"To ride with this person to-morrow!"exclaimed his lady;"such cannot be your purpose,Sir Duncan,unless you have forgotten that the morrow is a sad anniversary,and dedicated to as sad a solemnity."
"I had not forgotten,"answered Sir Duncan;"how is it possible I can ever forget?but the necessity of the times requires I should send this officer onward to Inverary,without loss of time."
"Yet,surely,not that you should accompany him in person?"
enquired the lady.
"It were better I did,"said Sir Duncan;"yet I can write to the Marquis,and follow on the subsequent day.--Captain Dalgetty,I will dispatch a letter for you,explaining to the Marquis of Argyle your character and commission,with which you will please to prepare to travel to Inverary early to-morrow morning."
"Sir Duncan Campbell,"said Dalgetty,"I am doubtless at your discretionary disposal in this matter;not the less,I pray you to remember the blot which will fall upon your own escutcheon,if you do in any way suffer me,being a commissionate flag of truce,to be circumvented in this matter,whether CLAM,VI,VEL PRECARIO;I do not say by your assent to any wrong done to me,but even through absence of any due care on your part to prevent the same."
"You are under the safeguard of my honour,sir,"answered Sir Duncan Campbell,"and that is more than a sufficient security.
And now,"continued he,rising,"I must set the example of retiring."
Dalgetty saw himself under the necessity of following the hint,though the hour was early;but,like a skilful general,he availed himself of every instant of delay which circumstances permitted."Trusting to your honourable parole,"said he,filling his cup,"I drink to you,Sir Duncan,and to the continuance of your honourable-house."A sigh from Sir Duncan was the only reply."Also,madam,"said the soldier,replenishing the quaigh with all possible dispatch,"I drink to your honourable health,and fulfilment of all your virtuous desires--and,reverend sir"(not forgetting to fit the action to the words),"I fill this cup to the drowning of all unkindness betwixt you and Captain Dalgetty--I should say Major--and,in respect the flagon contains but one cup more,I drink to the health of all honourable cavaliers and brave soldados--and,the flask being empty,I am ready,Sir Duncan,to attend your functionary or sentinel to my place of private repose."
He received a formal permission to retire,and an assurance,that as the wine seemed to be to his taste,another measure of the same vintage should attend him presently,in order to soothe the hours of his solitude.
No sooner had the Captain reached the apartment than this promise was fulfilled;and,in a short time afterwards,the added comforts of a pasty of red-deer venison rendered him very tolerant both of confinement and want of society.The same domestic,a sort of chamberlain,who placed this good cheer in his apartment,delivered to Dalgetty a packet,sealed and tied up with a silken thread,according to the custom of the time,addressed with many forms of respect to the High and Mighty Prince,Archibald,Marquis of Argyle,Lord of Lorne,and so forth.The chamberlain at the same time apprized the Ritt-master,that he must take horse at an early hour for Inverary,where the packet of Sir Duncan would be at once his introduction and his passport.Not forgetting that it was his object to collect information as well as to act as an envoy,and desirous,for his own sake,to ascertain Sir Duncan's reasons for sending him onward without his personal attendance,the Ritt-master enquired the domestic,with all the precaution that his experience suggested,what were the reasons which detained Sir Duncan at home on the succeeding day.The man,who was from the Lowlands,replied,"that it was the habit of Sir Duncan and his lady to observe as a day of solemn fast and humiliation the anniversary on which their castle had been taken by surprise,and their children,to the number of four,destroyed cruelly by a band of Highland freebooters during Sir Duncan's absence upon an expedition which the Marquis of Argyle had undertaken against the Macleans of the Isle of Mull."
"Truly,"said the soldier,"your lord and lady have some cause for fast and humiliation.Nevertheless,I will venture to pronounce,that if he had taken the advice of any experienced soldier,having skill in the practiques of defending places of advantage,he would have built a sconce upon the small hill which is to the left of the draw-brigg.And this I can easily prove to you,mine honest friend;for,holding that pasty to be the castle--What's your name,friend?"
"Lorimer,sir,"replied the man.
"Here is to your health,honest Lorimer.--I say,Lorimer --holding that pasty to be the main body or citadel of the place to be defended,and taking the marrow-bone for the sconce to be erected--"
"I am sorry,sir,"said Lorimer,interrupting him,"that I cannot stay to hear the rest of your demonstration;but the bell will presently ring.As worthy Mr.Graneangowl,the Marquis's own chaplain,does family worship,and only seven of our household out of sixty persons understand the Scottish tongue,it would misbecome any one of them to be absent,and greatly prejudice me in the opinion of my lady.There are pipes and tobacco,sir,if you please to drink a whiff of smoke,and if you want anything else,it shall be forthcoming two hours hence,when prayers are over."So saying,he left the apartment.
