Catriona

Page 101

But

the trouble is how to dispose of you until your father come. I

thought last night you seemed a little sweir to part from me?"

"It will be more than seeming then," said she.

"You are a very young maid," said I, "and I am but a very young

callant. This is a great piece of difficulty. What way are we to

manage? Unless indeed, you could pass to be my sister?"

"And what for no?" said she, "if you would let me!"

"I wish you were so, indeed," I cried. "I would be a fine man if I

had such a sister. But the rub is that you are Catriona Drummond."

"And now I will be Catriona Balfour," she said. "And who is to

ken? They are all strange folk here."

"If you think that it would do," says I. "I own it troubles me. I

would like it very ill, if I advised you at all wrong."

"David, I have no friend here but you," she said.

"The mere truth is, I am too young to be your friend," said I. "I

am too young to advise you, or you to be advised. I see not what

else we are to do, and yet I ought to warn you."

"I will have no choice left," said she. "My father James More has

not used me very well, and it is not the first time, I am cast upon

your hands like a sack of barley meal, and have nothing else to

think of but your pleasure. If you will have me, good and well.

If you will not"--she turned and touched her hand upon my arm--

"David, I am afraid," said she.

"No, but I ought to warn you," I began; and then bethought me I was

the bearer of the purse, and it would never do to seem too

churlish. "Catriona," said I, "don't misunderstand me: I am just

trying to do my duty by you, girl! Here am I going alone to this

strange city, to be a solitary student there; and here is this

chance arisen that you might dwell with me a bit, and be like my

sister; you can surely understand this much, my dear, that I would

just love to have you?"

"Well, and here I am," said she. "So that's soon settled."

I know I was in duty bounden to have spoke more plain. I know this

was a great blot on my character, for which I was lucky that I did

not pay more dear. But I minded how easy her delicacy had been

startled with a word of kissing her in Barbara's letter; now that

she depended on me, how was I to be more bold? Besides, the truth

is, I could see no other feasible method to dispose of her. And I

daresay inclination pulled me very strong.

A little beyond the Hague she fell very lame and made the rest of

the distance heavily enough. Twice she must rest by the wayside,

which she did with pretty apologies, calling herself a shame to the

Highlands and the race she came of, and nothing but a hindrance to

myself. It was her excuse, she said, that she was not much used

with walking shod. I would have had her strip off her shoes and

stockings and go barefoot. But she pointed out to me that the

women of that country, even in the landward roads, appeared to be

all shod.

"I must not be disgracing my brother," said she, and was very merry

with it all, although her face told tales of her.

There is a garden in that city we were bound to, sanded below with

clean sand, the trees meeting overhead, some of them trimmed, some

preached, and the whole place beautified with alleys and arbours.

Here I left Catriona, and went forward by myself to find my

correspondent. There I drew on my credit, and asked to be

recommended to some decent, retired lodging. My baggage being not

yet arrived, I told him I supposed I should require his caution

with the people of the house; and explained that, my sister being

come for a while to keep house with me, I should be wanting two

chambers. This was all very well; but the trouble was that Mr.

Balfour in his letter of recommendation had condescended on a great

deal of particulars, and never a word of any sister in the case. I

could see my Dutchman was extremely suspicious; and viewing me over

the rims of a great pair of spectacles--he was a poor, frail body,

and reminded me of an infirm rabbit--he began to question me close.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Classic Literature Library

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