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hour。 Perhaps at this hour they kneel as I do； they take the hand
of her who might conceal and assist them； they press it to their
lips as I do … '
'Here； here！' cried the old lady； breaking from my solicitations。
'Behave yourself before folk！ Saw ever anyone the match of that？
And on earth； my dears； what are we to do with him？'
'Pack him off； my dear lady；' said I： 'pack off the impudent fellow
double…quick！ And if it may be； and if your good heart allows it；
help him a little on the way he has to go。'
'What's this pie？' she cried stridently。 'Where is this pie from；
Flora？'
No answer was vouchsafed by my unfortunate and （I may say） extinct
accomplices。
'Is that my port？' she pursued。 'Hough！ Will somebody give me a
glass of my port wine？'
I made haste to serve her。
She looked at me over the rim with an extraordinary expression。 'I
hope ye liked it？' said she。
'It is even a magnificent wine；' said I。
'Aweel； it was my father laid it down；' said she。 'There were few
knew more about port wine than my father； God rest him！' She
settled herself in a chair with an alarming air of resolution。
'And so there is some particular direction that you wish to go in？'
said she。
'O；' said I； following her example； 'I am by no means such a
vagrant as you suppose。 I have good friends； if I could get to
them； for which all I want is to be once clear of Scotland； and I
have money for the road。' And I produced my bundle。
'English bank…notes？' she said。 'That's not very handy for
Scotland。 It's been some fool of an Englishman that's given you
these； I'm thinking。 How much is it？'
'I declare to heaven I never thought to count！' I exclaimed。 'But
that is soon remedied。'
And I counted out ten notes of ten pound each； all in the name of
Abraham Newlands； and five bills of country bankers for as many
guineas。
'One hundred and twenty six pound five；' cried the old lady。 'And
you carry such a sum about you； and have not so much as counted it！
If you are not a thief； you must allow you are very thief…like。'
'And yet； madam； the money is legitimately mine；' said I。
She took one of the bills and held it up。 'Is there any
probability； now； that this could be traced？' she asked。
'None； I should suppose； and if it were； it would be no matter；'
said I。 'With your usual penetration； you guessed right。 An
Englishman brought it me。 It reached me； through the hands of his
English solicitor； from my great…uncle； the Comte de Keroual de
Saint…Yves； I believe the richest EMIGRE in London。'
'I can do no more than take your word for it；' said she。
'And I trust； madam； not less；' said I。
'Well；' said she； 'at this rate the matter may be feasible。 I will
cash one of these five…guinea bills； less the exchange； and give
you silver and Scots notes to bear you as far as the border。
Beyond that； Mosha the Viscount； you will have to depend upon
yourself。'
I could not but express a civil hesitation as to whether the amount
would suffice； in my case； for so long a journey。
'Ay；' said she； 'but you havenae heard me out。 For if you are not
too fine a gentleman to travel with a pair of drovers； I believe I
have found the very thing； and the Lord forgive me for a
treasonable old wife！ There are a couple stopping up by with the
shepherd…man at the farm； to…morrow they will take the road for
England； probably by skriegh of day … and in my opinion you had
best be travelling with the stots；' said she。
'For Heaven's sake do not suppose me to be so effeminate a
character！' I cried。 'An old soldier of Napoleon is certainly
beyond suspicion。 But； dear lady； to what end？ and how is the
society of these excellent gentlemen supposed to help me？'
'My dear sir；' said she； 'you do not at all understand your own
predicament； and must just leave your matters in the hands of those
who do。 I dare say you have never even heard tell of the drove…
roads or the drovers； and I am certainly not going to sit up all
night to explain it to you。 Suffice it； that it is me who is
arranging this affair … the more shame to me！ … and that is the way
ye have to go。 Ronald；' she continued； 'away up…by to the
shepherds； rowst them out of their beds； and make it perfectly
distinct that Sim is not to leave till he has seen me。'
Ronald was nothing loath to escape from his aunt's neighbourhood；
and left the room and the cottage with a silent expedition that was
more like flight than mere obedience。 Meanwhile the old lady
turned to her niece。
'And I would like to know what we are to do with him the night！'
she cried。
'Ronald and I meant to put him in the hen…house；' said the
encrimsoned Flora。
'And I can tell you he is to go to no such a place；' replied the
aunt。 'Hen…house； indeed！ If a guest he is to be； he shall sleep
in no mortal hen…house。 Your room is the most fit； I think； if he
will consent to occupy it on so great a suddenty。 And as for you；
Flora； you shall sleep with me。'
I could not help admiring the prudence and tact of this old
dowager； and of course it was not for me to make objections。 Ere I
well knew how； I was alone with a flat candlestick； which is not
the most sympathetic of companions； and stood studying the snuff in
a frame of mind between triumph and chagrin。 All had gone well
with my flight： the masterful lady who had arrogated to herself the
arrangement of the details gave me every confidence； and I saw
myself already arriving at my uncle's door。 But； alas！ it was
another story with my love affair。 I had seen and spoken with her
alone； I had ventured boldly； I had been not ill received； I had
seen her change colour； had enjoyed the undissembled kindness of
her eyes； and now； in a moment； down comes upon the scene that
apocalyptic figure with the nightcap and the horse…pistol； and with
the very wind of her coming behold me separated from my love！
Gratitude and admiration contended in my breast with the extreme of
natural rancour。 My appearance in her house at past midnight had
an air （I could not disguise it from myself） that was insolent and
underhand； and could not but minister to the worst suspicions。 And
the old lady had taken it well。 Her generosity was no more to be
called in question than her courage； and I was afraid that her
intelligence would be found to match。 Certainly； Miss Flora had to
support some shrewd looks； and certainly she had been troubled。 I
could see but the one way before me： to profit by an excellent bed；
to try to sleep soon； to be stirring early； and to hope for some
renewed occasion in the morning。 To have said so much and yet to
say no more； to go out into the world upon so half…hearted a
parting； was more than I could accept。
It is my belief that the benevolent fiend sat up all