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44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | It would seem, indeed, that there is something exalting and inspiring in the tender passion; for the earnest and emphatic manner in which this was said gave a degree of energy to the countenance of Watty, that made him appear in the eyes of his sweetheart, to whom moral vigour was not an object of primary admiration, really a clever and effectual fellow. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I'll be free wi' you, Watty,' was her answer; 'I dinna objek to tak you, but,'--and she hesitated. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'But what?' said Watty, still exalted above his wont. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Ye maunna hurry the wedding oure soon.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Ye'll get your ain time, Betty Bodle, I'll promise you that,' was his soft answer; 'but when a bargain's struck, the sooner payment's made the better; for, as the copy-line at the school says, "Delays are dangerous. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | "--So, if ye like, Betty, we can be bookit on Saturday, and cried, for the first time, on Sabbath, and syne, a second time next Lord's day, and the third time on the Sunday after, and marriet on the Tuesday following.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I dinna think, Watty,' said she, laying her hand on his shoulder, 'that we need sic a fasherie o' crying.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Then, if ye dinna like it, Betty Bodle, I'm sure neither do I, so we can be cried a' out on ae day, and married on Monday, like my brother and Bell Fatherlans.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | What more might have passed, as the lovers had now come to a perfect understanding with each other, it is needless to conjecture, as the return of the old gentlemen interrupted their conversation; so that, not to consume the precious time of our readers with any unnecessary disquisition, we shall only say, that some objection being stated by Grippy to the first Monday as a day too early for the requisite settlements to be prepared, it was agreed that the booking should take place, as Walter had proposed, on the approaching Saturday, and that the banns should be published, once on the first Sunday, and twice on the next, and that the wedding should be held on the Tuesday following. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | CHAPTER XXVII When Charles and Isabella were informed that his brother and Betty Bodle were to be bookit on Saturday, that is, their names recorded, for the publication of the banns, in the books of the kirk-session,--something like a gleam of light seemed to be thrown on the obscurity which invested the motives of the old man's conduct. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | They were perfectly aware of Walter's true character, and concluded, as all the world did at the time, that the match was entirely of his father's contrivance; and they expected, when Walter's marriage settlement came to be divulged, that they would then learn what provision had been made for themselves. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | In the meantime, Charles made out the balance-sheet, as he had been desired, and carried it in his pocket when he went on Saturday with his wife to dine at Grippy. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The weather that day was mild for the season, but a thin grey vapour filled the whole air, and saddened every feature of the landscape. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The birds sat mute and ourie, and the Clyde, increased by recent upland rains, grumbled with the hoarseness of his wintry voice. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The solemnity of external nature awakened a sympathetic melancholy in the minds of the young couple, as they walked towards their father's, and Charles once or twice said that he felt a degree of depression which he had never experienced before. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I wish, Isabella,' said he, 'that this business of ours were well settled, for I begin, on your account, to grow anxious. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I am not superstitious; but I kenna what's in't--every now and then a thought comes over me that I am no to be a long liver--I feel, as it were, that I have na a firm grip of the world--a sma' shock, I doubt, would easily shake me off.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I must own,' replied his wife with softness, 'that we have both some reason to regret our rashness. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I ought not to have been so weak as to feel the little hardships of my condition so acutely; but, since it is done, we must do our best to bear up against the anxiety that I really think you indulge too much. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | My advice is, that we should give up speaking about your father's intents, and strive, as well as we can, to make your income, whatever it is, serve us.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'That's kindly said, my dear Bell, but you know that my father's no a man that can be persuaded to feel as we feel, and I would not be surprised were he to break up his partnership with me, and what should we then do?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | In this sort of anxious and domestic conversation, they approached towards Grippy House, where they were met on the green in front by Margaret and George, who had not seen them since their marriage. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Miss Meg, as she was commonly called, being at the time on a visit in Argyleshire with a family to whom their mother was related, the Campbells of Glengrowlmaghallochan, and George was also absent on a shooting excursion with some of his acquaintance at the Plealands, the mansion-house of which happened to be then untenanted. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Their reception by their brother and sister, especially by Miss Meg, was kind and sisterly, for although in many points she resembled her mother, she yet possessed much more warmth of heart. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The gratulations and welcomings being over, she gave a description of the preparations which had already commenced for Walter's wedding. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Na, what would ye think,' said she, laughing, 'my father gied him ten pounds to gang intil Glasgow the day to buy a present for the bride, and ye'll hardly guess what he sent her,--a cradle,--a mahogany cradle, shod wi' roynes, that it may na waken the baby when it's rocking.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'But that would na tak all the ten pounds?' said Charles, diverted by the circumstance; 'what has he done wi' the rest?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'He could na see any other thing to please him, so he tied it in the corner of his napkin, but as he was coming home flourishing it round his head, it happened to strike the crookit tree at the water-side, and the whole tot o' the siller, eight guineas, three half-crowns, and eighteenpence, played whir to the very middle o' the Clyde. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | He has na got the grief o' the loss greetten out yet.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Before there was time for any observation to be made on this misfortune, the bridegroom came out to the door, seemingly in high glee, crying, 'See what I hae gotten,' showing another note for ten pounds, which his father had given to pacify him, before Kilmarkeckle and the bride arrived; they being also expected to dinner. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | It happened that Isabella, dressed in her gayest apparel for this occasion, had brought in her hand, wrapt in paper, a pair of red morocco shoes, which, at that period, were much worn among lairds' daughters; for the roads, being deep and sloughy, she had, according to the fashion of the age, walked in others of a coarser kind; and Walter's eye accidentally lighting on the shoes, he went up, without preface, to his sister-in-law, and, taking the parcel gently out of her hand, opened it, and contemplating the shoes, holding one in each hand at arm's length, said, 'Bell Fatherlans, what will ye tak to sell thir bonny red cheeket shoon?--I would fain buy them for Betty Bodle.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Several minutes elapsed before it was possible to return any answer; but when composure was in some degree regained, Mrs. Charles Walkinshaw said,-- 'Ye surely would never buy old shoes for your bride? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | I have worn them often. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | It would be an ill omen to give her a second-hand present, Mr. Walter; besides, I don't think they would fit.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | This little incident had the effect of tuning the spirits of Charles and his wife into some degree of unison with the main business of the day; and the whole party entered the house bantering and laughing with Walter. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But scarcely had they been seated, when their father said,-- 'Charlie, has t'ou brought the balance-sheet, as I bade thee?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | This at once silenced both his mirth and Isabella's, and the old man expressed his satisfaction on receiving it, and also that the profits were not less than he expected. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Having read it over carefully, he then folded it slowly up, and put it into his pocket, and, rising from his seat, walked three or four times across the room, followed by the eyes of his beating-hearted son and daughter-in-law--at last he halted. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Weel, Charlie,' said he, 'I'll no be waur than my word to thee--t'ou sall hae a' the profit made between us since we came thegither in the shop; that will help to get some bits o' plenishing for a house--and I'll mak, for time coming, an eke to thy share. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But, Charlie and Bell, ca' canny; bairns will rise among you, and ye maun bear in mind that I hae baith Geordie and Meg to provide for yet.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | This was said in a fatherly manner, and the intelligence was in so many respects agreeable, that it afforded the anxious young couple great pleasure. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Walter was not, however, satisfied at hearing no allusion to him, and he said,-- 'And are ye no gaun to do any thing for me, father?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | These words, like the cut of a scourge, tingled to the very soul of the old man, and he looked with a fierce and devouring eye at the idiot;--but said nothing. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Walter was not, however, to be daunted; setting up a cry, something between a wail and a howl, he brought his mother flying from the kitchen, where she was busy assisting the maids in preparing dinner--to inquire what had befallen the bridegroom. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'My father's making a step-bairn o' me, mother, and has gi'en Charlie a' the outcome frae the till, and says he's gaun to hain but for Geordie and Meg.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Surely, gudeman,' said the Leddy o' Grippy, addressing her husband, who for a moment stood confounded at this obstreperous accusation--'Surely ye'll hae mair naturality than no to gi'e Watty a bairn's part o' gear? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Has na he a right to share and share alike wi' the rest, over and aboon what he got by my father? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | If there's law, justice, or gospel in the land, ye'll be obligated to let him hae his right, an I should sell my coat to pay the cost.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The old man made no answer; and his children sat in wonder, for they inferred from his silence that he actually did intend to make a step-bairn of Watty. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Weel!' said the Leddy emphatically, 'but I jealoused something o' this;--I kent there could be nae good at the bottom o' that huggermuggering wi' Keelevin. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Howsever, I'll see til't, Watty, and I'll gar him tell what he has put intil that abomination o' a paper that ye were deluded to sign.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Claud, at these words, started from his seat, with the dark face, and pale quivering lips of guilt and vengeance; and, giving a stamp with his foot that shook the whole house, cried,-- 'If ye daur to mak or meddle wi' what I hae done!' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | He paused for about the space of half a minute, and then he added, in his wonted calm and sober voice,--'Watty, t'ou has been provided more--I hae done mair for thee than I can weel excuse to mysel--and I charge baith thee and thy mother never, on pain of my curse and everlasting ill-will, to speak ony sic things again.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'What hae ye done? |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | canna ye tell us, and gie a bodie a satisfaction?' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | exclaimed the Leddy. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But the wrath again mustered and lowered in his visage, and he said, in a voice so deep and dreadful, so hollow and so troubled, from the very innermost caverns of his spirit, that it made all present tremble,-- 'Silence, woman, silence.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Eh! |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | there's Betty Bodle and her father,' exclaimed Watty, casting his eyes, at that moment, towards the window, and rushing from his seat, with an extravagant flutter, to meet them, thus happily terminating a scene which threatened to banish the anticipated festivity and revels of the day. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | CHAPTER XXVIII Leddy Grippy having been, as she herself observed, 'cheated baith o' bridal and infare by Charlie's moonlight marriage,' was resolved to have all made up to her, and every jovial and auspicious rite performed at Walter's wedding.--Accordingly, the interval between the booking and the day appointed for the ceremony was with her all bustle and business. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Nor were the preparations at Kilmarkeckle to send forth the bride in proper trim, in any degree less active or liberal. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Among other things, it had been agreed that each of the two families should kill a cow for the occasion, but an accident rendered this unnecessary at Grippy. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | At this time, Kilmarkeckle and Grippy kept two bulls who cherished the most deadly hatred of each other, insomuch that their respective herds had the greatest trouble to prevent them from constantly fighting. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | And on the Thursday preceding the wedding-day, Leddy Grippy, in the multitude of her cares and concerns, having occasion to send a message to Glasgow, and, unable to spare any of the other servants, called the cow-boy from the field, and dispatched him on the errand. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Bausy, as their bull was called, taking advantage of his keeper's absence, went muttering and growling for some time round the enclosure, till at last discovering a gap in the hedge, he leapt through, and, flourishing his tail, and grumbling as hoarse as an earthquake, he ran, breathing wrath and defiance, straight on towards a field beyond where Gurl, Kilmarkeckle's bull, was pasturing in the most conjugal manner with his sultanas. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Gurl knew the voice of his foe, and, raising his head from the grass, bellowed a hoarse and sonorous answer to the challenger, and, in the same moment, scampered to the hedge, on the outside of which Bausy was roaring his threats of vengeance and slaughter. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The two adversaries glared for a moment at each other, and then galloped along the sides of the hedge in quest of an opening through which they might rush to satisfy their rage. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | In the meantime, Kilmarkeckle's herd-boy had flown to the house for assistance, and Miss Betty, heading all the servants, and armed with a flail, came, at double quick time, to the scene of action. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But, before she could bring up her forces, Bausy burst headlong through the hedge, like a hurricane. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Gurl, however, received him with such a thundering batter on the ribs, that he fell reeling from the shock. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | A repetition of the blow laid him on the ground, gasping and struggling with rage, agony, and death, so that, before the bride and her allies were able to drive Gurl from his fallen antagonist, he had gored and fractured him in almost every bone with the force and strength of the beam of a steam-engine. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Thus was Leddy Grippy prevented from killing the cow which she had allotted for the wedding-feast, the carcase of Bausy being so unexpectedly substituted. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But, saving this accident, nothing went amiss in the preparations for the wedding either at Grippy or Kilmarkeckle. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | All the neighbours were invited, and the most joyous anticipations universally prevailed; even Claud himself seemed to be softened from the habitual austerity which had for years gradually encrusted his character, and he partook of the hilarity of his family, and joked with the Leddy in a manner so facetious, that her spirits mounted, and, as she said herself, 'were flichtering in the very air.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The bridegroom alone, of all those who took any interest in the proceedings, appeared thoughtful and moody; but it was impossible that any lover could be more devoted to his mistress: from morning to night he hovered round the skirts of her father's mansion, and as often as he got a peep of her, he laughed, and then hastily retired, wistfully looking behind, as if he hoped that she would follow. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Sometimes this manoeuvre proved successful, and Miss Betty permitted him to encircle her waist with his arm, as they ranged the fields in amatory communion together. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | This, although perfectly agreeable to their happy situation, was not at all times satisfactory to his mother; and she frequently chided Watty for neglecting the dinner hour, and 'curdooing,' as she said, 'under cloud o' night.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | However, at last every preparatory rite but the feet-washing was performed; and that it also might be accomplished according to the most mirthful observance of the ceremony at that period, Charles and George brought out from Glasgow, on the evening prior to the wedding-day, a score of their acquaintance to assist in the operation on the bridegroom; while Miss Meg, and all the maiden friends of the bride, assembled at Kilmarkeckle to officiate there. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But when the hour arrived, Watty was absent. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | During the mixing of a large bowl of punch, at which Charles presided, he had slily escaped, and not answering to their summons, they were for some time surprised, till it was suggested that possibly he might have gone to the bride, whither they agreed to follow him. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Meanwhile the young ladies had commenced their operations with Miss Betty. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The tub, the hot water, and the ring, were all in readiness; her stockings were pulled off, and loud laughter and merry scuffling, and many a freak of girlish gambol was played, as they rubbed her legs, and winded their fingers through the water to find the ring of Fortune, till a loud exulting neigh of gladness at the window at once silenced their mirth. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The bride raised her eyes; her maidens turning round from the tub, looked towards the window, where they beheld Watty standing, his white teeth and large delighted eyes glittering in the light of the room. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | It is impossible to describe the consternation of the ladies at this profane intrusion on their peculiar mysteries. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The bride was the first that recovered her self-possession: leaping from her seat, and oversetting the tub in her fury, she bounded to the door, and, seizing Watty by the cuff of the neck, shook him as a tigress would a buffalo. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'The deevil ride a-hunting on you, Watty Walkinshaw, I'll gar you glower in at windows,' was her endearing salutation, seconded by the whole vigour of her hand in a smack on the face, so impressive, that it made him yell till the very echoes yelled again. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Gang hame wi' you, ye roaring bull o' Bashen, or I'll take a rung to your back,' then followed; and the terrified bridegroom instantly fled coweringly, as if she actually was pursuing him with a staff. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I trow,' said she, addressing herself to the young ladies who had come to the door after her, 'I'll learn him better manners, before he's long in my aught.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'I would be none surprised were he to draw back,' said Miss Jenny Shortridge, a soft and diffident girl, who, instead of joining in the irresistible laughter of her companions, had continued silent, and seemed almost petrified. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Poo!' exclaimed the bride; 'he draw back! |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Watty Walkinshaw prove false to me! |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | He dare na, woman, for his very life; but, come, let us gang in and finish the fun.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | But the fun had suffered a material abatement by the breach which had thus been made in it. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | Miss Meg Walkinshaw, however, had the good luck to find the ring, a certain token that she would be the next married. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | In the meantime, the chastised bridegroom, in running homeward, was met by his brothers and their companions, to whose merriment he contributed quite as much as he had subtracted from that of the ladies, by the sincerity with which he related what had happened,--declaring, that he would rather stand in the kirk than tak Betty Bodle; which determination Charles, in the heedlessness and mirth of the moment, so fortified and encouraged, that, before they had returned back to the punch-bowl, Walter was swearing that neither father nor mother would force him to marry such a dragoon. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | The old man seemed more disturbed than might have been expected from his knowledge of the pliancy of Walter's disposition at hearing him in this humour, while the Leddy said, with all the solemnity suitable to her sense of the indignity which her favourite had suffered,-- 'Biting and scarting may be Scotch folks' wooing; but if that's the gait Betty Bodle means to use you, Watty, my dear, I would see her, and a' the Kilmarkeckles that ever were cleckit, doon the water, or strung in a wooddie, before I would hae ony thing to say to ane come o' their seed or breed. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | To lift her hands to her |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | bridegroom!--The like o't was never heard tell o' in a Christian land--Na, gudeman, nane o' your winks and glooms to me,--I will speak out. |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | She's a perfect drum-major,--the randy cutty--deevil-do-me-good o' her--it's no to seek what I'll gie her the morn.' |
44,573 | The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy | 'Dinna grow angry, mother,' interposed Walter, thawing, in some degree, from the sternness of his resentment. |
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