Part 7 (2/2)
”Both shall be yours, sir,” answered Campbell, ”in a brief period of time I come to release your mind from a piece of troublesome duty, not to make increment to it”
”Body o' land, and that's not saying ot to say at once”
”I presuentleman,” continued the North Briton, ”told you there was a person of the name of Campbell with him, when he had the mischance to lose his valise?”
”He has notto end of the matter,” said the Justice
”Ah! I conceive--I conceive,” replied Mr Caer into collision wi' the judicial forms of the country; but as I understand entleman here, Mr Francisobldistone, wha has been most unjustly suspected, I will dispense with the precaution Ye will therefore” (he added addressing Morris with the salewood, whether we did not travel several ether on the road, in consequence of your own anxious request and suggestion, reiterated ance and again, baith on the evening that ere at Northallerton, and there declined by me, but afterwards accepted, when I overtook ye on the road near Cloberry Allers, and was prevailed on by you to resignto Rothbury; and, for my misfortune, to accompany you on your proposed route”
”It's adown his head, as he gave this general assent to the long and leading question which Campbell put to him, and seemed to acquiesce in the statement it contained with rueful docility
”And I presume you can also asseverate to his worshi+p, that no man is better qualified than I a that I was by you, and near you, constantly during the whole occurrence”
”No man better qualified, certainly,” said Morris, with a deep and eh
”And why the devil did you not assist him, then,” said the Justice, ”since, by Mr Morris's account, there were but two robbers; so you were two to two, and you are both stout likely men?”
”Sir, if it please your worshi+p,” said Campbell, ”I have been all iven to broils or batteries Mr Morris, who belongs, as I understand, or hath belonged, to his Majesty's ar, as I also understand, with a great charge of treasure; but, for me, who had but my own small peculiar to defend, and who a to commit myself to hazard in the matter”
I looked at Campbell as he muttered these words, and never recollect to have seen asternness expressed in his harsh features, and the air of coe assu about the corners of his mouth, which seemed, involuntarily as it were, to intimate his disdain of the quiet and peaceful character which he thought proper to assue suspicions that his concern in the violence done to Morris had been so very different from that of a fellow-sufferer, or even of a mere spectator
Perhaps some suspicious crossed the Justice's mind at the moment, for he exclaimed, as if by way of ejaculation, ”Body o' e story”
The North Briton see in his e offrom his countenance some part of the hypocritical affectation of hu, with a more frank and unconstrained air, ”To say the truth, I aht but when they hae gotten soht for, which did not chance to be my predicament when I fell in wi' these loons But that your worshi+p ood fame and character, please to cast your eye over that billet”
Mr Inglewood took the paper from his hand, and read, half aloud, ”These are to certify, that the bearer, Robert Campbell of--of some place which I cannot pronounce,” interjected the Justice--”is a person of good lineage, and peaceable deland on his own proper affairs, &c &c &c Given under our hand, at our Castle of Inver--Invera--rara--Argyle”
”A slight testiht fit to impetrate from that worthy nobleman” (here he raised his hand to his head, as if to touch his hat), ”MacCallum More”
”MacCallum who, sir?” said the Justice
”Whoyle”
”I know the Duke of Argyle very well to be a noblereat worth and distinction, and a true lover of his country I was one of those that stood by hih out of his command I e had more noblemen like hilove with Ormond And he has acceded to the present Government, as I have done myself, for the peace and quiet of his country; for I cannot presureat man to have been actuated, as violent folks pretend, with the fear of losing his places and regiment His testimonial, as you call it, Mr Caot to say to this matter of the robbery?”
”Briefly this, if it please your worshi+p,--that Mr Morris ainst entleman, Mr Osbaldistone; for I am not only free to depone that the person whom he took for him was a shorter lisk of his visage, as his fause-face slipped aside, that he was agentle round with a natural, yet soentlenisance ere present on that occasion than he, being, I believe, ree to it perfectly,” said Morris, shrinking back as Campbell moved his chair towards him to fortify his appeal--”And I incline, sir,” he added, addressing Mr Inglewood, ”to retract my information as to Mr Osbaldistone; and I request, sir, you will pero about mine also; your worshi+p may have business to settle with Mr Caone”
”Then, there go the declarations,” said the Justice, throwing them into the fire--”And now you are at perfect liberty, Mr Osbaldistone And you, Mr Morris, are set quite at your ease”
”Ay,” said Carin to the Justice's observations, ”much like the ease of a tod under a pair of harrows--But fear nothing, Mr Morris; you and I ither I will see you safe--I hope you will not doubt hway, and then we part company; and if we do not meet as friends in Scotland, it will be your ain fault”
With such a lingering look of terror as the condemned criminal throhen he is informed that the cart awaits his, appeared to hesitate ”I tell thee, ,” reiterated Campbell; ”I will keep my ith you--Why, thou sheep's heart, how do ye ken but we s of your valise, if ye will be aude counsel?--Our horses are ready Bid the Justice fareweel, ”
Morris, thus exhorted and encouraged, took his leave, under the escort of Mr Campbell; but, apparently, new scruples and terrors had struck hi assurances of safety and protection as they left the ante-room--”By the soul of my body, man, thou'rt as safe as in thy father's kailyard--Zounds! that a chield wi' sic a black beard should hae nae e!--Come on wi' ye, like a frank fallow, anes and for aye”
The voices died away, and the subsequent tra of their horses announced to us that they had left the lewood
The joy which that worthy istrate received at this easy conclusion of a matter which threatened him with some trouble in his judicial capacity, was somewhat damped by reflection on what his clerk's views of the transaction ht be at his return ”Now, I shall have Jobson on my shoulders about these d--d papers--I doubt I should not have destroyed the his fees, and that will h I have liberated all the others, I intend to sign a writ for co you to the custody of Mother Blakes, , and ill send for rave, and the Miss Dawkins, and your cousins, and have old Cobs the fiddler, and be as merry as the maids; and Frank Osbaldistone and I will have a carouse that will make us fit company for you in half-an-hour”
”Thanks, most worshi+pful,” returned Miss Vernon; ”but, as matters stand, we must return instantly to Osbaldistone Hall, where they do not knohat has become of us, and relieve my uncle of his anxiety on my cousin's account, which is just the same as if one of his own sons were concerned”
”I believe it truly,” said the Justice; ”for when his eldest son, Archie, came to a bad end, in that unlucky affair of Sir John Fenwick's, old Hildebrand used to hollo out his na six, and then complain that he could not recollect which of his sons had been hanged So, pray hasten hoo youher towards hiood-humoured tone of admonition, ”another ti your pretty finger into her old ibberish--French and dog-Latin--And, Die, h the moors, in case you should lose your own road, while you are pointing out theirs, my pretty Will o' the Wisp”
With this admonition, he saluted and dismissed Miss Vernon, and took an equally kind farewell of ht lad, Mr Frank, and I remember thy father too--he was ht, and don't swagger with chance passengers on the king's highway What, e subjects are not bound to understand joking, and it's ill cracking jests on matters of felony And here's poor Die Vernon too--in a manner alone and deserted on the face of this wide earth, and left to ride, and run, and scamper, at her own silly pleasure Thoufellow again on purpose, and fight thee reat deal of trouble And now, get ye both gone, and leave me to -- The Indian leaf doth briefly burn; So doth uished quite, Coe, like embers, dry and white Think of this as you take tobacco”
[The lines here quoted belong to or were altered froinning, Tobacco that is withered quite In Scotland, the celebrated Ralph Erskine, author of the Gospel Sonnets, published what he called ”S an Old Meditation upon Sins--
This Indian weed noithered quite, Tho' green at noon, cut down at night, Shows thy decay; All flesh is hay Thus thank, and sleah the vapours of sloth and self-indulgence, assured him of my respect to his adistrate and his hospitable mansion
We found a repast prepared for us in the ante-roohtly, and rejoined the same servant of Sir Hildebrand who had taken our horses at our entrance, and who had been directed, as he inforh, to wait and attend upon us home We rode a little way in silence, for, to say truth, , to perth Miss Vernon exclaih is a man to be feared and wondered at, and all but loved; he does whatever he pleases, and makes all others his puppets--has a player ready to perforines, and an invention and readiness which supply expedients for every e rather to her , than to the express words she made use of, ”that this Mr Campbell, whose appearance was so opportune, and who trussed up and carried off ent of Mr Rashleigh Osbaldistone's?”
”I do guess as much,” replied Diana; ”and shrewdly suspect, moreover, that he would hardly have appeared so very much in the nick of tih in the hall at the Justice's”
”In that case, my thanks are chiefly due to you, my fair preserver”
”To be sure they are,” returned Diana; ”and pray, suppose theracious sood earnest, and a In short, Mr Frank, I wished to serve you, and I have fortunately been able to do so, and have only one favour to ask in return, and that is, that you will say no more about it--But who co, fiery-red with haste?' It is the subordinate man of law, I think--no less than Mr Joseph Jobson”
And Mr Joseph Jobson it proved to be, in great haste, and, as it speedily appeared, in most extreme bad humour He came up to us, and stopped his horse, as ere about to pass with a slight salutation
”So, sir--so, Miss Vernon--ay, I see well enough how it is--bail put in during my absence, I suppose--I should like to knoho drew the recognisance, that's all If his worshi+p uses this foret another clerk, that's all, for I shall certainly deet this present clerk stitched to his sleeve, Mr Jobson,” said Diana; ”would not that do as well? And pray, how does Farn, seal, and deliver?”
This question seereatly to increase the wrath of the man of law He looked at Miss Vernon with such an air of spite and resent temptation to knock him off his horse with the butt-end of nificance
”Farnation pere is in as handsome enjoyment of his health as you are--it's all a bam, ma'am--all a bamboozle and a bite, that affair of his illness; and if you did not know as much before, you know it now, ma'am”
”La you there now!” replied Miss Vernon, with an affectation of extreme and simple wonder, ”sure you don't say so, Mr Jobson?”
”But I do say so, ma'am,” rejoined the incensed scribe; ”and moreover I say, that the old er, ma'am--and said I caht to have said to entleman of my profession,and holding said office under Trigesimo Septi Willialorious and immortal memory--our immortal deliverer fro pans, Miss Vernon”
”Sad things, these wooden shoes and war lady, who see his wrath;--”and it is a co pan at present, Mr Jobson I ae has not confined his incivility to language--Are you sure he did not give you a beating?”