the lady sagely observed, she might corrupt and lead +astray all the young men in the country side, and would likely, at the +long run, cost the parish more than if it were to maintain a company of +soldiers. Last of all, it was decreed that their proceedings should be +kept a profound secret from Lindsey. + +Robin went home; and waiting upon Jane, told her abruptly to prepare for +her immediate departure from the house that she occupied, for that she +could not be longer there; and that he would be answerable for her +furniture until she sent for it, or otherwise disposed of it; that she +needed not to ask any questions as to his motives, for that he was +obliged to do as he did, and the thing was decided that she was not to +remain longer there. + +She answered not a word; but, with the tears in her eyes, and many a +half-smothered sob, she packed up a small bundle of clothes, and, taking +that below her arm and little George on her back, she went away, having +first locked the door and given the key to the farmer. "Farewell, +Robin," said she; "you are turning two very helpless and friendless +creatures out to the open fields; but think you, you may not rue this on +a day when you cannot help it?" + +Robin was affected, but he was obliged to do as he was desired, and +therefore made no defence, but said simply, "Farewell! Farewell!--God +help thee, poor thing!"--He then kept an eye on her, that she might not +communicate with any of the rest until she was fairly across the end of +the Todburn-Law, and he was agreeably surprised at seeing her take that +direction. + +As soon as she got out of sight of her late dwelling, she sought a +retired spot by the side of a clear mountain rivulet, where she sat down +and gave free vent to her tears. "My poor child," said she, clasping +little George to her breast, "what is now to become of us, and where +will our sorrows terminate? Here we are turned out on the wide world, +and have neither house nor home to cover our heads; we have no bed now, +George, but the cold earth, and no covering but that sky that you see +over us." + +"O no geet, mamma--no geet; Geoge vely wae," said the child, clasping +her neck in return, and sobbing aloud; "no geet, else Geoge tuln bad +child, and geet too." + +"No, for your sake, my dear, I will not greet; therefore cheer up thy +little kind heart, for there is One who will provide for us still, and +will not suffer two helpless inexperienced beings like you and I to +perish." + +"Geoge like 'at man." + +"It is no man that we must now depend on, my dear; we must depend on +God, who will never forsake us." + +"Geoge like God." + +Here she kissed him and wept anew, yet was all the while trying to +console him. "Let us be of good cheer, George; while I have health I +will work for you, for you have no one else on earth that cares for +you." + +"But no geet, mamma, I tell you; Geoge wulk too. When Geoge tuln geat +big man, Geoge wulk mole 'an two mans." + +Here their tender prattle was interrupted by a youth named Barnaby, who +was close at their side before they observed him. He was one of Robin's +servants, who herded a few young sheep at the back of the hill where +Jane was sitting. He was fifteen years of age, tall and thin, but had +fine features, somewhat pitted with the small-pox. He had an +inexhaustible fund of good-humour and drollery, and playing the fool +among the rest of the servants to keep them laughing was his chiefest +delight; but his folly was all affected, and the better part of his +character lay concealed behind the screen of a fantastic exterior. He +never mended his clothes like the rest of the servant lads, but suffered +them to fall into as many holes as they inclined; when any expostulated +with him on the subject, he said, "he likit them nae the waur o' twa or +three holes to let in the air;" and, in truth, he was as ragged a youth +as one would see in a summer day. His hat was remarkably broad-brimmed +and supple, and hung so far over his eyes, that, when he looked any +person in the face, he had to take the same position as if looking at a +vertical star. This induced him often, when he wanted to see fairly +about him, to fold in the fore part of the brim within the crown, which +gave it the appearance of half a hat, and in this way was he equipped +when he joined Jane and little George. They had been intimately +acquainted from the first; he had done many little kind offices for her, +and had the sagacity to discover that there was something about her +greatly superior to the other girls about the hamlet; and he had never +used the same freedom with her in his frolics that he was wont to do +with them. + +"What ails you, Jeany?" said he; "I thought I heard you greeting." + +"No, no, Barnaby; I do not ail any thing; I was not crying." + +"Why, woman, you're _crying_ yet, as you call it; tell me what ails you, +and whar ye're gaun this wild gate?" + +"I'm going to leave you, Barnaby. I am going far from this." + +"I fear ye're gaun awa frae us a'thegether. Hae ye been obliged to leave +your ain wee house for want o' meat?" + +"I had plenty of meat; but your master has turned me out of my cot at an +hour's warning; he would not even suffer me to remain overnight, and I +know of no place to which I can go." + +"O, deil be i' the auld hard-heartit loon! Heard ever ony body the like +o' that?--What ailed him at ye? Hae ye done ony thing, Jeany, or said +ony thing wrang?" + +"It is that which distresses me. I have not been given to know my +offence, and I can form no conjecture of it." + +"If I had a hame, Jeany, ye should hae a share o't. I dinna ken o' ane I +wad make mair welcome, even though I should seek a bed for mysel. War ye +at my father's cottage, I could insure you a month's good hamely +lodging, but it is far away, an' a wild road till't. I hae indeed an +auld aunt about twa miles frae this, but she's no muckle to lippen to, +unless it come frae her ain side o' the house; an' then she's a' hinny +and joe. If ye like I'll gang that length wi' ye, an' try if she'll put +ye up a while till we see how matters turn." + +Jane was now so much confused in her mind, that, not being able to form +any better measure for the present, she arose and followed her ragged +conductor, and they arrived at his aunt's house before sun-set. + +"My dear aunt," said Barnaby, "here is a very good an' a very helpless +lassie turned away frae her hame this same day, and has nae place to +gang to; if ye'll be sae good, an' sae kind, as to let her stay a while +wi' you, I will do ten times as muckle for you again some ither day." + +"My faith, stirra!" said she, setting up a face like a fire-brand, and +putting her arms a-kimbo--"My faith, man, but ye're soon begun to a braw +trade!--How can ye hae the assurance, ye brazen-faced rascal, to come +rinning to me wi' a hizzy an' bairn at your tail, an' desire me to keep +them for ye? I'll sooner see you an' her, an' that little limb, a' hung +up by the links o' the neck, than ony o' ye sal crook a hough or break +bread wi' me." + +"There's for't now! There's for't! When the deil gets in, the fire maun +flee out!--But aunt, I ken the first word's aye the warst wi' ye; ye're +never sae ill as ye say. Think like a Christian. How wad ye hae likit, +when ye war as young, to hae been turned out to the open hills wi' a +bairn in your arms?" + +"Hear to the tatterdemallion!--Christian! Bairn i' _my_ arms!--Ye +impudent, hempy-looking tike that ye are! Pack out o' my house, I say, +or I'll gar the bluid blind your een--ay, an' your bit toastit pie too, +wi' its piece barrell'd beef! Gang after your braw gallaunt, wi' your +oxterfu' ket!--A bonny pair, troth!--A light head makes a heavy fitt!" + +Barnaby retired with his back foremost, facing up his aunt all the way +till fairly in the open fields, for fear of actual violence; but the +epithets he bestowed on her there in the bitterness of his heart cannot +here be set down. Jane trembled, yet was obliged to smile at his +extravagance, for it had no bounds; while his aunt stood in her door, +exulting and calling after him every thing that she could construe to +mortify and provoke him. Tears for a space choked his utterance; at +length he forced out the following sentence in vollies. + +"Wae--wae be to the--the auld randy--witch!--Had I but the--owrance o' +the land for ae day--I--I should gar some look about them. My master +an' she hae this wark to answer for yet; they'll get their dichens for't +some day--that's ae comfort! Come away, Jeany--they'll squeel for +this--let them tak it!--Come away, Jeany." + +"Where would you have me to go now, Barnaby?" + +"Out-by aff that auld witch at ony rate! I'll hae ye put up though I +should travel a hunder mile." + +"Let me beseech you to return to your flock, and trouble yourself no +farther about my infant and I. Heaven will take care of us." + +"It disna look very like it just now. I dinna argy that it is wrang to +trust in Heaven--only, gin we dinna use the means, Heaven's no obliged +to work miracles for us. It is hard upon the gloamin', an' there is not +another house near us; if we sit down and trust, ye'll hae to sleep in +the fields, an' then baith you an' that dear bairn may get what ye will +never cast. Let us make a wee exertion the night, and I hae resolved +what ye shall do to-morrow." + +"And what shall I do to-morrow, Barnaby?" + +"Go with me to my parents; they hae nae doughter o' their ain, an' my +mither will be muckle the better o' your help, an' they will baith be +very glad to see you, Jeany. Gudeness be thankit! the warld's no just a' +alike. I' the meantime my pickle gimmers dinna need muckle at my hand +just now, sae I'll gae an' ax my master for a day to see my fock, and +gang fit for fit wi' ye the morn." + +She fixed her humid eyes on him in pleasing astonishment; she had never +before witnessed such earnest and disinterested benevolence; the +proposal was made in such a way that she could not refuse it, else she +saw that she would give a kind and feeling heart pain. "I have a great +mind to make trial of your expedient, good Barnaby," said she; "all +parts of the country are now alike to me; I must go somewhere; and as +it is but a hard day's journey, I will go and see the parents of so good +a lad." + +"Now that's spoken like yoursel, an' I'm glad to hear ye say't--But +what's to come o' ye the night?" + +"I have some victuals with me, and I can lie in the fields this pleasant +night; it is a good one to begin with, for who knows what's before one?" + +"I canna think o' that ava. If ye war to lay that bonny red cheek on the +cauld dew, an' the wind blawin' i' little George's face, there wad some +sleep nane the night; but there is a little snug sheep-house in our +Hope, a wee bit frae this; let us gang there, an' I will take little +George in my bosom, an' hap _you_ wi' my plaid.--O, but I forgot--that +will never do," continued he, in a melancholy tone, and looking at his +ragged doublet and riven clothes. Away, however, to the sheep-cot they +went, where they found plenty of old hay, and Jane instantly proposed +that he should go home and leave them alone, get leave of his master, +and join them next morning. + +"But I dinna ken about it," said Barnaby, hanging his head and looking +serious; "that linn's an unco uncanny place for bogles; an' by this time +o' night they'll be keeking ower the black haggs o' the Cairny Moss to +see what's gaun on. If ony o' them war to come on ye here, they might +terrify you out o' your wits, or carry ye baith aff, lith and limb--Is +the callant baptized?" + +Jane answered in the affirmative, smiling; and farther assured him, that +he needed to be under no apprehensions on account of spirits, for she +was perfectly at ease on that score, having a good assurance that no +spirit had power over her. + +"Ay, ye are maybe a gospel minister's bairn, or an auld Cameronian; that +is, I mean come o' the saints and martyrs--they had unco power--I hae +heard o' some o' them that fought the deil, hand to fist, for an hour +and forty minutes, and dang him at the last--yethered him and yerked him +till he couldna mou' another curse. But these times are gane! yet it's +no sae lang sin' auld Macmillan (ye hae heard o' auld Macmillan?) was +coming through that linn i' the derk wi' twa o' his elders an' they spak +o' the bogle, but Macmillan jeered at it; an' when they came to the tap +o' yon steep brae they stoppit to take their breath; and there they +heard a loud nichering voice come out o' the howe o' the linn, an' it +cried, + + "Ha, ha, Macky! had ye been your lane, + Ye should never hae crackit through either wood or water again." + +"Say ye sae, fause loun," quo' the auld hardy veteran; "than be at your +speed, for I'll gang through that wood my lane in spite o' your teeth, +an' a' hell at your back." An' what does the carl do, but leaves his twa +elders yonder, standin glowrin i' the howe night, an' trodges his way +back through the linn to the very farrest side o't--said the +hunder-an'-ninth psalm against him, an' came back wi' never a turned +hair on his head. But yet for a' that, Jeany, dinna lippen ower muckle +to bygane things; there have been fairy raids i' the Hope, an' mony ane +ill fleyed. I could tell ye sic a story of a wicked laird here!" + +Jane entreated him not to tell it that night, but amuse them with it +to-morrow as they journeyed. He was passive--left them his plaid--went +home and got leave of absence from his master for two days, but hinted +nothing of what had passed in the Hope. He was again back at the +sheep-house by the time the sun arose; and, early as it was, he found +Jane walking without, while little George was sleeping soundly on the +hay, wrapped in the plaid. She said she had got a sound and short sleep, +but awakening at dawn she had stepped out to taste the fresh mountain +air, and see the sun rise. When they lifted the child he was somewhat +fretful--a thing not customary with him; but he was soon pacified, and +they proceeded without delay on their journey. + +Until once they had cleared the boundaries of the farm of Todburn, +Barnaby was silent, and looked always around with a jealous eye, as if +dreading a surprise. When his fellow-traveller asked the reasons of his +anxiety, he remained silent; but as soon as they got fairly into the +next glen he became as gay and talkative as ever. She deemed it to be +some superstitious dread that discomposed him, but was left to guess the +cause. + +"Jeany," said he, "you said you had a short and sound sleep last +night--so had I. Pray, did you dream ony?" + +"Not that I remember of; but I put no faith in dreams." + +"Weel, how different fock's bodies, or their souls, or something about +them maun be frae ane anither! For I'm come this length in the warld, +an' I never yet dreamed a regular dream, in a sound sleep, that I didna +get as plainly read to me as the A B C. I had a strange dream last +night, Jeany, an' it was about you. I am sure I'll live to see it +fulfilled; but what it means even now, I canna in the least comprehend." + +"Well, Barnaby, suppose you give us it. I have read the Book of +Knowledge, and may lend you a hand at the interpretation." + +"I thought I saw ye lying in a lonesome place, an' no ane in the wide +world to help or heed ye, till there was a poor bit black mootit-like +corby came down frae the hills an' fed ye. I saw it feeding ye, an' I +thought ye war as contentit, an' as bonny, an' as happy as ever. But ere +ever I wist, down comes there a great majestic eagle some gate frae +about the e'e-bree o' the heavens, an' cleeks ye away up to the lowne +bieldy side o' a sunny hill, where ye had a' braw things. An' I dinna +ken how it was, I thought ye war a she eagle sitting amang your young, +an' I thought aye ye war a woman too, an' I coudna separate the tane +frae the tither; but the poor bit plottit forefoughen corby gaed alang +w'ye, an' ye war kind to him, an' fed him in your turn, an' I saw him +hoppin, an' pickin, an' dabbin round about ye, as happy as ever I saw a +beast, an' the erne didna chase him away, but was kind to him; but +somehow, or I wakened, I thought it was the confusedest thing I ever +saw. Na, ye needna laugh nor smile, for we'll baith live to see it +read." + +"Believe me, Barnaby, it will never be apparent; you may force +circumstances to agree with it, but these will not be obvious ones." + +"It's needless for me to arguy wi' you unless I can bring things hame to +your ain conscience; but can ye say that ye never got a dream read?" + +"Never that I noted; for I never thought of them." + +"Or, for instance, have ye never, when you saw a thing for the first +time, had a distinct recollection of having seen it sometime afore?" + +"Never." + +"How wonderfu'! I have done so a thousand an' a thousand times. I have +remembered of having seen exactly the same scene, the same faces, the +same looks, and heard the same words, though I knew all the while that I +never had seen them in reality; and that I could only have seen them in +some former vision, forgotten, or perhaps never remembered." + +She now saw clearly that dreams, visions, and apparitions, were +Barnaby's region of existence--His very thoughts and language seemed +elevated whenever he entered on the subject; and it being a trait in the +shepherd's character that she had never thought of before, she resolved +to encourage it, and asked for a single instance of that strange +foresight alluded to. + +"You'll surely acknowledge," said Barnaby, "that it is impossible I +could ever have come up that strait swire before with a bairn on my +back, an' a young woman gaun beside me exactly like you; an' that while +in that condition, I should have met wi' a bull an' a cow coming out the +path by themsels, an' thought o' yon craig for a shelter to the bairn +that I was carrying; yet when that happened about an hour ago, I +remembered so distinctly of having gone through it some time long +before, that I knew every step that would next be taken, and every +word that would next be said. It made me very thoughtful; but I can +remember nothing of where or when I dreamed it, or what was the issue. + +"There was another instance that I'll never forget. The winter afore +last, I gaed out wi' my father in the morning to help him to gather the +sheep; for the rime had sitten down, an' the clouds war creepin, and we +kend the drift wad be on. Weel, away we sets, but a' the hills were +wrappit i' the clouds o' rime as they had been rowed in a fleece o' +frosty woo, an' we couldna see a stime; we were little better than fock +gaun _graeping_ for sheep; an' about twal o'clock, (I mind it weel,) +just when I was in the very straitest and steepest part o' the +Shielbrae-Hope, the wind gae a swirl, an' I lookit up an' saw the cloud +screwing up to heaven--the brow o' the hill cleared, an' I saw like a +man cringing and hanging ower the point o' the rock, an' there was seven +white ewes an' a black ane gaun bleetin in a raw yont aneath him. That +was a'; but the sight strak me motionless. I mindit that I had seen the +very thing afore; the very clouds--the very rocks--an' the man standing +courin' and keekin' ower, wi' the white rime hingin' about his lugs like +feathers; an' I mindit that it endit ill--it endit awsomely!--for I +thought it endit in death. I could speak nae mair a' that day; for I +expectit that either my father or I wad never gang hame living. He aften +said to me, 'What ails ye, callant? Are ye weel eneugh? Od, ye're gane +stupid.' We saved some sheep, an' lost some, like mony ane, for it was +a dreadfu' afternoon; however, we wan baith safe hame. But that night, +afore we gaed to bed, our neighbour, auld Robin Armstrang, was brought +into our house a corp. Our fock had amaist gane out o' their judgment; +but the very features, the white rime frozen about the cauld stiff een, +an' the iceshogles hangin' at the grey hair, war nae new sight to me: I +had seen them a' before, I kendna when. Ah, Jeany! never tell me that we +haena some communication wi' intelligences, far ayont our capacity to +comprehend." + +The seriousness of Barnaby's manner made it evident to his fellow +traveller that he believed in the reality of every word he had said; +there was an inconceivable sublimity in the whole idea, and she fancied +herself going to reside, perhaps for a season, in the regions of +imagination and romance, and she asked him if his father and mother had +faith in dreams an' apparitions? + +"Aye, that they hae," answered he; "ye had need to tak care how ye +dispute the existence of fairies, brownies, and apparitions there; ye +may as weel dispute the gospel o' Sant Mathew. We dinna believe in a' +the gomral fantastic bogles an' spirits that fley light-headed fock up +an' down the country, but we believe in a' the apparitions that warn o' +death, that save life, an' that discover guilt. I'll tell you what we +believe, ye see. + +"The deil an' his adgents, they fash nane but the gude fock; the +Cameronians, an' the prayin' ministers, an' sic like. Then the bogles, +they are a better kind o' spirits, they meddle wi' nane but the guilty; +the murderer, an' the mansworn, an' the cheater o' the widow an' +fatherless, they do for _them_. Then the fairies, they're very harmless; +they're keener o' fun an' frolic than aught else; but if fock neglect +kirk ordinances, they see after _them_. Then the brownie, he's a kind +o' half-spirit half-man; he'll drudge an' do a' the wark about the town +for his meat, but then he'll no work but when he likes for a' the king's +dominions. That's precisely what we a' believe here awa', auld an' +young; an' I'll tell ye twa or three stories that we a' ken to be true, +an' which I wadna misbelieve for a' that I'm worth. + +"Sandy Shiel, the herd o' the Birky-Cleuch, was standing afore his sheep +ae fine day in winter. The snaw had been drifted ower the brae-head to +the size of another hill, but it was blawn bare aneath; an' there was +Sandy standin' i' the sun afore his sheep, whistling an' singing, and +knitting his stocking. Ere ever he wist there comes a broken-leggit hare +by his very foot--Every Scotsman's keen of a hunt--Sandy flings the +plaid frae him, an' after the hare what he can streik, hallooing, and +crying on his dog to kep. As he gaed o'er the brow he was close upon +her, an' had up his stick just to knock her dead--Tut! the hare +vanished in a moment! Sandy jumpit round-about an' round about--'What +the devil's come o' my hare now? Is she santit? or yirdit? or flown +awa'?'--Sandy lookit up into the air, but she wasna to be seen there +neither. She was gane, an' for ever! Sandy was amaist swarf'd, the cauld +sweat brak on him, an' he clew his head. 'Now, gude faith, I hae seen +muckle,' quo' Sandy, 'but the like o' that I saw never.' Sandy trodged +back, wantin' his hare, to lift his plaid. But what think ye? The hale +volume o' snaw on the hill aboon had shot away and burried it fifty feet +deep; it was nae mair seen till the month o' May. Sandy kneeled down +among the snaw and thankit his Maker; he saw brawly what the hare had +been. + +"I'll tell you another that I like still better. The shepherd's house at +Glen-Tress, in Tweeddale, had ance been a farm-steading, but it was at +the time this happened inhabited by an honest respectable shepherd, his +wife, and six children. One evening after the sun had set, the eldest +girl came running in, crying, 'Bless me, sirs, come here--Here is the +grandest lady coming to the house that ever was seen in the world.' They +all ran to the door, young and old, and they every one saw her coming at +the distance of only about twenty paces--She was never more seen! But +that very moment the house fell in, gable and all, with a dreadful +crash; and thus a worthy family was saved from momentary destruction. +Ah! I wadna hae given that man's feelings of gratitude that night toward +his Maker and Preserver, for a' the dogmas of a thousand cauld-heartit +philosophers!" + +"Nor would I," said Jane; and they walked on in deep silence. + +Barnaby always carried the child one-half of the way as nearly as they +could agree, but after carrying him often two miles, he would contend +that it was but one; they got plenty of bread and milk at the +farm-houses and cottages as they passed, for there was no house of +accommodation near the whole of their track. One time, after they had +refreshed and rested themselves, Jane reminded her conductor that he had +promised the evening before to entertain her on their journey with the +story of the profligate laird. + +"That's an awfu' story," said Barnaby, "but it is soon tauld. It was the +Laird o' Errickhaw; he that biggit his house amang the widow's corn, and +never had a day to do weel in it. It isna yet a full age sin' the +foundation-stane was laid, an' for a' the grandeur that was about it, +there's nae man at this day can tell where the foundation has been, if +he didna ken afore. He was married to a very proud precise lady, come o' +high kin, but they greed aye weel eneugh till bonny Molly Grieve came to +the house to serve. Molly was as light-hearted as a kid, an' as blithe +as a laverock, but she soon altered. She first grew serious, then sad, +and unco pale at times; an' they whiles came on her greetin by hersel. +It was ower weel seen how matters stood, an' there was nae mair peace +about the house. At length it was spread ower a' the parish that the +lady had gotten Molly a fine genteel service in Edinburgh, an' up comes +hurkle-backit Charley Johnston, the laird's auld companion in +wickedness, wi' a saddle an' a pad to take her away. When they set her +on ahint him, Molly shook hands wi' a' the servants, but couldna speak, +for she little kend when she would see them again. But, instead o' +taking her away i' the fair day-light, i' the ee o' God an' man, he took +her away just when the lave war gaun to their beds: an' instead o' +gaeing the road to Edinburgh, they war seen riding ower the Cacra-cross +at twal o'clock at night. Bonny Molly Grieve was never seen again, nor +heard of mair in this world! But there war some banes found about the +Alemoor Loch that the doctors said had belanged to a woman. There was +some yellow hair, too, on the scull, that was unco like Molly's, but +nae body could say. + +"Then there was a fine strapping lass came in her place, a farmer's +daughter, that had mony a lad running after her, but it wasna a year and +a half till a service was to provide in Edinburgh for her too. Up came +hurkle-backit Charley to take her away, but no gin they should a' hae +sutten down on their knees wad she gae wi' him; she grat an' pray'd, an' +they fleeched an' flait; but she stayed in the parish in spite o' their +teeth, and shamed them a'. She had a son, but Charley got him to take to +the nursing, far away some gate, an' there was nae body ony mair fashed +wi' him. + +"It wad be endless to tell ye ower a' their wickedness, for it can +hardly be believed. Charley had mony sic job to do, baith at hame and at +a distance. They grew baith odious in the country, for they turned aye +the langer the waur, and took less pains to hide it; till ae night that +the laird was walking at the back o' his garden, in the moon-light. It +was thought he was waiting for a woman he had some tryste with, but that +was conjecture, for he never said sae. At length he saw ane coming +towards him, and hasted to meet her, but just as he approached, she held +up her hand at him, as it war to check him, or make him note who she +was; and when he lookit in her face, and saw what it was like, he +uttered a loud cry, and fell senseless on the ground. Some fock heard +the noise, and ran to the place, and fand him lying streekit in a deep +dry seuch at the back of the garden. They carried him in, and he soon +came to himself; but after that he was never like the same man, but +rather like ane dementit. He durst never mair sleep by himsel while he +lived; but that wasna lang, for he took to drinking, and drank, and +swore, and blasphemed, and said dreadfu' things that folk didna +understand. At length, he drank sae muckle ae night out o' desperation, +that the blue lowe came burning out at his mouth, and he died on his +ain hearth-stane, at a time o' life when he should scarcely have been at +his prime. + +"But it wasna sae wi' Charley! He wore out a lang and hardened life; +and, at the last, when death came, he coudna die. For a day and two +nights they watched him, thinking every moment would be the last, but +always a few minutes after the breath had left his lips, the feeble +cries of infants arose from behind the bed, and wakened him up again. +The family were horrified; but his sons and daughters were men and +women, and for their ain sakes they durstna let ane come to hear his +confessions. At last, on the third day at two in the morning, he died +clean away. They watched an hour in great dread, and then streekit him, +and put the dead-claes on him, but they hadna weel done before there +were cries, as if a woman had been drowning, came from behind the bed, +and the voice cried, "O, Charley, spare my life!--Spare my life! For +your own soul's sake and mine, spare my life!" On which the corpse again +sat up in the bed, pawled wi' its hands, and stared round wi' its dead +face. The family could stand it nae langer, but fled the house, and rade +and ran for ministers, but before any of them got there, Charley was +gane. They sought a' the house, and in behind the bed, and could find +naething; but that same day he was found about a mile frae his ain +house, up in the howe o' the Baileylee-linn, a' torn limb frae limb, an' +the dead-claes beside him. There war twa corbies seen flying o'er the +muir that day, carrying something atween them, an' fock suspectit it was +Charley's soul, for it was heard makin' a loud maen as they flew o'er +Alemoor. At the same time it was reportit, that there was to be seen +every morning at two a clock, a naked woman torfelling on the Alemoor +loch, wi' her hands tied behind her back, and a heavy stane at her neck. +It's an awsome story. I never dare tell it but in the middle o' the day, +and even then it gars a' my flesh creep; but the hale country has heard +it, and God only kens whether it be true or no. It has been a warning to +mony ane." + +Our fair wanderer asked for no more ghost stories. The last had sufficed +her,--it having been even more shocking than the former ones were +delightful; so they travelled on, conversing about common or casual +events, save that she gave him a short sketch of her history, whereof to +inform his parents, with strong injunctions of secrecy. They came in +view of his father's cottage before sunset. It was situated in the very +wildest and most romantic glen in the shire of Peebles, at the +confluence of two rough but clear mountain streams, that ran one on each +side of the house and _kail-yard_, and mingled their waters immediately +below these. The valley was level, green, and beautiful, but the hills +on each side high, steep, and romantic; and while they cast their long +black shadows aslant the glen, the beams of the sun were shed over these +like streamers in the middle air. It was a scene of tranquillity and +repose, if not indeed the abode of the genii and fairies. Jane's heart +danced within her when her eye turned to the varied scenery of the +mountains, but again sunk when it fell on the cottage at which she was +going to seek a retreat. She dreaded her reception, knowing how +equivocal her appearance there must be; but she longed and thirsted for +such a retreat, and as she was not destitute of money, she determined to +proffer more for her board than she could well afford to pay, rather +than be refused. Barnaby also spoke less as they advanced up the glen, +and seemed struggling with a kind of dryness about his tongue, which +would not suffer him to pronounce the words aright. Two fine shaggy +healthy-looking collies came barking down the glen to meet them, and at +a timid distance behind them, a half-grown puppy, making more noise than +them both. He was at one time coming brattling forward, and barking +fiercely, as if going to attack them, and at another, running yelping +away from them with his tail between his legs. Little George laughed as +he had been tickled at him. When the dogs came near, and saw that it was +their old fire-side acquaintance and friend, they coured at his feet, +and whimpered for joy; they even licked his fair companion's hand, and +capered around her, as if glad to see any friend of Barnaby's. The +whelp, perceiving that matters were amicably made up, likewise ventured +near; and though he had never seen any of them before, claimed +acquaintance with all, and was so kind and officious that he wist not +what to do; but at last he fell on the expedient of bearing up the +corner of Jane's mantle in his mouth, which he did all the way to the +house.--George was perfectly delighted. + +"I think," said Jane, "the kindness of these creatures betokens a hearty +welcome within!" + +"Ay, that it does," answered Barnaby; "a dog that is brought up with a +man in a wild place, is always of the very same disposition with +himself." + +Strangers seldom approached that sequestered spot--passengers never. +They observed, while yet at a good distance, Barnaby's mother standing +amid her burly boys at the end of the cottage, watching their approach, +and they heard her calling distinctly to her husband, "Aigh! Geordie, +yon's our ain Barny, I ken by auld Help's motions; but wha she is that +he's bringing wi' him, is ayont my comprehension." + +She hurried away in to put her fire-side in some order, and nought was +then to be seen but two or three bare-headed boys, with their hair the +colour of peat-ashes, setting their heads always now and then by the +corner of the house, and vanishing again in a twinkling. The old +shepherd was sitting on his divot-seat, without the door, mending a +shoe. Barnaby strode up to him. "How are ye the night, father?" + +"No that ill, Barny lad--is that you? How are ye yoursel?" said a +decent-looking middle-aged man, scratching his head at the same time +with the awl, and fixing his eyes, not on his son, but the companion +that he had brought with him. When he saw her so young, so beautiful, +and the child in her arms, the enquiring look that he cast on his son +was unutterable. Silence reigned for the space of a minute. Barnaby +made holes in the ground with his staff--the old shepherd began again to +sew his shoe, and little George prattled to his mamma, "It's a vely good +bonny halp, mamma; Geoge nevel saw sic a good halp." + +"An' how hae ye been sin' we saw ye, Barny?" + +"Gaylys!" + +"I think ye hae brought twa young strangers wi' ye?" + +"I wat have I." + +"Whar fell ye in wi' them?" + +"I want to speak a word to you, father." + +The old shepherd flung down his work, and followed his son round the +corner of the house. It was not two minutes till he came back. Jane had +sat down on the sod-seat. + +"This is a pleasant evening," said he, addressing her. + +"It is a very sweet evening," was the reply. + +"Ye'll be weary; ye had better _gang in_ an' rest ye." + +She thanked him, and was preparing to go. + +"It's a muckle matter," continued he, "whan fock can depend on their +ain. My Barny never deceived me a' his life, an' you are as welcome here +as heart can mak ye. The flower in May is nae welcomer than ye are to +this bit shieling, and your share of a' that's in it. Come your ways in, +my bonny woman, an' think nae shame. Ye shall never be lookit on as +either a beggar or borrower here, but just ane o' oursels." So saying he +took her hand in both his, and led her into the house. + +"Wife, here's a young stranger our son has brought to bide a while wi' +ye; mak her welcome i' the mean time, an' ye'll be better acquaintit by +and by." + +"In troth I sal e'en do sae. Come awa in by to the muckle chair--Whar is +he himsel, the muckle duddy feltered gouk?" + +"Ah, he's coming, poor fellow--he's takin a _pipe_ to himsel at the +house-end--there's a shower i' the heads wi' Barny--his heart can stand +naething--it is as saft as a snaw-ba', an' far mair easily thawed, but +it is aye in the right place for a' that." + +It was a happy evening; the conversation was interesting, and kept up +till a late hour; and when the old couple learned from Jane of the +benevolent disinterested part that their son had acted, their eyes +glowed with delight, and their hearts waxed kinder and kinder. Before +they retired to rest, the old shepherd performed family worship, with a +glow of devotional warmth which Jane had never before witnessed in man. +The psalm that he sung, the portion of Scripture that he read, and the +prayer that he addressed to the throne of Grace, savoured all of charity +and benevolence to our fellow-creatures. The whole economy of the family +was of that simple and primitive cast, that the dwellers in a large city +never dream of as existing. There was to be seen contentment without +affluence or ambition, benevolence without ostentation, and piety +without hypocrisy; but at the same time such a mixture of gaiety, good +sense, and superstitious ideas, blent together in the same minds, as was +altogether inscrutable. It was a new state of existence to our fair +stranger, and she resolved with avidity to improve it to the best +advantage. + +But we must now leave her in her new habitation, and return with Barnaby +to the families of Earlhall and Todburn. Lindsey went up the water every +day fishing, as he had done formerly, but was astonished at observing, +from day to day, that his fair Wool-gatherer's cottage was locked, and +no smoke issuing from it. At first he imagined that she might have gone +on a visit, but at length began to suspect that some alteration had +taken place in her circumstances; and the anxiety that he felt to have +some intelligence, whether that change was favourable or the reverse, +was such that he himself wondered at it. He could not account for it +even to his own mind. It was certainly _the child_ that so much +interested him, else he _could not_ account for it. Lindsey might +easily have solved the difficulty had he acquiesced freely in the +sentiments of his own heart, and acknowledged to himself that he was in +love. But no!--all his reasoning, as he threw the line across the stream +and brought it back again, went to disprove that. "That I can be in love +with the girl is out of the question--there is no danger of such an +event; for, in the first place, I would not wrong her, or abuse her +affections, for the whole world; and in the next, I have a certain rank +and estimation to uphold in society. I am a proprietor to a large +extent--a freeholder of the county--come of a good family, at least by +the father's side, and that I should fall in love with and marry a poor +vagrant Wool-gatherer, with a"----! He was going to pronounce a word, +but it stuck, not in his throat, but in the very utmost perceptible +avenues that lead to the heart. "It is a very fine child, however,--I +wish I had him under my protection, then his mother might come and see +him; but I care not for that, provided I had the child. I'll have the +child, and for that purpose I will enquire after the mother directly." + +He went boldly up to the cot, and peeped in at the little window. The +hearth was cold, and the furniture neatly arranged. He examined the +door, but the step and threshold had not been swept as they wont for +many days, and the green grass was beginning to peep up around them. +"There is something extremely melancholy in this!" said he to himself. +"I could not endure the veriest wretch on my estate to be thus lost, +without at least enquiring after him." + +He turned his eyes to the other cottages, and to the farm-house, but +lacked the courage to go boldly up to any of them, and ask after the +object of his thoughts. He returned to the fishing, but caught no fish, +or if he did it was against his will. + +On Barnaby's return he made some sly enquiries about the causes that +induced to Jane's removal without effect, the farmer had kept all so +snug. But haverel Meg, (as they called her for a nick-name,) his sister, +knew, and though she was an excellent keeper of secrets among her own +sex, yet she could not help blabbing them sometimes to the young +fellows, which her brother always accounted a very ridiculous +propensity;--whether or not it is a natural one among old maids, the +relater of this tale does not pretend to decide; he is induced to think +it is, but is not dogmatic on that side, not having bestowed due +consideration on the subject. + +One day, when Barnaby came home to his breakfast rather later than +usual, and while he was sitting hewing away at a good stiff bicker of +paritch, mixed with butter-milk, his excellent dog Nimrod all the time +sitting with his head leaned on his master's knee, watching the progress +of every spoonful, thinking the latter was rather going near him that +day in their wonted proportions--while Barnaby, I say, was thus +delightfully and busily employed, in comes Meg, bare-footed, with a +clean white wrapper and round-eared cap on. "Barny, will ye hae time to +help me to the water wi' a boucking o' claes? Ye'll just only hae to +carry the tae end o' the hand-barrow to the water, wait till I sinde up +the sarks, an' help me hame wi' them again." + +"That I will, Miss Peggy, wi' heart an' hand." + +"Miss Peggy! Snuffs o' tobacco! Meg's good enough! Troth, I'm nane o' +your molloping, precise flegaries, that want to be _miss'd_ an' +_beckit_, an' _bowed_ to--Na, sooth! Meg's good enough--plain downright +_Meg o' the Todburn_." + +"Weel, weel; haud your tongue, I'll do a' that ye bid me, an' mair, Meg, +my bonny woman." + +"How war a' your focks, Barny, when ye war ower seeing them?" + +"Unco weel, an' they're muckle behadden to you for your kind speering." + +"I kend your father weel; he's a good cannie man." + +"I wish he had beltit your shoulders as aft as he has done mine, ye +maybe wadna hae said sae muckle for him." + +"Ay, it's weel o' you to say sae; but he's a douse, respectable man, and +he's no disgraced in his son." + +Barnaby rose with his bicker in his hand; gave it a graceful swing, as a +gentleman does his hat when he meets a lady, made a low bow, and set +down Nimrod his share of the paritch. + +When they went to the river Barnaby sat him down on the bank, and Meg +went into the running stream, and began with great agility, and much +splashing, to wash up her clothes. Barnaby perceived her smiling to +herself, and was sure that a volley of some stuff or other was +forthcoming. She cast her eyes towards the laird's house, then looked up +the water, then down, in case any one might be angling on it; and after +perceiving that there was nobody within a mile of them, she spoke as +follows to Barnaby, in a half whisper, lest any one should overhear her. + +"Gude sauf us to the day, Barny man! What think ye o' our laird?" + +"Very muckle. I think him a decent worthy lad." + +"Decent! Shame fa' _his_ decency!--I watna what will be countit +_un_decent soon! Sae ye haena heard o' his shamfu' connection wi' the +bit prodigal, dinnagood lassie, that was here?" + +"Never." + +"It's a' ower true though; but say nae a word about it. My billy Rob was +obliged to chase her out o' the country for it; an' a burnin shame an' a +disgrace it was to the laird to take up wi' the likes o' her.--Deil a +bit o' her has the pith o' a pipe-stapple!--Fich, fy! Away wi' your +spindle-shankit babyclouts--they're no the gear." + +"As ye say, Meg. I like nane o' the women that _stand pon trifles_." + +"Stand on trifles!--Ha! ha! that's real good! that's devilish clever for +a--young man! Ha! ha!--Tut! that water's weetin' a' my claes.--Wad ye +hae made sic a choice, Barny?" + +"D'ye think that I'm blind? or that I dinna ken what's what?--Na, na, +Meg! let me alane; I'm no sae young a cat but I ken a mouse by a +feather." + +"If a' our young men had the sense o' you, Barny, some o' them might get +a pock an' a wheen rustit nails to jingle in't; they might get something +better than a bit painted doll, wi' a waist like a thread-paper, an' hae +nought ado foreby but to draw in the chair an' sit down; but _they'll_ +rin after a wheen clay-cakes baken i' the sun, an' leave the good +substantial ait-meal bannocks to stand till they moul, or be pouched by +them that draff an' bran wad better hae mensed!--Tut! I'm ower deep into +the stream again, without ever thinkin' o't." + +"That's a' ower true that ye hae been sayin', Meg--ower true, indeed! +But as to your news about the laird and Jane, I dinna believe a word +o't." + +"Oh! it's maybe no true, ye ken! It's very likely a lee! There's +naething mair likely, than that a' their correspondence was as pure as +the morning snaw. For a laird, ye ken, worth three thousand pund o' +yearly rental, to frequent the house o' a bit lassie for an hour ilka +day, an' maybe ilka night to, wha kens; ye ken it's a' fair! there's +nought mair likely than that they're _very_ innocent! An' _sic_ a ane +too as she is! little better, I trow, than she should be, gin a' war +kend. To be sure she has a son, _that_ may arguy _something_ for her +decency. But after a', I dinna blame _her_, for I ken by mysel----" + +"Haud your tongue now, Meg, my bonny quean; for I ken ye are gaun to lee +on yoursel, an' speak nonsense into the bargain." + +"Ah! Barny! but ye are a queer ane!" (then in a whisper.) "I +say--Barny--What do ye think o' the bit farm o' Hesperslack? How wad ye +like to be tenant there yoursel, an' hae servants o' your ain?" + +"I haena thought about that yet; but yonder's my master keekin ower the +knowe; he'll be thinkin I'm stayin unco lang frae my sheep." + +"Ah! is my billy Rob yonder?--No a _word_ ye ken now, Barny. No a cheip +aboon your breath about yon." + +Sad and heavy were Barnaby's reflections that day as he herded his sheep +all alone. "And _this_ is the girl that I have taken and recommended so +warmly to my parents! I do not believe the hateful slander; but I will +go and inform them of all. It is proper they should know all that I +know, and then let them judge for themselves. Poor luckless Jeany! I +fear she is a ruined creature, be she as innocent and harmless as she +will!" + +Barnaby was resolved to go, but day past on after day, and still he had +not the heart to go and tell his parents, although every whisper that +he heard tended rather to strengthen suspicion than dispel it. + +On the very day that we left Lindsey in such distress for the loss of +his amiable Wool-gatherer, Barnaby and he met by the side of the stream, +at the foot of the Todburn-Hope. They were both alike anxious to speak +to one another, but neither of them had the courage to begin, although +both were burning to talk on the same theme. Lindsey fished away, +swimming the fly across the ripple as dexterously and provokingly as he +was able. Barnaby stood and looked on in silence; at length a yellowfin +rose. "Aigh, that was a great chap! I wish your honour had hookit that +ane." + +"It was better for him that I did not. Do you ever fish any?" + +"O yes. I gump them whiles." + +"_Gump_ them? pray what mode of fishing is that?" + +"I guddle them in aneath the stanes an' the braes like." + +"I do not exactly understand the terms nor the process. Pray will you +be so good," continued he, holding out the fishing-rod to Barnaby, "as +give me a specimen how you _gump_ the fish?" + +"Od bless you, sir, I can do naething wi' that goad; but if ye'll gang +wi' me a wee piece up the Todburn-Hope, or up to the Rowntree-Linn, I'll +let ye see gumping to perfection." + +On being assured that it was not above half a mile to either of the +places, the laird accompanied Barnaby without hesitation, to witness +this pastoral way of fishing. By the way their converse became very +interesting to both parties, but we cannot interrupt the description of +such a favourite rural sport just now. Let it suffice that their +discourse was all concerning a fair unfortunate, of whom the reader has +heard a good deal already, and of whom he shall hear more in due time. + +They crossed over a sloping ground, at the bottom of a green steep hill, +and soon came into the Todburn-Hope. It was a narrow level valley +between two high hills, and terminated in the haunted linn, above the +sheep-house formerly mentioned. Down this narrow vale the Tod Burn ran +with a thousand beautiful serpentine windings, and at every one of these +turns there were one or two clear deep pools, overhung by little green +banks. Into the first of these pools Barnaby got with his staff, +plunging and poaching to make all the fish take into close cover; then +he threw off his ragged coat, tucked up the sleeves of his shirt to the +shoulders, tying them together behind, and into the pool he got again, +knees and elbows, putting his arms in below the green banks, into the +closest and most secret recesses of the trouts. There was no eluding +him; he threw them out one after another, sometimes hitting the +astonished laird on the face, or any other part of the body without +ceremony, for his head being down sometimes close with the water, and +sometimes below it, he did not see where he flung them. The trouts being +a little startled at this momentary change from one element to another, +jumped about on the grass, and cast so many acute somersets, that the +laird had greater difficulty in getting hold of them the second time to +put them into his basket, than Barnaby had at first; and when the latter +had changed the scene of plunder to a new pool, Lindsey was commonly to +be seen beside the old one, moving slowly about on his hands and knees. +"I think ye're pinched to catch them on the dry grund, sir," said +Barnaby to him. + +"No, no," returned he, with the utmost simplicity; "but I was looking +lest some of them had made their way among the long grass and eluded me; +and besides they are so very active and slippery that I seldom can keep +the hold of them that I get." + +As they were going from one of these little pools to another, he said to +our shepherd, "So this is what you call _gumping_?" + +"Yes, sir, this is gumping, or _guddling_, ony o' them ye like to +ca't." + +"I do not think this is altogether a fair way of fishing." + +"Now, I think it is muckle fairer than the tither way, sir. Your way is +founded on the lowest artifice and deceit, but I come as an avowed +enemy, and let them escape me if they can. I come into a family as a +brave mountain robber or free-booter; but you come as a deceitful +friend, promising to treat the family with all good things, that you may +poison them every one unawares. A mountaineer's sports are never founded +on cunning; it's a' sheer and main force wi' us." + +Lindsey confessed that the shepherd's arguments had some foundation in +nature and truth, but that they savoured of a period exempt from +civilization and the fine arts. "At all events," said he, "it is +certainly the most downright way of fishing that I ever beheld." In +short, it was not long till the laird was to be seen wading in the +pools, and _gumping_ as busily as the other; and, finally, he was +sometimes so intent on his prey, that the water was running over his +back, so that when he raised himself up it poured in torrents from his +fine Holland shirt and stained cambrick ruffles. "Ye hae settled the +pletts o' your sark," said Barnaby. Never did the family of Earlhall +behold such a basket of trouts; and never had its proprietor such a +day's sport at the fishing, as he had at the _gumping_ or _guddling_ the +trouts among the links of the Todburn-Hope. + +Though the sport occupied their minds completely during the time they +were engaged in it, yet it was only a relaxation from concerns of a more +serious nature. From Barnaby's information the laird now saw exactly how +the land lay; and though he got no hint of the part that his mother had +acted in it, yet he rather suspected, for he well knew her sentiments +regarding all the young and beautiful part of her own sex. Barnaby gave +him no notice that he had ever seen the girl after her dismissal, or +that he knew to what part of the world she had retired; and before they +parted he desired him to tell his master to come down and speak with him +that night. + +Robin came as appointed; Lindsey and his mother were sitting by +themselves in the parlour when the servant announced him; he was ordered +to join them, and as soon as he came in Lindsey said, "Come away, Robin. +I had a piece of information within these few days of you, that has +somewhat distressed me, and I sent for you to make enquiry concerning +it. What reasons had you for turning away the poor stranger girl and +child from her cot before the term of your agreement expired?" + +Robin looked to the window, then to the lady, and then to the window +again, and finally looked down to the carpet, twirled his bonnet with +both hands, and remained silent. Though a strong and speaking look of +appeal was turned on the old lady by Robin from time to time, yet she, +hearing her son speak in that determined manner, likewise sat still +without opening her lips. + +"Why don't you answer me?" continued Lindsey. "I ask you simply what +were your reasons for turning her away? you certainly must be able to +state them." + +"Hem! We war feared, sir--we war feared that she was a bad ane." + +"You were _afraid_ she was bad? Had you no other proofs of her badness +farther than your own fears?" + +"Indeed, sir, I never saw ony ill behaviour about the lassie. But ye ken +weel enough that ane wha had forsaken the paths o' virtue and honesty +sae early as it appears she had done, wi' sic an enchanting manner, an' +weelfaurd face into the boot, was rather a dangerous neighbour for sae +mony young chiels." + +"I think what Robin says is very true, and good sense," said the old +lady. + +"You certainly ought to have taken all these things into consideration +before you bargained with her at first, Robin," said Lindsey. "I +suppose you cannot argue that she is either grown younger or more +beautiful since that period? I rather suspect, Robin, that you have used +this young woman extremely ill; and if you cannot give any better +reasons for your severity towards her, I can find out a method of +forcing you to make an ample retribution." + +"Indeed then, sir, sin' I maun tell the truth, I will tell the truth; it +was my lady, your worthy mother there, that persuaded, and _ordered_ me +to turn her away; for we had observed how great a favourite she was with +you, and dreaded the consequences." + +"It is then exactly as I suspected. You two have done me a great injury, +and one that will not be easily wiped away. I hope neither of you +intended it; but I would gladly know what trait in my character +justified the conclusion you made? I think you might both have known my +dispositions better than to have so readily believed that I would +injure youth and beauty, that had already been unfortunate in the +world--that I would add to her state of wretchedness, by annihilating +for ever that innate principle of virtue and modesty, inherent in every +young female's breast, which never man loved more, or delighted more to +view, exerting all its primitive and untainted sway. If you had +reflected at all, you could not have believed me capable of it. You have +taken the readiest means in your power of injuring my character in the +eyes of the world. It must naturally be concluded, that there was a +profligate and criminal intercourse subsisting between us, which +rendered such an act of cruelty and injustice necessary. You have hurt +my honour and my feelings, and wronged a defenceless and amiable young +woman. It is on my account that she is thus innocently suffering, and I +am determined, for my own satisfaction, to see her righted, as far as +redress is in my power, though equivalent for an injured reputation +there is none; but every vile insinuation on my account shall be fairly +dispelled. To make, therefore, an end of all reflections at once, I warn +you, Robin, that if she is not found, and restored to her rights, in +less than a fortnight at farthest, you need not be surprised if _you_ +are some day removed on as short notice as you gave to her." + +The old lady and farmer had an inward view of matters in a different +light: They perceived that the world would say he had brought her back +to keep her there as his mistress, but this elegant and inflated +harangue they were unable to answer. The young man's conscience was +hurt, and they were no casuists. The lady, it is true, uttered some +involuntary sounds as he was speaking, but it was not easy to determine +whether they were groans or hems of approbation. If one might have +judged from her countenance, they were like the former, but the sounds +themselves were certainly modulations of the latter. She was dependant +on her son! Robin was studying a friendly reply, by way of remonstrance, +all the time of the speech; but Robin was a widower, had a good farm, a +large family, and was a tenant at will, and the conclusion of the said +speech was a stumbling-block to Robin. + +Pray, gentle reader, did you ever see a country maiden baking pease-meal +bannocks? If you ever did you must have noted, that before she committed +them one by one to the gridiron, she always stood straight up, with her +head gracefully turned to one side, and moulded them with her two hands +to an orb, as nearly resembling the full moon as she could. You must +likewise have remarked, that while engaged in this becoming part of her +avocation, she was never once looking at her work, but that while her +head had that sly cast to the one side, her eyes were ever and anon +fixed on the window, noting what was going on without, looking perhaps +for her lad coming from the hill, or whistling at the plough. If you +have ever seen this, you can easily comprehend the attitude I mean--if +you have never, it is a great pity! + +Exactly in such a situation stood our honest farmer, Robin Muckerland, +plying his bonnet round with both hands in the same way--his head was +likewise turned to one side, and his eyes immoveably fixed on the +window--it was the girl's position to a hair. Let any man take his pen +and describe the two attitudes, there is not the slightest shade of +difference to be discerned--the one knee of both is even slackened and +bent gently forward, the other upright and firm, by its own weight made +steadfast and immoveable. Yet how it comes I do not comprehend, and +should like much to consult my friend, David Wilkie, about it--it is +plain that the attitudes are precisely the same, yet the girl's is quite +delightful--Robin's was perfectly pitiable. He had not one word to say, +but baked his bonnet and stood thus. + +"This is my determination," continued Lindsey, "and you may pay what +attention to it you please." + +"Od, sir, I'm excessively vexed at what has happened, now when ye hae +letten me see it in its true light, an' I sal do what I can to find her +again, an' mak her what amends I am able. But, od ye see, naebody kens +where she's ye see. She may be gane into the wild Highlands, or away to +that outlandish country ayont the sea that they ca' Fife, an' how am I +to get her? therefore, if I canna an' dinna get her, I hope you will +excuse me, especially as neither the contrivance nor the act was mine." + +"You and my honoured mother settle that betwixt you. I will not abate a +tittle of that I have said; but, to encourage your people in the search, +or whomsoever you are pleased to employ, I shall give ten guineas to the +person who finds her and restores her to her home." + +"Aweel, son Lindsey," said the lady, moving her head like the pendulum +of a clock, "your mother meant ye good, an' nae ill, in what she has +done; but them that will to Cupar maun to Cupar. For the sake o' Robin +and his family, and no for the neighbourhood o' this whilly-wha of a +young witch, I shall gi'e the body that finds her half as muckle." + +"And I," said Robin, "shall gi'e the same, which will make up the reward +to twenty guineas, an' it is mair than I can weel spare in sic hard +times. I never saw better come o' women's schemes, as I say whiles to my +titty Meg." + +The company parted, not on the most social terms; and that night, before +Robin dismissed his servants to their beds, he said, "Lads, my master +informs me that I am to be plaguit wi' the law for putting away that +lassie Jeany an' her bit brat atween term-days. I gi'e ye a' your +liberty frae my wark until the end o' neist week, if she be not found +afore that time, to search for her; and whoever finds her, and brings +her back to her cottage, shall have a reward o' twenty guineas in his +loof." + +A long conversation then ensued on the best means of recovering her; but +Barnaby did not wait on this, but hasted away to the stable loft, where +his chest stood at the head of his bed, dressed himself in his Sunday +clothes, and went without delay to the nearest stage where horses were +let out for hire, got an old brown hack equipped with a bridle, saddle, +and pad, and off he set directly for his father's cottage, where he +arrived next morning by the time the sun was up. + +To describe all Barnaby's adventures that night would take a volume by +itself, for it was the very country of the ghosts and fairies that he +traversed. As his errand was, however, solely for good, he was afraid +for none of them meddling with him, save the devil and the water-kelpie; +yet so hardly was he beset with these at times, that he had no other +resource but to shut his eyes close, and push on his horse. He by this +resolute contrivance got on without interruption, but had been so near +his infernal adversaries at times, that twice or thrice he felt a glow +on his face as if a breath of lukewarm air had been breathed against it, +and a smell exactly resembling (he did not like to say brimstone, but) +_a coal fire just gaun out_!--But it is truly wonderful what a man, with +a conscience void of offence towards God and towards his neighbour, will +go through! + +When the day-light began to spring up behind the hills of Glenrath, what +a blithe and grateful man was Barnaby! "The bogles will be obliged to +thraw aff their black claes now," said he, "an' in less than half an +hour the red an' the green anes too. They'll hae to pit on their +pollonians o' the pale colour o' the fair day-light, that the e'e o' +Christian maunna see them; or gang away an' sleep in their dew-cups an' +foxter-leaves till the gloaming come again. O, but the things o' this +warld are weel contrived!" + +Safely did he reach the glen, at the head of which his father's cottage +stood, with its little kail-yard in the forkings of the burn; there was +no dog, nor even little noisy pup, came out to give note of his +approach, for his father and canine friends had all gone out to the +heights at a very early hour to look after the sheep. The morning was +calm and lovely; but there was no sound in the glen save the voice of +his mother's grey cock, who was perched on the kail-yard dike, and +crowing incessantly. The echoes were answering him distinctly from the +hills; and as these aerial opponents were the only ones he ever in his +life had to contend with, he had learned to value himself extremely on +his courage, and was clapping his wings, and braving them in a note +louder and louder. Barnaby laughed at him, although he himself had been +struggling with beings as unreal and visionary during the whole night; +so ready we are to see the follies of others, yet all the while to +overlook our own! + +The smoke was issuing from his mother's chimney in a tall blue spire +that reached to the middle of the hill; but when there, it spread +itself into a soft hazy cloud, and was resting on the side of the green +brae in the most still and moveless position. The rising sun kissed it +with his beams, which gave it a light woolly appearance, something like +floating down; it was so like a vision that Barnaby durst scarcely look +at it. "My mither's asteer," said he to himself, "I ken by her morning +reek; she'll be fiking up an' down the house, an' putting a' things to +rights; an' my billies they'll be lying grumphing and snoring i' their +dens, an' Jeany will be lying waking, listening what's gaun on, an' wee +George will be sniffing an' sleeping sound in her bosom. Now I think, of +a' things i' the warld a young mother an' her first son is the maist +interesting--if she has been unfortunate it is ten times mair sae--to +see how she'll sit an' look at him!--(here Barnaby blew his nose.)--I +was my mother's first son; if she had been as bonny, an' as gentle, an' +as feele as Jeany, aih! but I wad hae likit weel!" + +No one being aware of Barnaby's approach, he rode briskly up to the door +and rapped, causing at the same time his horse's feet make a terrible +clamping on the stones. His mother, who had been sweeping the house, +came running out with the heather besom in her hand. "Bless my heart, +callant, is that you? Sic a gliff as I hae gotten w'ye! What's asteer +w'ye? or whar ir ye gaun sae early i' the morning on that grand +cut-luggit beast?" + +"I'm turned a gentleman now, mother, that's a'; an' I thought I wad g'ye +a ca' as I gaed by for auld lang syne--Hope ye're all well?" + +"Deed we're a' no that ill. But, dear Barny, what ir ye after?--Hae ye +a' your senses about ye?" + +"I thank ye, I dinna miss ony o' them that I notice. I'm come for my +wife that I left w'ye--How is she?" + +"_Your_ wife! Weel I wat ye'll never get the like o' her, great muckle +hallanshaker-like guff." + +"Haud your tongue now, mother, ye dinna ken wha I may get; but I can +tell ye o' something that I'm to get. If I take hame that lassie Jeany +safe to her house, ony time these ten days, there's naebody kens where I +hae her hidden, an' I'm to get twenty guineas in my loof for doing o't." + +"Ay, I tauld ye sae, my dear bairn." + +"Ye never tauld me sic a word, mother." + +"I hae tauld ye oft, that ae good turn never misses to meet wi' another, +an' that the king may come i' the beggar's way." + +"Ramsay's Scots Proverbs tell me that." + +"It will begin a bit stock to you, my man; an' I sal say it o' her, gin +I sude never see her face again, she's the best creature, ae way an' a' +ways, that ever was about a poor body's house. Ah, God bless her!--she's +a dear creature!--Ye'll never hae cause to rue, my man, the pains ye hae +ta'en about her." + +Jane was very happy at meeting with her romantic and kind-hearted +Barnaby again, who told her such a turn as affairs had taken in her +favour, and all that the laird had said to him about her, and the +earnest enquiries he had made; and likewise how he had put Robin to his +shifts. She had lived very happy with these poor honest people, and had +no mind to leave them; indeed, from the day that she entered their house +she had not harboured a thought of it; but now, on account of her +furniture, which was of considerable value to her, and more particularly +for the sake of Barnaby's reward, she judged it best to accompany him. +So after they had all taken a hearty breakfast together at the same +board, the old shepherd returned thanks to the Bestower of all good +things, and then kissing Jane, he lifted her on the horse behind his +son. "Now fare-ye-weel, Jeany woman," said he; "I think you will be +happy, for I'm sure you deserve to be sae. If ye continue to mind the +thing that's good, there is Ane wha will never forsake ye; I come surety +for him. An' if ever adversity should again fa' to your lot, ye shall be +as welcome to our bit house as ever, and to your share o' ilka thing +that's in it; an' if I should see you nae mair, I'll never bow my knee +before my Maker without remembering you. God bless you, my bonny woman! +Fareweel." + +Jane dropped a tear on her benefactor's hand, for who could stand such +unaffected goodness? Barnaby, who had folded his plaid and held little +George on it before him, turned his face towards the other side of the +horse, and contracted it into a shape and contortion that is not often +seen, every feature being lengthened extremely the cross way; but after +blowing his nose two or three times he recovered the use of his rod, +with which he instantly began a thrashing his nag, that he might get out +of this flood of tenderness and leave-taking. It is not easy to conceive +a more happy man than he was that day, he was so proud of his parents' +kindness to Jane, and of the good he thought he was doing to all +parties, and, besides, the twenty guineas was a fortune to him. He went +on prating to George, who was quite delighted with the ride on such a +grand horse; yet at times he grew thoughtful, and testified his regret +for the horse, lest he should be tired with carrying them all. "Geoge +vely solly fol poole holse, Balny! Geoge no like to be a holse." + +Many were the witch and fairy tales that Barnaby related that day to +amuse his fellow travellers. He set down Jane and George safe at their +cottage before evening, and astonished Robin not a little, who was +overjoyed to see his lost gimmer and lamb (as he termed them,) so soon. +He paid Barnaby his twenty guineas that night in excellent humour, +making some mention, meantime, of an old proverb, "They that hide ken +where to seek," and without delay sent information to the mansion-house +that Jane was found, and safely arrived at her own house, a piece of +news which created no little stir at Earlhall. + +The old lady had entertained strong hopes that Jane would not be found; +or that she would refuse to return after the treatment she had met +with, and the suspicions that were raised against her; in short, she +wished her not to return, and she hoped she would not; but now all her +fond hopes were extinguished, and she could see no honourable issue to +the affair. It was like to turn out a love intrigue; a low and shameful +business, her son might pretend what he chose. She instantly lost all +command of her temper, hurried from one part of the house to another, +quarrelled with every one of the maid servants, and gave the two +prettiest ones warning to leave their places. + +Lindsey was likewise a little out of his reason that night, but his +feelings were of a very different kind. He loved all the human race; he +loved the little birds that sung upon the trees almost to distraction. +The deep blue of the heavens never appeared so serene--the woods, the +fields, and the flowers, never so delightful! such a new and +exhilarating tone did the return of this beautiful girl (child, I mean) +give to his whole vital frame. "What a delightful world this is!" said +he to himself; "and how happy might all its inhabitants live, if they +would suffer themselves to do so!" He did not traverse the different +apartments of the house with the same hasty steps as his mother did, but +he took many rapid turns out to the back garden, and in again to the +parlour. + +In the middle of one of these distant excursions his ears were assailed +by the discordant tones of anger and reproach--Proud and haughty +contumely on the one side, and the bitter complaints of wronged but +humble dependance on the other. + +"This is some one of my mother's unreasonable imputations," said he to +himself; "it is hard that the fairer and more delicate part of my +servants, who are in fact _my_ servants, receiving meat and wages from +me, and whom I most wish to be happy and comfortable in their +circumstances should be thus harassed and rendered miserable--I will +interfere in spite of all obloquy." He went in to the fore-kitchen, +"What is the matter? What is the meaning of all this disturbance here?" + +"Matter, son! The matter is, that I will not be thus teased and wronged +by such a worthless scum of menials as your grieve has buckled on me. I +am determined to be rid of them for the present, and to have no more +servants of his hiring." + +So saying, she bustled away by him, and out of the kitchen. Sally, one +of the maidens that wrought afield, whose bright complexion and sly +looks had roused the lady's resentment, was standing sobbing in a +corner. "What is this you have done, Sally, thus to irritate my mother?" + +"I hae done naething ava that's wrang, sir; but she's never aff my tap; +an' I'm glad I'm now free frae her. Had she tauld me my fault, an' +turned me away, I wad never hae regrettit; but she has ca'd me names +sic afore a' these witnesses, that I'll never get mair service i' the +country. I see nae right ony body has to guide poor servants this gate." + +"Nor I either, Sally; but say no more about it; I know you to be a very +faithful and conscientious servant, for I have often enquired; remain in +your place, and _do not_ go away--remember I order it--give no offence +to my mother that you can avoid--be a good girl, as you have heretofore +been, and here is a guinea to buy you a gown at next fair." + +"Oh, God bless him for a kind good soul!" said Sally, as he went out, +and the benediction was echoed from every corner of the kitchen. + +He rambled more than half-way up the river side to Todburn; but +it was too late to call and see _the dear child_ that night, so he +returned--joined his mother at supper; was more than usually gay and +talkative, and at last proposed to invite this fair rambler down to +Earlhall to breakfast with them next morning. The lady was almost +paralyzed by this proposal, and groaned in spirit! + +"Certainly, son! certainly! your house is your ain; invite ony body to +it you like; nane has a better right! a man may keep ony company he +chooses. Ye'll hae nae objections, I fancy, that I keep out o' the +party?" + +"Very great objections, mother; I wish to see this girl, and learn her +history; if I call privately, you will be offended; is it not better to +do this before witnesses? And I am likewise desirous that you should see +her, and be satisfied that she is at all events worthy of being +protected from injury. Let us make a rustic party of it, for a little +variety--we will invite Robin, and his sister Miss Margaret, and any +other of that class you chuse." + +"O certainly! invite them ilk ane, son--invite a' the riff-raff i' the +parish; your mother has naething to say." + +He was stung with this perversity, as well as with his love for _the +child_ on the other hand--he did invite them, and the invitation was +accepted. Down came Robin Muckerland, tenant of the Todburn, dressed in +his blue and gray thread-about coat, with metal buttons, broader than a +Queen Ann's half-crown, dark corduroy breeches, and drab-coloured +leggums (the best things, by the bye, that ever came in fashion;) and +down came haverel Meg, his sister, _alias_ Miss Peggy, for that day, +with her cork-heeled shoon, and long-waisted gown, covered with broad +stripes, like the hangings of an ancient bed. She had, moreover, a +silken bonnet on her head for laying aside in the lobby, under that a +smart cap, and under that, again, an abundance of black curly hair, +slightly grizzled, and rendered more outrageously bushy that morning by +the effects of paper-curls over night. Meg was never seen dressed in +such style before, and I wish from my heart that any assembly of our +belles had seen her. She viewed the business as a kind of _show of +cattle_ before the laird, in the same way as the young ladies long ago +were brought in before King Ahasuerus; and she was determined to bear +down Jane to the dust, and carry all before her. The very air and +swagger with which she walked was quite delightful, while her blue +ribbon-belt, half a foot broad, and proportionally long, having been +left intentionally loose, was streaming behind her, like the pennon of a +ship. "It is rather odd, billy Rob," said she, "that we should thus be +invited alang wi' our ain cottar--However, the laird's ha' levels a'--if +she be fit company for him, she maunna be less for us--fock maun bow to +the bush that they seek beild frae." + +"E'en sae, Meg; but let us see you behave yoursel like a woman the day, +an' no get out wi' ony o' your vollies o' nonsense." + +"Deed, Rob, I'll just speak as I think; there sall naething gyzen i' my +thrapple that my noddle pits there. I like nane o' your kind o' fock +that dare do naething but chim chim at the same thing ower again, like +the gouk in a June day. Meg maun hae out her say, if it sude burst +Powbeit on her head." + +As they came down by the washing-green, Jane joined them, dressed in a +plain brown frock, and leading little George, who was equipt like an +earl's son; and a prettier boy never paddled at a mother's side. + +The old lady was indisposed that day, and unable to come down to +breakfast; and it was not till after the third visit from her son, who +found he was like to be awkwardly situated with his party, that she was +prevailed on to appear. Robin entered first, and made his obeisance; Meg +came in with a skip and a courtesy, very like that of the water-owzel +when she is sitting on a stone in the middle of the stream. Poor Jane +appeared last, leading her boy; her air was modest and diffident, yet it +had nothing of that awkward timidity, inseparable from low life, and a +consciousness that one has no right to be there. The lady returned a +slight nod to her courtesy, for she had nearly dropt down when she first +cast her eyes upon her beauty, and elegance of form and manner. It was +the last hope that she had remaining, that this girl would be a vulgar +creature, and have no pretensions to that kind of beauty admired in the +higher circles; now that last hope was blasted. But that which +astonished every one most, was the brilliancy of her eyes, which all her +misfortunes had nothing dimmed; their humid lustre was such, that it was +impossible for any other eye to meet their glances without withdrawing +abashed. The laird set a seat for her, and spoke to her as easily as he +could, but of that he was no great master; he then lifted little George, +kissed him, and, setting him on his knee, fell a talking to him. "And +where have you been so long away from me, my dear little fellow? Tell me +where you have been all this while." + +"Fal away, at auld Geoldie's, little Davie's falel, ye ken; him 'at +has 'e fine bonny 'halp wi' a stipe down hele, and anolel down +hele.--Little Davie vely good till Geoge, an vely queel callant." + +Every one laughed aloud at George's description of the whelp, and his +companion little Davie, save Jane, who was afraid he would discover +where their retreat had been, rather prematurely. Breakfast was served; +the old lady forced a complaisance and chatted to Meg, who answered her +just with what chanced to come uppermost, never once to the point or +subject on which she was previously talking; for all the time the good +old dowager was addressing her, she was busied in adjusting some part of +her dress--looking at the shape of her stays--casting a glance at the +laird, and occasionally at Jane--then adjusting a voluptuous curl that +half-hid her grey eye. She likewise occasionally uttered a vacant hem! +when the lady paused; and, as soon as she ceased, began some observation +of her own. Robin was quite in the fidgets. "Dear Meg, woman, that's no +what her ladyship was speaking about. That's no to the purpose ava." + +"Speak ye to the purpose then, Rob. Ye think naebody can speak but +yoursel, hummin an' hawin. Let us hear how weel ye'll speak to the +purpose.--Whisht, sirs! haud a' your tongues; my billy Rob's gaun to mak +a speech." + +"Humph!" quoth Robin, and gave his head a cast round. + +"Humph!" returned Meg, "what kind of a speech is that? Is that to the +purpose? If that be to the purpose, a sow could hae made that speech as +weel as you, and better. The truth is, mem, that our Rob's aye wantin to +be on his hich horse afore grit folk; now I says till him, Rob, says I, +for you to fa' to afore your betters, and be tryin to speak that vile +nicky-nacky language they ca' English, instead o' being on your hich +horse then, ye are just like a heron walkin on stilts, an' that's but a +daft-like beast. Ye sude mind, says I,--Rob, man, says I, that her +ladyship's ane o' our ain kind o' fock, an' was bred at the same heck +an' manger wi' oursels; an' although she has lightit on a good +tethering, ye're no to think that she's to gi'e hersel airs, an' forget +the good auld haemilt blude that rins in her veins." + +The lady's cheek was burning with indignation, for, of all topics, Meg +was fallen on the most unlucky; nothing hurt her feelings half so much +as hints of her low extraction. Lindsey, though vexed, could not repress +a laugh at the proud offence on the one side, and the untameable +vulgarity on the other. Meg discerned nothing wrong, and, if she had, +would not have regarded it. She went on. "Ah, Meg, woman! quo' he, ye +ken little thing about it, quo' he; when the sole of a shoe's turned +uppermost, it maks aye but an unbowsome overleather; if ye corn an auld +glide-aver weel, she'll soon turn about her heels, and fling i' your +face." + +Robin's whole visage changed; his eyes were set on Meg, but his brows +were screwed down, and his cheeks pursed up in such a manner, that those +were scarcely discernible; his mouth had meanwhile assumed the form and +likeness of one of the long S's on the belly of a fiddle. Meg still went +on. "Dear Rob, says I, man, says I, that disna apply to her ladyship +ava, for every thing that she does, an' every thing that she says, shows +her to be a douse hamely body; the very way that she rins bizzin through +the house, an' fliting on the servants, proves that she maks nae +pretensions to high gentility." + +Lindsey, who now dreaded some explosion of rage subversive of all +decorum, began and rallied Meg, commended her flow of spirits and fresh +looks, and said she was very much of a lady herself. + +"I wat, laird," said she, "I think aye if a body behaves wi' ease, an' +without ony stiffness an' precision, that body never behaves ill; but, +to be sure, you grand fock can say an' do a hantle o' things that winna +be ta'en aff our hands. For my part, when the great fike rase about you +an' Jeany there, I says--says I"---- + +This was a threatening preface. Lindsey durst not stand the sequel. "I +beg your pardon for the present, Miss Peggy," said he; "we shall attend +to your observations on this topic after we have prepared the way for it +somewhat. I was, and still am convinced, that this young woman received +very harsh and unmerited treatment from our two families. I am desirous +of making her some reparation, and to patronize her, as well as this +boy, if I find her in any degree deserving of it. This protection shall, +moreover, be extended to her in a manner that neither suspicion nor +blame shall attach to it; and, as we are all implicated in the wrong, I +have selected you as judges in this matter.--It is impossible," +continued he, addressing himself to Jane, "to be in your company half an +hour, and not discern that your education has been much above the +sphere of life which you now occupy; but I trust you will find us all +disposed to regard you with the eye of friendship, if you will be so +good as relate to us the incidents of your life which have contributed +to your coming among us." + +"The events of my life, sir," said she, "have been, like the patriarch's +days, few and evil, and my intention was, never to have divulged them in +this district--not on my own account, but for the sake of their names +that are connected with my history, and are now no more. Nevertheless, +since you have taken such an interest in my fortunes, it would both be +ungrateful and imprudent to decline giving you that satisfaction. Excuse +me for the present in withholding my family name, and I will relate to +you the incidents of my short life in a very few words. + +"My father was an eminent merchant. Whether ever he was a rich one or +not I cannot tell, but he certainly was looked upon as such, for his +credit and dealings were very extensive. My mother died twelve years +ago, leaving my father with no more children than another daughter and +myself. I received my education in Edinburgh along with my sister, who +was two years older than I. She began to manage my father's household +affairs at thirteen years of age, and I went to reside with an aunt in +East-Lothian, who had been married to a farmer, but was now a widow, and +occupied a farm herself. + +"Whether it originated in his not finding any amusement at home, or in +consciousness of his affairs getting into confusion, I know not, but our +father about this time fell by degrees from attending to his business in +a great measure, and sunk into despondency. My sister's letters to me +were full of regret; my aunt being in a declining state of health I +could not leave her for some months. At last she died, leaving me a +legacy of five hundred pounds, when I hastened home, and did all in my +power to assist my sister in comforting our father, but he did not long +survive, and dying insolvent, we not only lost our protector, but had +nothing to depend on save my little legacy and our own industry and +exertions. We retired to a small lodging; none of our friends thought +proper to follow us to our retreat; and now, bereaved as we were of our +natural protector, we could not help perceiving that we were a +friendless and helpless pair. My sister never recovered her spirits; a +certain dejection and absence of mind from this time forth began to prey +upon her, and it was with real sorrow and concern that I perceived it +daily gaining ground, and becoming more and more strongly marked. I +tried always to console her as much as I could for our loss, and often, +to cheer her, assumed a gaiety that was foreign to my heart; but we +being quite solitary, her melancholy always returned upon her with +double weight. About this time I first saw a young officer with my +sister, who introduced him carelessly to me as _the Captain_. She went +out with him, and when she returned I asked who he was. "Bless me, +Jane," said she, "do you not know the Captain?" I was angry at the +flippancy of her manner, but she gave me no further satisfaction." + +At the mention of this officer Lindsey grew restless and impatient, +changing his position on the seat every moment. + +"Things went on in this manner," continued Jane, "for some time longer, +and still my sister grew more heartless and dejected. Her colour grew +pale, and her eye heavy, and I could not help feeling seriously alarmed +on her account. + +"For nine or ten days she went out by herself for an hour or so every +day, without informing me where she had been. But one morning, when I +arose my sister was gone. I waited until noon before I took any +breakfast; but nothing of my sister appearing, I became distracted with +dreadful apprehensions. I went about to every place where I thought +there was the least chance of hearing any news of her, yet durst I not +ask for her openly at any one for fear of the answer I might receive; +for, on considering the late dejected state of her mind, I expected +nothing else than to hear that she had put an end to her existence. My +search was fruitless; night came, and still no word of my sister; I +passed it without sleep; but, alas! the next night, and many others, +came and past over without bringing a trace of her steps, or throwing a +gleam of light on her fate. I was now obliged to set on foot a strict +and extensive search, and even to have her advertised; yet still all my +exertions proved of no avail. + +"During this long and dreadful pause of uncertainty I thought there +could not be conceived a human being more thoroughly wretched than I +was. Only seventeen years of age; the last of all my father's house; +left in a lodging by myself; all my neighbours utter strangers to me, +and not a friend on earth to whom I could unbosom my griefs; wretched I +was, and deemed it impossible to be more so; but I had over-rated my +griefs, and was punished for my despondency. + +"When some months had passed away, one spring morning, I remember it +well! after a gentle rap at the door, the maid entered, and said, _a +man_ wanted to see me. 'A man!' said I; 'What man wishes to speak with +me?' + +"'I don't know, mem, he is like a countryman.' + +"He was shown in; a pale man, of a dark complexion, and diminutive size. +I was certain I had never seen him before, for his features were +singularly marked. He asked my name, and seemed at a loss to deliver his +message, and there was something in his air and manner that greatly +alarmed me. 'So you said your name is so so?' said he again. + +"'I did; pray, tell me what is your business with me?' + +"'There is a lady at our house, who I suppose wishes to speak with +you.' + +"'What lady wishes to see me? Where is your house?' + +"He named some place on the London road towards Berwick. + +"'What lady can possibly be there,' said I, 'that knows any thing of +me?' + +"He looked at me again.--'Pray, mem, have you a sister? Or had you ever +any that you know of?' + +"This query paralyzed me. I sunk down on the sofa; but as soon as I +could speak, I asked how long the lady had been with him? + +"'Only since Friday evening last,' said he. 'She was taken ill at the +inn on her way to Edinburgh, from whence she was conveyed to my house, +for the sake of better and more quiet accommodation; but she has been +very ill,--_very_ ill, indeed. There is now hope that she will recover, +but she is still _very_ ill. I hope you are the lady she named when all +was given over; at all events, you must go and see.' + +"Scarcely knowing what I did, I desired the man to call a post-chaise. +We reached the place before even. I entered her apartment, breathless +and impatient; but how shall I relate to you the state in which I found +her! My heart bleeds to this day, when remembrance presents me with the +woeful spectacle! She was lying speechless, unable to move a hand or +lift an eye, and posting on, with rapid advances, to eternity, having +some days before been delivered of this dear child on my knee." + +At this moment the eyes of all the circle were fixed on Jane, expressing +strongly a mixture of love, pity, and admiration. Lindsey could contain +himself no longer. He started to his feet--stretched his arms toward +her, and, after gasping a little for breath,--"Wh--wh--what!" said he, +sighing, "are you not then the _mother_ of little George?" + +"A poor substitute only for a better, sir; but the only parent he has +ever known, or is likely to know." + +"And you have voluntarily suffered all these privations, trouble, and +shame, for the sake of a poor little orphan, who, it seems, is no nearer +a kin to you than a nephew? If ever the virtuous principles and +qualities of a female mind deserved admiration--But proceed. I am much +to blame for interrupting you." + +"I never for another moment departed from my sister's bed-side until she +breathed her last, which she did in about thirty hours after my arrival. +During that time, there was only once that she seemed to recollect or +take the slightest notice of me, which was a little before her final +exit; but then she gave me such a look!--So full of kindness and sorrow, +that language could not have expressed her feelings half so forcibly. It +was a farewell look, which is engraven on the tablets of my mind, never +to be obliterated while that holds intercourse with humanity. + +"The shock which my feelings received by the death of the only friend of +my heart, with the mysterious circumstances which accompanied it, +deprived me for some time of the powers of recollection. My dreams by +night, and my reflections during the day, were all so much blent and +inter-mingled, and so wholly of the same tendency, that they became all +as a dream together; so that I could not, on a retrospect, discover in +the least, nor ever can to this day, what part of my impressions were +real, or what were mere phantasy, so strongly were the etchings of fancy +impressed on my distempered mind. If the man I mentioned before, who +owned the house, had not looked after the necessary preparations for the +funeral, I know not how or when it would have been set about by any +orders of mine. They soon enticed me away from the body, which they +suffered me to visit but seldom, and, it seems, I was perfectly passive. +That such a thing as my sister's funeral was approaching, occurred but +rarely to my mind, and then, it in a manner surprised me as a piece of +unexpected intelligence was wont to do, and it as suddenly slipped +away, leaving my imagination again to wander in a maze of inextricable +confusion. + +"The first thing that brought me to myself was a long fit of incessant +weeping, in which I shed abundance of tears. I then manifested an +ardent desire to see the child, which I recollect perfectly well. I +considered him as the only remembrance left to me of a respectable and +well-descended family, and of the dearest friend ever I remembered upon +earth. When I first saw him, he was lying on an old woman's knee; and +when I stooped to look at him, he, with a start of his whole frame, +fixed his young unstable eyes on me, and stretched out his little spread +hands toward me, in which position he remained steadily for a +considerable time. This was so marked and uncommon, that all the +standers-by took notice of it; and the woman who held him said, 'See! +saw ye ever the like o' that? I never saw the like o' that a' my life! +It is surely impossible he can ken ye?' + +"It was, without doubt, an involuntary motion of the babe, but I could +not help viewing it as a movement effected by the Great Spirit of +universal nature. I thought I saw the child beseeching me to protect his +helpless innocence, and not to abandon him to an injurious world, in +which he had not another friend remaining, until he could think and act +for himself. I adopted him that moment in my heart as my son--I took him +into my arms as a part of myself!--That simple motion of my dear child +fixed my resolution with respect to him at once, and that resolution +never has been altered nor injured in the smallest part. + +"I hired a nurse for him; and, it being term time, gave up my house, and +sold all my furniture, save the little that I have still, and retired to +a cottage at Slateford, not far from Edinburgh. Here I lived frugally +with the nurse and child; and became so fond of him, that no previous +period of my life, from the days of childhood, was ever so happy; +indeed, my happiness was centered solely in him, and if he was well, all +other earthly concerns vanished. I found, however, that after paying the +rent of the house, the expences of the two funerals, and the nurse's +wages, that my little stock was reduced nearly one-third; and fearing +that it would in a little while be wholly exhausted, I thought the +sooner I reconciled myself to hardships the better; so leaving the +remainder of my money in the bank as a fund in case of sickness or great +necessity, I came and took this small cottage and garden from your +farmer. I had no ambition but that of bringing up the child, and +educating him, independent of charitable assistance; and I cannot +describe to you how happy I felt at the prospect, that the interest of +my remaining property, with the small earnings of my own industry, was +likely to prove more than an equivalent to my yearly expences. I have +from the very first acknowledged little George as my own son. I longed +for a retirement, where I should never be recognised by any former +acquaintance. In such a place I thought my story might gain credit; nor +could I think in any degree to stain the name of my dear departed sister +by any surmises or reflections that might in future attach to it by +telling the story as it was. How I should have felt had he really been +my son, I cannot judge; but instead of feeling any degradation at being +supposed his mother, so wholly is my existence bound up in him, that I +could not bear the contrary to be supposed. + +"Who his father is, remains a profound, and, to me, unaccountable +mystery. I never had the slightest suspicion of the rectitude of her +behaviour, and cannot understand to this day how she could possibly +carry on an amour without suffering me to perceive any signs of it. She +had spoke but little to the people with whom I found her; but their +impressions were, that she was not married, and I durst not enquire +farther; for, rather than have discovered his father to be unworthy, I +chose to remain in utter ignorance concerning it, and I could not think +favourably of one who had deserted her in such circumstances. There was +no man whom I had ever seen that I could in the least suspect, if it was +not the young officer that I formerly mentioned, and he was the least +likely to be guilty of such an act of any man I ever saw." + +Here Lindsey again sprung to his feet. "Good God!" said he, "there is +something occurs to my mind--the most extraordinary circumstance--if it +be really so. You wished to be excused from giving your surname, but +there is a strange coincidence in your concerns with my own, which +renders it absolutely necessary that I should be informed of this." + +Jane hesitated, and said she could not think of divulging that so as to +make it public, but that she would trust his honour, and tell it him in +his ear. She then whispered the name M'----y. + +"What!" said he aloud, forgetting the injunction of secrecy, "of the +late firm M'----, Reynolds and Co.?" + +"The same, sir." + +The positions into which he now threw himself, and the extravagant +exclamations that he uttered, cannot here be all described. The other +three personages in the room all supposed that he was gone out of his +reason. After repeating, till quite out of breath, "It is she! it is +she! it is the same! it is the same!" and, pressing both her hands in +his, he exclaimed, "Eternal Providence! how wonderful are thy ways, and +how visible is thy superintendance of human affairs, even in the common +vicissitudes of life! but never was it so visible as in this! My dear +child," continued he, taking little George in his arms, who looked at +him with suspicion and wonder, "by how many fatal and untoward events, +all seemingly casual, art thou at last, without the aid of human +interference, thrown into the arms of thy natural guardian! and how +firmly was my heart knit to thee from the very first moment I saw thee! +But thou art my own son, and shalt no more leave me; nor shall your +beautiful guardian either, if she will accept of a heart that her +virtues have captivated. This house shall henceforth be a home to you +both, and all my friends shall be friends to you, for you are my own." + +Here the old lady sprung forward, and, laying hold of her son by the +shoulder, endeavoured to pull him away. "Consider what you are saying, +Lindsey, and what you are bringing on yourself, and your name, and your +family. You are raving mad--that child can no more be yours than it is +mine. Will you explain yourself, or are we to believe that you have +indeed lost your reason? I say, where is the consistency in supposing +that child can be yours?" + +"It is impossible," said Robin. + +"I say it's nae sic a thing as unpossible, Rob," quoth Meg. "Hand your +tongue, ye ken naething about it--it's just as possible that it may be +his as another's--I sal warrant whaever be aught it, it's no comed there +by sympathy! Od, if they war to come by sympathy"---- + +Here Meg was interrupted by Lindsey, who waved his hand for silence,--a +circumstance that has sorely grieved the relater of this tale,--for of +all things he would have liked to have had Meg's ideas, at full length, +of children being produced by sympathy. + +"I beg your pardon," said Lindsey. "I must have appeared extravagant in +my rapturous enthusiasm, having forgot but that you knew all the +circumstances as well as myself. The whole matter is, however, very +soon, and very easily explained." + +He then left the room, and all the company gazing upon one another. Jane +scarcely blushed on receiving the vehement proffer from Lindsey, for his +rhapsody had thrown her into a pleasing and tender delirium of +amazement, which kept every other feeling in suspense. + +In a few seconds he returned, bringing an open letter in his +hand.--"Here is the last letter," said he, "ever I received from my +brave and only brother; a short extract from which will serve fully to +clear up the whole of this very curious business." + +He then read as follows:--"Thus, you see, that for the last fortnight +the hardships and perils we have encountered have been many and +grievous; but TO-MORROW will be decisive one way or another. I have a +strong prepossession that I will not survive the battle; yea, so deeply +is the idea impressed on my mind, that with me it amounts to an absolute +certainty; therefore, I must confide a secret with you which none in the +world know, or in the least think of, save another and myself. I was +privately married before I left Scotland, to a young lady, lovely in her +person, and amiable in her manners, but without any fortune. We +resolved, for reasons that must be obvious to you, to keep our marriage +a secret, until I entered to the full possession of my estate, and if +possible till my return; but now, (don't laugh at me, my dear brother,) +being convinced that I shall never return, I entreat you, as a last +request, to find her out and afford her protection. It is probable, that +by this time she may stand in need of it. Her name is Amelia M'----y, +daughter to the late merchant of that name of the firm M'----y and +Reynolds. She left her home with me in private, at my earnest request, +though weeping with anguish at leaving a younger sister, a little angel +of mercy, whom, like the other, you will find every way worthy of your +friendship and protection. The last letter that I had from her was dated +from London, the 7th of April, on which day she embarked in the packet +for Leith, on her way to join her sister, in whose house, near +Bristo-Port, you will probably find her. Farewell, dear brother. Comfort +our mother; and O, for my sake, cherish and support my dear wife! We +have an awful prospect before us, but we are a handful of brave +determined friends, resolved to conquer or die together." + +The old lady now snatched little George up in her arms, pressed him to +her bosom, and shed abundance of tears over him.--"He is indeed my +grandson! he is! he is!" cried she. "My own dear George's son, and he +shall henceforth be cherished as my own." + +"And he shall be mine too, mother," added Lindsey; "and heir of +all the land which so rightly belongs to him. And she, who has so +disinterestedly adopted and brought up the heir of Earlhall, shall still +be his mother, if she will accept of a heart that renders her virtues +every homage, and beats in unison with her own to every tone of pity and +benevolence." + +Jane now blushed deeply, for the generous proposal was just made while +the tears of joy were yet trickling over her cheeks on account of the +pleasing intelligence she had received of the honour of her regretted +sister, and the rank of her child.--She could not answer a word--she +looked stedfastly at the carpet, through tears, as if examining how it +was wrought--then at a little pearl ring she wore on her finger, and +finally fell to adjusting some of little George's clothes. They were all +silent--It was a quaker meeting, and might have continued so much +longer, had not the spirit fortunately moved Meg. + +"By my certy, laird! but ye hae made her a good offer! an' yet she'll +pretend to tarrow at takin't! But ye're sure o' her, tak my word for +it.--Ye dinna ken women. Bless ye! the young hizzies mak aye the +greatest fike about the things that they wish maist to hae. I ken by +mysel;--when Andrew Pistolfoot used to come stamplin in to court me i' +the dark, I wad hae cried whispering, 'Get away wi' ye! ye bowled-like +shurf!--whar are ye comin pechin an' fuffin to me?' Bless your heart! +gin Andrew had run away when I bade him, I wad hae run after him, an' +grippit him by the coat-tails, an' brought him back. Little wist I this +morning, an' little wist mae than I, that things war to turn out this +way, an' that Jeany was to be our young lady! She was little like it +that night she gaed away greetin wi' the callant on her back! Dear Rob, +man, quo' I to my billy, what had you and my lady to do wi' them? +Because her day an' yours are ower, do ye think they'll no be courting +as lang as the warld stands; an' the less that's said about it the +better--I said sae!" + +"And you said truly, Meg," rejoined Lindsey. "Now, pray, Miss Jane, tell +me what you think of my proposal?" + +"Indeed, sir," answered she, "you overpower me. I am every way unworthy +of the honour you propose for my acceptance; but as I cannot part with +my dear little George, with your leave I will stay with my lady and take +care of him." + +"Well, I consent that you shall stay with my mother as her companion. A +longer acquaintance will confirm that affection, which a concurrence of +events has tended so strongly to excite." + +It was not many months until this amiable pair were united in the bonds +of matrimony, and they are still living, esteemed of all their +acquaintances. Barnaby is the laird's own shepherd, and overseer of all +his rural affairs, and he does not fail at times to remind his gentle +mistress of his dream about the _eagle_ and the _corbie_. + + +END OF THE WOOL-GATHERER. + + + + +THE HUNT OF EILDON. + +ANCIENT. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +"I hope the king will not hunt to-day," said Gale, as he sat down on the +top of the South Eildon, and stretched out his lazy limbs in the sun. +"If he keep within doors to-day with his yelping beagles, I shall have +one day's peace and ease; and my lambs shall have one day's peace and +ease; and poor Trimmy shall have one day's peace and ease too. Come +hither to me, Trimmy, and tell me what is the reason that you will not +hunt with the king's two beagles?" + +Trimmy came near, laid her paw on her master's knee, and looked him in +the face, but she could not tell him what was the reason that she would +not hunt with the king's two beagles, Mooly and Scratch. + +"I say, tell me my good Trimmy, what you ail at these beautiful hounds? +You wont to be the best follower of a track in all the Merse and Leader; +but now, whenever you hear the sound of the horn, and the opening swell +of the harriers, you take your tail between your legs and set off for +home, as there were something on the hill that were neither good nor +cannie. You are a very sensible beast, Trimmy, but you have some strange +fancies and prejudices that I cannot comprehend." + +Trimming cocked her ears, and looked towards the Abbey, then at her +master, and then at the Abbey again. + +"Ah! I fear you hear them coming that you are cocking your ears at that +rate. Then if that be the case, good morning to you, Trimmy." + +It was neither the king nor his snow-white beagles that Trimmy winded, +but poor Croudy, Gale's neighbour shepherd, who was coming sauntering up +the brae, with his black lumpish dog at his foot, that was fully as +stupid as himself, and withal as good-natured. Croudy was never lifting +his eyes from the ground, but moving on as if he had been enumerating +all the little yellow flowers that grew on the hill. Yet it was not for +want of thought that Croudy was walking in that singular position, with +his body bent forward, and the one ear turned down towards the ground, +and the other up. No, no! for Croudy was trying to think all that he +could; and all that he could do he could make nothing of it. Croudy had +seen and heard wonderful things! "Bless me and my horn!" said he, as he +sat down on a stone to rest himself, and try if he could bring his +thoughts to any rallying point. It was impossible--they were like a hive +of bees when the queen is taken from their head. + +He took out the little crooked ewe-horn that he kept as a charm; he had +got it from his mother, and it had descended to him from many +generations; he turned it round in the one hand, and then round in the +other hand--he put it upon his finger and twirled it. "Bless me an' my +horn!" said he again. Then leaning forward upon his staff, he looked +aslant at the ground, and began to moralize. "It is a growing +world--ay--the gerse grows; the lambs eat it--they grow--ay--we eat +them--we grow--there it goes!--men, women, dogs, bairns, a' eat--a' +grow; the yird eats up a'--it grows--men eat women--they grow--what +comes o' them?--Hoh! I'm fixed now!--I'm at the end o' my tether.--I +might gang up the hill to Gale, an' tell him what I hae seen an' what I +hae heard; but I hae four great fauts to that chiel. In the first place, +he's a fool--good that! In the second place, he's a scholar, an' speaks +English--bad! In the third place, he likes the women--warst ava!--and, +fourthly and lastly, he misca's a' the words, and ca's the streamers +the Roara Boriawlis--ha! ha! ha!--Wha wad converse wi' a man, or wha +_can_ converse wi' a man, that ca's the streamers the Roara Boriawlis? +Fools hae aye something about them no like ither fock! Now, gin I war to +gang to sic a man as that, an' tell him that I heard a dog speakin', and +another dog answering it, what wad he say? He wad speak English; sae ane +wad get nae sense out o' him. If I war to gang to the Master o' Seaton +an' tak my aith, what wad he say? Clap me up i' the prison for a daft +man an' a fool. I couldna bide that. Then again, if we lose our +king--an' him the last o' the race--Let me see if I can calculate what +wad be the consequence? The English--Tut! the English! wha cares for +them? But let me see now--should the truth be tauld or no tauld?--That's +the question. What's truth? Ay, there comes the crank! Nae man can tell +that--for what's truth to ane is a lee to another--Mumps, ye're very +hard on thae fleas the day--Truth?--For instance; gin my master war to +come up the brae to me an' say, 'Croudy, that dog's useless,' that wadna +be truth to me--But gin I war to say to him, 'Master, I heard a dog +speak, an' it said sae an' sae; an' there was another dog answered it, +an' it said sae an' sae,' that wad be truth to me; but then it wadna be +truth to him--Truth's just as it is ta'en--Now, if a thing may be outher +truth or no truth, then a' things are just the same--No--that disna haud +neither--Mumps, ye're no gaun to leave a sample o' thae fleas the day, +man--Look up, like a farrant beast--have ye nae pity on your master, nor +nae thought about him ava, an' him in sic a plisky?--I wadna be just sae +like a stump an' I war you, man----Bless me an' my horn! here's the +Boreawlis comin' on me--here's the northern light." + +"Good-morrow to you, Croudy." + +"Humph!" + +"You seem to be very thoughtful and heavy-hearted to-day, honest Croudy. +I fear pretty Pery has given you a bad reception last night." + +"Humph!--women!--women!" + +"I hope she did not mention the kiln-logie, Croudy? That was a sad +business! Croudy; some men are ill to know!" + +"See, whaten white scares are yon, Gale, aboon the Cowdyknowes an' +Gladswood linn? Look ye, they spread an' tail away a' the gate to the +Lammer-Law--What ca' ye yon, Gale?" + +"Some exhalation of the morning." + +"What?--Bless me an' my horn! that's warst ava!--I thought it wad be +some Boriawlis, Gale--some day Boriawlis; but I didna think o' aught sae +high as this--ha! ha! ha! ha!" + +Croudy went his way laughing along the side of the hill, speaking to +Mumps one while, moralizing about truth and the language of dogs and +fairies another, and always between taking a hearty laugh at Gale. "Come +away, Mumps," said he; "I can crack some wi' you, though ye're rather +slow i' the uptake; but I can crack nane wi' a man that ca's the +streamers a Roara Boriawlis, an' a white clud, an' Exaltation--Na, na, +that will never do." + +Croudy sauntered away down into the Bourgeon to be out of sight, and +Gale went lightsomely away to the top of the North-east Eildon; and +there, on one of the angles of the old Roman Camp, laid him down to +enjoy the glorious prospect; and, sure, of all the lovely prospects in +our isle, this is the most lovely. What must it have been in those days +when all the ruins of monastery, tower, and citadel, which still make +the traveller to stand in wonder and admiration, were then in their full +splendour. Traveller! would you see Scotland in all its wild and +majestic grandeur? sail along its western firths from south to +north--Would you see that grandeur mellowed by degrees into softness? +look from the top of Ben-Lomond--But would you see an amphitheatre of +_perfect beauty_, where nothing is wanting to enrich the scene? seat +yourself on the spot where Gale now lay, at the angle of the Roman Camp, +on the top of the North-east Eildon. + +Short time did he enjoy the prospect and the quiet in which he +delighted. First the heads of two noblemen appeared on the hill beneath +him, then came a roe by him at full speed. Trimmy would fain have hunted +her, but as the shepherd deemed that the business was some way connected +with the royal sport, he restrained her. The two noblemen some time +thereafter sounded a bugle, and then in a moment the king and his +attendants left the Abbey at full speed; and how beautiful was their +winding ascent up the hill! The king had betted with the Earl of Hume +and Lord Belhaven, seven steers, seven palfreys, seven deer-greyhounds, +and seven gold rings, that his two snow-white hounds, Mooly and Scratch, +would kill a roe-deer started on any part of the Eildon hills, and leave +the Abbey walk with him after she was started. After the bet was fairly +taken, the king said to the two noblemen, "You are welcome to your +loss, my lords. Do you know that I could bet the half of my realm on the +heads of these two hounds?" + +The two lords held their peace, but they were determined to win if they +could, and they did not blow the horn, as agreed on, immediately when +the roe started, but sauntered about, to put off time, and suffer the +trail to cool. The two hounds were brought up, and loosed at the spot; +they scarcely shewed any symptoms of having discovered the scent. The +king shook his head; and Hume, who loved the joke dearly, jeered the +king about his wager, which his majesty only answered by speaking to one +of the hounds that stood next to him. "Ah! Mooly, Mooly, if you deceive +me, it is the first time; but I have another matter to think on than you +this morning, Mooly." Mooly fawned on her royal master; jumped up at the +stirrup, and took his foot playfully in her mouth, while Keryl, the +king's steed, laid back his ears, and snapped at her, in a half-angry, +half-playful mood. This done, Mooly turned her long nose to the wind; +scented this way and that way, and then scampering carelessly over the +brow of the hill, she opened in a tone so loud and so sprightly that it +made all the Eildons sound in chorus to the music. Scratch joined with +her elegant treble, and away they went like two wild swans, sounding +over the hill. + +"Trimmy! Trimmy! my poor Trimmy!" cried Gale, vexed and astonished; +"Trimmy, halloo! hie, hunt the deer, Trimmy! Here, here, here!" + +No; Trimmy would never look over her shoulder, but away she ran with all +her might home to Eildon-Hall. "The plague be in the beast," said Gale +to himself, "if ever I saw any thing like that! There is surely +something about these two hounds that is scarcely right." + +Round and round the hills they went side by side, and still the riders +kept close up with them. The trail seemed to be warm, and the hounds +keen, but yet no deer was to be discovered. They stretched their course +to the westward, round Cauldshields Hill, back over Bothendean Moor, and +again betook them to the Eildons; still no deer was to be seen! The two +hounds made a rapid stretch down towards Melrose; the riders spurred in +the same direction. The dogs in a moment turning short, went out between +the two eastern hills, distancing all the riders, whom they left +straggling up the steep after them as they could, and when these came +over the height there was a fine roe-deer lying newly slain, and the two +snow-white hounds panting and rolling themselves on the grass beside +her. The king claimed his wager, but Hume objected, unless his majesty +could prove that it was the same deer that they had started at the same +place in the morning. The king had the greatest number of voices in his +favour, but the earl stood to his point. "Is it true, my liege lord," +said an ancient knight to the king, "that these two beautiful hounds +have never yet been unlieshed without killing their prey?" + +"Never," returned the king. + +"And is it equally true," continued the old knight, "that to this day +they have never been seen kill either roe, deer, or any other creature?" + +"That is a most extraordinary circumstance," said the king; "pause until +I recollect--No; I do not know that any eye hath ever yet seen them take +their prey." + +"I heard it averred last night," said the old man, "that if they are +kept sight of for a whole day the deer is never seen, nor do they ever +catch any thing; and that the moment they get out of sight, there the +deer is found slain, nobody knows how. I took note of it, and I have +seen it this day verified. Pray, is this a fact, my liege?" + +"I never before thought of it, or noted it," said the king; "but as far +as my memory serves me, I confess that it has uniformly been as you +say." + +"Will your majesty suffer me to examine these two hounds?" said the old +man. "Methinks there is something very odd about them--Sure there was +never any animal on earth had eyes or feet such as they have." + +The two beagles kept aloof, and pretended to be winding some game round +the top of the hill. + +"They will not come now," said the king; "you shall see them by and by." + +"If consistent with your majesty's pleasure," continued the aged knight, +"where--how--or when did you get these two hounds?" + +"I got them in a most extraordinary way, to be sure!" replied the king, +in a thoughtful and hesitating mood. + +"Your majesty does not then chuse to say how, or where, or from whom it +was that you had them?" said the old knight. + +The king shook his head. + +"I will only simply ask this," continued he; "and I hope there is no +offence.--Is it true that you got these hounds at the very same time +that the beautiful Elen, and Clara of Rosline, were carried off by the +fairies?" + +The king started--fixed his eyes upon the ground--raised his hands, and +seemed gasping for breath. All the lords were momentarily in the same +posture; the query acted on them all like an electrical shock. The old +man seemed to enjoy mightily the effect produced by his insinuations--He +drew still nearer to the king. + +"What is it that troubles your majesty?" said he. "What reflections have +my simple questions raised in your mind?--Your majesty, I am sure, can +have no unpleasant reflections on that score?" + +"Would to the Virgin Mary that it were even so!" said the king. + +"How is it possible," continued the officious old man, "that any thing +relating to two dogs can give your majesty trouble? Pray tell us all +about them--Who was it you got them from?" + +"I do not know, and if I did----" + +"Would you know him again if you saw him?" + +The king looked at the old man, and held his peace. + +"Did you buy them, or borrow them?" continued he. + +"Neither!" was the answer. + +"What then did you give in exchange for them?" + +"Only a small token." + +"And pray, if your majesty pleases, what might that token be?" + +"Who dares to ask that?" said the king, with apparent trouble of mind. + +"Would you know your pledge again if you saw it?" said the old man, +sarcastically. + +"Who are you, sir?" said the king, proudly, "that dares to question your +sovereign in such a manner?" + +"Who am I!" said the old man. "That is a good jest! That is such a +question to ask at one who has scarcely ever been from your side, since +you were first laid in your cradle!" + +"I know the face," said the king, "but all this time I cannot remember +who you are.--My Lord of Hume, do you know who the reverend old +gentleman is?" And in saying this his majesty turned a little aside with +the earl. + +"Do I know who he is?" said Hume. "Yes, by Saint Lawrence I do--I know +him as well as I do your majesty. Let me see--It is very singular that I +cannot recollect his name--I have seen the face a thousand times--Is he +not some abbot, or confessor, or----No--Curse me, but I believe he is +the devil!" + +The earl said this in perfect jocularity, because he could not remember +the old man's name; but when he looked at the king, he perceived that +his eyes were fixed on him in astonishment. The earl's, as by sympathy, +likewise settled by degrees into as much seriousness as they were +masters of, and there the two stood for a considerable time, gazing at +one another, like two statues. + +"I was only saying so in jest, my liege," said Hume; "I did not once +think that the old gentleman was the devil. Why are you thoughtful?" + +"Because, now when I think of it, he hinted at some things which I am +certain no being on earth knew of, save myself, and another, who cannot +possibly divulge them." + +They both turned slowly about at the same instant, curious to take +another look of this mysterious old man; but when fairly turned round +they did not see him. + +"What has become of the old man," said the king, "that spoke to me just +now?" + +"Here, sire!" said one. + +"Here!" said another. + +"Here!" said a third; all turning at the same time to the spot where +the old man and his horse stood, but neither of them were there. + +"How is this?" said the king, "that you have let him go from among you +without noting it?" + +"He must have melted into air, he and his horse both," said they; "else +he could not otherwise have left us without being observed." + +The king blessed himself in the name of the Holy Virgin, and all the +chief saints in the calendar. The Earl of Hume swore by the greater part +of them, and cursed himself that he had not taken a better look at the +devil when he was so near him, as no one could tell if ever he would +have such a chance again. Douglas said he hoped there was little doubt +of that. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +The hunt was now over, and Gale's lambs were all scattered abroad; he +threw off his coat and tried to gather them, but he soon found that, +without the assistance of Trimmy, it was impossible; so he was obliged +to go home and endeavour to persuade her again out to the hill, by +telling her that Mooly and Scratch had both left it. Trimmy then came +joyfully, and performed in half an hour what her master could not have +effected before night. + +When he had gotten them all collected, and settled at their food, he +went away in the evening to seek for his friend Croudy, to have some +amusement with him. He found him lying in a little hollow, conversing +with himself, and occasionally with Mumps, who paid very little +attention to what he said. He now and then testified his sense of the +honour intended to him, by giving two or three soft indolent strokes +with his tail upon the ground, but withall neither lifted his head nor +opened his eyes. Gale addressed his friend Croudy in a jocund and +rallying manner, who took no notice of it, but continued to converse +with Mumps. + +"Ye're nae great gallaunt, after a' now, Mumps. Gin I had been you, man, +an' had seen sic twa fine beasts as Mooly an' Scratch come to our hills, +I wad hae run away to them, an' fiddled about them, an' smelt their +noses, an' kissed them, an' cockit up my tail on my rigging wi' the best +o' them; but instead o' that, to tak the pet an' rin away far outbye, +an' there sit turnin up your nose an' bow-wowing as ye war a +burial-boding!--hoo, man, it is very bairnly like o' ye! Humph! fools do +ay as they are bidden! Ye're nae fool, Mumps, for ye seldom do as ye're +bidden." + +"Tell me, Croudy," said Gale, "does Mumps really run away in a panic +when he perceives the king's hounds?" + +"_Panic when he perceives the king's hounds!_ Are ye gaun to keep on at +bletherin' English? Tell me, ye see--for if ye be, I'm gaun to clatter +nane to ye." + +"Dear Croudy, I have often told you that there is not such a thing as +English and Scotch languages; the one is merely a modification of the +other, a refinement as it were"---- + +"Ay, an _exaltation_ like--ation! ation! I'm sure nae Scot that isna a +fool wad ever let that sound, _ation_, come out o' his mouth. Mumps, +what say ye tilt?" + +"But, Croudy, I have news to tell you that will delight you very much; +only, ere I begin, tell me seriously, Does your dog really run off when +he sees or hears the king's two white hounds?" + +"Really he does--Is that ony wonder? D'ye think Mumps sic a fool as no +to ken a witch by a brute beast?" + +"What do you mean to insinuate, Croudy?" + +"_Sinuate_--What's that?" + +"I mean, What would you infer when you talk of witches? I have some +strange doubts about these dogs myself." + +"Can you keep a secret?" + +"Yes, if it is worth keeping." + +"At ony rate, swear that if ever you do tell it, it is not to be in +English. Nane o' your _awlis's_ an' _ations_ in it. Gale, I hae the +maist wonderfu' story to tell ye that ever happened sin' Nimrod first +gaed out to the hunting wi' a bull-dog an' a pouch-fu' stanes. Ye see, +yesterday at morn, when the hunt began, I clamb up into the Eildon tree, +an' haid mysel' amang the very thickest o' its leaves, where I could see +every thing, but naething could see me. I saw the twa white hounds a' +the gate, but nae appearance of a deer; an' aye they came nearer an' +nearer to me, till at last I saw a bonny, braw, young lady, a' clad i' +white, about a hunder paces frae me, an' she was aye looking back an' +rinning as gin she wantit to be at the Eildon tree. When she saw the +hounds comin on hard behind her, she cried out; but they soon o'ertook +her, threw her down, an' tore her, an' worried her; an' I heard her +makin' a noise as gin she had been laughin' ae while an' singin' +another, an' O I thought her sang was sweet; it was something about the +fairies. Weel, this scene, sae contrair to a' nature, didna end here, +for I heard the tae dog sayin' to the tither, in plain language,--'Wha's +this has been the deer to-day?' An it answered again an' said, 'Lady +Marrion of Coomsley, ye may see by her goud rings; she is the +twenty-third, and our task will soon be dune.' + +'Sister, read me my riddle,' said the first. + + 'I ate my love an' I drank my love, + An' my love she gae me light; + An' the heart o' the deer may lie right near + Where it lay yesternight.' + +'Ha! that's nae riddle!' said the other; 'little does some wat what +they're to eat an' what they're to drink the night! Can ye tell me, +sister, if the wicked deed will be done?--Will the king die to-night? + + 'The poison's distill'd, and the monk is won, + And to-night I fear it will be done. + Hush!--hush!--we are heard an' seen; + Wae be to the ears, and wae be to the een!' + +"An wi' that, they rowed themsels on the bonny corpse; and when I lookit +again, there was a fine, plump, bausined roe-deer lying, an' the blude +streamin' frae her side; an' down comes the king an' his men, an' took +her away hame to their supper." + +"Now, Croudy, of all the tales I ever heard that is the most improbable +and unnatural! But it is too singular and out of the common course of +nature for you to have framed it; and besides, I never knew you to tell +a manifest lie--Are you certain that you did not dream it?" + +"How could I dream on the top of a tree? Ye may either believe it or no +as ye like--it's a' true." + +"I was sure there was something more than ordinary about these dogs; but +what to make of your story I know not. Saint Waldave be our shield! Do +you think the king and his nobles have been feasting upon changed human +creatures all this while? There is something in the whole business so +revolting to human nature, a man cannot think of it! It seems, too, that +there is a plot against the life of the king--What shall we do in +this?--The fairies have again been seen at the Eildon Tree, that is +certain; and it is said some more young people are missing." + +"They'll soon hae us a' thegither--I like that way o' turnin' fock into +deers an' raes, and worrying them, warst ava--Mumps, lad, how wad ye +like to be turned into a deer, an' worried an' eaten?--Aigh, man! ye +_wad_ like it ill! I think I see how ye wad lay yoursel out for +fear--Ha, ha! I wad like to see ye get a bit hunt, man, if I thought ye +wad win away wi' the life--I wad like to see ye streek yoursel for +aince." + +"I wonder, Croudy, after seeing such a sight as you have just now +described, that you can descend from that to speak such nonsense." + +"Tongues maun wag--an' when they gang it's no for naething--It's a queer +thing speaking!--Mumps, ye can speak nane, man--It's no for want of a +tongue, I'm sure." + +"Let us consider what's to be done--The king should be warned." + +"I dinna see what's to hinder you to speak, Mumps, as weel as ony white +beagle i' the country." + +"I have it--I will go home directly and tell pretty Pery--she will +apprize the abbot, and we shall have the two hounds, Mooly and Scratch, +burnt at the stake to-morrow." + +"You tell Pery? No; that will never do; for you will speak English--That +tale winna tell in English; for the twa witches, or fairies, or changed +fock, or whatever they may be, didna speak that language themsels--sin' +the thing is to be tauld, I'll rather tell Pery mysel, if it is the same +thing to you." + +This Pery was a young volatile maiden at Eildon Hall, who was over head +and ears in love with Gale. She would have given the whole world for +him; and in order to tease him somewhat, she had taken a whim of +pretending to be in love with Croudy. Croudy hated all the women, and +more particularly Pery, who had been the plague of his life; but of late +he had heard some exaggerated accounts of the kind sentiments of her +heart respecting him, which had wonderfully altered Croudy, although he +still kept up as well as he could the pretence of disliking the sex. He +went to Pery that evening as she was gathering in some clothes from the +bushes, and desired her, with a most important face, to meet him at the +Moss Thorn in half an hour, for he had something to tell her that would +surprise her. + +"Indeed and that I will with all my heart, Croudy," said she; "how glad +I am that I have got you this length! I can guess what your secret will +be." + +"Ye can do nae sic thing," said Croudy, "nor nae woman that ever was +born." + +"I'll wager three kisses with you, Croudy, at the Old Moss Thorn, that I +do," returned she. + +Croudy hung his head to one side, and chuckled, and crowed, and laid on +the ground with his staff; and always now and then cast a sly look-out +at the wick of his eye to Pery. + +"It's a queer creature a woman," said Croudy--"very bonny creature +though!" + +"Well, Croudy, I'll meet you at the Moss Thorn," said Pery, "and pay +you your wager too, provided you have either spirit to ask, or accept of +it when offered." + +Croudy went away laughing till his eyes blinded with tears, and laying +on the ground with his stick.--"I watna what I'll do now," said he to +himself, "little impudent thing that she is!--She's eneugh to pit a body +mad!--Mumps--O, man, ye're an unfarrant beast!--Three kisses at the Moss +Thorn!--I wish I had this meeting by!--Mumps, I never saw sic an +unfeasible creature as you, man, when ane thinks about a bonny woman--A +woman!--What is a woman?--Let me see!--'Tis no easy to ken!--But I ken +this--that a ewe lamb is a far nicer, bonnier, sweeter, innocenter, +little creature than a toop lamb. Oh! I wish it war night, for I'm no +weel ava!--Mumps, ye're a perfect blockhead, man!" + +Precisely while this was going on at Eildon-Hall, there were two ladies +met hurriedly on the Abbey Walk. No one knew who they were, or whence +they came, but they were lovely beyond expression, although their eyes +manifested a kind of wild instability. Their robes were white as snow, +and they had that light, elegant, sylph-like appearance, that when they +leaned forward to the evening air, one could hardly help suspecting that +they would skim away in it like twin doves. + +"Sister," said the one, "haste and tell me what we are to do?" + +"There is much to do to-night," said the other. "That clown who saw us, +and heard us speak, will blab the news; and then, think what the +consequences may be! He must be silenced, and that instantly." + +"And tell me," said the first, "is the plot against the king's life to +be put in execution to-night?" + +"I fear it is," answered the other; "and the abbot, his own kinsman, is +in it." + +"Alas, sister, what shall we do! Give me Philamy's rod, and trust the +clown to me. But do you make all possible haste, and find your way into +the banquet hall, and be sure to remain there in spite of all +opposition." + +The two sisters parted; and she that got the wand from the other +repaired straight to the Moss Thorn, where honest Croudy, and his dog +Mumps, were lying at a little distance from each other; the one very +busy biting for fleas, that he supposed had made a lodgment among his +rough matted hair, and the other conversing with himself about the +properties of women, fairies, and witches. All of a sudden he beheld +this beautiful angelic creature coming towards him, which made his heart +thrill within him. + +"Saint Mary be my guide!" exclaimed Croudy to himself; "saw ever ony +body the like o' yon? I declare Pery has dressed hersel like a princess +to come an' speak to me!--An' to think o' me kissing a creature like +yon! I maun do it, too, or else I'll never hear the end o't.--Och! what +will I do!--I'll lie down an' pretend to be sleepin." + +Croudy drew his plaid up over his face, stretched out his limbs, and +snored as in a profound sleep. The fair lady came up, gave him three +strokes with her wand, and uttered certain words at every stroke; and, +lo! the whole mortal frame of Croudy was in five seconds changed into +that of a huge bristly boar! The transformation was brought about so +suddenly, and Mumps was so much engaged, that he never once noticed, in +the slightest degree, till all was over, and the lady had withdrawn. Let +any man judge of the honest colley's astonishment, when, instead of his +master, he beheld the boar standing hanging his ears, and shaking his +head at him. He betook himself to immediate flight, and ran towards the +house faster than ever he ran in his life, yelping all the way for +perfect fright. Croudy was very little better himself. At first he +supposed that he was in a dream, and stood a long time considering of +it, in hopes the fantasy would go off; but on seeing the consternation +of Mumps, he looked first to the one side, and then to the other, and +perceiving his great bristly sides and limbs, he was seized with +indescribable terror, and fled at full speed. It is well known what a +ridiculous figure a hog makes at any time when frightened, and exerting +itself to escape from the supposed danger--there is not any thing so +calculated to make one laugh--his stupid apprehension of some +approaching mischief--the way that he fixes his head and listens--gives +a grunt like the crack of a musket, and breaks away again. Every one who +has witnessed such a scene, will acknowledge, that it is a masterpiece +of the ludicrous. Consider, then, what it would be to see one in such a +fright as this poor beast was, and trying to escape from himself; +running grunting over hill and dale, hanging out his tongue with +fatigue, and always carrying the object of his terror along with him. It +was an ineffectual exertion of mind to escape from matter; for, though +Croudy's form and nature were changed, he still retained the small and +crude particles of the reasoning principle which he had before. All +feelings else were, however, for the present swallowed up in utter +dismay, and he ran on without any definitive aim, farther than a kind of +propensity to run to the end of the world. He did not run a great way +for all that; for he lost his breath in a very short time; but even in +that short time, he run himself into a most imminent danger. + +Squire Fisher of Dernaway Tower had a large herd of cows--they were all +standing in the loan, as the milking green is called in that country, +and the maidens were engaged in milking them, singing the while in full +chorus, (and a sweet and enlivening chorus it was, for the evening was +mild and serene), when down comes this unearthly boar into the loan, all +fatigued as he was, gaping and running on without stop or stay. The kine +soon perceived that there was something super-human about the creature, +for even the most dull of animals have much quicker perceptions than +mankind in these matters; and in one moment they broke all to the gate +as they had been mad, overturning the milk, maidens, and altogether. The +boar ran on; so did the kine, cocking their heads and roaring in terror, +as if every one of them had been bewitched, or possessed by some evil +spirit. It was a most dismal scene!--The girls went home with the rueful +tidings, that a mad boar had come into the loan, and bitten the whole +herd, which was all run off mad, along with the furious and dreadful +animal. The dogs were instantly closed in for fear of further danger to +the country; and all the men of the village armed themselves, and +sallied out to surround and destroy this outrageous monster. + +It chanced, however, that the boar in his progress ran into a large +field of strong standing corn, which so impeded his course that he fell +down breathless, and quite exhausted; and thus he lay stretched at full +length, panting in a furrow, while all the men of the country were +running round and round him, every one with a sword, spear, or fork, +ready to run into his body. + +Croudy, or the Boar, as it is now more proper to designate him, got here +some time to reflect. He found that he was transformed by witchcraft or +enchantment, and as he had never looked up from under his plaid during +the moments of his transformation, he conceived it to have been the +beautiful and wicked Pery that had wrought this woful change upon him; +therefore he had no hopes of regaining his former shape, save in her +returning pity and compassion; and he had strong hopes that she would +ere long relent, as he had never wilfully done her any ill. Pery knew +nothing about the matter; but actually went up with a heart as light as +a feather to have some sport with Croudy at the Old Thorn; and when she +found that he was not there, she laughed and went home again, saying to +herself, that she knew he durst not stand such an encounter. + +The poor boar arose from his furrow in the midst of the field of corn, +as soon as it was day-light next morning, and with a heavy and forlorn +heart went away back to the Old Moss Thorn, in hopes that the cruel Pery +would seek him there, and undo the enchantment. When he came, he +discovered honest Mumps lying on the very spot where he had last seen +his master in his natural shape. He had sought it again over night, +notwithstanding the horrible fright that he had got, for he knew not +where else to find his master; and stupid as he was, yet, like all the +rest of his species, he lived only in his master's eye. He was somewhat +alarmed when he saw the boar coming slowly toward him, and began first +to look over the one shoulder, and then over the other, as if meditating +an escape; but, seeing that it came grunting in such a peaceable and +friendly manner, Mumps ventured to await the issue, and by the time the +monster approached within twenty paces of him, this faithful animal went +cowring away to meet him, prostrated himself at the boar's feet, and +showed every symptom of obedience and affection. The boar, in return, +patted him with his cloven hoof, and stroaked him with his bristly +cheek. Matters were soon made up--thenceforward they were inseparable. + +The boar lay all that day about the Moss Thorn, and Mumps lay in his +bosom, but no pitying damsel, witch, or fairy, came near him. He grew +extremely hungry in the evening, and was deeply distressed what to do +for food, for he pitied Mumps more than himself. At length he tried to +plow up the earth with his nose, as he remembered of having seen swine +do before, but at that he made small progress, doing it very awkwardly, +and with great pain to his face. Moreover, for all his exertion, he +found nothing to eat, save one or two moss-corns, and a ground walnut, +with which he was obliged to content himself; and, for his canine +friend, there was nothing at all. + +Next morning he saw his neighbour servants seeking for him, and calling +his name, but he could make them no answer, save by long and mournful +sounds between a grunt and groan. He drew near to several of them, but +they regarded him in no other light than as a boar belonging to some one +in the neighbourhood, straying in the fields. His case was most +deplorable; but as he still conceived there was one who knew his +situation well, he determined to seek her. He went down to Eildon-Hall, +with the faithful Mumps walking close by his side--tried to work his way +into the laundry, but being repulsed, he waited with patience about the +doors for an opportunity to present himself before Pery. She came out at +length, and went away singing to the well. The boar followed, uttering +the most melancholy sounds that ever issued from the chest of distressed +animal. Pery could not help noticing him a little. "What strange animal +can this be?" said she to herself; but perceiving that Mumps too was +following her, her attention was soon directed solely to him. + +"Alas, poor Mumps," said she, "you are famishing. What can be become of +your master?" + +The boar laid his ungraceful foot softly on that of Pery, looked +ruefully in her face, and uttered a most melancholly sound; as much as +to say, "You know well what is become of him! Have you no pity nor +remorse in your heart?" + +It was impossible Pery could comprehend this. She judged, like others, +that the animal had strayed from home, and was complaining to her for +food. She looked at him, and thought him a very docile and valuable +swine, and one that would soon be ready for the knife. He was astonished +at her apparent indifference, as well as moved with grief and vengeance, +seeing the abject state to which she had reduced him; and in his heart +he cursed the whole sex, deeming them all imps of Satan, witches, and +enchantresses, each one. He followed her back to the house. + +"Come in, Mumps," said she, "and you shall have your breakfast for the +sake of him you belonged to, whatever is become of him, poor fellow!" + +The boar ran forward, and kneeled at her feet moaning, on which she +kicked him, and drove him away, saying, "What does the vile beast want +with me? Mumps, come you in and get some meat, honest brute." + +Mumps would not come in, but when the boar was expelled, turned back +with him, looking very sullen. She brought him out a bicker of cold +parritch mixed with milk, but he would not taste them until the boar had +first taken his share; after which they went and lay down in the yard +together, the dog in the boar's bosom. Thus did they continue for many +days. At length the master of Eildon had the boar cried at the +church-door, and at the cross of Melrose, and as no one appeared to +claim him, he put him up for slaughter. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +But to return from this necessary digression.--The king and his nobles +had a banquet in the Abbey that night on which Croudy was changed, and +it was agreed by all present, that the venison of the roe-deer of Eildon +exceeded in quality that of any other part of the kingdom. The king +appeared thoughtful and absent during the whole of the evening; and at +mass, it was observed that he was more fervent in his devotions than +ever he was wont to be. The words of the old mysterious stranger--his +sudden disappearance--the rumours of fairies and witchcrafts that were +abroad, together with another vision which he had seen, but not yet +disclosed, preyed upon his mind, as it was little wonder they should, +and made him apprehend that every step he took was on enchanted ground. +The hound, Mooly, had slipt into the banquet-hall at the time of +vespers, and neither soothing, threatening, nor the lash, would drive +her hence. She clung to the king's foot until he took pity on her, and +said, "Cease, and let the poor animal stay, since she insists on it. I +will not have her maltreated for the fault of those who have the charge +of her, and should have put her better up." So Mooly got leave to +remain, and kept her station the whole night without moving. + +The glass circulated until a late hour. At length the king said, "My +lords, I crave a cup full to the brim, which I mean to dedicate to the +health of a lady, whom I think I saw yesterday morning; the mentioning +of whose name will a little astonish you." + +"My royal son and sire," said the abbot, "for your majesty is both, in +the general acceptation of the terms, shall it not be of your far-famed +Malmsey that you will drink this beloved toast?" + +"If you so please," said his majesty. + +"Ralpho," said the abbot, "here is the key. You alone know where the +portion of old Malmsey is to be found among his majesty's stores here +deposited; bring one bottle only to his majesty, and pour it carefully +yourself." + +Ralpho obeyed; poured out the wine till the cup was full, and turned the +remainder into a sewer. The king then arose, and lifting his cup on +high--"My lords," said he, "I give you the fairest, the loveliest, and +the most angelic maid that ever Scotland bred--I give you Elen of +Rosline." + +Every one started at the name till the wine was spilled all around the +table. Astonishment was in every look, for the king had said he had seen +her yesterday at morn. + +"To the bottom," cried the king. + +Every one drank off his cup with avidity, anxious to hear the +explanation. The king kept the position in which he stood until he saw +every cup drained, and then brought his slowly and gracefully to his +lips, with the intention of emptying it at one draught. But the moment +that it reached them, Mooly sprung up, snatched the cup and wine out of +his hand, and threw them on the floor. + +"Strike the animal dead," cried one. + +"Kick her out of the hall," said another. + +"Take her out and let her be hung up," cried a third. + +Mooly cowered at her royal master's feet, as if begging pardon, or +begging to remain. + +"Let her alone," said the king; "let us see what the beast means, and if +she persists in the outrage." + +He filled his cup of the wine before him, and brought it slowly to his +head in the same manner as he did before. He even took it away and +brought it back several times, in order to see if she would be provoked +to do the like again. But no!--Mooly appeared perfectly satisfied, and +suffered her master to drink it off piece-meal. A certain consternation +reigned in the royal apartment for some time; sharp arguments followed; +and, in the mean time, Angus and the abbot were heard whispering apart, +and the one said, "It must be accomplished this night, or abandoned for +ever." + +The nobles again took their seats, and the king appeared as formerly to +be growing thoughtful and dejected. + +"Pray cheer up your heart and be merry, my liege," said Douglas, "and +let not the casual frolic of a pampered animal tend to cast down your +majesty's spirits. Your majesty has not yet drank the extraordinary +toast you proposed." + +"But that I shall do presently," said the king. + +"Ay," said the abbot, "and your majesty shall do it too in the wine of +which I have heard your majesty so much approve. Fetch another bottle, +Ralpho." + +Ralpho brought it.--"I will pour for myself," said the king; and taking +the bottle, he poured about one-half of it into his cup; again named the +name of Elen of Rosline with rapturous enthusiasm, and again as he put +the cup to his lips, Mooly sprung up, snatched the cup from his hand, +and dashed it on the floor more furiously than before, and then cowered +at her master's feet as if begging not to be struck. + +"There is something more than ordinary in this," said the king, "and I +will have it investigated instantly." + +"There is nothing in it at all," said the abbot. "Pardon me, sire; but +it is a fault in your majesty, for which I have grieved, and often done +penance myself. You are, and have always been a visionary, and nothing +will ever wean you from it. You make idols of these two animals; they +have sometime been taught a number of pranks, and for one of these would +you augur aught against the monastery, your nobles, or your majesty's +own peace of mind?" + +"Are you certain that is the genuine Old Malmsey wine, Ralpho?" said the +king. + +"I am certain, sire, it is the wine that was shown to me as such." + +The king poured out the remainder that was in the bottle. "Drink thou +that, Ralpho," said he, "and tell me if it be really and truly the +genuine Malmsey." + +Ralpho thanked his majesty, bowed, and drank off the cup without +hesitation. + +"Is it genuine, Ralpho?" + +"I don't know, your majesty; I think it tastes a little of the earth." + +The circle laughed at Ralpho's remark; and the conversation began again +to grow general, when, some time thereafter, Ralpho, who was bustling +about, sat down in a languid and sickly posture on one of the window +seats. They looked at him, and saw that his face was becoming black. + +"What is the matter, Ralpho?" said one. + +"I do not know what is the matter with me," returned he; "I think I feel +as if that wine were not like to agree with my stomach." + +He fell into immediate convulsions, and in ten minutes he was lying a +swollen and disfigured corpse. + +Douglas was the first to cry out _treason_. He bolted the door, and +stood inside with his sword drawn, vowing that he would search the soul +of every traitor in the room. Angus's great power made the other lords +to stand in awe of him; although it was obvious to them all, that he was +at least as likely to have a hand in this as any other. Hume charged him +boldly to his face with it, and made proffer to abide by the proof; but +he pretended to receive the charge only with scorn and derision, as one +which no reasonable man could suppose. The king was greatly affected, +and, upon the whole, showed rather more apprehension on account of his +personal safety, than was, perhaps, becoming in a sovereign. He cried +out that "they were all of them traitors! and that he would rather be at +the head of a band of moss-troopers, than be thus condemned to have such +a set about him whom he could not trust." + +After some expostulation he acquitted the Earl of Angus, more, it was +thought, through fear, than conviction of his innocence; but from an +inference, the most natural in the world, he fixed the blame on the +abbot. + +"My liege," said the reverend father, "I know no more how this has +happened than the child that is unborn. There can be no doubt but that, +instigated by some of your majesty's enemies, the wretch, Ralpho, has +mixed the poison himself, and has met with the fate he justly deserved." + +"No!" replied the king, "If that had been the case, he would not have +been so ready in participating of the draught. I will not believe, but +that there is a combination among you to take my life." + +Every one protested his innocence more strenuously than another. + +The abbot was seized; and said, in his justification, "That he would +show his majesty the set of wine from which he had ordered Ralpho to +bring it, and he was willing to drink a share of any bottle of it that +they chose;" which he did. + +But this did not convince the king. He sent off privately a messenger to +assemble the Border Chiefs, and bring them to his rescue--took his two +favourite hounds with him into his chamber, placed a strong guard, +counted his beads, and retired to rest. + +Every means were tried next day by the nobles to dispel his majesty's +fears, and regain his confidence; and as nothing decisive could be +produced against any one, they succeeded in some degree. New +perplexities, however, continued to way-lay him, for he was throughout +his whole life the prey of witches and evil spirits; and though he +wrecked due vengeance on many, they still continued to harass him the +more. + +After high mass he had retired to his chamber to meditate, when the +nobleman in waiting came in, and said, that a stranger wanted to speak +with him on some urgent business. He was introduced, and any one may +judge of the king's astonishment, when he saw that it was the identical +old man who had spoken to him on the mountain, and vanished, the day +before. The king's lip grew pale, and quivered as the stranger made his +obeisance. + +"Thou herald of danger, treason, and confusion, what seekest thou again +with me?" said the king. + +"I come, my liege," said he, "to seek redress for the injured, and +justice on the offenders. Your two favourite hounds came last night to +the houses of two widows in Newstead, and have carried off their two +children from their bosoms, which they have doubtlessly devoured, as no +traces of them can be found." + +"Thou art a liar!" said the king, "and an inventor of lies, if not the +father of them; for these two dogs were locked up with me in my chamber +last night, and a guard placed on the door, so that what you aver is +impossible." + +"I declare to your majesty," said the stranger, "by the truth of that +right hand, that I myself saw the two hounds at liberty this morning at +daylight. I saw them come along the Monk's Meadow, carrying something +across on their necks." + +"It is easy to prove the falsehood of all that thou hast said," replied +the king; "and thy malicious intent shall not go unpunished." + +He then called in the guards, and bade them declare before that +audacious stranger, if his two white hounds, Mooly and Scratch, were not +in his chamber all the night. The guards were mute, and looked one to +another. + +"Why are you ashamed to declare the truth?" said the king to them. "Say, +were the two hounds in my chamber all night, or were they not?" + +The men answered, "that the hounds were certainly out. How it came they +knew not, but that they were let in in the morning." + +"There is a conspiracy among you again," said the king; "if not to +deprive your king of life, to deprive that life of every kind of quiet +and social comfort." + +"I demand justice," said the stranger, "in the names of two weeping and +distracted mothers! In the name of all that is right, and held dear +among men! I demand that these two obnoxious and devouring animals be +hung upon a tree, or burnt alive before the sun go down. Then shall the +men of Scotland see that their sovereign respects their feelings and +privileges, even though they run counter to his own pleasures." + +"One of these dogs saved my life last night," said the king; "and it is +very hard indeed that I should be compelled to do this. I will have +better testimony; and if I find that these children have actually been +devoured, (as most unlikely it is,) the depredators shall be punished." + +The old man bowed, and was preparing to reply, when the knight in +waiting entered hastily, and told the king that there was a woman in the +outer court, crying bitterly for justice, and who was very urgent to +speak with him. The king ordered that she should be admitted, and in a +moment she stood before him, pale, shrivelled, hagard, and wild, and +altogether such a figure as one scarcely can see, or could see, without +the impression that she was scarce earthly. Her appearance was that of a +lady of quality, of great age; she had large ear-rings, a tremendous +ruff, a head-dress of a thousand intricate flutings, projecting before +and tapering upward behind, cork-heeled shoes, a low hoop, and a waist +of length and stiffness, not to be described. + +"Revenge! Revenge! my lord, O king!" cried she. "I crave justice of your +majesty--justice, and nothing more. You have two hounds, that came into +my house early this morning, and have devoured, or taken away my only +daughter, my sole stay and hope in this world, and nothing is left but a +part of her garments. These dogs have some power deputed to them that is +not of thy giving, therefore grant me that I may see vengeance done upon +them, and their bodies burnt at a stake before the going down of the +sun." + +"That is a true and worthy gentlewoman, my liege," said the old +stranger; "and you may take her word for whatever she advances." + +The ancient dame turned about--stared on the stranger with wild +astonishment--dropped a low courtesy, and then said, "I crave you +pardon, my lord and master. I noted not that you were so nigh. I hope +your errand here coincides with mine." + +"It does," said he; "there are more sufferers than one; and, by the head +that bows to thee!--I swear by none greater--we shall have justice if it +be in the land!" + +"This is a combination," said the king; "I pay no regard to it. Bring +witnesses to establish your charges, and you shall have justice done." + +They went forth to bring their proof, and behold they had them all in +the outer court. In the mean time the king sent for some men of the +place to come, and made enquiry of them who the old dame was, and what +was the character that she bore. They informed him that she was a noted +witch, and kept the whole country in terror and turmoil, and that she +had indeed an only daughter, who was an impious and malevolent minx, +devoted to every species of wickedness. + +"The wrinkled beldame shall be burnt at the stake," said the king. "It +is proper that the land should be cleansed of these disturbers of its +peace; as for that old stranger, I have my own surmises concerning him, +and we shall find a way to deal with his subtilty." + +He then sent for a reverend old friar of the name of Rubely, who was +well versed in all the minutiæ of diablery and exorcism, whose skill had +often been beneficial to the king in the trying and intricate parts of +his duty that related to these matters, and with him he conferred on +this important subject. Father Rubely desired the king to defer the +further examination of these people for a very little while; and, in the +mean time, he brought in a basin of holy water, consecrated seven times, +and set apart for sacred uses, after which the examination went on, and +a curious one it was. The old witch lady deposed, "That as she was lying +pondering on her bed, and wide awake, about the dawn of the morning, she +heard a curious and uncommon noise somewhere about the house: That, +rising, she went out silently to discover what it could be, and to her +utter astonishment, beheld the king's two hounds, Mooly and Scratch, +spring from her daughter's casement, and in a short space a beautiful +roe-deer followed them and bounded away to the Eildons: That she hasted +to her daughter's apartment, and found that her darling was gone." The +stories of the other two were exactly similar to one another, only that +the one blamed one hound, and the other the other. It was as follows: "I +was lying awake in the morning very early, with my son in my arms, when +one of the king's hounds came into my house. I saw it, and wist not how +it had got there. A short time after I heard it making a strange +scraping and noise in the other end of the house, on which I arose to +turn it out; but on going to the place from whence the sound seemed to +come, I found nothing. I searched all the house, and called the hound by +her name, but still could find nothing; and at last I lighted a candle +and sought all the house over again, without being able to discover any +traces of her. I went back to return to my bed, wondering greatly what +had become of the animal; but having opened the door before to let her +make her escape, I conceived that she had stolen off without my having +perceived it. At that very instant, however, I beheld her coming softly +out of the bed where I had left my child, and in a moment she was out at +the door and away. I ran to the bed with the light in my hand, but my +dear child was gone, and no part, not even a palm of his hand, +remaining!" + +_Ques._ "Was there any blood in the bed, or any symptoms of the child +having been devoured?" + +_A._ "No; I could discover none." + +_Q._ "Did the hound appear to have any thing carrying in her mouth, or +otherwise, when she escaped from the house?" + +_A._ "No; I did not notice that she had any thing." + +_Q._ "Was there any thing else in the house at the time; any other +appearance that you could not account for?" + +_A._ "Yes; there was something like a leveret followed her out at the +door, but I paid no regard to it." + +_Q._ "Was the child baptized in a Christian church?" (No answer.) + +_Q._ "Were you yourself ever baptized in a Christian church?" (No +answer.) + +_Q._ "Why do you not answer to these things?" + +_A._ "Because I see no connection that they have with the matter in +question." + +"None in the least," said the old stranger, who still kept by their +side. + +When the king heard that the answers of the two women were so exactly +similar, though the one was examined before the other was brought in, he +said,--"This is some infernal combination; they are all of them witches, +and their friend there is some warlock or wizard; and they shall all be +burnt at the stake together before the going down of the sun." + +"It is a judgment worthy of such a monarch," said the stranger. + +"Father Rubely," said the king, "you who know all the men in this part +of my dominions, Do you know any thing of this old man, who refuseth to +give account of himself?" + +"I have often seen the face," said Rubely; "but I cannot tell at present +from whence he is.--Pray, sir, are you not he who has supplied the +monastery with cattle for these many moons?" + +"I am the same," said the stranger; "And were they not the best that +ever were furnished to the Abbey?" + +"They were," said Rubely. + +"Were they not exquisite and delicious above all food ever before +tasted?" said the old man. + +"They were indeed," said Rubely; "and I think I have heard it reported +that no one ever knew from whence you brought these cattle." + +"I knew myself," said the stranger, "and that was sufficient for me." + +"I have heard of this before," said the king, "and I think I divine +something of the matter. Tell me, I insist on it, from whence you +brought these cattle?" + +"I brought them from among the poor and the indigent," said the old man, +"on whom kings and priests for ever feed. For Christian carrion, I +provide food from among themselves." + +"They shall all be worried and burnt at the stake," said the king; "and +this man's torments shall be doubled." + +"Have patience, my lord, O king," said Rubely, "and let us not destroy +the reclaimable with those of whom there is no hope." Then going near to +the first woman who had lost her son, he said to her,--"It is better to +do well late than never--are you content to be baptized even now?" + +The woman bowed consent. He put the same question to the other, who +bowed likewise. The old man stood close by their side, and appeared to +be in great trouble and wrath. Rubely brought his goblet of consecrated +water, and, as he past, he threw a portion of it on the wrinkled face of +the old man, pronouncing, at the same time, the sacred words of baptism. +The whole form and visage of the creature was changed in a moment to +that of a furious fiend: He uttered a yell that made all the Abbey shake +to its foundations, and forthwith darted away into the air, wrapt in +flame; and, as he ascended, he heaved his right hand, and shook his +fiery locks at his inquisitors. The old withered beldame yelped forth +hysteric gigglings, something between laughing and shrieks--the king +fell on his knees, clasped the rood and kissed it--the two women +trembled--and even old Rubely counted his beads, and stood for a short +space in mute astonishment. He next proposed trying the same experiment +with the old witch lady, but she resisted it so furiously, with cursing +and blasphemy, that they abandoned her to her fate, and had her burnt +at St Miles's Cross before the going down of the sun. It was said by +some that the old stranger appeared among the crowd to witness her +latter end; and that she stretched out her hands towards him, with loud +supplications, but he only flouted and mocked at her, and seemed to +enjoy the sport with great zest. When Father Rubely heard of this, he +said that it would happen so to every one who sold themselves to be +slaves of sin in the hour of their extremity. + +The other two women confessed their sins, and received absolution. They +acknowledged that they had been acquainted with the stranger for a long +season; that he had often pressed them to sign and seal, which they had +always declined, but that nevertheless he had such an influence over +them, that he in a manner led them as he pleased; that at first they +took him for a venerable apostle, but at length discovered that he was a +powerful sorcerer, and could turn people into the shapes of such beasts +as he pleased, but that they never knew he was the devil till then. + +Friar Rubely assured them, that it was only such as slighted +church-ordinances over whom he was permitted to exert that power, and in +this the king passionately acquiesced. They confessed farther, that they +were still greatly afraid of him, for that he could turn himself into +any shape or form that he pleased; that he had often tempted them in the +form of a beautiful young man; and there was nothing more common with +him than to tempt men in the form of a lovely and bewitching woman, by +which means he had of late got many of them into his clutches. When the +king heard that, he counted his beads with redoubled fervency, and again +kissed the rood, for it reminded him of a lovely vision he had seen of +late, as well as some things of a former day. The women added, that the +stranger had of late complained grievously of two mongrel spirits, who +had opposed and counteracted him in every movement; and that they had +done it so effectually, that, for every weak Christian that he had +overcome and devoured, they had found means to destroy one of his +servants, or emissaries, so that his power in the land remained much +upon a par as in former times, although his means and exertions had both +been increased sevenfold.[1] + +A consultation of holy men was next called, and measures adopted for the +recovery of the two children. There it was resolved, that prayers should +be offered up for them in seven times seven holy chapels and cells at +the same instant of time, and the like number of masses said, with all +due solemnity; and that then it would be out of the power of all the +spirits of the infernal regions--all of them that were permitted to +roam the earth, or any of their agents, to detain the children longer, +into whatever shape or form they might change them. But for these +solemnities some delay was necessary. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[Footnote 1: From several parts of this traditionary tale it would +appear, that it is a floating fragment of some ancient allegorical +romance, the drift of which it is not easy to comprehend.] + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Great was the consumpt of victuals at the Abbey during the stay of the +royal visitor!--the parsimonious brethren were confounded, and judged +that the country would to a certainty be eaten up, and a dearth of all +the necessaries of life ensue on the Border. When they beheld the +immense droves of bullocks--the loads of wild hogs and fallow-deer that +arrived daily from the royal forests of Ettrick and the mountains of the +Lowes, together with the flocks of fat black-headed wedders,--they +pressed their hands upon their lank sides, looked at their spare forms, +and at one another; but not daring to make any verbal remarks, they only +shaked their heads, and looked up to heaven! + +Victuals were again wearing short. Gudgel, the fat caterer for that +immense establishment, was out riding from morn till even in search of +fat things; he delighted in the very sight of a well-fed sleek animal; +it was health to his stomach, and marrow to his bones. It was observed, +that, whenever he came in sight of one, he stroaked down his immense +protuberance of paunch with both hands, and smacked his lips. He had +been out the whole day, and was very hungry; and when hungry, he enjoyed +the sight of a fat animal most. Gudgel certainly fed by the eye as well +as the mouth; for it was noted, that when he was very hungry, he would +have given the yeomen any price for a well-fed beast. + +He had been out the whole day--had procured but little stuff, and that +not of the first metal--but, on his way home, he heard of a fine +well-fed boar at Eildon-Hall; so he rode off the road, and alighted to +take a look of him. In a little triangular inclosure, at one corner of +the yard, there he beheld the notable boar lying at his ease, with +Mumps in his bosom. Of the dog he took no notice, but the sight of the +boar exhilarated him; he drew in a great mouthful of breath, closed his +lips, puffed out his cheeks, and made his two hands descend with a +semi-circular sweep slowly down over the buttons of his doublet. It is +impossible to tell how much the sight of such a carcase delighted +Gudgel!--Immoderately fat himself, his eye feasted on every thing that +was so; he could not even pass by a corpulent man, nor a pampered +overgrown matron, without fixing a keen glance upon them, as if +calculating exactly, or to a nearness, how much they would weigh, +sinking offal. + +"Oh, gracious heaven! what a fine hog! Goodman Fletcher, could you think +of putting such a delicious morsel as that by your masters? For shame, +goodman, not to let me know before this time of such a prize as +this!--The very thing!--No words: the hog is mine. Name your +price--Good security, Goodman Fletcher--a king and a priest--I am so +glad I have found him--I'll have him slaughtered, and cut neatly up, as +I shall direct, before I leave the house." + +A piece of sad news this for the poor boar! (Croudy the shepherd, that +once was.) When Gudgel pronounced the last sentence, the animal sprung +to his feet, gave a great snuff, and grunted out a moan that would have +pierced any heart but Gudgel's. "St Elijah!" said he, "what a fine +animal!" and gave him a lash with his whip as he rose. Mumps snarled, +and tried to bite the voluptuary in return for the unprovoked attack on +his master. + +Precisely about the same time that Gudgel alighted at Eildon-Hall, the +two lovely and mysterious sisters met at their accustomed place in the +Abbey Walk, for it chanced to be the few minutes of their appearance in +mortal frame. Their eyes had still the wild unearthly dash of sublimity +in them; and human eye could not scan to which state of existence they +pertained, but their miens were more beautiful and serene than when they +last met. + +"I give you joy, dear sister," said the one, "of our happy release! Our +adversary is baffled and driven from his usurped habitation--Our woeful +work of annihilation will henceforth cease, for the evil principle shall +not, as we dreaded, prevail in this little world of man, in which we +have received for a time a willing charge. Say what more is to be done +before we leave these green hills and the Eildon Tree." + +"Much is yet to be done, my beloved Ellen," answered the other. "As I +was this day traversing the air in the form of a wild swan, I saw the +Borderers coming down in full array; with a Chieftain of most undaunted +might at their head. We must find means to warn the haughty Douglas, +else they will cut his whole retinue to pieces; and the protector of the +faithful must not fall into the hands of such men as these." + +"He hath preyed on the vitals of his subjects," said she that spoke +first; and as she spoke she fixed her eyes on the ground in a thoughtful +attitude. + +"It is meet he should," said the other--"And think ye he will not meet +with his guerdon better where he is than among these freemen of the +Border? Think not so seriously of this matter, for it will not abide a +thought--from the spider to the king, all live upon one another!--What +numbers one overgrown reptile must devour, to keep the balance of nature +in equipoise!" + +The two lovely sisters, as she spoke this, held each other by the hand; +their angelic forms were bent gently forward, and their faces toward the +ground; but as they lifted these with a soft movement towards heaven, a +tear was glistening in each eye. Whether these had their source from the +fountain of human feelings, or from one more sublimed and pure, no man +to this day can determine. + +"And then what is to become of the two little changelings?" said the +last speaker. "All the spells of priests and friars will avail nought +without our aid.--And the wild roe-deer? And the boar of Eildon? He, I +suppose, may take his fate--he is not worthy our care farther.--A +selfish grovelling thing, that had much more of the brute than the man +(as he should be) at first--without one principle of the heart that is +worthy of preservation." + +"You are ever inclined to be severe," said the other. "If you but saw +the guise in which he is lying with his faithful dog, I think your heart +would be moved to pity." + +"If I thought there was one spark of the heavenly principle of gratitude +in his heart, even to his dog," said she, "I would again renovate his +frame to that image which he degraded; but I do not believe it.--Mere +selfishness, because he cannot live without his dog." + +"Here is Philany's rod," answered the other, "go, and reconnoitre for +yourself, and as you feel so act." + +She took the golden wand, and went away toward Eildon Hall; but her +motion over the fields was like a thing sailing on the wind. The other +glided away into the beechen grove, for there were voices heard +approaching. + +"Let us proceed to business, Goodman Fletcher," said Gudgel. "I insist +on seeing that fine animal properly slaughtered, blooded, and cut up, +before I go away. I have a man who will do it in the nicest style you +ever beheld." The boar looked pitifully to Gudgel, and moaned so loud +that Mumps fell a howling. "And I'll tell you what we'll do," continued +Gudgel; "we'll have his kidneys roasted on a brander laid on the coals, +and a stake cut from the inside of the shoulder.--How delicious they +will be!--Pooh! I wish they were ready just now--But we'll not be +long--And we'll have a bottle of your March beer to accompany +them.--Eh? Your charge may well afford that, goodman--Eh?" + +The boar made a most determined resistance; and it was not till +after he was quite spent, and more hands had been procured, that +he was dragged at last forcibly to the slaughter-house, and laid upon +the killing-stool, with ropes tied round his legs; these they were +afraid were scarcely strong enough, and at the request of the butcher, +Pery lent her garters to strengthen the tie. Never was there a poor +beast in such circumstances! He screamed so incessantly that he even +made matters worse. His very heart was like to break when he saw Pery +lend her garters to assist in binding him. Mumps was very sorry too; he +whined and whimpered, and kissed his braying friend. + +The noise became so rending to the ears, that all who were present +retired for a little, until the monster should be silenced. The butcher +came up with his bleeding-knife, in shape like an Andro Ferrara, and +fully half as long--felt for the boar's jugular vein, and then tried the +edge and point of his knife against his nail--"He has a hide like the +soal of a shoe," said the butcher; "I must take care and sort him +neatly." And so saying he went round the corner of the house to give his +knife a whet on the grinding-stone. + +At that very instant the beautiful angelic nymph with the golden rod +came into the court-yard at Eildon-Hall, and hearing the outrageous +cries in the slaughter-house, she looked in as she was passing, that +being the outermost house in the square. There she beheld the woful +plight of the poor boar, and could not help smiling; but when she saw +honest Mumps standing wagging his tail, with his cheek pressed to that +of the struggling panting victim, and always now and then gently kissing +him, her heart was melted with pity. The dog cast the most beseeching +look at her as she approached, which when she saw her resolution was +fixed. She gave the monster three strokes with her wand, at each of +which he uttered a loud squeak; but when these were done, and some +mystic words of powerful charm uttered, in half a quarter of a minute +there lay--no bristly boar--but the identical Croudy the shepherd! in +the same garb as when transformed at the Moss Thorn; only that his hands +and feet were bound with straw ropes, strengthened and secured by the +cruel Pery's red garters. + +"Bless me an' my horn!" said Croudy, as he raised up his head from the +spokes of the killing-stool; "I believe I'm turned mysel again!--I wad +like to ken wha the bonny queen is that has done this; but I'm sair +mistaen gin I didna see the queen o' the fairies jink by the corner. I +wonder gin the bloody hash will persist in killing me now. I'm fear'd +Gudgel winna can pit aff wantin' his pork steaks. May Saint Abednego be +my shield, gin I didna think I fand my ears birstling on a brander!" + +The butcher came back, singing to himself the following verse, to the +tune of _Tibby Fowler_, which augured not well for Croudy. + + "Beef stakes and bacon hams + I can eat as lang's I'm able; + Cutlets, chops, or mutton pies, + Pork's the king of a' the table." + +As he sung this he was still examining the edge of his knife, so that he +came close to his intended victim, without once observing the change +that had taken place. + +"Gude e'en t'ye, neighbour," said Croudy. + +The butcher made an involuntary convulsive spring, as if a thunder-bolt +had struck him and knocked him away about six yards at one stroke. There +he stood and stared at what he now saw lying bound with the ropes and +garters, and the dog still standing by. The knife fell out of his +hand--his jaws fell down on his breast, and his eyes rolled in their +sockets.--"L----d G----d!" cried the butcher, as loud as he could roar, +and ran through the yard, never letting one bellow abide another. + +The servants met him, asking what was the matter--"Was he cut? Had he +sticked or wounded himself?" + +He regarded none of their questions; but dashing them aside, ran on, +uttering the same passionate ejaculation with all the power that the +extreme of horror could give to such a voice. Gudgel beheld him from a +window, and meeting him in the entry to the house, he knocked him down. +"I'll make you stop, you scoundrel," said he, "and tell me what all this +affray means." + +"O L----d, sir! the boar--the boar!" exclaimed the butcher as he raised +himself with one arm from the ground, and defended his head with the +other. + +"The boar, you blockhead!" said Gudgel,--"what of the boar? Is he not +like to turn well out?" + +"He turns out to be the devil, sir--gang an' see, gang an see," said the +butcher. + +Gudgel gave him another rap with his stick, swearing that they would not +get their brandered kidneys, and pork steak from the inside of the +shoulder, in any reasonable time, by the madness and absurdity of that +fellow, and waddled away to the slaughter-house as fast as his posts of +legs could carry him. When he came there, and found a booby of a clown +lying bound on the killing-stool, instead of his highly esteemed hog, he +was utterly confounded, and wist not what to say, or how to express +himself. He was in a monstrous rage, but he knew not on whom to vend it, +his greasy wits being so completely bemired, that they were incapable of +moving, turning, or comprehending any thing farther than a grievous +sensation of a want not likely to be supplied by the delicious roasted +kidneys, and pork steak from the inside of the shoulder. He turned twice +round, puffing and gasping for breath, and always apparently looking for +something he supposed he had lost, but as yet never uttering a distinct +word. + +The rest of the people were soon all around him--the Goodman, Pery, +Gale, and the whole household of Eildon-Hall were there, all standing +gaping with dismay, and only detained from precipitate flight +by the presence of one another. The defrauded Gudgel first found +expression--"Where is my hog, you scoundrel?" cried he, in a tone of +rage and despair. + +"Ye see a' that's to the fore o' him," said Croudy. + +"I say, where is my hog, you abominable caitiff?--You miserable +wretch!--you ugly whelp of a beast!--tell me what you have made of my +precious hog?" + +"Me made o' him!" said Croudy, "I made naething o' him; but some ane, ye +see, has made a man o' him--It was nae swine, but me.--I tell ye, that +ye see here a' that's to the fore o' him." + +"Oh! oh!" groaned Gudgel, and he stroaked down his immense flanks three +or four times, every one time harder than the last. "Pooh! so then I am +cheated, and betrayed, and deceived; and I shall have nothing to +eat!--nothing to eat!--nothing to eat!--Goodman Fletcher, you shall +answer for this;--and you, friend beast, or swine, or warlock, or +whatever you may be, shall not 'scape for nought;" and, so saying, he +began to belabour Croudy with his staff, who cried out lustily; and it +was remarked somewhat in the same style and tenor, too, as he exhibited +lately in a different capacity. + +The rest of the people restrained the disappointed glutton from putting +an end to the poor clown; and notwithstanding that appearances were +strangely against him, yet, so well were they accustomed to Croudy's +innocent and stupid face, that they loosed him with trembling hands, +Pery being as active in the work as any, untying her red garters. "I +know the very knots," said she,--"No one can tie them but myself." + +"By the Rood, my woman! gin I war but up, I'll _knot_ you weel eneuch," +said Croudy; and if he had not been withheld by main force, he would +have torn out her hair and her eyes. He, however, accused her of being a +witch, and took witnesses on it; and said, he would make oath that she +had changed him into a boar on such an evening at the Moss Thorn. + +Pery only laughed at the accusation, but all the rest saw it in a +different light. They all saw plainly that Croudy had been metamorphosed +for a time by some power of witchcraft or enchantment--they remembered +how Mumps had still continued to recognise and acknowledge him in that +degraded state; and hearing, as they did, his bold and intrepid accusal +of Pery, they all judged that it would stand very hard with her. + +When Gudgel had heard all this, he seized the first opportunity of +taking Pery aside, and proposed to her, for the sake of her own +preservation, instantly to change the clown again; "And, as it is all +one to you," said he, "suppose you make him a little fatter--if you do +so, I shall keep your secret--if you do not, you may stand by the +consequences." + +Pery bade him, "Look to himself,--keep the secret, or not keep it, as he +chose;--there were some others, who should be nameless, that were as +well worth changing as Croudy." + +Gudgel's peril appeared to him now so obvious, and the consequences so +horrible, that his whole frame became paralysed from head to foot. In +proportion with his delight in killing and eating the fat things of the +earth, did his mind revolt at being killed and eaten himself; and when +he thought of what he had just witnessed, he little wist how soon it +might be his fate. He rode away from Eildon-Hall a great deal more +hungry and more miserable than he came. The tale, however, soon spread, +with many aggravations; and the ill-starred Pery was taken up for a +witch, examined, and committed to prison in order to stand her trial; +and in the mean time the evidences against her were collected. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +The Keylan Rowe. + + An' round, an' round, an' seven times round, + An' round about the Eildon tree! + For there the ground is fairy ground, + And the dark green ring is on the lea. + + The prayers were pray'd, and the masses said, + And the waning Moon was rising slow; + And ane dame sits at the Eildon-tree, + Whose cheike is pale as April snow. + + Ane cross is claspit in her hand, + Ane other lyis on her breiste bone; + And the glaize of feire is on her ee, + As she looks to the Eildon-stone. + + And aye she sung her holy hymn; + It was made to charm the elfin band, + And lure the little wilderit things, + Whose dwelling is in Fairy-land. + + And first she heard the horses' tread, + Like drifting leaves come through the dell; + And then she heard their bridles ring, + Like rain drops tinkling on a bell. + + Then the wild huntsmen first came on, + An' sic ane band was never seen! + Some wanted cheike, some wanted chin, + And some had nouthir nose nor een; + + One had ane ee in his forehead, + That ee was like ane glaizit pole; + His breiste was like ane heck of hay; + His gobe ane rounde and boral hole. + + And ilk ane held ane bugle horn, + And loud they toutit as they gaed by-- + "Ycho! ycho! The Keylan Rowe! + Hie to the weird-hill! huntsmen hie! + + "The little wee hare o' Eildon Brae + May trip it o'er the glen, O; + But nane shall bear the prize away. + But Keylan and his men, O. + + "Gil-Mouly's raid, and Keylan's Rowe, + Shall sweep the moore and lea, O; + And the little wee hare o' Eildon Brae + In heaven shall never be, O. + + "O'er wizard ground, with horse and hound, + Like rattling hail we'll bear, O-- + Ycho! ycho! The Keylan Rowe! + The quick and dead are here, O!" + + Then came their collarit phantom tykis, + Like ouf-dogs, an' like gaspin grews; + An' their crukit tungis were dry for blood, + An' the red lowe firled at their flews; + + Then came the troopis of the Fairy folke, + And O they wore ane lovely hue! + Their robes were greine like the hollin leife, + And thin as the web of the wiry dew. + + And first went by the coal-black steedis, + And then a troop o' the bonny bay; + And then the milk-white bandis came on, + An' last the mooned and the merlit gray. + + An' aye the sang, an' the bridles rang, + As they rode lightly rank an' file; + It was like the sound of ane maydenis voice + Heard through the greene-wood many a mile. + + "Hey, Gil-Mouly! Ho, Gil-Mouly! + On we fly o'er steep and stile! + Hey, Gil-Mouly! Ho, Gil-Mouly! + Hunt the hare another mile. + + "Over fen and over fountain, + Over downe and dusky lea; + Over moss, and moore, and mountain, + We will follow, follow thee! + + "O'er the dewy vales of even, + Over tower and over tree; + O'er the clouds and clefts of heaven, + We will follow, follow thee! + + "Nae mair the dame shall young son rock, + And sing her lilli-lu the while; + Hey, Gil-Mouly! Ho, Gil-Mouly! + Hunt the hare another mile!" + + The phantom huntsmen scaled the steep, + "Ycho! ycho! for Keylan's fame." + The Fairy barbs were light and fleet; + The chirling echoes went and cam. + + The roe fled into the greine-woode, + The dun deire boundit far away; + But nought wald serve the hunteris rude, + But the little wee hare o' Eildon-Brae. + + She heard, she knew, an' sped alone, + Away, away, with panting breiste; + The fairy houndis are lilting on, + Like Redwings wheepling through the mist. + + Around, around the Eildons greine, + Dashit the wild huntsmen furiouslye! + Och! sic ane night was never seine, + Sin' Michael cleft these hills in three! + + The sky was bright, and the dame beheld + The brattling chace o'er moonlight brow; + Then in the darksome shade they rushit, + With yelp, and yowle, and loud halloo. + + O, but the little Fairy grews + Swept lightly o'er the Eildon-Brae; + The houndis came youffing up behind, + As fast as they could win their way. + + And the wild huntsmen's gruesome tykis + All urgit the chace, but stop or stande. + "Ycho! ycho! The Keylan Rowe! + For earth, an' death, or Fairy-lande!" + + The dame she claspit the halye roode, + And dreddour wilde was in her ee; + And round, and round, and seven times round, + And round about the Eildon-Tree! + + The hunt still near and nearer drew-- + Weel moght the matronis herte be wae! + For hard they pressit, and aft they turnit + The little wee hare o' Eildon-Brae. + + They mouthit her aince, they mouthit her twice; + Loud did she scream throu fear and dread; + That scream was like ane bairnyis cry + Quhen it is piercit in cradle-bed. + + But the dame behelde ane bonny hounde, + White as the newly driftit snaw, + That close beside the leveret kept, + And wore the elfin grews awa. + + Hard did she toil the hare to save, + For the little wee hare was sair foreworne; + And the ghaistly huntsmen gatherit on, + With whoop, and whoo, and bugle-horne. + + O but the hounde was hard bestedd! + For round and round they harder press'd,-- + At length, beneath the Eildon-Tree, + The little wee leveret found its rest. + + It sprung into the matronis lap, + Wha row'd it in her kirtle gray; + And round, and round, came horse and hound, + With snort, and neigh, and howl, and bay. + + But the white hounde stood by her side, + And wore them back full powerfullye; + And round, and round, and seven times round, + And round about the Eildon-Tree! + + They turn'd the hare within her arms + A cockatrice and adder sterne; + They turn'd the hare within her arms + A flittering reide het gaud o' ern. + + But still within her kirtle row'd, + She sung her hymn and held it fast; + And ere the seventh time round was won, + Her child clung to his parent's breast. + + "Ycho! ycho! The Keylan Rowe;" + Away the fairy music sped, + "The day is lost, a maid has wonne, + The babe maun lie amang the dead. + + "The babe maun grow as grass has grown, + And live, and die, and live anew, + Ycho! ycho! The Keylan Rowe + Must vanish like the morning dew." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +As the beautiful fairy-dame, or guardian spirit, or whatever she was, +had predicted, so it came to pass. The Borderers, alarmed at the danger +of the king, came down a thousand strong, thinking to surprise Douglas, +and take their monarch out of his hands by force; and they would have +effected it with ease, had not the Earl received some secret +intelligence of their design. No one ever knew whence he had this +intelligence, nor could he comprehend or explain it himself, but it had +the effect of defeating the bold and heroic attempt. They found him +fully prepared--a desperate battle ensued--120 men were left dead on the +field--and then things remained precisely in the same state as they had +been before. + +The court left Melrose shortly after--the king felt as if he stood on +uncertain ground--a sort of mystery always hung around him, which he +never could develope; but ere he went, he presided at the trial of the +maiden Pery, who stood indicted, as the _Choronikkle of Mailros_ bears, +for being "Ane ranke wytche and enchaunteresse, and leigged hand and +kneife with the devil." + +A secret examination of the parties first took place, and the proof was +so strong against the hapless Pery, that all hopes of escape vanished. +There was Croudy ready to make oath to the truth of all that he had +advanced with regard to his transmutation, and there were others who had +seen her coming down from the Moss-Thorn at the very time that Croudy +appeared to have been changed, just before he made his dashing entry +into the loan among the cows; and even old Father Rubely had, after +minute investigation, discovered the witch-mark, both on her neck and +thumb-nail. The king would gladly have saved her, when he beheld her +youth and beauty, but he had sworn to rid the country of witches, and no +excuse could be found. All the people of the country were sorry on +account of Pery, but all believed her guilty, and avoided her, except +Gale, who, having had the courage to visit her, tried her with the +repetition of prayers and creeds, and found that she not only said them +without hesitation, but with great devotional warmth; therefore he +became convinced that she was not a witch. She told him her tale with +that simplicity, that he could not disbelieve it, and withal confessed, +that her inquisitors had very nearly convinced her that she was a witch; +and that she was on the point of making a confession that had not the +slightest foundation in truth. The shepherd was more enlightened than +the worthy clergyman, as shepherds generally are, and accounted for +this phenomenon in a truly philosophical way. Pery assented; for +whatever Gale said sounded to her heart as the sweetest and most +sensible thing that ever was said. She loved him to distraction, and +adversity had subtilized, not abated the flame. Gale found his heart +interested--he pitied her, and pity is allied to love. How to account +for the transformation of Croudy, both were completely at a loss; but +they agreed that it was the age of witchery, and no one could say what +might happen! Gale was never from the poor culprit's side: He condoled +with her--wept over her--and even took her in his arms, and impressed a +tender kiss on her pale lips. It was the happiest moment of Pery's +existence! She declared, that since she was pure in his eyes, she would +not only suffer without repining, but with delight. + +As a last resource, Gale sought out Croudy, and tried to work upon him +to give a different evidence at the last and final trial; but all that +he could say, Croudy remained obstinately bent on her destruction. + +"It's needless for ye to waste your wind clatterin English, man," said +Croudy, "for foul fa' my gab gin I say ony sic word. She didna only +change me intil an ill-faurd he-sow, but guidit me shamefully ill a' the +time I was a goossy--kickit me wi' her fit, an' yerkit me wi' a rung +till I squeeled, and then leuch at me--An' warst ava, gae the butcher +her gairtens to bind me, that he might get me bled, an' plottit, an' +made into beef-steaks--de'il be on her gin I be nae about wi' her now!" + +Gale, hoping that he would relent if he saw her woeful plight, besought +of him to go and see her; but this he absolutely refused, for fear lest +she should "turn him into some daft-like beast," as he expressed it. +"Let her tak it," said he, "she weel deserves a' that she's gaun to +get--the sooner she gets a fry the better--Odd, there's nae body sure o' +himsel a minute that's near her--I never gang ower the door but I think +I'll come in a goossy or a cuddy-ass--How wad ye like to gang plowin up +the gittars for worms and dockan-roots wi' your nose, as I did!" + +It was in vain that Gale assured him of her innocence, and told him how +religious she was, and how well she loved him. Croudy remained +obstinate. + +"I wadna gie a boddle," said he, "for a woman's religion, nor for her +love neither--mere traps for moudiworts. They may gar a fool like you +trow that ae thing's twa, an' his lug half a bannock--Gin I wad rue an' +save her life, it wadna be lang till I saw her carrying you out like a +taed in the erntings, an' thrawin ye ower the ass-midden." + +Gale asked if he would save her, if she would pledge herself to marry +him, and love him for ever? + +"Me marry a witch!" said Croudy--"A bonny hand she would make o' me, +sooth! Whenever I displeased her, turn me into a beast--But ilka woman +has that power," added he with a grin,--"an' I fancy few o' them +mislippin it. The first kind thought I ever had toward a woman made a +beast o' me--an' it will do the same wi' every man as weel as me, gin he +wist it. As she has made her bed, she may lie down. I shall fling a +sprot to the lowe." + +Gale was obliged to give him up, but in the deepest bitterness of soul +he gave him his malison, which, he assured him, would not fall to the +ground. Pery was tried, and condemned to be choaked and burnt at the +stake on the following day; and Croudy, instead of relenting, was so +much afraid of himself, that he was all impatience until the cruel scene +should be acted. His behaviour had, however, been witnessed and detested +by some of whom he was not aware; for that very evening, as he was on +his way home, he beheld a nymph coming to meet him, whom he took for +Pery, dressed in her Sunday clothes, for one of the mysterious maids had +taken her form. He was terrified out of his wits when he beheld her at +liberty, and falling flat on his face, he besought her, with a loud +voice, to have mercy on him. + +"Such as you have bestowed," said she; and giving him three strokes with +her wand, he was changed into a strong brindled cat, in which form, he +remains to this day; and the place of his abode is no secret to the +relater of this tale. He hath power one certain night in the year to +resume his natural shape, and all the functions of humanity; and that +night he dedicates to the relation of the adventures of each preceding +year. Many a secret and unsuspected amour, and many a strange domestic +scene, hath he witnessed, in his capacity of mouser, through so many +generations; and a part of these are now in the hands of a gentleman of +this country, who intends making a good use of them. + +Poor Pery, having thus fallen a victim to the superstition of the times, +she wist not how, was pitied and shunned by all except Gale, whom +nothing could tear from her side; and all the last day and night that +were destined for her to live, they lay clasped in each other's arms. +While they were thus conversing in the most tender and affectionate way, +Pery told her lover a dream that she had seen the night before. She +dreamed, she said, that they were changed into two beautiful birds, and +had escaped away into a wild and delightful mountain, where they lived +in undecaying happiness and felicity, and fed on the purple blooms of +the heath. + +"O that some pitying power--some guardian angel over the just and the +good, would but do this for us!" said Gale, "and release my dearest Pery +from this ignominious death!" and as he said this, he clasped his +beloved maiden closer and closer in his arms. They both wept, and, in +this position, they sobbed themselves sound asleep. + +Next morning, before the rising of the sun, two young ladies, beautiful +as cherubs, came to the jailor and asked admittance to the prisoner, by +order of the king. The jailor took off his bonnet, bowed his grey head, +and opened to them. The two lovers were still fast asleep, locked in +each other's arms, in a way so endearing, and at the same time so +modest, that the two sisters stood for a considerable time bending over +them in delightful amazement. + +"There is a delicacy and a pathos in this love," said the one, "into +which the joys of sense have shed no ingredient. As their innocence in +life hath been, so shall it remain;" and kneeling down, she gave three +gentle strokes with her small golden rod, touching both with it at a +time. The two lovers trembled, and seemed to be in slight convulsions; +and in a short time they fluttered round the floor two beautiful +moor-fowl, light of heart, and elated with joy. The two lovely and +mysterious visitors then took them up, wrapt them in their snowy veils, +and departed, each of them carrying one; and coming to Saint Michael's +Cross, they there dismissed them from their palms, after addressing them +severally as follows: + + "Hie thee away, my bonny moor-hen! + Keep to the south of the Skelf-hill Pen; + Blithe be thy heart, and soft thy bed, + Amang the blooms of the heather so red. + When the weird is sped that I must dree, + I'll come and dwell in the wild with thee. + Keep thee afar from the fowler's ken-- + Hie thee away, my bonny moor-hen." + + "Cock of the mountain, and king of the moor, + A maiden's bennison be thy dower; + For gentle and kind hath been thy life, + Free from malice, and free from strife. + Light be thy heart on the mountain grey, + And loud thy note at the break of day. + When five times fifty years are gone, + I'll seek thee again 'mong the heath alone, + And change thy form, if that age shall prove + An age that virtue and truth can love. + True be thy love, and far thy reign, + On the Border dale, till I see thee again." + +When the jailor related what had happened, it may well be conceived what +consternation prevailed over the whole country. The two moor-fowl were +soon discovered on a wild hill in Tiviotdale, where they have remained +ever since, until last year, that Wauchope shot the hen. He suspected +what he had done, and was extremely sorry, but kept the secret to +himself. On viewing the beauty of the bird, however, he said to +himself,--"I believe I have liked women as well as any man, but not so +well as to eat them; however, I'll play a trick upon some, and see its +effect." Accordingly he sent the moor-hen to a friend of his in +Edinburgh, at whose table she was divided among a circle of friends and +eaten, on the 20th of October 1817, and that was the final end of poor +Pery, the Maid of Eildon. The effect on these gentlemen has been +prodigious--the whole structure of their minds and feelings has +undergone a complete change, and that grievously to the worse; and even +their outward forms, on a near inspection, appear to be altered +considerably. This change is so notorious as to have become proverbial +all over the New Town of Edinburgh. When any one is in a querulous or +peevish humour, they say,--"He has got a wing of Wauchope's moor-hen." + +The cock is still alive, and well known to all the sportsmen on the +Border, his habitation being on the side of Caret Rigg, which no +moor-fowl dares to approach. As the five times fifty years are very +nearly expired, it is hoped no gentleman will be so thoughtless as +wantonly to destroy this wonderful and mysterious bird, and we may then +live to have the history of the hunting, the fowling, fishing, and +pastoral employments of that district, with all the changes that have +taken place for the last two hundred and fifty years, by an eye-witness +of them. + +The king returned towards Edinburgh on the 14th of September, and on +his way had twelve witches condemned and burnt at the Cross of Leader, +after which act of duty his conscience became a good deal lightened, and +his heart cheered in the ways of goodness; he hoped, likewise, to be rid +of the spells of those emissaries of Satan that had beleaguered him all +his life. + +After they had passed the Esk, his two favourite white hounds were +missing; the huntsmen judged them to be following some track, and waited +till night, calling them always now and then aloud by their names. They +were however lost, and did not return, nor could they ever be found, +although called at every Cross in the kingdom, and high rewards offered. + +On that very eve Elen and Clara of Rosline returned to their native +halls, after having been lost for seven weeks. They came to the verge of +the tall cliff towards the east, from whence they had a view of the +stately towers of Rosline, then in their pride of baronial strength. +The sun had shed his last ray from the summit of the distant Ochils; the +Esk murmured in obscurity far below their feet; its peaceful bendings +here and there appeared through the profusion of woodland foliage, +uniting the brightness of crystal with the hues of the raven. All the +linns and woody banks of the river re-echoed the notes of the feathered +choir. To have looked on such a scene, one might have conceived that he +dwelt in a world where there was neither sin nor sorrow; but, alas! the +imperfections of our nature cling to us; they wind themselves round the +fibres of the conscious heart, so that no draught of pure and untainted +delight can ever allay its immortal earnings. How different would such a +scene appear to perfect and sinless creatures, whose destiny did not +subject them to the terrors of death, and the hideous and mouldy +recesses of the grave! Were it possible for us to conceive that two +such beings indeed looked on it, we might form some idea of their +feelings, and even these faint ideas would lend a triple grandeur and +beauty to such an evening, and indeed to every varied scene of nature, +on which our eyes chanced to rest. + +"Sister," said Clara, "we are again in sight of our native home, and the +walks of our days of innocence; say, are our earthly forms and +affections to be resumed, or are our bonds with humanity to be broken +for ever? You have now witnessed the king of Scotland's private +life--all his moods, passions, and affections--are you content to be his +queen, and sovereign of the realm?" + +"Sooner would I be a worm that crawls among these weeds, than subject +myself to the embraces, humours, and caprices of such a thing--A king is +a block, and his queen a puppet--happiness, truth, and purity of heart +are there unknown--Mention some other tie to nature, or let us bid it +adieu for ever without a sigh." + +"We have a widowed mother, beautiful, affectionate, and kind." + +"That is the only bond with mortality which I find it difficult to +break, for it is a wicked and licentious world--snares were laid for us +on every side--our innocence was no shield--and, sister, do not you yet +tremble to think of the whirlpool of conflicting passions and follies +from which we were so timeously borne away?" + +The lovely Clara bowed assent; and away they went hand in hand once more +to visit and embrace their earthly parent. They found her in the arms of +a rude and imperious pirate, to whom she had subjected herself and her +wide domains. They found themselves step-daughters in the halls that of +right belonged to them, and instead of fond love and affection, regarded +with jealousy and hate. Short and sorrowful was their stay; they +embraced their mother once again; bade her farewell with looks of +sorrow, and walking out to the fairy ring in the verge of the wood, +vanished from the world for ever. It is said, that once in every seven +years their forms are still to be seen hovering nigh to the ruins of +Rosline. Many are the wild and incomprehensible traditions that remain +of them over the country, and there are likewise some romantic scraps of +song, besides the verses that are preserved in the foregoing chapter, +which are supposed to relate to them. Many have heard the following +verses chaunted to a tune resembling a dirge: + + "Lang may our king look, + An' sair mot he rue; + For the twin flowers o' Rosline + His hand shall never pu'. + Lie thy lane, step-dame; + An' liefu' be thy lair; + For the bonny flowers o' Rosline + Are gane for evermair." + + * * * * * + + "O tell nae the news in the kitchen, + An' tell nae the news in the ha', + An' tell nae the news in the hee hee tower + Amang our fair ladies a'. + How damp were the dews o' the gloamin', + How wet were her hose and her shoon; + Or wha met wi' fair Lady Rosline + By the ee light o' the moon!" + + * * * * * + + "Douglas has lost his bassonet, + The king his hawk, and milk-white hound; + And merry Maxwell has taen the bent, + And its hey! and its ho! for the English ground!" + + * * * * * + + "When seven lang years were come an' gane, + By yon auld castle wa'; + There she beheld twa bonny maids + A playing at the ba; + + But wha shall speak to these fair maids + Aneath the waning moon; + O they maun dree a waesome weird, + That never will be doone!" + + * * * * * + + +EDINBURGH: + +Printed by James Ballantyne & Co. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Duplicate title headings before each story have been removed. + +The following errors in the printed text have been corrected: + +p. 3 "CHAPTER ." changed to "CHAPTER I." + +p. 9 "toher young" changed to "to her young" + +p. 36 "mysel However," changed to "mysel. However," + +p. 64 "creeping o" changed to "creeping on" + +p. 77 "femenity" changed to "femininity" + +p. 100 "s en equalled" changed to "seen equalled" + +p. 132 "si e o't--sa d" changed to "side o't--said" + +p. 137 "remembered o" changed to "remembered so" + +p. 183 "did not not like" changed to "did not like" + +p. 183 "with it" changed to "with its" + +p. 186 "guff." changed to "guff."" + +p. 226 "whispering)," changed to "whispering," + +p. 247 "Yes, by" changed to ""Yes, by" + +p. 248 "nother" changed to "another" + +p. 338 "effect. Accordingly" changed to "effect. Accordingly" + + +The following possible errors in the printed text have been left as +printed: + +p. 8 "blithsome" + +p. 40 "ain house?"" + +p. 82 "knew not whether" + +p. 142 "burried" + +p. 165 "there's nought" + +p. 287 "hagard" + +p. 322 "aye the sang" + + +Quotation marks are used inconsistently where the narrator reports +dialogue, and apostrophes are used inconsistently to indicate elision; +these inconsistencies have been retained. + + +The following are used inconsistently in the text: + +daylight and day-light + +Eildon-Hall and Eildon Hall + +Eildon-Tree, Eildon Tree, Eildon-tree and Eildon tree + +melancholy, melancholly and mellancholly + +moonlight and moon-light + +round-about and round about + +stake and steak + +sunset and sun-set + +weelfaurd and weel-faurd + + +The following were not clearly printed and are conjectural: + +p. 165 apostrophe in "a' fair!" + +p. 172 bracketed text in "informatio[n]" + +p. 302 bracketed text in "triang[u]lar" + +p. 323 full stop in "and cam." + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41796 *** |