Part 24 (2/2)

”I can't help it, but I don't want to speak of it just now. It's too sad.” Prima Donna, this was a slightly perilous line to follow, for the heart was evidently near the mouth there.

”To think of it, Naig, I have to go home to-morrow.” That was Eliza.

”Jerusalem the golden! it would make a wooden Indian jump, this life would.” No need of putting a name to that, Bennie, my lad.

”Andrew, I've just been in a dream of happiness all the time.” That was oor Davie.

”I never expect to be as happy for seven weeks again,” met with a chorus of supporters.

The Queen Dowager, however, put us all in a more gleeful mood by her verdict: ”Well, I expect to have another coaching trip yet. You'll see!

He can't help doing more of this, and I'll be there. He can't keep _me_ at home!” And her hearty laugh and a clap of her hands above her head brought us all merrily to dinner. She is very often a true prophet. We shall see, we shall see!

After dinner we strolled about the city and admired its many beauties, especially the pretty Ness, which flows through the town to the sea. Its banks and islands const.i.tute one of the finest of pleasure-grounds for the people, and many a lover's tale, I trow, has been told in the shady walks beside it. I felt quite sentimental myself, sauntering along between the gloaming and the mirk with one of the young ladies. The long, long gloaming of the north adds immensely to the charms of such a journey as this we have just taken. These are the sweetly precious hours of the day.

[Sidenote: _Macbeth's Castle._]

At Inverness we are again on cla.s.sic ground; for Macbeth had a castle there, which good King Duncan visited, and of which he said:

”This castle hath a pleasant seat: the air Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself Unto our gentle senses.”

It was razed by Malcolm III. or Canmore, Duncan's son, who built a new castle not far from its site. This latter fortress existed until about the middle of the last century, when it was blown up by the troops of Charles Edward Stuart. Portions of its walls may still be seen. Culloden field, too, is hard by, and all the country round is rich in ruined keeps and towers.

On rea.s.sembling in our parlor an ominous lack of hilarity prevailed. We did manage, however, to get the choir up to the point of giving this appropriate song with a slight variation:

”Happy we've been a' thegither, Happy we've been in ane and a', Blyther folk ne'er coached thegither, Sad are we to gang awa'.”

(Chorus).

It wasn't much of a success. We were not in tune, nor in time either.

Joe and Perry were to come at ten to say good-by. Here the serious business of life pressed upon us, escape being impossible. We had to meet it at last. They came and received the thanks and adieux of all. I handed them notes certifying to all coming coaching parties that fortunate indeed would be their lot were Perry and Joe to take them in charge. Joey responded in a speech which so riveted our attention during delivery that not one of us could recall a sentence when he ceased. This is one of the sincere regrets of the travellers, for a.s.suredly a copy of that great effort would have given the record inestimable value. It was a gem. I have tried to catch it, but only one sentence comes to me: ”And has for the 'osses, sir, they are better than when we started, sir; then they 'ad flabby flesh, sir; now they're neat an' 'ardy.” So are we all of us, Joey, just like the 'osses; ”neat an' 'ardy,” fit for walk, run, or climb, and bang-up to everything.

We had all next day to enjoy Inverness. What a fine climate it has as compared with the Highlands south of it! Vegetation is luxuriant here and the land fertile. One would naturally expect all to be bleak and bare so far north, but that Gulf Stream which America sends over to save the precious tight little isle from being a region of ice makes it delightful in summer and not extremely cold even in winter. We are a.s.sured that the climate of Inverness is more genial than that of Edinburgh, which is not saying very much for the capital of the North surely, but still it is something.

CALEDONIAN HOTEL,

INVERNESS, August 5, evening.

[Sidenote: _Farewell to the Coach._]

General Manager, at dinner.

_To waiter_: ”What time do we start in the morning?”

_Waiter_: ”The _omnibus_ starts at seven, sir.”

_Shakespearean Student_--”Ah! There was the weight which pulled us down.

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