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"I will fetch it, my lord," he said, and disappeared in the milk-cellar, from which a steep stone-stair led down to the ancient dungeon. "The maister's gane wantin' a licht," muttered Grizzie; "I houp he winna see onything." It was an enigmatical utterance, and angered Lord Mergwain. "What the deuce should he see, when he has got to feel his way with his hands?" he snarled.
Melbury is late this morning," said the bottom-sawyer. "Yes. 'Twas a dark dawn," said Mrs. Oliver. "Even when I opened the door, so late as I was, you couldn't have told poor men from gentlemen, or John from a reasonable-sized object. And I don't think maister's slept at all well to-night. He's anxious about his daughter; and I know what that is, for I've cried bucketfuls for my own."
Then she went on anxiously: "Thou knows what is troubling me; thou art the maister's private servant, and he must have told thee what has happened. Now we mun think o' something, John, to stop 'em from breaking up in this way. We daren't go and tell anyone else about the trouble, so do, lad, do try and think o' something, for there's no time to be lost."
Eh, what a day will that be whan ilk habitant o' the holy city 'ill tramp the streets o' 't weel kenned and weel kennin!" "Ay, sir! I 'maist un'erstan' ye ootricht, for I h'ard ye ance sayin something like that to the mistress, the nicht ye broucht hame the maister's shune to Stanecross. And, eh, I'm richt glaid to see ye again!"
'No; and I don't wish to, said Hollyhock. 'Well, said Duncan, who was never put out in his life, 'here are the doggies, poor beasties, and I guess, Miss Hollyhock, you 'll be a sicht better for a little company. I 'm reddin' up the place against the maister's return. Ay, but we 'll hae a happy evenin'. Old times come back again "Should auld acquaintance be forgot"
Come awa in. Dinna heed the rain. The maister's been crying on you a' day. I'm glad you're no ower late." He got down, followed the voice, and, stumbling up a step or two, entered a narrow door, which was with difficulty held open behind him, and which swung to with a loud noise the minute he crossed the threshold.
An hour later Cripplestraw shambled again into the passage, on the same errand. 'Maister's very poorly, and he hopes that you'll come, Mis'ess Anne. He wants to see 'ee very particular about the French. Anne would have gone in a moment, but for the fear that some one besides the farmer might encounter her, and she answered as before. Another hour passed, and the wheels of a vehicle were heard.
"'Ned Thomson, says they. "'And wha was that bonny lassie, asked I, 'that gaed in just the now? "'He! he! he! the bairns laughed, and gaed me nae answer. So I put my question to them again, and ane o' the auldest o' them, a lassie about thirteen, said 'It was the maister's daughter, sir, the laird's bonny Jenny if ye like, I'll gang in and tell her that a gentleman wishes to speak to her.
At least, have a drink of our old ale; it will do you good: you seem weary. She hastened to fetch it before I could refuse, and I heard Joseph asking whether 'it warn't a crying scandal that she should have followers at her time of life? And then, to get them jocks out o' t' maister's cellar! He fair shaamed to 'bide still and see it.
It's eneuch to me 'at I'll be i' the hoose o' my Maister's father; an' my Maister was weel content to gang to that hoose; an' it maun be something by ordinar' 'at was fit for him. But puir simple fowk like oorsel's 'ill hae no need to hing down the heid an' luik like gowks 'at disna ken mainners.
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