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44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Troth,' replied Kilmarkeckle, 'I hae got a thing this morning that's very vexatious. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Last year, at Beltane, ye should ken, I coft frae Donald M'Sneeshen, the tobacconist aboon the Cross of Glasgow, a canister of a kind that I ca'd the Linty. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | It was sae brisk in the smeddum, so pleasant to the smell, garring ye trow in the sniffling that ye were sitting on a bonny green knowe in hay time, by the side of a blooming whin-bush, hearkening to the blithe wee birdies singing sangs, as it were, to pleasure the summer's sun; and what would ye think, Mr. Walkinshaw, here is another canister of a sort that I'll defy ony ordinary nose to tell the difference, and yet, for the life o' me, I canna gie't in conscience anither name than the Hippopotamus.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'But hae ye spoken to your dochter?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | said Grippy, interrupting him, and apprehensive of a dissertation. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'O aye, atweel I hae done that.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | ' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | And what did Miss Betty say?' 'Na, an ye had but seen and heard her, ye would just hae dee't, Mr. Walkinshaw. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I'm sure I wonder wha the lassie taks her light-hearted merriment frae, for her mother was a sober and sedate sensible woman; I never heard her jocose but ance, in a' the time we were thegither, and that was when I expounded to her how Maccaba is like a nightingale, the whilk, as I hae seen and read in print, is a feathert fowl that has a great notion o' roses.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I was fear't for that,' rejoined Claud, suspecting that Miss Betty had ridiculed the proposal. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'But to gae back to the Linty and the Hippopotamus,' resumed Kilmarkeckle. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'The snuff that I hae here in this canister--tak a pree o't, Mr. Walkinshaw--it was sent me in a present frae Mr. Glassford, made out of the primest hogget in his last cargo--what think ye o't? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Noo, I would just speer gin ye could tell wherein it may be likened to a hippopotamus, the which is a creature living in the rivers of Afrikaw, and has twa ivory teeth, bigger, as I am creditably informed, than the blade o' a scythe.' Claud, believing that his proposal had been rejected, and not desirous of reverting to the subject, encouraged the philosopher to talk, by saying, that he could not possibly imagine how snuff could be said to resemble any such creature. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'That's a' that ye ken!' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | said Kilmarkeckle, chuckling with pleasure, and inhaling a pinch with the most cordial satisfaction. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'This snuff is just as like a hippopotamus as the other sort that was sae like it was like a linty; and nothing could be plainer; for even now when I hae't in my nostril, I think I see the creature wallowing and wantoning in some wide river in a lown sunny day, wi' its muckle glad e'en, wamling wi' delight in its black head, as it lies lapping in the clear caller water, wi' its red tongue, twirling and twining round its ivory teeth, and every now and then giving another lick.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'But I dinna see any likeness in that to snuff, Mr. Bodle,' said Claud. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'That's most extraordinary, Mr. Walkinshaw; for surely there is a likeness somewhere in every thing that brings another thing to mind; and although as yet I'll no point out to you the vera particularity in a hippopotamus by which this snuff gars me think o' the beast, ye must, nevertheless, allow past a' dispute, that there is a particularity.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Claud replied with ironical gravity, that he thought the snuff much more like a meadow, for it had the smell and flavour of new hay. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Ye're no far frae the mark, Grippy; and now I'll tell you wherein the likeness lies. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The hay, ye ken, is cut down by scythes in meadows; meadows lie by water-sides: the teeth of the hippopotamus is as big as scythes; and he slumbers and sleeps in the rivers of Afrikaw; so the snuff, smelling like hay, brings a' thae things to mind; and therefore it is like a hippopotamus.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | After enjoying a hearty laugh at this triumph of his reasoning, the philosopher alighted from his hobby, and proceeded to tell Claud that he had spoken to his daughter, and that she had made no objection to the match. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Heavens preserve us, Mr. Bodle!' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | exclaimed Grippy; 'what were ye havering sae about a brute beast, and had sic blithsome news to tell me?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | They then conversed somewhat circumstantially regarding the requisite settlements, Kilmarkeckle agreeing entirely with every thing that the sordid and cunning bargainer proposed, until the whole business was arranged, except the small particular of ascertaining how the appointed bridegroom stood affected. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | This, however, his father undertook to manage, and also that Walter should go in the evening to Kilmarkeckle, and in person make a tender of his heart and hand to the blooming, boisterous, and bouncing Miss Betty. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | CHAPTER XXV 'Watty,' said the Laird o' Grippy to his hopeful heir, calling him into the room, after Kilmarkeckle had retired,-- 'Watty, come ben and sit down; I want to hae some solid converse wi' thee. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Dist t'ou hearken to what I'm saying?--Kilmarkeckle has just been wi' me--Hear'st t'ou me?--deevil an |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I saw the like o' thee--what's t'ou looking at? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | As I was saying, Kilmarkeckle has been here, and he was thinking that you and his dochter'-- 'Weel,' interrupted Watty, 'if ever I saw the like o' that. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | There was a Jenny Langlegs bumming at the corner o' the window, when down came a spider wabster as big as a puddock, and claught it in his arms; and he's off and awa wi' her intil his nest;--I ne'er saw the like o't.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'It's most extraordinar, Watty Walkinshaw,' exclaimed his father peevishly, 'that I canna get a mouthful o' common sense out o' thee, although I was just telling thee o' the greatest advantage that t'ou's ever likely to meet wi' in this world. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | How would ye like Miss Betty Bodle for a wife?' 'O father!' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I'm saying, would na she make a capital Leddy o' the Plealands?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Walter made no reply, but laughed, and chucklingly rubbed his hands, and then delightedly patted the sides of his thighs with them. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I'm sure ye canna fin' ony fau't wi' her; there's no a brawer nor a better tocher'd lass in the three shires.--What think'st t'ou?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Walter suddenly suspended his ecstasy; and grasping his knees firmly, he bent forward, and, looking his father seriously in the face, said,-- 'But will she no thump me? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Ye mind how she made my back baith black and blue.--I'm frightit.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Haud thy tongue wi' sic nonsense; that happened when ye were but bairns. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I'm sure there's no a blither, bonnier quean in a' the kintra side.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I'll no deny that she has red cheeks, and e'en like blobs o' honey-dew in a kail-blade; but father--Lord, father! |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | she has a neive like a beer mell.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'But for a' that, a sightly lad like you might put up wi' her, Watty. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I'm sure ye'll gang far, baith east and west, before ye'll meet wi' her marrow; and ye should reflek on her tocher, the whilk is a wull-ease that's no to be found at ilka dykeside.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Aye, so they say; her uncle 'frauded his ain only dochter, and left her a stocking-fu' o' guineas for a legacy.--But will she let me go halver?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Ye need na misdoubt that; na, an ye fleech her weel, I would na be surprised if she would gi'e you the whole tot; and I'm sure ye ne'er hae seen ony woman that ye can like better.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Aye, but I hae though,' replied Watty confidently. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Wha is't?' exclaimed his father, surprised and terrified. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'My mother.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The old man, sordid as he was, and driving thus earnestly his greedy purpose, was forced to laugh at the solemn simplicity of this answer; but he added, resuming his perseverance,-- 'True! |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I did na think o' thy mother, Watty--but an t'ou was ance marriet to Betty Bodle, t'ou would soon like her far better than thy mother.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'The fifth command says, "Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land;" and there's no ae word about liking a wife in a' the rest.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Weel, weel, but what I hae to say is, that me and Kilmarkeckle hae made a paction for thee to marry his dochter, and t'ou maun just gang o'er the night and court Miss Betty.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'But I dinna ken the way o't, father; I ne'er did sic a thing a' my days; odd, I'm unco blate to try't.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Gude forgi'e me,' said Claud to himself, 'but the creature grows sillier and sillier every day--I tell thee, Watty Walkinshaw, to pluck up the spirit o' manhood, and gang o'er this night to Kilmarkeckle, and speak to Miss Betty by yoursel about the wedding.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Atweel, I can do that, and help her to buy her parapharnauls.--We will hae a prime apple-pye that night, wi' raisins in't.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The old man was petrified.--It seemed to him that it was utterly impossible the marriage could ever take place, and he sat for some time stricken, as it were, with a palsy of the mind. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But these intervals of feeling and emotion were not of long duration; his inflexible character, and the ardour with which his whole spirit was devoted to the attainment of one object, soon settled and silenced all doubt, contrition, and hesitation; and considering, so far as Walter was concerned, the business decided, he summoned his wife to communicate to her the news,-- 'Girzy Hypel,' said he as she entered the room, holding by the neck a chicken, which she was assisting the maids in the kitchen to pluck for dinner, and the feathers of which were sticking thickly on the blue worsted apron which she had put on to protect her old red quilted silk petticoat. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Girzy Hypel, be nane surprised to hear of a purpose of marriage soon between Watty and Betty Bodle.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'No possible!' exclaimed the Leddy, sitting down with vehemence in her astonishment, and flinging, at the same time, the chicken across her lap, with a certain degree of instinctive or habitual dexterity. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'What for is't no possible?' said the Laird angrily through his teeth, apprehensive that she was going to raise some foolish objection. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Na, gudeman, an that's to be a come-to-pass--let nobody talk o' miracles to me. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | For although it's a thing just to the nines o' my wishes, I hae ay jealoused that Betty Bodle would na tak him, for she's o' a rampant nature, and he's a sober weel-disposed lad. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | My word, Watty, t'ou has thy ain luck--first thy grandfather's property o' the Plealands, and syne'--She was going to add, 'sic a bonny braw-tochered lass as Betty Bodle'--but her observation struck jarringly on the most discordant string in her husband's bosom, and he interrupted her sharply, saying,-- 'Every thing that's ordained will come to pass; and a' that I hae for the present to observe to you, Girzy, is, to tak tent that the lad gangs over wiselike, at the gloaming, to Kilmarkeckle, in order to see Miss Betty anent the wedding.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I'm sure,' retorted the Leddy, 'I hae no need to green for weddings in my family, for, instead o' any pleasance to me, the deil-be-licket's my part and portion o' the pastime but girns and gowls. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Gudeman, ye should learn to keep your temper, and be of a composed spirit, and talk wi' me in a sedate manner, when our bairns are changing their life. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Watty, my lad, mind what your mother says--"Marriage is a creel, where ye maun catch," as the auld byword runs, "an adder or an eel." |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But, as I was rehearsing, I could na hae thought that Betty Bodle would hae fa'en just at ance into your grip; for I had a notion that she was oure souple in the tail to be easily catched. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But it's the Lord's will, Watty; and I hope ye'll enjoy a' manner o' happiness wi' her, and be a comfort to ane anither, like your father and me,--bringing up your bairns in the fear o' God, as we hae done you, setting them, in your walk and conversation, a pattern of sobriety and honesty, till they come to years of discretion, when, if it's ordained for them, nae doubt they'll look, as ye hae done, for a settlement in the world, and ye maun part wi' them, as we are obligated, by course of nature, to part with you.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | At the conclusion of which pathetic address, the old lady lifted her apron to wipe the gathered drops from her eyes, when Watty exclaimed,-- 'Eh! mother, ane o' the hen's feathers is playing at whirley wi' the breath o' your nostril!' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Thus ended the annunciation of the conjugal felicity of which Grippy was the architect. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | After dinner, Walter, dressed and set off to the best advantage by the assistance of his mother, walked, accompanied by his father, to Kilmarkeckle; and we should do him injustice if we did not state, that, whatever might be his intellectual deficiencies, undoubtedly in personal appearance, saving, perhaps, some little lack of mental light in his countenance, he was cast in a mould to find favour in any lady's eye. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Perhaps he did not carry himself quite as firmly as if he had been broken in by a serjeant of dragoons, and in his air and gait we shall not undertake to affirm that there was nothing lax nor slovenly, but still, upon the whole, he was, as his mother said, looking after him as he left the house, 'a braw bargain of manhood, get him wha would.' CHAPTER XXVI After Kilmarkeckle had welcomed Grippy and Walter, he began to talk of the hippopotamus, by showing them the outlines of a figure which he intended to fill up with the snuff on the wall. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Claud, however, cut him short, by proposing, in a whisper, that Miss Betty should be called in, and that she and Walter should be left together, while they took a walk to discuss the merits of the hippopotamus. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | This was done quickly, and, accordingly, the young lady made her appearance, entering the room with a blushing giggle, perusing her Titan of a suitor from head to heel with the beam of her eye. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'We'll leave you to yoursels,' said her father jocularly, 'and, Watty, be brisk wi' her, lad; she can thole a touzle, I'se warrant.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | This exhortation had, however, no immediate effect, for Walter, from the moment she made her appearance, looked awkward and shamefaced, swinging his hat between his legs, with his eyes fixed on the brazen head of the tongs, which were placed upright astraddle in front of the grate; but every now and then he peeped at her from the corner of his eye with a queer and luscious glance, which, while it amused, deterred her for some time from addressing him. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Diffidence, however, had nothing to do with the character of Miss Betty Bodle, and a feeling of conscious superiority soon overcame the slight embarrassment which arose from the novelty of her situation. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Observing the perplexity of her lover, she suddenly started from her seat, and advancing briskly towards him, touched him on the shoulder, saying,-- 'Watty,--I say, Watty, what's your will wi' me?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Nothing,' was the reply, while he looked up knowingly in her face. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'What are ye fear't for? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I ken what ye're come about,' said she; 'my father has telt me.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | At these encouraging words, he leaped from his chair with an alacrity unusual to his character, and attempted to take her in his arms; but she nimbly escaped from his clasp, giving him, at the same time, a smart slap on the cheek. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'That's no fair, Betty Bodle,' cried the lover, rubbing his cheek, and looking somewhat offended and afraid. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Then what gart you meddle wi' me?' replied the bouncing girl, with a laughing bravery that soon reinvigorated his love. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I'm sure I was na gaun to do you ony harm,' was the reply;--'no, as sure's death, Betty, I would rather cut my finger than do you ony scaith, for I like you so weel--I canna tell you how weel; but, if ye'll tak me, I'll mak you the Leddy o' the Plealands in a jiffy, and my mother says that my father will gie me a hundred pound to buy you parapharnauls and new plenishing.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The young lady was probably conciliated by the manner in which this was said; for she approached towards him, and while still affecting to laugh, it was manifest even to Walter himself that she was not displeased by the alacrity with which he had come to the point. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Emboldened by her freedom, he took her by the hand, looking, however, away from her, as if he was not aware of what he had done; and in this situation they stood for the space of two or three minutes without speaking. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Miss Betty was the first to break silence:-- 'Weel, Watty,' said she, 'what are ye going to say to me?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Na,' replied he, becoming almost gallant; 'it's your turn to speak noo. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I hae spoken my mind, Betty Bodle--Eh! |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | this is a bonny hand; and what a sonsy arm ye hae |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | --I could amaist bite your cheek, Betty Bodle--I could.' 'Gude preserve me, Watty! |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | ye're like a wud dog.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'An I were sae, I would worry you,' was his animated answer, while he turned round, and devoured her with kisses; a liberty which she instantaneously resented, by vigorously pushing him from her, and driving him down into her father's easy chair; his arm in the fall rubbing off half a score of the old gentleman's snuffy representatives. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But, notwithstanding this masculine effort of maiden modesty, Miss Betty really rejoiced in the ardent intrepidity of her lover, and said, merrily, 'I redde you, Watty, keep your distance; man and wife's man and wife; but I'm only Betty Bodle, and ye're but Watty Walkinshaw.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Od, Betty,' replied Watty, not more than half-pleased, as he rubbed his right elbow, which was hurt in the fall, 'ye're desperate strong, woman; and what were ye the waur o' a bit slaik o' a kiss? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Howsever, my bonny dawty, we'll no cast out for a' that; for if ye'll just marry me, and I'm sure ye'll no get any body that can like you half so weel, I'll do anything ye bid me, as sure's death I will--there's my hand, Betty Bodle, I will; and I'll buy you the bravest satin gown in a' Glasgow, wi' far bigger flowers on't than on any ane in a' Mrs. Bailie Nicol Jarvie's aught. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | And we'll live in the Plealands House, and do nothing frae dawn to dark but shoo ane another on a swing between the twa trees on the green; and I'll be as kind to you, Betty Bodle, as I can be, and buy you likewise a side-saddle, and a pony to ride on; and when the winter comes, sowing the land wi' hailstones to grow frost and snaw, we'll sit cosily at the chumley-lug, and I'll read you a chapter o' the Bible, or aiblins 'Patie and Rodger',--as sure's death |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I will, Betty Bodle.' |
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