What do ye come seeking here? she asked.
I told her I was after Miss Drummond.
And what may be your business with Miss Drummond? says she.
I told her I had met her on Saturday last, had been so fortunate as to render her a trifling service, and was come now on the young ladys invitation.
O, so youre Saxpence! she cried, with a very sneering manner. A braw gift, a bonny gentleman. And hae ye ony ither name and designation, or were ye bapteesed Saxpence? she asked.
I told my name.
Preserve me! she cried. Has Ebenezer gotten a son?
No, maam, said I. I am a son of Alexanders. Its I that am the Laird of Shaws.
Yell find your work cut out for ye to establish that, quoth she.
I perceive you know my uncle, said I; and I daresay you may be the better pleased to hear that business is arranged.
And what brings ye here after Miss Drummond? she pursued.
Im come after my saxpence, mem, said I. Its to be thought, being my uncles nephew, I would be found a careful lad.
So ye have a spark of sleeness in ye? observed the old lady, with some approval. I thought ye had just been a cuif you and your saxpence, and your lucky day and your sake of Balwhidder from which I was gratified to learn that Catriona had not forgotten some of our talk. But all this is by the purpose, she resumed. Am I to understand that ye come here keeping company?
This is surely rather an early question, said I. The maid is young, so am I, worse fortune. I have but seen her the once. Ill not deny, I added, making up my mind to try her with some frankness, Ill not deny but she has run in my head a good deal since I met in with her. That is one thing; but it would be quite another, and I think I would look very like a fool, to commit myself.
You can speak out of your mouth, I see, said the old lady. Praise God, and so can I! I was fool enough to take charge of this rogues daughter: a fine charge I have gotten; but its mine, and Ill carry it the way I want to. Do ye mean to tell me, Mr. Balfour of Shaws, that you would marry James Mores daughter, and him hanged! Well, then, where theres no possible marriage there shall be no manner of carryings on, and take that for said. Lasses are bruckle things, she added, with a nod; and though ye would never think it by my wrunkled chafts, I was a lassie mysel, and a bonny one.
Lady Allardyce, said I, for that I suppose to be your name, you seem to do the two sides of the talking, which is a very poor manner to come to an agreement. You give me rather a home thrust when you ask if I would marry, at the gallows foot, a young lady whom I have seen but once. I have told you already I would never be so untenty as to commit myself. And yet Ill go some way with you. If I continue to like the lass as well as I have reason to expect, it will be something more than her father, or the gallows either, that keeps the two of us apart. As for my family, I found it by the wayside like a lost bawbee! I owe less than nothing to my uncle and if ever I marry, it will be to please one person: thats myself.
I have heard this kind of talk before ye were born, said Mrs. Ogilvy, which is perhaps the reason that I think of it so little. Theres much to be considered. This James More is a kinsman of mine, to my shame be it spoken. But the better the family, the mair men hanged or headed, thats always been poor Scotlands story. And if it was just the hanging! For my part I think I would be best pleased with James upon the gallows, which would be at least an end to him. Catrines a good lass enough, and a good-hearted, and lets herself be deaved all day with a runt of an auld wife like me. But, ye see, theres the weak bit. Shes daft about that long, false, fleeching beggar of a father of hers, and red-mad about the Gregara, and proscribed names, and King James, and a wheen blethers. And you might think ye could guide her, ye would find yourself sore mistaen. Ye say yeve seen her but the once..
Spoke with her but the once, I should have said, I interrupted. I saw her again this morning from a window at Prestongranges.
This I daresay I put in because it sounded well; but I was properly paid for my ostentation on the return.
Whats this of it? cries the old lady, with a sudden pucker of her face. I think it was at the Advocates door-cheek that ye met her first.
I told her that was so.
Hm, she said; and then suddenly, upon rather a scolding tone, I have your bare word for it, she cries, as to who and what you are. By your way of it, youre Balfour of the Shaws; but for what I ken you may be Balfour of the Deevils oxter. Its possible ye may come here for what ye say, and its equally possible ye may come here for deil care what! Im good enough Whig to sit quiet, and to have keepit all my men-folks heads upon their shoulders. But Im not just a good enough Whig to be made a fool of neither. And I tell you fairly, theres too much Advocates door and Advocates window here for a man that comes taigling after a Macgregors daughter. Ye can tell that to the Advocate that sent ye, with my fond love. And I kiss my loof to ye, Mr. Balfour, says she, suiting the action to the word; and a braw journey to ye back to where ye cam frae.
If you think me a spy, I broke out, and speech stuck in my throat. I stood and looked murder at the old lady for a space, then bowed and turned away.
Here! Hoots! The callants in a creel! she cried. Think ye a spy? what else would I think ye me that kens naething by ye? But I see that I was wrong; and as I cannot fight, Ill have to apologise. A bonny figure I would be with a broadsword. Ay! ay! she went on, youre none such a bad lad in your way; I think yell have some redeeming vices. But, O! Davit Balfour, yere damned countryfeed. Yell have to win over that, lad; yell have to soople your back-bone, and think a wee pickle less of your dainty self; and yell have to try to find out that women-folk are nae grenadiers. But that can never be. To your last day youll ken no more of women-folk than what I do of sow-gelding.
I had never been used with such expressions from a ladys tongue, the only two ladies I had known, Mrs. Campbell and my mother, being most devout and most particular women; and I suppose my amazement must have been depicted in my countenance, for Mrs. Ogilvy burst forth suddenly in a fit of laughter.
Keep me! she cried, struggling with her mirth, you have the finest timber face and you to marry the daughter of a Hieland cateran! Davie, my dear, I think well have to make a match of it if it was just to see the weans. And now, she went on, theres no manner of service in your daidling here, for the young woman is from home, and its my fear that the old woman is no suitable companion for your fathers son. Forbye that I have nobody but myself to look after my reputation, and have been long enough alone with a sedooctive youth. And come back another day for your saxpence! she cried after me as I left.
My skirmish with this disconcerting lady gave my thoughts a boldness they had otherwise wanted. For two days the image of Catriona had mixed in all my meditations; she made their background, so that I scarce enjoyed my own company without a glint of her in a corner of my mind. But now she came immediately near; I seemed to touch her, whom I had never touched but the once; I let myself flow out to her in a happy weakness, and looking all about, and before and behind, saw the world like an undesirable desert, where men go as soldiers on a march, following their duty with what constancy they have, and Catriona alone there to offer me some pleasure of my days. I wondered at myself that I could dwell on such considerations in that time of my peril and disgrace; and when I remembered my youth I was ashamed. I had my studies to complete: I had to be called into some useful business; I had yet to take my part of service in a place where all must serve; I had yet to learn, and know, and prove myself a man; and I had so much sense as blush that I should be already tempted with these further-on and holier delights and duties. My education spoke home to me sharply; I was never brought up on sugar biscuits but on the hard food of the truth. I knew that he was quite unfit to be a husband who was not prepared to be a father also; and for a boy like me to play the father was a mere derision.