Catriona

Page 64

I repeated this

form of words with a kind of bitter relish, and re-examined in that

light the steps of my behaviour. It seemed I had behaved to James

Stewart as a brother might; all the past was a picture that I could

be proud of, and there was only the present to consider. I could

not swim the sea, nor yet fly in the air, but there was always

Andie. I had done him a service, he liked me; I had a lever there

to work on; if it were just for decency, I must try once more with

Andie.

It was late afternoon; there was no sound in all the Bass but the

lap and bubble of a very quiet sea; and my four companions were all

crept apart, the three Macgregors higher on the rock, and Andie

with his Bible to a sunny place among the ruins; there I found him

in deep sleep, and, as soon as he was awake, appealed to him with

some fervour of manner and a good show of argument.

"If I thoucht it was to do guid to ye, Shaws!" said he, staring at

me over his spectacles.

"It's to save another," said I, "and to redeem my word. What would

be more good than that? Do ye no mind the scripture, Andie? And

you with the Book upon your lap! WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE

GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD?"

"Ay," said he, "that's grand for you. But where do I come in! I

have my word to redeem the same's yoursel'. And what are ye asking

me to do, but just to sell it ye for siller?"

"Andie! have I named the name of siller?" cried I.

"Ou, the name's naething", said he; "the thing is there, whatever.

It just comes to this; if I am to service ye the way that you

propose, I'll lose my lifelihood. Then it's clear ye'll have to

make it up to me, and a pickle mair, for your ain credit like. And

what's that but just a bribe? And if even I was certain of the

bribe! But by a' that I can learn, it's far frae that; and if YOU

were to hang, where would _I_ be? Na: the thing's no possible.

And just awa' wi' ye like a bonny lad! and let Andie read his

chapter."

I remember I was at bottom a good deal gratified with this result;

and the next humour I fell into was one (I had near said) of

gratitude to Prestongrange, who had saved me, in this violent,

illegal manner, out of the midst of my dangers, temptations, and

perplexities. But this was both too flimsy and too cowardly to

last me long, and the remembrance of James began to succeed to the

possession of my spirits. The 21st, the day set for the trial, I

passed in such misery of mind as I can scarce recall to have

endured, save perhaps upon Isle Earraid only. Much of the time I

lay on a brae-side betwixt sleep and waking, my body motionless, my

mind full of violent thoughts. Sometimes I slept indeed; but the

court-house of Inverary and the prisoner glancing on all sides to

find his missing witness, followed me in slumber; and I would wake

again with a start to darkness of spirit and distress of body. I

thought Andie seemed to observe me, but I paid him little heed.

Verily, my bread was bitter to me, and my days a burthen.

Early the next morning (Friday, 22nd) a boat came with provisions,

and Andie placed a packet in my hand. The cover was without

address but sealed with a Government seal. It enclosed two notes.

"Mr. Balfour can now see for himself it is too late to meddle. His

conduct will be observed and his discretion rewarded." So ran the

first, which seemed to be laboriously writ with the left hand.

There was certainly nothing in these expressions to compromise the

writer, even if that person could be found; the seal, which

formidably served instead of signature, was affixed to a separate

sheet on which there was no scratch of writing; and I had to

confess that (so far) my adversaries knew what they were doing, and

to digest as well as I was able the threat that peeped under the

promise.

But the second enclosure was by far the more surprising. It was in

a lady's hand of writ. "MAISTER DAUVIT BALFOUR IS INFORMED A

FRIEND WAS SPEIRING FOR HIM AND HER EYES WERE OF THE GREY," it ran-

-and seemed so extraordinary a piece to come to my hands at such a

moment and under cover of a Government seal, that I stood stupid.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Classic Literature Library

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