It was the more easy to be put off, because Alan and I were pretty
weary with four day's ride, and sat not very late after Catriona.
We were soon alone in a chamber where we were to make-shift with a
single bed. Alan looked on me with a queer smile.
"Ye muckle ass!" said he.
"What do ye mean by that?" I cried.
"Mean? What do I mean! It's extraordinar, David man," say he,
"that you should be so mortal stupit."
Again I begged him to speak out.
"Well, it's this of it," said he. "I told ye there were the two
kinds of women--them that would sell their shifts for ye, and the
others. Just you try for yoursel, my bonny man! But what's that
neepkin at your craig?"
I told him.
"I thocht it was something thereabout" said he.
Nor would he say another word though I besieged him long with
importunities.
CHAPTER XXX--THE LETTER FROM THE SHIP
Daylight showed us how solitary the inn stood. It was plainly hard
upon the sea, yet out of all view of it, and beset on every side
with scabbit hills of sand. There was, indeed, only one thing in
the nature of a prospect, where there stood out over a brae the two
sails of a windmill, like an ass's ears, but with the ass quite
hidden. It was strange (after the wind rose, for at first it was
dead calm) to see the turning and following of each other of these
great sails behind the hillock. Scarce any road came by there; but
a number of footways travelled among the bents in all directions up
to Mr. Bazin's door. The truth is, he was a man of many trades,
not any one of them honest, and the position of his inn was the
best of his livelihood. Smugglers frequented it; political agents
and forfeited persons bound across the water came there to await
their passages; and I daresay there was worse behind, for a whole
family might have been butchered in that house and nobody the
wiser.
I slept little and ill. Long ere it was day, I had slipped from
beside my bedfellow, and was warming myself at the fire or walking
to and fro before the door. Dawn broke mighty sullen; but a little
after, sprang up a wind out of the west, which burst the clouds,
let through the sun, and set the mill to the turning. There was
something of spring in the sunshine, or else it was in my heart;
and the appearing of the great sails one after another from behind
the hill, diverted me extremely. At times I could hear a creak of
the machinery; and by half-past eight of the day, and I thought
this dreary, desert place was like a paradise.
For all which, as the day drew on and nobody came near, I began to
be aware of an uneasiness that I could scarce explain. It seemed
there was trouble afoot; the sails of the windmill, as they came up
and went down over the hill, were like persons spying; and outside
of all fancy, it was surely a strange neighbourhood and house for a
young lady to be brought to dwell in.
At breakfast, which we took late, it was manifest that James More
was in some danger or perplexity; manifest that Alan was alive to
the same, and watched him close; and this appearance of duplicity
upon the one side, and vigilance upon the other, held me on live
coals. The meal was no sooner over than James seemed to come began
to make apologies. He had an appointment of a private nature in
the town (it was with the French nobleman, he told me), and we
would please excuse him till about noon. Meanwhile he carried his
daughter aside to the far end of the room, where he seemed to speak
rather earnestly and she to listen with much inclination.
"I am caring less and less about this man James," said Alan.
"There's something no right with the man James, and I shouldnae
wonder but what Alan Breck would give an eye to him this day. I
would like fine to see yon French nobleman, Davie; and I daresay
you could find an employ to yoursel, and that would be to speir at
the lassie for some news o' your affair.