Part 28 (2/2)

So saying, he flung away his crown, and sprung from his exalted station with more agility than could have been expected from his age, ordered lights and a wash-hand basin and towel, with a cup of green tea, into another room, and made a sign to Mannering to accompany him. In less than two minutes he washed his face and hands, settled his wig in the gla.s.s, and, to Mannering's great surprise, looked quite a different man from the childish Baccha.n.a.l he bad seen a moment before.

”There are folks,” he said, ”Mr. Mannering, before whom one should take care how they play the fool--because they have either too much malice, or too little wit, as the poet says. The best compliment I can pay Colonel Mannering, is to show I am not ashamed to expose myself before him--and truly I think it is a compliment I have not spared to-night on your good-nature.--But what's that great strong fellow wanting?”

Dinmont, who had pushed after Mannering into the room, began with a sc.r.a.pe with his foot and a scratch of his head in unison. ”I am Dandie Dinmont, sir, of the Charlies-hope--the Liddesdale lad--ye'll mind me?--it was for me ye won yon grand plea.”

”What plea, you loggerhead” said the lawyer ”d'ye think I can remember all the fools that come to plague me?”

”Lord, sir, it was the grand plea about the grazing o' the Langtae Head!” said the farmer.

”Well, curse thee, never mind; give me the memorial [*The Scottish memorial corresponds to the English brief.] and come to me on Monday at ten,” replied the learned counsel.

”But, sir, I haena got ony distinct memorial.”

”No memorial, man?” said Pleydell.

”Na, sir, nae memorial,” answered Dandie ”for your honour said before, Mr. Pleydell, ye'll mind, that ye liked best to bear us hill-folk tell our ain tale by word o' mounts”

”Beshrew my tongue that said so!” answered the counsellor; ”it will cost my ears a dinning.--Well, say in two words what you've got to say--you see the gentleman waits.”

”Ou, sir, if the gentleman likes he may play his ain spring first; it's a' ane to Dandie.”

”Now, you looby,” said the lawyer, ”cannot you conceive that your business can be nothing to Colonel Mannering, but that he may not choose to have these great ears of thine regaled with his matters?”

”Aweel, sir, just as you and he like--so ye see to my business,”

said Dandie, not a whit disconcerted by the roughness of this reception. ”We're at the auld wark o' the marches again, Jock o'

Dawston Cleugh and me. Ye see we march on the tap o' Touthop Rigg after we pa.s.s the Pomoragrains; for the Pomoragrains, and Slackenspool, and b.l.o.o.d.ylaws, they come in there, and they belang to the Peel; but after ye pa.s.s Pomoragrains at a muckle great saucer-headed cutlugged stane, that they ca' Charlie's Chuckie, there Dawston Cleugh and Charlies-hope they march. Now, I say, the march rins on the tap o' the hill where the wind and water shears; but Jock o' Dawston Cleugh again, he contravenes that, and says, that it hauds down by the auld drove-road that gaes awa by the Knot o' the Gate ower to Keeldar Ward--and that makes an unco [*Uncommon ] difference.”

”And what difference does it make, friend?” said Pleydell. ”How many sheep will it feed?”

”Ou, no mony,” said Dandie, scratching his head, it's lying high and exposed--it may feed a hog, or aiblins [*Perhaps ] twa in a good year.”

”And for this grazing, which may be worth about five s.h.i.+llings a year, you are willing to throw away a hundred pound or two?”

”Na, sir, it's no for the value of the gra.s.s,” replied Dinmont; ”it's for justice.”

”My good friend,” said Pleydell, ”justice, like charity, should begin at home. Do you justice to your wife and family, and think no more about-the matter.”

Dinmont still lingered, twisting his hat in his hand-” It's no for that, sir--but I would like ill to be bragged wi' him--he threeps [*Declares ] he'll bring a score o' witnesses and mair--and I'm sure there's as mony will swear for me as for him, folk that lived a' their days upon the Charlies-hope, and wadna like to see the land lose its right.”

”Zounds, man, if it be a point of honour,” said the lawyer, ”why don't your landlords take it up?”

”I dinna ken, sir” (scratching his head again), ”there's been nae election-dusts lately, and the lairds are unco neighbourly, and Jock and me canna get them to yoke thegither about it a' that we can say--but if ye thought we might keep up the rent--”

”No! no! that will never do,” said Pleydell,--”confound you, why don't you take good cudgels and settle it?”

”Odd, sir,” answered the farmer, ”we tried that three times already--that's twice on the land add ance at Lockerby fair.--But I dinna ken--we're baith gey good at single-stick, and it couldna weel be judged.”

”Then take broadswords, and be d-d to you, as your fathers did before you,” said the counsel learned in the law.

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