Part 29 (1/2)
”Smite-and-spare-not would subscribe to that doctrine,” said Margaret, thrusting her way gently between the Colonel andher lips to my ear, she whispered merrily, ”_Push of pike and the Word_,” and then looked so winningly at me that the black shadow lifted, and I s of necks at the angle where the great road curved into the square, betokened so out of the ordinary, which turned out to be the arrival of the Prince's life-guards They were splendid, well-mounted fellows, clothed in blue, faced with red, and scarlet waistcoats heavy with gold With the chiefs of the ar off their nauard, in number some sixscore, formed three sides of a square and sat their horses, while one of the leaders proclaimed James and took possession of the town
The cheers of the clansmen died away, only to be renewed more loudly and proudly when another column swept into the square Here, indeed, were men apt for war and the battle, six abreast and a hundred files deep, with a dozen pipers piping theirto the breeze its proud _Tande ent face He was dressed in the Highland fashi+on, with a blue bonnet topped with a white rosette, a broad, blue ribbon over his right shoulder, and a star upon his breast The thronging thousands of clans leaders bared their heads and bowed, and I kneas the Prince
After a short consultation with his intimate counsellors, Charles walked al, as it seeel”
Even the townsmen, as he approached, raised their hats and cheered a little, for he was on sight a man to be liked When I hear sad tales of him now, I think of hi days when hope spurred him on, and the star of his destiny had not yet climbed to its zenith I come of a stock that sets no value on princes, and I would not now lift a hand to snatch the Stuarts out of the grave they have dug for themselves, but it is due to him, and, above all, due to the chiefs and clansht and died for him, to say that the Bonnie Charlie I kneas every inch of hier-tips
Maclachlan darted out and dropped on his knee before Charles, ith kindly impatience, seized the shoulder-knot of his plaid, haled hi of questions At so chief, Charles turned his eyes on us, and, easily picking out the Colonel, er outstretched hands For his part, the Colonel stepped clear of the crowd on the causeway and stood at the salute He was, I thought, the most self-possessed person in the square, and, indeed, was taking a pinch of snuff as soon as the foraret was red and white by turns, and I shook at the knees as if expecting the Prince, in the s, to call me out and thrashjoined by Colonel Waynflete was overflowing
”My Lord Murray has talked of you,” I heard hiland that mattered, and now here you are I ood news”
He turned off and called to a group of men near him, and several of them came up and were , the eager Prince caught the Colonel by the ar hi, but the Colonel in his turn resisted and led hihter, sir,” he said, briefly and proudly
Off careeted her with very marked courtesy
”Your prince, madam,” he said, ”but also your very humble servant My Court is a small one, and you are as iuished father toto him with a merry smile, ”I shall put a flea in his lordshi+p's ear when I see hihter Man, one et Venus!”
”There is this excuse for him, sir,” said the Colonel, very sedately, ”that on the only occasion on which my Lord Murray saw her, which was at Turin in 1738, she was a ind of ar plaits and short petticoats”
”Whereas now she--but I will reserve my opinion for the shelter of a fan in a secluded corner athis eyes on me, all of a swither, with my milk-stained cap in ely enough, forgetting all courtliness, Margaret, the Colonel, and Maclachlan fell over one another, so to speak, in telling the Prince who I was For a few seconds there was a gabble of introductions, which hed the Prince, ”and, of course, Mistress Waynflete first”
”Your Royal Highness,” said Margaret, ”this is allant coh, for a poor Prince Adventurer Give s of your friendshi+p and comradeshi+p, Master Wheatman, and I shall be beholden to you And now, excuse us, madam, I have much to say to your father”
”Sir,” said I, ”I crave a little boon”
”You begin well,” he said, and added, after a little laugh, ”With all my heart”
”Here at hand,” said I, ”is an ancient lady who has faced this rough crowd and this bitter weather to see the Prince of her heart's desire She is brave as a lion for you, but too modest to do more than stand and pray for you”
And then he did one of those princely things thatto be cut down in swathes for hi hands
”Nay, kneel not, dear lady,” he said, putting an arm around her to restrain her
”God bless your Royal Highness, and give you victory,” she said brokenly
”This is the hour I have prayed for daily these thirty years, and I thank God for giving us a Prince so worthy of an earthly throne The Lord shall yet have iving reen plaid was looped up at his shoulder by a fine brooch, a cairngorm set in a silver ri woman's breast
”Wear this fro
Tears were standing in Margaret's eyes, there was a big lu precious Strasburg on the cobbles in the square When the Prince had pinned it there, he doffed his bonnet, bent gracefully down, kissed her on the lips, and so left her The standers-by now cheered in earnest, and the ancient dame fell on her knees in prayer