'I dinna ken; the Deuke's no that fond o' led farms, and he canna bide
to put away the auld tenantry; and then I wadna like mysell to gang
about whistling [Footnote: See Note 7.] and raising the rent on my
neighbours.'
'What, not upon thy neighbour at Dawston--Devilstone--how d 'ye call
the place?'
'What, on Jock o' Dawston? hout na. He's a camsteary chield, and
fasheous about marches, and we've had some bits o' splores thegither;
but deil o' me if I wad wrang Jock o' Dawston neither.'
'Thou'rt an honest fellow,' said the Lawyer; 'get thee to bed. Thou
wilt sleep sounder, I warrant thee, than many a man that throws off an
embroidered coat and puts on a laced nightcap. Colonel, I see you are
busy with our enfant trouve. But Barnes must give me a summons of
wakening at seven to-morrow morning, for my servant's a sleepy-headed
fellow; and I daresay my clerk Driver has had Clarence's fate, and is
drowned by this time in a butt of your ale; for Mrs. Allan promised to
make him comfortable, and she'll soon discover what he expects from
that engagement. Good-night, Colonel; good-night, Dominie Sampson;
good-night, Dinmont the Downright; good-night, last of all, to the
new-found representative of the Bertrams, and the Mac-Dingawaies, the
Knarths, the Arths, the Godfreys, the Dennises, and the Rolands, and,
last and dearest title, heir of tailzie and provision of the lands and
barony of Ellangowan, under the settlement of Lewis Bertram, Esq.,
whose representative you are.'
And so saying, the old gentleman took his candle and left the room; and
the company dispersed, after the Dominie had once more hugged and
embraced his 'little Harry Bertram,' as he continued to call the young
soldier of six feet high.
CHAPTER LI
My imagination
Carries no favour in it but Bertram's;
I am undone, there is no living, none,
If Bertram be away.
--All's Well that Ends Well.
At the hour which he had appointed the preceding evening the
indefatigable lawyer was seated by a good fire and a pair of wax
candles, with a velvet cap on his head and a quilted silk nightgown on
his person, busy arranging his memoranda of proofs and indications
concerning the murder of Frank Kennedy. An express had also been
despatched to Mr. Mac-Morlan, requesting his attendance at Woodbourne
as soon as possible on business of importance. Dinmont, fatigued with
the events of the evening before, and finding the accommodations of
Woodbourne much preferable to those of Mac-Guffog, was in no hurry to
rise. The impatience of Bertram might have put him earlier in motion,
but Colonel Mannering had intimated an intention to visit him in his
apartment in the morning, and he did not choose to leave it. Before
this interview he had dressed himself, Barnes having, by his master's
orders, supplied him with every accommodation of linen, etc., and now
anxiously waited the promised visit of his landlord.
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