United States or Norway ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
While, the southrons would be toiling along to get the wind of him unseen, for the old stag's eyes were as keen as his velvety nose, the father and son would be lying, perhaps close at hand, perhaps far away on some hill-side of another valley, watching now the hunters, now the stag. For love of the Macruadh, and for love of the stag, they had constituted themselves his guardians.
Macruadh; "but it was mere pride; for when I thought of your father, I knew he would have been pleased with Alister." "Then, mother, I am glad; and I don't care what Ian, or any Sasunnach under the sun, may think of me." "But you haven't told us," said Ian, "how the thing ended." "I said to the fellow," resumed Alister, "that I had my shearing to do, and hadn't the time to go with him.
No! There is no worse for me! I trust in God I shall be buried where I grew up!" "Then you will leave the hills sure enough!" said the chief. "Not so sure, Macruadh! We shall rest in our graves till the resurrection!" said an old man. "Only our bodies," returned Alister. "Well, and what will my body be but myself! Much I would make of myself without my body!
Macruadh knew the stag as well as the horse he rode, and that his habit had for some time been to come down at night and feed on the small border of rich grass on the south side of the burn, between it and the abrupt heathery rise of the hill.
Annie Macruadh is not the sort of girl you may have found in such a position, and you would not wish to make her uncomfortable!" Sercombe was, ashamed, I think; for the refuge of the fool when dissatisfied with himself, is offence with his neighbour, and Sercombe was angry. "Are you her father or her lover?" he said. "She has a right to my protection and claims it," rejoined Alister quietly.
The mother was dressed in a rich, matronly black silk; the chief was in the full dress of his clan the old-fashioned coat of the French court, with its silver buttons and ruffles of fine lace, the kilt of Macruadh tartan in which red predominated, the silver-mounted sporan of the skin and adorned with the head of an otter caught with, the bare hands of one of his people, and a silver-mounted dirk of length unusual, famed for the beauty of both hilt and blade; Ian was similarly though less showily clad.
He received the Macruadh, therefore, if a little pompously, yet with kindness. And the moment they were seated Alister laid his request before him. "Mr. Palmer," he said, "I come to ask the hand of your daughter Mercy. I have not much beyond myself to offer her, but I can tell you precisely what there is." Mr. Peregrine Palmer sat for a moment looking important.
Thank God, the poor man is not their slave, but he is the worse off, for they will not let him eat, and he has nowhere to go. My heart is like to break for my people. Sometimes I feel as if I would gladly die." "Oh, sir! don't say that!" expostulated the young woman, and her voice trembled. "Every heart in Glenruadh is glad when it goes well with the Macruadh."
"I'm thinking that must be all of them, but I find only three!" he said. "Come, let us go home! You must not make your cough worse for one or two peats, perhaps none!" "Three, Macruadh, three!" insisted the old woman in wavering voice, broken by coughing; for, having once guessed six, she was not inclined to lower her idea of her having.
What they call the world is but their shell, which is all the time killing the infant Christ that houses with them. Ian looked up to the sky, and breathed a deep breath. Mercy looked up in his face, and saw his strangely beautiful smile. "What are you thinking of, Captain Macruadh?" she said.
Word Of The Day