Part 22 (2/2)
”They say it's fivver,” interrupted Menzies, ”and may come to be verra dangerous.”
”Weel a-weel,” said Smellie, ”in that case what I propose micht be easier dune: the wife micht gie you the bird, for peace' sake--for conscience' sake--for her guidman's sake--and ye micht do awa' wi't, and the Sergeant ken naething about it; for, ye see, being an auld sodger, he's prood as prood can be; and Mr. Porteous wad be satisfied, and maybe, for peace' sake, wad never speer hoo it was dune, and we wad hae a guid excuse for sayin' nae mair about it in the Session. If the Sergeant dee'd, nae hairm would be done; if he got weel, he wad be thankfu' that the stramash was a' ower, and himsel' restored, wi'oot being pit aboot for his bird. Eh?”
”I wadna like to meddle wi' the cratur,” said Menzies, shaking his head.
”But, man, do ye no' see,” argued Smellie, ”that it wad stultify yersel'
tae refuse doing what is easier for you than for him? Hoo can ye, as a member o' Session, blame him for no' killing a pet o' his dead bairn, if ye wadna kill it as a strange bird?”
”Can _ye_ no' kill't then?” asked Menzies.
”I wad hae nae difficulty in doing that--nane,” said Smellie, ”but they wadna trust me, and wadna lippen to me; but they wad trust _you_. It's surely your duty, Mr. Menzies, to do this, and mair, for peace.”
”Maybe,” said Menzies. ”Yet it's a cruel job. I'm sweir tae meddle wi't. I'll think aboot it.”
”Ay,” said Smellie, putting his hand on his shoulder; ”an' ye'll do't, too, when ye get the opportunity--I dinna bid ye kill't, that needna be; but jist tae let it flee awa'--that's the plan! Try't. I'm awfu' keen to get this job by, and this stane o' offence oot o' the road. But mind, ye'll never, never let on I bade ye, or it will blaw up the mercifu' plan. Will ye keep a quiet sough aboot me, whatever ye do?
And, moreover, never breathe a word about the auld poaching business; I hae reasons for this, Mr. Menzies--reasons.”
Such was Smellie's ”game”, as it may be called. For his own ends he was really anxious that Mr. Porteous should feel kindly towards the Sergeant, so far at least as to retrace the steps he had taken in his case. He was actuated by fear lest Adam, if crushed, should be induced to turn against himself, and, in revenge, expose his former dishonest conduct. He did not possess necessarily any grat.i.tude for the generous part which Adam had played towards him;--for nothing is more hateful to a proud man, than to be under an obligation to one whom he has injured.
It was also very doubtful how far Mr. Porteous, from the strong and public position he had taken in the case, would, or could yield, unless there was opened up to him some such back-door of escape as Smellie was contriving, to save his consistency. If this could be accomplished without himself being implicated, Smellie saw some hope of ultimate reconciliation, and the consequent removal on the Sergeant's part of the temptation to ”peach”.
Mr. Menzies, however, was ill at ease. The work Smellie had a.s.signed to him was not agreeable, and he was only induced to attempt its performance in the hope that the escape of the starling would lead ultimately to the quas.h.i.+ng of all proceedings against Adam.
With these feelings he went off to call upon Mrs. Mercer.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE STARLING AGAIN IN DANGER
Mrs. Mercer received her visitor very coldly. She a.s.sociated his name with what she called ”the conspiracy”, and felt aggrieved that he had never visited her husband during those previous weeks of trial. He was, as she expressed it, ”a sight for sair een”. Mr. Menzies made the best excuse he could, and described the circ.u.mstances in which he had been placed towards Adam as ”the reason why he had not visited her sooner.
He said, also, that however painful it was to him, he had nevertheless been obliged by his ordination vows to do his duty as a member of Session, and he hoped not in vain, as he might now be the means of making peace between his friend, Mr. Mercer, and the minister.
”I'm Charlie's bairn,” said the starling, just as Menzies had given a preliminary cough, and was about to approach the question which had chiefly brought him to the cottage. ”I'm Charlie's bairn--a man's a man--kick, kur--whitt, whitt.”
The starling seemed unable or unwilling to end the sentence; at last it came out clear and distinct--”a man's a man for a' that”.
Mr. Menzies did not feel comfortable.
”I dinna wunner, Mrs. Mercer,” at last he said, ”at you and Adam likin'
that bird! He is really enticing, and by ordinar, I maun confess.”
”There's naething wrang wi' the bird,” said Katie, examining the seam of her ap.r.o.n, adding in an indifferent tone of voice, ”If folk wad only let it alane, it's discreet, and wad hairm naebody.”
”I'm sure, Mrs. Mercer,” he said, ”I'm real sorry about the hale business; and I'm resolved, if possible, to get Adam oot o' the han's o'
the Session, and bring peace atween a' parties.”
<script>