Part 10 (2/2)
”Just e'en daikering out to look after my auld master and your honour,”
replied Swertha, who felt like a criminal caught in the manner; for on more occasions than one, Mr. Mertoun had intimated his high disapprobation of such excursions as she was at present engaged in.
But Mordaunt was too much engaged with his own thoughts to take much notice of her delinquency. ”Have you seen my father?” he said.
”And that I have,” replied Swertha--”The gude gentleman was ganging to hirsel himsell doun Erick's Steps, whilk would have been the ending of him, that is in no way a cragsman. Sae I e'en gat him wiled away hame--and I was just seeking you that you may gang after him to the hall-house, for to my thought he is far frae weel.”
”My father unwell?” said Mordaunt, remembering the faintness he had exhibited at the commencement of that morning's walk.
”Far frae weel--far frae weel,” groaned out Swertha, with a piteous shake of the head--”white o' the gills--white o' the gills--and him to think of coming down the riva!”
”Return home, Mordaunt,” said Norna, who was listening to what had pa.s.sed. ”I will see all that is necessary done for this man's relief, and you will find him at the Ranzelman's, when you list to enquire. You cannot help him more than you already have done.”
Mordaunt felt this was true, and, commanding Swertha to follow him instantly, betook himself to the path homeward.
Swertha hobbled reluctantly after her young master in the same direction, until she lost sight of him on his entering the cleft of the rock; then instantly turned about, muttering to herself, ”Haste home, in good sooth?--haste home, and lose the best chance of getting a new rokelay and owerlay that I have had these ten years? by my certie, na--It's seldom sic rich G.o.dsends come on our sh.o.r.e--no since the Jenny and James came ash.o.r.e in King Charlie's time.”
So saying, she mended her pace as well as she could, and, a willing mind making amends for frail limbs, posted on with wonderful dispatch to put in for her share of the spoil. She soon reached the beach, where the Ranzelman, stuffing his own pouches all the while, was exhorting the rest to part things fair, and be neighbourly, and to give to the auld and helpless a share of what was going, which, he charitably remarked, would bring a blessing on the sh.o.r.e, and send them ”mair wrecks ere winter.”[32]
FOOTNOTES:
[30] Note III.--Sale of Winds.
[31] Note IV.--Reluctance to Save Drowning Men.
[32] Note V.--Mair Wrecks ere Winter.
CHAPTER VIII.
He was a lovely youth, I guess; The panther in the wilderness Was not so fair as he; And when he chose to sport and play, No dolphin ever was so gay, Upon the tropic sea.
WORDSWORTH.
The light foot of Mordaunt Mertoun was not long of bearing him to Jarlshof. He entered the house hastily, for what he himself had observed that morning, corresponded in some degree with the ideas which Swertha's tale was calculated to excite. He found his father, however, in the inner apartment, reposing himself after his fatigue; and his first question satisfied him that the good dame had practised a little imposition to get rid of them both.
”Where is this dying man, whom you have so wisely ventured your own neck to relieve?” said the elder Mertoun to the younger.
”Norna, sir,” replied Mordaunt, ”has taken him under her charge; she understands such matters.”
”And is quack as well as witch?” said the elder Mertoun. ”With all my heart--it is a trouble saved. But I hasted home, on Swertha's hint, to look out for lint and bandages; for her speech was of broken bones.”
Mordaunt kept silence, well knowing his father would not persevere in his enquiries upon such a matter, and not willing either to prejudice the old governante, or to excite his father to one of those excesses of pa.s.sion into which he was apt to burst, when, contrary to his wont, he thought proper to correct the conduct of his domestic.
It was late in the day ere old Swertha returned from her expedition, heartily fatigued, and bearing with her a bundle of some bulk, containing, it would seem, her share of the spoil. Mordaunt instantly sought her out, to charge her with the deceits she had practised on both his father and himself; but the accused matron lacked not her reply.
”By her troth;” she said, ”she thought it was time to bid Mr. Mertoun gang hame and get bandages, when she had seen, with her ain twa een, Mordaunt ganging down the cliff like a wild-cat--it was to be thought broken bones would be the end, and lucky if bandages wad do any good;--and, by her troth, she might weel tell Mordaunt his father was puirly, and him looking sae white in the gills, (whilk, she wad die upon it, was the very word she used,) and it was a thing that couldna be denied by man at this very moment.”
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