Sampson, afraid of eye of newt, and toe of frog, tigers' chaudrons, andso forth, had determined not to venture; but the smell of the stew wasfast melting his obstinacy, which flowed from his chops as it were instreams of water, and the witch's threats decided him to feed. Hunger andfear are excellent casuists.
'Saul,' said Hunger, 'feasted with the witch of Endor.' 'And,' quothFear, 'the salt which she sprinkled upon the food showeth plainly it isnot a necromantic banquet, in which that seasoning never occurs.' 'And,besides,' says Hunger, after the first spoonful, 'it is savoury andrefreshing viands.'
'So ye like the meat?' said the hostess.
'Yea,' answered the Dominie, 'and I give thee thanks,sceleratissima!--which means, Mrs. Margaret.'
'Aweel, eat your fill; but an ye kenn'd how it was gotten ye maybe wadnalike it sae weel.' Sampson's spoon dropped in the act of conveying itsload to his mouth. 'There's been mony a moonlight watch to bring a' thattrade thegither,' continued Meg; 'the folk that are to eat that dinnerthought little o' your game laws.'
'Is that all?' thought Sampson, resuming his spoon and shovelling awaymanfully; 'I will not lack my food upon that argument.'
'Now ye maun tak a dram?'
'I will,' quoth Sampson, 'conjuro te--that is, I thank you heartily,' forhe thought to himself, in for a penny in for a pound; and he fairly drankthe witch's health in a cupful of brandy. When he had put this copestoneupon Meg's good cheer, he felt, as he said, 'mightily elevated, andafraid of no evil which could befall unto him.'
'Will ye remember my errand now?' said Meg Merrilies; 'I ken by the casto' your ee that ye're anither man than when you cam in.'
'I will, Mrs. Margaret,' repeated Sampson, stoutly; 'I will deliver untohim the sealed epistle, and will add what you please to send by word ofmouth.'
'Then I'll make it short,' says Meg. 'Tell him to look at the starswithout fail this night, and to do what I desire him in that letter, ashe would wish That Bertram's right and Bertram's might Should meet on Ellangowan height.I have seen him twice when he saw na me; I ken when he was in thiscountry first, and I ken what's brought him back again. Up an' to thegate! ye're ower lang here; follow me.'
Sampson followed the sibyl accordingly, who guided him about a quarter ofa mile through the woods, by a shorter cut than he could have found forhimself; then they entered upon the common, Meg still marching before himat a great pace, until she gained the top of a small hillock whichoverhung the road.
'Here,' she said, 'stand still here. Look how the setting sun breaksthrough yon cloud that's been darkening the lift a' day. See where thefirst stream o' light fa's: it's upon Donagild's round tower, the auldesttower in the Castle o' Ellangowan; that's no for naething! See as it'sglooming to seaward abune yon sloop in the bay; that's no for naethingneither. Here I stood on this very spot,' said she, drawing herself up soas not to lose one hair-breadth of her uncommon height, and stretchingout her long sinewy arm and clenched hand--'here I stood when I tauld thelast Laird o' Ellangowan what was coming on his house; and did that fa'to the ground? na, it hit even ower sair! And here, where I brake thewand of peace ower him, here I stand again, to bid God bless and prosperthe just heir of Ellangowan that will sune be brought to his ain; and thebest laird he shall be that Ellangowan has seen for three hundred years.I'll no live to see it, maybe; but there will be mony a blythe ee see itthough mine be closed. And now, Abel Sampson, as ever ye lo'ed the houseof Ellangowan, away wi' my message to the English Colonel, as if life anddeath were upon your haste!'
So saying, she turned suddenly from the amazed Dominie and regained withswift and long strides the shelter of the wood from which she had issuedat the point where it most encroached upon the common. Sampson gazedafter her for a moment in utter astonishment, and then obeyed herdirections, hurrying to Woodbourne at a pace very unusual for him,exclaiming three times, 'Prodigious! prodigious! pro-di-gi-ous!'