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"Where it is," replied my guide, after the affectation of considering for a moment, "I cannot justly tell probably where last year's snaw is." "And that's on the tap of Schehallion, ye Hieland dog," said Mr. Jarvie; "and I look for payment frae you where ye stand." "Ay," replied the Highlander, "but I keep neither snaw nor dollars in my sporran.
The old gray buccaneer grinned with happiness that awful morning as he looked across the field of coming war. Andrew Jackson, being half Scotch and half Irish, was wont before a battle to think and plan with the prudent sagacity of a Bailey Jarvie. Once the battle began, he ceased to be Scotch and became wholly Irish; he quit thinking and devoted himself desperately to execution.
Where is there a band like this the Baron of Bradwardine, Dominie Sampson, Meg Merrilies, Monkbarns, Edie Ochiltree, Old Mortality, Bailie Nicol Jarvie, Andrew Fairservice, Caleb Balderston, Flibbertigibbet, Mona of the Fitful head, and that fine fellow the farmer of Liddesdale, with all his Peppers and Mustards raffling at his heels?
Jarvie in a very subdued tone "I speak amang friends, and under the rose Ye are to understand, that the Hielands hae been keepit quiet since the year aughty-nine that was Killiecrankie year. But how hae they been keepit quiet, think ye? By siller, Mr. Owen by siller, Mr. Osbaldistone.
Bailie Jarvie stared in his turn, but his kinsman continued, "That's a Hieland settlement of accounts. The time might come, cousin, were I to keep a' these charges and discharges, that friends might be brought into trouble for having dealt with me."
Jarvie," drawled out poor Owen, "but sore afflicted in spirit." "Nae doubt, nae doubt ay, ay it's an awfu' whummle and for ane that held his head sae high too human nature, human nature Ay ay, we're a' subject to a downcome. Mr. Osbaldistone is a gude honest gentleman; but I aye said he was ane o' them wad make a spune or spoil a horn, as my father the worthy deacon used to say.
Not that I wad speak ony ill of this MacCallum More 'Curse not the rich in your bedchamber, saith the son of Sirach, 'for a bird of the air shall carry the clatter, and pint-stoups hae lang lugs." I interrupted these prolegomena, in which Mr. Jarvie was apt to be somewhat diffuse, by praying him to rely upon Mr. Owen and myself as perfectly secret and safe confidants.
Osbaldistone, and he didna seem to take it a'thegither sae kind as I wished but it was weel meant weel meant." This discourse, delivered with prodigious volubility, and a great appearance of self-complacency, as he recollected his own advice and predictions, gave little promise of assistance at the hands of Mr. Jarvie.
Jarvie, who, all unconscious of the ridicule, weighed each piece with habitual scrupulosity; and having told twice over the sum, which amounted to the discharge of his debt, principal and interest, he returned three pieces to buy his kinswoman a gown, as he expressed himself, and a brace more for the twa bairns, as he called them, requesting they might buy anything they liked with them except gunpowder.
Owen groaned deeply; and I allow that the description did not greatly increase my desire to trust myself in a country so lawless as he described these Scottish mountains. "Now, sir," said Jarvie, "we speak little o' thae things, because they are familiar to oursells; and where's the use o' vilifying ane's country, and bringing a discredit on ane's kin, before southrons and strangers?
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