CHAPTER VI.
For this are all these warriors come, To hear an idle tale; And o'er our death-accustom'd arms Shall silly tears prevail?
HENRY MACKENZIE.
ON the evening of the day when the Lord Keeper and his daughter weresaved from such imminent peril, two strangers were seated in the mostprivate apartment of a small obscure inn, or rather alehouse, calledthe Tod's Den [Hole], about three or four [five or six] miles from theCastle of Ravenswood and as far from the ruinous tower of Wolf's Crag,betwixt which two places it was situated.
One of these strangers was about forty years of age, tall, and thin inthe flanks, with an aquiline nose, dark penetrating eyes, and a shrewdbut sinister cast of countenance. The other was about fifteen yearsyounger, short, stout, ruddy-faced, and red-haired, with an open,resolute, and cheerful eye, to which careless and fearless freedom andinward daring gave fire and expression, notwithstanding its light greycolour. A stoup of wine (for in those days it was served out from thecask in pewter flagons) was placed on the table, and each had his quaighor bicker before him. But there was little appearance of conviviality.With folded arms, and looks of anxious expectation, they eyed each otherin silence, each wrapt in his own thoughts, and holding no communicationwith his neighbour. At length the younger broke silence by exclaiming:"What the foul fiend can detain the Master so long? He must havemiscarried in his enterprise. Why did you dissuade me from going withhim?"
"One man is enough to right his own wrong," said the taller and olderpersonage; "we venture our lives for him in coming thus far on such anerrand."
"You are but a craven after all, Craigengelt," answered the younger,"and that's what many folk have thought you before now." "But what nonehas dared to tell me," said Craigengelt, laying his hand on the hilt ofhis sword; "and, but that I hold a hasty man no better than a fool, Iwould----" he paused for his companion's answer.
"WOULD you?" said the other, coolly; "and why do you not then?"
Craigengelt drew his cutlass an inch or two, and then returned it withviolence into the scabbard--"Because there is a deeper stake to beplayed for than the lives of twenty hare-brained gowks like you."
"You are right there," said his companion, "for it if were not thatthese forfeitures, and that last fine that the old driveller Turntippetis gaping for, and which, I dare say, is laid on by this time, havefairly driven me out of house and home, I were a coxcomb and a cuckoo toboot to trust your fair promises of getting me a commission in theIrish brigade. What have I to do with the Irish brigade? I am aplain Scotchman, as my father was before me; and my grand-aunt, LadyGirnington, cannot live for ever."
"Ay, Bucklaw," observed Craigengelt, "but she may live for many a longday; and for your father, he had land and living, kept himself closefrom wadsetters and money-lenders, paid each man his due, and lived onhis own."
"And whose fault is it that I have not done so too?" saidBucklaw--"whose but the devil's and yours, and such-like as you, thathave led me to the far end of a fair estate? And now I shall be obliged,I suppose, to shelter and shift about like yourself: live one week upona line of secret intelligence from Saint Germains; another upon a reportof a rising in the Highlands; get my breakfast and morning draught ofsack from old Jacobite ladies, and give them locks of my old wig for theChevalier's hair; second my friend in his quarrel till he comes to thefield, and then flinch from him lest so important a political agentshould perish from the way. All this I must do for bread, besidescalling myself a captain!"
"You think you are making a fine speech now," said Craigengelt, "andshowing much wit at my expense. Is starving or hanging better than thelife I am obliged to lead, because the present fortunes of the kingcannot sufficiently support his envoys?" "Starving is honester,Craigengelt, and hanging is like to be the end on't. But what you meanto make of this poor fellow Ravenswood, I know not. He has no moneyleft, any more than I; his lands are all pawned and pledged, and theinterest eats up the rents, and is not satisfied, and what do you hopeto make by meddling in his affairs?"
"Content yourself, Bucklaw; I know my business," replied Craigengelt."Besides that his name, and his father's services in 1689, will makesuch an acquisition sound well both at Versailles and Saint Germains,you will also please be informed that the Master of Ravenswood is a verydifferent kind of a young fellow from you. He has parts and address,as well as courage and talents, and will present himself abroad like ayoung man of head as well as heart, who knows something more than thespeed of a horse or the flight of a hawk. I have lost credit of late, bybringing over no one that had sense to know more than how to unharbour astag, or take and reclaim an eyas. The Master has education, sense, andpenetration."
"And yet is not wise enough to escape the tricks of a kidnapper,Craigengelt?" replied the younger man. "But don't be angry; you knowyou will nto fight, and so it is as well to leave your hilt in peaceand quiet, and tell me in sober guise how you drew the Master into yourconfidence?"
"By flattering his love of vengeance, Bucklaw," answered Craigengelt."He has always distrusted me; but I watched my time, and struck whilehis temper was red-hot with the sense of insult and of wrong. He goesnow to expostulate, as he says, and perhaps thinks, with Sir WilliamAshton. I say, that if they meet, and the lawyer puts him to hisdefence, the Master will kill him; for he had that sparkle in his eyewhich never deceives you when you would read a man's purpose. At anyrate, he will give him such a bullying as will be construed into anassault on a privy councillor; so there will be a total breach betwixthim and government. Scotland will be too hot for him; France will gainhim; and we will all set sail together in the French brig 'L'Espoir,'which is hovering for us off Eyemouth."
"Content am I," said Bucklaw; "Scotland has little left that I careabout; and if carrying the Master with us will get us a better receptionin France, why, so be it, a God's name. I doubt our own merits willprocure us slender preferment; and I trust he will send a ball throughthe Keeper's head before he joins us. One or two of these scoundrelstatesmen should be shot once a year, just to keep the others on theirgood behaviour."
"That is very true," replied Craigengelt; "and it reminds me that Imust go and see that our horses have been fed and are in readiness; for,should such deed be done, it will be no time for grass to grow beneaththeir heels." He proceeded as far as the door, then turned back with alook of earnestness, and said to Bucklaw: "Whatever should come of thisbusiness, I am sure you will do me the justice to remember that I saidnothing to the Master which could imply my accession to any act ofviolence which he may take it into his head to commit."
"No, no, not a single word like accession," replied Bucklaw; "youknow too well the risk belonging to these two terrible words, 'art andpart.'" Then, as if to himself, he recited the following lines:
"The dial spoke not, but it made shrewd signs, And pointed full upon thestroke of murder.
"What is that you are talking to yourself?" said Craigengelt, turningback with some anxiety.
"Nothing, only two lines I have heard upon the stage," replied hiscompanion.
"Bucklaw," said Craigengelt, "I sometimes think you should have been astage-player yourself; all is fancy and frolic with you."
"I have often thought so myself," said Bucklaw. "I believe it would besafer than acting with you in the Fatal Conspiracy. But away, playyour own part, and look after the horses like a groom as you are. Aplay-actor--a stage-player!" he repeated to himself; "that would havedeserved a stab, but that Craigengelt's a coward. And yet I should likethe profession well enough. Stay, let me see; ay, I would come out inAlexander:
Thus from the grave I rise to save my love, Draw all your swords, and quick as lightning move. When I rush on, sure none will dare to stay: 'Tis love commands, and glory leads the way."
As with a voice of thunder, and his hand upon his sword, Bucklawrepeated the ranting couplets of poor Lee, Craigengelt re-entered with aface of alarm.
"We are undone, Bucklaw! The Master's led horse has cast himself
overhis halter in the stable, and is dead lame. His hackney will be set upwith the day's work, and now he has no fresh horse; he will never getoff."
"Egad, there will be no moving with the speed of lightning this bout,"said Bucklaw, drily. "But stay, you can give him yours."
"What! and be taken myself? I thank you for the proposal," saidCraigengelt.
"Why," replied Bucklaw, "if the Lord Keeper should have met with amischance, which for my part I cannot suppose, for the Master is notthe lad to shoot an old and unarmed man--but IF there should have beena fray at the Castle, you are neither art not part in it, you know, sohave nothing to fear."
"True, true," answered the other, with embarrassment; "but consider mycommission from Saint Germains."
"Which many men think is a commission of your own making, noble Captain.Well, if you will not give him your horse, why, d----n it, he must havemine."
"Yours?" said Craigengelt.
"Ay, mine," repeated Bucklaw; "it shall never be said that I agreed toback a gentleman in a little affair of honour, and neither helped him onwith it nor off from it."
"You will give him your horse? and have you considered the loss?"
"Loss! why, Grey Gilbert cost me twenty Jacobuses, that's true; but thenhis hackney is worth something, and his Black Moor is worth twice asmuch were he sound, and I know how to handle him. Take a fat suckingmastiff whelp, flay and bowel him, stuff the body full of black andgrey snails, roast a reasonable time, and baste with oil of spikenard,saffron, cinnamon, and honey, anoint with the dripping, working itin----"
"Yes, Bucklaw; but in the mean while, before the sprain is cured, nay,before the whelp is roasted, you will be caught and hung. Depend on it,the chase will be hard after Ravenswood. I wish we had made our place ofrendezvous nearer to the coast."
"On my faith, then," said Bucklaw, "I had best go off just now, andleave my horse for him. Stay--stay, he comes: I hear a horse's feet."
"Are you sure there is only one?" said Craigengelt. "I fear there is achase; I think I hear three or four galloping together. I am sure I hearmore horses than one."
"Pooh, pooh, it is the wench of the house clattering to the well in herpattens. By my faith, Captain, you should give up both your captainshipand your secret service, for you are as easily scared as a wild goose.But here comes the Master alone, and looking as gloomy as a night inNovember."
The Master of Ravenswood entered the room accordingly, his cloak muffledaround him, his arms folded, his looks stern, and at the same timedejected. He flung his cloak from him as he entered, threw himself upona chair, and appeared sunk in a profound reverie.
"What has happened? What have you done?" was hastily demanded byCraigengelt and Bucklaw in the same moment.
"Nothing!" was the short and sullen answer.
"Nothing! and left us, determined to call the old villain to accountfor all the injuries that you, we, and the country have received at hishand? Have you seen him?" "I have," replied the Master of Ravenswood.
"Seen him--and come away without settling scores which have been so longdue?" said Bucklaw; "I would not have expected that at the hand of theMaster of Ravenswood."
"No matter what you expected," replied Ravenswood; "it is not to you,sir, that I shall be disposed to render any reason for my conduct."
"Patience, Bucklaw," said Craigengelt, interrupting his companion, whoseemed about to make an angry reply. "The Master has been interrupted inhis purpose by some accident; but he must excuse the anxious curiosityof friends who are devoted to his cause like you and me."
"Friends, Captain Craigengelt!" retorted Ravenswood, haughtily; "I amignorant what familiarity passed betwixt us to entitle you to use thatexpression. I think our friendship amounts to this, that we agreed toleave Scotland together so soon as I should have visited thealienated mansion of my fathers, and had an interview with its presentpossessor--I will not call him proprietor."
"Very true, Master," answered Bucklaw; "and as we thought you had inmind to do something to put your neck in jeopardy, Craigie and I verycourteously agreed to tarry for you, although ours might run some riskin consequence. As to Craigie, indeed, it does not very much signify: hehad gallows written on his brow in the hour of his birth; but I shouldnot like to discredit my parentage by coming to such an end in anotherman's cause."
"Gentlemen," said the Master of Ravenswood, "I am sorry if I haveoccasioned you any inconvenience, but I must claim the right of judgingwhat is best for my own affairs, without rendering explanations to anyone. I have altered my mind, and do not design to leave the country thisseason."
"Not to leave the country, Master!" exclaimed Craigengelt. "Not to goover, after all the trouble and expense I have incurred--after all therisk of discovery, and the expense of freight and demurrage!"
"Sir," replied the Master of Ravenswood, "when I designed to leave thiscountry in this haste, I made use of your obliging offer to procure memeans of conveyance; but I do not recollect that I pledged myself togo off, if I found occasion to alter my mind. For your trouble on myaccount, I am sorry, and I thank you; your expense," he added, puttinghis hand into his pocket, "admits a more solid compensation: freight anddemurrage are matters with which I am unacquainted, Captain Craigengelt,but take my purse and pay yourself according to your own conscience."And accordingly he tendered a purse with some gold in it to thesoi-disant captain.
But here Bucklaw interposed in his turn. "Your fingers, Craigie, seem toitch for that same piece of green network," said he; "but I make my vowto God, that if they offer to close upon it, I will chop them off withmy whinger. Since the Master has changed his mind, I suppose we needstay here no longer; but in the first place I beg leave to tell him----"
"Tell him anything you will," said Craigengelt, "if you will firstallow me to state the inconveniences to which he will expose himself byquitting our society, to remind him of the obstacles to his remaininghere, and of the difficulties attending his proper introduction atVersailles and Saint Germains without the countenance of those who haveestablished useful connexions."
"Besides forfeiting the friendship," said Bucklaw, "of at least one manof spirit and honour."
"Gentlemen," said Ravenswood, "permit me once more to assure youthat you have been pleased to attach to our temporary connexion moreimportance than I ever meant that it should have. When I repair toforeign courts, I shall not need the introduction of an intriguingadventurer, nor is it necessary for me to set value on the friendshipof a hot-headed bully." With these words, and without waiting for ananswer, he left the apartment, remounted his horse, and was heard toride off.
"Mortbleu!" said Captain Craigengelt, "my recruit is lost!"
"Ay, Captain," said Bucklaw, "the salmon is off with hook and all. ButI will after him, for I have had more of his insolence than I can welldigest."
Craigengelt offered to accompany him; but Bucklaw replied: "No, no,Captain, keep you the check of the chimney-nook till I come back; it'sgood sleeping in a haill skin.
Little kens the auld wife that sits by the fire, How cauld the wind blaws in hurle-burle swire."
And singing as he went, he left the apartment.