Part 21 (1/2)
”Wi' a' my heart, Ratton. Great preferment for poor Madge to be brought up the street wi' a grand man, wi' a coat a' pa.s.s.e.m.e.nted wi' worset-lace, to speak wi' provosts, and bailies, and town-clerks, and prokitors, at this time o' day--and the haill town looking at me too--This is honour on earth for ance!”
”Ay, Madge,” said Mr. Sharpitlaw, in a coaxing tone; ”and ye're dressed out in your braws, I see; these are not your every-days' claiths ye have on.”
”Deil be in my fingers, then!” said Madge--”Eh, sirs!” (observing Butler come into the apartment), ”there's a minister in the Tolbooth--wha will ca' it a graceless place now?--I'se warrant he's in for the gude auld cause--but it's be nae cause o' mine,” and off she went into a song--
”Hey for cavaliers, ho for cavaliers, Dub a dub, dub a dub, Have at old Beelzebub,-- Oliver's squeaking for fear.”
”Did you ever see that mad woman before?” said Sharpitlaw to Butler.
”Not to my knowledge, sir,” replied Butler.
”I thought as much,” said the procurator-fiscal, looking towards Ratcliffe, who answered his glance with a nod of acquiescence and intelligence.--
”But that is Madge Wildfire, as she calls herself,” said the man of law to Butler.
”Ay, that I am,” said Madge, ”and that I have been ever since I was something better--Heigh ho”--(and something like melancholy dwelt on her features for a minute)--”But I canna mind when that was--it was lang syne, at ony rate, and I'll ne'er fash my thumb about it.--
I glance like the wildfire through country and town; I'm seen on the causeway--I'm seen on the down; The lightning that flashes so bright and so free, Is scarcely so blithe or so bonny as me.”
”Hand your tongue, ye skirling limmer!” said the officer who had acted as master of the ceremonies to this extraordinary performer, and who was rather scandalised at the freedom of her demeanour before a person of Mr.
Sharpitlaw's importance--”haud your tongue, or I'se gie ye something to skirl for!”
”Let her alone, George,” said Sharpitlaw, ”dinna put her out o' tune; I hae some questions to ask her--But first, Mr. Butler, take another look of her.”
”Do sae, minister--do sae,” cried Madge; ”I am as weel worth looking at as ony book in your aught.--And I can say the single carritch, and the double carritch, and justification, and effectual calling, and the a.s.sembly of divines at Westminster, that is” (she added in a low tone), ”I could say them ance--but it's lang syne--and ane forgets, ye ken.” And poor Madge heaved another deep sigh.
”Weel, sir,” said Mr. Sharpitlaw to Butler, ”what think ye now?”
”As I did before,” said Butler; ”that I never saw the poor demented creature in my life before.”
”Then she is not the person whom you said the rioters last night described as Madge Wildfire?”
”Certainly not,” said Butler. ”They may be near the same height, for they are both tall, but I see little other resemblance.”
”Their dress, then, is not alike?” said Sharpitlaw.
”Not in the least,” said Butler.
”Madge, my bonny woman,” said Sharpitlaw, in the same coaxing manner, ”what did ye do wi' your ilka-day's claise yesterday?”
”I dinna mind,” said Madge.
”Where was ye yesterday at e'en, Madge?”
”I dinna mind ony thing about yesterday,” answered Madge; ”ae day is eneugh for ony body to wun ower wi' at a time, and ower muckle sometimes.”
”But maybe, Madge, ye wad mind something about it, if I was to gie ye this half-crown?” said Sharpitlaw, taking out the piece of money.
”That might gar me laugh, but it couldna gar me mind.”