at once; and mopping at his brow, "They're a real
bonny folk, the French nation," says he.
* * * * *
CONCLUSION
No sooner were we safe within the walls of Dunkirk than we held a very
necessary council-of-war on our position. We had taken a daughter from
her father at the sword's point; any judge would give her back to him at
once, and by all likelihood clap me and Alan into jail; and though we
had an argument upon our side in Captain Palisser's letter, neither
Catriona nor I were very keen to be using it in public. Upon all
accounts it seemed the most prudent to carry the girl to Paris to the
hands of her own chieftain, Macgregor of Bohaldie, who would be very
willing to help his kinswoman, on the one hand, and not at all anxious
to dishonour James upon the other.
We made but a slow journey of it up, for Catriona was not so good at the
riding as the running, and had scarce sat in a saddle since the
'Forty-five. But we made it out at last, reached Paris early of a
Sabbath morning, and made all speed, under Alan's guidance, to find
Bohaldie. He was finely lodged, and lived in a good style, having a
pension in the Scots Fund, as well as private means; greeted Catriona
like one of his own house, and seemed altogether very civil and
discreet, but not particularly open. We asked of the news of James More.
"Poor James!" said he, and shook his head and smiled, so that I thought
he knew further than he meant to tell. Then we showed him Palisser's
letter, and he drew a long face at that.
"Poor James!" said he again. "Well, there are worse folk than James
More, too. But this is dreadful bad. Tut, tut, he must have forgot
himself entirely! This is a most undesirable letter. But, for all that,
gentlemen, I cannot see what we would want to make it public for. It's
an ill bird that fouls his own nest, and we are all Scots folk and all
Hieland."
Upon this we were all agreed, save perhaps Alan; and still more upon the
question of our marriage, which Bohaldie took in his own hands, as
though there had been no such person as James More, and gave Catriona
away with very pretty manners and agreeable compliments in French. It
was not till all was over, and our healths drunk, that he told us James
was in that city, whither he had preceded us some days, and where he now
lay sick, and like to die. I thought I saw by my wife's face what way
her inclination pointed.
"And let us go see him, th
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