Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 10
General
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 10
Scottish Borders (Scotland) -- Fiction
"Ah, Johnnie!" said he, "we have already half-gained the victory. Mr
Davidson was at college and intimate with your father, and ho knows me
well as your father's servant. Scotland does not contain a better man
for our purpose. I shall fee him liberally, and fortune may yet smile
upon us." It was now late in the evening, and the lieutenant left me for
the night.
Scarce was he gone, when a new passion took entire possession of
me--that of pride and ambition. I felt myself quite changed, and strange
visions of imaginary importance floated before me. My present finances
were now deemed low enough--eleven guineas--which at one period I would
have considered an immense sum. So sanguine had a few hours made me,
that I looked upon it only as so many pence. From this period I date a
complete revolution in my train of thoughts. Formerly I had cared but
for the passing hour, nor heeded for to-morrow. My early education had,
until now, clung to me in all my vicissitudes, being ever the outcast
orphan boy, who, his belly full, his back warm, had nothing further to
obtain. My contentment was now gone. But to proceed:--
For a few days I was forced to keep at home, until the marks of my Tower
Hill affray had disappeared; during which, urged by my new passion
(pride), I got myself equipped in the extreme of fashion. I now smile at
my folly, when I look back to these few weeks in which I was swayed by
it. But no young lady, getting her first ball-dress, was ever more
fidgety or hard to please than John Square. The lieutenant was pleased
to see me ape the gentleman; for he really looked upon me as such, and
paid me every deference, as the son of his master. The money he had
saved while in Ceylon he counted as mutual; nor would he allow me to
expend one farthing of my own. We both were now anxious to proceed to
Edinburgh, and embarked in the first trader bound for Leith. This voyage
was the most pleasant I had ever made; I was in fairyland, and the
lieutenant not far behind me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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