Stand Fast, Craig-Royston! (Volume I)Black, William
General
Stand Fast, Craig-Royston! (Volume I)
Black, William
Families -- Fiction; Grandfathers -- Fiction; Older people -- Fiction; Scotland -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
The young man went into the front portion of the long apartment (where
his friend was still discreetly standing behind the window curtains) and
opened a despatch-box and sat down. He drew out a cheque for £50,
enclosed it in an envelope, and, coming back, slipped it into the old
man’s hands.
"I hope that will help; and I shall be glad to hear of the progress of
the work."
"I thank your lordship," Mr. Bethune said, without any obsequiousness,
or profusion of gratitude.
And then he turned to his granddaughter.
"Maisrie!"
The girl came away at once. She bowed to Lord Musselburgh in passing,
without lifting her eyes. He, however, put out his hand, and said
"Good-bye!" Nay, more than that, although he had previously rang the
bell, he accompanied them both downstairs, and stood at the door while a
four-wheeled cab was being called for them. Then, when they had left, he
returned to the room above, and called lightly to his friend who was
still standing at the window:
"Ready, Vin? Come along, then! Did you hear the old man and his
poetry?—a harmless old maniac, I think. Well, let’s be off to Victoria;
we’ll get down to the Bungalow in time for a good hour’s lawn-tennis
before dinner."
Meanwhile old George Bethune and his granddaughter were being driven
away eastward in the cab; and he was chatting gaily to her, with the air
of one who had been successful in some enterprise. He had doffed his
Scotch plaid; and, what is more, he had also abandoned the Scotch accent
in which he had addressed ’his loardship.’ It was to be a great book,
this collection of Scotch-American poetry. It would enable him to pay a
well-deserved compliment to many an old friend of his in Toronto, in
Montreal, in New York. He was warm in his praises of this young Lord
Musselburgh; and predicted a great future for him. Then he put his head
out of the window and bade the driver stop—opposite the door of a
wine-merchant’s office.
"Grandfather," said the girl, "may I wait for you in the cab?"
"Certainly not," he answered with decision. "I wish you to see men and
things as part of your education. Live and learn, Maisrie—every moment
of your life."
Leaving the Scotch plaid in the cab, he crossed the pavement and went
into the office, she meekly following. The wine-merchant was sent for,
and presently he made his appearance.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Glover," old George Bethune said, with something of
an air of quiet patronage, "I wish to order some claret from you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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