Catriona

Page 80

She threw up her chin and made a step and a cry at me, so that I

fell back incontinent.

"Out upon your leeing throat!" she cried. "What! ye come and speir

at me! She's in jyle, whaur ye took her to--that's all there is to

it. And of a' the beings ever I beheld in breeks, to think it

should be to you! Ye timmer scoun'rel, if I had a male left to my

name I would have your jaicket dustit till ye raired."

I thought it not good to delay longer in that place, because I

remarked her passion to be rising. As I turned to the horse-post

she even followed me; and I make no shame to confess that I rode

away with the one stirrup on and scrambling for the other.

As I knew no other quarter where I could push my inquiries, there

was nothing left me but to return to the Advocate's. I was well

received by the four ladies, who were now in company together, and

must give the news of Prestongrange and what word went in the west

country, at the most inordinate length and with great weariness to

myself; while all the time that young lady, with whom I so much

desired to be alone again, observed me quizzically and seemed to

find pleasure in the sight of my impatience. At last, after I had

endured a meal with them, and was come very near the point of

appealing for an interview before her aunt, she went and stood by

the music-case, and picking out a tune, sang to it on a high key--

"He that will not when he may, When he will he shall have nay."

But this was the end of her rigours, and presently, after making

some excuse of which I have no mind, she carried me away in private

to her father's library. I should not fail to say she was dressed

to the nines, and appeared extraordinary handsome.

"Now, Mr. David, sit ye down here and let us have a two-handed

crack," said she. "For I have much to tell you, and it appears

besides that I have been grossly unjust to your good taste."

"In what manner, Mistress Grant?" I asked. "I trust I have never

seemed to fail in due respect."

"I will be your surety, Mr, David," said she. "Your respect,

whether to yourself or your poor neighbours, has been always and

most fortunately beyond imitation. But that is by the question.

You got a note from me?" she asked.

"I was so bold as to suppose so upon inference," said I, "and it

was kindly thought upon."

"It must have prodigiously surprised you," said she. "But let us

begin with the beginning. You have not perhaps forgot a day when

you were so kind as to escort three very tedious misses to Hope

Park? I have the less cause to forget it myself, because you was

so particular obliging as to introduce me to some of the principles

of the Latin grammar, a thing which wrote itself profoundly on my

gratitude."

"I fear I was sadly pedantical," said I, overcome with confusion at

the memory. "You are only to consider I am quite unused with the

society of ladies."

"I will say the less about the grammar then," she replied. "But

how came you to desert your charge? 'He has thrown her out,

overboard, his ain dear Annie!'" she hummed; "and his ain dear

Annie and her two sisters had to taigle home by theirselves like a

string of green geese! It seems you returned to my papa's, where

you showed yourself excessively martial, and then on to realms

unknown, with an eye (it appears) to the Bass Rock; solan geese

being perhaps more to your mind than bonny lasses."

Through all this raillery there was something indulgent in the

lady's eye which made me suppose there might be better coming.

"You take a pleasure to torment me," said I, "and I make a very

feckless plaything; but let me ask you to be more merciful. At

this time there is but the one thing that I care to hear of, and

that will be news of Catriona."

"Do you call her by that name to her face, Mr. Balfour?" she asked.

"In troth, and I am not very sure," I stammered.

"I would not do so in any case to strangers," said Miss Grant.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Classic Literature Library

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