Part 9 (1/2)

”Certainly, sir,” said Mrs. Mac-Candlish, and hastened to light the way with all the imperative bustle which an active landlady loves to display on such occasions.

”Young man,” said the Deacon to the servant, filling a gla.s.s, ”ye'll no be the waur o' this, after your ride.”

”Not a feather, sir,--thank ye--your very good health, sir.”

”And wha may your master be, friend?”

”What, the gentleman that was here?--that's the famous Colonel Mannering, sir, from the East Indies.”

”What, him we read of in the newspapers?”

”Ay, ay, just the same. It was he relieved Cuddieburn, and defended Chingalore, and defeated the great Mahratta chief, Ram Jolli Bundleman--I was with him in most of his campaigns.”

”Lord safe us,” said the landlady, ”I must go see what he would have for supper--that I should set him down here!”

”Oh, he likes that all the better, mother;--you never saw a plainer creature in your life than our old Colonel; and yet he has a spice of the devil in him too.”

The rest of the evening's conversation below stairs tending little to edification, we shall, with the reader's leave, step up to the parlour.

CHAPTER XII.

--Reputation?--that's man's idol set up against G.o.d, the Maker of all laws, Who hath commanded us we should not kill, And yet we say we must, for Reputation! What honest man can either fear his own, Or else will hurt another's reputation? Fear to do base unworthy things is valour; If they be done to us, to suffer them Is valour too.-- BEN JONSON,

The Colonel was walking pensively up and down the parlour, when the officious landlady re-entered to take his commands. Having given them in the manner he thought would be most acceptable ”for the good of the house,” he begged to detain her a moment.

”I think,” he said, ”madam, if I understood the good people right, Mr. Bertram lost his son in his fifth year?”

”Oh ay, sir, there's nae doubt o' that, though there are mony idle clashes [* t.i.ttle-tattle], about the way and manner, for it's an auld story now, and everybody tells it, as we were doing, their ain way by the ingleside. But lost the bairn was in his fifth year, as your honour says, Colonel; and the news being rashly tell'd to the leddy, then great with child, cost her her life that samyn night--and the Laird never throve after that day, but was just careless of everything--though, when his daughter Miss Lucy grew up, she tried to keep order within doors--but what could she do, poor thing so now they're out of house and hauld.”

”Can you recollect, madam, about what time of the year the child was lost?” The landlady, after a pause, and some recollection, answered, ”she was positive it was about this season and added some local recollections that fixed the date in her memory, as occurring about the beginning of November, 17-.”

The stranger took two or three turns round the room in silence, but signed to Mrs. Mac-Candlish not to leave it.

Did I rightly apprehend,” he said, ”that the estate of Ellangowan is in the market?”

”In the market?--it will be sell'd the morn to the highest bidder--that's no the morn, Lord help me! which is the Sabbath, but on Monday, the first free day; and the furniture and stocking is to be roupit [*Auctioned] at the same time on the ground--it's the opinion of the haill country, that the sale has been shamefully forced on at this time, when there's sae little money stirring in Scotland wi' this weary American war, that somebody may get the land a bargain--Deil be in them, that I should say sae!”--the good lady's wrath rising at the supposed injustice.

”And where will the sale take place?”

”On the, premises, as the advertis.e.m.e.nt says--that's at the house of Ellangowan, your honour, as I understand it.”

”And who exhibits the t.i.tle-deeds, rent-roll, and plan?”

”A very decent man, sir; the Sheriff-subst.i.tute of the county, who has authority from the Court of Session. He's in the town just now, if your honour would like to see hint; and he can tell you mair about the loss of the bairn than onybody, for the Sheriff-depute (that's his princ.i.p.al, like) took much pains to come at the truth o' that matter, as I have heard.”

”And this gentleman's name is--”

”Mac-Morlan, sir,--he's a man o' character, and weel spoken o'.”