Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 06
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 06
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
"'My lady was some nights ago reading the story of Jane Grierson,' said
I, 'and her sleep-walking conversation was only a repetition of the
story.'
"'Grierson, Grierson!' cried my master, as he rose frantically, and
placed his hand on his forehead. 'Yes, yes! she mentioned the word. I
have never thought of that. Yes! yes! show me that book, and I shall be
satisfied.'
"I ran immediately to the door leading to the dressing-room, where I
heard my lady searching. Master had shut it. He opened it for me by the
key which he held in his hand, and locked it as I passed out. It seemed
he wanted no interview till the book should be got. Amelia was there,
searching and searching, trembling and sighing.
"'What means this?' she ejaculated, as she proceeded--then paused. 'I
must have placed it in the trunk, from whence I took it;' and she rushed
away to the room where the trunks lay, which she had brought with her to
Redcleugh.
"'Twas all in vain. That book could not be got, sir. That book was never
found. No copy of it could be procured. The loss of that book was the
ruin of the house of Redcleugh."
"There it is," said I, holding up the tattered brochure to the wondering
eyes of the old butler.
"Gracious Heaven!" cried the old man. "Yet not gracious--too late, too
late!" and he staggered, like one who is drunk. "Mr. Bernard is dead."
"And Amelia is mad," said I, sorrowfully.
"Yes, mad," said he, as he still gazed on the brochure, and turned it
over and over with trembling hands.
"But how did you come to get this," he inquired.
I told him, and he rose and hastened to the escritoire to examine it,
and satisfy himself of the truth of my statement.
"When that book could not be found, sir," he resumed when he came back,
"my master put his resolution into effect. He placed his children with
Mr. Gordon, one of his trustees, executed a settlement, and went to the
East. My lady Amelia never saw him from that morning, but he left word
with me, that if the pamphlet was found in the house, he should be made
acquainted with it through his trustee, Mr. Gordon. But, ah! sir, that
never happened, in God's mysterious providence; and now my poor Lady
Amelia could receive no advantage from this proof of her innocence. I
have heard from her own lips, before her reason gave way, that she was
the grand-daughter of Jane Grierson and Mr. Temple, and that was the
reason why she came to have this little book. The story haunted her, yet
she read it; while, at the same time, she concealed her possession of
it, and her connection with the parties."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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