Part 41 (1/2)
”Ahem! well, well, go on.”
”An' it's no easy to guess whare he could hae gotten it. Indeed, 'am of opinion that he's no without a hantle o' book lair; for, to do him justice, de'il a question I spier at him, anent the learned names o' the rare plants, that he hasna at his finger ends, and gies to me off-hand.
Naebody but a man that has gotten book lair could do yon.”
”Book lair, what is that?”
”Ou, just a correck knowledge o' the learned names of the plants. I dinna say, and I winna say, but he's a velliable a.s.sistant to me, an'
I shouldna wish to pairt wi' him. If he'd only shave off yon beard, an'
let himsel' be decently happed in good claiths, why he might pa.s.s in ony gentleman's gerden for a skeelful b.u.t.tanist.”
”Is he as good a kitchen gardener as he is in the green-house, and among the flowers?”
”Weel, your honor, guid troth, 'am sairly puzzled there; hoot, no, sir; de'il a thing almost he kens about the kitchen gerden--a' his strength lies among the flowers and in the green-house.”
”Well, well, that's where we princ.i.p.ally want him. I sent for you, Malcomson, to desire you'd raise his wages--the laborer is worthy of his hire; and a good laborer of good hire. Let him have four s.h.i.+llings a week additional.”
”Troth, your honor, 'am no sayin' but he weel deserves it; but, Lord haud a care o' us, he's a queer one, yon.”
”Why, what do you mean?”
”Why, de'il heat he seems to care about siller any mair than if it was sklate stains. On Sat.u.r.day last, when he was paid his weekly wages by the steward, he met a puir sickly-lookin' auld wife, wi' a string o'
sickly-looking weans at the body's heels; she didna ask him for charity, for, in troth, he appeared, binna it wearna for the weans, as great an objeck as hersel'; noo, what wad yer honor think? he gaes ower and gies till her a hale crown o' siller out o' his ain wage. Was ever onything heard like yon?”
”Well, I know the cause of it, Malcomson. He's under a penance, and can neither shave nor change his dress till his silly penance is out; and I suppose it was to wash off a part of it that he gave this foolish charity to the poor woman and her children. Come, although I condemn the folly of it, I don't like him the worse for it.”
”Hout awa', your honor, what is it but rank Papistry, and a dependence upon filthy works. The doited auld carl, to throw aff his siller that gate; but that's Papistry a' ower--subst.i.tuting works for grace and faith--a' Papistry, a' Papistry! Well, your honor, I sal be conform to your wushes--it's my duty, that.”
CHAPTER XVII.--Awful Conduct of Squire Folliard
--Fergus Reilly begins to Contravene the Red Rapparee
After Malcomson quitted him, the squire, with his golden-headed cane, went to saunter about his beautiful grounds and his n.o.ble demesne, proud, certainly, of his property, nor insensible to the beautiful scenery which it presented from so many points of observation. He had not been long here when a poor-looking peasant, dressed in shabby frieze, approached him at as fast a pace as he could accomplish; and the squire, after looking at him, exclaimed, in an angry tone:
”Well, you rascal, what the devil brings you here?”
The man stood for a little, and seemed so much exhausted and out of breath that he could not speak.
”I say, you unfortunate old vagrant,” repeated the squire, ”what brought you here?”
”It is a case of either life or death, sir,” replied the poor peasant.
”Why,” said the squire, ”what crime did you commit? Or, perhaps, you broke prison, and are flying from the officers of justice; eh! is that it? And you come to ask a magistrate to protect you!”
”I am flying from the agents of persecution, sir, and know not where to hide my head in order to avoid them.”
The hard-pressed but amiable priest--for such he was--adopted this language of truth, because he knew the squire's character, and felt that it would serve him more effectually than if he had attempted to conceal his profession. ”I am a Catholic priest, sir, and felt from bitter experience that this disguise was necessary to the preservation of my life. I throw myself upon your honor and generosity, for although hasty, sir, you are reported to have a good and kind heart.”