robert falconer-第9章

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'He's　nae　amo'　your　feet；　MacGregor；'　said　the　banker。　'Ye　micht

jist　lat　him　lie。'



'Gin　I　had　him　doon；　faith　gin　I　wadna　lat　him　lie！　　I'll　jist　tell

ye　ae　thing；　gentlemen；　that　cam'　to　my　knowledge　no　a　hunner　year

ago。　　An'　it's　a'　as　true　's　gospel；　though　I　hae　aye　held　my　tongue

aboot　it　till　this　verra　nicht。　　Ay！　ye'll　a'　hearken　noo；　but　it's

no　lauchin'；　though　there　was　sculduddery　eneuch；　nae　doobt；　afore

it　cam'　that　len'th。　　And　mony　a　het　drap　did　the　puir　lassie　greet；

I　can　tell　ye。　　Faith！　it　was　no　lauchin'　to　her。　　She　was　a　servan'

o'　oors；　an'　a　ticht　bonnie　lass　she　was。　　They　ca'd　her　the

weyver's　bonny　Marythat's　the　name　she　gaed　by。　　Weel；　ye　see'



MacGregor　was　interrupted　by　a　sound　from　the　further　end　of　the

room。　　The　stranger；　whom　most　of　them　had　by　this　time　forgotten；

had　risen；　and　was　approaching　the　table　where　they　sat。



'Guid　guide　us！'　interrupted　several　under　their　breaths；　as　all

rose；　'it's　Lord　Sandy　himsel'！'



'I　thank　you；　gentleman；'　he　said；　with　a　mixture　of　irony　and

contempt；　'for　the　interest　you　take　in　my　private　history。　　I

should　have　thought　it　had　been　as　little　to　the　taste　as　it　is　to

the　honour　of　some　of　you　to　listen　to　such　a　farrago　of　lies。'



'Lees！　my　lord；'　said　MacGregor；　starting　to　his　feet。　　Mr。　Cocker

looked　dismayed；　and　Mr。　Lammie　sheepishall　of　them　dazed　and

dumbfoundered；　except　the　old　weaver；　who；　as　his　lordship　turned　to

leave　the　room；　added：



'Lang　lugs　（ears）　suld　be　made　o'　leather；　my　lord；　for　fear　they

grow　het　wi'　what　they　hear。'



Lord　Rothie　turned　in　a　rage。　　He　too　had　been　drinking。



'Kick　that　toad　into　the　street；　or；　by　heaven！　it's　the　last　drop

any　of　you　drink　in　this　house！'　he　cried。



'The　taed　may　tell　the　poddock　（frog）　what　the　rottan　（rat）　did　i'

the　taed's　hole；　my　lord；'　said　MacGregor；　whom　independence；

honesty；　bile；　and　drink　combined　to　render　fearless。



Lord　Sandy　left　the　room　without　another　word。　　His　factor　took　his

hat　and　followed　him。　　The　rest　dropped　into　their　seats　in　silence。

Mr。　Lammie　was　the　first　to　speak。



'There's　a　pliskie！'　he　said。



'I　cud　jist　say　the　word　efter　auld　Simeon；'　said　MacGregor。



'I　never　thocht　to　be　sae　favoured！　　Eh！　but　I　hae　langed；　and　noo　I

hae　spoken！'　with　which　words　he　sat　down；　contented。



When　Mr。　Cocker　overtook　his　master；　as　MacGregor　had　not　unfitly

styled　him；　he　only　got　a　damning　for　his　pains；　and　went　home

considerably　crestfallen。



Lord　Rothie　returned　to　the　landlady　in　her　parlour。



'What's　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　my　lord？　　What's　vexed　ye？'　asked　Miss

Napier；　with　a　twinkle　in　her　eyes；　for　she　thought；　from　the

baron's　mortification；　he　must　have　received　some　rebuff；　and　now

that　the　bonnie　leddy　was　safe　at　Captain　Forsyth's；　enjoyed　the

idea　of　it。



'Ye　keep　an　ill…tongued　hoose；　Miss　Naper；'　answered　his　lordship。



Miss　Napier　guessed　at　the　truth　at　oncethat　he　had　overheard　some

free　remarks　on　his　well…known　licence　of　behaviour。



'Weel；　my　lord；　I　do　my　best。　　A　body　canna　keep　an　inn　and　speir

the　carritchis　（catechism）　at　the　door　o'　't。　　But　I　believe　ye're

i'　the　richt；　my　lord；　for　I　heard　an　awfu'　aff…gang　o'　sweirin'　i'

the　yard；　jist　afore　yer　lordship　cam'　in。　　An'　noo'　'at　I　think　o'

't；　it　wasna　that　onlike　yer　lordship's　ain　word。'



Lord　Sandy　broke　into　a　loud　laugh。　　He　could　enjoy　a　joke　against

himself　when　it　came　from　a　woman；　and　was　founded　on　such　a　trifle

as　a　personal　vice。



'I　think　I'll　go　to　bed；'　he　said　when　his　laugh　was　over。　'I

believe　it's　the　only　safe　place　from　your　tongue；　Miss　Naper。'



'Letty；'　cried　Miss　Napier；　'fess　a　can'le；　and　show　his　lordship　to

the　reid　room。'



Till　Miss　Letty　appeared；　the　baron　sat　and　stretched　himself。　　He

then　rose　and　followed　her　into　the　archway；　and　up　an　outside　stair

to　a　door　which　opened　immediately　upon　a　handsome　old…fashioned

room；　where　a　blazing　fire　lighted　up　the　red　hangings。　　Miss　Letty

set　down　the　candle；　and　bidding　his　lordship　good　night；　turned　and

left　the　room；　shutting　the　door；　and　locking　it　behind　hera

proceeding　of　which　his　lordship　took　no　notice；　for；　however

especially　suitable　it　might　be　in　his　case；　it　was　only；　from

whatever　ancient　source　derived；　the　custom　of　the　house　in　regard

to　this　particular　room　and　a　corresponding　chamber　on　the　opposite

side　of　the　archway。



Meantime　the　consternation　amongst　the　members　of　the　club　was　not

so　great　as　not　to　be　talked　over；　or　to　prevent　the　call　for　more

whisky　and　hot　water。　　All　but　MacGregor；　however；　regretted　what

had　occurred。　　He　was　so　elevated　with　his　victory　and　a　sense　of

courage　and　prowess；　that　he　became　more　and　more　facetious　and

overbearing。



'It's　all　very　well　for　you；　Mr。　MacGregor；'　said　the　dominie；　with

dignity：　'you　have　nothing　to　lose。'



'Troth！　he　canna　brak　the　bankeh；　Mr。　Tamson？'



'He　may　give　me　a　hint　to　make　you　withdraw　your　money；　though；　Mr。

MacGregor。'



'De'il　care　gin　I　do！'　returned　the　weaver。　'I　can　mak'　better　o'　't

ony　day。'



'But　there's　yer　hoose　an'　kailyard；'　suggested　Peddie。



'They're　ma　ain！a'　ma　ain！　　He　canna　lay　's　finger　on　onything　o'

mine　but　my　servan'　lass；'　cried　the　weaver；　slapping　his

thigh…bonefor　there　was　little　else　to　slap。



Meg；　at　the　moment；　was　taking　her　exit…glance。　　She　went　straight

to　Miss　Napier。



'Willie　MacGregor's　had　eneuch；　mem；　an'　a　drappy　ower。'



'Sen'　Caumill　doon　to　Mrs。　MacGregor　to　say　wi'　my　compliments　that

she　wad　do　weel　to　sen'　for　him；'　was　the　response。



Meantime　he　grew　more　than　troublesome。　　Ever　on　the　outlook；　when

sober；　after　the　foibles　of　others；　he　laid　himself　open　to　endless

ridicule　when　in　drink；　which；　to　tell　the　truth；　was　a　rare

occurrence。　　He　was　in　the　midst　of　a　prophetic　denunciation　of　the

vices　of　the　nobility；　and　especially　of　Lord　Rothie；　when　Meg；

entering　the　room；　went　quietly　behind　his　chair　and　whispered：



'Maister　MacGregor；　there's　a　lassie　come　for　ye。'



'I'm　nae　in；'　he　answered；　magnificently。



'But　it's　the　mistress　'at's　sent　for　ye。　　Somebody's　wantin'　ye。'



'Somebody　maun　want　me；　than。As　I　was　sayin'；　Mr。　Cheerman　and

gentlemen'



'Mistress　MacGregor　'll　be　efter　ye　hersel'；　gin　ye　dinna　gang；'

said　Meg。



'Let　her　come。　　Duv　ye　think　I'm　fleyt　at　her？　　De'il　a　step　'll　I

gang　till　I　please。　　Tell　her　that；　Meg。'



Meg　left　the　room；　with　a　broad　grin　on　her　good…humoured　face。



'What's　the　bitch　lauchin'　at？'　exclaimed　MacGregor；　starting　to　his

feet。



The　whole　company　rose　likewise；　using　their　endeavour　to　persuade

him　to　go　home。



'Duv　ye　think　I'm　drunk；　sirs？　　I'll　lat　ye　ken　I'm　no　drunk。　　I　hae

a　wull　o'　mine　ain　yet。　　Am　I　to　gang　hame　wi'　a　lassie　to　haud　me

oot　o'　the　gutters？　　Gin　ye　daur　to　alloo　that　I'm　drunk；　ye　ken　hoo

ye'll　fare；　for　de'il　a　fit　'll　I　gang　oot　o'　this　till　I　hae

anither　tum'ler。'



'I'm　thinkin'　there's　mair　o'　's　jist　want　ane　mair；'　said　Peddie。



A　confirmatory　murmur　arose　as　each　looked　into　the　bottom　of　his

tumbler；　and　the　bell　was　instantly　rung。　　But　it　only　brought　Meg

back　with　the　message　that　it　was　time　for　them　all　to　go　home。

Every　eye　turned　upon　MacGregor　reproachfully。



'Ye　needna　luik　at　me　that　gait；　sirs。　　I'm　no　fou；'　said　he。



''Deed　no。　　Naebody　taks　ye　to　be；'　answered　the　chairman。　'Meggie；

there's　naebody's　had　ower　muckle　yet；　and　twa　or　three　o'　's　hasna

had　freely　eneuch。　　Jist　gang　an'　fess　a　mutchkin　mair。　　An'

there'll　be　a　shillin'　to　yersel'；　lass。'



Meg　retired；　but　straightway　returned。



'Miss　Naper　says　there's　no　a　drap　mair　drink　to　be　had　i'　this

hoose　the　nicht。'



'Here；　Meggie；'　said　the　chairman；　'there's　yer　shillin'；　and　ye

jist　gang　to　Miss　Lettie；　and　gie　her　my　compliments；　and　say　that

Mr。　Lammie's　here；　and　we　haena　seen　h