Part 33 (1/2)

Burley readily guessed the cause of his young colleague's reluctance to move with the army; for, interested as he was in appreciating the characters with whom he had to deal, he had contrived, through the simplicity of Cuddie, and the enthusiasm of old Mause, to get much information concerning Morton's relations with the family of Tillietudlem. He therefore took the advantage of Poundtext's arising to speak to business, as he said, for some short s.p.a.ce of time, (which Burley rightly interpreted to mean an hour at the very least), and seized that moment to withdraw Morton from the hearing of their colleagues, and to hold the following argument with him:

”Thou art unwise, Henry Morton, to desire to sacrifice this holy cause to thy friends.h.i.+p for an uncirc.u.mcised Philistine, or thy l.u.s.t for a Moabitish woman.”

”I neither understand your meaning, Mr Balfour, nor relish your allusions,” replied Morton, indignantly; ”and I know no reason you have to bring so gross a charge, or to use such uncivil language.”

”Confess, however, the truth,” said Balfour, ”and own that there are those within yon dark Tower, over whom thou wouldst rather be watching like a mother over her little ones, than thou wouldst bear the banner of the Church of Scotland over the necks of her enemies.”

”If you mean, that I would willingly terminate this war without any b.l.o.o.d.y victory, and that I am more anxious to do this than to acquire any personal fame or power, you may be,” replied Morton, ”perfectly right.”

”And not wholly wrong,” answered Burley, ”in deeming that thou wouldst not exclude from so general a pacification thy friends in the garrison of Tillietudlem.”

”Certainly,” replied Morton; ”I am too much obliged to Major b.e.l.l.e.n.den not to wish to be of service to him, as far as the interest of the cause I have espoused will permit. I never made a secret of my regard for him.”

”I am aware of that,” said Burley; ”but, if thou hadst concealed it, I should, nevertheless, have found out thy riddle. Now, hearken to my words. This Miles b.e.l.l.e.n.den hath means to subsist his garrison for a month.”

”This is not the case,” answered Morton; ”we know his stores are hardly equal to a week's consumption.”

”Ay, but,” continued Burley, ”I have since had proof, of the strongest nature, that such a report was spread in the garrison by that wily and grey-headed malignant, partly to prevail on the soldiers to submit to a diminution of their daily food, partly to detain us before the walls of his fortress until the sword should be whetted to smite and destroy us.”

”And why was not the evidence of this laid before the council of war?”

said Morton.

”To what purpose?” said Balfour. ”Why need we undeceive Kettledrummle, Macbriar, Poundtext, and Langcale, upon such a point? Thyself must own, that whatever is told to them escapes to the host out of the mouth of the preachers at their next holding-forth. They are already discouraged by the thoughts of lying before the fort a week. What would be the consequence were they ordered to prepare for the leaguer of a month?”

”But why conceal it, then, from me? or why tell it me now? and, above all, what proofs have you got of the fact?” continued Morton.

”There are many proofs,” replied Burley; and he put into his hands a number of requisitions sent forth by Major b.e.l.l.e.n.den, with receipts on the back to various proprietors, for cattle, corn, meal, to such an amount, that the sum total seemed to exclude the possibility of the garrison being soon distressed for provisions. But Burley did not inform Morton of a fact which he himself knew full well, namely, that most of these provisions never reached the garrison, owing to the rapacity of the dragoons sent to collect them, who readily sold to one man what they took from another, and abused the Major's press for stores, pretty much as Sir John Falstaff did that of the King for men.

”And now,” continued Balfour, observing that he had made the desired impression, ”I have only to say, that I concealed this from thee no longer than it was concealed from myself, for I have only received these papers this morning; and I tell it unto thee now, that thou mayest go on thy way rejoicing, and work the great work willingly at Glasgow, being a.s.sured that no evil can befall thy friends in the malignant party, since their fort is abundantly victualled, and I possess not numbers sufficient to do more against them than to prevent their sallying forth.”

”And why,” continued Morton, who felt an inexpressible reluctance to acquiesce in Balfour's reasoning--”why not permit me to remain in the command of this smaller party, and march forward yourself to Glasgow? It is the more honourable charge.”

”And therefore, young man,” answered Burley, ”have I laboured that it should be committed to the son of Silas Morton. I am waxing old, and this grey head has had enough of honour where it could be gathered by danger.

I speak not of the frothy bubble which men call earthly fame, but the honour belonging to him that doth not the work negligently. But thy career is yet to run. Thou hast to vindicate the high trust which has been bestowed on thee through my a.s.surance that it was dearly well-merited. At Loudon-hill thou wert a captive, and at the last a.s.sault it was thy part to fight under cover, whilst I led the more open and dangerous attack; and, shouldst thou now remain before these walls when there is active service elsewhere, trust me, that men will say, that the son of Silas Morton hath fallen away from the paths of his father.”

Stung by this last observation, to which, as a gentleman and soldier, he could offer no suitable reply, Morton hastily acquiesced in the proposed arrangement. Yet he was unable to divest himself of certain feelings of distrust which he involuntarily attached to the quarter from which he received this information.

”Mr Balfour,” he said, ”let us distinctly understand each other. You have thought it worth your while to bestow particular attention upon my private affairs and personal attachments; be so good as to understand, that I am as constant to them as to my political principles. It is possible, that, during my absence, you may possess the power of soothing or of wounding those feelings. Be a.s.sured, that whatever may be the consequences to the issue of our present adventure, my eternal grat.i.tude, or my persevering resentment, will attend the line of conduct you may adopt on such an occasion; and, however young and inexperienced I am, I have no doubt of finding friends to a.s.sist me in expressing my sentiments in either case.”

”If there be a threat implied in that denunciation,” replied Burley, coldly and haughtily, ”it had better have been spared. I know how to value the regard of my friends, and despise, from my soul, the threats of my enemies. But I will not take occasion of offence. Whatever happens here in your absence shall be managed with as much deference to your wishes, as the duty I owe to a higher power can possibly permit.”

With this qualified promise Morton was obliged to rest satisfied.

”Our defeat will relieve the garrison,” said he, internally, ”ere they can be reduced to surrender at discretion; and, in case of victory, I already see, from the numbers of the moderate party, that I shall have a voice as powerful as Burley's in determining the use which shall be made of it.”

He therefore followed Balfour to the council, where they found Kettledrummle adding to his lastly a few words of practical application.

When these were expended, Morton testified his willingness to accompany the main body of the army, which was destined to drive the regular troops from Glasgow. His companions in command were named, and the whole received a strengthening exhortation from the preachers who were present.