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Updated: June 12, 2025
"The better!" answered the shrill and discordant voice of the Dwarf through a very small window, resembling an arrow slit, which he had constructed near the door of his dwelling, and through which he could see any one who approached it, without the possibility of their looking in upon him. "The better!" said Hobbie impatiently; "what is the better, Elshie?
I left as muckle gowd lying on Mucklestane-Moor this morning as would plenish the house and stock the Heugh-foot twice ower, and I am certain sure Elshie wadna grudge us the use of it." "Elshie!" said his grandmother in astonishment; "what Elshie do you mean?" "What Elshie should I mean, but Canny Elshie, the Wight o' Mucklestane," replied Hobbie.
It was supposed that on all these particulars his patron had enjoined him strict secrecy. The sudden disappearance of Elshie from his extraordinary hermitage corroborated the reports which the common people had spread concerning him.
David Ritchie, besides the utter obscurity of his life while in existence, had been dead for many years, when it occurred to the author that such a character might be made a powerful agent in fictitious narrative. He, accordingly, sketched that of Elshie of the Mucklestane-Moor.
"Wretch!" said the Hermit, "your cruelty has destroyed one of the only creatures in existence that would look on me with kindness!" "Dear Elshie," answered Hobbie, "I'm wae ye suld hae cause to say sae; I'm sure it wasna wi' my will. And yet, it's true, I should hae minded your goats, and coupled up the dogs. I'm sure I would rather they had worried the primest wether in my faulds.
Ye see I hae been thinking it wad be a sair thing on twa young folk, like Grace and me, to put aff our marriage for mony years till I was abroad and came back again wi' some gear; and they say folk maunna take booty in the wars as they did lang syne, and the queen's pay is a sma' matter; there's nae gathering gear on that and then my grandame's auld and my sisters wad sit peengin' at the ingle-side for want o' me to ding them about and Earnscliff, or the neighbourhood, or maybe your ainsell, Elshie, might want some good turn that Hob Elliot could do ye and it's a pity that the auld house o' the Heugh-foot should be wrecked a'thegither.
But it's not so much for that, as to gie him a lesson not to let his tongue gallop ower freely about his betters. I trow he will hae lost the best pen-feather o' his wing before to-morrow morning. Farewell, Elshie; there's some canny boys waiting for me down amang the shaws, owerby; I will see you as I come back, and bring ye a blithe tale in return for your leech-craft."
"Ye ken yoursell, Elshie, naebody judges you to be ower canny; now, I'll tell ye just ae word for a' ye hae spoken as muckle as wussing ill to me and mine; now, if ony mischance happen to Grace, which God forbid, or to mysell; or to the poor dumb tyke; or if I be skaithed and injured in body, gudes, or gear, I'll no forget wha it is that it's owing to."
"Can your skill not guess?" "Thus far I know," said the Dwarf, "that thy purpose is bad, thy deed will be worse, and the issue worst of all." "And you like me the better for it, Father Elshie, eh?" said Westburnflat; "you always said you did." "I have cause to like all," answered the Solitary, "that are scourges to their fellow-creatures, and thou art a bloody one."
He's a teugh carle Elshie! he grips like a smith's vice." "What has brought you here, Elliot?" said Mareschal; "who called on you for interference?"
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