He was tall and handsome, with bright, brave ways, a distinguished
carriage, and a delightful speaking voice. His face was clean shaven,
showing a chin heavy but with fine lines, and lips which curved back
complacently over teeth of singular whiteness. His mouth denoted pride
as well as obstinacy, which, taken with the brooding look in the eye,
gave me the impression of a nature both jealous and passionate. One of
his greatest charms, and I felt it on the instant of our meeting, was a
gay but unassertive manner, possible only to those who have had a
secured position from birth. I noted as well a fine sense in his
relation to others, and believe that if he had come a-begging we would
have known him to be gently born. He wore high boots, a broad hat, and
a handsome riding suit of light cloth, with a cloak hanging from one
shoulder. He carried himself with jauntiness and surety; gave one's
hand a hearty grip, and, to sum it all up, was one of the finest men I
have ever seen, and a son of whom even Sandy Carmichael had a right to
be proud, in spite of the fact that he was a man of fashion and
something of a dandy. He had as well a certain romantic appearance and
a glance which made young girls drop their eyes before him and set old
ladies to talking of their first loves.
"When Dand Carmichael goes up High Street I never saw a woman looking
down it," Bob Blake said of him once, which sums it all up very well.
Upon being asked by his father as to the suddenness of his appearance
among us, he said with a laugh:
"I came with some men to Leith, and the Leith fly set me down at the
door of The Star and Garter by the Tron church about an hour ago. I
asked mine host of the inn if I could get a horse from him to ride to
Arran House; upon which he told me that there would be no use in my
going to Arran as Mr. Carmichael was from home, being bid to dinner at
Lord Stair's; that it was the eighteenth birthday of Mistress Nancy
Stair, and that Jamie Henderlin had come from Germany with his violin
the week before and was to play at Stair House after the dinner; that
the Lord Stair, who was a fond father, had but this afternoon given the
family jewels to Mistress Nancy, and that one ruby alone would buy the
inn; that Mr. Carmichael had brought a present for her of a pearl
necklace with diamonds in it of great value; that Mistress Nancy Stair,
who was the handsomest girl in three kingdoms, had a yellow gown, a
great deal of which lay on the floor, the stuff of which he understood
had come from France; that Dame Dickenson had made a birthday cake, and
there was a salmon for the dinner with egg sauce, and that eggs were
uncommon high and the tax on whisky a thing not to be borne. There were
some other trifling details he mentioned," he said with a wave of his
hand and a laugh, "which have unfortunately escaped my memory."
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account