Catriona

Page 82

I think it was Catriona turned

your heart in my direction. She is too simple to perceive as you

do the stiffness of her friend."

"I would not like to wager upon that, Mr. David," said she. "The

lasses have clear eyes. But at least she is your friend entirely,

as I was to see. I carried her in to his lordship my papa; and his

Advocacy being in a favourable stage of claret, was so good as to

receive the pair of us. HERE IS GREY EYES THAT YOU HAVE BEEN

DEAVED WITH THESE DAYS PAST, said I, SHE IS COME TO PROVE THAT WE

SPOKE TRUE, AND I LAY THE PRETTIEST LASS IN THE THREE LOTHIANS AT

YOUR FEET--making a papistical reservation of myself. She suited

her action to my words: down she went upon her knees to him--I

would not like to swear but he saw two of her, which doubtless made

her appeal the more irresistible, for you are all a pack of

Mahomedans--told him what had passed that night, and how she had

withheld her father's man from following of you, and what a case

she was in about her father, and what a flutter for yourself; and

begged with weeping for the lives of both of you (neither of which

was in the slightest danger), till I vow I was proud of my sex

because it was done so pretty, and ashamed for it because of the

smallness of the occasion. She had not gone far, I assure you,

before the Advocate was wholly sober, to see his inmost politics

ravelled out by a young lass and discovered to the most unruly of

his daughters. But we took him in hand, the pair of us, and

brought that matter straight. Properly managed--and that means

managed by me--there is no one to compare with my papa."

"He has been a good man to me," said I.

"Well, he was a good man to Katrine, and I was there to see to it,"

said she.

"And she pled for me?" say I.

"She did that, and very movingly," said Miss Grant. "I would not

like to tell you what she said--I find you vain enough already."

"God reward her for it!" cried I.

"With Mr. David Balfour, I suppose?" says she.

"You do me too much injustice at the last!" I cried. "I would

tremble to think of her in such hard hands. Do you think I would

presume, because she begged my life? She would do that for a new

whelped puppy! I have had more than that to set me up, if you but

ken'd. She kissed that hand of mine. Ay, but she did. And why?

because she thought I was playing a brave part and might be going

to my death. It was not for my sake--but I need not be telling

that to you, that cannot look at me without laughter. It was for

the love of what she thought was bravery. I believe there is none

but me and poor Prince Charlie had that honour done them. Was this

not to make a god of me? and do you not think my heart would quake

when I remember it?"

"I do laugh at you a good deal, and a good deal more than is quite

civil," said she; "but I will tell you one thing: if you speak to

her like that, you have some glimmerings of a chance."

"Me?" I cried, "I would never dare. I can speak to you, Miss

Grant, because it's a matter of indifference what ye think of me.

But her? no fear!" said I.

"I think you have the largest feet in all broad Scotland," says

she.

"Troth they are no very small," said I, looking down.

"Ah, poor Catriona!" cries Miss Grant.

And I could but stare upon her; for though I now see very well what

she was driving at (and perhaps some justification for the same), I

was never swift at the uptake in such flimsy talk.

"Ah well, Mr. David," she said, "it goes sore against my

conscience, but I see I shall have to be your speaking board. She

shall know you came to her straight upon the news of her

imprisonment; she shall know you would not pause to eat; and of our

conversation she shall hear just so much as I think convenient for

a maid of her age and inexperience. Believe me, you will be in

that way much better served than you could serve yourself, for I

will keep the big feet out of the platter."

"You know where she is, then?" I exclaimed.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Classic Literature Library

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