FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   >>  
ot hate you so much as I scorn and pity you. What you have now done may be the work of an hour, but will furnish you with reflection for your life--of what nature I leave to your own conscience, which will not slumber for ever." Rashleigh strode once or twice through the room, came up to the side-table, on which wine was still standing, and poured out a large glass with a trembling hand; but when he saw that we observed his tremor, he suppressed it by a strong effort, and, looking at us with fixed and daring composure, carried the bumper to his head without spilling a drop. "It is my father's old burgundy," he said, looking to Jobson; "I am glad there is some of it left.--You will get proper persons to take care of old butler, and that foolish Scotch rascal. Meanwhile we will convey these persons to a more proper place of custody. I have provided the old family coach for your convenience," he said, "though I am not ignorant that even the lady could brave the night-air on foot or on horseback, were the errand more to her mind." Andrew wrung his hands.--"I only said that my master was surely speaking to a ghaist in the library--and the villain Lancie to betray an auld friend, that sang aff the same Psalm-book wi' him every Sabbath for twenty years!" He was turned out of the house, together with Syddall, without being allowed to conclude his lamentation. His expulsion, however, led to some singular consequences. Resolving, according to his own story, to go down for the night where Mother Simpson would give him a lodging for old acquaintance' sake, he had just got clear of the avenue, and into the old wood, as it was called, though it was now used as a pasture-ground rather than woodland, when he suddenly lighted on a drove of Scotch cattle, which were lying there to repose themselves after the day's journey. At this Andrew was in no way surprised, it being the well-known custom of his countrymen, who take care of those droves, to quarter themselves after night upon the best unenclosed grass-ground they can find, and depart before day-break to escape paying for their night's lodgings. But he was both surprised and startled, when a Highlander, springing up, accused him of disturbing the cattle, and refused him to pass forward till he had spoken to his master. The mountaineer conducted Andrew into a thicket, where he found three or four more of his countrymen. "And," said Andrew, "I saw sune they were ower mony men for t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   >>  



Top keywords:

Andrew

 

countrymen

 

ground

 

surprised

 
proper
 

cattle

 

persons

 

Scotch

 
master
 

woodland


suddenly
 
expulsion
 

lighted

 

conclude

 

turned

 

Syddall

 

lamentation

 

allowed

 

pasture

 

acquaintance


lodging
 

Mother

 

Simpson

 

called

 

consequences

 

Resolving

 
avenue
 
singular
 

refused

 
forward

spoken

 

disturbing

 
accused
 

startled

 

Highlander

 
springing
 
mountaineer
 

conducted

 

thicket

 

lodgings


custom

 

droves

 

journey

 
twenty
 

quarter

 
escape
 

paying

 

depart

 

unenclosed

 
repose