The Three Perils of Man; or, War, Women, and Witchcraft, Vol. 2 (of 3)Hogg, James
History
The Three Perils of Man; or, War, Women, and Witchcraft, Vol. 2 (of 3)
Hogg, James
Historical fiction; Scotland -- History -- Robert II, 1371-1390 -- Fiction
"Od, Sir, an ye dare, for the blood of you, speak another word about
raising the deil the night," cried Charlie, interrupting him, "may I be
chased by an Englishman, if I dinna thraw you ower the castle wa'. We
little ken wha may be near, or wha may be amang us. Gin ane may judge by
appearances, that same chap ye hae named (gude keep me frae repeating
it) isna in his ain hett hame the night. Heaven defend us, hear how the
wind howls and sobs! I wish yon auld houses o' the mill may be safe
aneuch; they stand sair exposed. Hech-ho! hear til't! There will be mony
cauld quarters on Otterdale the night, but there is some a-wanting there
that wad be blithe to share them."
The friar now set himself to strike a light, which at last he effected;
and collecting the oil which remained in the lamps into one, they found,
to Charlie's great satisfaction, that they had as much as would burn
over-night, besides some remnants of waxen torches. Of all the huge
remains of their morning feast that they had seen removed from the
table, they could not find one vestige, even though the trenchers
remained in the chamber as it was termed; but, to their great joy, they
found an article as precious to the eyes, for about two-thirds of the
huge flagon of the wine of Palestine were still left. This, in the total
absence of fuel, was a discovery of some consequence; and the friar, in
the like absence of a steward, took that office voluntarily on himself.
When the lamp was kindled, the first thing that Delany did was to dress
the poor poet's hurt head, and bind it up with a napkin. This attention
and kindness so thrilled his heart that he could not refrain from tears,
and seemed to rejoice in his wound; and as both he and his adored maiden
had seen the ruffian steward transported up to heaven in a flame
of fire, they were freed from all terror on his account; and,
notwithstanding all the perils with which they were surrounded, they
appeared composed, and, if not happy, were at least quite resigned to
their fate.
The great Master sat muffled up in his cloak, and apart by himself, his
brows screwed down into deep curved wrinkles, and his sunken eye fixed
on the ground. The friar filled a cup of wine, and, bowing, presented it
to him the first. He took the cup, and drank it off, but he spoke not a
word: his piercing eyes glimmered round the chamber; he uttered a loud
groan, and, apparently, sunk again into his deep reverie. The
transportation of his steward, while in the very act of braving the
friar's might, made a terrible impression on his mind, and he weened
that he now sat before his master--before one that might send him on a
voyage of the same nature whenever he chose; and therefore he judged,
with great reason, that for a space it behoved him to keep on good terms
with so dangerous an opponent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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