Part 4 (1/2)
”I see! Are na yeawfu' prood o' being a lorrd?”
”What an idea!”
”His lords.h.i.+p did not go to bed a spinning-jenny, and rise up a lord, like some of them,” put in Saunders.
”Saunders,” said the peer, doubtfully, ”eloquence rather bores people.”
”Then I mustn't speak again, my lord,” said Saunders, respectfully.
”Noo,” said the fair inquisitor, ”ye shall tell me how ye came to be lorrds, your faemily?”
”Saunders!”
”Na! ye manna flee to Sandy for a thing, ye are no a bairn, are ye?”
Here was a dilemma, the Saunders prop knocked rudely away, and obliged to think for ourselves.
But Saunders would come to his distressed master's a.s.sistance. He furtively conveyed to him a plump book--this was Saunders's manual of faith; the author was Mr. Burke, not Edmund.
Lord Ipsden ran hastily over the page, closed the book, and said, ”Here is the story.
”Five hundred years ago--”
”Listen, Jean,” said Christie; ”we're gaun to get a boeny story. 'Five hundre' years ago,'” added she, with interest and awe.
”Was a great battle,” resumed the narrator, in cheerful tones, as one larking with history, ”between a king of England and his rebels. He was in the thick of the fight--”
”That's the king, Jean, he was in the thick o't.”
”My ancestor killed a fellow who was sneaking behind him, but the next moment a man-at-arms prepared a thrust at his majesty, who had his hands full with three a.s.sailants.”
”Eh! that's no fair,” said Christie, ”as sure as deeth.”
”My ancestor dashed forward, and, as the king's sword pa.s.sed through one of them, he clove another to the waist with a blow.”
”Weel done! weel done!”
Lord Ipsden looked at the speaker, her eyes were glittering, and her cheek flus.h.i.+ng.
”Good Heavens!” thought he; ”she believes it!” So he began to take more pains with his legend.
”But for the spearsman,” continued he, ”he had nothing but his body; he gave it, it was his duty, and received the death leveled at his sovereign.”
”Hech! puir mon.” And the glowing eyes began to glisten.
”The battle flowed another way, and G.o.d gave victory to the right; but the king came back to look for him, for it was no common service.”
”Deed no!”
Here Lord Ipsden began to turn his eye inward, and call up the scene. He lowered his voice.