you have been able to
persuade him to return where I shall be always
gratified to find him."
So they each made me a little
farthingcompliment, and I was led away.
If this visit to the family had been meant to
soften my
resistance, it
was the worst of failures. I was no such ass but what I understood how
poor a figure I had made, and that the girls would be yawning their
jaws off as soon as my stiff back was turned. I felt I had shown how
little I had in me of what was soft and
graceful; and I longed for a
chance to prove that I had something of the other stuff, the stern and
dangerous.
Well, I was to be served to my desire, for the scene to which he was
conducting me was of a different character.
CHAPTER VI - UMQUILE THE MASTER OF LOVAT
THERE was a man
waiting us in Prestongrange's study, whom I distasted
at the first look, as we distaste a ferret or an earwig. He was bitter
ugly, but seemed very much of a gentleman; had still manners, but
capable of sudden leaps and violences; and a small voice, which could
ring out
shrill and dangerous when he so desired.
The Advocate presented us in a familiar, friendly way.
"Here, Fraser," said he, "here is Mr. Balfour whom we talked about.
Mr. David, this is Mr. Simon Fraser, whom we used to call by another
title, but that is an old song. Mr. Fraser has an
errand to you."
With that he stepped aside to his book-shelves, and made believe to
consult a quarto
volume in the far end.
I was thus left (in a sense) alone with perhaps the last person in the
world I had expected. There was no doubt upon the terms of
introduction; this could be no other than the forfeited Master of Lovat
and chief of the great clan Fraser. I knew he had led his men in the
Rebellion; I knew his father's head - my old lord's, that grey fox of
the mountains - to have fallen on the block for that offence, the lands
of the family to have been seized, and their
nobility attainted. I
could not
conceive what he should be doing in Grant's house; I could
not
conceive that he had been called to the bar, had eaten all his
principles, and was now currying favour with the Government even to the
extent of
acting Advocate-Depute in the Appin murder.
"Well, Mr. Balfour," said he, "what is all this I hear of ye?"
"It would not become me to prejudge," said I, "but if the Advocate was
your authority he is fully possessed of my opinions."
"I may tell you I am engaged in the Appin case," he went on; "I am to
appear under Prestongrange; and from my study of the precognitions I
can assure you your opinions are
erroneous. The guilt of Breck is
manifest; and your
testimony, in which you admit you saw him on the
hill at the very moment, will certify his hanging."
"It will be rather ill to hang him till you catch him," I observed.
"And for other matters I very
willingly leave you to your own
impressions."
"The Duke has been informed," he went on. "I have just come from his
Grace, and he expressed himself before me with an honest freedom like
the great
nobleman he is. He spoke of you by name, Mr. Balfour, and
declared his
gratitudebeforehand in case you would be led by those who
understand your own interests and those of the country so much better
than yourself. Gratitude is no empty expression in that mouth:
EXPERTO-CREDE. I daresay you know something of my name and clan, and
the damnable example and lamented end of my late father, to say nothing
of my own errata. Well, I have made my peace with that good Duke; he
has intervened for me with our friend Prestongrange; and here I am with
my foot in the
stirrup again and some of the
responsibility shared into
my hand of prosecuting King George's enemies and avenging the late
daring and barefaced
insult to his Majesty."
"Doubtless a proud position for your father's son," says I.
He wagged his bald eyebrows at me. "You are pleased to make
experiments in the ironical, I think," said he. "But I am here upon
duty, I am here to dis
charge my
errand in good faith, it is in vain you
think to
divert me. And let me tell you, for a young fellow of spirit
and
ambition like yourself, a good shove in the
beginning will do more
than ten years'
drudgery. The shove is now at your command; choose
what you will to be
advanced in, the Duke will watch upon you with the
affectionate
disposition of a father."
"I am thinking that I lack the docility of the son," says I.
"And do you really suppose, sir, that the whole
policy of this country
is to be suffered to trip up and tumble down for an ill-mannered colt
of a boy?" he cried. "This has been made a test case, all who would
prosper in the future must put a shoulder to the wheel. Look at me!
Do you suppose it is for my pleasure that I put myself in the highly
invidious position of persecuting a man that I have drawn the sword
alongside of? The choice is not left me."
"But I think, sir, that you forfeited your choice when you mixed in