Part 35 (2/2)

”Na, Laird,” Jeanie replied, endeavouring as much as she could to express herself with composure, notwithstanding she still trembled, ”I canna gang in--I have a lang day's darg afore me--I maun be twenty mile o' gate the night yet, if feet will carry me.”

”Guide and deliver us!--twenty mile--twenty mile on your feet!”

e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Dumbiedikes, whose walks were of a very circ.u.mscribed diameter,--”Ye maun never think o' that--come in by.”

”I canna do that, Laird,” replied Jeanie; ”the twa words I have to say to ye I can say here; forby that Mrs. Balchristie.”

”The deil flee awa wi' Mrs. Balchristie,” said Dumbiedikes, ”and he'll hae a heavy lading o' her! I tell ye, Jeanie Deans, I am a man of few words, but I am laird at hame, as well as in the field; deil a brute or body about my house but I can manage when I like, except Rory Bean, my powny; but I can seldom be at the plague, an it binna when my bluid's up.”

”I was wanting to say to ye, Laird,” said Jeanie, who felt the necessity of entering upon her business, ”that I was gaun a lang journey, outby of my father's knowledge.”

”Outby his knowledge, Jeanie!--Is that right? Ye maun think ot again--it's no right,” said Dumbiedikes, with a countenance of great concern.

”If I were ance at Lunnon,” said Jeanie, in exculpation, ”I am amaist sure I could get means to speak to the queen about my sister's life.”

”Lunnon--and the queen--and her sister's life!” said Dumbiedikes, whistling for very amazement--”the la.s.sie's demented.”

”I am no out o' my mind,” said she, ”and sink or swim, I am determined to gang to Lunnon, if I suld beg my way frae door to door--and so I maun, unless ye wad lend me a small sum to pay my expenses--little thing will do it; and ye ken my father's a man of substance, and wad see nae man, far less you, Laird, come to loss by me.”

Dumbiedikes, on comprehending the nature of this application, could scarce trust his ears--he made no answer whatever, but stood with his eyes rivetted on the ground.

”I see ye are no for a.s.sisting me, Laird,” said Jeanie, ”sae fare ye weel--and gang and see my poor father as aften as ye can--he will be lonely eneugh now.”

”Where is the silly bairn gaun?” said Dumbiedikes; and, laying hold of her hand, he led her into the house. ”It's no that I didna think o't before,” he said, ”but it stack in my throat.”

Thus speaking to himself, he led her into an old-fas.h.i.+oned parlour, shut the door behind them, and fastened it with a bolt. While Jeanie, surprised at this manoeuvre, remained as near the door as possible, the Laird quitted her hand, and pressed upon a spring lock fixed in an oak panel in the wainscot, which instantly slipped aside. An iron strong-box was discovered in a recess of the wall; he opened this also, and pulling out two or three drawers, showed that they were filled with leathern bags full of gold and silver coin.

”This is my bank, Jeanie la.s.s,” he said, looking first at her and then at the treasure, with an air of great complacency,--”nane o' your goldsmith's bills for me,--they bring folk to ruin.”

Then, suddenly changing his tone, he resolutely said,--”Jeanie, I will make ye Lady Dumbiedikes afore the sun sets and ye may ride to Lunnon in your ain coach, if ye like.”

”Na, Laird,” said Jeanie, ”that can never be--my father's grief--my sister's situation--the discredit to you--”

”That's _my_ business,” said Dumbiedikes; ”ye wad say naething about that if ye werena a fule--and yet I like ye the better for't--ae wise body's eneugh in the married state. But if your heart's ower fu', take what siller will serve ye, and let it be when ye come back again--as gude syne as sune.”

”But, Laird,” said Jeanie, who felt the necessity of being explicit with so extraordinary a lover, ”I like another man better than you, and I canna marry ye.”

”Another man better than me, Jeanie!” said Dumbiedikes; ”how is that possible? It's no possible, woman--ye hae ken'd me sae lang.”

”Ay but, Laird,” said Jeanie, with persevering simplicity, ”I hae ken'd him langer.”

”Langer! It's no possible!” exclaimed the poor Laird. ”It canna be; ye were born on the land. O Jeanie woman, ye haena lookit--ye haena seen the half o' the gear.” He drew out another drawer--”A' gowd, Jeanie, and there's bands for siller lent--And the rental book, Jeanie--clear three hunder sterling--deil a wadset, heritable band, or burden--Ye haena lookit at them, woman--And then my mother's wardrobe, and my grandmother's forby--silk gowns wad stand on their ends, their pearline-lace as fine as spiders' webs, and rings and ear-rings to the boot of a' that--they are a' in the chamber of deas--Oh, Jeanie, gang up the stair and look at them!”

[Ill.u.s.tration: Jeanie and the Laird of Dumbied.y.k.es--Frontispiece]

But Jeanie held fast her integrity, though beset with temptations, which perhaps the Laird of Dumbiedikes did not greatly err in supposing were those most affecting to her s.e.x.

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