"I will do all that you can ask of me," she said, "and never ask
you why. I have been a bad ungrateful girl to you; and do what you
please with me now! And I think Miss Barbara Grant is the best
lady in the world," she added, "and I do not see what she would
deny you for at all events."
This was Greek and Hebrew to me; but I had other matters to
consider, and the first of these was to get clear of that city on
the Leyden road. It proved a cruel problem; and it may have been
one or two at night ere we had solved it. Once beyond the houses,
there was neither moon nor stars to guide us; only the whiteness of
the way in the midst and a blackness of an alley on both hands.
The walking was besides made most extraordinary difficult by a
plain black frost that fell suddenly in the small hours and turned
that highway into one long slide.
"Well, Catriona," said I, "here we are like the king's sons and the
old wives' daughters in your daft-like Highland tales. Soon we'll
be going over the 'SEVEN BENS, THE SEVEN GLENS AND THE SEVEN
MOUNTAIN MOORS'." Which was a common byword or overcome in those
tales of hers that had stuck in my memory.
"Ah," says she, "but here are no glens or mountains! Though I will
never be denying but what the trees and some of the plain places
hereabouts are very pretty. But our country is the best yet."
"I wish we could say as much for our own folk," says I, recalling
Sprott and Sang, and perhaps James More himself.
"I will never complain of the country of my friend," said she, and
spoke it out with an accent so particular that I seemed to see the
look upon her face.
I caught in my breath sharp and came near falling (for my pains) on
the black ice.
"I do not know what YOU think, Catriona," said I, when I was a
little recovered, "but this has been the best day yet! I think
shame to say it, when you have met in with such misfortunes and
disfavours; but for me, it has been the best day yet."
"It was a good day when you showed me so much love," said she.
"And yet I think shame to be happy too," I went on, "and you here
on the road in the black night."
"Where in the great world would I be else?" she cried. "I am
thinking I am safest where I am with you."
"I am quite forgiven, then?" I asked.
"Will you not forgive me that time so much as not to take it in
your mouth again?" she cried. "There is nothing in this heart to
you but thanks. But I will be honest too," she added, with a kind
of suddenness, "and I'll never can forgive that girl."
"Is this Miss Grant again?" said I. "You said yourself she was the
best lady in the world."
"So she will be, indeed!" says Catriona. "But I will never forgive
her for all that. I will never, never forgive her, and let me hear
tell of her no more."
"Well," said I, "this beats all that ever came to my knowledge; and
I wonder that you can indulge yourself in such bairnly whims. Here
is a young lady that was the best friend in the world to the both
of us, that learned us how to dress ourselves, and in a great
manner how to behave, as anyone can see that knew us both before
and after."
But Catriona stopped square in the midst of the highway.
"It is this way of it," said she. "Either you will go on to speak
of her, and I will go back to yon town, and let come of it what God
pleases! Or else you will do me that politeness to talk of other
things."
I was the most nonplussed person in this world; but I bethought me
that she depended altogether on my help, that she was of the frail
sex and not so much beyond a child, and it was for me to be wise
for the pair of us.
"My dear girl," said I, "I can make neither head nor tails of this;
but God forbid that I should do anything to set you on the jee. As
for talking of Miss Grant, I have no such a mind to it, and I
believe it was yourself began it. My only design (if I took you up
at all) was for your own improvement, for I hate the very look of
injustice.