Accordingly,as if he had stood pike in hand to defend a breach,he waited with caution,but without fear,the commencement of the attack.
"You are a citizen of the world,Captain Dalgetty,"said Murdoch Campbell,"and cannot be ignorant of our old Scotch proverb,GIF-GAF,[In old English,KA ME KA THEE,i.e.mutually serving each other.]which goes through all nations and all services."
"Then I should know something of it,"said Dalgetty;"for,except the Turks,there are few powers in Europe whom I have not served;
and I have sometimes thought of taking a turn either with Bethlem Gabor,or with the Janizaries."
"A man of your experience and unprejudiced ideas,then,will understand me at once,"said Murdoch,"when I say,I mean that your freedom shall depend on your true and up right answer to a few trifling questions respecting the gentlemen you have left;
their state of preparation;the number of their men,and nature of their appointments;and as much as you chance to know about their plan of operations."
"Just to satisfy your curiosity,"said Dalgetty,"and without any farther purpose?"
"None in the world,"replied Murdoch;"what interest should a poor devil like me take in their operations?"
"Make your interrogations,then,"said the Captain,"and I will answer them PREREMTORIE."
"How many Irish may be on their march to join James Graham the delinquent?"
"Probably ten thousand,"said Captain Dalgetty.
"Ten thousand!"replied Murdoch angrily;"we know that scarce two thousand landed at Ardnamurchan."
"Then you know more about them than I do,"answered Captain Dalgetty,with great composure."I never saw them mustered yet,or even under arms."
"And how many men of the clans may be expected?"demanded Murdoch.
"As many as they can make,"replied the Captain.
"You are answering from the purpose,sir,"said Murdoch "speak plainly,will there be five thousand men?"
"There and thereabouts,"answered Dalgetty.
"You are playing with your life,sir,if you trifle with me,"
replied the catechist;"one whistle of mine,and in less than ten minutes your head hangs on the drawbridge."
"But to speak candidly,Mr.Murdoch,"replied the Captain "do you think it is a reasonable thing to ask me after the secrets of our army,and I engaged to serve for the whole campaign?If I taught you how to defeat Montrose,what becomes of my pay,arrears,and chance of booty?"
"I tell you,"said Campbell,"that if you be stubborn,your campaign shall begin and end in a march to the block at the castle-gate,which stands ready for such land-laufers;but if you answer my questions faithfully,I will receive you into my--into the service of M'Callum More."
"Does the service afford good pay?"said Captain Dalgetty.
"He will double yours,if you will return to Montrose and act under his direction."
"I wish I had seen you,sir,before taking on with him,"said Dalgetty,appearing to meditate.
"On the contrary,I can afford you more advantageous terms now,"
said the Campbell;"always supposing that you are faithful."
"Faithful,that is,to you,and a traitor to Montrose,"answered the Captain.
"Faithful to the cause of religion and good order,"answered Murdoch,"which sanctifies any deception you may employ to serve it."
"And the Marquis of Argyle--should I incline to enter his service,is he a kind master?"demanded Dalgetty.
"Never man kinder,"quoth Campbell.
"And bountiful to his officers?"pursued the Captain.
"The most open hand in Scotland,"replied Murdoch.
"True and faithful to his engagements?"continued Dalgetty.
"As honourable a nobleman as breathes,"said the clansman.
"I never heard so much good of him before,"said Dalgetty;"you must know the Marquis well,--or rather you must be the Marquis himself!--Lord of Argyle,"he added,throwing himself suddenly on the disguised nobleman,"I arrest you in the name of King Charles,as a traitor.If you venture to call for assistance,I will wrench round your neck."
The attack which Dalgetty made upon Argyle's person was so sudden and unexpected,that he easily prostrated him on the floor of the dungeon,and held him down with one hand,while his right,grasping the Marquis's throat,was ready to strangle him on the slightest attempt to call for assistance.
"Lord of Argyle,"he said,"it is now my turn to lay down the terms of capitulation.If you list to show me the private way by which you entered the dungeon,you shall escape,on condition of being my LOCUM TENENS,as we said at the Mareschal-College,until your warder visits his prisoners.But if not,I will first strangle you--I learned the art from a Polonian heyduck,who had been a slave in the Ottoman seraglio--and then seek out a mode of retreat."
"Villain!you would not murder me for my kindness,"murmured Argyle.
"Not for your kindness,my lord,"replied Dalgetty:"but first,to teach your lordship the JUS GENTIUM towards cavaliers who come to you under safe-conduct;and secondly,to warn you of the danger of proposing dishonourable terms to any worthy soldado,in order to tempt him to become false to his standard during the term of his service."
"Spare my life,"said Argyle,"and I will do as you require."
Dalgetty maintained his gripe upon the Marquis's throat,compressing it a little while he asked questions,and relaxing it so far as to give him the power of answering them.
"Where is the secret door into the dungeon?"he demanded.
"Hold up the lantern to the corner on your right hand,you will discern the iron which covers the spring,"replied the Marquis.
"So far so good.--Where does the passage lead to?"
"To my private apartment behind the tapestry,"answered the prostrate nobleman.
"From thence how shall I reach the gateway?"
"Through the grand gallery,the anteroom,the lackeys'waiting hall,the grand guardroom--"
"All crowded with soldiers,factionaries,and attendants?--that will never do for me,my lord;--have you no secret passage to the gate,as you have to your dungeons?I have seen such in Germany."
