Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 02
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 02
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
Having thus distinctly expressed his sentiments regarding his late
companions, Donald pursued his way, although he was very far from
knowing what that way should be. Street after street he traversed,
making frequent vain inquiries for his "broder, Tuncan Gorm," until
midnight, when he suddenly found himself in a large, open space,
intersected by alleys formed by magnificent trees, and adorned by
playing fountains of great beauty and elegance. Donald had got into the
Prado, or public promenade of Madrid; but of the Prado Donald knew
nothing; and much, therefore, did he marvel at what sort of a place he
had got into. The fountains, in particular, perplexed and amazed him;
and it was while contemplating one of these, with a sort of bewildered
curiosity, that he saw a human figure glide from one side to the other
of the avenue in which the object of his contemplation was situated,
and at the distance of about twenty yards. Donald was startled by the
apparition; and, recollecting his former associates, clapped his right
hand instinctively on the hilt of his broadsword, and his left on the
butt of a pistol--one of those stuck in his belt--and in this attitude
awaited the re-appearance of the skulker; but he did not make himself
again visible. Donald, however, felt convinced that there was danger at
hand, and he determined to keep himself prepared to encounter it.
"Some o' ta vinekar-drinking rascals," muttered Donald. "It was no
honest man's drink; nor no goot can come o' a country where they swallow
such apominable liquors."
Thus reasoned Donald with himself, as he stood vigilantly scanning
the localities around him, to prevent a sudden surprise. While thus
engaged, four different persons, all at once, and as if they had acted
by concert, started each from behind a tree, and approached Donald from
four different points, with the purpose, evidently, of distracting his
attention. At once perceiving their intention, and not doubting that
their purposes were hostile, the intrepid Celt, to prevent himself
being surrounded, hastily retreated to a wall which formed part of the
structure of the fountain on which he had been gazing, and, placing his
back against it, awaited, with his drawn sword in one hand and a pistol
in the other, the approach of his enemies, as he had no doubt they were.
"Well, my friends," said Donald, as they drew near him, and discovered
to him four tall fellows, swathed up to the eyes in their cloaks, and
each with a drawn sword in his hand, "what you'll want with me?" No
answer having been returned to this query, and the fellows continuing to
press on, although now more cautiously, as they had perceived that their
intended victim was armed, and stood on the defensive: "Py Shoseph!"
said Donald, "you had petter keep your distance, lads, or my name's no
Tonal Gorm if I don't gif some of you a dish of crowdy."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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