United States or Hong Kong ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
As for Redgauntlet, with his stately bearing, his fatal frown, his eye of threat and of command, it was impossible, Darsie thought, to suspect him of a scheme having private advantage for its object; he could as soon have imagined Cassius picking Caesar's pocket, instead of drawing his poniard on the dictator.
And I have looked down on our beach in spring, at sunset, and watched them drawing nets for the young herring, when the rough men looked as graceful as the nets they drew, and the horseman who directed might have been Redgauntlet on the Solway Sands. I suppose it is from this look of natural fitness that a windmill is always such an appropriate object by the sea-shore.
The sheriff, it seems, had returned to Edinburgh, and he feared to find the visible repugnance of the provost to interfere with this Laird of Birrenswork, or Redgauntlet, much stronger amongst the country gentlemen, many of whom were Catholics as well as Jacobites, and most others unwilling to quarrel with kinsmen and friends, by prosecuting with severity political offences which had almost run a prescription.
'Alberick Redgauntlet, the first of his house so termed, was, as may be supposed from his name, of a stern and implacable disposition, which had been rendered more so by family discord.
He was a professor in this Revolution warld, but he liked an orra sough of this warld, and a tune on the pipes weel aneugh at a bytime; and abune a', he thought he had gude security for the siller he lent my gudesire ower the stocking at Primrose Knowe. Away trots my gudesire to Redgauntlet Castle wi' a heavy purse and a light heart, glad to be out of the laird's danger.
The first was, the memory of Sir Robert Redgauntlet, and may he never lie quiet in his grave till he had righted his poor bond-tenant; and the second was, a health to Man's Enemy, if he would but get him back the pock of siller, or tell him what came o' 't, for he saw the haill world was like to regard him as a thief and a cheat, and he took that waur than even the ruin of his house and hauld.
'To save you further trouble, this person's designation is Herries of Birrenswork. 'Of Birrenswork? said Mr. Crosbie; 'I have you now, Mr. Alan. Could you not as well have said, the Laird of Redgauntlet? Fairford was too wary to testify any surprise at this identification of names, however unexpected. 'I thought, said he, 'he was more generally known by the name of Herries.
You will gain no point with me unless I have ocular demonstration of his safety. 'Arthur dearest nephew, answered Redgauntlet, 'drive me not mad! Thine own fate that of thy house that of thousands that of Britain herself, are at this moment in the scales; and you are only occupied about the safety of a poor insignificant pettifogger!
He debated with great earnestness upon the Stamp Act, which was then impending over the American colonies, and upon other political subjects of the day, but said not a word of Redgauntlet. Alan soon saw that the investigation he meditated must advance, if at all, on his own special motion, and determined to proceed accordingly.
'Scots or English, it was too much for me to lose, said the provost; so you see I am not a person to pack or peel with Jacobites, and such unfreemen as poor Redgauntlet. 'Granted, granted, Mr. Crosbie; and what then? said Alan Fairford.
Word Of The Day