Presently they hear disputation and the
sound of blows inside. Out flies the cobbler, his coat flying, the
flaps of his hat beat about his face, and the lieutenant and his
soldiers mock at him as he runs off. They laughed no so hearty the
next time they had occasion to visit the cell and found nobody but
a tall, pretty, grey-eyed lass in the female habit! As for the
cobbler, he was 'over the hills ayout Dumblane,' and it's thought
that poor Scotland will have to console herself without him. I
drank Catriona's health this night in public.
Indeed, the whole town admires her; and I think the beaux would
wear bits of her garters in their button-holes if they could only
get them. I would have gone to visit her in prison too, only I
remembered in time I was papa's daughter; so I wrote her a billet
instead, which I entrusted to the faithful Doig, and I hope you
will admit I can be political when I please. The same faithful
gomeral is to despatch this letter by the express along with those
of the wiseacres, so that you may hear Tom Fool in company with
Solomon. Talking of GOMERALS, do tell DAUVIT BALFOUR. I would I
could see the face of him at the thought of a long-legged lass in
such a predicament; to say nothing of the levities of your
affectionate daughter, and his respectful friend.' So my rascal
signs herself!" continued Prestongrange. "And you see, Mr. David,
it is quite true what I tell you, that my daughters regard you with
the most affectionate playfulness."
"The gomeral is much obliged," said I.
"And was not this prettily done!" he went on. "Is not this
Highland maid a piece of a heroine?"
"I was always sure she had a great heart," said I. "And I wager
she guessed nothing . . . But I beg your pardon, this is to tread
upon forbidden subjects."
"I will go bail she did not," he returned, quite openly. "I will
go bail she thought she was flying straight into King George's
face."
Remembrance of Catriona and the thought of her lying in captivity,
moved me strangely. I could see that even Prestongrange admired,
and could not withhold his lips from smiling when he considered her
behaviour. As for Miss Grant, for all her ill habit of mockery,
her admiration shone out plain. A kind of a heat came on me.
"I am not your lordship's daughter. . . " I began.
"That I know of!" he put in, smiling.
"I speak like a fool," said I; "or rather I began wrong. It would
doubtless be unwise in Mistress Grant to go to her in prison; but
for me, I think I would look like a half-hearted friend if I did
not fly there instantly."
"So-ho, Mr. David," says he; "I thought that you and I were in a
bargain?"
"My lord," I said, "when I made that bargain I was a good deal
affected by your goodness, but I'll never can deny that I was moved
besides by my own interest. There was self-seeking in my heart,
and I think shame of it now. It may be for your lordship's safety
to say this fashious Davie Balfour is your friend and housemate.
Say it then; I'll never contradict you. But as for your patronage,
I give it all back. I ask but the one thing--let me go, and give
me a pass to see her in her prison."
He looked at me with a hard eye. "You put the cart before the
horse, I think," says he. "That which I had given was a portion of
my liking, which your thankless nature does not seem to have
remarked. But for my patronage, it is not given, nor (to be exact)
is it yet offered." He paused a bit. "And I warn you, you do not
know yourself," he added. "Youth is a hasty season; you will think
better of all this before a year."
"Well, and I would like to be that kind of youth!" I cried. "I
have seen too much of the other party in these young advocates that
fawn upon your lordship and are even at the pains to fawn on me.
And I have seen it in the old ones also. They are all for by-ends,
the whole clan of them! It's this that makes me seem to misdoubt
your lordship's liking.