by Walter Scott
CHAPTER XXXIX
I am going to the parliament; You understand this bag. If you have any business Depending there be short, and let me hear it, And pay your fees.
Little French Lawyer
'Shall you be able to carry this honest fellow's cause for him?' saidMannering.
'Why, I don't know; the battle is not to the strong, but he shall comeoff triumphant over Jock of Dawston if we can make it out. I owe himsomething. It is the pest of our profession that we seldom see the bestside of human nature. People come to us with every selfish feelingnewly pointed and grinded; they turn down the very caulkers of theiranimosities and prejudices, as smiths do with horses' shoes in a whitefrost. Many a man has come to my garret yonder that I have at firstlonged to pitch out at the window, and yet at length have discoveredthat he was only doing as I might have done in his case, being veryangry, and of course very unreasonable. I have now satisfied myselfthat, if our profession sees more of human folly and human roguery thanothers, it is because we witness them acting in that channel in whichthey can most freely vent themselves. In civilised society law is thechimney through which all that smoke discharges itself that used tocirculate through the whole house, and put every one's eyes out; nowonder, therefore, that the vent itself should sometimes get a littlesooty. But we will take care our Liddesdale man's cause is wellconducted and well argued, so all unnecessary expense will be saved: heshall have his pine-apple at wholesale price.'
'Will you do me the pleasure,' said Mannering, as they parted, 'to dinewith me at my lodgings? My landlord says he has a bit of red-deervenison and some excellent wine.'
'Venison, eh?' answered the Counsellor alertly, but presentlyadded--'But no! it's impossible; and I can't ask you home neither.Monday's a sacred day; so's Tuesday; and Wednesday we are to be heardin the great teind case in presence, but stay--it's frosty weather, andif you don't leave town, and that venison would keep till Thursday--'
'You will dine with me that day?'
'Under certification.'
'Well, then, I will indulge a thought I had of spending a week here;and if the venison will not keep, why we will see what else ourlandlord can do for us.'
'O, the venison will keep,' said Pleydell; 'and now good-bye. Look atthese two or three notes, and deliver them if you like the addresses. Iwrote them for you this morning. Farewell, my clerk has been waitingthis hour to begin a d-d information.' And away walked Mr. Pleydellwith great activity, diving through closes and ascending covered stairsin order to attain the High Street by an access which, compared to thecommon route, was what the Straits of Magellan are to the more open butcircuitous passage round Cape Horn.
On looking at the notes of introduction which Pleydell had thrust intohis hand, Mannering was gratified with seeing that they were addressedto some of the first literary characters of Scotland. 'To David Hume,Esq.'
To John Home, Esq.' 'To Dr. Ferguson.' 'To Dr. Black.' 'To LordKaimes.' 'To Mr. Button.' 'To John Clerk, Esq., of Eldin.' 'To AdamSmith, Esq.' 'To Dr. Robertson.'
'Upon my word, my legal friend has a good selection of acquaintances;these are names pretty widely blown indeed. An East-Indian must rub uphis facultiesa little, and put his mind in order, before he enters thissort of society.'
Mannering gladly availed himself of these introductions; and we regretdeeply it is not in our power to give the reader an account of thepleasure and information which he received in admission to a circlenever closed against strangers of sense and information, and which hasperhaps at no period been equalled, considering the depth and varietyof talent which it embraced and concentrated.
Upon the Thursday appointed Mr. Pleydell made his appearance at the innwhere Colonel Mannering lodged. The venison proved in high order, theclaret excellent, and the learned counsel, a professed amateur in theaffairs of the table, did distinguished honour to both. I am uncertain,however, if even the good cheer gave him more satisfaction than thepresence of Dominie Sampson, from whom, in his own juridical style ofwit, he contrived to extract great amusement both for himself and oneor two friends whom the Colonel regaled on the same occasion. The graveand laconic simplicity of Sampson's answers to the insidious questionsof the barrister placed the bonhomie of his character in a moreluminous point of view than Mannering had yet seen it. Upon the sameoccasion he drew forth a strange quantity of miscellaneous andabstruse, though, generally speaking, useless learning. The lawyerafterwards compared his mind to the magazine of a pawnbroker, stowedwith goods of every description, but so cumbrously piled together, andin such total disorganisation, that the owner can never lay his handsupon any one article at the moment he has occasion for it.
As for the advocate himself, he afforded at least as much exercise toSampson as he extracted amusement from him. When the man of law beganto get into his altitudes, and his wit, naturally shrewd and dry,became more lively and poignant, the Dominie looked upon him with thatsort of surprise with which we can conceive a tame bear might regardhis future associate, the monkey, on their being first introduced toeach other. It was Mr. Pleydell's delight to state in grave and seriousargument some position which he knew the Dominie would be inclined todispute. He then beheld with exquisite pleasure the internal labourwith which the honest man arranged his ideas for reply, and tasked hisinert and sluggish powers to bring up all the heavy artillery of hislearning for demolishing the schismatic or heretical opinion which hadbeen stated, when behold, before the ordnance could be discharged, thefoe had quitted the post and appeared in a new position of annoyance onthe Dominie's flank or rear. Often did he exclaim 'Prodigious!' when,marching up to the enemy in full confidence of victory, he found thefield evacuated, and it may be supposed that it cost him no littlelabour to attempt a new formation. 'He was like a native Indian army,'the Colonel said, 'formidable by numerical strength and size ofordnance, but liable to be thrown into irreparable confusion by amovement to take them in flank.' On the whole, however, the Dominie,though somewhat fatigued with these mental exertions, made at unusualspeed and upon the pressure of the moment, reckoned this one of thewhite days of his life, and always mentioned Mr. Pleydell as a veryerudite and fa-ce-ti-ous person.
By degrees the rest of the party dropped off and left these threegentlemen together. Their conversation turned to Mrs. Bertram'ssettlements. 'Now what could drive it into the noddle of that oldharridan,' said Pleydell, 'to disinherit poor Lucy Bertram underpretence of settling her property on a boy who has been so long deadand gone? I ask your pardon, Mr. Sampson, I forgot what an affectingcase this was for you; I remember taking your examination upon it, andI never had so much trouble to make any one speak three wordsconsecutively. You may talk of your Pythagoreans or your silentBrahmins, Colonel; go to, I tell you this learned gentleman beats themall in taciturnity; but the words of the wise are precious, and not tobe thrown away lightly.'
'Of a surety,' said the Dominie, taking his blue-checqued handkerchieffrom his eyes, 'that was a bitter day with me indeed; ay, and a day ofgrief hard to be borne; but He giveth strength who layeth on the load.'
Colonel Mannering took this opportunity to request Mr. Pleydell toinform him of the particulars attending the loss of the boy; and theCounsellor, who was fond of talking upon subjects of criminaljurisprudence, especially when connected with his own experience, wentthrough the circumstances at full length. 'And what is your opinionupon the result of the whole?'
'O, that Kennedy was murdered: it's an old case which has occurred onthat coast before now, the case of Smuggler versus Exciseman.'
'What, then, is your conjecture concerning the fate of the child?'
'O, murdered too, doubtless,' answered Pleydell. 'He was old enough totell what he had seen, and these ruthless scoundrels would not scruplecommitting a second Bethlehem massacre if they thought their interestrequired it.'
The Dominie groaned deeply, and ejaculated, 'Enormous!'
'Yet there was mention of gipsies in the business too, Counsellor,'said Mannering, 'and from w
hat that vulgar-looking fellow said afterthe funeral--'
'Mrs. Margaret Bertram's idea that the child was alive was founded uponthe report of a gipsy?' said Pleydell, catching at the half-spokenhint. 'I envy you the concatenation, Colonel; it is a shame to me notto have drawn the same conclusion. We'll follow this business upinstantly. Here, hark ye, waiter, go down to Luckie Wood's in theCowgate; ye'll find my clerk Driver; he'll be set down to high jinks bythis time--for we and our retainers, Colonel, are exceedingly regularin our irregularities--tell him to come here instantly and I will payhis forfeits.'
'He won't appear in character, will he?' said Mannering.
'Ah! "no more of that, Hal, an thou lovest me,"' said Pleydell. 'But wemust have some news from the land of Egypt, if possible. O, if I hadbut hold of the slightest thread of this complicated skein, you shouldsee how I would unravel it! I would work the truth out of yourBohemian, as the French call them, better than a monitoire or a plaintede Tournelle; I know how to manage a refractory witness.'
While Mr. Pleydell was thus vaunting his knowledge of his profession,the waiter reentered with Mr. Driver, his mouth still greasy withmutton pies, and the froth of the last draught of twopenny yetunsubsided on his upper lip, with such speed had he obeyed the commandsof his principal. 'Driver, you must go instantly and find out the womanwho was old Mrs. Margaret Bertram's maid. Inquire for her everywhere,but if you find it necessary to have recourse to Protocol, Quid thetobacconist, or any other of these folks, you will take care not toappear yourself, but send some woman of your acquaintance; I daresayyou know enough that may be so condescending as to oblige you. When youhave found her out, engage her to come to my chambers tomorrow at eighto'clock precisely.'
'What shall I say to make her forthcoming?' asked the aid-de-camp.
'Anything you choose,' replied the lawyer. 'Is it my business to makelies for you, do you think? But let her be in praesentia by eighto'clock, as I have said before.' The clerk grinned, made his reverence,and exit.
'That's a useful fellow,' said the Counsellor; 'I don't believe hismatch ever carried a process. He'll write to my dictating three nightsin the week without sleep, or, what's the same thing, he writes as welland correctly when he's asleep as when he's awake. Then he's such asteady fellow; some of them are always changing their ale-houses, sothat they have twenty cadies sweating after them, like the bare-headedcaptains traversing the taverns of Eastcheap in search of Sir JohnFalstaff. But this is a complete fixture; he has his winter seat by thefire and his summer seat by the window in Luckie Wood's, betwixt whichseats are his only migrations; there he's to be found at all times whenhe is off duty. It is my opinion he never puts off his clothes or goesto sleep; sheer ale supports him under everything. It is meat, drink,and cloth, bed, board, and washing.'
'And is he always fit for duty upon a sudden turnout? I should distrustit, considering his quarters.'
'O, drink, never disturbs him, Colonel; he can write for hours after hecannot speak. I remember being called suddenly to draw an appeal case.I had been dining, and it was Saturday night, and I had ill will tobegin to it; however, they got me down to Clerihugh's, and there we satbirling till I had a fair tappit hen [Footnote: See Note 2.] under mybelt, and then they persuaded me to draw the paper. Then we had to seekDriver, and it was all that two men could do to bear him in, for, whenfound, he was, as it happened, both motionless and speechless. But nosooner was his pen put between his fingers, his paper stretched beforehim, and he heard my voice, than he began to write like a scrivener;and, excepting that we were obliged to have somebody to dip his pen inthe ink, for he could not see the standish, I never saw a thingscrolled more handsomely.'
'But how did your joint production look the next morning?' said theColonel.
'Wheugh! capital! not three words required to be altered: [Footnote:See Note 3. ] it was sent off by that day's post. But you'll come andbreakfast with me to-morrow, and hear this woman's examination?'
'Why, your hour is rather early.'
'Can't make it later. If I were not on the boards of the Outer Houseprecisely as the nine-hours' bell rings, there would be a report that Ihad got an apoplexy, and I should feel the effects of it all the restof the session.'
'Well, I will make an exertion to wait upon you.'
Here the company broke up for the evening.
In the morning Colonel Mannering appeared at the Counsellor's chambers,although cursing the raw air of a Scottish morning in December. Mr.Pleydell had got Mrs. Rebecca installed on one side of his fire,accommodated her with a cup of chocolate, and was already deeplyengaged in conversation with her. 'O no, I assure you, Mrs. Rebecca,there is no intention to challenge your mistress's will; and I give youmy word of honour that your legacy is quite safe. You have deserved itby your conduct to your mistress, and I wish it had been twice as much.'
'Why, to be sure, sir, it's no right to mention what is said beforeane; ye heard how that dirty body Quid cast up to me the bits o'compliments he gied me, and tell'd ower again ony loose cracks I mighthae had wi' him; now if ane was talking loosely to your honour, there'snae saying what might come o't.'
'I assure you, my good Rebecca, my character and your own age andappearance are your security, if you should talk as loosely as anamatory poet.'
'Aweel, if your honour thinks I am safe--the story is just this. Yesee, about a year ago, or no just sae lang, my leddy was advised to goto Gilsland for a while, for her spirits were distressing her sair.Ellangowan's troubles began to be spoken o' publicly, and sair vexedshe was; for she was proud o' her family. For Ellangowan himsell andher, they sometimes 'greed and some times no; but at last they didna'gree at a' for twa or three year, for he was aye wanting to borrowsiller, and that was what she couldna bide at no hand, and she was ayewanting it paid back again, and that the Laird he liked as little. Soat last they were clean aff thegither. And then some of the company atGilsland tells her that the estate was to be sell'd; and ye wad haethought she had taen an ill will at Miss Lucy Bertram frae that moment,for mony a time she cried to me, "O Becky, O Becky, if that uselesspeenging thing o' a lassie there at Ellangowan, that canna keep herne'er-do-weel father within bounds--if she had been but a lad-bairnthey couldna hae sell'd the auld inheritance for that fool-body'sdebts"; and she would rin on that way till I was just wearied and sickto hear her ban the puir lassie, as if she wadna hae been a lad-bairnand keepit the land if it had been in her will to change her sect. Andae day at the spaw-well below the craig at Gilsland she was seeing avery bonny family o' bairns--they belanged to ane Mac-Crosky--and shebroke out--"Is not it an odd like thing that ilka waf carle in thecountry has a son and heir, and that the house of Ellangowan is withoutmale succession?" There was a gipsy wife stood ahint and heard her, amuckle sture fearsome-looking wife she was as ever I set een on. "Whais it," says she, "that dare say the house of Ellangowan will perishwithout male succession?" My mistress just turned on her; she was ahigh-spirited woman, and aye ready wi' an answer to a' body. "It's methat says it," says she, "that may say it with a sad heart." Wi' thatthe gipsy wife gripped till her hand--"I ken you weel eneugh," saysshe, "though ye kenna me. But as sure as that sun's in heaven, and assure as that water's rinning to the sea, and as sure as there's an eethat sees and an ear that hears us baith, Harry Bertram, that wasthought to perish at Warroch Point, never did die there. He was to havea weary weird o't till his ane-and-twentieth year, that was aye said o'him; but if ye live and I live, ye'll hear mair o' him this winterbefore the snaw lies twa days on the Dun of Singleside. I want nane o'your siller," she said, "to make ye think I am blearing your ee; fareye weel till after Martinmas." And there she left us standing.'
'Was she a very tall woman?' interrupted Mannering.
'Had she black hair, black eyes, and a cut above the brow?' added thelawyer.
'She was the tallest woman I ever saw, and her hair was as black asmidnight, unless where it was grey, and she had a scar abune the browthat ye might hae laid the lith of your finger in. Naebody that's seenher wi
ll ever forget her; and I am morally sure that it was on theground o' what that gipsy-woman said that my mistress made her will,having taen a dislike at the young leddy o' Ellangowan. And she likedher far waur after she was obliged to send her L20; for she said MissBertram, no content wi' letting the Ellangowan property pass intostrange hands, owing to her being a lass and no a lad, was coming, byher poverty, to be a burden and a disgrace to Singleside too. But Ihope my mistress's is a good will for a' that, for it would be hard onme to lose the wee bit legacy; I served for little fee and bountith,weel I wot.'
The Counsellor relieved her fears on this head, then inquired afterJenny Gibson, and understood she had accepted Mr. Dinmont's offer. 'AndI have done sae mysell too, since he was sae discreet as to ask me,'said Mrs. Rebecca; 'they are very decent folk the Dinmonts, though mylady didna dow to hear muckle about the friends on that side the house.But she liked the Charlie's Hope hams and the cheeses and the muir-fowlthat they were aye sending, and the lamb's-wool hose and mittens--sheliked them weel eneugh.'
Mr. Pleydell now dismissed Mrs. Rebecca. When she was gone, 'I think Iknow the gipsy-woman,' said the lawyer.
'I was just going to say the same,' replied Mannering.
'And her name,' said Pleydell--
'Is Meg Merrilies,' answered the Colonel.
'Are you avised of that?' said the Counsellor, looking at his militaryfriend with a comic expression of surprise.
Mannering answered that he had known such a woman when he was atEllangowan upwards of twenty years before; and then made his learnedfriend acquainted with all the remarkable particulars of his firstvisit there.
Mr. Pleydell listened with great attention, and then replied, 'Icongratulated myself upon having made the acquaintance of a profoundtheologian in your chaplain; but I really did not expect to find apupil of Albumazar or Messahala in his patron. I have a notion,however, this gipsy could tell us some more of the matter than shederives from astrology or second-sight. I had her through hands once,and could then make little of her, but I must write to Mac-Morlan tostir heaven and earth to find her out. I will gladly come to--shiremyself to assist at her examination; I am still in the commission ofthe peace there, though I have ceased to be sheriff. I never hadanything more at heart in my life than tracing that murder and the fateof the child. I must write to the sheriff of Roxburghshire too, and toan active justice of peace in Cumberland.'
'I hope when you come to the country you will make Woodbourne yourheadquarters?'
'Certainly; I was afraid you were going to forbid me. But we must go tobreakfast now or I shall be too late.'
On the following day the new friends parted, and the Colonel rejoinedhis family without any adventure worthy of being detailed in thesechapters.
