by Walter Scott
CHAPTER XVIII.
And helter-skelter have I rode to thee, And tidings do I bring, and lucky joys, And golden times, and happy news of price.
_Ancient Pistol._
Fortune, who seems at times to bear a conscience, owed the hospitableUdaller some amends, and accordingly repaid to Burgh-Westra thedisappointment occasioned by the unsuccessful whale-fishing, by sendingthither, on the evening of the day in which that incident happened, noless a person than the jagger, or travelling merchant, as he styledhimself, Bryce Snailsfoot, who arrived in great pomp, himself on onepony, and his pack of goods, swelled to nearly double its usual size,forming the burden of another, which was led by a bare-headedbare-legged boy.
As Bryce announced himself the bearer of important news, he wasintroduced to the dining apartment, where (for that primitive age was norespecter of persons) he was permitted to sit down at a side-table, andamply supplied with provisions and good liquor; while the attentivehospitality of Magnus permitted no questions to be put to him, until,his hunger and thirst appeased, he announced, with the sense ofimportance attached to distant travels, that he had just yesterdayarrived at Lerwick from Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney, and would havebeen here yesterday, but it blew hard off the Fitful-head.
"We had no wind here," said Magnus.
"There is somebody has not been sleeping, then," said the pedlar, "andher name begins with N; but Heaven is above all."
"But the news from Orkney, Bryce, instead of croaking about a capful ofwind?"
"Such news," replied Bryce, "as has not been heard this thirtyyears--not since Cromwell's time."
"There is not another Revolution, is there?" said Halcro; "King Jameshas not come back, as blithe as King Charlie did, has he?"
"It's news," replied the pedlar, "that are worth twenty kings, andkingdoms to boot of them; for what good did the evolutions ever do us?and I dare say we have seen a dozen, great and sma'."
"Are any Indiamen come north about?" said Magnus Troil.
"Ye are nearer the mark, Fowd," said the jagger; "but it is naeIndiaman, but a gallant armed vessel, chokeful of merchandise, that theypart with so easy that a decent man like my sell can afford to give thecountry the best pennyworths you ever saw; and that you will say, when Iopen that pack, for I count to carry it back another sort lighter thanwhen I brought it here."
"Ay, ay, Bryce," said the Udaller, "you must have had good bargains ifyou sell cheap; but what ship was it?"
"Cannot justly say--I spoke to nobody but the captain, who was adiscreet man; but she had been down on the Spanish Main, for she hassilks and satins, and tobacco, I warrant you, and wine, and no lack ofsugar, and bonny-wallies baith of silver and gowd, and a bonniedredging of gold dust into the bargain."
"What like was she?" said Cleveland, who seemed to give much attention.
"A stout ship," said the itinerant merchant, "schooner-rigged, sailslike a dolphin, they say, carries twelve guns, and is pierced fortwenty."
"Did you hear the captain's name?" said Cleveland, speaking rather lowerthan his usual tone.
"I just ca'd him the Captain," replied Bryce Snailsfoot; "for I make ita rule never to ask questions of them I deal with in the way of trade;for there is many an honest captain, begging your pardon, CaptainCleveland, that does not care to have his name tacked to his title; andas lang as we ken what bargains we are making, what signifies it wha weare making them wi', ye ken?"
"Bryce Snailsfoot is a cautious man," said the Udaller, laughing; "heknows a fool may ask more questions than a wise man cares to answer."
"I have dealt with the fair traders in my day," replied Snailsfoot, "andI ken nae use in blurting braid out with a man's name at every moment;but I will uphold this gentleman to be a gallant commander--ay, and akind one too; for every one of his crew is as brave in apparel ashimself nearly--the very foremast-men have their silken scarfs; I haveseen many a lady wear a warse, and think hersell nae sma' drink--and forsiller buttons, and buckles, and the lave of sic vanities, there is naeend of them."
"Idiots!" muttered Cleveland between his teeth; and then added, "Isuppose they are often ashore, to show all their bravery to the lassesof Kirkwall?"
"Ne'er a bit of that are they. The Captain will scarce let them stirashore without the boatswain go in the boat--as rough a tarpaulin asever swabb'd a deck--and you may as weel catch a cat without her claws,as him without his cutlass and his double brace of pistols about him;every man stands as much in awe of him as of the commander himsell."
"That must be Hawkins, or the devil," said Cleveland.
"Aweel, Captain," replied the jagger, "be he the tane or the tither, ora wee bit o' baith, mind it is you that give him these names, and notI."
"Why, Captain Cleveland," said the Udaller, "this may prove the veryconsort you spoke of."
"They must have had some good luck, then," said Cleveland, "to put themin better plight than when I left them.--Did they speak of having losttheir consort, pedlar?"
"In troth did they," said Bryce; "that is, they said something about apartner that had gone down to Davie Jones in these seas."
"And did you tell them what you knew of her?" said the Udaller.
"And wha the deevil wad hae been the fule, then," said the pedlar, "thatI suld say sae? When they kend what came of the ship, the next questionwad have been about the cargo,--and ye wad not have had me bring down anarmed vessel on the coast, to harrie the poor folk about a wheen rags ofduds that the sea flung upon their shores?"
"Besides, what might have been found in your own pack, you scoundrel!"said Magnus Troil; an observation which produced a loud laugh. TheUdaller could not help joining in the hilarity which applauded his jest;but instantly composing his countenance, he said, in an unusually gravetone, "You may laugh, my friends; but this is a matter which brings botha curse and a shame on the country; and till we learn to regard therights of them that suffer by the winds and waves, we shall deserve tobe oppressed and hag-ridden, as we have been and are, by the superiorstrength of the strangers who rule us."
The company hung their heads at the rebuke of Magnus Troil. Perhapssome, even of the better class, might be conscience-struck on their ownaccount; and all of them were sensible that the appetite for plunder, onthe part of the tenants and inferiors, was not at all times restrainedwith sufficient strictness. But Cleveland made answer gaily, "If thesehonest fellows be my comrades, I will answer for them that they willnever trouble the country about a parcel of chests, hammocks, and suchtrumpery, that the Roost may have washed ashore out of my poor sloop.What signifies to them whether the trash went to Bryce Snailsfoot, or tothe bottom, or to the devil? So unbuckle thy pack, Bryce, and show theladies thy cargo, and perhaps we may see something that will pleasethem."
"It cannot be his consort," said Brenda, in a whisper to her sister; "hewould have shown more joy at her appearance."
"It must be the vessel," answered Minna; "I saw his eye glisten at thethought of being again united to the partner of his dangers."
"Perhaps it glistened," said her sister, still apart, "at the thought ofleaving Zetland; it is difficult to guess the thought of the heart fromthe glance of the eye."
"Judge not, at least, unkindly of a friend's thought," said Minna; "andthen, Brenda, if you are mistaken, the fault rests not with you."
During this dialogue, Bryce Snailsfoot was busied in uncoiling thecarefully arranged cordage of his pack, which amounted to six good yardsof dressed seal-skin, curiously complicated and secured by all manner ofknots and buckles. He was considerably interrupted in the task by theUdaller and others, who pressed him with questions respecting thestranger vessel.
"Were the officers often ashore? and how were they received by thepeople of Kirkwall?" said Magnus Troil.
"Excellently well," answered Bryce Snailsfoot; "and the Captain and oneor two of his men had been at some of the vanities and dances which wentforward in the town; but there had been some word about customs, orking's
duties, or the like, and some of the higher folk, that took uponthem as magistrates, or the like, had had words with the Captain, and herefused to satisfy them; and then it is like he was more coldly lookedon, and he spoke of carrying the ship round to Stromness, or theLanghope, for she lay under the guns of the battery at Kirkwall. But he"(Bryce) "thought she wad bide at Kirkwall till the summer-fair was over,for all that."
"The Orkney gentry," said Magnus Troil, "are always in a hurry to drawthe Scotch collar tighter round their own necks. Is it not enough thatwe must pay _scat_ and _wattle,_ which were all the public dues underour old Norse government; but must they come over us with king's duesand customs besides? It is the part of an honest man to resist thesethings. I have done so all my life, and will do so to the end of it."
There was a loud jubilee and shout of applause among the guests, whowere (some of them at least) better pleased with Magnus Troil'slatitudinarian principles with respect to the public revenue, (whichwere extremely natural to those living in so secluded a situation, andsubjected to many additional exactions,) than they had been with therigour of his judgment on the subject of wrecked goods. But Minna'sinexperienced feelings carried her farther than her father, while shewhispered to Brenda, not unheard by Cleveland, that the tame spirit ofthe Orcadians had missed every chance which late incidents had giventhem to emancipate these islands from the Scottish yoke.
"Why," she said, "should we not, under so many changes as late timeshave introduced, have seized the opportunity to shake off an allegiancewhich is not justly due from us, and to return to the protection ofDenmark, our parent country? Why should we yet hesitate to do this, butthat the gentry of Orkney have mixed families and friendship so muchwith our invaders, that they have become dead to the throb of the heroicNorse blood, which they derived from their ancestors?"
The latter part of this patriotic speech happened to reach theastonished ears of our friend Triptolemus, who, having a sinceredevotion for the Protestant succession, and the Revolution asestablished, was surprised into the ejaculation, "As the old cock crowsthe young cock learns--hen I should say, mistress, and I crave yourpardon if I say any thing amiss in either gender. But it is a happycountry where the father declares against the king's customs, and thedaughter against the king's crown! and, in my judgment, it can end innaething but trees and tows."
"Trees are scarce among us," said Magnus; "and for ropes, we need themfor our rigging, and cannot spare them to be shirt-collars."
"And whoever," said the Captain, "takes umbrage at what this young ladysays, had better keep his ears and tongue for a safer employment thansuch an adventure."
"Ay, ay," said Triptolemus, "it helps the matter much to speak truths,whilk are as unwelcome to a proud stomach as wet clover to a cow's, in aland where lads are ready to draw the whittle if a lassie but looksawry. But what manners are to be expected in a country where folk call apleugh-sock a markal?"
"Hark ye, Master Yellowley," said the Captain, smiling, "I hope mymanners are not among those abuses which you come hither to reform; anyexperiment on them may be dangerous."
"As well as difficult," said Triptolemus, dryly; "but fear nothing,Captain Cleveland, from my remonstrances. My labours regard the men andthings of the earth, and not the men and things of the sea,--you are notof my element."
"Let us be friends, then, old clod-compeller," said the Captain.
"Clod-compeller!" said the agriculturist, bethinking himself of thelore of his earlier days; "Clod-compeller _pro_ cloud-compeller,[Greek: Nephelegereta Zeus](_o_)--_Graecum est_,--in which voyage cameyou by that phrase?"
"I have travelled books as well as seas in my day," said the Captain;"but my last voyages have been of a sort to make me forget my earlycruizes through classic knowledge.--But come here, Bryce,--hast cast offthe lashing?--Come all hands, and let us see if he has aught in hiscargo that is worth looking upon."
With a proud, and, at the same time, a wily smile, did the crafty pedlardisplay a collection of wares far superior to those which usually filledhis packages, and, in particular, some stuffs and embroideries, of suchbeauty and curiosity, fringed, flowered, and worked, with such art andmagnificence, upon foreign and arabesque patterns, that the sight mighthave dazzled a far more brilliant company than the simple race of Thule.All beheld and admired, while Mistress Baby Yellowley, holding up herhands, protested it was a sin even to look upon such extravagance, andworse than murder so much as to ask the price of them.
Others, however, were more courageous; and the prices demanded by themerchant, if they were not, as he himself declared, something just morethan nothing--short only of an absolute free gift of his wares, werenevertheless so moderate, as to show that he himself must have made aneasy acquisition of the goods, judging by the rate at which he offeredto part with them. Accordingly, the cheapness of the articles created arapid sale; for in Zetland, as well as elsewhere, wise folk buy morefrom the prudential desire to secure a good bargain, than from any realoccasion for the purchase. The Lady Glowrowrum bought seven petticoatsand twelve stomachers on this sole principle, and other matrons presentrivalled her in this sagacious species of economy. The Udaller was alsoa considerable purchaser; but the principal customer for whatever couldplease the eye of beauty, was the gallant Captain Cleveland, whorummaged the jagger's stores in selecting presents for the ladies of theparty, in which Minna and Brenda Troil were especially remembered.
"I fear," said Magnus Troil, "that the young women are to consider thesepretty presents as keepsakes, and that all this liberality is only asure sign we are soon to lose you?"
This question seemed to embarrass him to whom it was put.
"I scarce know," he said with some hesitation, "whether this vessel ismy consort or no--I must take a trip to Kirkwall to make sure of thatmatter, and then I hope to return to Dunrossness to bid you allfarewell."
"In that case," said the Udaller, after a moment's pause, "I think I maycarry you thither. I should be at the Kirkwall fair, to settle with themerchants I have consigned my fish to, and I have often promised Minnaand Brenda that they should see the fair. Perhaps also your consort, orthese strangers, whoever they be, may have some merchandise that willsuit me. I love to see my rigging-loft well stocked with goods, almostas much as to see it full of dancers. We will go to Orkney in my ownbrig, and I can offer you a hammock, if you will."
The offer seemed so acceptable to Cleveland, that, after pouring himselfforth in thanks, he seemed determined to mark his joy by exhaustingBryce Snailsfoot's treasures in liberality to the company. The contentsof a purse of gold were transferred to the jagger, with a facility andindifference on the part of its former owner which argued either thegreatest profusion, or consciousness of superior and inexhaustiblewealth; so that Baby whispered to her brother, that, "if he could affordto fling away money at this rate, the lad had made a better voyage in abroken ship, than all the skippers of Dundee had made in their haillanes for a twelvemonth past."
But the angry feeling in which she made this remark was much mollified,when Cleveland, whose object it seemed that evening to be, to buy goldenopinions of all sorts of men, approached her with a garment somewhatresembling in shape the Scottish plaid, but woven of a sort of wool sosoft, that it felt to the touch as if it were composed of eider-down."This," he said, "was a part of a Spanish lady's dress, called a_mantilla_; as it would exactly fit the size of Mrs. Baby Yellowley, andwas very well suited for the fogs of the climate of Zetland, heentreated her to wear it for his sake." The lady, with as muchcondescending sweetness as her countenance was able to express, not onlyconsented to receive this mark of gallantry, but permitted the donor toarrange the mantilla upon her projecting and bony shoulder-blades,where, said Claud Halcro, "it hung, for all the world, as if it had beenstretched betwixt a couple of cloak-pins."
While the Captain was performing this piece of courtesy, much to theentertainment of the company, which, it may be presumed, was hisprincipal object from the beginning, Mordaunt Mertoun made purchase of asmall golden
chaplet, with the private intention of presenting it toBrenda, when he should find an opportunity. The price was fixed, and thearticle laid aside. Claud Halcro also showed some desire of possessing asilver box of antique shape, for depositing tobacco, which he was in thehabit of using in considerable quantity. But the bard seldom had currentcoin in promptitude, and, indeed, in his wandering way of life, hadlittle occasion for any; and Bryce, on the other hand, his having beenhitherto a ready-money trade, protested, that his very moderate profitsupon such rare and choice articles, would not allow of his affordingcredit to the purchaser. Mordaunt gathered the import of thisconversation from the mode in which they whispered together, while thebard seemed to advance a wishful finger towards the box in question, andthe cautious pedlar detained it with the weight of his whole hand, as ifhe had been afraid it would literally make itself wings, and fly intoClaud Halcro's pocket. Mordaunt Mertoun at this moment, desirous togratify an old acquaintance, laid the price of the box on the table, andsaid he would not permit Master Halcro to purchase that box, as he hadsettled in his own mind to make him a present of it.
"I cannot think of robbing you, my dear young friend," said the poet;"but the truth is, that that same box does remind me strangely ofglorious John's, out of which I had the honour to take a pinch at theWits' Coffeehouse, for which I think more highly of my right-hand fingerand thumb than any other part of my body; only you must allow me to payyou back the price when my Urkaster stock-fish come to market."
"Settle that as you like betwixt you," said the jagger, taking upMordaunt's money; "the box is bought and sold."
"And how dare you sell over again," said Captain Cleveland, suddenlyinterfering, "what you already have sold to me?"
All were surprised at this interjection, which was hastily made, asCleveland, having turned from Mistress Baby, had become suddenly, and,as it seemed, not without emotion, aware what articles Bryce Snailsfootwas now disposing of. To this short and fierce question, the jagger,afraid to contradict a customer of his description, answered only bystammering, that the "Lord knew he meant nae offence."
"How, sir! no offence!" said the seaman, "and dispose of my property?"extending his hand at the same time to the box and chaplet; "restore theyoung gentleman's money, and learn to keep your course on the meridianof honesty."
The jagger, confused and reluctant, pulled out his leathern pouch torepay to Mordaunt the money he had just deposited in it; but the youthwas not to be so satisfied.
"The articles," he said, "were bought and sold--these were your ownwords, Bryce Snailsfoot, in Master Halcro's hearing; and I will sufferneither you nor any other to deprive me of my property."
"_Your_ property, young man?" said Cleveland; "It is mine,--I spoke toBryce respecting them an instant before I turned from the table."
"I--I--I had not just heard distinctly," said Bryce, evidently unwillingto offend either party.
"Come, come," said the Udaller, "we will have no quarrelling aboutbaubles; we shall be summoned presently to the rigging-loft,"--so heused to call the apartment used as a ball-room,--"and we must all go ingood-humour. The things shall remain with Bryce for to-night, andto-morrow I will myself settle whom they shall belong to."
The laws of the Udaller in his own house were absolute as those of theMedes. The two young men, regarding each other with looks of sullendispleasure, drew off in different directions.
It is seldom that the second day of a prolonged festival equals thefirst. The spirits, as well as the limbs, are jaded, and unequal to therenewed expenditure of animation and exertion and the dance atBurgh-Westra was sustained with much less mirth than on the precedingevening. It was yet an hour from midnight, when even the reluctantMagnus Troil, after regretting the degeneracy of the times, and wishinghe could transfuse into the modern Hialtlanders some of the vigour whichstill animated his own frame, found himself compelled to give the signalfor general retreat.
Just as this took place, Halcro, leading Mordaunt Mertoun a littleaside, said he had a message to him from Captain Cleveland.
"A message!" said Mordaunt, his heart beating somewhat thick as hespoke--"A challenge, I suppose?"
"A challenge!" repeated Halcro; "who ever heard of a challenge in ourquiet islands? Do you think that I look like a carrier of challenges,and to you of all men living?--I am none of those fighting fools, asglorious John calls them; and it was not quite a message I had todeliver--only thus far--this Captain Cleveland, I find, hath set hisheart upon having these articles you looked at."
"He shall not have them, I swear to you," replied Mordaunt Mertoun.
"Nay, but hear me," said Halcro; "it seems that, by the marks or armsthat are upon them, he knows that they were formerly his property. Now,were you to give me the box, as you promised, I fairly tell you, Ishould give the man back his own."
"And Brenda might do the like," thought Mordaunt to himself, andinstantly replied aloud, "I have thought better of it, my friend.Captain Cleveland shall have the toys he sets such store by, but it ison one sole condition."
"Nay, you will spoil all with your conditions," said Halcro; "for, asglorious John says, conditions are but"----
"Hear me, I say, with patience.--My condition is, that he keeps the toysin exchange for the rifle-gun I accepted from him, which will leave noobligation between us on either side."
"I see where you would be--this is Sebastian and Dorax all over. Well,you may let the jagger know he is to deliver the things to Cleveland--Ithink he is mad to have them--and I will let Cleveland know theconditions annexed, otherwise honest Bryce might come by two paymentsinstead of one; and I believe his conscience would not choke upon it."
With these words, Halcro went to seek out Cleveland, while Mordaunt,observing Snailsfoot, who, as a sort of privileged person, had thrusthimself into the crowd at the bottom of the dancing-room, went up tohim, and gave him directions to deliver the disputed articles toCleveland as soon as he had an opportunity.
"Ye are in the right, Maister Mordaunt," said the jagger; "ye are aprudent and a sensible lad--a calm answer turneth away wrath--andmysell, I sall be willing to please you in ony trifling matters in mysma' way; for, between the Udaller of Burgh-Westra and CaptainCleveland, a man is, as it were, atween the deil and the deep sea; andit was like that the Udaller, in the end, would have taken your part inthe dispute, for he is a man that loves justice."
"Which apparently you care very little about, Master Snailsfoot," saidMordaunt, "otherwise there could have been no dispute whatever, theright being so clearly on my side, if you had pleased to bear witnessaccording to the dictates of truth."
"Maister Mordaunt," said the jagger, "I must own there was, as it were,a colouring or shadow of justice on your side; but then, the justicethat I meddle with, is only justice in the way of trade, to have anellwand of due length, if it be not something worn out with leaning onit in my lang and painful journeys, and to buy and sell by just weightand measure, twenty-four merks to the lispund; but I have nothing to do,to do justice betwixt man and man, like a Fowd or a Lawright-man at alawting lang syne."
"No one asked you to do so, but only to give evidence according to yourconscience," replied Mordaunt, not greatly pleased either with the partthe jagger had acted during the dispute, or the construction which heseemed to put on his own motives for yielding up the point.
But Bryce Snailsfoot wanted not his answer; "My conscience," he said,"Maister Mordaunt, is as tender as ony man's in my degree; but she issomething of a timorsome nature, cannot abide angry folk, and can neverspeak above her breath, when there is aught of a fray going forward.Indeed, she hath at all times a small and low voice."
"Which you are not much in the habit of listening to," said Mordaunt.
"There is that on your ain breast that proves the contrary," said Bryce,resolutely.
"In my breast?" said Mordaunt, somewhat angrily,--"what know I of you?"
"I said _on_ your breast, Maister Mordaunt, and not _in_ it. I am surenae eye that looks on that waistcoat upon your o
wn gallant brisket, butwill say, that the merchant who sold such a piece for four dollars hadjustice and conscience, and a kind heart to a customer to the boot of a'that; sae ye shouldna be sae thrawart wi' me for having spared thebreath of my mouth in a fool's quarrel."
"I thrawart!" said Mordaunt; "pooh, you silly man! I have no quarrelwith you."
"I am glad of it," said the travelling merchant; "I will quarrel with noman, with my will--least of all with an old customer; and if you willwalk by my advice, you will quarrel nane with Captain Cleveland. He islike one of yon cutters and slashers that have come into Kirkwall, thatthink as little of slicing a man, as we do of flinching a whale--it'stheir trade to fight, and they live by it; and they have the advantageof the like of you, that only take it up at your own hand, and in theway of pastime, when you hae nothing better to do."
The company had now almost all dispersed; and Mordaunt, laughing at thejagger's caution, bade him good-night, and went to his own place ofrepose, which had been assigned to him by Eric Scambester, (who actedthe part of chamberlain as well as butler,) in a small room, or rathercloset, in one of the outhouses, furnished for the occasion with thehammock of a sailor.
