Guy Mannering [51]
she tried to keep order within doors--but what could she do, poor thing so now they're out of house and hauld."
"Can you recollect, madam, about what time of the year the child was lost?" The landlady, after a pause, and some recollection, answered, "she was positive it was about this season and added some local recollections that fixed the date in her memory, as occurring about the beginning of November, 17-."
The stranger took two or three turns round the room in silence, but signed to Mrs. Mac-Candlish not to leave it.
Did I rightly apprehend," he said, "that the estate of Ellangowan is in the market?"
"In the market?--it will be sell'd the morn to the highest bidder--that's no the morn, Lord help me! which is the Sabbath, but on Monday, the first free day; and the furniture and stocking is to be roupit [*Auctioned] at the same time on the ground--it's the opinion of the haill country, that the sale has been shamefully forced on at this time, when there's sae little money stirring in Scotland wi' this weary American war, that somebody may get the land a bargain--Deil be in them, that I should say sae!"--the good lady's wrath rising at the supposed injustice.
"And where will the sale take place?"
"On the, premises, as the advertisement says--that's at the house of Ellangowan, your honour, as I understand it."
"And who exhibits the title-deeds, rent-roll, and plan?"
"A very decent man, sir; the Sheriff-substitute of the county, who has authority from the Court of Session. He's in the town just now, if your honour would like to see hint; and he can tell you mair about the loss of the bairn than onybody, for the Sheriff-depute (that's his principal, like) took much pains to come at the truth o' that matter, as I have heard."
"And this gentleman's name is--"
"Mac-Morlan, sir,--he's a man o' character, and weel spoken o'."
"Send my compliments--Colonel Mannering's compliments to him, and I would be glad he would do me the pleasure of supping with me, and bring these papers with him--and I beg, good madam, you will say nothing of this to any one else."
"Me, sir? ne'er a word shall I say--I wish your honour (a curtsey), or ony honourable gentleman that's fought for his country (another curtsey), had the land, since the auld family maun quit (a sigh), rather than that wily scoundrel, Glossin, that's risen on the ruin of the best friend he ever had--and now I think on't, I'll slip on my hood and pattens, and gang to Mr. Mac-Morlan mysell--he's at hame e'en now-it's hardly a step."
"Do so, my good landlady, and many thanks--and bid my servant step here with my portfolio in the meantime."
In a minute or two, Colonel Mannering was quietly seated with his writing materials before him. We have the privilege of looking over his shoulder as he writes, and we willingly communicate its substance to our readers. The letter was addressed to Arthur Mervyn, Esq., of Mervyn Hall, Llanbraithwaite, Westmoreland. It contained some account of the writer's previous journey since parting with him, and then proceeded as follows:-
"And now, why will you still upbraid me with my melancholy, Mervyn?--Do you think, after the lapse of twenty-five years, battles, wounds, imprisonment, you, who have remained in the bosom of domestic happiness, experience little change, that your step is as light, and your fancy as full of sunshine, is a blessed effect of health and temperament, co-operating with content and a smooth current down the course of life. But my career has been one of difficulties, and doubts, and errors. From my infancy I have been the sport of accident, and though the wind has often borne me into harbour, it has seldom been into that which the pilot destined. Let me recall to you--but the task must be brief--the odd and wayward fates of my youth, and the misfortunes or my manhood.
"The former, you will say, had nothing very appalling. All was not for the best; but all was tolerable. My father, the eldest son of an ancient but reduced family, left me with little, save the name of the head of the house,
"Can you recollect, madam, about what time of the year the child was lost?" The landlady, after a pause, and some recollection, answered, "she was positive it was about this season and added some local recollections that fixed the date in her memory, as occurring about the beginning of November, 17-."
The stranger took two or three turns round the room in silence, but signed to Mrs. Mac-Candlish not to leave it.
Did I rightly apprehend," he said, "that the estate of Ellangowan is in the market?"
"In the market?--it will be sell'd the morn to the highest bidder--that's no the morn, Lord help me! which is the Sabbath, but on Monday, the first free day; and the furniture and stocking is to be roupit [*Auctioned] at the same time on the ground--it's the opinion of the haill country, that the sale has been shamefully forced on at this time, when there's sae little money stirring in Scotland wi' this weary American war, that somebody may get the land a bargain--Deil be in them, that I should say sae!"--the good lady's wrath rising at the supposed injustice.
"And where will the sale take place?"
"On the, premises, as the advertisement says--that's at the house of Ellangowan, your honour, as I understand it."
"And who exhibits the title-deeds, rent-roll, and plan?"
"A very decent man, sir; the Sheriff-substitute of the county, who has authority from the Court of Session. He's in the town just now, if your honour would like to see hint; and he can tell you mair about the loss of the bairn than onybody, for the Sheriff-depute (that's his principal, like) took much pains to come at the truth o' that matter, as I have heard."
"And this gentleman's name is--"
"Mac-Morlan, sir,--he's a man o' character, and weel spoken o'."
"Send my compliments--Colonel Mannering's compliments to him, and I would be glad he would do me the pleasure of supping with me, and bring these papers with him--and I beg, good madam, you will say nothing of this to any one else."
"Me, sir? ne'er a word shall I say--I wish your honour (a curtsey), or ony honourable gentleman that's fought for his country (another curtsey), had the land, since the auld family maun quit (a sigh), rather than that wily scoundrel, Glossin, that's risen on the ruin of the best friend he ever had--and now I think on't, I'll slip on my hood and pattens, and gang to Mr. Mac-Morlan mysell--he's at hame e'en now-it's hardly a step."
"Do so, my good landlady, and many thanks--and bid my servant step here with my portfolio in the meantime."
In a minute or two, Colonel Mannering was quietly seated with his writing materials before him. We have the privilege of looking over his shoulder as he writes, and we willingly communicate its substance to our readers. The letter was addressed to Arthur Mervyn, Esq., of Mervyn Hall, Llanbraithwaite, Westmoreland. It contained some account of the writer's previous journey since parting with him, and then proceeded as follows:-
"And now, why will you still upbraid me with my melancholy, Mervyn?--Do you think, after the lapse of twenty-five years, battles, wounds, imprisonment, you, who have remained in the bosom of domestic happiness, experience little change, that your step is as light, and your fancy as full of sunshine, is a blessed effect of health and temperament, co-operating with content and a smooth current down the course of life. But my career has been one of difficulties, and doubts, and errors. From my infancy I have been the sport of accident, and though the wind has often borne me into harbour, it has seldom been into that which the pilot destined. Let me recall to you--but the task must be brief--the odd and wayward fates of my youth, and the misfortunes or my manhood.
"The former, you will say, had nothing very appalling. All was not for the best; but all was tolerable. My father, the eldest son of an ancient but reduced family, left me with little, save the name of the head of the house,