David Balfour: Being Memoirs Of His Adventures At Home And Abroad, The Second Part: In Which Are Set Forth His Misfortunes Anent The Appin Murder; His Troubles With Lord Advocate Grant; Captivity On The Bass Rock; Journey Into Holland And France; And Singular Relations With James More Drummond Or Macgregor, A Son Of The Notorious Rob Roy, And His Daughter CatrionaStevenson, Robert Louis
History
David Balfour: Being Memoirs Of His Adventures At Home And Abroad, The Second Part: In Which Are Set Forth His Misfortunes Anent The Appin Murder; His Troubles With Lord Advocate Grant; Captivity On The Bass Rock; Journey Into Holland And France; And Singular Relations With James More Drummond Or Macgregor, A Son Of The Notorious Rob Roy, And His Daughter Catriona
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Historical fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
She looked at me with open eyes. By the light of the new day she was all
black and pale for weariness, so that my heart smote me for her. But as
for her, she broke out laughing.
"My torture! are we beggars then?" she cried. "You too? O, I could have
wished for this same thing! And I am glad to buy your breakfast to you.
But it would be pleisand if I would have had to dance to get a meal to
you! For I believe they are not very well acquainted with our manner of
dancing over here, and might be paying for the curiosity of that sight."
I could have kissed her for that word, not with a lover's mind, but in a
heat of admiration. For it always warms a man to see a woman brave.
We got a drink of milk from a country wife but new come to the town, and
in a baker's, a piece of excellent, hot, sweet-smelling bread, which we
ate upon the road as we went on. That road from Delft to the Hague is
just five miles of a fine avenue shaded with trees, a canal on the one
hand, on the other excellent pastures of cattle. It was pleasant here
indeed.
"And now, Davie," said she, "what will you do with me at all events?"
"It is what we have to speak of," said I, "and the sooner yet the
better. I can come by money in Leyden; that will be all well. But the
trouble is how to dispose of you until your father come. I thought last
night you seemed a little sweir to part from me?"
"It will be more than seeming then," said she.
"You are a very young maid," said I, "and I am but a very young callant.
This is a great piece of difficulty. What way are we to manage? Unless,
indeed, you could pass to be my sister?"
"And what for no?" said she, "if you would let me!"
"I wish you were so, indeed!" I cried. "I would be a fine man if I had
such a sister. But the rub is that you are Catriona Drummond."
"And now I will be Catrine Balfour," she said. "And who is to ken? They
are all strange folk here."
"If you think that it would do," says I. "I own it troubles me. I would
like it very ill, if I advised you at all wrong."
"David, I have no friend here but you," she said.
"The mere truth is, I am too young to be your friend," said I. "I am too
young to advise you, or you to be advised. I see not what else we are to
do, and yet I ought to warn you."
"I will have no choice left," said she. "My father James More has not
used me very well, and it is not the first time. I am cast upon your
hands like a sack of barley meal, and have nothing else to think of but
your pleasure. If you will have me, good and well. If you will not"--she
turned and touched her hand upon my arm--"David, I am afraid," said she.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account