CHAPTER XVI
THE MISSING WITNESS
On the seventeenth, the day I was trysted with the Writer, I had muchrebellion against fate. The thought of him waiting in the _King's Arms_,and of what he would think, and what he would say when next we met,tormented and oppressed me. The truth was unbelievable, so much I had togrant, and it seemed cruel hard I should be posted as a liar and acoward, and have never consciously omitted what it was possible that Ishould do. I repeated this form of words with a kind of bitter relish,and re-examined in that light the steps of my behaviour. It seemed I hadbehaved to James Stewart as a brother might; all the past was a picturethat I could be proud of, and there was only the present to consider. Icould not swim the sea, nor yet fly in the air, but there was alwaysAndie. I had done him a service, he liked me; I had a lever there towork on; if it were just for decency, I must try once more with Andie.
It was late afternoon; there was no sound in all the Bass but the lapand bubble of a very quiet sea; and my four companions were all creptapart, the three Macgregors higher on the rock, and Andie with his Bibleto a sunny place among the ruins; there I found him in deep sleep, and,as soon as he was awake, appealed to him with some fervour of manner anda good show of argument.
"If I thoucht it was to do guid to ye, Shaws!" said he, staring at meover his spectacles.
"It's to save another," said I, "and to redeem my word. What would bemore good than that? Do ye no mind the scripture, Andie? And you withthe Book upon your lap! _What shall it profit a man if he gain the wholeworld?"_
"Ay," said he, "that's grand for you. But where do I come in? I have myword to redeem the same's yoursel'. And what are ye asking me to do, butjust to sell it ye for siller?"
"Andie! have I named the name of siller?" cried I.
"Ou, the name's naething," said he; "the thing is there, whatever. Itjust comes to this; if I am to service ye the way that you propose, I'llloss my lieihood. Then it's clear ye'll have to make it up to me, and apickle mair, for your ain credit like. And what's that but just a bribe?And if even I was certain of the bribe! But by a' that I can learn, it'sfar frae that; and if _you_ were to hang, where would _I_ be? Na: thething's no possible. And just awa' wi' ye like a bonny lad! and letAndie read his chapter."
I remember I was at bottom a good deal gratified with this result; andthe next humour I fell into was one (I had near said) of gratitude toPrestongrange, who had saved me, in this violent, illegal manner, out ofthe midst of my dangers, temptations, and perplexities. But this wasboth too flimsy and too cowardly to last me long, and the remembrance ofJames began to succeed to the possession of my spirits. The 21st, theday set for the trial, I passed in such misery of mind as I can scarcerecall to have endured, save perhaps upon Isle Earraid only. Much of thetime I lay on a braeside betwixt sleep and waking, my body motionless,my mind full of violent thoughts. Sometimes I slept indeed; but thecourt-house of Inverary and the prisoner glancing on all sides to findhis missing witness, followed me in slumber; and I would wake again witha start to darkness of spirit and distress of body. I thought Andieseemed to observe me, but I paid him little heed. Verily, my bread wasbitter to me, and my days a burthen.
Early the next morning (Friday, 22nd) a boat came with provisions, andAndie placed a packet in my hand. The cover was without address butsealed with a Government seal. It enclosed two notes. "Mr. Balfour cannow see for himself it is too late to meddle. His conduct will beobserved and his discretion rewarded." So ran the first, which seemed tobe laboriously writ with the left hand. There was certainly nothing inthese expressions to compromise the writer, even if that person could befound; the seal, which formidably served instead of signature, wasaffixed to a separate sheet on which there was no scratch of writing;and I had to confess that (so far) my adversaries knew what they weredoing, and to digest as well as I was able the threat that peeped underthe promise.
But the second enclosure was by far the more surprising. It was in alady's hand of writ. "_Maister Dauvit Balfour is informed a friend wasspeiring for him, and her eyes were of the grey_," it ran--and seemed soextraordinary a piece to come to my hands at such a moment and undercover of a Government seal, that I stood stupid. Catriona's grey eyesshone in my remembrance. I thought, with a bound of pleasure, she mustbe the friend. But who should the writer be, to have her billet thusenclosed with Prestongrange's? And of all wonders, why was it thoughtneedful to give me this pleasing but most inconsequential intelligenceupon the Bass? For the writer, I could hit upon none possible exceptMiss Grant. Her family, I remembered, had remarked on Catriona's eyesand even named her for their colour; and she herself had been much inthe habit to address me with a broad pronunciation, by way of a sniff, Isupposed, at my rusticity. No doubt, besides, but she lived in the samehouse as this letter came from. So there remained but one step to beaccounted for; and that was how Prestongrange should have permitted herat all in an affair so secret, or let her daft-like billet go in thesame cover with his own. But even here I had a glimmering. For, first ofall, there was something rather alarming about the young lady, and papamight be more under her domination than I knew. And second, there wasthe man's continual policy to be remembered, how his conduct had beencontinually mingled with caresses, and he had scarce ever, in the midstof so much contention, laid aside a mask of friendship. He must conceivethat my imprisonment had incensed me. Perhaps this little jesting,friendly message was intended to disarm my rancour?
I will be honest--and I think it did. I felt a sudden warmth towardsthat beautiful Miss Grant, that she should stoop to so much interest inmy affairs. The summoning up of Catriona moved me of itself to milderand more cowardly counsels. If the Advocate knew of her and of ouracquaintance--if I should please him by some of that "discretion" atwhich his letter pointed--to what might not this lead? _In vain is thenet spread in the sight of any fowl_, the scripture says. Well, fowlsmust be wiser than folk! For I thought I perceived the policy, and yetfell in with it.
I was in this frame, my heart beating, the grey eyes plain before melike two stars, when Andie broke in upon my musing.
"I see ye hae gotten guid news," said he.
I found him looking curiously in my face; with that, there came beforeme like a vision of James Stewart and the court of Inverary; and my mindturned at once like a door upon its hinges. Trials, I reflected,sometimes draw out longer than is looked for. Even if I came to Inveraryjust too late, something might yet be attempted in the interests ofJames--and in those of my own character, the best would be accomplished.In a moment, it seemed without thought, I had a plan devised.
"Andie," said I, "is it still to be to-morrow?"
He told me nothing was changed.
"Was anything said about the hour?" I asked.
He told me it was to be two o'clock afternoon.
"And about the place?" I pursued.
"Whatten place?" says Andie.
"The place I'm to be landed at," said I.
He owned there was nothing as to that.
"Very well, then," I said, "this shall be mine to arrange. The wind isin the east, my road lies westward; keep your boat, I hire it; let uswork up the Forth all day; and land me at two o'clock to-morrow at thewestmost we'll can have reached."
"Ye daft callant!" he cried, "ye would try for Inverary after a'!"
"Just that, Andie," says I.
"Weel, ye're ill to beat!" says he. "And I was kind o' sorry for ye a'day yesterday," he added. "Ye see, I was never entirely sure till then,which way of it ye really wantit."
Here was a spur to a lame horse!
"A word in your ear, Andie," said I. "This plan of mine has anotheradvantage yet. We can leave these Hielandmen behind us on the rock, andone of your boats from the Castleton can bring them off to-morrow. YonNeil has a queer eye when he regards you; maybe, if I was once out ofthe gate there might be knives again; these red-shanks are uncogrudgeful. And if there should come to be any question, here is yourexcuse. Our lives were in danger by these savages; being answerable fo
rmy safety, you chose the part to bring me from their neighbourhood anddetain me the rest of the time on board your boat; and do you know,Andie?" says I, with a smile, "I think it was very wisely chosen."
"The truth is I have nae goo for Neil," says Andie, "nor he for me, I'mthinking; and I would like ill to come to my hands wi' the man. TamAnster will make a better hand of it with the cattle onyway." (For thisman, Anster, came from Fife, where the Gaelic is still spoken.) "Ay,ay!" says Andie, "Tam'll can deal with them the best. And troth! themair I think of it, the less I see what way we would be required. Theplace--ay, feggs! they had forgot the place. Eh, Shaws, ye're alang-heided chield when ye like! Forby that I'm awing ye my life," headded, with more solemnity, and offered me his hand upon the bargain.
Whereupon, with scarce more words, we stepped suddenly on board theboat, cast off, and set the lug. The Gregara were then busy uponbreakfast, for the cookery was their usual part; but, one of themstepping to the battlements, our flight was observed before we weretwenty fathoms from the rock; and the three of them ran about the ruinsand the landing-shelf, for all the world like ants about a broken nest,hailing and crying on us to return. We were still in both the lee andthe shadow of the rock, which last lay broad upon the waters, butpresently came forth in almost the same moment into the wind andsunshine; the sail filled, the boat heeled to the gunwale, and we sweptimmediately beyond sound of the men's voices. To what terrors theyendured upon the rock, where they were now deserted without thecountenance of any civilised person or so much as the protection of aBible, no limit can be set; nor had they any brandy left to be theirconsolation, for even in the haste and secrecy of our departure Andiehad managed to remove it.
It was our first care to set Anster ashore in a cove by the GlenteithyRocks, so that the deliverance of our maroons might be duly seen to thenext day. Thence we kept away up Firth. The breeze, which was then sospirited, swiftly declined, but never wholly failed us. All day we keptmoving, though often not much more; and it was after dark ere we were upwith the Queensferry. To keep the letter of Andie's engagement (or whatwas left of it) I must remain on board, but I thought no harm tocommunicate with the shore in writing. On Prestongrange's cover, wherethe Government seal must have a good deal surprised my correspondent, Iwrit, by the boat's lantern, a few necessary words, and Andie carriedthem to Rankeillor. In about an hour he came aboard again, with a purseof money and the assurance that a good horse should be standing saddledfor me by two to-morrow at Clackmannan Pool. This done, and the boatriding by her stone anchor, we lay down to sleep under the sail.
We were in the Pool the next day long ere two; and there was nothingleft for me but sit and wait. I felt little alacrity upon my errand. Iwould have been glad of any passable excuse to lay it down; but nonebeing to be found, my uneasiness was no less great than if I had beenrunning to some desired pleasure. By shortly after one the horse was atthe waterside, and I could see a man walking it to and fro till I shouldland, which vastly swelled my impatience. Andie ran the moment of myliberation very fine, showing himself a man of his bare word, but scarceserving his employers with a heaped measure; and by about fifty secondsafter two I was in the saddle and on the full stretch for Stirling. In alittle more than an hour I had passed that town, and was alreadymounting Alan Water side, when the weather broke in a small tempest. Therain blinded me, the wind had nearly beat me from the saddle, and thefirst darkness of the night surprised me in a wilderness still some wayeast of Balwhidder, not very sure of my direction and mounted on a horsethat began already to be weary.
In the press of my hurry, and to be spared the delay and annoyance of aguide, I had followed (so far as it was possible for any horseman) theline of my journey with Alan. This I did with open eyes, foreseeing agreat risk in it, which the tempest had now brought to a reality. Thelast that I knew of where I was, I think it must have been about UamVar; the hour perhaps six at night. I must still think it great goodfortune that I got about eleven to my destination, the house of DuncanDhu. Where I had wandered in the interval perhaps the horse could tell.I know we were twice down, and once over the saddle and for a momentcarried away in a roaring burn. Steed and rider were bemired up to theeyes.
From Duncan I had news of the trial. It was followed in all theseHighland regions with religious interest; news of it spread fromInverary as swift as men could travel; and I was rejoiced to learn that,up to a late hour that Saturday, it was not yet concluded; and all menbegan to suppose it must spread over to the Monday. Under the spur ofthis intelligence I would not sit to eat; but, Duncan having agreed tobe my guide, took the road again on foot, with the piece in my hand andmunching as I went. Duncan brought with him a flask of usquebaugh and ahand-lantern; which last enlightened us just so long as we could findhouses where to rekindle it, for the thing leaked outrageously and blewout with every gust. The more part of the night we walked blindfoldamong sheets of rain, and day found us aimless on the mountains. Hard bywe struck a hut on a burn-side, where we got a bite and a direction;and, a little before the end of the sermon, came to the kirk doors ofInverary.
The rain had somewhat washed the upper parts of me, but I was stillbogged as high as to the knees; I streamed water; I was so weary I couldhardly limp, and my face was like a ghost's. I stood certainly more inneed of a change of raiment and a bed to lie on, than of all thebenefits in Christianity. For all which (being persuaded the chief pointfor me was to make myself immediately public) I set the door open,entered that church with the dirty Duncan at my tails, and finding avacant place hard by, sat down.
"Thirteenthly, my brethren, and in parenthesis, the law itself must beregarded as a means of grace," the minister was saying, in the voice ofone delighting to pursue an argument.
The sermon was in English on account of the assize. The judges werepresent with their armed attendants, the halberts glittered in a cornerby the door, and the seats were thronged beyond custom with the array oflawyers. The text was in Romans 5th and 13th--the minister a skilledhand; and the whole of that able churchful--from Argyle, and my LordsElchies and Kilkerran, down to the halbertmen that came in theirattendance--was sunk with gathered brows in a profound criticalattention. The minister himself and a sprinkling of those about the doorobserved our entrance at the moment and immediately forgot the same; therest either did not hear or would not heed; and I sat there amongst myfriends and enemies unremarked.
The first that I singled out was Prestongrange. He sat well forward,like an eager horseman in the saddle, his lips moving with relish, hiseyes glued on the minister: the doctrine was clearly to his mind.Charles Stewart, on the other hand, was half asleep, and looked harassedand pale. As for Symon Fraser, he appeared like a blot, and almost ascandal, in the midst of that attentive congregation, digging his handsin his pockets, shifting his legs, clearing his throat, rolling up hisbald eyebrows and shooting out his eyes to right and left, now with ayawn, now with a secret smile. At times too, he would take the Bible infront of him, run it through, seem to read a bit, run it through again,and stop and yawn prodigiously: the whole as if for exercise.
In the course of this restlessness his eye alighted on myself. He sat asecond stupefied, than tore a half leaf out of the Bible, scrawled uponit with a pencil, and passed it with a whispered word to his nextneighbor. The note came to Prestongrange, who gave me but the one look;thence it voyaged to the hands of Mr. Erskine; thence again to Argyle,where he sat between the other two lords of session, and his Graceturned and fixed me with an arrogant eye. The last of those interestedto observe my presence was Charlie Stewart, and he too began to penciland hand about despatches, none of which I was able to trace to theirdestination in the crowd.
But the passage of these notes had aroused notice; all who were in thesecret (or supposed themselves to be so) were whisperinginformation--the rest questions; and the minister himself seemed quitediscountenanced by the flutter in the church and sudden stir andwhispering. His voice changed, he plainly faltered, nor did he againrecover the easy conviction and full ton
es of his delivery. It would bea puzzle to him till his dying day, why a sermon that had gone withtriumph through four parts, should thus miscarry in the fifth.
As for me, I continued to sit there, very wet and weary, and a good dealanxious as to what should happen next, but greatly exulting in mysuccess.
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