"Tie him up in a wolf's skin, and hunt him to death with bloodhounds." "My poor brother, my poor brother! And he so fat, and subject to the gout! But it's quite true--it's exactly what they did to the Bohemian in _Quentin Durward_." "The present Fash-na-Cairn is a descendant of Le Balafré." "Oh, the monster! Have they no police at Ben-na-Groich, nor even special constables?--no justice of peace?" "The only justice there is the dirk and claymore. But the young lady seems revived now. Do you take supper? I'll send the chambermaid directly, ma'am." When the historical and veracious waiter left the room, the long and stately figure of Miss Alice sank slowly down upon the sofa. Jane Somers's face was buried in her hands, and, by the tremors that ran through her whole frame, and the redness of what was visible of her cheeks and neck, it was evident that she was nearly in convulsions with some powerfully suppressed feeling. The aunt, of course, considered it to be the result of terror, whatever sager guess the reader may make upon the subject, and gave way to a fit of dolorous lamentation, that did not much contribute to her niece's recovery. "This comes of pride, and being one of the Scottish chiefs! To be eaten up by bloodhounds, and have his sister carried off by Fash-na-Cairn! Blue-Beard was a joke to him; fifteen wives, and only five-and-twenty!--more than three per annum since he came of age! I will put my brother on his guard the moment we arrive. This is truly a barbarous country, and inhabited by nobody but murderers and cannibals. Hobbins and Huxtable will be amazed to hear of their partner's fate--and my brother never was partial to dogs!" CHAPTER III. The castle of Ben-na-Groich was an old square building, situated in a wild ravine of the North Highlands. It consisted of little more than a high tower, of the rough stone of the country, at one corner of a low mass of building, in many parts fallen into decay, and presenting an appearance of strength and massiveness, on which any attempt at beauty would have been thrown away. One side of the square had something more of a habitable look than the remaining portions, from the circumstance of its chimneys being newly rebuilt and tastefully whitewashed; the roof also was repaired, and the windows fitted with glass--a luxury which was considered useless by the inhabitants of the remaining three sides--the said inhabitants consisting of two or three cows, half a score of dogs, and one or two old representatives of Fingal, who clung to their ancient habitation with a local attachment that would have done honour to a cat.