Redgauntlet [159]
Maxwell's friend, old Tom Trumbull, with whom everybody seemed well acquainted. He endeavoured to fish out from the lad that acted as a guide, something of this man's situation and profession; but the general expressions of 'a very decent man'-- 'a very honest body'--'weel to pass in the world,' and such like, were all that could be extracted from him; and while Fairford was following up the investigation with closer interrogatories, the lad put an end to them by knocking at the door of Mr. Trumbull, whose decent dwelling was a little distance from the town, and considerably nearer to the sea. It was one of a little row of houses running down to the waterside, and having gardens and other accommodations behind. There was heard within the uplifting of a Scottish psalm; and the boy saying, 'They are at exercise, sir,' gave intimation they might not be admitted till prayers were over.
When, however, Fairford repeated the summons with the end of his whip, the singing ceased, and Mr. Trumbull himself, with his psalm-book in his hand, kept open by the insertion of his forefinger between the leaves, came to demand the meaning of this unseasonable interruption.
Nothing could be more different than his whole appearance seemed to be from the confidant of a desperate man, and the associate of outlaws in their unlawful enterprises. He was a tall, thin, bony figure, with white hair combed straight down on each side of his face, and an iron-grey hue of complexion; where the lines, or rather, as Quin said of Macklin, the cordage, of his countenance were so sternly adapted to a devotional and even ascetic expression, that they left no room for any indication of reckless daring or sly dissimulation. In short, Trumbull appeared a perfect specimen of the rigid old Covenanter, who said only what he thought right, acted on no other principle but that of duty, and, if he committed errors, did so under the full impression that he was serving God rather than man.
'Do you want me, sir?' he said to Fairford, whose guide had slunk to the rear, as if to escape the rebuke of the severe old man,--'We were engaged, and it is the Saturday night.'
Alan Fairford's preconceptions were so much deranged by this man's appearance and manner, that he stood for a moment bewildered, and would as soon have thought of giving a cant password to a clergyman descending from the pulpit, as to the respectable father of a family just interrupted in his prayers for and with the objects of his care. Hastily concluding Mr. Maxwell had passed some idle jest on him, or rather that he had mistaken the person to whom he was directed, he asked if he spoke to Mr. Trumbull.
'To Thomas Trumbull,' answered the old man--'What may be your business, sir?' And he glanced his eye to the book he held in his hand, with a sigh like that of a saint desirous of dissolution.
'Do you know Mr. Maxwell of Summertrees?' said Fairford.
'I have heard of such a gentleman in the country-side, but have no acquaintance with him,' answered Mr. Trumbull; 'he is, as I have heard, a Papist; for the whore that sitteth on the seven hills ceaseth not yet to pour forth the cup of her abomination on these parts.'
'Yet he directed me hither, my good friend,' said Alan. 'Is there another of your name in this town of Annan?'
'None,' replied Mr. Trumbull, 'since my worthy father was removed; he was indeed a shining light.--I wish you good even, sir.'
'Stay one single instant,' said Fairford; 'this is a matter of life and death.'
'Not more than the casting the burden of our sins where they should be laid,' said Thomas Trumbull, about to shut the door in the inquirer's face.
'Do you know,' said Alan Fairford, 'the Laird of Redgauntlet?'
'Now Heaven defend me from treason and rebellion!' exclaimed Trumbull. 'Young gentleman, you are importunate. I live here among my own people, and do not consort with Jacobites and mass- mongers.'
He seemed about to shut the door, but did NOT shut it, a circumstance which did not escape Alan's notice.
'Mr. Redgauntlet is sometimes,'
When, however, Fairford repeated the summons with the end of his whip, the singing ceased, and Mr. Trumbull himself, with his psalm-book in his hand, kept open by the insertion of his forefinger between the leaves, came to demand the meaning of this unseasonable interruption.
Nothing could be more different than his whole appearance seemed to be from the confidant of a desperate man, and the associate of outlaws in their unlawful enterprises. He was a tall, thin, bony figure, with white hair combed straight down on each side of his face, and an iron-grey hue of complexion; where the lines, or rather, as Quin said of Macklin, the cordage, of his countenance were so sternly adapted to a devotional and even ascetic expression, that they left no room for any indication of reckless daring or sly dissimulation. In short, Trumbull appeared a perfect specimen of the rigid old Covenanter, who said only what he thought right, acted on no other principle but that of duty, and, if he committed errors, did so under the full impression that he was serving God rather than man.
'Do you want me, sir?' he said to Fairford, whose guide had slunk to the rear, as if to escape the rebuke of the severe old man,--'We were engaged, and it is the Saturday night.'
Alan Fairford's preconceptions were so much deranged by this man's appearance and manner, that he stood for a moment bewildered, and would as soon have thought of giving a cant password to a clergyman descending from the pulpit, as to the respectable father of a family just interrupted in his prayers for and with the objects of his care. Hastily concluding Mr. Maxwell had passed some idle jest on him, or rather that he had mistaken the person to whom he was directed, he asked if he spoke to Mr. Trumbull.
'To Thomas Trumbull,' answered the old man--'What may be your business, sir?' And he glanced his eye to the book he held in his hand, with a sigh like that of a saint desirous of dissolution.
'Do you know Mr. Maxwell of Summertrees?' said Fairford.
'I have heard of such a gentleman in the country-side, but have no acquaintance with him,' answered Mr. Trumbull; 'he is, as I have heard, a Papist; for the whore that sitteth on the seven hills ceaseth not yet to pour forth the cup of her abomination on these parts.'
'Yet he directed me hither, my good friend,' said Alan. 'Is there another of your name in this town of Annan?'
'None,' replied Mr. Trumbull, 'since my worthy father was removed; he was indeed a shining light.--I wish you good even, sir.'
'Stay one single instant,' said Fairford; 'this is a matter of life and death.'
'Not more than the casting the burden of our sins where they should be laid,' said Thomas Trumbull, about to shut the door in the inquirer's face.
'Do you know,' said Alan Fairford, 'the Laird of Redgauntlet?'
'Now Heaven defend me from treason and rebellion!' exclaimed Trumbull. 'Young gentleman, you are importunate. I live here among my own people, and do not consort with Jacobites and mass- mongers.'
He seemed about to shut the door, but did NOT shut it, a circumstance which did not escape Alan's notice.
'Mr. Redgauntlet is sometimes,'