Guy Mannering [173]
think now, Sir Robert, with great submission, that this matter may be closed. One of the constables, besides the pregnant proof already produced, offers to make oath, that the sword of which the prisoner was this morning deprived (while using it, by the way, in resistance to a legal warrant) was a cutlass taken from him in a fray between the officers and smugglers, just previous to their attack upon Woodbourne. And yet," he added, "I would not have you form any rash construction upon that subject; perhaps the young man can explain how he came by that weapon."
"That question, sir," said Bertram, "I shall also leave unanswered."
"There is yet another circumstance to be inquired into, always under Sir Robert's leave," insinuated Glossin. "This prisoner put into the hands of Mrs. Mac-Candlish of Kippletringan a parcel containing a variety of gold coins and valuable articles of different kinds. Perhaps, Sir Robert, you might think it right to ask, how he came by property of a description which seldom occurs?"
"You, sir, Mr, Vanbeest Brown, sir, you hear the question, sir, which the gentleman asks you?"
"I have particular reasons for declining to answer that question," answered Bertram.
"Then I am afraid, sir," said Glossin, who had brought matters to the point he desired to reach, "our duty must lay us under the necessity to sign a warrant of committal."
"As you please, sir," answered Bertram; "take care, however, what you do. Observe that I inform you that I am a captain in his Majesty's--regiment, and that I am just returned from India, and therefore cannot possibly be connected with any of those contraband traders you talk of; that my Lieutenant-Colonel is now at Nottingham, the Major, with the officers of my corps, at Kingston-upon-Thames. I offer before you both to submit to any degree of ignominy, if, within the return of the Kingston and Nottingham posts, I am not able to establish these points. Or you may write to the agent for the regiment, if you please, and--"
"This is all very well," said Glossin, beginning to fear lest the firm expostulation of Bertram should make some impression on Sir Robert, who would almost have died of shame at committing such a solecism as sending a captain of horse to jail--"This is all very well, sir; but is there no person nearer whom you could refer to?"
"There are only two persons in this country who know anything of me," replied the prisoner. "One is a plain Liddesdale sheep-farmer, called Dinmont of Charlies-hope; but he knows nothing more of me than what I told him, and what I now tell you."
"Why, this is well enough, Sir Robert!" said Glossin, "I suppose he would bring forward this thick-skulled fellow to give his oath of credulity, Sir Robert, ha, ha, ha!"
"And what is your other witness, friend?" said the Baronet.
"A gentleman whom I have some reluctance to mention, because of certain private reasons; but under whose command I served some time in India, and who is too much a man of honour to refuse his testimony to my character as a soldier and gentleman."
"And who is this doughty witness, pray, sir?" said Sir Robert,--"some half-pay quarter-master or sergeant, I suppose?"
"Colonel Guy Mannering, late of tile--regiment, in which, as I told you, I have a troop."
"Colonel Guy Mannering!" thought Glossin,--"who the devil could have guessed this?"
"Colonel Guy Mannering!" echoed the Baronet, considerably shaken in his opinion,--"My good sir,"--apart to Glossin, "the young man with a dreadfully plebeian name, and a good deal of modest assurance, has nevertheless something of the tone, and manners, and feeling of a gentleman, of one at least who has lived in good society--they do give commissions very loosely, and carelessly, and inaccurately, in India--I think we had better pause till Colonel Mannering shall return; he is now, I believe, at Edinburgh."
"You are in every respect the best judge, Sir Robert," answered Glossin, "in every possible respect. I would only submit to you, that we are certainly hardly entitled to dismiss this man upon
"That question, sir," said Bertram, "I shall also leave unanswered."
"There is yet another circumstance to be inquired into, always under Sir Robert's leave," insinuated Glossin. "This prisoner put into the hands of Mrs. Mac-Candlish of Kippletringan a parcel containing a variety of gold coins and valuable articles of different kinds. Perhaps, Sir Robert, you might think it right to ask, how he came by property of a description which seldom occurs?"
"You, sir, Mr, Vanbeest Brown, sir, you hear the question, sir, which the gentleman asks you?"
"I have particular reasons for declining to answer that question," answered Bertram.
"Then I am afraid, sir," said Glossin, who had brought matters to the point he desired to reach, "our duty must lay us under the necessity to sign a warrant of committal."
"As you please, sir," answered Bertram; "take care, however, what you do. Observe that I inform you that I am a captain in his Majesty's--regiment, and that I am just returned from India, and therefore cannot possibly be connected with any of those contraband traders you talk of; that my Lieutenant-Colonel is now at Nottingham, the Major, with the officers of my corps, at Kingston-upon-Thames. I offer before you both to submit to any degree of ignominy, if, within the return of the Kingston and Nottingham posts, I am not able to establish these points. Or you may write to the agent for the regiment, if you please, and--"
"This is all very well," said Glossin, beginning to fear lest the firm expostulation of Bertram should make some impression on Sir Robert, who would almost have died of shame at committing such a solecism as sending a captain of horse to jail--"This is all very well, sir; but is there no person nearer whom you could refer to?"
"There are only two persons in this country who know anything of me," replied the prisoner. "One is a plain Liddesdale sheep-farmer, called Dinmont of Charlies-hope; but he knows nothing more of me than what I told him, and what I now tell you."
"Why, this is well enough, Sir Robert!" said Glossin, "I suppose he would bring forward this thick-skulled fellow to give his oath of credulity, Sir Robert, ha, ha, ha!"
"And what is your other witness, friend?" said the Baronet.
"A gentleman whom I have some reluctance to mention, because of certain private reasons; but under whose command I served some time in India, and who is too much a man of honour to refuse his testimony to my character as a soldier and gentleman."
"And who is this doughty witness, pray, sir?" said Sir Robert,--"some half-pay quarter-master or sergeant, I suppose?"
"Colonel Guy Mannering, late of tile--regiment, in which, as I told you, I have a troop."
"Colonel Guy Mannering!" thought Glossin,--"who the devil could have guessed this?"
"Colonel Guy Mannering!" echoed the Baronet, considerably shaken in his opinion,--"My good sir,"--apart to Glossin, "the young man with a dreadfully plebeian name, and a good deal of modest assurance, has nevertheless something of the tone, and manners, and feeling of a gentleman, of one at least who has lived in good society--they do give commissions very loosely, and carelessly, and inaccurately, in India--I think we had better pause till Colonel Mannering shall return; he is now, I believe, at Edinburgh."
"You are in every respect the best judge, Sir Robert," answered Glossin, "in every possible respect. I would only submit to you, that we are certainly hardly entitled to dismiss this man upon