第27章 A LEGEND OF MONTROSE.(20)

"The crop-eared hound!"said Captain Dalgetty,in a rage;"What the devil gave him the assurance to purchase the inheritance of a family of four hundred years standing?--CYNTHIUS AUREM VELLET,as we used to say at Mareschal-College;that is to say,I will pull him out of my father's house by the ears.And so,my Lord Menteith,I am yours,hand and sword,body and soul,till death do us part,or to the end of the next campaign,whichever event shall first come to pass."

"And I,"said the young nobleman,"rivet the bargain with a month's pay in advance."

"That is more than necessary,"said Dalgetty,pocketing the money however."But now I must go down,look after my war-saddle and abuilziements,and see that Gustavus has his morning,and tell him we have taken new service."

There goes your precious recruit,"said Lord Menteith to Anderson,as the Captain left the room;"I fear we shall have little credit of him."

"He is a man of the times,however,"said Anderson;"and without such we should hardly be able to carry on our enterprise."

"Let us go down,"answered Lord Menteith,"and see how our muster is likely to thrive,for I hear a good deal of bustle in the castle."

When they entered the hall,the domestics keeping modestly in the background,morning greetings passed between Lord Menteith,Angus M'Aulay,and his English guests,while Allan,occupying the same settle which he had filled the preceding evening,paid no attention whatever to any one.Old Donald hastily rushed into the apartment."A message from Vich Alister More;[The patronymic of MacDonell of Glengarry.]he is coming up in the evening."

"With how many attendants?"said M'Aulay.

"Some five-and-twenty or thirty,"said Donald,"his ordinary retinue."

"Shake down plenty of straw in the great barn,"said the Laird.

Another servant here stumbled hastily in,announcing the expected approach of Sir Hector M'Lean,"who is arriving with a large following."

"Put them in the malt-kiln,"said M'Aulay;"and keep the breadth of the middenstead between them and the M'Donalds;they are but unfriends to each other."

Donald now re-entered,his visage considerably lengthened --"The tell's i'the folk,"he said;"the haill Hielands are asteer,I think.Evan Dhu,of Lochiel,will be here in an hour,with Lord kens how many gillies."

"Into the great barn with them beside the M'Donalds,"said the Laird.

More and more chiefs were announced,the least of whom would have accounted it derogatory to his dignity to stir without a retinue of six or seven persons.To every new annunciation,Angus M'Aulay answered by naming some place of accommodation,--the stables,the loft,the cow-house,the sheds,every domestic office,were destined for the night to some hospitable purpose or other.At length the arrival of M'Dougal of Lorn,after all his means of accommodation were exhausted,reduced him to some perplexity."What the devil is to be done,Donald?"said he;

"the great barn would hold fifty more,if they would lie heads and thraws;but there would be drawn dirks amang them which should lie upper-most,and so we should have bloody puddings before morning!"

"What needs all this?"said Allan,starting up,and coming forward with the stern abruptness of his usual manner;"are the Gael to-day of softer flesh or whiter blood than their fathers were?Knock the head out of a cask of usquebae;let that be their night-gear--their plaids their bed-clothes--the blue sky their canopy,and the heather their couch.--Come a thousand more,and they would not quarrel on the broad heath for want of room!"

"Allan is right,"said his brother;"it is very odd how Allan,who,between ourselves,"said he to Musgrave,"is a little wowf,[WOWF,i.e.crazed.]seems at times to have more sense than us all put together.Observe him now."

"Yes"continued Allan,fixing his eyes with a ghastly stare upon the opposite side of the hall,"they may well begin as they are to end;many a man will sleep this night upon the heath,that when the Martinmas wind shalt blow shall lie there stark enough,and reck little of cold or lack of covering."

"Do not forespeak us,brother,"said Angus;"that is not lucky."

"And what luck is it then that you expect?"said Allan;and straining his eyes until they almost started from their sockets,he fell with a convulsive shudder into the arms of Donald and his brother,who,knowing the nature of his fits,had come near to prevent his fall.They seated him upon a bench,and supported him until he came to himself,and was about to speak.

For God's sake,Allan,"said his brother,who knew the impression his mystical words were likely to make on many of the guests,"say nothing to discourage us."

"Am I he who discourages you?"said Allan;"let every man face his weird as I shall face mine.That which must come,will come;

and we shall stride gallantly over many a field of victory,ere we reach yon fatal slaughter-place,or tread yon sable scaffolds."

"What slaughter-place?what scaffolds?"exclaimed several voices;for Allan's renown as a seer was generally established in the Highlands.

"You will know that but too soon,"answered Allan."Speak to me no more,I am weary of your questions."He then pressed his hand against his brow,rested his elbow upon his knee,and sunk into a deep reverie.

Send for Annot Lyle,and the harp,"said Angus,in a whisper,to his servant;"and let those gentlemen follow me who do not fear a Highland breakfast."