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Updated: May 15, 2025
Yet MacIan was not exactly ready. He stood staring like a man stricken with a trance. "What are you staring at?" asked Turnbull. "Do you see the bobbies?" "I see Jerusalem," said Evan, "all covered with the shields and standards of the Saracens." "Jerusalem!" said Turnbull, laughing. "Well, we've taken the only inhabitant into captivity."
MacIan stared at her and then at his boots, and then at the sky and then at her again. He was quite sure now that he himself was not mad, and the fact rather added to his perplexity. Then he drew nearer to her, and said in a dry and dreadful voice: "Oh, don't condescend to play the fool with such a fool as me. Are you really locked up here as a patient because you helped us to escape?"
The old man extended a quivering stick in the direction of a distant hill. "There's the church," he said thickly. "Grassley old church that is. Pulled down it was, in the old squire's time, and " "I mean," explained MacIan elaborately, "that you think that there should be someone typifying religion, a priest " "Priests!" said the old man with sudden passion. "Priests! I know 'un.
In an hour from now that sun will still be shining and that grass growing, and one of you will be conquered; one of you will be the conqueror. When it has been done, nothing will alter it. Heroes, I give you the hospitality fit for heroes. And I salute the survivor. Fall on!" The two men took their swords. Then MacIan said steadily: "Mr. Turnbull, lend me your sword a moment."
It is now about eighteen years since, that it chanced, the Clan Quhele and Clan Chattan being at feud, as indeed they are seldom at peace, the former sustained such a defeat as well nigh extirpated the family of their chief MacIan. Seven of his sons were slain in battle and after it, himself put to flight, and his castle taken and given to the flames.
But after staring steadily for an instant Turnbull saw the hard and horrible earnestness in the man's eyes behind all his empty animation. Then Turnbull looked very gravely at the strict gravel walls and the gay flower-beds and the long rectangular red-brick building, which the mist had left evident beyond them. Then he looked at MacIan.
"I never liked you so much before," said MacIan, in bitter sorrow. As he spoke, three solemn footmen came out of the lodge gate and assembled to assist the chauffeur to his room. The mere sight of them made the two wanderers flee as from a too frightful incongruity, and before they knew where they were, they were well upon the grassy ledge of England that overlooks the Channel.
But the son of MacIan hath been for many years a guest in my house, and I am obliged to say that I have observed him looking at my daughter, who is as good as a betrothed bride, in a manner that, though I cared not for it in this lodging in Curfew Street, would give me some fear of consequences in a Highland glen, where I have no friend and Conachar many."
You were right enough, MacIan, when you spoke about about mad doctors." Somehow they found themselves outside in the cool, green garden, and then, after a stunned silence, Turnbull said: "There is one thing that was puzzling me all the time, and I understand it now." "What do you mean?" asked Evan.
Evan MacIan came out the next morning into the little garden to a fresh silver day, his long face looking more austere than ever in that cold light, his eyelids a little heavy. He carried one of the swords. Turnbull was in the little house behind him, demolishing the end of an early breakfast and humming a tune to himself, which could be heard through the open window.
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